English · Idiom Historical

The White Hart

Preserved but no longer current.

Meaning · English

The cognizance of Richard II; the White Lion, of Edward IV as Earl of March; the White Swan, of Henry IV and Edward HI.

Era: ca. 1898 (Victorian)

Sources & notes

Reproduced from Brewer’s Dictionary of Phrase and Fable (1898 edition, public domain; archive.org, retrieved 2026-07-31; OCR text, minor errors possible). Reflects the scholarship and attitudes of its era.

Topics: Black & white Historical slang (1800s)

Common questions

What does “The White Hart” mean?

The cognizance of Richard II; the White Lion, of Edward IV as Earl of March; the White Swan, of Henry IV and Edward HI.

Is “The White Hart” formal or informal?

No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.