The Eastern crown, sometimes called an antique crown, is formed of five straight rays (Fig. 255), and when in addition there is a star on each point it becomes a celestial crown.
Crescent.—This charge, beautiful as it appears in the badges connected with Henry II of France and Diana of Poitiers, has come to be drawn clumsily as to look more like a biscuit with a bite out of it than a graceful shape derived from the crescent moon. When it is simply described as a crescent it always has its points upwards, and it becomes a decrescent if they point to the sinister, and an increscent when they are pointed to the dexter. Still rarer as a charge than these latter is the full moon, and when she thus occurs she is blazoned a Moon in her Plenitude. It is understood that the proportionate thickness of a crescent may be any that is felt to be in harmony with the general character of the design that accompanies it.
Escallop Shell.—This beautiful charge, with its radiating lines within its outline, appears to have been specially connected with the Crusades as the pilgrim’s badge, as such being sewn on to the cloak or hat. Later the shells so worn were sometimes elaborately painted in the manner of the illuminators, in memory of the pilgrimage. The escallop is especially associated with St. James, and so frequently occurs in Spanish decoration such as that of the House of the Shells, Saragossa, the whole front of which is semée of escallops in high relief.
Also, an old writer says: “The shell thereof is the fairest instrument that can be, being of nature’s making, which for the beauties sake is put in the collars of Saint Michael’s Order.”
Estoile.—A star of six wavy points.
Fig. 256.
Escarbuncle (Fig. 256).—Is derived from the strengthening bands of the shield which the mediaeval metal worker’s decorative instinct made into beautiful ornament even as it did the hinges of a door. The metal plates radiating from the central boss of the shield terminated in foliated forms of great beauty, the fleurs-de-lis of the present charge, while the hollow ring in the centre enabled it to fit over the boss. Many beautiful examples exist of this piece of armour become the Badge of Anjou, worn by Henry II.
Fig. 257.