_Banner._ A flag, charged with the coat of arms of the owner, displayed over its entire surface. (See Chapter XVII.)
_Banneret._ A Knight who had been advanced by the King to that higher military rank which entitled him to display a banner.
_Bar._ One of the Ordinaries: Nos. 81, 82.
_Bars Gemelles._ Barrulets borne in pairs: Nos. 83, 84.
_Barbed._ Pointed, as an arrow. The term is also applied to the small green leaves between the petals of heraldic roses. (See _Rose_.)
_Barbel._ A Fish borne as an allusive device by the family of DE BARRE: No. 162.
_Bardings._ Horse-trappings, often enriched with armorial blazonry. On the Great Seal of EDWARD I. the Bardings of the King's charger for the first time appear adorned with the Royal arms. On both sides of the horse, the head is supposed to be to the dexter. An example is represented in the Seal of ALEXANDER DE BALLIOL, in Chapter XIV.
_Barnacles_, _Breys_. An instrument used in breaking horses. A rebus of Sir REGINALD BRAY, architect of St. George's Chapel, Windsor, and repeatedly represented there: No. 216.
_Baron._ The lowest rank in the British Peerage. A Baron is "Right Honourable," and is styled "My Lord." His coronet, first granted by Charles II., has on a golden circlet six large pearls, of which four appear in representations, as in No. 217. An Irish Baron has no coronet. All a Baron's children are "Honourable."
_Baron._ A purely heraldic term signifying a _husband_, a _wife_ in Heraldry being _femme_.
_Baroness._ A lady in whom a Barony is vested by inheritance in her own right; also, the wife of a Baron. In either case she is "Right Honourable"; is styled "My Lady," and her coronet is the same as that of a Baron.
[Illustration: No. 217.--Circlet of a Baron's Coronet.]
_Baronet._ An hereditary rank, lower than the peerage, instituted in 1612 by JAMES I., who fixed the precedence of Baronets before all Knights, those of the Order of the Garter alone excepted. As originally created, all Baronets were "of Ulster," or "of Nova Scotia"; afterwards all new creations were "of Great Britain"; now all are "of the United Kingdom." The "Badge of Ulster," generally borne as an augmentation upon a canton or small inescutcheon, is--_Arg., a sinister hand, couped at the wrist and appaumée, gu._,--No. 215. The arms of Nova Scotia, which may be (but seldom are) similarly borne on a canton or inescutcheon, are--_Arg., on a saltire az., the Royal arms of Scotland_. (See No. 138.) By letters patent of JAMES I., the wives of Baronets have the titles of "_Lady_, _Madam_, or _Dame_," at their pleasure prefixed to their names.