THE SHIELD: ITS HERALDIC TREATMENT.—When a Shield is represented as standing erect, it is not necessary to specify that fact, since such a position may be assumed for a Shield unless another be set forth in blazoning. Shields are sometimes made to appear suspended by the guige, or shield-belt (which was worn by Knights to sustain and secure their Shields to their persons); in some Seals and generally in architectural compositions, Shields-of-Arms appear suspended, erect, from their guiges; at Westminster some of the earliest Shields are thus suspended, with a very happy effect, from two points of suspension, the guige passing over sculptured heads, as in No. 48, the Arms of Provence, borne by ALIANORE of Provence, Queen of HENRYIII.—the shield is gold, and on it are blazoned four red pallets. In Seals, the suspended Shield is generally represented hanging by the sinister-chief angle, as in No. 49; and it hangs thus diagonally from below the helm. AShield thus placed is said to be "couch." This arrangement is also frequently adopted, when a Shield or an Achievement of arms is not placed upon a Seal; but in any case the position has no importance except as a matter of artistic treatment.





The entire surface of every Shield is termed the "Field." The same term is also applied to every plain surface. AShield is said to be "borne" by the personage to whom it belongs: and, in its turn, the Shield "bears" whatever figures and devices may be displayed upon it; whence, all these figures and devices are entitled "Bearings" or "Armorial Bearings." All figures and devices are also styled "Charges"; and they are said to be "charged" upon a Shield, Banner, or Surcoat, or upon one another. In blazoning, the field of the Shield is always first noticed and described: next follow the charges that rest upon the field of the Shield itself; then descriptions are given of the secondary bearings that are charged upon others of greater importance. As a general rule, of several charges which all alike rest immediately upon the field of the Shield, the most important is the first to be blazoned; so that the arrangement of blazoning is determined by the comparative dignity of the bearings, as well as by the degree in which charges are nearer to the field and further from beholders. In some cases, however, abearing charged upon the field of a Shield and many times repeated on a small scale, is blazoned (for the sake of simplicity and clearness of expression) next to the field of the Shield itself:—thus, if a lion be charged on the field of a Shield, and a considerable number of crosses surround the lion, and, like him, are placed on the field of the Shield also—the field of the Shield is blazoned first, the crosses second, and the lion third; and, if a crescent (or other bearing) be charged upon the lion's shoulder, it is the last in the blazon. In quartered Shields the blazoning commences afresh with each quartering. In blazoning armorial banners and horse-trappings, the latter often gorgeously enriched with heraldic blazonry, the dexter side of a flag is always next to the staff, and the head of a horse is supposed always to be looking towards the dexter.



CHAPTER V

THE GRAMMAR OF HERALDRY

SECTION II

The Tinctures' Metals— Colours— Furs— Varied Fields— Law of Tinctures— Counterchanging— Diaper— Disposition— Blazoning in Tinctures.

"All the devices blazoned on the Shield In their own tinct" —ELAINE.

In English Heraldry the TINCTURES comprise Two Metals, Five Colours, and Eight Furs. They are symbolised or indicated by dots and lines—a very convenient system, said to have been introduced, about the year 1630, by an Italian named Silvestre de Petrasancta. Some such symbolisation, however, may occasionally be found in anticipation of Petrasancta. The system now in use was not generally adopted till the commencement of the eighteenth century. This system is never officially employed in a matter of record, and is now being discarded by many artists. The Metals, Colours, and Furs are named, their names are abbreviated, and they are severally indicated, as follows:—















TWO METALS.

TITLES ABBREVIATIONS SYMBOLISATION.

1. Gold Or Or No.50. 2. Silver Argent Arg. No.51.

FIVE COLOURS

TITLES ABBREVIATIONS SYMBOLISATION.

1. Blue Azure Az. No.52. 2. Red Gules Gu. No.53. 3. Black Sable Sa. No.54. 4. Green Vert Vert No.55. 5. Purple Purpure Purp. No. 56

(In French Heraldry, Green is Sinople.)



















EIGHT FURS (not abbreviated).

TITLES

1. Ermine,—black spots on white No.57. 2. Ermines,—white spots on black No.58. 3. Erminois,—black spots on gold No.59. 4. Pean,—gold spots on black No.60. 5. Vair,—alternate divisions of blue and white, Nos. 61,62. 6. Counter Vair (note difference of arrangement) No.63. 7. Potent (note different shape of divisions) No.64. 8. Counter Potent No.65.

Two other Colours, or tints of Colour, are sometimes heard of—Tenne, atawny or orange colour, indicated by vertical lines crossing those of Purpure: and Murrey or Sanguine, adark crimson red, indicated by diagonal lines from both dexter and sinister, crossing each other. These two are sometimes termed stains, but their real usage was in liveries. The Furs, Nos. 58, 59, 60, 63, 64, and 65, are of comparatively rare occurrence, and do not appear in the best ages of Heraldry. Vair and Ermine are common. Agood early form of Vair is shown in No. 62: and in No. 57A, Igive a fine example of the treatment of Ermine, from the monument of EDWARDIII.



In order to avoid repeating or referring to the word "Or," the word "Gold" is sometimes used. The Furs, Nos. 61, 62, 63, 64, and 65, are always argent and azure, unless some other metal and colour be named in the blazoning. Animated beings and all objects, that in Heraldry are represented in their natural aspect and colouring, are blazoned "proper" abbreviated ppr. Heraldic charges and compositions, when sketched in outline with pen and ink or with pencil, and with the colours written thereon, are said to be "tricked," or "in trick."

VARIED FIELDS.—It is not necessary that the Field of a Shield, or of any Bearing, should be of any one uniform tincture: but varied surfaces are usually tinctured of some one metal and some one colour alternating; and the patterns or devices thus produced are generally derived (the Furs, Nos. 61-65, which are good examples of varied surfaces, being the exceptions) from the forms of the original simple charges that are distinguished as Ordinaries and Subordinaries. And these varied surfaces or fields are always flat; the whole of their devices or patterns are level, their metal and colour lying in the same plane. It is evident that, in representing any examples of this class, no shading is to be introduced to denote relief.





Should the field of any charge be divided into a single row of small squares, alternately, e.g. of a metal and a colour, as No. 66, it is Compone or Compony (sometimes written gobony): if into two such rows, as in No. 67, it is Counter Compony: but, if the field of a Shield, or the surface of any charge be divided into three, or more than three, such rows, it is Cheque or Checky; thus, the Arms of the Earl de WARENNE are Cheque or and az., No. 68 (H. 3 and E.2).

THE LAW OF TINCTURES.—Every charge is supposed to rest upon the field of a Shield, or on the surface of some charge. It is a strict rule, that a charge of a metal must rest upon a field that is of a colour or fur; or, contrariwise, that a charge of a colour must rest on a field that is of a metal or fur,—that is, that metal be not on metal, nor colour on colour. This rule is modified in the case of varied fields, upon which may be charged a bearing of either a metal or a colour: also, apartial relaxation of the rule is conceded when one bearing is charged upon another, should the conditions of any particular case require such a concession. This rule does not apply to bordures, nor very stringently to augmentations or crests, and it is not so rigidly enforced in Foreign as in British Heraldry. There are, of course, afew exceptions, but they are not numerous, the one usually instanced as an intentional violation being the silver armorial Shield of the CRUSADER KINGS of JERUSALEM, No. 69, upon which five golden crosses are charged; the motive in this remarkable exception to an established rule being said to be to cause this Shield to be unlike that of any other potentate. What may be termed the accessories of a charge are not included in this law of tinctures: thus, asilver lion having a red tongue may be charged on a blue shield, and the red tongue may rest on the blue field of the Shield.





COUNTERCHANGING is dividing the field of a Shield in such a manner that it is, e.g. in part of a metal and in part of a colour, and then arranging the charges in such a manner that they shall be reciprocally of the same colour and metal: thus, the shield of John Fenwick, No. 70 (R.2) is,—per-fesse gu. and arg., six martlets, three, two, one, counterchanged; that is, the field is red in chief and silver in base, and the birds or parts of the birds on the red field are silver, and those on the silver field are red.

DIAPERING.—This term denotes a system of decorating plain surfaces in various ways, which was in great favour with the early heraldic artists. In the use of Diaper, which is often desirable when artistic reasons suggest its suitability, care must be taken that the decorative designs and patterns do not in any way admit of their being mistaken for charges. This diaper may be executed in low relief, subordinated to the relief of the charges; and it is not required to yield any obedience to the law of tinctures. In the Shield, No. 68 (the original, avery noble shield, is at Castle Acre Priory, Norfolk), which is simply cheque, the Diapering may be alternately azure and or on the squares that are alternately or and azure; or the Diaper may be dark blue, or sable, or argent on the azure squares, and on the golden ones whatever the artist might consider would be most effective; but the Diaper, in this and in all other examples, must always be subordinate to the area and tincture of the field. The finest known early example of heraldic Diaper in enamel, is the Shield of WILLIAM DE VALENCE, Earl of PEMBROKE, in Westminster Abbey, A.D. 1296. Very beautiful early examples of Diapering have been preserved in relics of heraldic stained glass.



DISPOSITION: BLAZONING.—By Disposition is understood the placing and arranging of charges. Asingle important charge, which has not a fixed position of its own, is placed in the centre of any composition: and minor charges are arranged in their most natural and consistent order and positions, any deviation from which must be specified. Asingle charge, many times repeated, and small in size, whether with or without any special orderly disposition, is said to be Seme—strewn, that is, or scattered over the field, as seed is sown by the hand; or, if the charges are very small or very numerous, the term poudre or powdered has sometimes been used. The expression—"three, two, one," signifies that a charge is repeated six times, the Disposition being three in a horizontal row towards the chief of the Shield, then two in a similar row in the centre, and one in base. In the same manner, the expressions—"four, four, one," "four, three, two, one," "three and one," &c., are used as occasion may require. For other dispositions of charges other appropriate terms will present themselves to our notice, growing out of our subject as it advances.

Should a Tincture or a Number occur a second time in blazoning a single composition, it must be indicated, not by repeating the word already used, but by reference to it. Thus, if the tincture of the field should occur a second time, reference is made to it in the formula—"of the field:" or, perhaps more frequently—"of the first;" or, if the tincture that is named second in order in the blazoning be repeated, it is indicated by the expression—"of the second;" and so on. Again: should there be three fleurs de lys and also three crescents in one and the same composition, having specified the "three fleurs de lys," the number of the crescents would be set forth in the words—"as many crescents:" providing nothing else has in the wording of the blazon intervened in such a way as to cause uncertainty by the use of the term; and so, in like manner, with any other numbers of these or of any other charges.

In descriptive Blazoning, Epithets, which follow their own Nouns, precede the Tinctures that are associated with those nouns: thus, ablack rampant lion having golden claws is blazoned,—a lion rampt. sa., armed or. In written and printed blazoning, the arrangement of the words and the placing the stops are alike matters of supreme importance. The sentences are to be short. Acomma is to mark the end of each complete minor clause or division of a sentence: acolon, each more important clause. Apoint or period is to follow every abbreviated word, to mark the fact of the abbreviation, but without affecting the additional presence of a comma (as in the blazoning, "a lion rampant sa.,") or of a colon, as the case may be; but a second period is unnecessary. It is a very common error to overload heraldic blazoning with commas which, instead of aiding to simplify the sentences, obscure the meaning and perplex the reader. It is always correct to write—"three lion's heads," "six pilgrim's staves," &c.: and always incorrect to write—"three lions' heads," "six pilgrims' staves," &c.; but it is a point printers have an apparently invincible objection to accept.

EMBLAZONING IN TINCTURES.—On this head I must be content to offer to students only a few brief practical observations. The metal Gold may be rendered with gold prepared in small saucers, or (most advantageously) in minute slabs; this preparation is applied, like a common water-colour, by moistening the gold with water; and it is desirable previously to have washed the paper, card (or vellum) with diluted white of egg. Gold leaf may also be used, but the process is tedious, and requires both skill and experience to ensure complete success. Yellow paint, again, may be used to represent the metal, the best colours being cadmium yellow, or "aureolin" (Winsor and Newton) mixed with Chinese white. For shading, carmine, or crimson lake, mixed with gum. For Silver, aluminium may be used with excellent effect; or Chinese white; or the paper may be left white: for shading, grey (blue and Indian ink mixed) and gum. The Aluminium is prepared, like the gold, in minute slabs: it may be obtained, of great excellence, from Messrs. Winsor & Newton, by whom also a very pure preparation of gold is sold; but both the gold and the aluminium slabs are sold by all good artists' colourmen. These Metals may be diapered, as well as burnished, with an agate-burnisher.

For Azure:—French blue, freely mixed with Chinese white and a very little gum, the colour to be laid on thick: shade with Prussian blue mixed with a larger proportion of gum. For Gules:—Orange vermilion either pure, or mixed with a very little cadmium yellow or Chinese white, and still less gum: (never use a brilliant but most treacherous preparation known as "pure scarlet:") shade with carmine or crimson lake, and gum. For Vert:—emerald green, with Chinese white and a little gum: shade with dark green, made from mixing aureolin (or gamboge) with Prussian blue and gum. For Purpure:—mix carmine and French blue, with a little gum: shade with a darker tint of the same. For Sable:—Very dark grey, made by mixing a little Chinese white and gum with black: shade with black and more gum.

When the Metals are rendered by gold and aluminium, it is desirable that these tinctures should be applied, and that the diapering and burnishing of the Metals should also be completed with the burnisher, before the adjoining colours are laid on. The burnishing may be executed in two or three hours after the Metals have been applied to the paper; and the paper should be placed upon a piece of glass during the processes of burnishing and diapering.



CHAPTER VI

THE GRAMMAR OF HERALDRY

SECTION III

The Ordinaries:— The Chief; Fesse; Bar; Pale; Cross, its heraldic varieties; Bend; Saltire; Chevron; and Pile.

"Marks of Hereditary Honour, given or authorised by some supreme Power." —SCIENCE OF HERALDRY.

THE ORDINARIES.—The simple Charges of early Heraldry, which always have been held in the highest esteem and which are most familiar, are:—The Chief, the Fesse, the Bar, the Pale, the Cross, the Bend, the Saltire, the Chevron, and the Pile. They may be considered to have been derived from various means that were adopted to strengthen Shields for use in combat, the Cross always being in great favour from having a definite symbolism of its own. These Ordinaries may be formed by any of the Border Lines, No. 38. Occasionally they are borne alone; but more generally they are associated with other bearings, or they have various figures and devices charged upon themselves. In some cases, presently to be specified, more than one Ordinary may appear in a single composition. The Bar, the Pale, the Bend, and the Chevron have Diminutives. The Cross has many Varieties.

THE CHIEF (H. 3), bounded by a horizontal line, contains the uppermost third (or, in practice, somewhat less than the third, of the field of a Shield, as in No. 71. The Shield of LE BOTILER, No. 72, is—Or, achief indented az. (H.3). AChief may be borne with any other Ordinary except the Fesse; it may also be charged with any other figures or devices:—thus, for Sire BERNARD DE BRUS, No. 73,—Az., achief and a saltire or: for Sire JOHAN DE CLINTONE, No. 74,—Arg., on a chief az. two fleurs de lys or: and for Sire JOHAN DE CLINTONE de Madestoke, No. 75,—Arg., on a chief az. two mullets or (all E.2). When any charge is set in the uppermost third of a Shield, or when several charges are disposed in a horizontal row across the uppermost part of a Shield, they all are said to be "in Chief."

















THE FESSE (H. 3), which crosses the centre of a Shield horizontally, when charged occupies about one-third (or rather less than one-third) of the field; but when without charges, it is usually drawn somewhat narrower. The Shield of Lord CLIFFORD is,—Cheque or and az., afesse gu., No. 76. For ROBT. LE FITZ-WATER,—Or, afesse between two chevrons gu.: for JOHN DE PATESHULLE, No. 77,—Arg., afesse sa., between three crescents gu. (all H.3): for WILLIAM LE VAVASOUR, No. 78,—Or, afesse dancette sa.: for DE HEMENHALE, No. 79,—Or, on a fesse between two chevrons gu., three escallops arg.: and for DE DAGEWORTHE, No. 80,—Erm., afesse gu. bezante (all E.2). When they are disposed in a horizontal row across the centre of a Shield, Charges are "in fesse."













THE BAR (H. 3), which may be placed horizontally in any part of the field except in fesse or at the chief of the Shield, is about one-fifth of the field (or sometimes less) in depth. Asingle bar very rarely occurs in blazon. Examples:—Or, two bars gu.,—for DE HARECOURT, No. 81: Az., two bars dancette or,—for DE RIVERES: Or, two bars gu., in chief three torteaux,—for WAKE, No. 82. The Diminutive of the Bar is the Barrulet, one-half of its width. When they are disposed in couples, Barrulets are Bars Gemelles, these not being so deep as the barrulet: thus, No. 83,—for DE HUNTERCUMBE,—Erm., two bars gemelles gu. (H.3). AFesse or Bar, when placed between two similar figures narrower than barrulets, is said to be cotised by them; or, to be "doubly cotised," when placed between two bars gemelles: thus, for DE LA MERE, No. 84,—Or, afesse doubly cotised (or, between two bars gemelles) az. (E.2). An even number of bars alternately of a metal (or a fur) and a colour form the varied field which is to be blazoned "barry," the number of the bars in every case to be specified—as, "barry of six," "barry of eight," &c. If the number of bars exceeds eight (some writers say ten), it is "barrule" or "barruly"; and in this case it is not necessary that the number of the bars should be specified, the word barrule being used alone, or the expression "barrule sans nombre" to denote a considerable number, but not a fixed number of bars—the number, however, always to be even. But this is a modern refinement of blazon to which little if any attention was paid in early days. It is to be observed that while the bars, whatever their number, if they are blazoned as bars, are to be treated as if they were executed in relief upon the field of a Shield, aShield that is barry or barrule has its field formed by bars which are all in the same plane. Examples:—Barry of six or and gu., for FITZ ALAN of Bedale, No. 85: Barry of six arg. and az., for DE GREY: Barry of eight or and az.,—for DE PENBRUGGE (all H.3): Barrule arg. and az., an orle of martlets gu.,—for DE VALENCE, Earl of PEMBROKE, No. 86; in this example ten bars are represented, but in the noble enamelled shield of the first De Valence (A.D. 1296) preserved in Westminster Abbey, the bars are twenty-eight in number. Charges, not "in fesse" or "in chief," that are disposed horizontally across the field are "bar-wise."









THE PALE.—Like the Fesse, this Ordinary occupies rather less than a central third of the field, but it is vertical in its position instead of horizontal. No. 87, for ERSKINE, is—Arg., apale sa. Its Diminutives, the Pallet and the Endorse, severally one-half and one-fourth of its width, may be placed vertically in any part of the field. APale between two Endorses is "endorsed" but the term cotised is also employed with this meaning. An even number of Pallets of a metal (or a fur) and a colour set alternately, form the varied field to be blazoned "paly," the number of the Pallets (which lie all in the same plane) always to be specified: thus—Paly of six arg. and az., on a bend gu. three eaglets displayed or, for GRANDISON, No. 88 (H.3) Charges that are disposed one above another in a vertical row are "in pale." This is the arrangement of the three golden lions of England.

The CROSS (H. 3), formed from a combination of a Fesse with a Pale, in its simplest form is set erect in the centre of the field, and it extends to the border-lines of the Shield. If at any time it may be necessary or apparently desirable specially to set forth in the blazoning of a Shield, that a Cross charged upon it does thus extend to the border-lines, such a Cross is blazoned as a "Cross throughout." No. 1, Arg., aCross gu., the armorial ensign of ST. GEORGE, the special Patron Saint of England, may be blazoned as "A Cross of St. George." Of this Cross, the great symbol of the Christian Faith, Spenser says—

"And on his brest a bloodie Cross he bore, The deare remembrance of his dying Lord.... Upon his Shield the like was also scored."

Faerie Queen, I. i. 2.





A Cross having a narrow border lying in the same plane with itself, is "fimbriated," such a border being a "fimbriation": thus, No. 89, Az., across gu., fimbriated arg., represents the Cross of St. George in our National "Union Jack." ACross having its four extremities cut off square, so that it does not extend in any direction to the border-lines of the shield, is "couped" or "humette". If the extremities of a Cross are cut off to points, it is "pointed," as in No.90. If its central area is entirely removed, so that but little more than its outlines remain, it is "voided," or (H.3) "a false Cross" ("faux croix"): when its four limbs are equal in length, it is a "Greek Cross," as No. 91: when the limbs are unequal, the lower limb or shaft being longer than the other three, as in No. 92, it is a "Latin Cross" or a "long cross": but neither of these two last terms are used regarding the plain cross throughout, notwithstanding that differences in the shape of the shield may materially alter the proportion of the limbs. If a cross be formed of a shaft and two horizontal limbs only (like the letterT), as in No. 93, it is a "Tau Cross," or "Cross Tau": if it is pierced at the intersection of the limbs, and the entire central area be voided, it is said to be "pierced quarterly." ALatin Cross on steps, is "on Degrees," and it is distinguished as a "Calvary Cross." Charges having a cruciform arrangement are "in Cross."

























The CROSS:—its HERALDIC VARIETIES. The Cross-symbol appears in English Heraldry under very many varieties and modifications of form and condition, some of them of great beauty. The following engraved representations of the various examples are so explicit, that descriptions of them are unnecessary. The Cross Quadrate, No. 94. The Cross Patriarchal, No. 95. The Cross Fourche, No. 96. The Cross Moline, represented charged upon the Shield attributed to the SAXON KINGS OF ENGLAND, No. 23: this same shield—Az., aCross moline or, is borne by DE MOLINES or MOLYNEUX, No. 97. The Cross Cercele or Recercele (H.3),—Gu., aCross recercele erm., No. 98, for ANTHONY BEC, Bishop of DURHAM. The Cross Patonce (H.3),—Gu., aCross patonce arg., No. 99, from the Seal of WM. DE VESCI, A.D. 1220. The Cross Fleury, No. 100, should be compared carefully with Nos. 97 and 99, the Crosses Moline and Patonce. The Cross Fleurette, No. 101. The Cross Pomme, No. 102. The Cross Botone or Trefle, No. 103. The Cross Crosslet, or Crosslet crossed, No. 104. The term "Crosslet" is strictly applicable to any Cross on a very small scale: but it is usually applied to denote a Cross that is crossed as in No. 104. Small Crosses Botone are occasionally used as these "Crosses-Crosslets,"—as at Warwick in the arms of the BEAUCHAMPS, the Earls of WARWICK. Crosslets are frequently blazoned seme over the field of a Shield, in which case the special term crusilly is often used; and, in smaller numbers, they also are favourite Charges. No. 105 is the Cross Cleche or Urde.

















The Cross Pate or Forme is represented in No. 106. No. 107 is the "Cross of eight Points," or the Maltese Cross: this example is drawn from the portrait of PHILLIPPE DE VILLIERS DE L'ISLE-ADAM, elected forty-third Grand Master of the Knights of St. John of Jerusalem, A.D. 1521; this picture is in the possession of the Earl of Clarendon, K.G. The Cross Potent, No. 108. The Cross Avellane, No. 109. The Crossed-Crosslet, and the Crosses Pate, Botone, and Potent, are also drawn having their shaft elongated and pointed at the base: in this form they are severally blazoned as a "Crossed-Crosslet Fitche" (or fitched), a"Cross Pate Fitche," &c.,—a Cross, that is, "fixable" in the ground; No. 110 is an example of a Cross Botone Fitche. Several of these varieties of the heraldic Cross occur but rarely; and there are other somewhat fanciful varieties so little in use, as to render any description of them unnecessary. The student of medival monumental antiquities will not fail to observe a certain degree of resemblance between some of the Crosses of Heraldry, and those that are incised and sculptured on sepulchral slabs.











The BEND (H. 3) resembles both the Fesse and the Pale in every condition, except that it crosses the field diagonally from the dexter chief to the sinister base. No. 111, the Shield of SCROPE, is—Az., abend or. Acelebrated contest for the right to bear this simple Shield took place, A.D. 1385-1390, between Sir RICHARD LE SCROPE and Sir ROBERT GROSVENOR, which was decided in favour of the former. No. 112, for RADCLYFFE, is—Arg., abend engrailed sa. Two uncharged Bends may appear in one composition: thus, for LE BOTELER—Arg., two bends az., No. 113; and for FRERE—Gu., two bends or (both H.3). The Diminutives of the Bend are the Bendlet and the Cotise, the one containing one-half and the other one-fourth of its area. ACotise is sometimes borne singly, when it is a Riband. Abendlet couped is a baton. ABend between two Cotises is cotised: thus, No. 114, for DE BOHUN,—Az., aBend arg., cotised or, between six lioncels rampt. gold; this Shield is engraved from the Seal of HUMPHREY DE BOHUN, fourth Earl of HEREFORD (A.D. 1298-1322); in it the cotised Bend is very narrow, evidently to give more space for the lioncels. Charges displayed on a Bend slope with it—that is, they would be erect, were the Bend to be set vertically and to become a Pale: thus, another DE BOHUN, Sir Gilbert (H.3), distinguishes his Shield by tincturing his Bend or, and charging upon it three escallops gules, as in No. 115. In No. 88, the eaglets also exemplify the disposition of charges upon a Bend. Charges set diagonally on the field of a Shield, in the position in which a bend would occupy, are said to be "in bend" and are arranged in the same manner: but it would be quite possible to have three or more charges each disposed bendwise; but yet, nevertheless, when taken together occupying the position of a fesse and therefore described also as in fesse. This distinction between charges bendwise (or bendways) and charges in bend should be carefully noted. Afield divided into an even number of parts by lines drawn bendwise, is "bendy," the number of the divisions to be specified: as a matter of course, afield thus "bendy" becomes a "varied field," in which all the divisions lie in the same plane: thus, No. 116, for DE MONTFORD (H. 3 and E.2)—Bendy of ten or and az. Bendlets are in relief, as in No. 117, for DE BRAY—Vaire, three Bendlets gu. If a field be divided by lines drawn bendwise, and also by others drawn either vertically or horizontally, it is "paly bendy," as No. 118, or "barry bendy," as No. 119. These two forms, which, however, are very rarely met with, should be carefully distinguished from a field lozengy. ABend issuing from the sinister chief is a Bend Sinister.















The SALTIRE (H.3), acombination of a Bend with a Bend Sinister, may also be regarded as a Diagonal Cross. Thus, the Crosses of St. ANDREW of SCOTLAND, and of St. PATRICK of IRELAND are Saltires—the former, No. 120—Az., aSaltire arg.: the latter—Arg., aSaltire gu. The arms of the great family of NEVILLE reverse those of St. PATRICK, and are—Gu., aSaltire arg., No. 121: so Drayton has recorded that

"Upon his surcoat valiant NEVILLE bore A silver Saltire upon martial red." Barons' War, i. 22.

Charges set on a Saltire slope with its limbs (all, however, pointing to the chief), the central charge being erect; and the disposition of charges set "in saltire" is the same: asingle charge set on a Saltire is blazoned erect on the central point of the Ordinary, as in No. 122, another Shield of NEVILLE, in which the "Silver Saltire" is charged with a rose gules. ASaltire may be borne with a Chief, as in No.73.





The CHEVRON (H. 3), in form and proportions is rather more than the lower half of a Saltire. The Diminutive is a Chevronel, containing half a Chevron, or perhaps less: thus, for DE STAFFORD (E.2),—Or, aChevron gu., No. 123: for the great family of DE CLARE, from whom so many other families derived their Chevrons and Chevronels—Or, three Chevronels gules, No. 124 (H.3). Two Chevrons may be borne in one composition: or they may appear with a Fesse, as in No. 79: or with a Chief, as (H.3), for DE CROMBE—Erm., aChevron gu., and on a Chief of the last three escallops or; for ST. QUINTIN (H.3)—Or, three Chevronels gu., aChief vair. Afield Chevrone is of rare occurrence: the three Chevronels of DE CLARE, however, No. 124, appear to have been derived from a field Chevrone: certainly, on his seal, "Strongbow" has the Chevrone Shield, No. 125, about A.D. 1175. Charges set on a Chevron, or disposed "in Chevron," are always placed erect.









The PILE (H. 3), resembling a wedge in form, is borne both single and in small groups. Unless some other disposition on the field be specified, this Ordinary issues from the chief of the Shield. Examples: Or, aPile gu., between six and charged with three estoiles (or mullets) counter-changed,—for ROBERT DE CHANDOS, No. 126: Or, three Piles az., No. 127,—for Sir GUY DE BRIAN; Or, three Piles gu., acanton erm., No. 128,—for DE BASSETT (all H.3): and (E.2), Arg., aPile engrailed sa.—for Sir ROB. DE FORNEUS. In early emblazonments three piles appear almost uniformly to be depicted with the points converging. But a distinction is now made, and when the piles are intended to converge, as in No. 128, they are termed "in point."

The probable structural origin of these Ordinaries is sufficiently apparent to render any further comment on that interesting circumstance superfluous.



CHAPTER VII

THE GRAMMAR OF HERALDRY

SECTION IV

The Subordinaries:— The Canton or Quarter: The Inescutcheon: The Orle: The Tressure: The Bordure: Flanches: The Lozenge, Mascle, and Rustre: The Fusil: The Billet: The Gyron: The Frette— The Roundles.

"The second in a line of stars." —IDYLLS OF THE KING.

THE SUBORDINARIES. This title has been assigned, but without any decisive authority, to another group of devices, second in rank to the Ordinaries. Very few writers agree as to which are ordinaries and which subordinaries; nor does there seem any reason why any distinction between them should exist. Nor, indeed, save that all are exclusively heraldic, why some of them should be regarded as anything more than ordinary charges. These Subordinaries are the Canton, the Quarter, the Inescutcheon, the Orle, the Tressure, the Bordure, Flanches, the Lozenge, Mascle and Rustre, the Fusil, the Billet, the Gyron, and the Frette. The Canton, by the early Heralds commonly styled the "Quarter," sometimes has been grouped with the Ordinaries. And it must here be observed that the Lozenge, Fusil, Billet, Gyron, and Frette were not used as single charges by the early Heralds; but by them the fields of Shields were divided lozengy and gyronny, or they were seme of Billets, or covered over with Frette-work, from which the single charges evidently were afterwards obtained.

The CANTON (H. 3), sometimes blazoned as a QUARTER, cut off by two lines, the one drawn in pale and the other bar-wise, or in fesse, is either the first quarter of the field of a Shield, or about three-fourths of that quarter, but smaller if not charged. The confusion between the canton and the quarter is due to the fact that ancient arms in which the charge is now, and has been for centuries past, stereotyped as a canton and drawn to occupy one-ninth of the Shield, were uniformly drawn and blazoned in early times with the charge as a quarter. But there is a marked distinction now made between the canton and the quarter. ACanton ermine is of frequent occurrence, as in No. 128; but it is generally borne charged, and it always overlies the charges of the field of the Shield, as No. 129, for DE KYRKEBY (R.2)—Arg., two bars gu.; on a canton of the last a cross moline or; and, for BLUNDELL (H.3)—Az., billette, on a canton or a raven ppr., No. 130.





The INESCUTCHEON (H. 3) is a Shield borne as a charge, and superimposed upon another Shield larger than itself. When one Inescutcheon is borne, it is usually placed on the fesse-point; but several Inescutcheons may appear in one composition. The well-known Shield of the MORTIMERS supplies a good example, No. 131 (H.3)—Barry of six or and az., an inescutcheon arg.; on a chief gold, gyroned of the second, two pallets of the same: for DARCY—Arg., an inescutcheon sa., within an orle of roses gu., No. 132 (E.2): Arg., three inescutcheons gu., for DE WYLLERS (E.2), No. 133. This is also the well-known Scottish coat of Hay.







The ORLE (H. 3), blazoned by early Heralds as a "false escutcheon" ("faux escocheon"), or as an "inescutcheon voided," is the border of a Shield or Escutcheon—a Shield, that is, voided of the central area of its field, and, like an Inescutcheon, charged on a Shield. The arms of BALLIOL, No. 134, are—Gu., an Orle arg. (H.3). These arms are blazoned on many Scottish Seals of the greatest interest, and on the Seals of Balliol College, Oxford. Small charges are frequently disposed about the border of a Shield "in Orle," as in Nos. 86 and 132.











The TRESSURE (H. 3) may be regarded as a variety of the Orle; indeed, in its simplest form it is a very narrow Orle, which is generally set round with fleurs de lys. ATressure thus enriched is represented in No. 135: in this example all the heads of the fleurs de lys point externally, and all their stalks internally, and this accordingly is blazoned as a "Tressure flory." In No. 136, which, like No. 135, is a single Tressure, the fleurs de lys are so disposed that the heads and stalks of the flowers point alternately in contrary directions: this is blazoned as a "Tressure flory counterflory." From this last example the Tressure that is so well known in the blazonry of the Royal Shield of SCOTLAND differs, in being "double." This, the double Tressure of Scotland, is a combination of two such single Tressures as No. 136, and it is produced from them in the manner following:—From one such single Tressure, as No. 136, all the alternate heads and stalks of the fleurs de lys that point internally are cut away and removed; then a second similar Tressure, of rather smaller size, is denuded of all its external adornment, and in that condition it is placed within the former Tressure, leaving a narrow interval between the two. Each component half of this "double Tressure flory counterflory," accordingly, has its own independent series of demi-fleurs de lys, the stalks and heads of the flowers alternating, and the one alternate series pointing externally, while the other points internally. When in combination, these two series of demi-fleurs de lys must be so arranged that the heads of the flowers in one series correspond with their stalks in the other, as in No. 137. Iam thus particular in describing the process of producing the Royal Tressure, because it is frequently to be seen incorrectly drawn. No. 138, the Royal Shield of SCOTLAND, now displayed in the second quarter of the Royal Arms of the UNITED KINGDOM, is thus blazoned—Or, alion rampt. within a double Tressure flory counterflory, gu. It will be observed that a narrow strip of the golden field of this Shield intervenes between the two Tressures. There are many fine examples of this Shield in Scottish Seals; in the Garter-plate, also, of JAMESV. of Scotland, K.G., at Windsor; and on the Monuments in Westminster Abbey to MARY Queen of SCOTS (A.D. 1604), and to the Countess of LENNOX, the mother of Lord DARNLEY (A.D. 1577). Mr. Seton ("Scottish Heraldry," p. 447) states that the Tressure may be borne "triple"; and, after specifying the Scottish families upon whose Shields the same honourable bearing is blazoned, he adds:—"In the coat of the Marquess of HUNTLY, the Tressure is flowered with fleurs de lys within, and adorned with crescents without; while in that of the Earl of ABERDEEN it is flowered and counter-flowered with thistles, roses, and fleurs de lys alternately."





The BORDURE (H. 3), as its name implies, forms a border to a Shield: it is borne both plain and charged. Thus, for DE WALTONE (E.2)—Arg., across pate sa., within a Bordure indented gu., No. 139: for RICHARD, Earl of CORNWALL, second son of King JOHN (H.3),—Arg., alion rampt. gu., crowned or, within a Bordure sa. bezante, No. 140. The Bordure, and its important services in Heraldry, will be more fully considered hereafter. (See Chapters XII. and XIII.)

FLANCHES are always borne in pairs; but they are not of very early date, nor do they often appear in blazon. Flanches are formed by two curved lines issuing from the chief, one on each side of the Shield: they are shown, shaded for azure, in No. 141; and in No. 142 are their Diminutives, Flasques or Voiders, shaded for gules. But these diminutives are hardly ever met with. There is a close resemblance between these charges and a peculiar dress worn by Ladies of rank in the fourteenth and fifteenth centuries; but it is not easy to determine whether the dress suggested the Flanches on the Shield, or was derived from them. One thing, however, is certain—the dress must have possessed very decided good qualities, since it continued in favour for more than two centuries. It is remarkable that many of the ancient Greek Shields have pierced Flanches.











The LOZENGE (E. 2), MASCLE (H.3), and RUSTRE. The Lozenge is a diamond-shaped figure, or a parallelogram set diagonally. The Mascle is a Lozenge voided of the field, No. 143; and the Rustre, No. 144, is a Lozenge pierced with a circular opening. In the early days of Heraldry the Lozenge and the Mascle were evidently held to be identical. The Shield of the famous HUBERT DE BURGH, Earl of KENT, in the early Rolls is blazoned as "mascule": but his Seal proves it to have been, as in No. 145, lozengy vair and gu. The Lozenge, it will be remembered, is always set erect upon the field of a Shield.

The FUSIL is an elongated Lozenge. The Arms of MONTACUTE or MONTAGU (see No. 20) are—Arg., three Fusils conjoined in fesse gu., No. 20: the Arms of PERCY are—Az., five fusils conjoined in fesse or.





The BILLET (H. 3) is a small elongated rectangular figure. Thus, for DEINCOURT, No. 146—Az., billette, afesse dancette or. The early Heralds blazoned a "Fesse Dancette" as simply a "Dancette" or "Danse." See also No. 130.



The GYRON, a triangular figure, not known in English blazon as a separate charge (except perhaps in the one case of the arms of Mortimer), gives its title to the gyronny field, which is more commonly found in the Heraldry of the North than of the South. The field gyronny generally, and more particularly in Scotland, is divided into eight pieces: but the divisions are sometimes six, ten, twelve, or even sixteen in number. ARoll of the time of HENRYIII. has, for WARIN DE BASINGBORNE—"Gerony d'or et d'azur." The Arms of CAMPBELL are—Gyronny or and sa., No. 147.[3] Here, where there are eight pieces of divisions, it is not necessary to specify the number; but if they were either more or less than eight the blazon would be—gyronny of six, of ten, &c.

[Footnote 3: In the illustration the colours are unfortunately reversed.]

The FRETTE, in more recent Heraldry, has generally superseded the original field fretty. This interlaced design, whether borne as a distinct figure, as No. 148, or repeated over the field of a Shield, as in No. 149, differs from a field lozengy or gyronny, in being a bearing charged upon the field of a Shield, and not a form of varied surface: No. 149, for DE ETCHINGHAM (E.2), is—Az., fretty arg. An early variety or modification of Frette is the Trellis or Treille, in which the pieces do not interlace, but all those in bend lie over all those in bend sinister, and they are fastened at the crossings with nails—"cloue," as in No. 150. RICHARD DE TRUSSELL or TRESSELL (H.3) bears—Arg., atrellis gu., cloue or.







The ROUNDLES, or ROUNDLETS. These simple figures, in constant use in every age of Heraldry, are divided into two groups, which correspond with the division of the Tinctures into "Metals" and "Colours."

The first group contains the two Roundles of the Metals, which are flat discs: 1, The Bezant, or golden Roundle, No. 151, which has apparently derived its name from the Byzantine coins with which the Crusaders, when in the East, would have been familiar. 2, The Silver Roundle, or Plate, is from the Spanish "Plata"—silver. When Bezants or Plates appear in considerable numbers, the field on which they are charged is said to be "bezante" or "plate." See No. 140.

The second group contains the five Roundles of the Colours, which are globular, and are usually shaded accordingly. The Torteau, No. 152, in the plural Torteaux, is gules: the Hurt is azure: the Pellet or Ogress is sable: the Pomme is vert: and the Golpe is purpure. These distinctive titles, which are more calculated to perplex the student than to simplify his study, are of comparatively recent origin, the early Heralds having used the terms "Bezant," "Plate," and "Torteau," with the general designations "Roundle" and "Pellet," adding the tinctures for the others. Examples:—Az., bezante, for WM. DE LA ZOUCHE: Or, on a fesse gu. three plates, for ROGER DE HUNTINGFIELD: Arg., ten torteaux, four, three, two, one, for ALEX. GIFFARD (all H.3). See also Nos. 80,82.







A circular figure or Roundle that is barry wavy arg. and az., is blazoned as a "Fountain," No. 153. Examples:—Arg., three fountains, for WELLES: Arg., aChevron sable between three fountains, borne by a family named Sykes, their name being an ancient term signifying a well or fountain. An Annulet, or a plain ring, No. 154, was sometimes blazoned as a "false Roundle"—a Roundle, that is, pierced, and having its central area removed.





CHAPTER VIII

THE GRAMMAR OF HERALDRY

SECTION V

Miscellaneous Charges:— Human Beings— Animals— Birds— Fish— Reptiles and Insects— Imaginary Beings— Natural Objects— Various Artificial Figures and Devices— Appropriate Descriptive Epithets.

"The Formes of pure celestiall bodies mixt with grosse terrestrials; earthly animals with watery; sauage beasts with tame; fowles of prey with home-bred; these again with riuer fowles; reptiles with things gressible; aery insecta with earthly; also things naturall with artificiall." —GUILLIM'S "Display of Heraldry," A.D. 1611.

Thus, in his own quaint fashion, the enthusiastic old Herald of the seventeenth century indicates the number and variety of the Charges, which in process of time had been introduced into Armory even before his era. In earlier days the Charges of Heraldry were much less varied, comparatively few in their numbers, and generally of a simple character. It will readily be understood, however, that fresh figures and devices would continually appear in blazon; and also that these, in their turn, would lead the way for the introduction of further varieties and new modifications.

Human Beings are of very rare occurrence, except as Supporters. Parts of the human frame constantly appear, but they are more generally borne as Crests upon helms than as charges on shields. "Moor's heads" or "Saracen's heads" appear in some coats, with arms, hands and legs: and a human heart is well known as a charge in the coat of the famous house of DOUGLAS, where it was placed to commemorate the duty entrusted by ROBERT BRUCE to the "good Sir JAMES DOUGLAS," that he should bear with him the heart of his Sovereign and friend to the Holy Land, and bury it there. Sir James fell, fighting with the Moors of Spain, A.D. 1330. This Shield of Douglas is a characteristic example of the gradual development of armorial composition. About A.D. 1290, the Seal of WILLIAM, Lord DOUGLAS, displays his Shield, No. 155, bearing—Arg., on a chief az. three mullets of the field. Next, upon the field of the Shield of WILLIAM, Lord DOUGLAS, A.D. 1333, there appears, in addition, a human heart gules, as in No. 156. And, finally, the heart is ensigned with a royal crown, as in No. 157, this form appearing as early as 1387.









The Shield of the ancient kingdom of the ISLE OF MAN, No. 158, still continues to be the heraldic ensign of that island: it is—Gu., three human legs in armour ppr., conjoined in the fesse-point at the upper part of the thighs, and flexed in triangle. This true curiosity of Heraldry leads Mr. Planch to remark, that "the arms of MAN are legs" ("Pursuivant of Arms," p. 112). The Shield represented in No. 158 is drawn from an original example of the age of EDWARDI. in the Heralds' College. At later periods, the armour of the conjoined limbs is represented in conformity with the usages then prevalent, and golden spurs are added. The ancient symbol of the island of Sicily, in which the limbs are without either armour or clothing, has been represented in No. 10: this device also appears in ancient examples with a human head at the junction of the limbs. Three human arms, united in the same manner, are borne on the shield of the medival family of TREMAINE.



Human figures, winged and vested, and designed to represent ANGELS, are occasionally introduced in English Heraldry, their office generally being to act as "Supporters" to armorial Shields. Fine examples, in admirable preservation, may be seen boldly sculptured in the noble timber-roof of Westminster Hall; also in panels over the principal entrance to the Hall, and in various parts of the Abbey of Westminster. In the grand Abbey Church of St. Alban at St. Alban's, numerous other examples of great excellence yet remain, the works of Abbot John de Wheathamstede, about A.D. 1440. In No. 159 I give a representation of the Shield of Arms of the Abbey of ST. ALBAN—Az., a saltire or, supported by Angels, and the Shield ensigned by the Mitre of Abbot Thomas De la Mere, as it is represented in his noble Brass in the Abbey Church. The Shield and the Angel Figures are the work of Abbot John. The Heads of the Figures, which are destroyed in the original, are restored from stained glass of the same period in the Abbey Church. Figures of Angels holding Shields of Arms—each figure having a shield in front of its breast, are frequently sculptured as corbels in Gothic churches.

In the earliest Rolls of Arms, the Lion is the only animal that is found in blazon, with the sole addition of Boar's heads. Deer, dogs, bulls, calves, rams, and a few other animals subsequently appear to share heraldic service and honours with the king of beasts. In modern Armory, however, almost every living creature has been required to discharge such duties as Heralds have been pleased to assign to them. The Lion of Heraldry I leave to be considered, with the Eagle, in the next Chapter. In comparatively early blazon, the Bear is borne by FITZ URSE: the Calf, by CALVELEY and DE VELE: the Ram, by RAMSEY and RAMRYGE: the Lamb, by LAMBERT and LAMBTON: the Otter (loutre, in French), by LUTTREL: the Hedgehog (Fr., herrison), by DE HERIZ, afterwards HARRIS: and so also, in like manner, some other animals appear as armes parlantes (see p. 16).

With the lordly Eagle a few other Birds are associated in early Heraldry: and, after a while, others join them, including the Falcon, Ostrich, Swan, Peacock or Pawne, and the Pelican borne both as a symbol of sacred significance, and also by the PELHAMS from being allusive to their name. Cocks, with the same allusive motive, were borne by COCKAYNE: Parrots, blazoned as "Popinjays," appear as early as HENRYIII.: and in a Roll of EDWARDII., the Sire MOUNPYNZON has a Lion charged on the shoulder with a Chaffinch—in French a Pinson. The favourite bird, however, of the early Heralds is the Martlet, the heraldic Martin, anear relative of the Swallow or Hirondelle. The Martlet is practically always represented in profile, at rest, and with its wings closed. The few exceptions are modern. In some early examples the feet are shown, as in No. 160: but, in the Shield of Earl WM. DE VALENCE in Westminster Abbey, A.D. 1296, the Martlet appears feetless, as in No. 161; and at a later period this mode of representation was generally adopted. French Heralds deprive their Martlets of beak as well as feet.







"As the symbol of a name," writes Mr. Moule, "almost all Fish have been used in Heraldry; and in many instances Fish have been assumed in Arms in reference to the produce of the estate, giving to the quaint device a twofold interest" ("Heraldry of Fish," p 13). The earliest examples are the Barbel, the Dolphin, the Luce (or Pike), the Herring, and the Roach. In conjunction with fish we may perhaps consider the Escallop which, as a charge, belongs to the earliest period of Heraldry. The Barbel, so named from the barbs attached to its mouth to assist it in its search for food, was introduced into English Heraldry by JOHN, Count DE BARRE, whose elder brother married ALIANORE, eldest daughter of EDWARDI. At Carlaverock he displayed, as the chronicler has recorded, "a blue banner, crusilly, with two Barbels of gold, and a red border en-grailed," No. 162. The Dolphin, borne by GILES DE FISHBOURNE (H.3), and afterwards introduced into several English Shields, is best known as the armorial ensign of the DAUPHIN, the eldest son and heir apparent of the Kings of France, who bore, marshalled with the arms of FRANCE—Or, aDolphin az. This title of "Dauphin" was first assumed by CHARLESV., who succeeded to the Crown of France in 1364. In No. 8 I have shown after what manner the Dolphin was represented by an ancient Greek Artist: in the Middle Ages the heraldic Dolphin appeared as in No. 163. GEFFREY DE LUCY (H.3) bears—Gu., three Lucies or. On his marriage with the heiress of ANTHONY, Lord LUCY, in 1369, HENRY, fourth Lord PERCY of Alnwick, quartered these three fish, with his own lion (blue on a golden field) and his fusils (gold on a blue field), upon the well-known Shield of the Earls of NORTHUMBERLAND (Chapter XI).







Another Carlaverock Banneret, ROBERT DE SCALES, whom the chronicler declares to have been both "handsome and amiable" as well as gallant in action, had "six escallops of silver on a red banner." This beautiful charge of the escallop, happy in its association with the pilgrims of the olden time, and always held in high esteem by Heralds, is generally drawn as in No. 165.

Reptiles and Insects occur but rarely in English Heraldry. Bees, Flies, Butterflies, and Snails are sometimes found, but they have no place in the earliest Rolls of Arms. Bees, as might be expected, appear in the Arms of Beeston. Azure, three Butterflies, are the Arms of MUSCHAMP, and they are carved twice in the vaulting of the cloisters at Canterbury. Upon a monumental brass in the Church of Wheathampstead, in Hertfordshire, the Shield of HUGO BOSTOCK (about A.D. 1435) bears,—Arg., three Bats, their wings displayed, sa.

Imaginary and Fabulous Beings, some of them the creations of heraldic fancy when in a strangely eccentric mood, frequently appear as Supporters; and, in some cases, they take a part in the blazonry of Shields, or they are borne independently as Badges. Avery brief description (all that is necessary) of the greater number of these monsters of unnatural history will be given in the "Glossary of heraldic terms," in Chapter X.; consequently, it is enough here merely to refer to them as having a place in blazon. The Griffin or Gryphon, the most worthy of the group, is comparatively common. The Dragon and the Wivern or Wyvern, both of them winged monsters, differ in this respect, that the former has four legs, while the latter has two only. In early blazon this distinction was not always observed. The Cockatrice, always having two legs, is a Wyvern with a cock's head.

Natural Objects of all kinds are blazoned as Charges of Heraldry, and they will be found described and illustrated in their proper places in Chapter X. They include the Sun, the Moon, the Stars; also such terrestrial objects as Trees, Flowers, Fruits, Sheaves and Ears of Corn, Leaves, Chaplets, &c. And with these Charges I may group the always beautiful Fleur de Lys, and the Trefoil, Quatrefoil, Cinquefoil, and Sixfoil.

Of the various Artificial Figures and Devices that Heralds have charged upon Shields of Arms, it will be unnecessary for me to give detailed descriptions, except when either the heraldic name may require explanation, or some special circumstances connected with any particular figure or device may impart to it peculiar claims for attention. Again I refer to the "Glossary" for notices and examples of all Charges of this class—Annulets, Buckles, Castles, Crowns, Cups, Horseshoes, Keys, Knots, Sickles, Stirrups, Trumpets, and many others.







In blazoning Charges of various classes, Heralds employ appropriate Epithets and descriptive Terms, of which the following are characteristic examples:—The Sun is "in splendour." The Moon, when full, is "in her complement": she is a "Crescent" when she appears in No. 166, A: she is "Increscent" when as in No. 166, B: and she is "Decrescent" when as in No. 166, C. Animals and Birds of prey are said to be "armed" of their talons, teeth, and claws. All horned animals, also, except Stags and Antelopes, are "armed" of their horns; and a Cock is "armed" of his spurs; whilst Griffins and birds of prey are "armed" of their beaks and claws (i.e. the part of the leg which is unfeathered). Animals are "hoofed" or "unguled" of their hoofs; and "langued" of their tongues. Fierce animals are "vorant" of their prey, when represented in the act of devouring it. Deer, when reposing, are "lodged" Nos. 25 and 26: when standing, and looking out from the Shield, No. 167, "at gaze": when in easy motion, they are termed "trippant," or sometimes the word "tripping" is substituted, No. 168: and when in rapid motion, they are "courant," "at speed," or sometimes described as "in full course," No. 169. The male Stag is sometimes termed a "Hart," and the female a "Hind." There is really a distinction between the Buck and the Stag, but it is very usually disregarded in Heraldry. The antlers of the Hart are "Attires," their branches are "Tynes"; and they are said to be "attired" of their antlers. AStag's head full-faced, but without the neck, as No. 170, is "cabossed" or "caboshed."









Eagles and Hawks with expanded wings, as in No. 206, are "displayed." Expanded wings may be "elevated," or, if drooping, "inverted" or "in lure." Birds about to take wing are "rising"; when in flight, they are "volant"; when at rest, they are "close." ABird "trusses" its prey. APeacock having its tail expanded is "in its pride"; and this same expression is applied to the Turkey. APelican, when feeding its young, is said to be "in her piety," but may be merely "vulning herself" if the young are not represented. ASwan, when blazoned "proper," is white with red legs and black beak.

Fish, represented swimming in fesse, are "naiant"; if they are in pale, they are "hauriant," No. 164; but if their heads are to the base, the term "urinant" is said to apply, but I cannot say I have so far come across an authenticated instance of the use of this word; if their bodies are bent, as the Dolphin is generally represented, they are "embowed," No. 163. Fish, also, are said to be "finned" of their fins. Insects are "volant." Reptiles are "gliding"; or, if they are twined into knots, "nowed." Trees of mature growth are "accrued"; when with leaves, "in foliage" (but these two terms are so seldom used that they may be entirely disregarded); with fruit or seeds, "fructed" or "seeded"; if without leaves, "blasted"; and if their roots are exposed, "eradicated." Branches or leaves torn off are "slipped."

The terms which denote the attitudes of Lions, all of them described in the next chapter, are equally applicable to other animals. Some other descriptive terms, not noticed here, will be found in the "Glossary" in ChapterX.



CHAPTER IX

THE GRAMMAR OF HERALDRY

SECTION VI

The Lion and the Eagle in Heraldry

"The LION and a King of Beasts." —SHAKESPEARE, Richard II.

"The EAGLE, ennobled by Nature in as high a degree of nobility as the chiefest of the terrestrial animals, is the most honourable bearing of Birds." —GWILLIM (Edition of 1724).

The regal dignity of the LION amongst the creatures that are quadrupeds, like himself, would naturally secure for him a position of corresponding eminence in Heraldry. From the dawn of the heraldic era, accordingly, the Lion is blazoned on the Shields of Sovereigns, Princes, and Nobles. The tressured Lion has been already noticed upon the Royal Shield of SCOTLAND, No. 138; and a crowned Lion has also appeared in the same attitude, borne by an English Prince, RICHARD, Earl of CORNWALL, No. 140. From the time that they first possessed any true armorial insignia, the Sovereigns of the Realm of ENGLAND have borne Lions upon their Royal Shield. ALion was the Ensign of the Native Princes of WALES, as he was of the Kings of LEON, of NORWAY, and of DENMARK, and of the Counts of HOLLAND, HAINAULT, EU, &c. And, in like manner, the Lion was in high favour with the most noble and powerful Barons of England—the MOWBRAYS, BOHUNS, LONGESPEES, FITZ-ALANS, LACIES, PERCIES, SEGRAVES, and such as they.

It was a necessary consequence of his great popularity that the Lion of Heraldry should be blazoned in various attitudes, and also variously tinctured, otherwise it would not be possible duly to distinguish the Lions of different Shields. Heralds of all countries appear readily to have permitted their Lions to lay aside their natural tawny hue, and in its stead to assume the heraldic or, argent, azure, gules, and sable; but Continental Heralds were not generally disposed to recognise in their Lions any other attitude than the one which they held to be consistent with their Lion character, instincts, and habits—erect, that is, with one hind paw only on the ground, looking forward towards their prey, so as to show but one eye, and evidently in the act of preparing to spring. This undoubtedly most characteristic attitude is rampant, No. 171: and only when he was in this rampant attitude did the early Heralds consider any Lion to be a Lion, and blazon him by his true name. ALion walking and looking about him, the early Heralds held to be acting the part of a leopard: consequently, when he was in any such attitude, they blazoned him as "a leopard." The animal bearing that name bore it simply as an heraldic title, which distinguished a Lion in a particular attitude. These heraldic "leopards" were drawn in every respect as other heraldic "lions," without spots or any leopardish distinction whatever. This explains the usage, retained till late in the fourteenth century, which assigned to the Lions of the Royal Shield of England the name of "leopards." They were so called, not by the enemies of England for derision and insult, as some persons, in their ignorance of early Heraldry, have been pleased both to imagine and to assert; but the English Kings and Princes, who well knew their "Lions" to be Lions, in blazon styled them "leopards," because they also knew that Lions in the attitude of their "Lions" were heraldic "leopards." When at length the necessity of varying the attitude of their Lions was admitted by all Heralds, in consequence of the greatly increased numbers of the bearers of Lions, some strict adherents to the original distinctive nomenclature blazoned any Lion that was not rampant by the compound term of a "lion-leopard," or a "lion-leopard." But that controversy has long been at rest.

The following terms are now in use to denote the various attitudes of the Lion in Heraldry:—

Rampant: erect, one hind paw on the ground, the other three paws elevated, the animal looking forward and having his tail elevated, No. 171. Rampant Guardant: as before, but looking out from the Shield, No. 172. Rampant Reguardant: as before, but looking backwards.

Passant: walking, three paws on the ground, the dexter fore-paw being elevated, looking forward, the tail displayed over the back, No. 173. Passant Guardant: as before, but looking out from the Shield, No. 174. Passant Reguardant: as before, but looking backwards.













Statant: standing, his four paws on the ground, and looking before him, No. 175. Statant Guardant: as before, but looking out from the Shield, No. 176: in this example the Lion has his tail extended, but this would be specified in the blazon, as it is an unusual position. In like manner, if the tail of a Lion in any other attitude be extended, there must be a statement to that effect.







Sejant: sitting down with his head elevated, No. 178. If he looks out from the Shield, the word Guardant is to be added. AScottish Lion sejant usually has his fore paws raised in the air, and in English terms of blazon would be described as "Sejant erect" or "Sejant rampant."

Couchant: is at rest, the fore legs stretched on the ground, as No. 177.

Dormant: asleep, head resting on fore paws, No. 179.

Salient: in the act of springing, the hind paws on the ground, both the fore paws elevated, No. 180.







Queue fourche: having a forked tail.

Double-queued: two tails, as No. 181, which is a lion rampant double-queued.

Coward: passant reguardant, his tail between his legs, No. 182.

Two Lions rampant, when face to face, are Counter rampant, or Combatant: when back to back, they are Addorsed: when passant or salient in contrary directions, they are Counter passant or Counter salient.

Lions, whatever their tincture, except it be red, or they are charged on a field of that tincture, are armed and langued gules; but azure in the case of either of these exceptions, unless the contrary be specified in the blazon. When several Lions appear in one composition, or when they are drawn to a comparatively very small scale, they are sometimes blazoned as "Lioncels." This term "Lioncel," it must be added, when used alone, denotes a small Lion rampant.







A Lion's head is a Charge: it may be erased, as in No. 183; or cut off smooth, when it is couped. ALion's face also is a Charge, No. 184; so is his jambe or paw, No. 185. Ademi-lion rampant is the upper half of his body and the extremity of his tufted tail, as in No. 186.





The LIONS OF ENGLAND are golden Lions leopard, three in number, placed one above the other on a red Shield. They are blazoned—Gu., three Lions pass. guard., in pale, or, No. 187.

A Lion in this attitude, of this tincture, and on a field gules, may be blazoned as a "Lion of England." These three Lions first appear upon the second Great Seal of RICHARDI., A.D. 1194, on the Shield of the King, No. 188. An earlier Seal, used by Prince JOHN before his brother's accession, has a Shield charged with two Lions only, and they are passant, No. 189. The first Great Seal of the lion-hearted King has a Shield, bowed in its contour, and charged with a single Lion rampant facing to the sinister, or counter-rampant, No. 190; and it has been conjectured that, were the whole face of this Shield visible, asecond Lion rampant facing to the dexter would appear, thus charging the Shield with two Lions combattant; this, however, is a conjecture which is not supported by the authority of many Shields of the same form. Ared Shield charged with two golden Lions passant guardant in pale (No. 22), and therefore closely resembling No. 189, as I have already shown, has been assigned to WILLIAMI., and his two sons and his grandson, WILLIAMII., HENRYI., and STEPHEN. The Shield bearing the three Lions, No. 187, has been assigned to HENRYII., but it first makes its appearance on the Great Seal of his son. The probability is that up to this period the device was simply a lion, indeterminate in position or numbers. This same Shield has continued, from the time of RICHARDI., to display the ROYAL ARMS of the REALM OF ENGLAND: how, in the course of ages, these Arms become grouped with other insignia, Ishall presently have to show.













The Lion passant is carefully distinguished in the earliest Rolls as a different Charge from the Lion passant guardant. Thus (H.3), for HAMON LE STRANGE—Gu., two Lions passant arg., No. 191; and for JOHN GIFFARD—Gu., three Lions pass. arg., No. 192: for Sir NICHOLAS CAREW (E.2),—Or, three Lions pass. sa.





From the numerous early Shields which bear Lions rampant, Iselect the following examples, associated with names illustrious in English History. For ROGER DE MOWBRAY (H.3)—Gu., aLion rampt. arg., No. 193: this Coat is quartered by the present Lord MOWBRAY, SEGRAVE and STOURTON. For FITZ-ALAN, Earl of ARUNDEL—Gu., aLion rampt. or (H.3), No. 193. For DE LACI, Earl of LINCOLN—Or, aLion rampt. purpure (E.2), No. 194. For Sir JOHN DE SEGRAVE (E.2)—Sa., aLion rampt. arg., crowned or, No. 195. For PERCY, Earl of NORTHUMBERLAND—Or, aLion rampt. az., No 196: this Shield is drawn from the fine counter-seal of Sir HENRY DE PERCY, first Lord of Alnwick, who died A.D. 1315.

Two Shields of the DE BOHUNS, Nos. 114, 115, already described, exemplify the display of Lioncels as heraldic charges. An earlier Shield, charged with six Lioncels, but without any Ordinary, was borne by FAIR ROSAMOND'S son, WILLIAM LONGESPE, Earl of SALISBURY, A.D. 1226: it is boldly sculptured with his noble effigy in Salisbury Cathedral, and it also appears upon his Seal—Az., six Lioncels or, No. 197. The Roll of Edward II., confirmed by his Seal, gives for Sir WM. DE LEYBOURNE the same composition, with a difference in the tincturing—Az., six Lioncels arg. Other members of the same family change these tinctures for gules and or, gules and argent, and or and sable (E.2). Examples of Shields which bear Lions or Lioncels with various other charges will be described and illustrated in succeeding chapters.





Lions also fulfil important duties of high honour in English Heraldry as Crests and Supporters, and also as Badges. From the time of EDWARDIII. a Crowned Lion, at the first standing on a Cap of Estate, and afterwards upon the Crown, has been the Royal Crest of ENGLAND; aLion also has always been the Royal Crest of SCOTLAND (see Chapter XVIII.). The Princes of the Royal Houses of England, in like manner, have always borne the Royal Lion distinguished by some "Mark of Cadency" (see Chapter XII.): No. 198 is the Lion Crest of the BLACK PRINCE, from his Monument at Canterbury, the Lion differenced with the Prince's silver label. The Lion also appears as the Crest of many noble and distinguished families, as the DE BOHUNS, the PERCIES, and the HOWARDS. The Lion Crest of RICHARDII., sculptured statant guardant upon his helm, with a chapeau and mantling, and with the Badge of two Ostrich feathers, in Westminster Hall, is without any crown: No. 199.





As a Royal Supporter of the Arms of England, the Lion appears in company with some other creature from the time of HENRYVI., EDWARDIV. sometimes having his Shield supported by two Lions. On the accession of JAMESI. of Great Britain, the Royal Lion Supporter formed that alliance with the Unicorn of Scotland which still continues, and will continue, it is to be hoped, throughout all time. Lions, as I shall point out more in detail in Chapter XVI., were frequently introduced into the composition of Seals before true heraldic Supporters were in use. In more recent Heraldry the Lion is a favourite Supporter: he now appears supporting the Shields of the Dukes of NORFOLK, ARGYLL, ATHOLL, BEDFORD, GRAFTON, NORTHUMBERLAND, PORTLAND, and WELLINGTON; also, with many others, those of the Marquesses of BATH, EXETER, HEADFORT, and SALISBURY; of the Earls of ALBEMARLE, BROWNLOW, CARLISLE, CARNARVON, CORK, ESSEX, and HARDWICK; of the Viscount HARDINGE; and of the Barons ARUNDEL, CAMOYS, DUNBOYNE, MONSON, MOWBRAY, PETRE, and SOUTHAMPTON. As a Supporter the Lion is represented rampant, rampant reguardant, and sejant rampant. Lions also, and Demi-Lions, are frequently borne as modern Crests.

In our own treatment of the Lions of Heraldry, whatever their attitude or tincture, whatever also the position they may occupy or the heraldic duty they may discharge, we are always to draw and to blazon them as true heraldic Lions, while, at the same time, in their expression and general characteristics they are to be genuine Lions.

In becoming fellowship with the Lion, the EAGLE appears in the earliest English Rolls and examples of Arms. The Royal bird, however, does not occur in English blazon so frequently as the Lion; and his appearance often denotes an alliance with German Princes. ARoll of Arms (printed in "Archologia," XXX.) of the year 1275 commences with the Shields of the "EMPEROR OF GERMANY," and of the "KING OF GERMANY," which are severally blazoned as,—"Or, an Eagle displayed having two heads sa.," and, "Or, an Eagle displayed sable." In York Cathedral, in stained glass, there are Shields with both the double-headed and the single-headed Eagles, all of them German, which may be considered to have been executed before the year 1310. In the north choir-aisle at Westminster, the Shield (now mutilated) of the Emperor FREDERICKII. is boldly sculptured by an heraldic artist of the time of our HENRYIII., No. 200; here the Eagle had one head only. The German Emperors naturally adopted the Eagle for their heraldic Ensign, in support of their claim to be successors to the Roman Csars; and the Russian Czars, with the same motive, have also assumed the same ensign. The Eagle having two heads, which severally look to the dexter and the sinister, as in No. 201, typified a rule that claimed to extend over both the Eastern and the Western Empires; as the Eagle with a single head, No. 202, might be considered to have a less comprehensive signification. The Eagles of the Princes of Germany are frequently to be found, blazoned for them, in England.











RICHARD, the second son of King JOHN, in the year 1256 was elected King of Germany (he is generally styled "King of the Romans"), when he bore the Eagle of the Empire: but the only Seals of this Prince that are known to exist in England display the Shield of his English Earldom of Cornwall, No. 140. His Son EDMUND, who succeeded to his father's Earldom, on his Seals has represented an Eagle bearing in its beak his Shield of Cornwall, as in No. 203: this is a peculiarly interesting example of an heraldic usage of striking significance, and it also illustrates the early existence of the sentiment which at a later period led to the adoption of "Supporters" to Shields of Arms. In the early Heraldry of Scotland, asingle displayed Eagle is occasionally found supporting an armorial Shield; as in the Seals of ALEXANDER STEWARD, Earl of MENTEITH, A.D. 1296, and WILLIAM, Earl of DOUGLAS and MAR, A.D. 1378 (Seton's "Scottish Heraldry," Plates VIII. and XII.): sometimes also, as Mr. Seton has observed, "the Eagle's breast is charged with more than one Shield, as in the case of the Seals of MARGARET STEWART, Countess of ANGUS (1366), and EUPHEMIA LESLIE, Countess of ROSS (1381), on both of which three escutcheons make their appearance" ("Scottish Heraldry," p. 268, and Plate XII., No.5): in No. 204 I give a woodcut of this interesting composition; the Shields are, to the dexter, LESLIE—Arg., on a bend az., three buckles or; in the centre, the Arms of the Earl of ROSS—Gu., three Lions rampant arg., within a tressure; and, to the sinister, CUMMIN—Az., three garbs or. The Imperial Eagle is sometimes represented crowned; the heads also in some examples are encircled with a nimbus or glory, as in No. 212. Imust add that in the Heraldry of the English Peerage the Imperial Eagle still supports the Shields of some few Peers of different ranks; as, for example, that of Baron METHUEN.





PIERS GAVESTON, who was created Earl of CORNWALL by EDWARDII., bore—Vert, six Eaglets or, No. 205, (E. 2 and York stained glass): on his Seal, however, the number of the Eaglets is reduced to three. Another early example is the Shield of that gallant and persevering knight, RALPH DE MONTHERMER—Or, an Eagle displayed vert, No. 206, who became Earl of GLOUCESTER in right of his wife, JOAN, daughter of EDWARDI., and widow of GILBERT DE CLARE, the "Red Earl"; this green Eagle of Monthermer long held a place of high distinction in the medival Heraldry of England, marshalled on the Shields of the Earls of SALISBURY and WARWICK; in which, as in the example, No. 206, the Eagle of Monthermer is quartered with the coat of Montacute, No. 20 (page 17). The Eagle of early Heraldry was sometimes blazoned as an "Erne,"[4] and sometimes as an "Alerion," WILLIAM D'ERNFORD (H.3) bears—Sa., an Erne displayed arg.: and, at the same period WM. DE ERNFIELD bears a pair of Erne's or Eagle's Wings, called a "Vol," No. 207. From Shields of the fourteenth century which bear Eagles, and are blazoned in the Roll of Edward II., Iselect the following small group as good examples:—Sir WM. DE MONGOMERIE—Or, an Eagle displayed az.: Sir NICHOLAS DE ETONE—Gu., aChevron between three Eaglets arg.: Sir JOHN DE CHARLESTONE—Arg., on a Chevron vert three Eaglets or: Sir PHILIP DE VERLEY—Or, aBend gu., between six Eaglets sa.: Sir JOHN DE LA MERE—Arg., on a Bend az. three Eaglets or, No. 209: aShield bearing a Bend charged with three Eagles, but with different tinctures, No. 88, Ihave shown to have been the Arms of the Grandisons.

[Footnote 4: Query if this is not really a herne or heron.—A.C.F.-D.]





Eagles, under their name of "Alerions" (which early Heralds represented without feet and beaks), are blazoned in the same disposition as in No. 209, in the Arms of the Duchy of LORRAINE,—Or, on a Bend gu. three alerions arg.: and this device the Dukes of Lorraine are said to have borne in commemoration of an exploit of their famous ancestor, GODFREY DE BOLOGNE, who is also said, when "shooting against David's tower in Jerusalem," to have "broched upon his arrow three footless birds called alerions." "It is impossible," remarks Mr. Planch upon this legend, "now to ascertain who broached this wonderful story; but it is perfectly evident that the narrator was the party who drew the long bow, and not the noble GODFREY." Mr. Planch adds, that the Alerions of Lorraine may indicate an alliance with the Imperial House; and he directs attention to "a similarity in sound between 'Alerion' and 'Lorraine,'" and also to a singular Anagram produced by the letters ALERION and LORAINE, which are the same ("Pursuivant of Arms," p. 87). The Arms of Lorraine are still borne by the Emperor of AUSTRIA: and in England they were quartered by Queen MARGARET of Anjou.





The Roll of Edward II. gives also for Sir HUGH DE BILBESWORTH these arms—Az., three Eagles displayed or. Asimilar Shield, the tinctures changed to—Arg., three Eagles displayed gu., armed or, was borne by ROBERT DE EGLESFIELD, Confessor to PHILIPPA of Hainault, Queen of EDWARDIII., who in the year 1340 founded Queen's College, Oxford: this Shield of the Founder is borne by the College. One of the Shields in the Chantry of Abbot RAMRYGE in St. Albans Abbey Church bears the same charges—three eagles displayed, No. 210: the drawing of the eagle in this Shield is remarkable, and the form of the Shield itself is singularly characteristic of the close of the fifteenth century. Another Shield in the same monument bears a single Eagle, drawn in the same manner, and sculptured with extraordinary spirit. The German Heralds, and also their brethren of France, delight in exaggerations of what I may distinguish as the Westminster Eagle, No. 200. The Austrian Eagle, besides having both its heads crowned, has a large Imperial Crown placed between and above the two heads, as in No. 211. The Imperial Eagle (Holy Roman Empire) sometimes has a nimbus or glory about each head, which dignified accessory is represented by a circular line, as in No. 212. In some examples of Eagles, as well in our own Heraldry as in that of continental countries, the wings are represented as erect (the more usual form in England), and having the tips of all the principal feathers pointing upwards, as in No. 213. The Eagle borne as the Ensign of Imperial FRANCE was represented grasping a thunderbolt, in an attitude of vigilance, having its wings displayed, but with the tips of the feathers drooping, as they would be in the living bird; No. 214.





EDWARDIII., as a Second Crest, bore an Eagle. An Eagle also was borne for his Crest, as the imperial bird was displayed upon his Shield (No. 206), by Earl RALPH DE MONTHERMER. In the more recent Heraldry of England, the Eagle is a Supporter to the Shields of the Earls of CLARENDON, COVENTRY, and MALMESBURY; the Viscounts BOLINGBROKE and ST. VINCENT; and the Barons HEYTESBURY, RADSTOCK, WYNFORD, and others. Eagles also and Demi-Eagles are borne as Crests in the English Heraldry of our own day.



In drawing our heraldic Eagles, we can scarcely improve upon some of the examples in which early English Heralds expressed their ideas of the king of birds.



CHAPTER X

THE GRAMMAR OF HERALDRY

SECTION VII

Glossary of Titles, Names, and Terms

"The several denominations given to these tokens of honour ... with the terms of art given to them." —RANDLE HOME: "Academy of Armoury," A.D. 1688.

In this Glossary, which obviously must be as concise as possible, Ishall include no word that is ordinarily well understood, unless some special signification should be attached to it when it is in use in armorial blazon.

Abased. Said of a charge when placed lower than its customary position.

Abatement. A supposed sign of degradation. (See Chapter XII.)

Accolle. Placed side by side.

Accosted. Side by side.

Achievement, or Achievement of Arms. Any complete heraldic composition.

Addorsed. Back to back.

Affronte. So placed as to show the full face or front.

Alerion. A name sometimes given by early Heralds to the heraldic Eagle, which, when blazoned under this title, was also sometimes drawn without legs or beak. (See p.97.)

Ambulant. In the act of walking.

Annulet. A plain ring; sometimes blazoned as a "false roundle": in modern English cadency, the difference of the fifth son or brother: No. 154.

Annulette. Ending in Annulets.

Antelope. Depicted by early Heralds in a conventional manner, but now generally rendered more naturally, the earlier type being termed the heraldic antelope.

Anthony, St. His cross is in the form of the letter T, No.93.

Antique Crown. See Eastern Crown.

Appaume. Said of a hand, when open, erect, and showing the palm: No. 215.



Arched. Bent, or bowed.

Archbishop. A prelate of the highest order in the English Church; his heraldic insignia are his Mitre, Crozier, and Pall. Next to the Royal Family, the Archbishop of Canterbury is the first subject in the realm; he is styled "Most Reverend Father in God," "by Divine Providence," and "Your Grace." The Archbishop of York is third in rank (the Lord Chancellor being second), and his style is the same, except that he is Archbishop "by Divine permission." Archbishops impale their own arms with those of their see, the latter being marshalled to the dexter.

Argent. The metal silver.

Arm. A human arm. When a charge, crest, or badge, it must be blazoned with full particulars as to position, clothing, &c. If couped between the elbow and the wrist, it is a cubit arm.

Armed. A term applied to animals and birds of prey, to denote their natural weapons of offence and defence: thus, aLion is said to be "armed of his claws and teeth"; aBull, to be "armed of his horns"; an Eagle, "of its beak and talons."

Armory. Heraldry. Also, a List of Names and Titles, with their respective Arms.

Arms, Armorial Bearings. Heraldic compositions, and the Figures and Devices which form them. (See ChapterI.)

Arms of Community. Borne by Corporate and other Bodies and Communities, as cities, colleges, &c.

Arms of Dominion. Borne by Sovereign Princes, being also the Sovereign arms of the realms over which they rule.

Arms of Office. Borne, with the personal arms, to denote official rank.

Armes Parlantes. Such as are allusive to the Name, Title, Office, or Property of those who bear them: thus, Leaves for Leveson, aCastle for Castile, aCup for Butler, Fish for those who derive revenues from Fisheries, &c. The more usual term is, however, "canting arms" (See Rebus: also page15.)

Arrow. Is barbed of its head, and flighted of its feathers; abundle of arrows is a sheaf; with a blunt head, it is a bird-bolt.

At Gaze. A term applied to animals of the chase, to denote their standing still, and looking straight forward: No. 167.

Attires, Attired. The antlers of a Buck, Stag, or Hart: having antlers. AReindeer is represented in Heraldry with double attires, one pair erect, and the other drooping forward.

Augmentation. An honourable addition to a Coat of Arms, specially granted with a peculiar significance: thus, the "Union" Device of the British Empire, blazoned on an inescutcheon, is the "Augmentation" specially granted to the great Duke of WELLINGTON, to be borne on the honour point of his paternal shield.

Augmented. Having an "Augmentation."

Avellane. A variety of the heraldic Cross: No. 109.

Azure. The colour blue (indicated by horizontal lines): No.52.

Badge. A figure or device, distinct from a crest, and capable of being borne without any background or other accessory. Badges are, however, often depicted upon a standard or roundle of the livery colour or colours. Badges were depicted as a sign of ownership upon property; were worn by servants and retainers, who mustered under the standards on which badges were represented. (See ChapterXV.)

Banded. Encircled with a band.

Banner. A flag, charged with the coat of arms of the owner, displayed over its entire surface. (See Chapter XVII.)

Banneret. A Knight who had been advanced by the King to that higher military rank which entitled him to display a banner.

Bar. One of the Ordinaries: Nos. 81,82.

Bars Gemelles. Barrulets borne in pairs: Nos. 83,84.

Barbed. Pointed, as an arrow. The term is also applied to the small green leaves between the petals of heraldic roses. (See Rose.)

Barbel. A Fish borne as an allusive device by the family of DE BARRE: No. 162.

Barded. Having horse-trappings.

Bardings. Horse-trappings, often enriched with armorial blazonry. On the Great Seal of EDWARDI. the Bardings of the King's charger for the first time appear adorned with the Royal arms. On both sides of the horse, the head is supposed to be to the dexter. An example is represented in the Seal of ALEXANDER DE BALLIOL, in Chapter XIV.

Barnacles, Breys. An instrument used in breaking horses. Arebus of Sir REGINALD BRAY, architect of St. George's Chapel, Windsor, and repeatedly represented there: No. 216.

Baron. The lowest rank in the British Peerage. ABaron is "Right Honourable," and is styled "My Lord." His coronet, first granted by Charles II., has on a golden circlet six large pearls, of which four appear in representations, as in No. 217. An Irish Baron has no coronet. All a Baron's children are "Honourable."

Baron. A purely heraldic term signifying a husband, awife in Heraldry being femme.

Baroness. A lady in whom a Barony is vested by inheritance in her own right; also, the wife of a Baron. In either case she is "Right Honourable"; is styled "My Lady," and her coronet is the same as that of a Baron.





Baronet. An hereditary rank, lower than the peerage, instituted in 1612 by JAMESI., who fixed the precedence of Baronets before all Knights, those of the Order of the Garter alone excepted. As originally created, all Baronets were "of Ulster," or "of Nova Scotia"; afterwards all new creations were "of Great Britain"; now all are "of the United Kingdom." The "Badge of Ulster," generally borne as an augmentation upon a canton or small inescutcheon, is—Arg., asinister hand, couped at the wrist and appaume, gu.,—No. 215. The arms of Nova Scotia, which may be (but seldom are) similarly borne on a canton or inescutcheon, are—Arg., on a saltire az., the Royal arms of Scotland. (See No. 138.) By letters patent of JAMESI., the wives of Baronets have the titles of "Lady, Madam, or Dame," at their pleasure prefixed to their names.

Barrulet. The diminutive of a Bar.

Barrule, Barruly. Barry of ten or more pieces.

Barry. Divided into an even number of Bars, which all lie in the same plane: Nos. 85,86.

Barry Bendy. Having the field divided by lines drawn bar-wise, which are crossed by others drawn bend-wise: No. 119.

Bar-wise. Disposed after the manner of a Bar,—crossing the field, that is, horizontally. The term fessways is more usually employed.

Base. The lowest extremity: No. 27, B.

Basilisk. A cockatrice having its tail ending in a dragon's head.

Basinet. A helm fitting close to the head.

Baton. A diminutive of the bend, couped at its extremities.

Battled, or Embattled. Having battlements, or bordered, as No. 38, F.

Beacon, or Fire Beacon. An iron case of burning combustibles set on a pole, against which a ladder is placed.

Beaked. Applied to birds, not of prey.

Bearer. An old Scottish term for a Supporter.

Bearing, Bearings. Armorial insignia, borne on shields.

Bell. Drawn, and generally blazoned as a church-bell, unless specified to be a hawk's-bell.

Belled. Having bells attached.

Bend. One of the Ordinaries: Nos. 111-115.

Bendlet. The diminutive of a bend: No. 117.

Bend-wise, or In Bend. Placed in the position of or arranged in the direction of a bend.

Bendy. Parted bend-wise into an even number of divisions: No. 116.

Besant. A golden "Roundle" or disc, flat like a coin: No. 151, and No. 140.

Billet. An oblong figure of any tincture: Billete—strewn with "Billets": Nos. 130, 146.

Bird. Many Birds appear in blazon, and they are represented both in heraldic tinctures and "proper"—in their natural aspect. (See Chapters VIII. andIX.)

Bird-bolt. An arrow with a blunt head.

Bishop. The Bishops are "by Divine permission," and are styled "Right Reverend Father in God," and "My Lord Bishop." The Bishops of England and Wales are not Peers but are all "spiritual lords" of Parliament, some of the junior Bishops, however, having no seats. The Suffragan Bishops are merely assistant Bishops, and are not Lords of Parliament. The heraldic insignia of Bishops consist of a mitre and pastoral staff; they impale their official and personal arms, as do the Archbishops; and, like them also, they bear no crests, but they ensign their shields with a mitre.