Crests occasionally had mottoes or 'words' associated with them, quite apart from the ordinary 'word' or 'reason' of the family or individual. Thus the ermine bush of feathers that formed the crest of Sir Simon Felbrigge is accompanied on his stall-plate (c. 1421) by a scroll lettered Sanz muer (fig. [83]), and on that of John lord Scrope (el. 1461) the crest, which is likewise a bush of feathers, has above it the 'reason' autre qz-elle. Two of the fine seals of Richard Nevill earl of Salisbury (1428-60) have behind his demi-griffin crest a scroll lettered apparently ma [or do] pleſier (pls. [XVII] A and [XXII] B), and the seal of John Talbot earl of Shrewsbury, as marshal of France (1445), has a scroll with his 'word' issuing from the mouth of his lion crest (pl. [XVII] B).
Fig. 83. Stall-plate of Sir Simon Felbrigge, c. 1421.
PLATE XVII.—Crests with mottoes.
- A, Richard Nevill earl of Salisbury, 1428-60.
- B, John Talbot earl of Shrewsbury, 1445.
From what has been said above as to the ancient association of helm and crest, it follows that the present fashion of representing the crest by itself, apart from the helm to which it was always attached, is entirely wrong. It at once renders the crest meaningless: in appearance it forthwith becomes insignificant; and attempts to treat it artistically generally end in failure.