BANN, in military affairs, a proclamation made in the army by beat of drum, sound of trumpet, &c. requiring the strict observance of discipline, either for the declaring a new officer, or punishing an offender.
BANNER denotes either a square flag, or the principal standard belonging to a prince.
We find a multiplicity of opinions concerning the etymology of the word banner; some deriving it from the Latin bandum, a band or flag; others from the word bann, to summons the vassals to appear in arms; others again from the German ban, a field or tenement, because landed men alone were allowed a banner; and, finally, there are some who think it a corruption of paniere, from pannus, cloth, because banners were originally made of cloth.
The BANNER of France, was the largest and richest of all the flags borne by the ancient kings in their great military expeditions. St Martin's cap was in use six hundred years, as the banner of France: it was made of taffety, painted with the image of that saint, and laid one or two days on his tomb to prepare it for use. About the year 1100, came in a more pompous apparatus. The banner royal was fastened to the top of a mast,