Fig. 65.
Fig. 66.
Fig. 67.
Fig. 68.
The Pile is represented in Fig. 69. When more than one occur they point towards the base, unless their position is otherwise specified, and their points may either be in a line perpendicular to their widest part or they may converge towards the centre; in the latter position they are blazoned “piles in point.” Sometimes three piles are alternated so that there are “two in chief and one in base,” the latter, of course, being point upwards between the other two.
Fig. 69.
With the important exception of the chief all the foregoing ordinaries, as bearings occupying the principal parts of the shield, are mentioned in blazon immediately after the field and before the charges, if any, as: Argent a bend between two fleurs-de-lis Gules, for example. The chief, on the other hand, is not blazoned until after the rest of the shield has been fully described.
Ordinaries may themselves be charged, and in that case the sequence in the blazon is: (1) the field; (2) the objects immediately on it; and lastly, the charges with which the latter are charged. For example: Az. on a chevron between three roses Or, as many fleurs-de-lis of the field. It will be noticed that the fact that the ordinary is charged is mentioned early in the blazon, though the description of the charges is left till later in accordance with the sequence already stated. Also that the chevron and roses being of the same tinctures the word Or only follows the last of the objects to which it refers. Another point that is here exemplified is the avoidance of tautology by the use of the words “as many” instead of the repetition of the number three, and again in describing the fleurs-de-lis by tincturing them “of the field” instead of repeating az. This extreme objection to tautology is very characteristic of heraldic language, and where it is impossible to otherwise avoid repeating a tincture the ordinary word will be used in place of the technical one, as Gold in place of Or.
