"Erigit in carro palum, paloque Draconem Implicat, ut possit procul hinc atque inde videri, Hauriat et ventos cauda tumefactus et alis, Dentibus horrescens rictusque patentis hiatu, Quem super aurata volucer Jovis imminet ala."
Guiart has a similar passage; adding that the Dragon of the emperor--
"Vers France ot la gueule baée, Pour le réaume chalengier, Come s'il deust tout mangier. Cis Dragons soustint la Bannière Des connoissances l'emperiere, Qu'il porte au bel et à loré. Desus ot un Aigle doré: C'est _signe de guerre cuisant_."
The Car-standard, or Carrocium, of the English king Stephen has already been noticed in the sketch of the battle of Cuton Moor, (p. 107.) The Carrocio of the Milanese was still regarded as their Palladium.
Banners were carried by knights banneret, by the Church Advocati, and by the Town troops, or Communitates Parochiarum. The knight's banner, as we have already seen, was square; and, as soon as heraldic devices became settled, was ensigned with the bearing of the leader to whom it belonged. Its especial use was to muster and to rally the troops of the banneret:--
"Cil treis orent treis gunfanuns, A ralier lur cumpaingnuns."--_Rom. de Rou_, i. 337.
Bishops and abbots appointed knights to defend their possessions, to lead their contingent, and to fight under their banner. These advocati in time made their office hereditary. The Counts of Vexin were the _avoués_ of the Abbey of St. Denis, and the lands of Vexin coming into the possession of the kings of France, these monarchs acquired the office of bannerers of the abbey. Thus the plain red flag of St. Denis became, under the name of the Oriflamme, the most distinguished banner of the French monarchy.
"L'Oriflamme est une Banniere, Aucun poi plus forte que guimple: De cendal roujoyant et simple, Sans pourctraiture d'autre affaire."--_G. Guiart._
It was Louis le Gros who united the county of Vexin to the crown of France[232].
A very curious variety of the knightly banner occurs on the twelfth plate of the Bayeux tapestry; the flag is semicircular, is ensigned with a bird within a bordure, and has a fringe at the edge. Mr. Worsaae has suggested that this bird, which appears on the Norman side, may be the Raven of the Old-Northmen, retained by their descendants in honour of the deeds of their forefathers.