New-York tribune., 1910-11-25
KNIGHTS BACHELOR
Their Organization and Just
What the Title Means.

IF tie specific orders of chivalry.
&C 1he orders Of the Bath, OF ST
.~...se5 and St George, the victorian Ut
70 thistle. the Star of India, etc
- has never been any requirement o.
I 80 N the part Of these Knights Bach
i .-5 TIE term. according 70 some. Is
,---,rrio-l Of the cid French words 'oas
.-.rss-~ or lower knight, indicating
-. .,e cheralier was Of q lower grade OF
-4----ood than those who were knl6hts
~ the orders then existing, such
- Garter and the Bath, in England.
= -rfs4Te. IN Scotland. tne St Louis and
iF r-s7-i- IL France and the Golden
--.,s - Burgundy and afterwaTd IN Ger
! - s1d n Spain
..-.s -F,ey-aIfer" or knight bachelor
= -y.au-ise Inferior 20 the knight ban
/ - dignity which has now gone out
i 'l.-ts-a-o4. and which. though not heredi-
/ MS only bestowed for services in
sal= The hannereIs were usually al
4 - --ossesstor Of the dignity of ordi
+ - 1--5grrncod. and the ceremony OF in
j -...---a consisted il the sovereign giving
l--a---o--e that their pointed pennant should
-. --f,-ad Il such = fashion as 10 convert
:. 80 z souare banner. the value Of this
.-,-~a beinE derived from the fact that
= ,-7a- 7ersou below the rank of a peer
M -
,---r-;si bearings on square banner. The
- instance OF the bestowal OF the dig
49, 7F knight bsnneret was at a naval re-
- 81 Portsmouth. n L775. when George
~ -anfe--ed II upon Adrirals Pye and
g. ard Upon Captains Bickertoa and
Vernon.
Other authorities, again. argue that the
.a--r knight Bachelor is derived from The
>,7--ar-F~encn v7C-d batIeIier. owing to
.bs >ac1 thar kaighthood il oiden times
vas bestowed for military services only,
While s-3u others argue that the word
Ascselo- was applied 70 this degree OF
,rfr--7oo5 t- King Henry IL III order TO
s,-r.<r that the honor would die with the
re-s-7 70 whom e Was granted
The s-sr civilian 70 receive the honor Of
ordinary laigh-hood was Sir William Wal
-r--h. ne Lord Mayor Ct London, who is
-a-er1be-ed il hlsJOrE as having struck
,v, ~ rebel Wa1 Tyler. leader Of an in
e.--er-iou against Richard Il The daring
g. n the Lord Mayor in thus killing Tyler
.. he had of the rebel forces so dernor-
.,-za5 his followers 3hsr the rising came 70
= sna then and there. the King knighttng
/ -ha Lord Mayor on the very spot
4 me Knights Bachelor have within the
3 7s~- rew wears enrolled themselves into g.
! reaierv gaG have fust been enabled. through
& --e generosity Of one of their number,
4 -oIereI Slr Henry PeIIatt, commander Of
4 IRE Canadian Rifles TO acquire by pur-
r7sza ne nall 4 old CliTord's Inn, one Of
! me ancient 5nrs Of court. which dates from
1 -2-0 and IL which Sir Matthew Hale sat
4 n adjust tae boundaries Of the City Of
4 Lcn6on after he great fire Of 1855. Lamb,
1 Seot-. CoIe-i6ge and Southey were all mem
I hers of this i'm. which has had several
4 sll.szi,u6es since II ceased 70 be one Of
4 .be inns q court and 70 be restricted 10
II ti.c use II the legal profession It IS there
4 .ar f-C1l hencetorth the Knights Bachelor
4 f-cul al parts OF the English Empire viii
1 be able 70 meet and make their headcuar-
4 ;e-s while IN London. and hold their ban
& Quers
Thar last banquet. held a few weeks
20. took place in Ffshmongers' Hall, a
ua--icularIy appropriate place, since II was
- r71i1G 10 which Sir William Welworth
81 be.or-ez- HIS ef7Ey in wood adoTns the
& Eta.-czse Of the grand old building, and the
3 6sg-e- with which ne slew Wat Tyler IS
-ve~e-ved as one Of the most cherished
treas sures of the COMPANY.
So Henry EarETave Deale IS president
r. re Society q Knights Bachelor, and Sir
william Bull is the registrar and secretary
At e-deavor is being thus made 10 re-
Eo-e some Of the prestige Of the order,
4 -b1r- n some refgns has been sadly dinlin-
4 isr=s fz- indiscrinlinare beStowaL Thus, the
ricsrors OF ireland used 70 enjoy the pre-
roza;Ire Of bestowing knighthood on whom
,hev listed until Duke Of Richmond,
vhle lord lieutenant, got himself into trou-
1 re n- k-iEhring the boots Of an inn after
E dirne- - which ne had fared not wisely
her zoo vel Realizing On the following
4 --o---g. with returning sobrieJy. what he
4 Lad Zone he offered q considerable sum Of
4 -cnev 70 the boots 70 cali the thing on.
TIE nan himself vas willing. but his wife,
4 vhc was one Of the chamberuaids OF the
4 srsaushment. declined under any consider
4 s-c- u abandon the right of being ad-
4 dressed as my lady" and Lady Casey
4 fre remained 70 the end of her days. Since
( -hs- --a vice-o- IS required 70 obtain the
4 consent Of -he sovereign before knighting
l E1r c-e-
James 7 IS OF record as having created
! r. less than three hundred knights during
II ne second year of his reign. IN return
II for fees which he pocketed- But IL re-
-s.-ed for Charles II TO reduce the dig
rtv to a5su-dity bv knighting loin q
1 beef which has ever since been known as
II -Etrloin."
During Queen Tictoria's reign knight
II O. - zrv town that was the recipient OF
q -oval visit. and thus tailors and retail
HI opxeeoe-s Of every kind became invested
Il WITH The right 20 prefix Sir 70 their OWL
Il CaTis-lz- names ard the title Of Lady
/ q re z--1a--es OF their wives.
II During me reigu Of King Edward h'
EoElet.-nes kulghted people by surprise, and
4 without warning them Of his intention, as
fc- instance. when he knighted the work
4 t1Erar Navo- 4 Cardiff. who was a very
Il WORTHY brlcklayer. and Who until then had
j beer 20 extreme q Radical as 70 verge or
Il rssloIcsn.sm. After that Radical member
i Ct Parliament used 20 fight shy Of attend
sF TIE late Kings garden parties or an
S O. tne functions a. which ne was pres
e. never feeling quite sure that lie nllgn
- sBdde,lv tap them on the shoulder Wit
st ecue--v's sword. and ny thus convert
~ Laenl then and there into Knights Bach
tor- ruin their standing with their con
Fttlenrs ard destroy their political pros
peetv