In England, black-rod is the usher belonging to the order of the Garter, so called from the black rod which he carries. His full title is Gentleman-usher of the Black Rod, and his deputy is styled the Yeoman-usher. They are the official messengers of the House of Lords; and either the gentleman- or the yeoman-usher summons the Commons to the House of Lords when the royal assent is given to bills or royal speeches read, takes into custody parties guilty of breach of privilege and contempt, etc. Research Black-Rod
Fast and loose, also called prick the garter, was a street fraud, or cheating game, found in England also at fairs, between the 16th and the 19th centuries, involving a stick and a belt, string or garter doubled and rolled up with the double in the middle of the coils, it is then laid on a board, and the dupe is asked to catch the double with the stick or a skewer, when the gambler takes the two ends and looses it or draws it away, so as always to keep the skewer outside the doubled end. Research Fast And Loose
The Order of the Garter (originally known as the Order of St George) is a British dignitary awarded for chivalry. The origin of the order, though sometimes assigned to Richard I, is generally attributed to Edward III, the legend being that the Countess of Salisbury having dropped her garter while dancing, the king restored it, after putting it round his own leg, with the words, which became the motto of the order, 'Honi soit quimal y pense' - Shame be to him who thinks evil of it. The date of the foundation or restoration by Edward III of the order, as given by Froissart, is 1344, while other authorities, founding on the statutes of the order, assign it to 1350.
The statutes of the order have been repeatedly revised, more particularly in the reigns of Henry V, Henry VIII, Edward VI, and George III in 1805. Ladies are said to have been admitted up until the reign of Edward IV. Until the reign of Edward VI the common title of the order was the Order of St George, and it still bears this title, as well as that of the Garter. The original number of knights was twenty-six, including the sovereign, who was its permanent head; and this number is still retained, except that by a statute passed in 1786 princes of the blood are admitted as supernumerary members.
The peculiar emblem of the order, the garter, a dark-blue ribbon edged with gold, bearing the motto and with a gold buckle and pendant, is worn on the left leg below the knee. The mantle is of blue velvet, lined with white taffeta, the surcoat and hood of crimsonvelvet, the hat of black velvet, with plume of white ostrich feathers, having in the centre a tuft of black heron's feathers. The collar of gold consists of knots alternating with garters inclosing roses, with the badge of the order, called the George pendent from it. This consists of a figure of St George on horseback fighting the dragon. The lesser George is worn on a broad blue ribbon over the left shoulder. The star, formerly only a cross, is of silver, and consists of eight points, with the cross of St George in the centre, encircled by the garter. A star is worn by the knights on the left side when not in the dress of the order.
The Blackneck Garter Snake (Thamnophis cyrtopsis) is an American species of Garter snake usually green or greyish-green in colour with a distinct, pale yellow or white coloured mid-dorsal stripe and a whitish coloured belly, and with distinct black half-oval spots extending from behind the head for about three rows of scales. Research Blackneck Garter Snake
Butler's Garter Snake (Thamnophis butleri) is an American species of Garter snake growing to about 50 cm long and varying in colour from brown to black and sometimes spotted, and with a small head. Research Butler's Garter Snake
The Checkered Garter Snake (Thamnophis marcianus) is an American species of Garter snake usually drab green, yellow or brown in colour with a series of regular black coloured, squarish markings. The mid-dorsal stripe is yellowish in colour, lightening towards the head. Research Checkered Garter Snake
The Common Garter Snake (Thamnophis sirtalis) is an American species of Garter snake varying in colour from greenish, to brown, grey or black in colour with light or dark coloured stripes and occurring both with and without spotting. Research Common Garter Snake
The Eastern Ribbon Snake (Thamnophis sauritus) is an American species of Garter snake growing to about 66 cm in length and characterised by a very dark coloured body with three distinctive stripes, of varying colours, on the mid-dorsum and the sides. Research Eastern Ribbon Snake
Garter snake is a popular name for the non-venomous North American snakes of the genus Thamnophis of the family Colubridae. Typically they are marked with longitudinal stripes which resemble a garter, whence their name. Garter snakes eject a foul secretion from a gland near the anus when attacked or threatened, and are harmless to humans. Garter snakes are aquatic, living near to water and spending a good deal of time in it hunting by scent for insects, earthworms and amphibians (frogs, toads and salamanders). Research Garter Snake
The Giant Garter Snake (Thamnophis gigas) is a large species of Garter snake growing to 120 cm in length distinguished by a weak mid-dorsal striping which is usually pale yellow in colour and irregular, and very dark spotting arranged in a Checkered pattern. Research Giant Garter Snake
The Probert Encyclopaedia was designed, edited and programed by
Matt and Leela Probert
Abbreviations
Research Black-Rod
