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 A V 
 
THE SCIENCE OF 
 
 HERALDRY. 
 
I 
 
tl 
 
 PRINCE OF WALES ROYAL 
 
 DUKE 
 
 MARQUIS 
 
 EARL 
 
 BARON 
 
 / NOBILITY 
 
 KING 
 
 ESQUIRE 
 
 k 
 
 CIVIC CAP KNIGHT 
 
 CAP OF DIGNITY 
 
 ^ 
 
THE SCIENCE 
 
 OF 
 
 HEEALDEY: 
 
 PRACTICAL INTEODUCTION THERETO 
 
 COMPILED BY R. WILLIS. 
 
 LONDON: 
 
 B. SULMAN, 40, CITY ROAD, & WARWICK LANE. 
 
 1872. 
 
The Compiler acknowledges his indebtedness to the 
 following Works : — 
 
 '•^ A Display of Heraldry:' GuiLLlM. 1678. 
 
 " The History of Heraldry P T. ROBSON. 1830. 
 
 " A Guide to the Study of Heraldry." 
 
 J. A. Montague, B.A. 1840. 
 
 '''•An hitroduction to Heraldry :' Hugh Clark. 1845. 
 
Tm^ 
 
 (L^zi 
 
 INDEX. 
 
 Chapter Page 
 
 I. — The Definition and Antiquity of Coats of 
 
 Arms i 
 
 II. — The Varieties of Arms : — 
 
 Arms of Dominion 7 
 
 ,, Pretension, Community, Patronage, and Family lo 
 ,, Alliance, Adoption, Office, Concession, and 
 
 Canting Arms II 
 
 III. — The Integral Parts of Arms : — 
 
 The Shield 12 
 
 The Points of the Escutcheon ; Tinctures, description of 13 
 
 Furs 14 
 
 Divisions of the Shield 15 
 
 IV. — Charges in Blazonry : — 
 
 1. Honorable Ordinaries... 17 
 
 2. Subordinate Ordinaries 19 
 
 V. — Some of the Varieties of the Cross and 
 
 Border 22 
 
 VI. — Descriptive Terms used in Blazoning : — 
 
 1. In respect to Position 24 
 
 2. In connection with Charges 25 
 
 VII. — Of the Laws of Heraldry , 36 
 
 VIII. — Marshalling 40 
 
 IX. — Distinction of Houses : or Modern 
 
 Differences ... 43 
 
 X. — The External Ornaments of the Shield :- 
 
 Crowns 
 Coronets 
 
 Crests 
 Mottoes 
 
 Mitres, Helmets, Mantlings 46 
 
 47 
 49 
 
 Chapeau, Wreath 51 
 
 XL — Dictionary of Charges 52 
 
 XII. — Hatchments 78 
 
 120 
 
 Wsv 
 
PLATES. 
 
 Feontispiece : — Crowns, &c. 
 
 Plate I. — The Points of the Escutcheon. 
 
 Metals and Colors. Lines of Partition. 
 
 do. II. — Drops. Furs. Divisions of the Shield. 
 
 do. III. — Ordinaries. Distinction of Houses. 
 
 do. IV. — Position of Charges. 
 
PEEFACE 
 
 This work is not an ambitious one. It does not attempt to 
 go into the historic aspects of heraldry, or its connection 
 with architecture, except where it has been found necessary 
 to confirm a statement, or to use an illustration, by so doing. 
 These aspects of the science must ever prove to students 
 sources of great attraction ; even more so, perhaps, than the 
 comprehension of the rules and terms of blazoning, and the 
 charges in vogue. Our national history is intimately bound 
 up with heraldry ; and by its aid light can be thrown upon 
 many interesting epochs of the past, and the personal charac- 
 teristics of many of the great bygone. The cathedrals and 
 abbeys of our land are in their detail sealed enigmas without 
 its knowledge ; for the prating guide may talk, but does not 
 enlighten ; whereas the student of history, with a knowledge 
 of heraldry, can with ease endue the stiff stone memorials 
 with the interest of life ; and save, perhaps, the memory of 
 some of the great ones of the past being lost by the neglect 
 and contempt of a utilitarian age. 
 
 Many persons are to be found who sneer at heraldry. It is 
 treated by them as mouldy and unmeaning ; a remnant of the 
 feudal system ; inconsistent with progress, and mentioned in 
 other contemptuous terms. Without being in any degree 
 desirous of placing it in the foremost of sciences, or of 
 treating it with that extreme amount of veneration and 
 enthusiasm which its literary votaries in various times have 
 displayed — yet, as one of the links of the past with the 
 present, we are bound to respect it, even as we respect the 
 literary works of antiquity and the achievements of the 
 sculptors and painters of past ages. 
 
11. PREFACE. 
 
 It is a matter of regret that the vast amount of manuscript 
 bearing on this subject in the British Museum, the Herald's 
 College, and kindred institutions, should be so little known 
 to the general public ; while their very existence seems likely 
 to become matter of doubt, if the students of this science 
 should become rarer as years pass by — as of late they have 
 undoubtedly become. In the same way, also, the scarcity 
 of the works of former researchees, with the action of Time — 
 that great destructor, as well as creator — on the monuments 
 and relics of the past, will render heraldry gradually to 
 become more difficult of accurate definition, if it should 
 loosely be held as a worthless study, unworthy of our schools, 
 and puerile for all. 
 
 To ignore the past is to defame the present ; for they both 
 are parts of one continuous whole ; and the components of 
 our present greatness as a nation must not be laid to present 
 greatness individually. The rugged lives of our crusaders, 
 our warrior-kings, and valiant nobles, — tyrants though some 
 may have been — brought out the true metal of the Anglo- 
 Saxon race, and stamped the nation with a character. 
 
 It is not generous, then, to this heroic past to forget our 
 obligations to it ; for it has helped to make us what we are, 
 and the martyrs to political conviction and honest purpose, 
 in our past political and military history, are as deserving of 
 our grateful memories, as the men for whom the Smithfield 
 Memorial is now set up. 
 
 With these few remarks on the historic past of heraldry, 
 we come to our purpose of defining heraldry as it is, or 
 rather as it has been handed down to us. It is not a science 
 that opens a field for progress, innovation, or improvement ; 
 on the contrary, the merit due to all compilers has been pro- 
 portionately awarded according to their labour in research, 
 and of the harmony obtained from conflicting evidence, and 
 the eduction of facts from amongst a deal of uncertainty. 
 Originality of conception, therefore, cannot be claimed for 
 this, or for any other work of a like intent. 
 
Flcite ] . 
 
 AND COLORS , 
 
 Shield . 
 
 The Dexter 
 
 or Ri^t hand side 
 of the 
 
 Shield . 
 
 Points of the Shield Expuinld 
 A "Die dexhr chief point . 
 B Hie precise middle chief. 
 C The sinister chi^. 
 D The honor point. 
 
 The Sinister 
 
 orLeft hand side 
 of the 
 SHSULP . 
 
 E Thfyjessepoim. 
 
 Y The nomhrdjjoint;. 
 
 Or The dexter base. 
 
 H The, middle hose. 
 
 I The sinister base. 
 Z 
 
 Angled 
 Engrailed 
 Tnvected 
 Wavv 
 
 Embattled PLrLrLrLrLrLr 
 R^jo^^ AWvVvVVVvVvV 
 
 PLATE, 
 WHITE. 
 
 Indented A/vWWV^WWv^ 
 
 Dancette 
 
 Dovetaflec 
 
 Potence 
 
 Urdee OrUVVXrUVV 
 
 Embattled aronde r^^T-T^^^nj""^^^ 
 
 Battled Embattled /\/\/\/ 
 
 COIiOMS , 
 
Plate. 2. 
 
 mw%Mm & DIVISIONS @r m% mmM. 
 
 Gutte^d-Or I ^ ^^-^J"" "^^;^^^^^ C I Red 
 
 ^^^^J«/«^| I Black. 
 
 Gutte tie Lariues 
 
 Azure 
 Gutted Olivr- 
 
 Vert 
 
 Bii 
 
 > ji Green . 
 
 PFMS .• 
 
 P/Cly 
 
 Barry Pily . Chkcky 
 
 
 LOZCNCY . 
 
PlcLie. 3 
 
 ORBi:N'iUS.IES 
 
POSITIONS OF CHARGES 
 
 RISING. CIS PLAYED 
 
 PASSANT, PASSANT CARDANT. PASSANT REGARDANT . RAMPANT 
 
 RAMPANT CAROANT . RAMPANT RECAODANT . COU NITER PASSANT . DEM 
 
 SALItNT. STATANT . STATANT CARDAMT, SEJANT 
 
 COUCHANT. AT CAZE. TRIPPING. LODGED 
 
 C O U P E D . HAURj^^lENT 
 
 
 CABOSHED 
 
 CUBIT ARM. EMBOWED COUNTER EMBOWED. 
 HERALDIC, N O W E D. 
 
 DUCAL OR CREST 
 CORON ET . 
 
 HERALDIC CROWNS 
 
 EASTERN. CELESTIAL 
 
 1^ WM WS W 
 
 VALLARY. PALLISADE 
 
 CIVIC CAP 
 
Cljc Stitim 0f Dcraltrrn. 
 
 CHAPTER I. 
 
 The Definition and Antiquity of Coats of Arms. 
 
 Arms, Armorial Bearings, or Coajts-of-arms, are hereditary 
 emblems of honor and descent, composed of certain figures, 
 colors, and metals, assumed or granted by authority, to 
 distinguish persons, families, and communities. 
 
 Arms are the proper object, of which heraldry is the 
 science, for the emblazoning in proper terms of all that is 
 connected with coats-of-arms, and to dispose in proper order 
 various arms on one field, or surface of the escutcheon. 
 
 The antiquity of the practice of bearing arms — if the first 
 rude distinctive emblems of nations, tribes, and individuals, 
 may thus be designated — is very great. It appears, indeed, 
 that immediately upon the disseverance of the first human 
 family, and the aggregation of its descendants into distinct 
 nations and tribes, the want was soon felt of some national 
 insignia, easily to be understood by friend as well as foe. 
 Several old writers, whose zeal in the endeavor to prove the 
 antiquity of heraldry as a science, often outran their common 
 sense, — insist that Joseph's coat of many colors was a pro- 
 perly emblazoned coat-of-arms, and deduce the fact of the 
 patriarch Jacob, when he blessed his sons, associating each 
 with a symbolic emblem, — as proof of the practice being 
 general of families and tribes bearing their insignia at that 
 date. 
 
 Many of the heroes of Homer, Virgil, and Ovid, are quoted 
 as having emblematic figures on their shields, helmets, and 
 elsewhere ; and it is on record that Alexander the Great 
 bestowed on his subalterns marks of distinctive honor, which 
 they bore on their armor, pennons, and banners. 
 
 B 
 
THE SCIENCE OF 
 
 Saxons, who bore a White 
 Horse, (now borne in the 
 Brunswick Aims.) 
 Persians, who bore a Bow, 
 with arrows, &c. 
 
 Amongst the nations of antiquity who betook national 
 ensigns, we find — 
 
 The Egyptians, who bore an Ox. The 
 „ Athenians, „ „ Owl. 
 „ Goths, „ „ Bear. 
 
 „ Romans, „ „ Eagle, 
 Minotaur, and other devices. 
 „ Franks, who bore a Lion. I 
 
 Heraldic insignia, however, as a science, applied to in- 
 dividual hereditary bearings, and guided by laws and rules 
 definitely laid down and adhered to, cannot be said to have 
 had an extensive (if any) existence, till the 12th century. 
 The Bayeaux Tapestry, generally ascribed to the wife of the 
 Conqueror and her maidens, does not give any evidence of an 
 intimate knowledge of the subject, which undoubtedly would 
 have been the case had the science been a general one ; the 
 rank of the workers being a guarantee that they would have 
 had the best opportunity of becoming acquainted with it. 
 Egbert, one of our Saxon kings 
 (a.d. 800), certainly has a 
 shield of arms ascribed to him : 
 '' azure, a cross patonce, or," 
 and so has Edward the Con- 
 fessor, ''azure, a cross patonce 
 between five martlets, or." 
 These, of course, must have 
 been invented long after their time ; but the latter arms are 
 of some historical importance, as they have been assumed by 
 several kings, and borne as one of the Royal standards ; and 
 the quartering of them by a private individual, having, in 
 the reign of Henry VIIL, been punished as treason. 
 
 The celebrated Camden, with whom most writers on the 
 subject have agreed, when treating of the antiquity of heredi- 
 tary arms, and heraldry as a science, says : — 
 
 "Shortly after the Conquest the estimation of arms began, 
 " in the expeditions to the Holy Land ; and afterwards, by 
 " little and little, became hereditary, when it was accounted 
 " an especial honour to posterity, to retain the arms which 
 " had been displayed in the Holy Land, in that holy service 
 
HERALDRY. 3 
 
 " against the professed enemies of Christianity ; and that we 
 *^ conceived at that time the hereditary use of them ; but 
 "that the same {i.e., their hereditary character) was not 
 *' fully established until the reign of Henry III." He then, 
 in support of this statement, quotes instances of three 
 Earls, just prior to that date, whose arms differed from their 
 sires, showing that their personal bearings were matters dic- 
 tated by individual caprice, and not by hereditary dictum. 
 
 It is, therefore, not easy to trace, upon true and warrant- 
 able grounds, the constant lineal bearing of coats-of-arms in 
 a line of unchanged descent, before the time of Henry III. 
 
 The Crusades and Tournaments were undoubtedly the 
 foundation of the methodised system of bearing arms, and 
 gave a vast impetus to the practice of their being engraved, 
 depicted, and embossed, on shields, garments, banners, and 
 elsewhere. 
 
 The connection of heraldry with tombs and monuments, 
 evidently dates from the commencement of the science ; as 
 the insignia which distinguished the living was perpetuated 
 on the tombs of the dead. The Roman nobility had a custom 
 of preserving the memory of the deceased by statues of 
 different materials, dressed in the respective garments of 
 rank, with the various other emblems of the position of their 
 originals. These statues were exhibited on solemn occasions, 
 and carried before the corpse of any other member of the 
 family at funerals, to declare their status to all. 
 
 We cannot expect to find any records of heraldry on 
 tombs of an anterior date to that which is assigned for the 
 consolidation of the science itself — though much labor has 
 been bestowed on the subject by those who claim an earlier 
 date for the same than is g-iven above. There are numbers of 
 tombs existing of eminent persons who died before A. D. 
 1000, but there is not an instance of there being any heraldic 
 bearings carved or depicted on them ; one of the earliest 
 known being upon the monumental effigy of a Count of 
 Wasserburg, in the Church of St. Emeran at Ratisbon. He 
 is represented completely armed, with a surcoat, and at his 
 side a plain shield of his arms. It is inscribed with the date 
 of 1010 ; though some have the opinion that this monument 
 
 2 B 
 
* THE SCIENCE OF 
 
 was erected by the monks connected with the abbey which 
 the Count had benefitted, some time after his decease. 
 
 It would be very interesting to give the rules anciently 
 observed in the erection of monumental effigies, as a means 
 of distinguishment, in the disposition and nature of the 
 armor, position of the limbs, &c. ; but as this would take up 
 some space, and the subject being somewhat distinct from 
 the plain practical purport of this work, the reader is referred 
 to those writers of archaeological authority and eminence, 
 who have thoroughly exhausted this aspect of the science. 
 
 Coins and seals have always been intimately connected 
 with heraldry, and are the best authorities, both in respect to 
 the antiquity of the science, and the individual bearings ' of 
 the persons whose names are attached to them. 
 
 The use of seals is of very ancient date. We are told in 
 the book of Daniel that " the kino^ sealed it with his own 
 signet, and with the signet of his lords," and again, in the 
 book of Kings, that " Jezebel wrote letters in Ahab's name, 
 and sealed them with his seal." Many other quotations 
 might be given — but the same remark may be made in 
 respect to the heraldic nature of seals, as to the martial as- 
 pect of the science at that period — that they both had reference 
 only to the first rude symbols of nationality and individuality, 
 but bore a very faint resemblance to modern heraldry. 
 
 The dates of existing seals, which may fairly be held as 
 having arms on them, in the proper sense — are not earlier 
 than the twelfth century, with but few exceptions — one being 
 that of King Louis the younger, whereon is engraved a fleur- 
 de-lis — and another that of Robert le Frison, Earl of Flan- 
 ders, dated 1072. M. de Courcelles quotes three seals 
 attached to deeds bearing dates, 1038, 1030, 1037, bearing 
 evident resemblance to heraldic bearings, as used in modern 
 blazon. These isolated instances prove the length of time 
 the science was in existence before it became a general and 
 thoroughly organised one. In the reign of Henry II., 1154- 
 89, we read of sums of money called " scutage," (from 
 scutum* a shield, which was then, with the monarch's arms 
 
 * Scutum, (lat.) the oblong shield generally adopted by the Roman 
 
HKRALDRY. b 
 
 displayed thereon, first impressed on the reverse of the coin 
 of the realm) being paid by tenants of the crown in lieu of 
 military service ; — this measure being now regarded as the 
 first great blow to the feudal system. The old game of 
 ^' cross and pile" (our ^ heads and tails,') derived its name 
 from the cross, and wedge-like shape of the shield upon some 
 coins. 
 
 The old honorable titles of Scutifer and Escuyr (modern 
 ^' esquire ") were used to distinguish those who were entitled 
 to bear their arms on a shield. 
 
 Before the Norman Conquest, the Saxon method of attest- 
 ing deeds was by subscribing the attestors' names, commonly 
 adding the sign of the cross. William, however, introduced 
 the mode of sealing with wax, which gradually became 
 general. A very old writer — Ingulphus, the Abbot of 
 Crowland, says — " The Normans do change the making of 
 '' writings, which were wont to be firmed in England with 
 *' crosses of gold and other holy signs, into printing Wax." 
 Guillim says — " At this time — (soon after the Conquest) — 
 "' as Joh. Ross noteth, they used to grave in their Seals 
 " their own Pictures and Counterfeits, with a long Coat over 
 " their armours." 
 
 The term, "coats-of-arms," takes its name from the surcoat 
 or tabard, on which arms were embroidered or depicted, 
 worn by warriors over their armor, like the Roman "tunica 
 palmata." It is generally considered that this tabard is 
 only a continaation of the sagum, or short vest, which 
 was worn by the ancient Germans, and covered the 
 shoulders and breast. Du Cange expressly observes that 
 " the coat of arms was the ordinary dress of the ancient 
 
 infantry, instead, of the round buckler (clipeus), at the period when the military 
 ceased to serve without pay. It was about 4 feet long by 2\ wide, formed 
 out of boards, like a door, firmly joined together, and covered over with 
 coarse cloth, under an outer covering of raw hide, attached and strengthened 
 round the edges by a metal rim. The men of each legion had their shields 
 painted of a different color, and charged with distinctive symbols, as is 
 exhibited in the column of Trajan, at Rome : at the base of which are three 
 scuta, distinguished severally by the image of a thunderbolt, of a wreath, and 
 the same bolt with a pair of wings. 
 
 Ecu, from ecussons, (fr. ) a round buckler, designating the French crown, 
 or five-franc piece of the Bourbons. 
 
b THE SCIENCE OF 
 
 Gauls, by them termed sagum, whence the French derive 
 their word ^' sa?/e,^^ " sayon.^^ On the authority of Tacitus, 
 we may state, that the sa^um was gradually improved by 
 spots, and ornaments of different fiu^s ; — and that it became 
 otherwise adorned, according to the rude fency of those 
 distant ages, is asserted by several authors. Tlie tabard is 
 still worn by Her Majesty's Heralds on state occasions. 
 
 The bestowment of arms by the sovereign, in ancient 
 times, as marks of honor and dignity, was not confined 
 strictly to heroes of martial renown — for a notable instance 
 is quoted by Guillim,* (which we extract verbatim), who says 
 that one '' Bartholus, being a most expert man in the 
 ^' Laws, and one of the Council of the said Charles the 
 " Fourth, received in reward for his arms from the said 
 " Empereur, this Coat-armour, viz. : or, a Lion rampant, 
 *' his tail forked, gules, which afterwards descended to his 
 *^ Children and Posterity. But Bartholus, (though he were 
 *' a most singular and perfect Civilian) because he was unex- 
 ^' perienced in Martial Discipline, durst not at first assume 
 " the bearing of those Arms. But afterwards upon better 
 " advice he bare them, knowing how unfit it was to refuse a 
 '' reward from so potent an Empereur." 
 
 Arms are always emblazoned on a shield, and must not be 
 confused with the crest, supporters, or motto, which are 
 embellishments to arms proper, but different in their early 
 origin and use, and will be treated of separately in this work. 
 When arms are adjuncted with the exterior ornaments of 
 the shield — viz. : the mantling, crest, motto, ribbon, and 
 supporters — the same is termed an atchievement, though in 
 modern parlance the word is but seldom used to designate such. 
 
 The arms of ladies, however, are always borne in a lozenge; 
 those of widows being impaled with their late husband's. 
 Of this exception we shall speak more particularly when 
 treating specifically of the rules of blazoning. 
 
 * The edition of Guillim's Display of Heraldry, from which quotations are 
 made in this work, is that of 1679, being the fifth. 
 
 Dr. Berkham, Dean of Booking, is said to have composed this treatise, and 
 to have given his manuscript to J. Guillim, then pursuivant-at-arms, who 
 published it in his own name. See " Prince's Worthies of Devon," in the life 
 of that gentleman. 
 
HEllALDKY. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 The Varieties of Arms. 
 
 Arms of Dominion 
 
 Are those which belono^ to sovereigns, princes, and heads 
 of commonwealths, in right of their sovereignty ; as the 
 three lions of England, the fleur-de-lis of France, the cross 
 of Savoy, &c., &c. 
 
 These arms cannot be said to be the personal bearings of 
 the sovereign, as they pertain to the nation rather than to 
 the individual, as an insignia of public authority, vested 
 in the reigning sovereign, and thus borne by successive 
 nionarchs, though of different race. 
 
 Those who ascend the throne by election, carry their arms 
 on an escutcheon placed in the centre of the arms of the 
 dominion to which they are elected ; as the Emperors of 
 Germany and Kings of Poland used to do. Thus, William, 
 Prince of Orange, placed his arms over those of England 
 and Scotland, as an elective king. 
 
 There is good evidence to believe that the present lions of 
 England have superseded leopards as the nation's arms in 
 olden time ; or that the two animals were depicted in an 
 identical manner. We are told that Henry the Second added 
 the single leopard of Aquitaine to his own two ; and the three 
 leopards are found on the seals of his sons, Richard the First 
 and John. This accords with the opinion of some of 
 the old French armorists, who maintained that lions should 
 never be depicted guardant, or full-faced, affirming that to 
 be proper to the leopard.* On the other hand, the Norman 
 
 * An ancient Latin writer says on this point, " The king of England has for 
 "his arms three leopards-gold on a red field — but whence this? (i.e. whence 
 they are derived the writer does not know) unless because he claims to be duke 
 
O THE SCIENCE OF 
 
 Conqueror's arms have always been rendered by modern 
 writers as '^ Gules, two lions passant guardant," as also have 
 those of William the Second. Guillim quaintly terms 
 leopards '' a degenerate and bastard race, begotten between 
 " the adulterous lioness and the parde, which degenerate 
 *' brood of lions are called in Latin '' Imbelles Leones ; " or, 
 as Pliny says, " betw^een a lion and a she-panther, or 
 " between a lioness and a he-panther." 
 
 Porny, in his work on Heraldry (1777) also says, in speak- 
 ing of the leopard as a bearing, " The leopard's head is ahvays 
 *' represented with a full face, as in the arms of the Earl of 
 ^' Strafford, with both eyes, which is never the case with the 
 ^* lion's head, it being only represented sideways, with one 
 ^^ eye only." How to make this rule accord Avith the present 
 arms of England is a difficulty ; but it w^ould almost appear 
 that the leopard and the lion, as above stated, were synonymous 
 in the olden time, as borne in the arms of our kings — in the 
 same w^ay as the method of blazoning their positions, is, with 
 one or two minor exceptions, identical now. 
 
 It would, indeed, be rather ludicrous if the far-famed 
 British Lion should turn out after all to be a leopard. 
 
 The origin of the dagger in the arms of London is 
 generally ascribed to the following incident in history : — 
 William Walworth, Lord Mayor of London, when he went 
 with king Richard 11. to meet Wat Tyler, — who was a poor 
 laborer, but headed an insurrection, and even ventured to 
 the metropolis — was so exasperated at the affront to his 
 sovereign, that he struck him a violent blow on the head, 
 and then stabbed him.f This origin, however, of the 
 arms is not correct, for there existed, one hundred years ago, 
 (and may now^, perhaps) at Staines — on the banks of the 
 Thames, just below Runny-Mead — a stone, bearing great 
 
 "of Normandy, who had for his arms two leopards, and duke of Acquitaine, 
 ** who had one, and these three he joined together, or raises upon each other, 
 
 "and places them in the shield of the kingdom." V. Barthol. 
 
 Chassaneus, Catalogus Glorice Mundi. 
 
 t Evidently this Tyler was as much a petitioner as a rebel, by coming to 
 such close quarters peaceably. 
 
HERALDRY. 9 
 
 appear.ance of antiquity, placed there as the boundary of the 
 City's liberty ; on the middle of which was the mayor's 
 name, with the date 1254 ; the third figure, at the time this 
 was noted (about 1770) was much effaced, but appeared to 
 have been 5, and below were the arms as they now stand. 
 Now 1254 was long before Richard came to the throne, as 
 the date of his accession was June 21st3 1377. 
 
 The origin of the arms of many countries is lost in 
 obscurity ; the fleur-de-lis of France having had volumes 
 of research expended on it — and so have others. The arms of 
 Savoy are traced to the following incident, narrated by Guillim : 
 
 The first Amadeus, or Amy, Earl of Savoy, bore arms with 
 the Knights of the Order of Saint John of Jerusalem (insti- 
 tuted 1120), and was present at the siege of Acre, when 
 attacked from the sea by the Saracens. Their Grand-Master 
 having been slain, Amadeus, at the request of his companions 
 in arms, put on the armor of their deceased general, and 
 the long robe of black cloth, bearing the badge of the 
 order (a white cross of peculiar form) on the breast, 
 to prevent his death being known to the enemy. There- 
 upon, Amadeus behaved with such valor in battle, 
 that after he had slain the admiral of the Saracens 
 with his own hand, he sunk and put to flight the most 
 part of their ships and gallies ; and in fact, rescued 
 the city from a powerful naval siege. For these signal 
 services, the knights of the order requested the earl to adopt 
 their standard for his own, (gules, a cross argent), in 
 commemoration of the event, which arms have ever since 
 continued to be those of the House of Savoy. The origin, 
 however, of the arms, according to another authority, dates 
 from the successful defence, by the same first earl, of the 
 Island of Rhodes against the Turks. Whichever is the 
 correct derivation, it is certain that this Amadeus must have 
 been of the same stamp as our Richard of the lion heart, 
 and that the arms of the House of Savoy originated from 
 one of his exploits. 
 
 There are a few instances of the devices of cities and 
 kingdoms of pre-heraldic times which still remain as the 
 arms of those kingdoms ; as the white horse of Saxony, the 
 
10 THE SCIENCE OF 
 
 S.P.Q.R. of the city of Rome, (Senatus Popul usque 
 Romanus) and tlie bearings of the towns of Nisnies, 
 Augsberg, and Sulmo. 
 
 Arms of Pretension 
 Are those of kingdoms and territories to which some scion 
 of the reigning house, or descendants of former deposed 
 monarchs, conceiving they are entitled to the sovereignty in 
 lieu of the de facto ruler, add to their own arms. Thus for 
 a lengtliened period, after England had lost the faintest 
 semblance of authority in, or right to the kingdom of France, 
 the arms of that kingdom were quartered with our ow^n, till 
 in 1801, on the union with Ireland, the harp of the sister 
 isle took the place of the fleur-de-lis. In the same manner* 
 Spain has quartered the arms of Portugal and Jerusalem, 
 and Denmark those of Sw^eden, 
 
 Arms of Community 
 Are those of bishoprics, cities, universities, academies, 
 orders of knighthood, societies, companies, and other 
 bodies corporate. 
 
 Arms of Patronage 
 Are those which governors of provinces, lords of manors, 
 &c., add to their family arms, in token of their jurisdiction. 
 The term is also used in another sense, when the arms of 
 such persons, or part of them, are added to the paternal 
 arms of persons holding lands in fee under them. Thus, as 
 the Earls of Chester bore ''garbs," many gentlemen of the 
 county bore garbs also. The Earls of Warwick bore 
 " chequy, or and az. a chev. erm.," and therefore many 
 gentlemen of Warwickshire bore chequy. It is a remnant 
 of the feudal customs. 
 
 Arms of Family, or Paternal Arms 
 Are the hereditary arms of one particular family — which 
 distinguish it from others — and in the olden time considered 
 a crime for any other persons to assume, and which the 
 sovereign had the right to restrain and punish. 
 
heraldry. • 11 
 
 Arms of Alliance 
 Are those which families, or private persons, take up and 
 join to their own, to denote the alliances they have contracted 
 by marriage. These arms are either impaled, or borne in an 
 escutcheon of pretence, by those who have married heiresses. 
 The particular mode of marshallincr several coats on one 
 sliield will be more particularly treated of later in this work. 
 
 Arms of Adoption 
 Are those which a person assumes, either in addition to, or 
 in lieu of his own, by right of bequest from, say the last of 
 another family, in conjunction with the name or estate of the 
 testator. This is generally effected by a special warrant 
 from the sovereign. 
 
 Arms of Office 
 Are those borne by archbishops, bishops, deans, heads of 
 colleges, &c., who impale, with their paternal coats, the arms 
 of their sees, deaneries, colleges, &c., in the same manner as 
 the arms of man and wife, giving the dexter half of the 
 sliield to the arms of dignity, and the paternal coat on the 
 sinister half. With the exception of the ancient offices of 
 kings of arms, arms of office do not exist in England. 
 
 Arms of Concession, or Augmentations of Honor, 
 Are either entire arms, or else one or more figures bestowed 
 •by the sovereign as a reward for some extraordinary service. 
 It is recorded in historv that Robert Bruce, kino^ of Scotland, 
 allowed the Earl of Wintoun to bear in his coat-armor a 
 falling crown supported by a sword, to show that he, and the 
 clan of Seaton, of which he was the head, supported his 
 tottering crown. 
 
 There are numerous instances, ancient and modern, of this 
 description of arms. Those of Nelson, CoUingwood, Wel- 
 lington, Sir Cloudesly Shovel, Lord Heathfield, may be 
 referred to in proof. 
 
 Canting Arms. 
 As this term is often met with, it will be as well to mention 
 
12 • THE SCIENCE OF 
 
 that it alludes to those arms of which the bearings coincide 
 with the names or professions of the bearers. For example — 
 among the Italians, Colona bears " gules, a column argent ; " 
 among the French, du PoiHer bears "or, a pear-tree 
 argent ; " among the Germans, SchUsted bears " argent, a 
 sledge sable ; " among the English, Arundel bears six swal- 
 lows, from the French word hirondelle, a swallow ; Camel, 
 bears a camel ; Pine, a pine-tree, &c., &c. 
 
 CHAPTER III. 
 
 77ie Integral Parts of Arms. 
 
 The Shield. 
 
 The shield, or escutcheon, signifies the ground or field 
 (the latter being the usual heraldic term) on which are 
 represented, as they were also in ancient times, the figures 
 that compose a coat-of-arms. 
 
 Shields have ever been of different forms, among various 
 nations, and at successive periods, and now are depicted 
 according to the engraver's or artist's fancy. 
 
 The field is divided into nine parts ; and in order to 
 determine exactly the position of the bearings they are 
 charged with, they are denoted by the first nine letters of 
 the alphabet, as shewn on plate 1. Great care should be 
 bestowed to attain a thorough knowledge of these " points of 
 the escutcheon," as they are termed, for the same bearings, 
 diff'erently placed, constitute a distinct coat-of-arms. 
 
 It should be particularly observed, also, that the dexter, or 
 right-hand side of the shield, is the actual right-hand thereof, 
 if worn on the arm, and therefore is opposite to the left- 
 hand of the person looking at it, and that opposite the right- 
 hand of the person so looking is the sinister, or left-hand side 
 of the shield. 
 
F — the nonibril point. 
 
 G — the dexter Base. 
 
 H — the precise middle Base. 
 
 I — the sinister Base. 
 
 heraldry. 13 
 
 The Points of the Escutcheon. 
 
 A— the dexter Chief. 
 
 B — the precise middle Chief. 
 
 C — the sinister Chief. 
 
 D — the honor point. 
 
 E — the fess point. I 
 
 The chief is the top or chief part of the escutcheon, 
 marked ABC; the base is the lower part marked G H I. 
 
 Tinctures. 
 Next to the shield are the tinctures or colors, metals, and 
 furs, used in depicting the charges thereon. 
 The colors and metals are : — 
 
 N^ames. Colors. 
 
 Or Gold, or yellorv y 
 
 Argent Silver, or white \ "^'^''"- 
 
 Gules 
 
 Red 
 
 Azure 
 
 Blue 
 
 Sabl^ 
 
 Black 
 
 Vert 
 
 Green 
 
 Purpure 
 
 Purple 
 
 Tenne 
 
 Orange 
 
 Sanguine 
 
 Mtirrey 
 
 These colors and metals are signified by lines and dots, in 
 engraving ; which ingenious method is said to be due to 
 Father Silvester de Petra Sancta, an Italian writer ; and 
 among the earliest instances of its use are the seals 
 attached to the execution warrant of Charles I. 
 
 Or (gold) is signified by dots. 
 
 Argent (silver) ,, ,, being left plain, or white. 
 
 Gules (red) ,, ,, perpendicular lines from top to bottom. 
 
 Azure (blue) ,, ,, horizontal lines from side to side. 
 
 Sable (black) ,, ,, horizontal and perpendicular lines 
 
 crossing each other. 
 Vert (green) ,, ,, diagonal lines from right (dexter) to 
 
 left (sinister). 
 Purpure (purple) ,, „ diagonal lines from left (sinister) to 
 
 right (dexter). 
 TEiil<!E (orange) ,, ,, diagonal lines from dexter to sinister 
 
 traversed by perpendicular lines 
 
 from chief to base. 
 Sanguine (dark red, or old murrey color) is signified by 
 lines crossing each other diagonally from both sides. 
 
 These last two colors are but rarely used. 
 
14 
 
 THE SCIENCE OF 
 
 In addition to these colors and metals, there are nine 
 roimdelets, or roundles, used in heraldry, the names of 
 which are sufficient in blazoning, without expressing their 
 respective colors and metals, which are synonymous with 
 their titles. They are given on plate 1, and are denominated 
 as follows : — 
 
 metal. 
 
 Bezants 
 
 which are Or \ 
 ,, Argent \ 
 
 Plates 
 
 TORTEAUX 
 
 ,, Gides 
 
 Hurts 
 
 ,, Azure 
 
 POMMES 
 
 Vert 
 
 GOLPES 
 
 ,, Purpure 
 
 Pellets 
 
 Sable 
 
 Oranges 
 
 ,, Tenne 
 
 GUZES 
 
 „ Sanguine 
 
 The bezant and plate (metal) are to be always depicted flat, 
 those of color being drawn globular. When two, three, or 
 more, are in one coat-of-arms, counter changed, being of 
 any color or metal, they retain the general name of roundle. 
 
 All other nations, except the English, simply term these 
 round figures, when of metal, bezants ; when of color, 
 torteaux ; naming the color they are of. 
 
 Furs. 
 Fur has always been deemed a noble vestment — and in 
 connection with heraldry, has not only been used for the 
 doubling and lining of robes and garments of state, but used 
 in coat-armors themselves. The varieties are (as shown in 
 plate 2):— 
 
 Ermine 
 
 Ermines 
 
 Erminois 
 
 Erminites 
 
 Pean 
 
 Ermine is a field argent, with small points or spots, sable, 
 the tail terminating in three hairs, which in heraldry are 
 generally termed powdering. 
 
 Ermines is a field sable, with the powdering argent. 
 
 Erminois is when the field is or, and the powdering sable. 
 
 Pean is when the field is sable, and the powdering or. 
 
 Vair 
 
 Vair-en-point 
 
 counter-vair 
 
 Potent-counter-potent 
 
 Potent 
 
HERALDRY. 15 
 
 Erminites is the same as ermine, only it has a red hair on 
 eacli side of the black. (This is not given on plate). 
 
 Vair is of argent and azure, represented by figures of 
 small escutcheons, or as some say, of small bells or cups, 
 ranged in a line, so that the point or base azure is opposite 
 to the point or base argent, and vice versa. When of any 
 other tinctures than argent and azure, the same must be 
 specified. Vair formed, in ancient times, the doublings and 
 linings of the robes of kings and queens. 
 
 V AIR-EN- Point is when the bottom point of a vair argent 
 is opposite to the flat top of another azure, they being 
 ranged immediately under each other. 
 
 Counter- Vair is when these figures of the same tincture 
 are placed head against head, and point against point. 
 
 Potent-counter-potent, anciently called vairy-cuppy, is 
 when the field is filled with figures like crutch -heads or 
 potents, counter-placed.* 
 
 Potent is when the same figures as the preceding are 
 placed point against point, and head against head, the point 
 of one color being opposite to the point of another. 
 
 Divisions of the Shield. 
 
 (Plate 2.) 
 
 When shields are of one color or metal, the same is said 
 to be predominant. But when they are of more than one 
 they are divided by lines of various forms, signified by 
 different names. 
 
 These lines are either crooked or straio^ht. The straiorht 
 lines run evenly through the escutcheon, dividing it into 
 two or more equal parts, by which the shield is termed 
 party y or divided. They are : — 
 
 The perpendicular line, by which the shield is termed 
 party per pale. 
 
 The horizontal line, or party per fess. 
 
 * Potent is an obsolete word, signifying a crutch, as it appears in Chaucer's 
 description of old age : 
 
 "So eld she was that she ne went 
 A foote, but it were by potent." 
 
16 THE SCIENCE OF 
 
 The diagonal line dexter, commencing from the dexter 
 chief and ending at the sinister base, termed -party per bend. 
 
 The diagonal line sinister, starting from the sinister chief 
 chief to the dexter base, termed party per bend sinister. 
 
 Party per chevron is when the field is divided into two parts 
 by a pyramidal line, occupying the centre third of the field. 
 
 Party per cross, or quarterly, is when the field is divided 
 by a horizontal and perpendicular line, crossing each other 
 in the centre of the field, dividing it into quarters. 
 
 Party per saltire, or saltier, is a field divided into four 
 equal parts by two diagonal lines, dexter and sinister. 
 
 Party per pale and per chevron is when the field is divided 
 into four parts by a perpendicular line, and a pyramidal line, 
 as in party per clievron. 
 
 Gyronny, or gyronne, is a field divided into six, eight, ten, 
 or twelve triangular parts, of two or more tinctures, and the 
 points all meeting in the centre of the field. 
 
 Bendy is a field divided into four, six, or more equal parts 
 diagonally, from the dexter to the sinister, or from sinister 
 to dexter, and consisting of two tinctures. 
 
 Barry is a field divided by horizontal lines into four, six, 
 or more equal parts, and consisting of two tinctures. 
 
 Paly is a field divided into four, six, or more even number 
 of parts, by perpendicular lines, consisting of two tinctures ; 
 the first beginning with metal, and the last consisting of color, 
 
 Barry Pily consists of eight pieces, composed of two 
 tinctures. 
 
 Cheeky is a field covered with small squares of dififerent 
 tinctures alternately. When used as a charge or bearing, it 
 always consists of three or more rows. 
 
 Lozengy is a field covered with lozenges" of different 
 tinctures alternately. 
 
 In addition to the above, there are several other partitions 
 of the shield, but as they are used but very little, we omit 
 them, to save space. 
 
 The curved or crooked lines of partition, are the angled, 
 engrailed, invected, wavy, embattled, nebula, ragule, rayonne, 
 beviled, indented, dancstte, dovetailed, potency, urdee, embattled 
 aronde, battled embattled ; (see plate 1). 
 
HERALDRY. 17 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Charges in Blazonry. 
 
 1. — Honorable Ordinaries, 
 
 The ordinaries are tlie simplest description of heraldic 
 charges, and by their frequent use are most essential to a 
 knowledge of heraldry. 
 
 Ordinaries, by the old armorists, as well as by modern 
 writers, have been divided into two classes, — honorable 
 ordinaries and sub - ordinaries, being portions of the 
 escutcheon enclosed within straight or other lines. 
 
 The varieties of honorable ordinaries, with their dim- 
 inutives, are as follows : — 
 
 The Chief is formed by a horizontal line, enclosing one- 
 third of the depth of the shield in its upper part. If the 
 line of division is of any other form than straight, the same 
 must be expressed ; which rule is to be observed with all the 
 ordinaries. 
 
 The diminutive of the chief is the fillet^ w^hich is one-fourth 
 in depth of the chief. 
 
 The Pale — (from palus, a stake) — is bounded by two 
 perpendicular lines, enclosing one-third of the shield in its 
 centre. It seldom bears more than three charcjes. 
 
 The pale has two diminutives ; (1) the pallet, being one- 
 half of the pale ; but occasionally as many as three pallets 
 are borne on the shield, when they are narrower. (2) The 
 endorse, {in dor so, on the back), being one half of the pallet. 
 The endorse is almost always used with the pale, one endorse 
 beincj on each side of it. 
 
 The Bend is bounded by parallel lines equi-distant from 
 the partition line in party per bend from the dexter chief 
 to the sinister base. It encloses one-fifth of the shield, if 
 uncharged, and the third part of it, if charged. 
 
 c 
 
18 THE SCIENCE OF 
 
 The bend has four diminutives : (1) the hendlet^ which 
 occupies one-sixth of the field. Its lower line starts from 
 the exact dexter chief comer of the escutcheon, differing in 
 this respect from the bend ; (2) the garter, containing one- 
 half of the bend ; (3) the cost, or cotise, (from costa, a rib), 
 being one-fourth of the bend. The cost is generally borne 
 with the bend, which is then said to be cotised ; (4) the 
 riband, which is one-eighth of the bend. 
 
 The Bend Sinister is an ordinary exactly the same as the 
 bend, only that it traverses the shield from sinister chief to 
 dexter base. 
 
 The bend sinister has two diminutives : (1) the scarp, 
 which is half the bend ; and (2) the hato7i ; or, as it should 
 be, haston (being the sign of illegitimacy) being one-fourth 
 of the bend-sinister, but which terminates short of the 
 sides of the escutcheon. 
 
 The Fess (fascia) is bounded by two horizontal lines, 
 equally distant from the fess point or centre of the 
 escutcheon, of w^hich it occupies one-third. When it does 
 not reach the sides of the escutcheon, it is termed fess couped. 
 
 The Bar is treated by some as a diminutive of the fess, 
 but inasmuch as there can be more than one in an escutcheon, 
 placed in different parts thereof, it is more properly regarded 
 by others as an ordinary itself, as the fess is limited to the 
 centre point. The bar is comprised within two lines, and 
 contains the fifth part of the .field. The bar has two dim- 
 inutives : (1) the closet, containing half the depth of the 
 bar ; and (2) the harrulet, which is half the depth of the 
 closet. The barrulet is generally used with the fess, one on 
 each side, which is then said to be cotised. Bars gemelles 
 are double or twin barrulets grouped, and then reckoned as 
 one bar. 
 
 The Cross. This is an important ordinary formed by two 
 perpendicular lines meeting two horizontal ones at right 
 angles, they enclosing a fifth part of the field, when not 
 charged ; but if charged, then the third. When the cross is 
 gules, it is called the cross of St. George ; and was impaled 
 by Charles I. with the arms of England, and afterwards by 
 Cromwell as those of the Commonwealth. The varietv of 
 
HERALDRY. 19 
 
 crosses in heraldry are innumerable. Some of those most in 
 use will be given in a special chapter. 
 
 The Saltire (from old Fr. salto^ to leap) is formed by the 
 bend and bend-sinister crossing each other at right-angles, 
 in the same way as the intersection of the pale and fess form 
 the cross,. and contains the third of the shield if charged, and 
 the fifth if not charged. When cut off by horizontal lines 
 at chief and base, it is called Jmmetty, 
 
 The Chevron (the French name given to the rafters 
 supporting a slanting roof) resembles the saltire in its lower 
 half. When charged, it always occupies one-third of the 
 field, and the fifth part if uncharged. 
 
 The diminutives of the chevron are : (1) the clievronel, 
 containing one-half of the che^Ton; and the coiqjle-closej 
 which is half the breadth of the chevronel. This is always 
 borne with the che\T:on, one on each side, which in that case 
 is said to be cotised. 
 
 2. — Subordinate Ordinaries, 
 
 In addition to the honorable ordinaries before mentioned, 
 the following subordinate ones hold a conspicuous place in 
 heraldry, by reason of their ancient and frequent use. 
 
 The Flanch is contained within the circumference of a 
 semi-circle and the side of the escutcheon. They are always 
 borne double ; and so are mentioned in the plural, as flanches. 
 
 Two other similar ordinaries, namely, the flasque and 
 voider, of lesser quantity than the foregoing, but similarly 
 drawn, are now reckoned under the one title of flanch, 
 though Gruillim and G. Leigh reckon them as two separate 
 ordinaries. 
 
 The Inescutcheon is a small escutcheon placed in the 
 centre or fess point of the field, and contains a third part of 
 the shield when charged, and a fifth when uncharged. 
 
 This is in accordance with Guillim and other old writers, 
 but in more modern practice, the name inescutcheon is given 
 only to this ordinary, when more than one is borne ; but if 
 singly, on the fess point — then it is termed an escutcheon of 
 pretence, which contains the arms of a wife when an heiress. 
 
 c2 
 
20 THE SCIENCE OF 
 
 The Orle is in form the same as the foregoing, but voided, 
 consisting, therefore, of but a narrow border, the half in 
 width of a border. They are sometimes borne double or 
 triple, that is, one within the other. 
 
 The Fret (from fretus, to bear or support) is a saltire, 
 interlaced with, and thus supporting, a mascle. 
 
 Charges which cross one another alternately, in the 
 manner of the fret, are said to hQ fretted. 
 
 Fretty is when the field or bearing is covered with 
 bendlets, crossing each other in the manner of the fret. The 
 word fretty is used without addition, when it is of eight 
 pieces only ; but if there be more, they should be specified. 
 
 The Pile is by some writers numbered amongst the 
 honorable ordinaries. It consists of two lines drawn from the 
 upper edge of the escutcheon, and terminating in a point, 
 near to the middle base. It contains in space a third of 
 the field. Occasionally there are several borne in one 
 coat, and unless specified otherwise always converge to 
 the base. 
 
 The Fusil (from fusee, old Norman for spindle, which it 
 resembles) resembles the lozenge in shape, but is more 
 elongated. 
 
 The Label, File, or Lambean. By some, this is not 
 deemed an ordinary. It consists of one piece reaching across 
 the shield, and several at right angles to it, which are called 
 points. The label is one of • the modern " distinction of 
 houses," or significations of the various branches of one 
 family who bear the same arms. 
 
 The Lozenge consists of four equal and parallel lines, but 
 not rectangular, being slightly longer than wide. 
 
 When the field is divided by equi-distant lines, bend- 
 dexter and sinister, (or saltire- wise) the spaces thereby made 
 being filled with alternate tinctures, it is called lozengy, and 
 each of the compartments is called a lozenge ; but when the 
 points of each angle of a lozenge reach the extremity of the 
 shield (in other words, when one lozenge occupies the entire 
 of the field) it is termed a grand lozenge. The lozenge is the 
 form in which maidens' and widows' arms are borne. 
 
 The Mascle (from macula, the mesh of a net, which it 
 
HERALDRY. 21 
 
 resembles) is identical with the lozenge, but voided, bearing 
 the same relation thereto as the orle does to the inescutcheon, 
 or escutcheon of pretence. 
 
 The Gyron (from gyre^ to turn round) is formed by a line 
 drawn fesswise to the centre, or fess-point, of the shield, 
 meeting there another drawn bend-wise. When the gjron 
 is borne by itself, this bend-wise line is drawn from the 
 dexter chief. 
 
 The Canton, is deemed by some a diminutive of the 
 quarter, and an honorable ordinary. It is of undefined 
 dimensions, but is depicted generally as occupying about 
 one-sixth part of the shield. It is understood to represent 
 the banner that was given anciently to knights banneret, and 
 generally speaking occupies the dexter corner of the shield. 
 If, however, it should occupy the sinister corner, it must be 
 blazoned a canton sinister. It has been often added as an 
 augmentation of honor to the arms of military men. 
 
 The Bordure, or Border, now deemed an ordinary, 
 had rise in the necessity of "differencing" coats-of-arms, 
 in order that the several branches of one family, bearing one 
 coat-of-arms, could be distinguished one from the other. It 
 is not now used for this purpose. 
 
 The border occupies one-fifth of the escutcheon, and 
 requires to be shaded; when not shaded, it becomes a division 
 of the shield, and not an ordinary, laid thereon. This 
 distinction should be always borne in mind. There are a 
 great variety of borders, to which we shall devote part of 
 a special chapter. 
 
 The Tressure is an ordinary of half the width of the 
 orle, and runs parallel with the sides of the escutcheon. It 
 is often borne double, and sometimes treble ; and is 
 generally ornamented with fleur-de-lis, alternately arranged 
 in opposite directions — termed flory-counter-flory. It forms 
 part of the arms of Scotland, and was granted to the Scotch 
 kings by Charlemagne, being the emperor or king of France, 
 when he contracted a league with Achaius, king of Scotland, 
 A.D. 809. When granted it was only borne single and ^ovj ; 
 but in 1371, King Robert Stewart doubled it, to testify his 
 attachment to the alliance. 
 
22 THE SCIENCE OF 
 
 The Rustre is nearly the same as tlie masclcj only it is 
 perforated or voided round in the centre, instead of sqnare, 
 as the mascle. 
 
 The various common charges will be given in alphabetical 
 rotation later in this work. 
 
 CHAPTER V. 
 
 Some of the Varieties of the Cross and Bc/rder, 
 
 The Cross, when borne plain — as described among the 
 honorable ordinaries, is termed simply a cross, but if en- 
 grailed, indented, or varied in any other manner, it is so 
 described. 
 
 The Cross voided has only the narrow border formed 
 by its outline. 
 
 The Cross pierced has a portion erased from its centre. 
 
 The Cross pat^e widens from the centre, where it is 
 narrow, to its extremities, which are very broad ; its inner 
 lines being curved. 
 
 The Cross poteiice^ terminates at each point like the head 
 of a potent (old English for crutch). 
 
 The Cross avellance terminates at each point, like the 
 hazel-nut (nux avellenm)* 
 
 The Cross furcM has each point separated, like a small 
 fork. 
 
 The Cross crosslet has a small cross at each end, or point. 
 
 The Cross hotone, or budded, resembles somewhat a bud 
 at each extremity. The French term it croiw trefflee, on 
 account of its resembling the trefoil. 
 
 The Cross flory^ terminating similar to a fleur-de-lis. 
 
 The Cross patonce, terminating like the bottom of a 
 fleur-de-lis. 
 
 The Cross fitchedj (fixdr)^ is pointed sharp at the foot ; 
 and termed pat(^e ftche, or crosslet fUche, according to the style 
 of cross. 
 
HERALDRY. 23 
 
 The Cross molme lias its ends divided, eacli half turning 
 the reverse ways, being shaped like fer-de-molin^ or mill-rind. 
 
 The Cross rayonnant is a cross, from the angles of which 
 issue rays. 
 
 The Cross pommee (an apple) has a ball at each extremity. 
 
 The Cross four pheons, or four pheons in cross, their tops 
 meeting at the fess-point. 
 
 Guillim mentions thirty-nine different crosses — but as 
 many are very seldom used, we will not detail them. 
 
 The Cross is a most important charge in heraldry — and the 
 reason of its frequent use lies in the fact that both pilgrims, 
 warriors, and religious knights, took the cross for their 
 badge during the crusades, and seemingly varied it by 
 fanciful imitations of the most ordinary implements and 
 articles, as well as by ideas of a more remote character, and 
 thus difficult of accurate definition. 
 
 The Border, 
 
 When a border is plain, it is simply to be termed a border ; 
 but if it is varied in form, it is to be designated according to 
 its variety. 
 
 In blazoning, borders always give place to the chief, the 
 quarter, and the canton, so that the border is depicted first, 
 and these ordinaries placed thereon, or above it, so that the 
 line of the border terminates when coming into contact with 
 them. In respect to all other ordinaries, however, the border 
 passes over them. 
 
 When the border is simply adumbrated, that is, shaded, 
 but without being charged, and of the same tincture as the 
 field, the latter is said to be imbordured. 
 
 When one coat, which has. a border, is impaled with 
 another, the border must terminate at the impaled line ; as 
 that line divides the two arms, which are as totally distinct 
 as if placed on two escutcheons. The same rule applies of 
 course where there is a tressure on one of the coats. 
 
 The Border engrailed, from engreld, is edged by small semi- 
 circles, the points of which are outward, or towards the field. 
 
 The Border inverted, or invected, is the reverse of the 
 engrailed, the points entering the border. 
 
24 THE SCIENCE OF 
 
 The Border indented is the same shape as the partition 
 line indented, and is similar to the teeth of a saw. 
 
 The Border ermine has ermine powdering distributed 
 over it. 
 
 The Border vair^ in like manner, is made up of that far. 
 
 The Border compony^ or, as termed by old heralds, gobon- 
 atedj is composed of squares, of two tinctures, alternately. 
 
 The Border counter-compony consists of two rows of 
 squares, of alternate tinotures ; the border of course remain- 
 ing the same width. 
 
 The Border cheeky contains three rows of squares, of 
 alternate tinctures. 
 
 The Border quarterly is a border divided into four parts, 
 similarly to the field, when so named, and charged variously. 
 
 Borders, in addition to their own variety, are often 
 charged, or have bearings added to them ; as for instance, 
 the example in plate III. : Gules, (the color of field, which 
 is always mentioned first), on a border azure, eight stars. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Descriptive terms used in Blazoning. 
 
 1. In respect to position. 
 
 The words on and m are very important in describing the 
 part of the shield that charges may occupy, especially in 
 connection with ordinaries. When a charge is said to be 
 '^on a chief,'''' pale, bend, or f ess, it signifies that the ordinary 
 (whichever it may be) occupies its position on the field, and 
 that the charge is laid above or upon that ordinary. But 
 when a bearing is said to be "m" chief, in pale, in bend, or 
 in fess, it means that the bearing occupies the position of 
 the ordinary, but that the ordinary itself is not there. 
 The following rules will perhaps show this more clearly. 
 
HERALDRY. 25 
 
 Crosswise, or in cross, is when charges are placed in the 
 form of a cross, five being the usual number. 
 
 Paleways, Palewlse, or m Pale. When a bearing of length 
 — as a sword, lies in the direction of the pale, it is said to lie 
 in pale. As also, when any number of charges of the same 
 character are arranged in the same position as a pale, they 
 are said to be paleicise. 
 
 Fesswise, in Fess, Fessioays. When charges of similar 
 character to the above cover the fess point horizontally, they 
 are said to be in fess, or fesswise. 
 
 Barwise. When several narrow charojes of lenorth are rano^- 
 
 o o o 
 
 ed one over the other, horizontally, they are termed harwise. 
 
 In Chief and in Base. When charges are borne in that 
 upper portion of the shield termed the chief, they are said to 
 be in chief, and if in the lower portion, then, in base. 
 
 In Saltire, saltirewise, or saltlreways. Charges of length 
 placed in the direction of the saltire, are thus termed. See 
 the arms of the see of London, for instance. 
 
 In Chevron, or chevronivise, is the term used when charges 
 in their arrangements partake of the form of the chevron. 
 
 Pilewise. When several charges assume the form of an 
 inverted pyramid, meeting at the base, and widening at the 
 chief, they are said to be borne in pile, pileways, or piletvise. 
 
 Counter- changed. When the field is of two metals, or 
 colors, and the charges on each of these are of the opposite 
 colors, they are said to be counter-changed. 
 
 Unnhrated, or admnbrated. When charges are simply 
 shaded, and the same tincture as the field, this term is used 
 to denote such. All charges are supposed to be in relief, 
 and therefore must be shaded accordingly. The light is to be 
 held as falling from the dexter chief ; so that the ordinaries, 
 roundles, and other charges, must have their lines shaded to 
 gi\^e this effect. The simple partitions of the shield, of 
 course, do not come within this rule, as the shield is 
 technically held to be a plane, and the charges super-imposed 
 thereon. 
 
 2. — In connection with Charges. 
 
 Addorsed signifies when two charges, representative of 
 living creatures, are set back to back. 
 
2Q THE SCIENCE OF 
 
 Armed, is the term used to denote the horns, hoofs, beak, 
 or talons, of any beast or bird of prey, when of a different 
 tincture to its body. 
 
 Attired, is said of the horns of stags or bucks, when of a 
 different tincture to their bodies. 
 
 Banded, is when a charge is tied round with a band of a 
 different tincture. 
 
 Barbed, The leaves, or petals, which appear on the outside 
 of a full-grown rose, are in heraldry called barbs, so that in 
 depicting a rose, it is generally said to be barbed and seeded. 
 
 Beaked, is said of any bird whose bill is of a different 
 tincture to the body ; when it is said to be beaked of such and 
 such color. 
 
 Belled, — having bells affixed to some paTrt. 
 
 Braced, is applied to two figures of the same sort inter- 
 lacing one another. It has the same meaning as fretted, 
 or interlaced. 
 
 Bicapitated, having two heads. 
 
 Bicorporated, having two bodies. 
 
 Baillonnd, a term used to express a lion rampant, holding a 
 staff in his mouth. 
 
 Billetty signifies a field strewed w^ith billets when they 
 exceed ten ; otherwise their number and position must be 
 expressed. 
 
 Biparted, so cut as to form an indent, showing two 
 projections ; differing from erased, which shows three jagged 
 pieces. 
 
 B laded, is the term used when the stork or blade of any 
 kind of corn, is borne of a different color to the ear or fruit. 
 
 Boltant, or Bolting, a term sometimes used to denote hares 
 and rabbits springing forward through being disturbed. 
 
 Brandies, slips and sprigs of shrubs, &c., frequently occur as 
 charges. The slip consists of three leaves, the sprig of five, and 
 the branch, if fructed, of four — or if ^unfructed, of nine leaves. 
 
 BHstled, is the term to denote the hair on the neck and 
 back of a boar. 
 
 Caboshed, or Caboched, (French Caboche) signifies the head 
 of a beast when borne without any part of the neck, and 
 full-faced. 
 
HERALDRY. 27 
 
 Cantonedy is said of a cross, &c., when it lies between four 
 figures. 
 
 Clinched signifies the hand firmly closed or clenched. 
 
 Close, is used to denote the wings of a bird when down and 
 close to the body — also to denote a helmet with the visor down. 
 
 Close-girt, is when figures who are clothed, have the same 
 tied about the middle. 
 
 Collared, having a collar. 
 
 Combatant — fiijhtinor face to face. 
 
 Complement, when the moon is at her full, this term 
 signifies the same — " the moon in her complement." 
 
 Co7ijoined, joined together. 
 
 Couchant, is the position of an animal reposing or lying 
 on the ground, with its head lifted up. This particular 
 distinguishes it from dormant. 
 
 Counter-passant, is when two animals are passing the 
 contrary way to each other. 
 
 Counter-saliant — denotes two animals leaping different 
 ways to each other. 
 
 Couped (from coup4 — cut) signifies the head, or any limb 
 when it is cut smooth from the body. It also denotes crosses, 
 bars, &c., which do not touch the sides of the shield, 
 synonymous with humett^. 
 
 Courant, is the act of running, applied to any animal. 
 
 Coward, is when a lion, in any position, has his tail 
 between his leofs. 
 
 Crescent, is the half-moon with its horns turned upwards. 
 
 Crested, is when the crest of a cock, or other bird, is 
 differently tinctured to its body. It is said to be crested, of 
 such and such a color. 
 
 Crined, is said of a human being, or animal, whose hair 
 or mane is of a different tincture to the body. 
 
 Cadency, the distinction of houses. 
 
 Caparisoned, when a war-horse is completely appointed 
 for the fray. 
 
 Cleche, or Clechee, is applied to an ordinary which is so 
 completely perforated, that its edges only are distinguished. 
 
 Clymant, synonymous with salient, but applied to the 
 goat only. 
 
28 THE SCIENCE OF 
 
 Co-amhulant^ passing or walking together. 
 
 Confronte, synonymous with combatant. 
 
 Conjoined in Lure^ when two wungs are joined together, 
 with their tips downward. 
 
 Contourn^, applied to animals turned to the sinister. 
 
 Centre^ counter or opposite. 
 
 Contrepoint, is when the points of two chevrons meet at the 
 fess point — ^the base of each being respectively at chief 
 and base. 
 
 Corded, wound about with cords. 
 
 Counter-embowed, a dexter arm couped at the shoulder. 
 
 Crusuly, is when the field, or charge, is strewed with 
 with crosses. 
 
 Debruised, is when any ordinary is laid over any animal, 
 by which it is debarred from its natural freedom. 
 
 Decrescent, is when the moon is in its wane, the horns of 
 which are towards the sinister side of the escutcheon. 
 
 Crescents were the badge of the infidels, as crosses were 
 the distinoruishinor mark of the crusaders — the former beinor 
 generally adopted by the Christians in memory of some 
 victory — hence their frequent occurrence in ancient coats. 
 
 Demi signifies the half of anything, as a demi-lion, &c. 
 
 Detnment, is said of the moon when eclipsed. 
 
 Displayed, is said of a bird whose wings are spread, or 
 expanded. 
 
 Dormant — sleeping — apj)lied to the posture of any animal 
 in that state. 
 
 Double- queued, having two tails. 
 
 Dovetail, one of the partition lines, whereby two tinctures 
 are set within each other, in form of doves' tails, or 
 wedges. 
 
 Decollated, having the head cut off*. 
 
 Defamed, when a creature has lost its tail. 
 
 Demi-vol — one wing. 
 
 Devouring — see Vorant. 
 
 Diapered, is dividing the field into panes like fret work, 
 and filling same with a variety of figures. 
 
 Dismembered, is when a charge is cut in pieces, apart from 
 each other, but retaining its original form. 
 
HERALDRY. 29 
 
 Disvelopedy or displayed — as a flag unfurled. 
 
 Einbowedy is said of anything that is bent, or crooked, like 
 a bow. 
 
 En-arrihre, an expression borrowed from the French, to 
 signify any creature borne with its back to view. 
 
 Enhanced^ is a term applied to bearings placed above their 
 usual situation. 
 
 Ensiffnedj signifies ornamented with so and so. 
 
 Eradicated^ is a word denoting a tree or plant torn or 
 rooted up, much in the same manner as the heads and limbs 
 of animals are said to be erased. 
 
 Erased, signifies a thing torn off or plucked from the part 
 to which nature has afiixed it, but chiefly aj)plied to the head 
 or limbs of a man or beast. 
 
 Erected, anything perpendicularly elevated. 
 
 Eclipsed, the term used when the sim or moon is either 
 partially or wholly obscured, the face and rays being 
 sable. 
 
 Elevated, when applied to wings, signifies the points of 
 them turned upwards. 
 
 Embrued, signifies a weapon that is covered in blood, as a 
 spear-head, embrued gules. 
 
 Endorsed, two things placed back to back. 
 
 Etifiled, when the head of a man or beast, or any other 
 charge, is placed on the blade of a sword, it is said to be 
 enfled with a head, &c. 
 
 Ente, signifies grafted, or engrafted. 
 
 Enwrapped, or enveloped, with so and so. 
 
 Expanded, or expansed, see Displayed, 
 
 Eyed, is a term used in speaking of the spots resembling 
 eyes on the peacock's tail. 
 
 Figured, is said of those bearings w^hich are depicted with 
 a human face. 
 
 Flexed, or Fleeted, bent. 
 
 Flory, or Flowery, signifies flowered, or adorned with the 
 French lily. 
 
 Fourcliy, is derived from the French, Fourche, and signifies 
 ■forked or divided at the ends. 
 
 Formde, see Pattde* 
 
30 THE SCIENCE OF 
 
 Fructed^ is said of trees that have their fruit on them, of 
 a different color to the tree. 
 
 Fimbriated^ is a term applied to an ordinary having a 
 narrow border or hem of another tincture. 
 
 Fettered^ see Sjyancelled. 
 
 Flotant, expresses anything flying in the air, as a banner 
 flotant. 
 
 Forcene, signifies a horse rearing, or standing on its 
 hind legs. 
 
 Fr acted ^ broken asunder. 
 
 Fretted^ a cross fretted and pointed in form of five mascles. 
 
 Gardant, denotes a beast full-faced. 
 
 Garnished. This term is used to express the ornament set 
 on any charge whatever. 
 
 Gaze. Intent look ; and is said of bucks and stags stand- 
 ing still, with their four feet on the ground, and generally 
 with a full face. 
 
 Gliding^ is said of serpents, adders, or snakes, when 
 moving forwards. 
 
 Gorged, from the French word gorge, (neck) is said of an 
 animal that has a collar about its neck. 
 
 Grafted, is said of any part of the escutcheon which is 
 jointed, or inserted into the other part thereof. 
 
 Gutty, is a term derived from the Latin word gutta, i.e. 
 drop, and used to denote a field or bearing full of drops ; but 
 as these drops may be of different tinctures, they must be 
 distinguished accordingly in blazoning them, viz : — 
 (see plate 2.) 
 
 If they are Or they are termed Gutty d^oi'. 
 ,, Argent ,, ,, Gjitty d''eau. 
 
 , , Gu/es 
 
 Azure 
 
 Vei't 
 
 Sable 
 
 Gutty de sang. 
 Gutty de larnies. 
 Gutty de vert. 
 Gutty de polx. 
 
 Habited, — clothed. 
 
 Ilauriant, a term applied to fishes when upright, or 
 palewise. 
 
 Hiked, denotes the handle of a sword, when mentioned in 
 
 describing its color, 
 
HERALDRY. 31 
 
 Hooded^ is said of any creature having a head-dress 
 resemblinor a hood. 
 
 Hoimed^ is a term used when expressing the color of the 
 horn of a unicorn, or similar animal. 
 
 Humetty^ or HumetUe, denotes an ordinary which is couped^ 
 or cut off, so that its extremities are not entire, and do not 
 reach the sides of the escutcheon. 
 
 Head in profile^ the head and side face couped at the neck. 
 
 Imhattled, or crenelle, is said of towers, walls, and 
 ordinaries, when their outlines are drawn like battlements, — 
 see lines of partition. 
 
 Imbrued, is said of weapons when bespattered with blood. 
 
 Increscent y the heraldic term for the new moon, from her 
 first quarter, having her horns towards the dexter side of the 
 escutcheon. 
 
 Indented, see plate of lines of partition. 
 
 Indorsed, a term for wings when placed back to back. 
 
 Interlaced, a term applied in blazoning annulets, rings, 
 crescents, &c., so that they are linked together as a chain. 
 
 Invecked, see border invected, or lines of partition. 
 
 Inverted, the reverse of the usual manner ; wings are said 
 to be inverted when the points of them are down. 
 
 Issuant, or issuing, proceeding from — a term applied to any 
 charge coming out of any part of the escutcheon — generally 
 used in respect to the chief — the charge being couped by that 
 ordinary's lower boundary line. 
 
 Jessant, shooting forth, as vegel-ables do ; is used to denote 
 fleur-de-lis coming out of a leopard's head, or out of any 
 other bearinor. It also denotes a lion or other beast issuino^ 
 or rising from the middle of a fess. 
 
 Jessed, is said of a hawk, or other hunting bird, whose 
 jesses (thongs of leather to tie the bells on its legs) are of a 
 different tincture to itself. Jesses are sometimes depicted 
 flotant, with rings at the end. 
 
 Langued, (derived from the French langue), is a term for 
 the tongues and beasts and birds wdien of a different tincture 
 to the body. All beasts and birds are langued gules, except 
 when the beast is gules, in which case he must be langued 
 and armed azAire. This is the invariable rule, but if an 
 
6Z THE SCIEKCE OF 
 
 exception should occur when the beast is langued of any 
 other color or metal, then the same must be expressed. 
 When the beast or bird is in coat-armor, without either 
 tongue or claws, the correct blazon then is, sans langue 
 and arins. 
 
 Lure^ signifies two wings conjoined and inverted, their tips 
 being downward. They are said to be in lure. 
 
 Mailed, is said in describing the names of horses, unicorns, 
 tigers, or other animals, when their manes are of a different 
 tincture to their bodies. 
 
 Moiety, a corruption of the French word moitid, signifying 
 half. 
 
 Manned, is a term for an animal whose body's lower half 
 is that of a fish. 
 
 Masoned, a term applied to plain strokes, intended to 
 represent the cement in stone buildings. 
 
 Membered, the term used in blazoninor the beak and leo^s of 
 a bird, when of a different tincture to its body. 
 
 Mi-coupy and miparUe, a French term, when the half of 
 the shield is divided per fess and per pale. 
 
 Mounted, a term applicable to a horse bearing a rider ; also 
 frequently used to denote a cross placed upon steps. 
 
 MurailU, a term used to express any ordinary that is 
 walled. 
 
 Muzzled, is when animals have their mouths tied with a 
 muzzle. 
 
 Naiant, (from French word nageant), swimming. 
 
 Nebule, or nebuly, cloudy, or resembling clouds. 
 
 Nowed, signifies tied, or knotted, and is said of a serpent, 
 wivern, or other creature, whose tail or body is thus depicted. 
 
 Naissant, coming, applied to a charge that seems to be 
 coming out of the middle of an ordinary. 
 
 Ombre, a French term for shadowed. 
 
 Ondie, or wuUe, the French term for wavy. 
 
 Passant, is said of a lion or other creature passing or 
 walking. 
 
 Passant- Gardant, is when an animal is in the same position 
 as passant, but with its face turned at right angles to 
 its body. 
 
HERALDRY. 33 
 
 Paternal, is a term to denote the original arms of a family. 
 
 Patriarchal, is th0 term for a cross of which the perpen- 
 dicular portion is twice crossed, the lower horizontal bar 
 being longer than the upper. The Pope uses a triple cross 
 of this nature. 
 
 Pomelled, is said of the round ball or knob affixed to the 
 handle of a sword. 
 
 Powdering, is said of small figures, such as ermine, when 
 they are irregularly strewed over the field. 
 
 Predojnina7it, is a term sometimes nsed in heraldry to 
 signify that the field is but of one tincture. 
 
 Pride. Peacocks are said to be ^' in their pride " when 
 they extend their tails and drop their wings. 
 
 Proper, is a term used to denote any creature, vegetable, 
 or object, borne in coats-of-arms, of its natural tincture. 
 
 Passaiit Regardant, signifies a beast walking and looking 
 behind him. 
 
 Perclose, or demi-garter, is that part of a garter that is 
 buckled and nowed. 
 
 Pierced, perforated or cut through. It must be particularly 
 stated whether a charge is pierced square, ronnd, or lozenge. 
 
 Purfled, trimmed or garnished. 
 
 Quadrat, or Quadrate, having four equal or parallel sides. 
 
 Quar'tered, or Quarterly, is said of a field or ordinary 
 divided into four equal parts. 
 
 Radiant, is when a charge is represented with rays or 
 beams about it. 
 
 Raguhj, or Ragided, is said of a bearing which is uneven 
 or ragged, like the trunk of a tree with its branches lopped. 
 
 Rampant, is when a lion is standing in a perpendicular or 
 clinging position on its hind legs. This has ever been a 
 frequent and honored charge. 
 
 Rebate, is when the top of a weapon is broken off. 
 
 Rehatement — Difference. 
 
 Saliant, this term expresses the posture of an animal 
 springing forward, or leaping. 
 
 Counter- Saliant, is when two beasts on the same escutcheon 
 are saliant ; the one leaping one way, and the other another, 
 so that they look the opposite ways. 
 
 c 
 
34 THE SCIENCE OF 
 
 Seeded^ is said of roses and other flowers when expressing 
 the tincture of their seed. 
 
 Segreant. This term is appHed to a griffin displaying his 
 wings, as if about to flj. 
 
 Sejant J is said of a lion or other animal when in a sitting 
 position. 
 
 Sem^, or serni^ (from the French), and which signifies 
 strewed or seeded. 
 
 Sinister, signifies the left side or part of any thing, and is 
 the female side in an impaled coat. 
 
 Slipped, torn from a stock or branch. 
 
 Splendor. The sun is said to be in its splendor when it is 
 represented with the features of a human face, and environed 
 with rays. 
 
 Statantj is the term used to express an animal standing on 
 his feet, all being on the ground. 
 
 Super-charge, is said of a figure borne on another bearing. 
 
 Surmounted, is said of a figure or bearing that has another 
 over it. 
 
 Sdjeant-Addorsed, is when two beasts are sitting back to back. 
 
 Shafted, is when a spear-head has a handle in it. 
 
 Springing, for beasts of chase, is the same as saliant for 
 those of prey. 
 
 Streaming, is the stream of light darting from a comet. 
 
 Suppressed — Debruised. 
 
 Tasselled — adorned with tassels. 
 
 Tierced, divided into three parts. 
 
 Towered, is said of walls and castles having towers or 
 turrets on the top. 
 
 Tricorporated, is said of a bearing of the bodies of three 
 lions rampant, conjoined under one head gardant, in the 
 fess-point. 
 
 Trippant, or Trijypirig, is used to signify the quick motion 
 of a buck, doe, fawn, &c., represented with one foot up, as if 
 it were on a trot. 
 
 Counter- Tinpping , is when two beasts are tripping, the one 
 in contrary direction to the other. 
 
 Trunked, is the term applied to trees, &c., that are couped 
 or cut off" smooth. 
 
HERALDRY. 35 
 
 Tiirreted^ having turrets on the top. 
 
 Tusked, This is said of an animal whose tusks are of a 
 different tincture to the body. 
 
 Torgued^ wreathed or twisted. 
 
 Tvansflumtj a term for water running through the arches 
 of a bridcre. 
 
 c5 
 
 TrdlU^ or latticed. This differs from fretty^ the latter 
 being formed of pieces over and under each other alternately, 
 but which in treilU are carried throuo^hout without beinof 
 interlaced, and are nailed where crossing each other. 
 
 Triparted, divided into three parts. 
 
 Undy, an occasional term for imvy. 
 
 Ungidedy signifies hoofed, when applied to unicorns, and 
 gramnivorous animals. 
 
 Umbrated, shadowed. 
 
 Vairy, is said of a field or bearing charged with vair of a 
 different tincture from the proper one. 
 
 Vamhraced, an arm in armor. 
 
 Verdoy, signifies a bordure charged with vegetables. 
 
 Voided, is when an ordinary has only its outline to denote 
 it — the centre of course showing the field behind. 
 
 Volaiit, designates a bird on the wing. 
 
 Vorant, a term for any fish, bird, beast, or reptile, 
 swallowing any other creature whole. 
 
 Vulned, wounded, the blood dripping from the puncture or 
 injured part. 
 
 Wattled, or jelloped, is said of a cock whose wattles or 
 gills are of a different tincture to its body. 
 
 Winged, is the term used in blazonry when the wings are 
 of a different tincture to the body. 
 
36 THE SCIENCE OF 
 
 CHAPTER VIT, 
 
 Of the Laics of Heraldry. 
 
 The rules of Blazoning form a most important part of 
 Heraldry — in order that the nature of charges, their position 
 on the shield, tinctures, and peculiarities, may be clearly 
 defined, without redundancy of wording or tautology, and 
 yet in a thoroughly comprehensible and correct manner. 
 
 In blazoning a coat-of-arms it is necessary always to begin 
 with the field or surface of the escutcheon, by denoting its 
 tincture, and the nature of its division lines, if any, — and 
 their distinctive variety ; as, for instance. Party per pale 
 indented, or and gules. Here we have the shield divided by a 
 perpendicular line, signified by party per pale, indented (see 
 lines of partition) the dexter (right) half being or (gold), and 
 the sinister (left) gides (red). 
 
 The next to notice is the most immediate and principal 
 charge, which lies immediately upon the field, and nearest 
 the centre ; the ordinaries being generally such. Then are 
 to be detailed those remainino^ bearinfrs which are more 
 remote in position on the field, or are super-added to, or 
 borne upon the ordinaries ; — as, argent (the tincture of the 
 shield) on a chevron gules (the principal central bearing) 
 between three crescents sable (the remoter bearings), a midlet ; 
 that is to say, a mullet is charged on the chevron, which is 
 red, and which is laid on the shield, which is white or silver ; 
 above the chevron (in chief) there being two crescents, and 
 in base, one. 
 
 In blazoning such ordinaries as are plain, the mention of 
 them is sufficient, but if otherwise, the same must be 
 specified, as engrailed, ivavy, &c. 
 
 When the position of a bearing is not mentioned, it is 
 understood to occupy the centre of the field ; but if in any 
 other position, the same must be specified. 
 
HERALDRY. 37 
 
 When the number of the points of mullets, rays of stars, 
 &c., are more than five, the quantity must be stated, and if 
 a mullet or other charge is pierced, care must be taken so to 
 express it. 
 
 The natural color of beasts, trees, fruits, birds, or other 
 charges, is expressed by the word proper^ otherwise their 
 tincture must be particularized. 
 
 When there are many charges of the same species in a 
 coat-of-arms, their number and disposition must be carefully 
 given. "When such charges are strewed irregularly over the 
 field, some being only partially seen, they are said to be sem^^ 
 if all of them are entirely visible, they are said to be sans 
 rwmbre. 
 
 Repetition is to be particularly avoided, especially in 
 respect to tinctures. AVhere several bearings of different 
 colors are on one field, one or more being of the same color 
 as the field, or as one another, the color is never to be 
 repeated, but reference made to the first or second, as the case 
 may be, of the colors previously named, instead. As for 
 instance — or, (gold, the metal of the field) on a saltire azure, 
 nine lozenges of tlie first (or first named tincture, gold ; the 
 second tincture being blue, the color of the saltire.) For 
 instance again, — if a coat is composed of two bearings of the 
 same tincture, the same is not to be expressed till the second 
 bearing is specified, thus signifying that both are alike, as — 
 vert, (the color of the field) a chevron between tliree bucks 
 standing at gaze, or; — the term or standing for both the 
 charges, instead of being repeated after each. Had the 
 chevron been argent, it would have read, a chevron argent, but 
 being of the same tincture as the bearing succeeding it, no 
 mention of color is made until both bearings are specified. 
 
 The teeth, claws, or talons, of all ravenous beasts, are 
 termed their arms, because they form their possessors' weapons. 
 
 When these are of a different tincture to their bodies, the 
 same must be specified, and when their tongues are of the 
 same color as their arms, they are said to be armed and 
 langued, of such and such a color. The claws and tongue of 
 a lion are always gules, unless its body be gules, when it is 
 armed and langued azure. 
 
38 THE SCIENCE OF 
 
 The category of beasts whicli, though armed for self- 
 defence, may yet be said to be of milder character than the 
 ravenous class, embrace the bull, ox, goat, ram, &c. In 
 describing the tincture of the horns and hoofs we say, armed 
 and hoofed, or unguled, of whatever tincture they may be. 
 
 Deer are, however, reckoned as the reverse of courageous 
 or aggressive, so their antlers are deemed ornaments, and not 
 weapons. We speak of them therefore, as attired, when 
 giving the tincture of their antlers. 
 
 In treating of dogs, consideration must be given to the 
 variety of species of the one under notice — and its adaptation 
 to any particular class of sport — to each of which must be 
 assigned the jDarticular term in harmony with its character — 
 as heating J coursing, scenting, &c. 
 
 When animals are painted on banners, they must look 
 towards the staff; and in passant, tripping, &c., it is a 
 general rule that the right foot should be foremost. 
 
 In blazoning birds, a distinction must be made between 
 birds of prey and those having no talons — such as swans, 
 geese, herons, cormorants, &c. In the former case their 
 beaks and talons are termed arms, so we say armed and 
 member ed so and so, when their color differs from that of 
 their bodies. 
 
 But in the latter class enumerated above, instead of armed, 
 the word beaked is made use of — the description then being 
 beaked and member ed of such and such a color ; the word 
 membered referring to the leg or feet of the bird. 
 
 In blazoning the cock, the correct term is armed, crested, 
 and jelloped ; armed signifies his beak and spurs ; crested, his 
 comb ; and jelloped his wattles ; when these are of a different 
 tincture to his body, then in blazon they must be so named. 
 
 The falcon is blazoned in the same terms as the eagle, 
 except when with liood, bells, virols (or rings), and leashes ; 
 when he is said to be hooded, belled, jessed, and leashed, of 
 whatever color they may be ; pouncing is a term given when 
 he is about to strike his prey. 
 
 When birds are mentioned in blazon without expressing 
 their description, they must be always drawn in similar 
 shape to the blackbird. 
 
HERALDRY. 39 
 
 Fishes are said to be finned, of whatever color named, if it 
 is different to that of their bodies. 
 
 In bearings composed of any celestial bodies — their 
 condition must be carefully expressed, as azure , a moon 
 decrescent; the word decrescent signifying when the moon 
 is declining from her full to her last quarter. The various 
 other heraldic terms in connection with astronomy will be 
 found under the alphabetical arrangement of " Heraldic 
 Terms in connection with Charges." 
 
 When the sun and stars are of the metal or, which is their 
 natural tincture, it is suiSicient to say a sun or star, without 
 adding the word proper, or or ; and so likewise of the moon, 
 when she is argent, which in heraldry is held to be her 
 proper tincture. 
 
 When any vegetable, plant, or tree, has to be blazoned — 
 its condition must first be considered, as whether spread or 
 blasted ; what kind of tree, whether hearing fruit or not ; if a 
 part only, what part ; whether the trunk, branches, fruit, or 
 leaves ; if the former, whether standing or not ; if not, in 
 what manner it seems to have been felled ; whether eradicated 
 or torn up by the root. If the bearing consist of members, 
 as its branches, fruit, or leaves only, whether vnth fruit or 
 withered; or simply alone, whether slipped, pendent (droop- 
 ing), or erect ; which last holds good for all kinds of flowers 
 or grain, when borne simply or on their stalks, 
 
 Man, and the various parts of his body, are frequently 
 charges in coat-armor, and in blazoning them, care must be 
 taken to specify in detail, whether (first) he is borne whole, or 
 in part; if whole, in what kind of gesture or action; also 
 whether naked or habited ; if the latter, after what manner, 
 as whether rustic, in armor, or in robes. 
 
 When the temples of a man or woman are encircled with 
 laurel, oak, ivy, ^c, you are to say it is icreathed with laurel, 
 oak, or ivg. 
 
40 THE SCIENCE OF 
 
 CHAPTER VIII. 
 
 Marshalling. 
 
 By marshalling coats-of-arms, is to be understood the proper 
 arrangement of two or more on one escutcheon, and their 
 ornaments in proper positions. 
 
 The reason or necessity for more than one coat to be on an 
 escutcheon, may be accounted for in several ways ; such as 
 descent, alliance, marriage, adoption, gifts of a sovereign, &c. 
 
 When the same is necessitated by marriage, the arms of 
 the husband and wife, or baron and femme, as anciently 
 termed in heraldry, are conjoined paleways, and blazoned 
 thus, parted per pale y baron and femme, two coats ; first ^ &c., &c. 
 
 The husband's (or baron's) arms always being on the dexter 
 side, and the wife's (or femme's) on the sinister side. 
 
 If, however, a man marries an heiress, instead of impaling 
 his arms with those of his wife, he bears hers on a small 
 escutcheon in the centre of his shield, in the same manner as 
 the baronet's badge (which, however en passant^ is not 
 limited to a central position), and which is termed an 
 escutcheon of pretence, and is blazoned surtout, i.e. over all ; 
 and if they have issue, the heir bears the two coats quarterly, 
 denoting a fixed inheritance ; the first and fourth quarters 
 containing the father's arms, and the second and third the 
 mother's. But if the wife was not an heiress, after her 
 decease there is no alteration, the arms remaining impaled, 
 as in her lifetime, to show the father's former alliance with 
 such a family. 
 
 If a widower marry a second time, both his late and 
 present wife's arms are to be impaled with his own. The 
 first wife's being on the chief, and the second on the base 
 (being the same position as the second and fourth quarters.) 
 
HERALDRY. 41 
 
 If a man many three wives, then the arms of the two first 
 stand tierced with his own in chief, and the third occupies 
 the whole base. 
 
 If a man marry four wives, the fourth shares half the base 
 with the third. 
 
 If either the husband's or wife's arms impaled with each 
 other have a border, this border terminates with the impaled 
 line — but if the bordered coat is marshalled quarterly with 
 other coats, then the whole of the border is shown. 
 
 If a maiden or dowager lady of quality marry a man 
 inferior to her rank, their arms are set beside each other in 
 separate escutcheons, on a mantle or drapery, hers being the 
 usual lozenge form, placed on the sinister side of her 
 husband's. 
 
 A batchelor or maiden bears the paternal coat of their 
 father, single or quartered with other coats, if they have any 
 right to them, but never parted per pale till they are 
 married, and the latter must have her arms in a lozenge 
 whilst she remains single. 
 
 A widow impales the arms of her late husband on the 
 dexter side of her arms, both within an escutcheon of the 
 form of a lozenge. 
 
 If the widow is an heiress, she bears her arms in an 
 escutcheon of pretence, over those of her late husband, which 
 she bears likewise in a lozenge. 
 
 In the arms of wives, the proper differences with which 
 they were borne by their fathers, must be continued. 
 
 Arms of Bishops, &c. 
 
 Archbishops and bishops impale their arms differently to 
 the above, by giving the place of honor, namely, the dexter 
 side, to the arms of their dignity, and the sinister side to 
 their paternal coat. 
 
 Arms of a Baronet. 
 The Baronet's mark of distinction is the arms of the province 
 of Ulster, granted and made hereditary in the male line by 
 James I., who created the dignity on the 22nd of May, 1611, 
 in order to propagate a plantation in that province. This 
 
42 THE SCIENCE OF 
 
 mark is argent^ a sinister hand couped at the wrist, gules, which 
 may be borne in a canton or in an escutcheon, at option. 
 
 Arms of a Knight of the G-arter and his Lady. 
 
 The ancient bado^e or ensio^n of the Order of the Garter was 
 instituted by king Edward III. on the 23rd April, 1349, in 
 the twenty-second year of his reign, and its bestowment has 
 always been esteemed a great honor. This badge surrounds 
 the arms of such knights, as a garter, and has inscribed the 
 motto, Honi soit qui mal y perise. The ladies of knights of 
 the Garter, Bath, or Thistle, do not bear their arms on the 
 same escutcheon as their lords' — but on one distinct by its side. 
 
 Quarterly Arms. 
 
 When a shield is divided into many parts, then it shows the 
 bearer's alliance with several families ; it being observed that 
 the paternal coat is always placed in the first quarter. 
 
 Some of the earliest instances of quartered coats of good 
 authority are (1) the arms of Eleanor, wife of Edward the 
 First, on her tomb of Westminster Abbey, and on the crosses 
 erected to her memory at Waltham, &c., they being quartered 
 Castile and Leon. (2) A seal of Isabel, Queen of Edward the 
 Second, and (3) the seal of Edward III., who bore England 
 and France in right of his mother Isabel, daughter and heir 
 of Philip IV. of France, and heir also to her three brothers, 
 successively kings of France. 
 
HERALDRY. 
 
 43 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 
 Distinction of Houses : or Modern Differences, 
 
 Modern Differences are used to distinguish the various sons 
 of one family, and also the subordinate degrees in each 
 house. 
 
 For the heir, or first son, is used the Label, 
 second son is used the Crescent. 
 
 third 
 
 
 , Mullet. 
 
 fourth 
 
 
 , Martlet. 
 
 fifth 
 
 
 , Annulet. 
 
 sixth 
 
 
 , Fleur-de-lis. 
 
 seventh 
 
 
 Rose. 
 
 eighth 
 
 
 , Cross Moline. 
 
 ninth 
 
 
 , Double Quarter-foil. 
 
 By these differences the six sons of Thomas Beauchamp, 
 15th Earl of Warwick, who died in the 34th year of king 
 Edward III., are (or were) distinguished in an old window of 
 the Church of St. Mary, at Warwick ; which shows that the 
 use of these so-called modern differences is of considerable 
 antiquity. 
 
 The Label is the only mark of distinction used on the 
 coats-of-arms belonging to any of the Royal Family. 
 
 The heir or first son of the second house bears a crescent 
 charged with a label during his father's lifetime. The second 
 son of the second house, a crescent charged with another 
 crescent. The third son of the second house, a crescent 
 charged with a mullet — and so on of the other sons. 
 
 Sisters, except of the blood royal, have no other mark of 
 difference in their coats-of-arms, save the form of their shield 
 — they bearing the paternal arms thereon. 
 
THE SCIENCE OF 44 
 
 CHAPTER X. 
 
 The External Ornaments of the Escutcheon. 
 
 The ornaments that surround or accompany escutcheons were 
 introduced to denote the birth and dignity of the persons to 
 whom the coat-of-arms appertains. They comprise the 
 
 Crown, 
 
 Chapeaux, 
 
 Coronet, 
 
 Wreath, 
 
 Mitre, 
 
 Crest, 
 
 Helmet, 
 
 Motto, 
 
 Mannings, 
 
 Stcpporters. 
 
 Crowns. 
 Crowns, as emblems of dignity and honor, are of very 
 ancient use. 
 
 The Mural Crown was a circle of gold, resembling battle- 
 ments, and was anciently given to the Roman warrior who, 
 at an assault, was the first to mount the walls of a besieged 
 town, and plant the standard of the besiegers thereon. 
 
 The Naval Crown was a circle of gold with figures of the 
 sails and sterns of ships, alternately. This crown was 
 anciently given to him who first grappled with or boarded an 
 enemy's ship, or otherwise signalized his naval valor. 
 
 The Vallary Crown was made of gold formed like a circle, 
 with pales or palisadoes on the top of it. It was conferred 
 by the Roman general on the soldier who first entered the 
 enemy's camp, or forced their entrenchments. 
 
 The Civic Crown was made of oak-boughs, and bestowed 
 on any Roman citizen, either in battle or at an assault. This 
 crown was so very highly esteemed that it was conferred upon 
 M. T. Cicero for having detected Catiline's conspiracy, and 
 afterwards upon Augustus Cassar. 
 
 The Radiated or Eastern Crown, formed similarly to that 
 worn by the old Jewish kings, was made of gold, and 
 
HEKALDliy. 45 
 
 was bestowed anciently on eminent persons who liacl been 
 apotheosed, or ranked among the gods, either before or after 
 their death. 
 
 The Celestial Crown is formed like the radiated, with the 
 addition of a star on each ray ; and is only used upon tomb- 
 stones, monuments, and the like. 
 
 Poets and orators had their crowns or garlands of laurel ; 
 hence our Poet Laureate. 
 
 Coronets, 
 
 A Duke's Coronet is a circle of gold bordered with ermine, 
 encircled with precious stones and pearls, and set round with 
 eight large strawberrj^ leaves. 
 
 A Marquis's Coronet is a circle of gold, bordered with 
 ermine, set roiuid with four strawberry leaves, and as many 
 pearls on pyramidical points of equal height alternate. This 
 appertains to a marquis by creation, whose title is most noble, 
 and not the eldest son of a duke, the latter being styled most 
 honorable. 
 
 An Earl's Coronet is a circle of gold bordered with 
 ermine, with eight pyramidical points, on the top of which 
 are as many large pearls, and are placed alternately with as 
 many strawberry leaves, but the pearls much higher than the 
 leaves. 
 
 A Yiscount's Coronet differs from the preceding ones, as 
 being only a circle of gold bordered with ermine, with large 
 pearls set close together on the rim, without any limited 
 number, which is his prerogative above the baron, who is 
 limited. 
 
 A Baron's Coronet, which was granted by Charles II., is 
 formed by six pearls set at equal distance on a gold circle, 
 bordered with ermine, four of which are only shown on 
 engravings, &c., to show his inferiority to the Viscount. 
 
 It must be always observed, that the eldest sons of peers, 
 above the degree of a baron, bear their fathers' arms and 
 supporters with a label, and use the coronet appertaining to 
 their fathers' second title ; but all the younger sons bear 
 their arms with proper differences, and use no coronets or 
 supporters. 
 
46 THE SCIENCE OF 
 
 Mitres. ■ 
 
 The archbishops and bishops of the English Church bear a 
 mitre over their coats-of-arms. The bishop's mitre is only 
 surrounded with a fillet of gold set with precious stones, 
 whereas the archbishop's issues out of a ducal coronet. 
 These are never actually used in England, except on coats- 
 of-arms. 
 
 Helmets. 
 
 The Helmet was formerly used as a defensive weapon, and is 
 now used as one of the chief ornaments of coats-of-arms. They 
 have always varied in form and material, according to the 
 rank of their bearers, — the following being the several 
 descriptions. 
 
 The form of helmet appropriated to the sovereign and 
 the nobility, from the rank of duke upward — is full-faced, 
 open, and grated — the number of bars given by some writers 
 to the king being six, and to the nobility, five ; but Guillim 
 places no limit to the number of bars — his illustration 
 having nine. 
 
 The helmet appropriated to the lower ranks of nobility, 
 under the deo-ree of duke to and includino; that of baron, is 
 borne sideways, open and grated — showing four bars. 
 
 The helmet appointed to knights is full-face, open, and 
 without bars. 
 
 That appropriated to esquires and gentlemen is borne side- 
 ways, with the beaver close. 
 
 The material of helmets is most carefully attended to by 
 foreign herald-painters, but seldom is by those of England. 
 
 In France, and other countries, the open helmet standing 
 direct and without bars is appropriated to emperors and 
 kings. 
 
 Mantlings. 
 Mantlings are the flourishings and scroll ornaments issuing 
 from or forming a background to the helmet. These were 
 anciently short coverings which warriors wore over their 
 helmets to preserve them from the weather, and from being 
 constantly hacked and hewn about by their bearer coming 
 
HERALDRY. 47 
 
 into close quarters, they were then esteemed as honorable 
 marks of valor and courage, in a similar way as the colors of 
 a regiment are now, after having issued from a campaign 
 in a tattered and worn condition. 
 
 There is some mystery about the origin of this mantling. 
 It is evident the present artistic usage of this term is a great 
 perversion from its origin. Some say it arose from the 
 practice of wearing of a short mantle over the armor, and 
 not as a coverinor to the helmet. Of this kind of coverinof 
 Chaucer speaks in the Knight's Tale — when speaking of 
 Demetrius : 
 
 " His coat-armour was of cloth of Thrace, 
 A mantle on his shoulders hanging." 
 
 Crests. 
 
 The Crest (from crista^ a comb or tuft) is the highest in 
 position, and chief ornament of coats-of-arms. It has by 
 some writers been confounded with the bad^^e ; but though 
 both may have been often similar in design and character, 
 yet the use to which they were respectively put being so 
 widely different, is quite sufficient to negative the idea. 
 
 The crest was essentially an ornament for the helmet, and 
 though perhaps not so ancient as the badge, appears to have 
 been a mark of great dignity and estate ; more so, perhaps, 
 than was implied by the mere right to bear arms. King 
 Edward the Third, in the beginning of his reign, granted his 
 own crest with much form to the Earl of Salisbury,* with 
 several manors wherewith to support its dignity ; and this 
 crest the earl afterwards conferred with equal ceremony upon 
 his godson, Lionel of Antwerp, a concession which the king 
 received very thankfully, f 
 
 Badges were a sort of subsidiary arms used to commem- 
 orate family rights or pretensions. Crests seem to have been 
 purely personal, and to have been chosen mostly for the sake 
 of the gracefulness of their form, or for their formidable and 
 
 * There is a seal belonging to this earl extant appended to a deed dated 1 1 
 Edward III. (Harl. Chart. 43, D. 26) which has the eagle thus granted to him. 
 
 t The following is the copy of the Letters Patent relating to this transfer : — 
 "Tlie king to all to whom, kc, greeting. Know ye that whereas we lately 
 
48 THE SCIENCE OF 
 
 warlike aspect. This view Montagu suj^ports by citing the 
 fact that the several sons, with their respective descendants, 
 of Edward the Third bore the same crest, the golden lion 
 upon a cheapeau or cap of state. Yet the various branches 
 of this wide-spread family used different figures or combin- 
 ations, to which was then applied the term badge or badgeon, 
 which invariably had allusion to some hereditary descent. 
 As, for instance, the black dragon with golden claws, and the 
 black bull, badges of the house of York, borne in allusion to 
 their descent (through the Mortimers) from the Burghs, earls 
 of Ulster, and from the Clares. The white hart of Richard 
 the Second being probably also derived from the white hind 
 of his mother, the fair maid of Kent. The antelope and swan 
 of the house of Lancaster having reference to the Bohuns. 
 
 These badges were embroidered or depicted on their 
 adoptees' robes of state, the caparisons of their horses, the 
 furniture of their houses, the garments of their retainers, and 
 also often on their seals, but never on their helmets, conclu- 
 sively showing the distinction between the badge and the crest. 
 
 considering the strict probity of our beloved and trusted William de Montacute, 
 Earl of Sarum and Marshal of England, granted to him a crest of an eagle, 
 &c., and that he might the more decently preserve the honour of the said crest, 
 we granted to him, for us and our heirs, that the manors of Wodeton, Frome, 
 Whitfeld, Mershwode, Worth, and Pole, with appurtenances, which came to 
 our hands by the forfeiture of John Mantravers, aud which Robert Fitz-Payn 
 holds for his life by our grant, and which, after the death of the said Robert, 
 ought to revert to us and our heirs, should remain to the said earl and his heirs 
 for ever, in manner as in our letters patent (this deed bears date 9th Edward 
 III.) thereupon made is more fully contained. And now the said earl hath, at 
 our request, of his great affection, granted to Lionel, our most dear son, to 
 whom the said earl stood godfather, the said crest to be by him borne to our 
 honour and remembrance. We, considering the acceptable condescension of 
 the said earl, and willing that since he hath deserved thanks, no less should 
 ensue, have granted to the said earl, for us and our heirs, that the said manors 
 of Wodeston, Frome, Whitfeld, Mershwode, Worth, and Pole, with the appur- 
 tenances, shall, after the death of the said Robert, remain to the aforesaid earl, to 
 have and to hold to him and his heirs of us and our heirs of the chief lords of 
 the fee by the services therefore due and accustomed for ever. Notwithstanding 
 that the said earl hath surrendered to our aforesaid son the crest aforesaid. In 
 Witness, &c. Witness the king at Kyenraynge, the lOth day of September, in 
 the 13th year of our reign." 
 
 By the king himself. 
 
HERALDRY. 49 
 
 Mottoes. 
 
 The motto is a pithy epigrammatic sentence assumed by the 
 bearer of arms — sometimes having reference to the origin of 
 the arms, or nature of the bearings, or the bearer's name. 
 Some of these are of as ancient date as the arms to which 
 they are appended, but these mottoes are not considered 
 hereditary, and many instances can be quoted where they 
 have been altered, or others substituted for them, at 
 wiU. 
 
 In the olden time, however, the motto had but little 
 connection with coats-of-arms, but was generally associated 
 with the devices assumed by the nobility, which some hold to 
 coincide with the badge, the distinction between the two 
 being difficult to determine. Tlie motto was used to explain 
 the meaning of, or to give point to the intention of the device 
 — being, as we should say now, the letterpress description to 
 an illustration ; as an instance, we can quote the fixed stars 
 of the Montmorencies, with the word" Aplanos," "without 
 change or shadow of turning." This star, but without the 
 word " Aplanos," appears first upon the seal of Herve de 
 Montmorency in the year 1186, a proof of its great 
 antiquity. 
 
 Mottoes may be divided into two classes, the one being of 
 the nature described above, the offspring of sentiment or 
 passing humor which the bearer in one generation would 
 not expect his descendant in the next to appreciate or 
 perpetuate — the other being the war-cry, or Cry de guerre. 
 Any one might use a motto, but none below the rank of 
 banneret used a particular war-cry. 
 
 It would be most interesting to go into the matter of these 
 war-cries — both English, Scottish, and foreign. Menestrier 
 gives rather a singular one of the old Emperors of Germany^ 
 " A dexter et a sinistre," or an exhortation to hit right and 
 left. But space forbids ; though, should this work reach a 
 second edition, a chapter will be devoted to it. 
 
 Mottoes upon ancient seals are of the greatest rarity — 
 very few are known to bear them as far back as 1400. 
 This proves one of three things : that they were not 
 in voo-ue at so early a date ; or that, if in use, they were 
 
 E 
 
50 
 
 THE SCIENCE OF 
 
 not considered (as we have mentioned above) to be an 
 integral part of coats-of-arms ; or, thirdly, that there was 
 found to be a mechanical difficulty in engraving the letters. 
 This latter idea has never been broached before, but it is 
 worth considering — for it is very doubtful if the modern 
 practice of first engraving the alphabet on separate steel 
 punches, which are then driven into the metal of the seal, 
 was in use — and all engravers know that in this particular 
 class of work, there would be considerable difficulty in 
 those times in engraving long mottoes, the letters necessarily 
 
 close together, 
 
 without the aid 
 
 of such means. 
 
 This miffht also 
 
 account for the 
 
 fact that the few 
 
 mottoes known 
 -on such old seals 
 
 are short, giving 
 
 Seal of Sir John de Molyns affixed to a deed i , p oeai 
 
 dated "Apud. Lend. 19 Edw.m. plCUty Ot SpaCC ^^ek gi..^the^ „anor ^^^^^^^^^^^^ 
 
 p 1 1 dw. Roy. Edward (Harl. MS. 2t5. fol. 103.) 
 
 One of the earliest instances of a motto upon a seal, if not 
 the earliest mention of a motto anywhere, is that belonging 
 to a member of the Byron family. Sir John de Byron, 
 appended to a deed dated 21 Edward 1. This seal represents 
 a heater shield charged, with three bendlets enhanced, and 
 inscribed ^' Crede Beronti." A drawing of this seal is 
 preserved in the British Museum, marked Harl. MS. 2042. 
 The words are remarkable, as the motto of the present family 
 is spelt " Crede Biron." 
 
 The motto on the royal achievement, ^' Dieu et mon 
 Droit,'''' was introduced by Edward III., a.d. 1340, when he 
 resolved to prosecute his claim to the crown of France, 
 resulting in long and sanguinary wars ; that of the Prince of 
 Wales, "/cA Dien,''^ {'' 1 serve") — in the German or old 
 Saxon language, was assumed by the Black Prince after the 
 battle of Cressy, 1346 ; where, having killed John, king of 
 Bohemia, who served the French king in his wars, and was 
 his stipendiary, the prince took from the slain king's head 
 
 Sea! attached to a deed by which John 
 
 ?k gives the manor of Eresby to Robert 
 
 Willonghby, dated " donnes a Eresby I'au 30 
 
HERALDRY. 
 
 51 
 
 such a plume and motto, and put it on his own to perpetuate 
 the victory. * 
 
 There are some writers, however, who make this device the 
 prince's own, referring its meaning to the expression of the 
 apostle — " That the lieir, while lie is a child, differeth nothi7ig 
 from a child,'''' 
 
 Chapeau, 
 The Chapeau, or Cap of Dignity, is frequently to be met 
 with above the helmet in place of the wreath, the crest being 
 above. It was an ancient cap of honor, worn by the highest 
 nobility. It is of scarlet, turned up with ermine. Such a 
 cap is said to be have been sent by Pope Julius II., with a 
 sword, to Henry VIII. , for writing a book against Martin 
 Luther. Though originally, as said above, to be a very high 
 token of honor, it is to be met with, together with ducal 
 coronets, in the hereditary arms of many private persons — 
 having been granted by the heralds in a somewhat promis- 
 cuous manner, on the decline of the exclusive privileges in 
 the matter of bearing arms which so long held sway. 
 
 The Wreath. 
 
 This was an ancient ornament of the head, evidently 
 introduced into English chivalry by the crusaders, who 
 adopted it from the Turks and Saracens ; it having a distant 
 affinity to the turban, or similar headdress, of the Easterns. 
 
 It was a roll of twisted silk of two colors, which knights 
 wore as a head-dress round their helmets. The mixture of the 
 colors of the wreath is most usually taken from the metal or 
 colors contained in the paternal coat of the bearer ; the rule 
 beinff to bemn with metal and end with color. 
 
 From being generally drawn straight, the wreath is often 
 held by misinformed persons to be a sort of parti-colored bar, 
 and is often drawn balanced on the top of the helmet, like a 
 diminutive barber's pole. But as this wreath is supposed to 
 be formed of silk and twisted round the top part of the 
 helmet, it follows that it must not be drawn apart from, or of 
 
 * Cressy is a town of France, in Picardy, in the diocese of Meaux, 44 miles 
 south of Calais, and 27 north M^est of Abbeville. 
 
 E 2 
 
52 THE SCIENCE OF 
 
 cliiFerent diameter to, the helmet. The crest, moreover, being 
 an adjunct to, and springing from the helmet, should be 
 drawn In proportion — but often they are to be seen three and 
 four times larger. 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 A Dictionary of Charges. 
 
 Alanty a mastiff-dog with short ears. 
 
 Allerion, an eagle without beak or feet. 
 
 Amethyst, a precious stone of a violet color. 
 
 Amphisien Cockatrice. See Basilisk. 
 
 AncJior, the emblem of hope. It is drawn without a cable, 
 unless specially mentioned. 
 
 Annulet, a ring ; supposed to represent ancient armor — 
 also the old British money. The Romans attached symbolic 
 meaning to the ring, as strength and eternity. 
 
 Anshentj or ancient, a small flag or streamer. The guidon 
 used at funerals w^as called an anshent. 
 
 • Antelope is an animal of the deer species, with horns almost 
 straight, tapering from the head upwards. An " heraldic 
 antelope " is depicted somewhat differently to a natural one. 
 
 Anvil, the Iron block used by smiths. 
 
 Apaumde is the hand open, with the full palm appearing, 
 the thumb and fino^ers at full leno^th. 
 
 Arrows are usually borne harhed and flighted, i.e. feathered. 
 In English heraldry the arrow is always represented with 
 its barb or point downwards, unless otherwise expressed. 
 Arrows, when In bundles, are termed sheaves, and are under- 
 stood, unless a greater number is mentioned, to consist of 
 three only, one in pale (upright) and tAVO others in saltier 
 (crossing It) bound together or banded. It Is not uncommon, 
 however, to have five or seven In a sheaf; but the number, if 
 more than three, must be specified. 
 
 Asteroids, stars resembling planets. 
 
HERALDKY. 53 
 
 Astrolabe, an instriiineiit for taking the altitude of heavenly 
 bodies at sea. 
 
 Augmentations are particular marks of honor granted by 
 the sovereign for some heroic or meritorious act. They are 
 usually borne on an escutcheon, or a canton, as is the badge 
 the baronets of England. 
 
 Bi/lets, or sea swallows, commonly called Cornish choughs, 
 are represented sable, beaked and legged gules. 
 
 Balista, an engine used by the ancient Greeks and Romans 
 for throwing stones at the time of a siege. It is sometimes 
 called a swepe. 
 
 Banner, a flag, standard, or ensign, carried at the end of a 
 lance, or pole, and generally made square. When disvelopedj 
 is open and flying. 
 
 Barrulet, one of the diminutives of the bar. 
 
 Barry denotes a field divided by horizontal lines into 
 several equal parts, and consisting of different tinctures 
 counterchanged. 
 
 Baton, or Baton, a staff or cudgel. This is borne on 
 English coats-of-arms as a badge of illegitimacy ; but French 
 heralds introduce it in arms as a difference, or mark of 
 consanguinity. 
 
 Battering -Ram, a machine of offence much in vogue 
 before the invention of gunpowder. 
 
 Beaver is used to signify that part of the helmet which 
 defends the sight. 
 
 Bend, one of the honorable ordinaries. See chapter on same. 
 
 Bezants are roundlets of gold without any impression, 
 and were the current coin of old Byzantium, the modern 
 Constantinople. See plate II. 
 
 Billets, by some considered subordinate ordinaries, but by 
 others as a common bearing only. It is represented in the 
 form of an oblong square. 
 
 Buckler, or shield, the most ancient of all defensive armor. 
 
 Badger, an animal whose courageous behaviour towards 
 beasts of prey has caused it to be ennobled as a charge, is 
 sometimes termed a hrock, and is borne as a crest by several 
 families, as a play upon their names, as Broke, Brook, 
 Brooks, &c. 
 
54 THE SCIENCE OF 
 
 Bag of Madder. This is a charge in the dyers' arms. 
 
 Banderole, a streamer or small flag, attached by cords 
 immediately under the crook on the top of the staff of a 
 crozier, and folding over the staff. 
 
 Barbed arrow, an arrow whose head is pointed and jagged. 
 
 Barnacle, a large water-fowl resembling a goose, and by 
 the Scots called a cleg goose. It has a flat broad bill, with 
 a hooked point. The fore-part of the head is white, and a 
 bead of black between the eyes ; the neck and fore-part of 
 the breast are black, the belly is white and brown ; the thighs 
 blackish, the back black and brown, the tail black, and the 
 wings brown, black, and ash color. 
 
 Basilisk, an imaginary animal, represented like the fictitious 
 heraldic cockatrice, and with the head of a dragon at the end 
 of its tail. 
 
 Basnet, a name anciently used for a helmet. 
 
 Beacon. In ancient times, upon the invasion of an enemy, 
 beacons were set on high hills, with an iron pot on the top, 
 wherein was pitch, hemp, &c., which, when set on fire, 
 alarmed the country, and called the people together. In the 
 eleventh year of the reign of Edward III., every county in 
 England had one. 
 
 Bells, used as the proclaimers of joyful solemnity, and 
 designed for the service of God, by calling the people to it, 
 are in heraldry termed church-hells, to distinguish them from 
 those which are tied to the legs of hawks or falcons. 
 
 Boar. This animal, when used in heraldry, is always 
 understood to be the wild boar. 
 
 Bolt-in- Tun is a bird-bolt in pale piercing through a tun. 
 
 Bonnet, a cap of velvet worn within a coronet. 
 
 Boss of a bit, as borne in the arms of the lorimers' or bit- 
 makers' company. 
 
 Boteroll, according to the French heralds, is a tag of a 
 broadsword scabbard, and is esteemed an honorable bearing. 
 
 Bourchier Knot is a knot of silk, and was a cognizance of 
 Archbishop Bouchier, and a representation of it is still 
 preserved in several of the apartments of Knole House, in 
 Kent, which was formerly the property and residence of the 
 archbishop. 
 
HERALDflY. 55 
 
 Brassarts^ armor for the elbow. 
 
 Brassets^ pieces of armor for the arms. 
 
 Breastplate. See Cuwass. 
 
 Bridges, as borne in arms, are of various forms, depending 
 chiefly on the number of arches, which should be particularly 
 specified, as in the following example: — Or, oji a hiidge of 
 three arches in fess gules, masoned sable, the stream transfluent 
 proper, a fane argent; name, T'roivhridge, of Trowbridge. 
 This seems to have been given to the bearer as an allusion to 
 his name, quasi Thrauglibridge, with respect to the current of 
 the stream passing tlu*ough the arches. 
 
 Brigandine, or Brigantiiie. See Hahergeon. 
 
 Broad Arrow, differs from the pheon, by having the inside 
 of its barbs plain. 
 
 Broches are instruments used by embroiderers, and are 
 borne in the arms of the embroiderers' company. 
 
 Brogue, a kind of shoe. 
 
 Buckles, anciently worn by persons of repute and honor, 
 attached to their military belts and girdles, is a bearing both 
 ancient and honorable, and is a token of service. The shape 
 of buckles, as borne in a coat, must be described, whether 
 oval, round, square, or lozengy, as they are various. 
 
 Bugle-horn, or Hunting Horn, is a frequent bearing in 
 heraldry. When the mouth and strings of this instrument are 
 of different tinctures from the horn, then in blazon they must 
 be named ; and when it is adorned with rings, then it is 
 termed garnished. The bugle-horn was a common decoration 
 to the dress of our ancestors, and used by them for a variety 
 of purposes ; as in hunting, in battle, &c., giving notice in 
 an unfrequented place that a stranger was nigh, or that a 
 post was approaching. 
 
 Bull (the) is common in coat armor. Ermine, a hull 
 passant gules ; name, Bevile. The Egyptians consecrated the 
 bull as the symbol of fecundity ; the Greeks also painted the 
 horn of the bull, filled with ears of corn and fruits, to express 
 this emblem ; and the poets sang the cornucopia in their verses. 
 
 Bur, was a broad ring of iron, behind the hand, on the 
 spears anciently used at tiltings. 
 
 Burgonet, a steel cap, formerly worn by foot soldiers in battle. 
 
56 THE SCIENCE OF 
 
 Burling-Iron, an instrument used by weavers, and borne 
 in the arms of the weavers' company of Exeter. 
 
 Bustard^ a kind of wild turkey, rarely met with in England. 
 
 Calvary^ a Cross, represents the cross on which our Saviour 
 suffered on Mount Calvary, and is always set upon three 
 steps, termed grieces. 
 
 Cameleon, resembles the common lizard. 
 
 Cannets, a term for ducks, when they are represented with- 
 out beak or feet. 
 
 Canto7i. The French word for corner ; it is a square figure, 
 less than a quarter, and placed at one of the upper angles of 
 the shield. 
 
 Carbuncle. One of the precious stones, represented in 
 coats-of-arms by a rose in the centre, with eight rays or 
 staves round it, in the form of sceptres. 
 
 Castle. Whatever tincture the castle is of, if the cement 
 of the building is of another color from the stones, then the 
 building, being argent, is said to be masoned of such a color, 
 as sable, &c. When the windows and ports of castles are of 
 a different tincture from the field and building, the windows 
 and ports are supposed to be shut, and must be so expressed 
 in the blazon ; if the windows and ports are of the tincture 
 of the field, so that the field is seen through them, then they 
 are supposed to be open ; if the port is in form of a portcullis, 
 it is to be named in the blazon. Note. — The difference 
 between a tower and a castle is this : the tower stands with- 
 out walls to its sides, but a castle extends from side to side. 
 
 Cat-a-mountain, a wild cat ; in heraldry it is taken for the 
 symbol of liberty, vigilance, and courage. 
 
 Catherine- Wheel, so called from St. Catherine the Virgin, 
 (who sufiered martyrdom in Alexandria under the Emperor 
 Maximinus), who had her limbs broken in pieces by its iron 
 teeth. 
 
 CerceUe, or Recercelee, (a Cross), signifies one circling, or 
 curling at the ends, like a ram's horn. 
 
 Chain-shot. Some have taken this to be the head of a club 
 called holy-water sprinkler, others to be balls of wildfire, 
 generally supposed to be chain-shot, which is two bullets with 
 a chain between them ; their use is, at sea, to shoot down 
 
HERALDRY. 57 
 
 yards, masts, or rigging of ships. Aztwe, three cliain-shots 
 or ; this coat was borne by the Eai^l of Cumberland^ next to 
 his paternal coat. 
 
 Chamber- Piece^ a term for a short piece of ordnance, with- 
 out a carriage. 
 
 Chaperon, or ChapeiV7ie, (French) a hood, and by metonymy 
 applied to the little shields containing armorial bearings, 
 placed on the heads of horses drawing hearses at pompous 
 funerals. 
 
 Chapournet, a corruption of the French word chaperonet, 
 which signifies a little hood. 
 
 CheimV s-Head is a child's head between two wings 
 displayed. 
 
 Cherubim had the face of a man, the wings of an eagle, the 
 back and mane of a lion, and the feet of a calf. — Spencer. 
 The prophet Ezekiel says, the Cherubim had four forms, a 
 man, a lion, an ox, and an eagle. 
 
 Chevron is an ordinary representing the two rafters of a 
 house, joined together in chief, and descending in the form of 
 a pair of compasses to the extremities of the shield, and 
 contains the fifth of the field. 
 
 Chief. One of the honorable ordinaries. 
 
 Chimcera, a fabulous monster, feigned to have the head of a 
 lion breathing flames, the body of a goat, and the tail of a 
 dragon ; because the mountain Chimsera, in Lycia, had a 
 volcano on its top, and nourished lions ; the middle part 
 afforded pasture for goats, and the bottom was infested with 
 serpents. 
 
 Cimier, the French word for crest. 
 
 Cinquefoil. The five-leaved grass, so called, which is a 
 common bearing, usually drawn or engraved with the leaves 
 issuing from a kind of ball as a centre point. 
 
 Clam, a Scotch term for an escalop or cockle-shell. 
 
 Clarions. These are thought to have been a sort of 
 trumpet ; sometimes they are taken for the rudders of ships, 
 and sometimes for the rests of lances, by which last name 
 they are most generally known. 
 
 ClecMe, a Cross, (voided and pomette), is one which spreads 
 from the centre towards the extremities, then ends in an 
 
58 THE SCIENCE OF 
 
 angle in the middle of the extremity, by lines drawn from 
 the two points that make the breadth till they join. 
 
 Cock is a bird of noble courage ; he is always prepared for 
 battle, having his comb for a helmet, his beak for a cutlass to 
 wound his enemy, and is a complete warrior armed cap-a- 
 pee ; he has his legs armed with spurs, giving example to 
 the valiant soldier to resist danger by fight, and not by 
 flight. The domestic cock differs very widely from the wild 
 descendants of its primitive stock, which are said to inhabit 
 the forests of India, and most of the islands of the Indian 
 seas. In heraldry, the cock is always understood to be the 
 dunghill cock, unless otherwise expressed. 
 
 Cockatrice, an imaginary monster, in his wings and legs 
 partaking of the fowl, and his tail of the snake. 
 
 Columbine. This flower is borne in the arms of the com- 
 pany of Cooks. 
 
 Coney, a rabbit. 
 
 Coote, a small water-fowl, of the duck tribe, with a sharp- 
 pointed beak, and its plumage all black, except at the top of 
 the head. 
 
 Corbie, a heraldic term for a raven. 
 
 Cormorant. A sharp-billed bird, in other respects much 
 resembling a goose. 
 
 Cornish Chough is a fine blue or purple black bird, with red 
 beak and legs, and is a noble bearing of antiquity, being 
 accounted the king of crows. It frequents some places in 
 Cornwall, and North Wales, inhabiting there the cliffs and 
 ruinous castles along the shore. 
 
 Cornucopia, or Horn of Plenty, filled with fruits, com, &c., 
 an emblem generally placed in the hands of plenty and 
 liberality. 
 
 Coronet, (Ital. coronetta) the diminutive of corona, a crown ; 
 when not otherwise described, is always understood to be a 
 ducal one. 
 
 Cost, or Cotice. One of the diminutives of the bend ; it is 
 seldom borne but in couple, with a bend between them ; 
 deriving its name, probably, from the French word CdtS, 
 which signifies a side, they being, as it were, placed upon 
 the sides of the bend. 
 
HERALDRY. 59 
 
 Cramjys^ or Crampoons^ are pieces of iron, hooped at each 
 end, and used in huiidings to fasten two stones together. 
 
 Crampet, or Crampette, is the chape at the bottom of the 
 scabbard of a broad-sword, and by the French termed 
 Botterole. 
 
 Craynponney a Cross, so termed because it has at each end a 
 cramp, or square piece, coming from it. 
 
 Crescent The half-moon with its horns turned upwards. 
 
 Crosier. The pastoral staff of a bishop. 
 
 Crosslet. A Cross crossed again at a small distance from 
 each of the ends. 
 
 Cross. One of the honorable ordinaries. Although this 
 was an instrument of execution among the old Romans, 
 yet it is a very ancient and honorable bearing, and is 
 frequently to be met with in the coats-of-arms of those whose 
 ancestors attended the fanatic expeditions against the Turks. 
 St. George's Cross, the standard of England, is a red cross, on 
 a field argent. St. Andrew's Cross, the standard of Scotland, 
 is a saltier argent in a field azure. 
 
 Cronel, the iron head of a tilting spear. 
 
 Cross-Bow. The bow is an instrument to shoot arrows 
 from ; they are of two sorts, the long bow and cross-bow ; 
 the first discharges an arrow by the force of him who draws 
 the bow ; while the latter owes its extension to the power of 
 a small lever, which is let oflp by means of a trigger. 
 
 Crusuly is the field or charge, strewed over with crosses. 
 
 Crwthj an ancient term for a violin. 
 
 Cuisses are those parts of armor which cover the thighs 
 and knees, and by former heralds were called culliers. 
 
 Curriers'' Shave. A tool used by curriers to thin leather ; 
 it is borne in the arms and crest of the Curriers' Company. 
 
 Cushions ; distinctive characteristics of Eastern manners 
 and luxury ; of such account as to have place in Mahomet's 
 paradise. They appear to be borne in heraldry as trophies 
 selected from the spoils of the infidels. Tliis bearing is 
 looked upon as a mark of authority, and is borne by many 
 ancient families. 
 ' Cutting-Iron. A tool used by the patten-makers, and borne 
 by them in their armorial ensign. 
 
60 THj: SCIENCE OF 
 
 Cygnety a young swan. 
 
 Cygnet Royal. This term is given to swans when they are 
 collared about the neck with an open crown, and a chain 
 affixed thereto. The proper blazon is, a swan argent, ducally 
 gorged and chained or. When the head of a swan is a 
 charge, it is blazoned, a swan''s neck (not head) erased or 
 couped : but this is not the custom in regard to any other 
 species of bird. 
 
 Cygnus, or swan. 
 
 Diadem. This was either a wreath of white or purple 
 cloth, in the nature of the Turkish turbans, or else a circle of 
 gold with points rising from them, like those of modern 
 coronets, worn by ancient kings as the token of ro}'alty. 
 It is now frequently used to signify the circles which close 
 on the top of the crowns of sovereigns, and support the 
 mound. 
 
 Dolphin is reckoned the king of fishes, and is used in 
 several coats-of-arms. The ancients invariably represent the 
 dolphin with its back greatly incun^ated. In their leaps out 
 of the water they assume this form, but their natural shape is 
 straight, the back being but slightly incurvated. When a 
 dolphin appears in a coat straight, it is then termed a dolphin 
 extended naiant; when it is placed perpendicular, with its body 
 in the form of a letter S, it is called springing and hawnent ; 
 but it is most usually blazoned a dolphin haurient torqued. 
 
 Domesday-Book. It is that wherein all the lands of Eng- 
 land, except the four northern counties, Northumberland, 
 Cumberland, Westmoreland, Durham, and part of Lancashire, 
 are described ; with an exact list of all the cities, towns, and 
 villages then in it, with the number of all its inhabitants, 
 their yearly income, and the value of all the lands therein. 
 Domesday Book, or the Great Survey of England, was 
 made by order of William the Conqueror, a.d. 1086, and was 
 finished in six years. It was for many years kept in the 
 king's Exchequer, but is now deposited in the Chapter-house 
 of Westminster. It is contained in two volumes, the first of 
 which is a folio of 760 pages, the second is the size of a large 
 octavo of 900 pages. The Book of Exeter and the Book of 
 Ely are of the same date, and no doubt copied from the same 
 
HERALDRY. 61 
 
 returns as Domesday Book itself, but they contain more 
 details than are given in Domesday. The Book of Win- 
 chester was made a.d. 1148. Boldon Book, containing 
 returns for the County of Durham, was made A.D, 1183. 
 
 These five books, with valuable Indexes and very interest- 
 ing explanatory Introductions, have been published in four 
 folio volumes in modern type, but with all the contractions 
 in the original. The two first volumes contain the Great 
 Domesday, published in 1783. The other four books were 
 published in 1816.* 
 
 * A.D. 1085. At his court at Gloucester, held at Christmas, a general 
 survey of the land is ordered by the king. ** So very narroM^ly he caused it to 
 be traced out, that there was not one single hide, nor a yard of land (quarter 
 acre), nay moreover, (it is shame to tell, though he thought it no shame to do,) 
 not an ox, nor a cow, nor a swine, was left that was not set down in his writ. 
 And all the writings were brought to him afterwards, at Winchester, at the 
 Easter of the year 1086." — Anglo Saxon Chronicle. 
 
 When completed, these inquisitions were sent to Winchester, and being there 
 digested, were entered in the book now preserved in the Chapter-house at 
 Westminster, but formerly carried about with the king and the great seal, and 
 termed indifferently the Book of Winchester, from the place of its compilation, 
 and Domesday Book, either from a profane parallel instituted between its 
 decisions and those of the day of doom, or judgment, or more probably from 
 its being while at Winchester, deposited in a chapel or vault of the cathedral, 
 called Domus Dei ; and the Saxons called it by the solemn name of Domesday 
 Book, because it contained the sentence of their irrevocable expropriation ; but 
 the best authorities derive its latest, and now universal name, from its doom, or 
 decisions on the questions referred to it, being irreversible, like those of the 
 " Dies Irse." Thus Alfred's collection of laws was called the Dom Bok. 
 
 The first volume commences with an entry of all the above particulars as 
 regards the county of " Chent," and the shires are arranged in series running 
 from east to west, and one from west to east, though their limits do not always 
 agree with the modern divisions, and sometimes — for the sake, apparently, of 
 bringing all the property of some great landholder together — a portion of one 
 county is described in another. Commencing with Kent, the survey proceeds 
 along the coast (but including Berkshire) to Cornwall ; then, starting from 
 Middlesex, proceeds through Hertford, Bucks, Oxford, Gloucester, and 
 Worcester, to Hereford ; the third series begins with Cambridge, and embraces 
 Huntingdon, Bedford, Northampton, Leicester, Warwick, Stafford, and Salop; 
 and the fourth, Chester, Derby, part of Lancashire, Yorkshire, and Lincoln. 
 The second volume is occupied only with the three counties of Essex, Suffolk, 
 and Norfolk ; and, besides the same matters as in the first, has lists of 
 "invasions," as they are termed, or of lands possessed without a title from 
 the king. 
 
 In 1767, in consequence of an address of the House of Lords, his Majesty 
 gave directions for the publication, among other records, of the Domesday 
 Survey. A fac-simile type, uniform and regular, with tolerable exactness, 
 though not with all the corresponding nicety of the original, was at last 
 obtained. It was completed early in 1783, having been ten years in passing 
 through the press. The cost of this edition is said to have been ;!^38,ocx) ; but 
 by the application of Photo-zincography to copying and printing MSS., the 
 entire work has been reproduced, in fac-simile, with a latin extended trans- 
 lation, in separate counties, by the Ordnance Survey Office. 
 
62 THE SCIENCE OP 
 
 Dove displayed in the glory of the sun. This bearing is a 
 part of the arms of the Stationers' Company. 
 
 Dragon, An imaginary monster, supposed by some 
 historians to be a terrestrial animal with two fore-feet, two 
 wings, and a serpent's tail. 
 
 Drawing-Iron^ an instrument used by wire drawers, and 
 part of their armorial ensign. 
 
 Duke, The highest degree of British Peerage, next to the 
 Prince of Wales. This title is derived from the Latin word 
 Dux ; noblemen being anciently either generals and leaders 
 of armies in time of war, or governors of provinces in time 
 of peace. In process of time great estates being annexed to 
 it, then it was held by lands and fees, and at length made 
 hereditary and titular. It was so in foreign countries sooner 
 than in England ; for the first duke created here was Edward, 
 commonly called the Black Prince, eldest son to king Edward 
 III., who created him Duke of Cornwall, which title has ever 
 since belonged to the first born sons of the kings of England, 
 without any other creation, as is requisite to give them the 
 title of Prince of Wales. A duke is at this day created by 
 patent ; his mantle has four doublings, his title is Grace ; and 
 his coronet has only leaves raised above the circle without 
 pearls. 
 
 Duciper^ a term for a cap of maintenance. 
 
 Eagle, The eagle is accounted the king of birds, and 
 signifies magnanimity and fortitude of mind. From his 
 rising higher in the air than any of the winged race, he was 
 termed by the ancients the celestial bird, and regarded as the 
 messenger of Jupiter. The eagle was the tutelary bird and 
 ensign of the Romans. 
 
 Spread Eagle signifies an eagle with two heads, but it is 
 more heraldic to say, an eagle with two heads, displayed. 
 
 Eaglet : when there are more than one eagle in a coat with 
 some ordinary between them, then in blazon they are termed 
 eaglets, or young eagles. 
 
 Earl, The third degree of British Peerage, anciently the 
 most eminent of this nation. This term comes from the 
 Saxon word Ear-ethel, which was abridged to Ear-el, and 
 afterwards by contraction Eai^. It was formerly the custom. 
 
HERALDIIY. 63 
 
 upon creating an earl, to assign him for the support of his 
 state, the third penny out of the sheriff's court, issuing out 
 of the pleas of the shire, whereof they had their title ; as 
 heretofore there were no counts or earls, but had a county or 
 shire for his earldom : afterwards the number of earls increas- 
 ing, they took their title from some eminent town, or even a 
 village, their own seat or park ; and some from illustrious 
 families. He is created by patent, his mantle has three 
 doublings of ermine ; his title is Right Honourable ; his 
 coronet has the pearls raised upon pyramidical points, and 
 leaves low between. 
 
 Eguisee^ a Cross, is that which has the two angles at the 
 ends cut off so as to terminate in points. 
 
 E'lgldfoil, or double quatrefoil, is eight-leaved grass. 
 
 Einew of the heralds, is the bird called by the naturalists 
 cassowary, 
 
 Emmet. This word is derived from the Saxon cemette, and 
 is used to denote an anU 
 
 Endorse, one of the diminutives of the pale. 
 
 Engrossing-Block, a tool made use of by the wiredrawers. 
 
 Epaulier, a shoulder-plate of armor. 
 
 Escallop-Shell was the pilgrims' ensign in their expeditions 
 and pilgrimages to holy places ; they were worn on their 
 hoods and hats, and were of such a distinguishing character 
 that Pope Alexander the Fourth, by a bull, forbade the use of 
 them but to pilgrims who were truly noble. They are still of 
 frequent use in armory, and are said to be an appropriate bear- 
 ing for such as have made long voyages, or had considerable 
 naval command, and gained great victories. 
 
 Esprit, St., Cross of. This cross was worn by the knights 
 of that order in France. 
 
 Estoile, or star, differs from the mullet by having six 
 waved points ; for those of the mullet consist of five plain 
 points. Guillim says, if the number of points be more than 
 six, the number must be expressed. 
 
 Falchion, a kind of broad sword. 
 
 Falcon, in heraldry, is usually represented with bells tied 
 on his legs ; when decorated with hood, bells, virols (or rings), 
 and leashes, then in blazon he is said to be hooded, belled. 
 
64 THE SCIENCE OF 
 
 jessed^ and leashed, and the colors thereof must be named. 
 
 Fer de FourcTiette, a Cross ; so termed from its having at 
 each end a forked iron, like that formerly used by soldiers to 
 rest their muskets on. 
 
 Fer de Moline. See Mill-rind, 
 
 Fermaile, or Fermeau, signifies a buclde. 
 
 Fesse Target, an ancient term for an escutcheon of pretence. 
 
 Fetlock, a horse fetlock. 
 
 Fire-Ball, grenade or bomb, inflamed proper. 
 
 Fire-Beacon, a machine formerly used to give notice of the 
 approach of an enemy, and to alarm the country. This is by 
 some heralds termed a rack-pole beacon. 
 
 Firme, a term for a cross pattee throughout. 
 
 Flank is that part of an escutcheon which is between the 
 chief and the base. 
 
 Fleam, an ancient lancet, formerly borne in the arms of the 
 Company of Barber- Surgeons. 
 
 Fleece, the woolly skin of a sheep suspended from the 
 middle by a ring in a collar or band. 
 
 Flesh-Pot, a three-legged iron pot. 
 
 Fleur-de-Lis : by some this emblem is supposed to represent 
 the lily, or flower of the iris or flag ; but it has only three 
 leaves, by which it certainly differs from the lily of the 
 garden, that having always five ; others suppose it to be the 
 top of a sceptre ; some the head of the French battle-axe ; 
 others, the iron of a javelin used by the ancient French. 
 
 Float, an instrument used by the bowyers, and borne as 
 part of their armorial ensign. 
 
 Flook, an Irish term for a large flounder. 
 
 Flying Fish, This fish, if we except its head and flat back, 
 has, in the form of its body, a great resemblance to the 
 herring. The scales are large and silvery ; the pectoral fins 
 are very long ; and the dorsal fin is small, and placed near the 
 tail, which is forked. 
 
 Fraisier, in French, signifies a strawberry-plant. This 
 word is used by the heralds of Scotland in blazoning the coat 
 of Fraser, in allusion to the family name. It is by other 
 heralds termed a cinque-foil. 
 
 Fillet. The only diminutive belonging to the chief. 
 
HERALDRY. 65 
 
 Flanches. Heraldic figures. See chapter on Ordinaries. 
 
 Flasques. Heraldic figures. See chapter on Ordinaries. 
 
 Fusil. Term derived from the French word Fus4e, i. e, a 
 spindle ; it is longer and more acute than the lozenge. 
 
 Gad'Bee, or Gad-Fly ; this fly is by some called the dun- 
 fly, by others the horse-fly, and is that which in summer so 
 much torments cattle. 
 
 Gal- Trapsy Caltraps, by some supposed to be a corruption 
 of cheval-tra-p, and by others thought to have been named gal 
 or gall-tra^Sy from their application to the purpose of galling 
 horses, are implements used in war, to prevent or retard the 
 advance of cavalry. They are made of iron, with four points, 
 so formed that, whichever way they are placed, one point will 
 always be erect. 
 
 Gamb, or Gamhe, an obsolete French word, signifying a 
 leg, and used as such by heralds for the leg of a lion, or 
 other creature borne in coats of arms. 
 
 Garb. This term is a corruption of the French word Gerb, 
 which signifies a sheaf of any kind of corn. 
 
 Gard are plates of steel, and borne as a part of the arms of 
 the Ironmongers' Company. 
 
 Garde-visure is a French term for the front part of the 
 helmet, which is the safeguard and defence of the face 
 and eyes. 
 
 Garter. The most noble order of the Garter, instituted by 
 king Edward III, is a college or corporation, consisting 
 of the sovereign and twenty-five companions, called Knights 
 of the Garter ; of a dean, canons, petit canons, vergers, and 
 other inferior officers, and of eighteen poor knights, who 
 receive their maintenance from the college, in consideration 
 of the prayers they put up for the sovereign and the twenty- 
 five companions. There are other officers belonging to the 
 order of the Garter, which is dedicated to St. George, the 
 tutelar saint and patron of England ; such as that of prelate 
 of the Garter, annexed to the bishopric of Winchester ; the 
 chancellorship, vested in the bishop of Salisbury ; and the 
 registry, belonging to the dean of Windsor. There is a 
 principal king-at-arms called Garter, whose province it is to 
 marshal the solemnities at feasts and installations; finally, the 
 
QQ THE SCIENCE OF 
 
 Usher of the Black Rod is likewise the usher of the Garter. 
 The seat of the order is in the castle of Windsor, 
 consisting of the chapter-house, the hall, and chapel of 
 St. George.* 
 
 Gauntlet, an iron glove that covered the hand of a cavalier, 
 when armed cap-a-pee. Gauntlets were introduced about the 
 thirteenth century ; the casque and these were always borne 
 in ancient processions ; gauntlets were frequently thrown like 
 the glove by way of challenge. 
 
 Ged, a Scotch term for the fish called a pike. 
 
 Genet, a small animal of the fox species, but not larger 
 than a weasel, occasionally met with in heraldry. 
 
 Genovilier, a piece of armor that covers the knees. 
 
 Gerattie, an ancient term for powderings. 
 
 Gemels, or Gemells. A corruption of the French word 
 jumelles, which signifies douhUj and is therefore used to 
 denote a double-bar. 
 
 Gilly-flower, properly July flower, is a species of aromatic 
 carnation. 
 
 Gimmal, or Gemmow Ring, is a ring of double hoops made 
 to play into each other, and so to join two hands. 
 
 Glaziers' Nippers, or grater, a tool used by glaziers, and 
 part of the arms of the Glazier's Company. 
 
 Gonfannon, the banner, standard, or ensign, of the Roman 
 Catholic Church, anciently always carried in the Pope's 
 armies. The gonfannon is borne as an armorial figure, or 
 common charge, by families abroad, on account of some of 
 the family having been gonfannoniers, i.e. as standard-bearers 
 to the Church, as the Counts of Auvergne, in France. 
 
 Gorget, a piece of armor worn formerly round the neck. 
 
 * **A Tulgar story prevails, though unsupported by any authority, that 
 the countess of Salisbury, at a ball, happening to drop her garter, the king 
 took it up, and presented it to her with these words, Honi soit qui mal y pense, 
 i.e. Evil to him that evil thinks. This accident, it is said, gave rise to the 
 Order and Motto, it being the spirit of the times, to mix love and war to- 
 gether : but, as in the original statutes of this order, there is not the least con- 
 jecture to countenance such a feminine institution, credit cannot be given to this 
 tradition : the true motive is therefore attributed by very respectable historians 
 to a nobler origin, which is, that king Edward III. having issued forth his own 
 garter for the signal of a battle, it ended so fortunately, that he thence took 
 occasion to institute that order, not only as an incentive to honour and martial 
 virtue, but also as a symbol of unity and society." — Porny. 
 
HERALDRY. 67 
 
 Crray, a term for a badger. 
 
 GreavCy that part of armor that covers the leg from the 
 knee to the foot. 
 
 Grices, young wild boars. 
 
 Grieces signifies steps, viz. : a cross on three grieces. 
 
 Griffin^ an imaginary animal, never to be fomid but in 
 painting ; deemed by the ancients to have the wings of an 
 eagle, the head and paws of a lion, and devised to express 
 strength and swiftness united. This imaginary animal was 
 consecrated to the sun ; and ancient painters represented the 
 chariot of the sun as drawn by griffins. As a charge, it is 
 common on ancient arms. Guillim blazons it rampant y 
 alleging that any fierce animal may be so blazoned as well as 
 the lion ; but segreant is the term usually used instead of 
 rampant, 
 
 Grifin, male : this chimerical creature is half an eagle and 
 half a lion, having large ears, but no wings, and rays of gold 
 issuing from various parts of its body. 
 
 Grittie, a term for a shield composed equally of metal 
 and colour. 
 
 Guidon, a semicircular banner, used at the funeral of a 
 field-officer, on which are painted the crest and motto of the 
 deceased, with ornamental insignia, &c. The same name is 
 also given to a small banner, with the arms of Ulster painted 
 thereon, used only at the funeral of a baronet. It is also the 
 title of the ensign or flag of a troop of horse-guards. 
 
 Guides, or a whirlpool. 
 
 Habeck, an instrument used by the clothiers in dressing 
 cloth, two of them differing from each in form. 
 
 Habergeon, a short coat of mail, consisting of a jacket 
 without sleeves. 
 
 Harpy, a poetical monster, supposed to have the face and 
 breast of a virgin, and body and legs like a vulture. 
 
 Hauberk, a twisted coat of mail ; some fine specimens of 
 which may be seen in the Tower of London. 
 
 Hydra, a fabulous creature, supposed to be a dragon with 
 seven heads. 
 
 Ibex is an imaginary beast, in some respects like the 
 heraldic antelope, but with this difference, that it has two 
 
 F 2 
 
68 THE SCIENCE OF 
 
 straight horns projecting from the forehead, serrated, or 
 edged like a saw. 
 
 Iron-Ring^ a tool used by the wire-drawers, and borne as a 
 part of their armorial ensign. 
 
 J arms ^ St., Cross of, so termed because worn by the 
 knights of that order in Spain. 
 
 Jerusalem, Cross of, so termed from Godfrey of Bouillon's 
 bearing argent, a cross-crosslet cantoned with four crosses, 
 or, in allusion to the five wounds of Christ. 
 
 Julian, St., Cross of, by some called a saltire crossed at its 
 extremities ; by others a cross transposed. Argent, a Julian 
 cross sable, for Julian, of Lincolnshire. 
 
 King -fisher, a bird somewhat larger than the swallow ; its 
 shape is clumsy — the legs are very small, and the bill 
 disproportionally long and broad ; the upper chap is black, 
 and the lower yellow ; the top of the head and the coverts of 
 the wings are of a deep blackish green, spotted with bright 
 blue ; the back and tail are of the most resplendent azure ; 
 the belly is orange-coloured, and a broad mark of the same 
 colour extends from the bill beyond the eyes, near which 
 there is a large white spot ; the tail is of a rich deep blue, 
 and the feet are of a reddish yellow. 
 
 Laverpot, or ewer, as borne in the arms of the Founders' 
 Company. 
 
 Leash, a tierce, or three of a kind ; as three bucks, hares, 
 &c. ; also a leathern thong by which falconers held the hawk 
 on their hand ; a term also applied to the line attached to 
 the collar of a greyhound or other dog. 
 
 Legs in Armor. Three legs in armor, conjoined in the fess point, 
 spurred and garnished or : this is the arms of the Isle of Man. 
 Philpot says, three legs conjoined was the hieroglyphic of 
 expedition. Nisbet says, "three legs of man, the device of 
 the Sicilians, the ancient possessors of the Isle of Man." 
 
 Leopard's Face. When the heads of leopards are erased 
 or couped at the neck, they are blazoned by the word head, 
 viz., a leopard's head erased: but if no part of the neck 
 appears, and the position of the head is garda^it, it is then 
 blazoned a leopard's face, without mentioning the word 
 gardant, which is always implied. 
 
HERALDRY. 69 
 
 Lioncel, a young lion. This term is sometimes, but 
 absurdly, used in heraldry when there are more than three 
 lions in the same field. 
 
 Lio7i Leopardie. This is a French term for what the 
 English call a lion passant gardanL The word leopard is 
 always made use of by the French heralds to express, in 
 their language, a lion full-faced, or gardant. Thus, when a 
 lion is placed on an escutcheon, in that attitude which we call 
 rampant gardant^ the French blazon it a lion leopardie ; when 
 he is passant only, they call him leopard liond. 
 
 Lion of St. Mark. The arms of the republic of Venice are 
 those of St. Mark, viz., a lion sejant gardant and winged or^ 
 his head encircled with a glory, wherein is written. Pax tili Marce, 
 evangelista mens ; over the dexter side of the look, a sword erect, 
 all proper. 
 
 Lioji-Poisson, or sea-lion, so termed, as the upper part is of 
 a lion, and the hinder part ends in a fish's tail, with webbed 
 feet ; this is borne by InhofF, of Germany. 
 
 Lochaber-Axe. The ancient arms of the Highlanders. 
 
 Lumieres, are the eyes. 
 
 Lymphad is an old-fashioned ship with one mast, and 
 rowed with oars. 
 
 Marine-wolf or seal. It resembles a quadruped in some 
 respects, and a fish in others. 
 
 Martlet (very frequent in armories all over Europe) was 
 borne by those who went to the Holy Land to fight against 
 the Turks : this bird is frequently seen under the cornices of 
 houses, with feet so short, and wings so long, that should 
 they pitch on a level they could not easily rise ; therefore 
 they alight on high places, that they may drop on the wing. 
 
 Mill-rind, or rine, is the iron fixed to the centre of a mill- 
 stone, by which the wheel turns it ; termed in French fer-de- 
 moline, or mill-iron. 
 
 Miniver, a white fur, said to be the belly part of the skin 
 of the Siberian squirrel. 
 
 Moor- Cock, an heraldic representation of the male of the 
 black game, or large black grouse. 
 
 Morion, a steel cap or helmet for the head, anciently worn 
 by foot-soldiers, and variously shaped. 
 
70 THE SCIENCE OF 
 
 Mortcours are lamps used at funerals ; they are borne as 
 part of the arms of the Wax-Chandlers' arms. 
 
 Mourn, a term for the blunted head of a tilting- 
 spear. 
 
 Mullet, supposed to be the rowel of a spur, and should con- 
 sist of five points only ; whereas stars consist of six, 
 or more. 
 
 Muison, an ancient term for a cat. 
 
 Narcissus, a flower consisting of six petals, each resembling 
 the leaf of the cinquefoil. 
 
 Opinicus, a fictitious beast of heraldic invention ; its body 
 and fore legs like those of a lion ; the head and neck like 
 those of the eagle ; to the body are affixed wings, like those 
 of a griffin ; and it has a tail like that of a camel. The 
 Opinicus is the crest to the arms of the Barber-surgeons. It 
 is sometimes borne without wings. 
 
 Ostrich, the largest of all birds, is frequently borne in coat 
 armour. From the idle story of its being able to digest iron, 
 this bird is, in heraldry, usually painted with a horse-shoe in 
 its mouth. 
 
 Ostrich Feathers are always drawn with their tops turned 
 down. If in coat-armory an ostrich feather is white, and 
 the quill part gold, or any other color different from the 
 feather, it is blazoned penned, shafted, or quilled, of such a 
 color. 
 
 Ostrich Feathers in Plume: if three feathers are placed 
 together, they are termed a plume, and their number need 
 not be mentioned in blazoning ; but if there are more than 
 three, the number should be expressed ; for example, a plume 
 of five ostrich feathers. If there is more than one row of 
 feathers, those rows are termed in blazon heights; for 
 example, a plume of ostrich feathers in two heights, by some 
 termed a double plume. Where the plume is composed of 
 nine feathers, in two heights, they should be placed five in 
 the bottom row, and four in the top row ; if there are three 
 heights, then the plume should consist of twelve feathers ; 
 viz., five, four and three. They are termed a triple 
 plume. 
 
 Otter, an amphibious animal, found only at the sides of 
 
HERALDKY. 71 
 
 lakes and rivers ; it always swims against the stream ; 
 choosing rather to meet than pursue its prey. 
 
 Owl. This bird signifies prudence, vigilance, and watch- 
 fulness, and was borne by the Athenians as their armorial 
 ensign. Owls, in heraldry, are always represented full- 
 faced. 
 
 Pall^ an archiepiscopal ornament sent from Rome to 
 metropolitans, and appropriated to archbishops : it is made of 
 the wool of white lambs, and resembles the letter Y in shape. 
 It consists of pieces of white woollen stuff, three fingers in 
 breadth, and embroidered with crosses. 
 
 Pallisse is like a range of palisades before a fortification, 
 and is so represented on a fess, rising up a considerable 
 length, and pointed at the top with the field appearing 
 between them. 
 
 Panther in heraldry, when depicted with fire issuing from 
 his mouth and ears, is termed incensed. 
 
 Pegasus^ among the poets, a horse imagined to have wings, 
 being that whereon Bellerophon was fabled to be mounted 
 when he engaged the Chimera : azure^ a Pegasus^ the wings 
 expanded argent, are the arms of the Inner Temple, London. 
 
 Pelican Heraldic. The pelican is generally represented 
 with her wings indorsed, her neck embowed, pecking her 
 breast ; and when in her nest feeding her young, is termed a 
 pelican in her piety. 
 
 Pelican Natural. In size it exceeds the swan. This bird 
 has an enormous bag attached to the lower mandible of the bill, 
 and extending almost from the point of the bill to the throat. 
 
 Penny-yard-pennyj so termed from the place where it was 
 first coined, which was in the castle of Penny-yard, near the 
 market-town of Ross, situated upon the river Wye, in the 
 county of Hereford. 
 
 Petronel, an ancient name for a pistol. 
 
 Pheon, the iron part of a dart, with a barbed head, 
 frequently borne in coats. 
 
 Phoenix, an imaginary bird, famous among the ancients, 
 who describe it in form like the eagle, but more beautiful in its 
 plumage ; and add that, when advanced in age, it makes itself 
 a nest of spices, which being set on fire by the sun, or some 
 
72 THE SCIENCE OF 
 
 other secret power, it burns itself, and out of its ashes rises 
 another.* 
 
 Pillar. Or^ a pillar sahle^ enwrapped with an adder argent ; 
 name, Myntur. The adder thus enwrapped about the pillar, 
 signifies prudence conjoined with constancy. 
 
 Pine-Tree is the emblem of death, because, being once cut, 
 it never sprouts again. 
 
 Phccate, a piece of armor worn over the breast-plate, to 
 strengthen it. 
 
 Plate is a round flat piece of silver, without any 
 impression on it. 
 
 Popinjay, a small parrot, or parroquet, with red beak and 
 legs. 
 
 Portcullis, a falling-door, like a harrow, hung over the 
 gates of fortified places, and let down to keep an enemy 
 out, the perpendicular bars being spiked, both to wound the 
 assailants, and fix themselves in the ground. The portcullis 
 is one of the distinctions of the royal house of Tudor. 
 
 Pouldron, that part of a suit of armor which covers the 
 shoulder. 
 
 Prester John, or Presbyter John, is drawn as a bishop, sit- 
 ting on a tombstone, having on his head a mitre, his dexter 
 hand extended, a mound in his sinister, and in his mouth a 
 sword fesswise ; the point to the dexter side of the field. 
 This is part of the arms of the episcopal see of Chichester. 
 
 Quatrefoil, four-leaved grass : this, as well as the trefoil, is 
 much used in heraldry. 
 
 Queue, a term for the tail of an animal. 
 
 Quintain, an ancient tilting-block used in a sport or game, 
 till recently in practice in marriages in Shropshire, and some 
 other counties. The sport consists in running a tilt (on 
 horseback) against a quintain, or thick plank, fixed in the 
 
 * In heraldry, a phoenix in fiatnes proper, is the emblem of Immortality. 
 Burnet, in his Theory of the Earth, says, ** I do not doubt but the story is a 
 fable as to any such kind of bird, single in her species, living and dying, and 
 reviving in that manner ; but it is an apologue, or a fable with an interpret- 
 ation, and vi^as intended as an emblem of the world, which, after a long age, 
 will be consumed in the last fire ; and from the ashes or remains will rise 
 another world, or a new-formed heaven aud earth. This, I think, is the mys- 
 tery of the phoenix, under which symbol the Eastern nations preserved the 
 doctrine of the conilagration and renovation of the world. " 
 
HERALDRY. 73 
 
 ground. He who, by striking this plank, breaks the greatest 
 number of tilting poles, and shows the greatest activity, 
 gains the prize, which was formerly a peacock, but of late 
 years it has been a garland. 
 
 Quintal, or Quintin, a kind of tilting-post used in a gym- 
 nastic pastime of our ancestors. There is (or was) one at 
 Off ham, in Kent ; it stood upon a green in the midst of the 
 village, and was about seven feet in height ; the transverse 
 piece about five feet in length, the broad part being 
 marked with many circles about the size of a half-crown ; 
 and at the other end a block of wood, weighing about four 
 or five pounds, suspended by a chain; the whole turned 
 round upon a pivot upon the upright part, and the game 
 was played as follows : — a man on horseback being armed 
 with a strong pole, of a certain length, rides with ftdl 
 speed within a few feet of the quintal, and making a strong 
 thrust at that part of it where the circles are marked, it is 
 turned round with such violence, that, unless he is very ex- 
 pert, he is sure to receive a blow on the head from the 
 pendulous piece on the opposite side. 
 
 Ram : the male sheep. The inhabitants of Thebes regarded 
 the ram as sacred, and did not feed on its flesh. The 
 Egyptians had a singular veneration for the ram, because the 
 image of Ammon bore his head, and that this sign, the 
 first of the zodiac, was the presage of the fruits of the 
 earth. 
 
 Rein-Guard, for that part of armor which guards the lower 
 part of the back. 
 
 Rein-Deer, as drawn in armory, is a stag with double 
 attires. 
 
 Remora. This word, in heraldry, is used to denote a ser- 
 pent in blazoning the figure of Prudence, who is represented 
 holding in her hand a javelin entwined with a serpent proper; 
 such serpent is expressed by the word Remora. 
 
 Rere-Mouse, or Bat. This creature is of near resemblance 
 to both bird and beast ; for by its wings and flying, it should 
 be a bird ; and by its body, a kind of mouse, bringing forth 
 its young alive, and suckling them. 
 
 Rest : this figure is deemed by some a rest for a horseman's 
 
74 THE SCIENCE OF 
 
 lance ; by others a musical instrument, termed a clarion or 
 claricord. 
 
 Rose, in blazoning this charge, the following (according to 
 Guillim) should be observed, viz., argent, a rose gules, barbed 
 and seeded proper. The rose is blazoned gules ; the leaves 
 are called barbed, and are always green, as the seed in the 
 middle is yellow ; the word proper should be omitted in 
 blazoning this flower ; for it could not be understood of what 
 color, as there are two sorts, white and red. The rose is used 
 as a distinction for the seventh brother. 
 
 The roses of England were first publicly assumed as 
 devices by the sons of Edward III. John of Gaunt, Duke of 
 Lancaster, used the red rose for the badge of his family, and 
 his brother Edward, who was created Duke of York, a.d. 
 1385, took a white rose for his device, which the followers 
 and their heirs afterwards bore for distinction in that bloody 
 war between the two houses of York and Lancaster. The 
 two families being happily united by Henry VII., the male 
 heir of the house of Lancaster marrying the Princess Eliza- 
 beth, the eldest daughter and heiress of Edward IV. of the 
 house of York, a.d. 1486, the two roses were united in one, 
 and became the royal badge of England. 
 
 Sacre, or Saker, a kind of falcon ; the head grey, the feet 
 and legs bluish, the back a dark brown. 
 
 Sagittarius, an imaginary creature, half man and half 
 beast ; it represents one of the twelve celestial signs, and was 
 borne by king Stephen, of England, who entered the kingdom 
 when the sun was in that sign, and obtained a great victory 
 by the help of his archers. 
 
 Salamander is represented like a small common lizard ; its 
 legs and tail are longer ; the belly is white ; one part of the 
 skin is black, and the other yellow ; both of them very bright, 
 with a black line all along the back. Salamanders breed 
 in the Alps, and some parts of Germany, in marshy wet 
 places. That they can live in, and not be burned by fire, 
 is of course a fiction, on account of which, however, the 
 salamander was the hieroglyphic of Constancy. 
 
 Sailed Headpiece, an ancient term for a helmet. 
 
 Salts, or Salt-cellers, are vessels, with salt falling from the 
 
HEKALDRY. 75 
 
 sides, as borne in the arms of the Salter s' Company. Some 
 heralds have blazoned them sprinkling salts. At coronation 
 dinners, and all great feasts given by the nobility and 
 gentry, in ancient times, it was usual to set one of these 
 salts in the centre of the dining-table ; not only for holding 
 salt for the use of the guests, but as a mark to separate and 
 distinguish the seats of the superior persons from those of an 
 inferior deorree ; it beino^ the custom of former times to set 
 the nobility and gentry above the salt, and the yeomanry and 
 persons of lower rank below. 
 
 Satyral^ a fictitious animal, having the body of a lion, the 
 tail and horns of an antelope, and the face of an old man. 
 
 Scrip, argent, a chevron between three palmers' scrips, the 
 tassels and buckles or ; name. Palmer.* In the chancel at 
 Snodland, in Kent, where Thomas Palmer, who married the 
 daughter of Fitz- Simon, lies buried, is, or was, the following 
 epitaph, says Guillim, 1692 : — 
 
 " Palmers all our faders were, 
 I a Palmer lived here ; 
 And travell'd still, till worn wud age 
 I ended this world's pilgrimage. 
 On the blest Ascension day, 
 In the cheerful month of May, 
 A thousand with four hundred seaven, 
 I took my journey hence to heaven." 
 
 The dress of a pilgrim was an under vest, with an outer 
 robe, having half-open sleeves, showing the imder-sleeves, 
 which continued to the wrists. On his head a broad-brimmed 
 hat, with a shell in front ; on his feet sandals, or short laced 
 boots ; in his hand a staff, and by his side a scrip. 
 
 Sea-Horse; the fore part is formed like a horse, with 
 webbed feet, and the hinder part ends in a fish's tail. 
 
 Sea-Dog is drawn in shape like the talbot, but with a tail 
 like that of the beaver ; a scalloped fin continued down the 
 
 * '* Palmer (so called from a staff of a palm-tree, which they carried as 
 they returned from the holy war), a pilgrim that visited holy places ; yet a 
 pilgrim and a palmer differed thus : a pilgrim had some dwelling place, and a 
 palmer had none ; the pilgrim travelled to some certain place, the pahner to 
 all, and not to any one in particular ; the pilgrim must go at his own charge, 
 the palmer must profess wilful poverty ; the pilgrim might give over his 
 profession, but the palmer might not." — Bailey. 
 
76 THE SCIENCE OF 
 
 back from the head to the tail, the whole body, legs, and tail 
 scaled, and the feet webbed. 
 
 Sea-Lion. The upper part is like a lion, and the lower 
 part like the tail of a fish. When the sea-lion is drawn 
 erect, it is blazoned a sea lion, erect on his tail, 
 
 Sea-Pie, a water fowl of a dark brown color, with a red 
 head, and the neck and wings white. 
 
 Seax, a scimitar, with a semicircular notch hollowed out of 
 the back of the blade. It is said to be formed exactly like 
 the Saxon sword. Verstagen says this was the weapon of 
 the Saxons, which they wore under their coats, when they 
 slew the Britons on Salisbury plain. Rapin says the word 
 Saxon comes from Seax, which in their language signifies a 
 sword. They had two sorts ; a long one which they wore by 
 their side, and another that was shorter, which served for a 
 dagger : both were in the shape of a cutlass or falchion. 
 
 Shackholty by some called a prisoner's bolt. 
 
 Shamrock, a term in Ireland for the trefoil, or three-leaved 
 grass. 
 
 Shoveller, a species of water-fowl, somewhat like the duck. 
 The ancient heralds drew this bird with a tuft on its breast, 
 and another on the back of its head. 
 
 Skein, a Scotch term for a dagger. 
 
 Snake, with its tail in its mouth, among the Egyptians 
 represented the year. 
 
 Sphinx is said to have had a head, face, breasts like a 
 woman ; body and legs like a lion, and wings like a bird. 
 This figure is the Egyptian emblem of the overflowing of the 
 Nile, which began at the entering of the sun into the sign 
 Leo, continued during its passage through the constellation 
 Yirgo, and ended at the equinox. This is borne by the 
 name Asgil. 
 
 Sufflue, a term for a rest or clarion. 
 
 Swepe ; used in ancient towns to cast stones into towns and 
 fortified places of an enemy. This instrument was invented 
 by the Phoenicians. 
 
 Tabard, a short loose garment for the body, without 
 sleeves, worn by our ancient knights over their armor, 
 in order to distinguish them in battle ; whereon were 
 
HERALDRY. 77 
 
 embroidered their arms, &c. At present a tabard is worn 
 only by heralds on public occasions. 
 
 Talbot^ a sort of hunting-dog between a hound and 
 beagle, with a large snout, long, round, hanging, and 
 thick ears. 
 
 Tasces, or Tasses, a part of armor to cover the thighs. 
 
 Thunderbolt^ in heraldry, is a twisted bar in pale, inflamed 
 at each end, surmounting two jagged darts, in saltire, 
 between two wings displayed with streams of fire. 
 
 Tiger Heraldic, so termed to distinguish him from the 
 natural tiger. 
 
 Tirret, a modern term for manacles or handcuffs, as in 
 the badge of the house of Percy. 
 
 Tom, an ancient name in heraldry for a spinning-wheel. 
 
 Turret, a small tower on the top of another. 
 
 Unicorn, a fabulous beast, with a long twisted horn on its 
 forehead : its head and body like a horse, with cloven feet, 
 and hair under the chin like a goat, tail like a lion, and of a 
 bay color. 
 
 Vamplet, a piece of steel formed like a funnel, placed on 
 tilting-spears just before the hand, to secure it, and so fixed 
 as to be taken off at pleasure. 
 
 Vervels, small rings fixed to the end of the jesses, through 
 which falconers put a string in order to fasten the bells to 
 falcons' legs. 
 
 Virolles, or Verules, a term applied to the ornamental rings 
 of a hunting-horn, when set round with metal or color 
 difierent from the horn. 
 
 Water Bouget, a vessel anciently used by soldiers, to fetch 
 water to the camp. 
 
 Weel : this instrument is used to catch fish. 
 
 W harrow -Spindle : an instrument formerly used by women 
 to spin as they walk, sticking the distaff in their girdle, and 
 whirling the spindle round, pendent at the thread. 
 
 Wyvern, a kind of flying serpent, the upper part resembling 
 a dragon, and the lower an adder or snake : some derive it 
 from vipera, and so make it a winged viper ; others say it 
 owes its being to the heralds, and has no other creation. 
 
78 THE SCIENCE OF 
 
 CHAPTER XII. 
 
 Hatchments, 
 
 Husband. 
 When the deceased has been a married man, the gromid- 
 work of the hatchment under his (the dexter) side of the 
 escutcheon — his arms being impaled with his wife's — is 
 sable, denoting his death, while the groundwork under the 
 sinister half, containing his wife's arms, is left argent. 
 
 Wife. 
 When the deceased has been a wife, the hatchment on the 
 sinister half — on which her arms are impaled — is black ; the 
 dexter (her surviving husband's) half being white. She also 
 bears a cherub over the arms instead of a crest. 
 
 Bachelor. 
 When a bachelor dies, his arms and crest are depicted 
 quartered or singly, but never impaled ; the groimdwork of 
 the escutcheon being all black. 
 
 Maiden. 
 Her arms are depicted single or quartered, as a bachelor's ; 
 the ground of the escutcheon being all black. The arms 
 being on a lozenge ; in lieu of a crest either a knot of 
 ribbons or cherub. 
 
 Widower. 
 When a widower dies, his arms are impaled with those of 
 his late wife, the ground of the hatchment being all black. 
 His crest being above. 
 
 Widow. 
 Her arms are impaled with her late husband's, in a 
 lozenge, but without a crest ; the ground of the hatchment 
 
HERALDRY. 79 
 
 being all black. When a man is the last of his family, a 
 death's head usurps his crest. VYhen a woman is the last of 
 a family, her arms are placed in a lozenge, with a death's 
 head on the top. 
 
 Other Distinctwns. 
 
 The Peer is distinguished by his coronet and supporters. 
 The Baronet by his badge. 
 The Knight-companion by the motto of his order. 
 The Bishop by the mitre. 
 
 This little hand-book is now brought to a close. The Rules 
 of Precedence, — Connection of Heraldry with Architecture — 
 Begalia of England and other nations, &c. — all these aspects 
 of the Science are deferred till a later edition — should the 
 favor with which the present one is received be sufficient to 
 warrant a second edition being issued. 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
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