St. Landry democrat., 1885-08-15
THE QUEENS BEEFEATERs.
Organization and Description of the British
Royal Body-Guard.

Organization and Description of the British
Royal Body-Guard.
~"The Royal Body-guard of the Yeo
men of the Guard was on duty in the
interior of the palace, under the COM
mand of the Exon-in-waiting.'' The
sentence is familiar to most persons
from its recurrence in the official ac-
counts of court ceremonies, and there is
q particular reason why it should just
now challenge more than common atten-
ton; for this year will complete the
fourth century of uninterrupted service
of her Majesty's Yoemen of the Guard,
better known under the title of the Beef
eaters. There is raciness about the
latter name which has engrafted it
strongly upon the popular imagination.
but the true significance of which is far
from being as widely understood. In
addition to its picturesque and romantic
side, the corps is also famous as having
been the nucleus and forerunner of
standing army in England, embodied
as it was some 200 years before any other
The Beefeaters were instituted by
Henry VII. in 1885. Upon that mon
-arch's accession the need of royal body
guard was sufficiently apparent. The
times were troublous and the claims of
the first of the Tudors not too well
grounded. By the masses of the people,
however, the new guard was considered
as a startling innovation, and excited
both jealousy and resentment. In order
to allay these feelings, Bacon records a
stroke of adroitness on the part of the
young King which is best told in the
historians own words: 'sAs if the crown
upon his head had put perils into his
thoughts, the King did institute for the
better security of his person band of
fifty archers, under captain, to attend
him, by the name of the Yoemen of
his Guard. And yet that it might be
thought, to be rather matter of
dignity, after the imitation of that he.
had known abroad than any matter of
difidence appropriate to his own case,
he made it to be understood for an ordi-
nance not temporary, but to hold in
succession forever after. = The mate
rials for such body were ready to the
Kings hand; and from his household !
Henry selected body-guard Of fifty !
picked men, 'tchoice archers, strong and |
hardy fellows, six feetin height, " whom,
as Speed chronicles, she assigned to the |
service of himself and his Successors,
Kings and Queens of England. = The
number as well as the armament of this
body have varied in successive reigns,
its present official complement being 100 |
men, generally selected by the Conn
from deserving non
commissioned officers of the regular
army. The officers consist Of captain,
ensign and four t'exons'' or
"exempts,' y title thought to be trace
able to the French .'capitaines exempts
des gardes ducorps." Their arms have
at various times included long bow and
battle-axe, sword and lance, partisan
and arqUebus; the ornamental halberd
of to-day being rather wand of office
than weapon with much offense in it.
But it is on the picturesque dress
that the popular eye is fixed. At the
coronation of Henry VII. the yeomen
in white gaberdines, embroid-
cred with the royal Device and in
caps surrounded by the roses of York
and Lancaster. In the reign Of Henry
VIII. the well-known costume was
adopted which has never since been sub
varied. The King was him
self fond of appearing in it, nor wouldit
have been easy for him to don dress
more becoming to his handsome proper
lions. 1t consists of a scarlet coat, or
5unic, of peculiar make, reaching to the
knees, and guarded with garter-blue
velvet and badges Of the rose and crown
both on the breast and the back; the
are scarlet, also guarded
With velvet; the low-crowned, broad
hat being composed of the
Iame material, with ribbons of the
Kings color-red, white and blue.-&.
lQq5es' Gazette.