"The calf, the goose, and the bee,
The world is ruled by these three."
The Burninghills bear three gadbees—horseflies—and the Papillons, very properly, have three butterflies charged on their shield (Fig. 46).
In concluding this chapter let us explain the term augmentation used above.
By augmentation is meant any addition granted for some special reason, to a coat of arms. Thus to one, William Compton, who was about Henry VIII. and in great favour with him, the King actually granted permission to add a lion passant guardant, taken out of his own royal device, to his paternal arms, as an "honourable augmentation." "In rememberance whereof," says Sir William Dugdale, "the said Compton at his death bequeathed to the king a little chest of ivory, whereof the lock was gilt, with a chessboard under, and a pair of tables upon it."
Fig. 46.
The arms of Sir Atwel-King Lake show a curious augmentation—viz., a dexter arm embowed—bent—issuing from the sinister side of the shield, holding in the hand a sword erect, thereto affixed a banner, bearing a cross between sixteen escutcheons, etc. These sixteen escutcheons were given to the original bearer of these arms, Dr. Edward Lake, a devoted adherent of Charles I., to commemorate the sixteen wounds that Lake received at the Battle of Naseby.
Lord Nelson was granted a very pictorial augmentation of honour. "Waves or the sea, from which a palm-tree issues between a disabled ship on the dexter and a battery in ruins on the sinister." Nelson had also a crest of an "honourable augmentation," which he bore in addition to that of his family. A naval crown with the chelengk, or plume of triumph, presented to him by the Grand Sultan, Selim III.
The augmentation of honour granted to the great Duke of Wellington took the shape of the Union Jack charged upon an inescutcheon, which was superimposed upon his own shield.