the beau monde, has a meaning materially different from the above, and which it is easier to illustrate than define. It is, however, subject to a system of rules, called the law of honour, constructed by people of fashion, calculated to facilitate their intercourse with one another, and for no other purpose. Consequently, nothing is considered as inconsistent with honour, but what tends to incommode this intercourse. Hence, as Archdeacon Paley states the matter, profaneness, neglect of public worship or private devotion, cruelty to servants, rigorous treatment of tenants or other dependents, want of charity to the poor, injuries done to tradesmen by insolvency or delay of payment, with numberless examples of the same kind, are accounted no breaches of honour; because a man is not a less agreeable companion for these vices, nor the worse to deal with in those concerns which are usually transacted between one gentleman and another.
Again, the law of honour being constituted by men occupied in the pursuit of pleasure, and for the mutual convenience of such men, will be found, as might be expected from the character and design of the law-makers, to be, in most instances, favourable to the licentious indulgence of the natural passions. Thus it allows of fornication, adultery, drunkenness, prodigality, duelling, and revenge in the extreme; and lays no stress upon the virtues opposite to these.
Honour or Rank.—The degrees of honour which are observed in Britain may be comprehended under these two heads, viz. nobles majorés, and nobles minorés. Those included under the first rank are, archbishops, dukes, marquises, earls, viscounts, bishops, and barons; which are all distinguished by the respective ornaments of their escutcheons: and those of the last are baronets, knights, esquires, and gentlemen. There are some authors who will have baronets to be the last under the first rank; and their reason is, because their honour is hereditary, and by patent, as that of the nobility. See Commonalty and Nobility.
Honours of War, in a siege, is, when a governor, having made a long and vigorous defence, is at last obliged to surrender the place to the enemy for want of men and provisions, and makes it one of his principal articles to march out with the honours of war; that is, with shouldered arms, drums beating, colours flying, and all their baggage, &c.
Military Honours. All armies salute crowned heads in the most respectful manner, drums beating a march, colours and standards dropping, and officers saluting. Their guards pay no compliment, except to the princes of the blood; and even that by courtesy, in the absence of the crowned head.
To the commander in chief the whole line turns out without arms, and the camp-guards beat a march, and salute. To generals of horse and foot, they beat a march, and salute. Lieutenant-generals of ditto, three ruffs, and salute. Major-generals of ditto, two ruffs, and salute. Brigadiers of ditto, reeled arms, one ruff, and salute. Colonels of ditto, reeled arms, and no beating. Centinels reft their arms to all field-officers, and shoulder to every officer. All governors, that are not general officers, shall, in all places where they are governors, have one ruff, with reeled arms; but for those who have no commission as governors, no drum shall beat. Lieutenant-governors shall have the main-guard turned out to them with shouldered arms.
Prussian Honours of War, chiefly imitated by most powers in Europe, are,
To the king, all guards beat the march, and all officers salute. Field-marlhals received with the march, and saluted in the king's absence. General of horse or foot, four ruffs; but if he commands in chief, a march and salute. Lieutenant-generals of horse or foot, commanding or not, guards beat three ruffs. Major-generals of horse and foot, two ruffs. Officers, when their guards are under arms, and a general makes a signal, must reft to him, but not beat; when not got under arms, and a signal made, only stand by their arms. Village- Village-guards go under arms only to the king, field-marshals, generals of horse and foot, and to the general of the day. Generals guards go under arms only to the king, field-marshals, and the general over whom they mount. Commanding officers of regiments and battalions, their own quarter and rear guards to turn out; but not to other field-officers, unless they are of the day. Generals in foreign service, the same.
Honours paid by Centinels. Field-marshals; two centinels with ordered fire-locks, at their tent or quarters. Generals of horse or foot; two centinels, one with his firelock shouldered, the other ordered. Lieutenant-generals; one, with firelock ordered. Major-generals; one, with firelock shouldered.
The first battalion of guards go under arms to the king only; not to stand by, nor draw up in the rear of their arms to any other; nor to give centinels to foreigners. Second and third battalions draw up behind their arms to the princes, and to field-marshals; but when on grenadier guards or out posts, they turn out, as other guards do, to the officers of the day. They give one centinel with shouldered arms to the princes of the blood, and to field-marshals when they lie alone in garrisons.
Court of Honour. See Court of Chivalry.
Fountain of Honour. The king is styled, as being the source of honours, dignities, &c. See Prerogative.
It is impossible that government can be maintained without a due subordination of rank; that the people may know and distinguish such as are set over them, in order to yield them their due respect and obedience; and also that the officers themselves, being encouraged by emulation and the hopes of superiority, may the better discharge their functions; and the law supposes, that no one can be so good a judge of their several merits and services as the king himself who employs them. It has therefore entrusted him with the sole power of conferring dignities and honours, in confidence that he will bestow them upon none but such as deserve them. And therefore all degrees of nobility, of knighthood, and other titles, are received by immediate grant from the crown; either expressed in writing, by writs or letters patent, as in the creation of peers and baronets; or by corporeal investiture, as in the creation of a simple knight.
From the same principle also arises the prerogative of erecting and disposing of offices; for honours and offices are in their nature convertible and synonymous. All offices under the crown carry in the eye of the law an honour along with them; because they imply a superiority of parts and abilities, being supposed to be always filled with those that are most able to execute them. And, on the other hand, all honours in their original had duties or offices annexed to them: an earl, comor, was the conservator or governor of a county; and a knight, miles, was bound to attend the king in his wars. For the same reason therefore that honours are in the disposal of the king, offices ought to be so likewise; and as the king may create new titles, so may he create new offices; but with this restriction, that he cannot create new offices with new fees annexed to them, nor annex new fees to old offices; for this would be a tax upon the subject, which cannot be imposed but by act of parliament. Wherefore, in 13 Hen. IV. a new office being created by the king's letters patent for measuring cloths, with a new fee for the same, the letters patent were, on account of the new fee, revoked and declared void in parliament.
Upon the same or a like reason, the king has also the prerogative of conferring privileges upon private persons. Such as granting place or precedence to any of his subjects, as shall seem good to his royal wisdom; or such as converting aliens, or persons born out of the king's dominions, into denizens; whereby some very considerable privileges of natural-born subjects are conferred upon them. Such also is the prerogative of erecting corporations; whereby a number of private persons are united and knit together, and enjoy many liberties, powers, and immunities in their political capacity, which they were utterly incapable of in their natural.
Maids of Honour, are young ladies in the queen's household, whose office is to attend the queen when she goes abroad, &c. In England they are fix in number, and their salary £500 per annum each.
Honour is particularly applied in our customs to the more noble kind of fiefdoms or lordships, whereof other inferior lordships or manors hold or depend. As a manor consists of several tenements, services, customs, &c. so an honour contains divers masters, knights-fees, &c. It was also formerly called beneficium or royal fee, being always held of the king in capite.
Honour Point, in Heraldry, is that next above the centre of the escutcheon, dividing the upper part into two equal portions.