The boke of Saint Albans

by Juliana Berners

I aske here moo questionis of the crossis signe

Now I turne agayne to the signe of the cros and aske a question: how mony crossis be borne in armys. to the wich questtion vnder a certan nowmbur I dare not answere. for crossis innumerabuƚƚ ar borne now dayli. bot decendyng to eueri cros the wich a fore tyme I haue seen as fer as I can I entende to discribe. emong the wich first the playn cros shaƚƚ be discribed of the with cros moo dowtis be made then of mony odyr crossies. for as moch as wyse men in blasyng of armys holde for a veri rule that ye moost begynne to blase at the lowyst poynt of the sheelde. if the poynt be of oon coloure. and so that coloure thatt is in the poynt of the sheelde is the felde of the armys
¶ Bot in that rule to remeue a way aƚƚ dowtis ye most merke dyligently: that. that rule is true with a littyƚƚ addicion. y^t is to witte that in armys to be blased it is aƚƚ way to begynne at the poynt of the sheelde: if the poynt be of oon coloure that is true: if the coloure of the poynt be more copiose or gretter in thos armys. and then with owte dowte ye shaƚƚ begyn ther. or ellys not ¶ And weer the colowres be equaƚƚ ꝑtid other on length or ouerwart then euermore ye shaƚƚ begynne to blase thoos armys in the right side. and in that case ye shaƚƚ haue no respecte to the poynt.
¶ And iff it be asked how berith Seynt george. it is to be knaw that ye most say. latine. ¶ Portat vnum scutum de argento cum quadam cruce plana de rubio. ¶ Gallice. Il port dargent vng cros playn de gowlez. ¶ Anglice. He beris a felde of Siluer with a playn cros of gowles. as here apperith in theys armys.
And the same maner of wyse ar aƚƚ crossis hauyng a playn cros to be blased Therfore thay er: y^t say Seynt george beris the felde of gowles with .iiij. quarteris of Siluer of whome the resonis I lowue not. for by thoos resonis a playn cros shulde neuer be founde in armys ner welny no differens in armys.

¶ Off an cros of an equaƚƚ length on eueri parte.

A Playn cros is founde in armys differyng from the first cros. and hit is of an equaƚƚ length on eu̇i parte as it apperith here. and theys armys be harder then the other to blase as hit is opyn. for thendys of thys cros towchis not the hemmys or the vtter parte of y^e sheelde ī no parte in wich ye shaƚƚ say that he: that beris theis armys. latine. sic ¶ Ille portat de asuro cum vna cruce plana aurea equalis longitudinis ey omni parte ¶ Gallice. Il port daser vng cros playn dung longur ꝑ tont. ¶ Anglice. He berith asure with a playn golden cros of equaƚƚ length on eu̇y parte. And this is the differans in blasyng. that aƚƚ thendys of thys cros arne of equaƚƚ length the wich mai not be in the playn cros a fore. for the foote is the lengest parte. and hit be weƚƚ made. And this differens shaƚƚ appere bettir in a cootarmure: then it doth in a sheeld & so ther is an euydent differens be twix y^e .ij. crossis aforsaid

¶ Off a playn cros strayte.

Ther is an oder cros aquaƚƚ straythyr in the myddis then in thenddys with opyn corneris as here not touchyng the vtterist parte of the sheelde in any parte ther of. and hit is calde a cros patent. And ye shaƚƚ say that he the wich beris this cros beris ī this maṅ. ¶ latine sic. Ille portat vnam crucem argentatam patentem in campo nigro. ¶ Gallice. Il port de sable vng cros patee dargent. ¶ Anglice sic. He berith Sable a cros paty of Siluer.