a King's Colour. Union with central badge and number as in the above regulations but with a nonregulation "Wreath of Roses and Thistles" around both Badge and number. Gold pile wavy.

b- Regimental or 2nd Colour. Blue field, Union in upper canton. Central Badge and number as for King's Colour. Gold lions crowned gold, each surrounded by a "Wreath of Roses and Thistles", lion on a green mount Gold pile wavy.

The wreaths are in natural colours.

The Pile wavy by this period is indicative of no more than the 2nd battalion. [13]

As a regiment with a Royal Badge there should not, of course, be a wreath around the central device. The wreaths around the minor devices and number are unique (as far as I know).

Sadly we do not know whether the 1st Battalion colours were similarly at variance with Regulations but it does seem likely.

The blank scroll on the "regulation pattern" of illustration 4 never appears on the actual colours of the regiment. A similar scroll is drawn on 2 number of other colours of the 1747 manuscript but it is blank in all but one case.

The 1st Battalion received new colours in 1765 which were, presumably, nearer to the prescribed 1747 and 1751 orders.

The next issue of colours was in 1782 [14] and as the Inspection Returns make no mention of any irregularity in their appearance we can 23SUMC that they were of regulation pattern. Likewise the 1799 issue presented (in London ?) by the Prince of Wales.

SOURCE
Extant colours in a private collection.

More Early Colours of the Regiment of Foot Numbered the 4th

Introduction
The First Colours 1680-1686
New Colours for the Queen Consorts 1686-9
From Queen's to King's 1689-1734
Colonel William Barrell, 1734-c1747/9
Clothing Regulations and Royal Warrants 1747-1799
Colours of the 2nd Battalion 1756-8
Colours' Sizes, Sources, and Notes