HERALDIC TERMS
ABAISSÉ. A French word, generally used in heraldry instead of the English word abased. When the fess, or any other ordinary properly placed above the fess point of the shield, is brought below it, that ordinary is said to be abaissé.
ABATEMENT. Any figure added to coats of arms tending to lower the dignity or station of the bearer. Thus, the baton, denoting illegitimacy, is an abatement: so, also, are the differences in coats of arms showing the degrees of consanguinity.
ADDORSED. Any animals set back to back. See [LION].
ALLERION. An eagle displayed, without beak or feet.
Ex. Argent, an allerion gules.
ALTERNATE. Figures or tinctures that succeed each other by turns.
AMETHYST. A precious stone of a violet colour, the name of which was formerly used instead of purpure, to denote the purple tincture when emblazoning the arms of the English nobility.
ANNULET. A small circle borne as a charge in coats of arms.
Ex. Azure, an annulet argent. Annulets are added to arms for a difference. See [DIFFERENCES], p. 13.
ANCIENT. A small flag or ensign. The bearer of the flag was called by its name. Iago was ancient to the troops commanded by Othello.
"This is Othello's ancient, as I take it.
The same indeed, a very valiant fellow." SHAKSPEARE.
ARCHBISHOPS. Church dignitaries of the first class. There are but two in England—the Archbishop of Canterbury and the Archbishop of York. The former is the first peer of England next to the royal family, and has the title of Grace given to him; and likewise Most Reverend Father in God. He is styled Primate of all England, and Metropolitan.
The Archbishop of York has precedence of dukes and great officers of state, except the lord chancellor. He is called His Grace and Most Reverend Father in God; and styled Primate of England and Metropolitan.
ARGENT. The French word for silver, of which metal all white fields or charges are supposed to consist.
ARMED. This word is used to express the horns, hoofs, beak, or talons of any beast or bird of prey, when borne of a different tincture from those of their bodies.
Ex. Crest, a demi-griffin armed, gules.
ARMORIST. A person skilled in the bearings of coats of arms, and all relating to their emblazonment.
ARMS. A word derived from the Latin arma, which signifies in Heraldry a mark of honour, serving to distinguish states, cities, families, &c.
ARROWS. Short darts feathered at the ends.
Ex. Argent, three arrows paleways, points in chief sable, feathered.
ASPECTANT. Animals placed face to face in a charge are said to be aspectant. If they are about to attack each other, they are said to be combatant.
ASSUMPTIVE. Arms assumed without being sanctioned by a grant from the College of Heralds.
ASSURGENT. A man or beast rising out of the sea is said to be assurgent.
ATCHIEVEMENT. The coat of arms fully emblazoned according to the rules of Heraldry. The lozenge-shaped atchievements that are displayed on the outside of the houses of persons deceased are commonly called Hatchments.
ATTIRED. When the horns of a stag are of a different tincture to its head, it is said to be attired.
Ex. Argent, a stag lodged, proper, attired, or
AUGMENTATION. This word signifies in Heraldry a particular mark of honour, granted by the sovereign in consideration of some noble action, or by favour; and either quartered with the family arms, or on an escutcheon or canton.
Ex. Ermine, on a chevron azure, three foxes' heads erased, argent. The augmentation is in a canton azure, a fleur-de-lis argent.
AZURE. The French word for blue: it is distinguished in heraldic engraving by lines running parallel to each other in an horizontal direction, as in the annexed example.
BADGE. A distinctive mark worn by servants, retainers, and followers of royalty or nobility, who, being beneath the rank of gentlemen, have no right to armorial bearings. The rose and crown is the badge of the servants, &c., of the Kings of England: they are displayed as in the annexed example.
BANDED. Anything tied with a band.
Ex. Argent. Three arrows proper, banded.
BANNER. The principal standard of a knight. The great banner borne at the funeral of a nobleman contains all the quarterings of his arms: it varies in size according to the rank of the deceased. The banner of the sovereign is five feet square; that of a prince or duke, four feet square; for all noblemen of inferior rank, three feet square.
BANNER ROLL is a small square flag containing a single escutcheon of the deceased. Thus, if there are twelve quarterings in the banner, the same number of banner rolls will be required to be borne in the funeral procession. The annexed engraving shows the banner and banner-roll.
BAR. An honourable ordinary, occupying one-fifth of the shield. It may be placed in any part of the field. It has two diminutives, the closet and barrulet.
Ex. Ermine, two bars gules.
BARBED. Bearded. It is also applied to roses.
Ex. Azure, a rose argent, barbed, and seeded proper.
BARON. The lowest title of the peerage of Great Britain.
BARON AND FEMME. Terms used in Heraldry to denote the arms of a man and his wife, marshalled together. See [p. 38].
BARRULET. The smallest diminutive of the bar. The closet is half the bar; the barrulet half the closet.
Ex. Gules, two barrulets argent.
BARRY. A field divided transversely into several equal parts, and consisting of two different tinctures interchangeably disposed.
Ex. Barry of eight pieces, azure and argent.
BATON. BATUNE. BASTON. It is generally used as an abatement in coats of arms to denote illegitimacy.
Ex. Or, a cross gules, over all a baton argent.
BATTERING RAM. An instrument used for battering down walls before gunpowder was known in Europe: it is frequently borne as a charge in a coat of arms.
Ex. Argent, a battering ram proper.
BATTLE AXE. An ancient military weapon, frequently borne on arms as a mark of prowess.
Ex. Argent, three battle axes gules two over one.
BATTLEMENTS. Divisions or apertures on the top of castle walls or towers.
Ex. Gules, three towers embattled argent.
BEAKED. The beak of a bird being of a different tint from the body is said to be beaked.
Ex. An eagle's head erased, beaked, or.
BEAVER. That part of the helmet that defends the sight.
BELLED. Having bells.
Ex. Argent, a barrulet gules, belled with three bells proper.
BEND. One of the honourable ordinaries formed by two diagonal lines drawn from the dexter chief to the sinister base; it generally occupies a fifth part of the shield if uncharged, but if charged one third.
Ex. Azure, a bend argent.
BEND SINISTER. Is the reverse of the bend; it is seldom found in coats of arms, as it is reckoned an abatement.
Ex. Argent, a bend sinister gules.
IN BEND. Figures placed in a slanting direction from the dexter chief to the sinister base are said to be in bend.
Ex. Or, three torteaux in bend.
BENDLET. A diminutive of the bend, of the same shape, but only half the width of the bend.
BENDY. This word serves to denote a field divided diagonally into several bends, varying in metal and colour.
Ex. Bendy of six pieces, azure and argent.
BESANT, or BEZANT. Gold coin of Byzantium; when they appear in a coat of arms their colour is not described: a besant is always or.
BILLETS. This charge is, by some authors, supposed to represent tiles or bricks; by others that it represents a letter or billet. The name and form of the charge most accords with the latter opinion.
Ex. Argent, three billets azure, two over one.
BISHOPS. Church dignitaries: they are barons of the realm, and have precedence next to viscounts: they have the title of lords, and right reverend fathers in God.
BLAZON. To describe in proper colours, or lines representing colours, all that belongs to coats of arms. Arms may also be emblazoned by describing the charges and tinctures of a coat of arms in heraldic terms.
BLUE-MANTEL. A title of one of the pursuivants at arms. See [HERALD].
BORDURE or BORDER. This was the most ancient difference in coats of arms, to distinguish different branches of the same family. It is a border round the edge of the shield. Its situation is always the same; but the inner edge may be varied.
Ex. Argent, a sinister hand couped at the wrist and erected gules, within a bordure azure.
BOTTONNY. See [CROSS BOTTONNY].
BOUJET. An ancient water bucket, frequently borne in shields of arms.
Ex. Argent, a boujet proper.
BRACED. Two figures of the same form, interlacing each other.
Ex. Vert, two triangles braced, argent.
BRASED and BRAZED are words sometimes used by ancient armorists. They always describe things interlaced or braced together.
BROAD ARROW. An ancient weapon of war, thrown by an engine. It is frequently borne as a charge in coats of arms.
Ex. Argent, a broad arrow gules.
CABOCHED or CABOSHED. Beasts' heads borne without any part of the neck, and full faced.
Ex. Argent, a stag's head caboshed, proper.
CALTROP. An iron instrument made to annoy an enemy's cavalry. They were formed of iron, being four spikes conjoined in such a manner that one was always upwards. It is found in many ancient coats of arms.
Ex. Argent, a caltrop proper.
CANTON. The French word for corner. It is a small square figure, generally placed at the dexter chief of the shield, as in the annexed example.
CELESTIAL CROWN. Distinguished from any other crown by the stars on the points or rays that proceed from the circlet.
CHAPEAU. Cap of maintenance or dignity, borne only by sovereign princes. It is formed of crimson or scarlet velvet, lined with ermine.
CHAPLET. An ancient ornament for the head, granted to gallant knights for acts of courtesy. It is frequently borne as a charge in a shield of arms, and always tinted in its natural colours.
Ex. Argent, a chaplet proper.
CHARGE. The figures or bearings contained in an escutcheon.
CHECKY. The field covered with alternate squares of metal and fur.
Ex. Checky, sable and argent.
CHEVRON. This ordinary is supposed to represent the rafters of the gable of a house.
Ex. Or, a chevron gules.
CHEVRONEL. The diminutive of the chevron, being one half its size.
Ex. Argent, two chevronels gules.
CHIEF. One of the honourable ordinaries. It is placed on the upper part of the shield and contains a third part of it. The letters show the points in the chief. A is the dexter chief; B, the precise middle chief; C, the sinister chief.
CHIMERICAL FIGURES. Imaginary figures, such as griffins, dragons, harpies, &c.: all of them will be found under their proper names.
CINQUE FOIL. Five leaves conjoined in the centre.
CIVIC CAP. A cap of dignity borne by mayors of cities or corporate bodies: it is formed of sables garnished with ermine.
CLARION. A horn or trumpet borne in this shape in English and German coat-armour.
Ex. Azure, three clarions or.
CLENCHED. The fingers pressed towards the palm of the hand.
Ex. Azure, a dexter arm vambraced couped, the fist clenched proper.
CLOSE. A bird with its wings closed.
CLOSET.. A diminutive of the bar, being only one half its width.
CLOSEGIRT. A figure whose dress is fastened round the waist.
Ex. Gules, an angel erect with wings expanded or, dress closegirt.
COAT ARMOUR, or Surcoat. A loose garment worn over the armour of a knight; hence the term coat of arms. On this garment were emblazoned the armorial bearings of the wearer.
COCKATRICE. A chimerical animal, a cock with a dragon's tail and wings.
COLLARED. Having a collar. Dogs and inferior animals are sometimes collared: the supporters and charges are generally said to be gorged. See [GORGED].
COMBATANT. A French word for fighting. See [LION].
COMPLEMENT. The Heraldic term for the full moon. When this figure is introduced as a charge in a coat of arms, it is called a moon in her complement.
COMPONY. A term applied to a bordure, pale, bend, or any other ordinary, made up of squares of alternate metal and colour.
Ex. Argent, an inescutcheon azure, border compony, or and gules.
CONJOINED. Joined together.
Ex. Argent, three legs armed, conjoined at the fess point at the upper extremity of the thigh, flexed in a triangle, garnished and spurred, or.
CONY. An heraldic name for a young rabbit.
COTICE. One of the diminutives of the bend: cotices are generally borne on each side of the bend.
Ex. Gules, a bend argent, coticed of the same.
The cotices are frequently of a different tincture from the bend they cotice.
COUCHANT. The French word for lying down with the breast towards the earth, and the head raised. See [LION COUCHANT].
COUNT. A nobleman that was deputed by the king to govern a county or shire: the title is not used in the British Peerage; his rank is equal to an earl.
[ COUNTER]. In Heraldry implies contrariety, as in the following examples:—
[ COUNTER-CHANGED]. The intermixture of metal with colours opposed to each other.
Ex. Per pale, or and azure, on a chevron, three mullets all counter-changed.
COUNTER SALIENT. Two animals leaping different ways from each other.
Ex. Argent, two foxes counter salient.
COUNTER PASSANT. Two animals passing the contrary way to each other.
Ex. Or, two lions passant counter passant gules, the uppermost facing the sinister side of the escutcheon, both collared sable, garnished argent.
COUNTER FLORY. Any ordinary ornamented with fleurs-de-luce: the points of the flowers run alternately in a contrary direction.
Ex. Or, a pale purpure, flory and counter flory gules.
COUPED. From the French word couper, to cut. The cross in the example is couped, part of it being cut off, so as not to touch the edges of the shield.
Ex. Azure, a cross couped argent.
COUPED. The head or limbs of any animal cut close is called couped.
Ex. Argent, a boar's head proper couped.
COUPLE-CLOSE. One of the diminutives of the chevron, half the size of the chevronel.
Ex. Argent, three couple-closes interlaced vert.
Ex. Argent, a stag proper courant.
CRENELLE. The French heraldic term for embattled. See [EMBATTLED].
CRESCENT. The half moon with its horns turned upwards.
Ex. Azure, a crescent argent.
CREST. The ornament on the upper part of the helmet in Heraldry placed over coats of arms, either with or without the helmet. By referring to the [title-page] of this work the crests of Great Britain will be found with all the adornments of regal helmets.
The English crest is a crown surmounted by a lion statant guardant crowned, or.
The Scottish crest is an imperial crown, surmounted by a lion sejant guardant, displaying two sceptres or.
The Irish crest is an ancient diadem surmounted by an embattled tower, a stag courant issuing from the portal.
The crest of Wales is a dragon passant guardant, gules.—The whole of these crests, with mantlings, &c., are emblazoned on the title-page of this Manual.
Crests are usually displayed upon a wreath as in
the annexed example, which is a demi-lion rampant. If a crest this size had been placed upon an helmet of proportionate size it must have occupied a sixth part of this page, and the shield containing the arms to be in proportion considerably larger: in showing the crest without the helmet proportion is of little consequence. See [HELMET], [WREATH], and [MANTLING].
CRESTED. A cock or other bird, whose comb is of a different tincture from the body, is said to be crested. See JOWLOPED.
CRINED. This is said of an animal whose hair is of a different tincture from its body.
Ex. Argent, a mermaid gules, crined or.
CROSIER. The pastoral staff of a bishop or abbot: a very frequent charge in ecclesiastical arms.
Ex. Or, a crosier gules, in bend.
CROSS. An honourable ordinary, more used as a charge in a coat of arms than any of the others. During the Crusades for the recovery of the Holy Land, the troops of the different nations that joined in the Crusade displayed crosses on their banners and arms: every soldier bore a cross upon his dress; this was composed of two pieces of list or riband of equal length, crossing each other at right angles. The soldiers of France attached their national emblem, the fleur-de-lis, to the ends of the members of the cross; hence the introduction of the cross flory. The Crusaders from the Papal dominions placed transverse pieces on each member of the plain cross, and by this means transformed it into four small crosses springing from a centre, forming what is now called the cross-crosslet. It would be impossible within the limits of this work to give an example of all the crosses that have been introduced as bearings in coats of arms. Berry, in his comprehensive work on Heraldry, gives nearly two hundred examples, without giving all that might be found. The following are the crosses most used in English Heraldry.
| Cross | Cross potent | ||
| Cross flory | Cross crosslet | ||
| Cross bottonny | Cross pattee | ||
| Cross raguly | Cross patonce | ||
| Cross moline | Cross quadrate |
| Cross quarter-pierced | Cross of Calvary | ||
| Cross fitchy | Cross patriarchal |
| Cross potent rebated |
CURTANA. The pointless sword of mercy is the principal in dignity of the three swords that are borne naked before the British monarchs at their coronation.