HERALDRY is that Science, which teacheth us to give or know Arms; suteable to the Worth or Intenti­on of the Bearer.

Arms may be defin'd to be Marks of Hereditary ho­nour, given or authorized by some Supream Power, to gratify the Bearer, or distinguish Families.

The first name given to such Bearings, was, Imagines, scutis qualibus apud Troiam pugnatum est, continebantur imagines, Plin. lib. 35. c. 3. The Grecians called them, [...]. Conan. l. 9. com. jur. civil. c. 2. n. 3. [...], as Cujac. observes, ad l. 13. f. ad l. Cor. de fals. The Civilians call them, Insignia; l. 2. in princip. f. de his qui not. in­fam. l. eos. sect 2. f. defalsis. But Bart. is tax'd for, insigniis & insigniorum; whereas the true Latine is, insignibus & insignium, us'd in the former texts. Some call them, Insignia Armorum, the Latine of which is also doubted by Tiraquel. cap. num. 19. Others call them, Tesserae Gentilitiae; and in the civil Law they are called, Tituli, arg. Rub. & l. un. C. de his qui potent. nom. & ibi Bart.

The Germans call them Wappen, or Clenodia: The Italians, Carmas: The French, Armoiries: The Scots and English, Arms; from the Latine, Arma, which was us'd in this sense even amongst the Romans, Virgil, ‘Et genti nomen dedit, armáque fixit Troiae.’

These Arms are distinguished from Hieroglyphicks, Symbols, Emblems and De­vices, in that, these require no fixt colours, as Arms do.

The Emblem represents some moral lesson, but Arms are the testimony [Page 2] of some noble action: Arms are Hereditary, but these are assum'd, and altered at pleasure.

Some think, that the giving of Arms arose from the example of Iacob blessing his children; in which he gave them Marks of distinction; as Iudah, a Lyon, &c. And certain it is, that the Tribes did bear these upon their En­signs. Others ascribe their invention to the Germans, and some to the Ro­mans. Some think, the Goths and Vandals gave the first Arms, to excite their Souldiers to noble actions, upon their invading Italie. Others ascribe the exactness of this Invention to Charles the Great; Aldrovan. l. 1. Others to Henry I. in Anno 986. Hop. cap. 3. But by comparing all these opinions, it is clear, that the wearing thir Marks of distinction, is a Iure Gentium, and a part of the Law of Nations: For even the barbarous Nations, such as the Cimbri, Teutones, &c. were observed by Plutarch in vita Marii, gessisse in armis pictas ferarum imagines: And Hopping asserts, That he hath seen a shield from China, charg'd with a Panther in a field, Orr: yet certainly, the digesting these Customs into an Art, and the subjecting them to Rules, must be ascribed to Charlemaign and Fredrick Barbarossa; for they did begin and grow with the Feudal Law, Paul, Iov. & Mart. Crus. lib. 2. part. 2. cap ult. And I can­not here forget, that some learned men have ascrib'd the first wearing of colored Shields, to the Scots and Picts: And that the wearing of Clothes of di­verse colours, rose from their conforming their clothes to the variety of their shields, Limneus lib. 5. de jur. pub. cap. 6. num. 6. Speidel in not. jurid. histor. verb. Wappen.

The reasons of inventing this Art, and giving such Marks of distinction, and the advantages arising from the knowledge of Heraldry and Arms, are,

1. The great design that men had to perpetuate their own great Actions.

2. The desire that Governours had, to encourage others to do great things by rewarding with a cheap kind of Immortality what their deserving Subjects did. Thus Marshals predecessors got three Pales gules, on a chief, Orr, by the Kings dipping his finger in Camus the Danes blood, and drawing three Pales gules upon his shield, after that Camus was defeat in a battel, in which the first Keith fought most generously, Anno 1006.

3. The advantage of distinguishing Friends from Enemies, who could not be better known, then by their several Bearings, and thus Vegel lib. 2. de re milit. tells us, That the Roman Legions were thus distinguished, Virgil. lib. 2.

4. To show a respect to Religion. Thus the Christians bore the Cross, at their expeditions into the Holy-land, which were therefore called, Croissads: And the Pringles and others, bear Escalops, to show their devote Pilgrima­ges: Of which these shells were the Badges, and for which Pilgrimage, the Pringles were first called Pilgrims, and thereafter by corruption Pringle. For the same reason doth the Dowglass carry a Heart, in remembrance of the Pil­grimage to the Holy-land, with King Robert the Bruce's heart; which was to be, and is buried there, at the special command of that pious Prince, about the year, 1328.

5. To show from what Country the Bearers came: Thus the Maxwels and Ramsays bear the Eagle, to show their descent from Germany. The Ruthvens the Arms of Portugal; from which King they are said to be descended: And the name of Marjoribanks bear the Cushion, to show that they were Iohnstouns originally.

[Page 3]6. To show their Alliances. Thus we quarter Arms; and by this means, the memory of great Families, and even of Clans and Sirnames, are on­ly preserved. Thus Scotland, by bearing a double Tressour flori, and Con­tre flori, is remembred of their League betwixt France and them in the Reigns of Achaius and Charlemaign. Thus there is no Monument of the Randolphs, but by quartering their Cushions with the Arms of the Dumbars; nor of the Pepdies, but by the Pepingoes, born by the Earle of Hume: Nor of the Gif­fords, but by the three Bars Ermine, born by the Earle of Tweddail, as their Arms: Nor would have any known that there had been a Lord Brechin of the name of Wishart, if the Marquess of Dowglass had not quartered his Arms, as having married the Heretrix.

7. To remember Princes of their obligations to some Families. Thus King Robert the Bruce gave the house of Winton a falling Crown supported by a Sword; to show, that the Seatons had supported the Crown when it was in a distrest condition: which Seaton of Barns yet bears, because he got the Land which was dispon'd, with the Arms: And to Veitch, a Bullocks head, to remember posterity, that the Bearer had assisted that King with Aliment, in bringing some Bullocks in His great distress.

8. To instruct descent by blood; and therefore Arms are called Tesserae Gentilitiae. Thus the Weems and Fyfe, are known to be Cadets of Macduff, and the Colquhouns and M ^cfarlans Cadets of the Family of Lennox, by their Arms; and these are surer Marks of Consanguinity than the Sirname, as may be known by many instances; and among others the Shaws in the North, are known to be M ^cintoshes by their Arms.

9. To show, that the Bearers possest once great Imployments. Thus the Earle of Southesks Predecessours did bear a Cup in an Escotcheon, upon the Eagles breast, to show, that his Predecessours were Cup-bearers, Regi olim à Pateris, ut praelibaret & auro, Ista notis certis perhibent insignia gentis.

And Wood of Largo two Ships, to show, that his Predecessours were Ad­mirals. Thus Burnet carries a Hunting-horn in his shield, and a High-lan­der in a hunting garb, and Grew-hounds for his supporters; to show, that he was His Majesties Forrester in that northern Forrest, as Forrester of that ilk is in the South: for which he also carries three Hunting horns. The Earle of Holdernesse, Ramsay, carried a sword Pale-wayes, to show, that he and his Successours had right to carry the Sword of State, the day of Gowries Conspiracy, as a reward for killing Gowrie.

10. These shew ofttimes to the Bearers, to whom they have been oblidged. Thus the Dundasses bear for their Supporters, the Lyon, which was the Arms of the Earls of March, to show, their Support they got from that Nobleman; and they show the intimacy and friendship of the Giver. Thus King Robert the Bruce having carried as a privat Badge three Lawrel leaves, with this word, Sub Sole, sub Vmbra virens: He gave to Irvin, Drum's Predecessour, who had been constantly His Armour-bearer, the three Hollen leaves, which is a kind of Lawrell.

11. These shew the Bearers Antiquity, and thus Macdowal (for though Macdou­gal may be Macdonald, yet Macdowal is not) is known to be amongst the ancien­test Sirnames of Scotland, because he bears a Lyon collard, with a broken Crown about his neck, in remembrance of Dovallus, his Predecessours (as is alledg'd) killing Nothatus, who was a Tyrant, and who liv'd many years before Christ: which (if true) are the ancientest Arms I ever saw, belonging to any private Family in Europe.

[Page 4]12. These let us know, if the Bearers be Noblemen or Gentlemen, and what their Dignity is; as will appear by several Casques and Crowns.

13. The Shield, and ofttimes the Signet, made the Bearers, who were kill'd in the crowd, to be known, that they might be honourably buried.

14. They being appended, inform us of the true Sirnames of the Granters, which are become illegible; and thus by the Seals I have found some Charters to be granted by Menzies of Weems, when we could hardly read the Name: and I have been in Processes, wherein Charters were alledg'd to be false and forg'd, because the Granters true Arms and Seal were not appended.

15. By these Arms, we are instructed of the right Originations, and wri­tings of Sirnames: And thus we know the name of Tarbet to be wrong writ; and that it should be writ, Turbett, seing they have three Turbetts, fretted proper, for their Arms. And thus we find that Buchannan erred, calling the Winrams, Viniramus; which gave occasion to some of that name lately, to take a Vine branch for their Arms; for the old Arms is a Ram passant, and were given the first of that name, for being incomparable at a Game wherein men were to wind and turn a strong Ram from the sheep with one hand: whereupon he was also called Winramme. Thus the Trumbles are Turnbulls to their names; and Boëtius sayes, That they were so called, because the first of that name, did turn and divert a mad Bull from killing King Robert the Bruce. Of which Antiquities and Games there is no Record but Heral­dry.

16. These Arms show who have been Founders of Towns, Castles or Churches. Thus the Church of Durham is known to be built by the Kings of Scotland, and the Town of Erfort is known to be built by the French King, because it bears their Arms, Dresser pag. 227.

17. These inferr a presumptive right of Superiority, Quando Arma in Por­tis vel Curiis pinguntur, Bart. tract. de insig. And thus when the Millaners did ingage to be Vassals to the Emperor Fredrick the first, they undertook to carry the Arms of the Empire upon the Steeple of their chief Church, Limn. dejure publ. cap. 6. num. 126. And when Orknay and Zetland were fully resign'd to the Kings of Scotland, it was agreed, that the Arms of Scotland should be affixt in their publick Courts: And thus the Dukes of Venice are known not to have an absolute Jurisdiction, because they are not allowed to represent the Arms of their Family upon the Coin of the publick, Alberi. ad l. Si qui C. de oper. publ. And one of their Dukes was severely censur'd by the State, for having contraveened this rule in Heraldry, Tessaur. decis. 270. Arms do presume Propriety in moveables especially, to which men have only right by Possession, and not by Writ, Hopping, cap. 13. And this is an ordinary Pre­sumption in all Judicatures, Nam sicut ex signis signatum, ita ex insigniis Do­mini rerum cognoscuntur, Tusk. tom. 1. conclus. 516.

18. These Arms are also most necessar for signing Articles of peace amongst Princes, and Contracts and other Writs amongst private persons; and by them also Knights and Warriours did find out one another in Battels and Tiltings: An example whereof our History gives, in the Lairds of Drum and M ^clean at the Battel of Harlaw.

19. By these the Ships of Enemies are known, and are accordingly confisca­ted, if taken at Sea; which Lawyers extend so far, that if a Ship carry the Flagg of an enemy, it will be declared Prize, though it belong to a King­dom in amity with the Taker, Iason. consit. 163. h. 19. Many likewise took [Page 5] a part of their Superiour or Over-lords Arms, as is observ'd in Camdens Re­mains, Pag. 157. And thus most of the Sirnames in Annandale carry the Arms of the Bruce; in Murray, some part of the Murrays Arms; and in Tevidale, the Dowglass Arms, or some part thereof.

20. I confess that Arms are sometimes derived from the Names of the Bear­er, as Peacock bears a Peacock, Cockburn a Cock, &c. And these are called, Arma cantantia, by the Latine; [...], by the Grecians; Des armoiries par­lants, by the French; rebus or canting Arms, by the English: and are never presum'd to be Noble Arms, because, it is presumed that if the Bearer had done any generous actions, which deserved Arms, they had never recurred to their Names; yet this Rule holds not still true: for of old, some men got their lands as rewards of great Acts, and Sirnames came not in the mode with us, till the Reign of King Malcolm Canmor, who gave Sirnames to all his Nobles, and then many took their Sirnames from their Lands they possest, as the Cockburns and others, and suited their Arms to their names to the end it might be known that they were Heritors of such places: For which cause likewise we find, that Chiefs of Families are ordinarly of that ilk, that is to say with us, That their Names and Lands are the same. Some also derive their Names as well as their Arms from some considerable action: and thus a second son of Struan Robertson, for killing of a Wolf in Stocket Forrest by a durk in the Kings presence, got the Name of Skein, which signifies a durk in Irish, and three durk-points in for Pale for his Arms. Some likewise got Names from their Arms, for being strangers, the people amongst whom they came, not kno­wing their Arms, gave them names from their Symbols or Arms they did bear. Thus, the Fowllis were called, from the leaves they carried: Monsieur Des Feules, and the Herrises or Herrisons, with us got their names from the Porcupine, or Herrison in French, which was their Arms, as Brothers of the House of Vendosm: And Historians observe, that the French were called Galli, ex eo quod gallos in conis galeae, seu pro cristis gerebant: And there­fore, Limneus, cap. 6. num. 1. concludes, That Omnia arma quae cantant, non sunt insignia illiberalia, sive vilium hominum. Arms are ordinarily assum'd by Kingdoms, and Towns, either to represent what they glory most in: Thus the Kingdom of Granada, take a Pome-granate. Thus the Earle of Bu­chan, took three garbs, or sheaves of corn, because Buchan was more fertil in Corn than other places of Scotland; which though very fertile now in grain, yet were then full of Woods: or else Kingdoms, and Towns take something which resemble the Situations of their Countrey. Thus Holland takes a Ly­on, and Paris a Ship, because the ground upon which it was built, repre­sented the figure of a ship: and ordinarily with us, Towns took for their Arms the most remarkable thing belonging to their Towns; as, Edinburgh and Dumbarton, their Castles: or else the Saint, which was their Patron, as Pit­tinweem, St. Adrian; and Tayn, St. Duthacus; or else the badge of that Saint, as St. Iohnstoun, the Holy Lamb, which is the badge of St. Iohn: and Dundee, the Pot and the Lillies, which is the badge of the Virgin Mary. Which invention was borrowed from the Ancients, for we find that Diana was represented upon the coyn of Massilium, now Marsels, because that City was founded by Phocea. Alexandria, Napoli, (now Naples) and other Towns built by the Romans had, in memory of Romulus and Remus, a wolf sucking two young ones upon the reverse of their coyn. In imitation of which custom, I find, that not only the Roman Medals did thereafter bear [Page 6] reverses, but some of even our Towns do bear them till now. Thus Aberdeen gives their for Arms three Towers, triple towr'd; and for their reverse, St. Michael, standing in the Porch of a Church.

I have seen the Books of Arms of most Nations, and I have in general ob­served, that every nation hath shewed their humour, as much in Heraldry, as in their other Characters: For the Arms of almost all the Families in Spain, are given, to signifie some undertaking for the Christian Religion, against its ene­mies, the Moors, Turks, or other Hereticks. And their Shields of late are fill'd with Ave Maria's, I. H. S. and such other devote Characters. The Arms of the Italians are ordinarily Emblems and witty Hieroglyphicks. The German Atchievements consist of multitudes of Coats, marshall'd in one, to gratifie the humour of their Countrey; who are vain of nothing so much, as of their Pedegrees. Those of Poland and Denmark, are as wilde and monstrous as the People are who bear them. But the French, who are great Artists, wherever they study, do suffer their natural volagenesse to be consin'd and fixt by Rules of Art. And the Scots, to expresse their friendship to the French, have of old, imitated them in their Heraldry, asmuch, as we do the English, since we were happily united with them under one Monarchy. The Turks take oftentimes Letters of the Alphabet, as a cognizance; because their Religion discharges them to use Images. And it is observed, that the Spaniards use oftentimes Letters, in imitation of the Turkish Moors their Neighbours: or else, these have been left with them since the Moors possest their Countrey.

OF old, Emperours, or Senats only gave Arms, Laz. lib. 9. cap. 17. But thereafter they did choose an old expert Warriour, on whom they be­stowed the power of rewarding, with Coats of Arms, such as had deser­ved well: and these were called Foeciales by the Romans: but now are called Heraldi, or Herawldi. For Heer, signifies an Army, and alt, an Elder, Senes in armis: or from heer, an Army, and Alda, which in the Hungarian tongue, signifies a common servant, Hopping. cap. 6. part. 9. The ehief of that So­ciety is called Lyon, King of, or, at Arms, with us: Rex armorum in Latine. Which name he bears from the Lyon, which is the Royal charge with us: and Konning, Van Wappen by the Germans. Ibid. Garter in England; and Mont­joy, St. Denis in France: and His Patent in Scotland runs thus.

But though this power be bestowed upon Heralds, yet Princes have not so denuded themselves of it, but that they may and do ordinarily grant Coats of Arms: And thus, when Noble-men get their honours by Patent with us, there is either a command given therein, to the Lyon, King at Arms, to grant Arms, Crest, Crown and Supporters, or else, they are specified in the Patent. And it is a rule in the Heraldry of all Nations, and in use with us, that no part of the Royal bearing can be bestowed by the Lyon, with­out a special order from the Prince, Colomb. cap. des brisurs, pag. 74. and this may reprehend the error of some of our Heralds, who have given the Tressure-flori, Conter-flori to private persons, without a warrand.

SOme Lawyers (though vers'd in Herauldry) have been of opinion, that every man can assume Arms to himself at his pleasure, without authori­ty, providing he assume them not, in emulationem alterius, to the prejudice of another: and if this judgement were, Bartol. tract. de arm. num. 5. and Panorm. c. delectis, de exces. Prelat. because (said they) every man may choose a name for himself, seing this is not forbidden in any written Law. but Tiraquel and others, have very justly maintain'd, that none can assume Arms, but that all must owe them to Authority: For as Magistrates of old only bestowed, jus imaginum, ita hodie Tantum illi jus insignium vel armorum conferre possunt: Anno. Rob. lib. 3. Sunt enim Arma Tesserae, & Symbola dignitatis, & nemo potest dignitatem sibi arrogare sine Principis licentia, l. nemo f. de dignit. & licet hoc jure scripto, non sit interdictum, est tamen rationabili consuetudine, & communi Gentium consensu interdictum; & ideo observandum, per. l. quod non ratione f. de legibus. But to quiet all debate in this contro­versie, most of Nations have discharg'd the carrying of Arms to any, save Gentlemen, or such who have a special warrand. Which is also done in Scotland, by the 125. Act. 12 Parl. Iacob. 6. The words whereof are,

From which Act, we may draw these Conclusions, 1. That only such as are Gentlemen by Blood can carry Arms; which opinion is also received now into the Law of Nations, Hopping, cap. 6. Par. 10. But it was first [Page 12] enacted by Frederick the Emperour, lib. 2. feud. tit. 27. De pace tenenda.

2. It is observable, that the Lyon cannot give Arms to such as are not Noble by descent: for the reason inductive of this Statute, is, That there may be a difference betwixt such as are Noble, and such as are not; but there would be none, if it were lawful to the Lyon to give Arms even to such as are not Gentlemen by birth: For as he cannot Nobilitate, so neither can he bestow the marks of Nobility. Likeas, by that Act, he is commanded to inhibit all such as are not Noble to carry Arms. But yet the Prince may still bestow Arms, without any restriction, though he cannot properly make a Gentleman: for that comes by Blood, and not by Patent. And Camden informs us, That of old there was a distinction betwixt Gentlemen of Blood, and Gentlemen of Coat-armour; and that the third from him, who first had Coat-armour, was to all effects and purposes a Gentleman of Blood, pag. 157.2. Albeit the Letter of that Law doth only forbid, to wear, and use Arms without Authority, as said is, upon In-sight, or Houshold-gear; yet, per paritatem rationis, they cannot use them upon Tombs, Seats in the Church, or else-where: & de praxi the Lyon with us, doth raze and de­face all such Arms: But whether the users of false Arms, do incur the penal­ties in such cases, may be doubted; seing penae sunt restringendae, and are not to be extended beyond the Letter of the Law.

3. By that Act, the Lyon is to distinguish, and discern Arms with con­gruent differences; from which words it may be inferr'd, that not only Arms must be originally given by the Lyon, but that marks and differences amongst the Cadets, and Descendants of the same Family, should be given by the Lyon; and that these Cadets cannot assume them: And this is suit­able to the opinion of the Doctors, who teach, that non solum Potestas con­ferendi nova insignia, sed Potestas augendi, mutandi, diminuendi, & confir­mandi insignia Vetera, est penes Principem & ejus Heraldos, Hopping, cap. 8. membro 5. But it may be doubted, if prescription of Arms by Predecessors, be not sufficient to infer a right to the bearing of Arms, and to defend against the penalties of this Act: as to which points, the Doctors deliver these con­clusions.

1. That no man can prescrive the right of using Arms belonging to ano­ther Noble Family without immemorial possession, but that they may pre­scrive a right to bear indefinitely, or to bear the Arms of any other private person, per spatium decem annorum inter praesentes, & viginti annorum inter absentes, vult. consil. 17. volum. 3. But by our Law, where prescription is not allowed, except in the cases wherein it is introduced by a special and express Statute, It is probable, that prescription might well have de­fended before that Act, Iacob. 6. But since that time it should not, seing that Act ordains all Arms to be matriculate in the Lyon's Books, and Registers.

The penalty appointed by that Act, to be inflicted upon such as carry false Arms, is, That the Moveables and Furniture whereupon these Arms are graven, and painted, shall be confiscated: which words must be taken disjunctively, and not copulatively, notwitstanding of the Particle (and;) for if the Arms be either graven or painted, they are to be escheated: as also, the Contraveeners are to pay one hundred pounds to the Lyon, and his Brethen Heralds: But by the Civil Law, he who bears and uses another [Page 13] another mans Arms, to his prejudice, vel in ejus scandalum & ignominiam, is to be punished arbitrarily at the discretion of the Judge, l. eorum f. de falso; But he who usurps his Princes Arms, loses his head, and his goods are confiscated, l. sacri asflatus, C. de divers. rescript.

Suitable to which Law, the Duke of Norfolk was forfeited, and execute by Hen. 8. for no other cryme, but because he did bear the Arms of En­land, though his Predecessors had born them 100. years.

Hovv sacred the Lyons Office is with us, appears among many other instances from this, That the Lord Drummond was in anno, 1515. (as Leslie observes in his storie) forfeited, for striking the Lyon, vita ac dig­nitate aegrè concessis.

But seeing the Patent given to the Lyon gives him power, to give Arms to such a [...] are Virtuous, and worthy Persons; And since, by the fore­said Statute, the Lyon is only discharg'd to suffer any to bear Arms, who are not worthy by the Law of Arms, to bear any signs armorial: It is therefore worthy of our enquiry, to know who are such Persons, as may by the Laws of Heraldry have Arms given them by the Lyon, with­out a special commission from the Prince. And first, it is uncontraverted, that a Gentleman may bear without a warrand the Arms of his Predeces­sors, and such as are descended by three generations from him, to whom Arms were given are Gentlemen. But this holds only in the eldest, for Cadets must have marks of Cadency, and differences assign'd them by the Lyon, and cannot assume them as was formerly observed.

2. Though the Patent allows the Lyon to give Arms, Personis virtute praeditis, and Philosophers, Poets, and Orators say, That Vertue is the tru­est Nobility, which is allowed by the Cannon Law, cap. nos. qui, & cap. pen. ext. de praeben. Yet Lawyers distinguish betwixt Nobility Poli­tick or Civil, which they assert; is not bestowed by Vertue only, and Moral Nobility which Vertue doth destow. Bald. in l. Nobiliores, C. de commerciis: From which Text, they prove clearly this distinction. And therefore▪ the Patent joyns these two Persons, Virtute praeditis, & de no­bis meritis; for certainly, such as have deserved well of the Prince, may have Arms given them by the Lyon: For the first institution of that Office was (as I formerly proved from Laz.) design'd to reward such as had done great service to the Prince: and the Lyon is Judge competent to the bearers merit, in order to this effect; nor can the Law presume, that the Lyon will transgresse so grosly, as to assert that he has served the State, who never did: For that were in him, crimen falsi.

3. Riches do not Nobilitate, nor do they warrand the Lyon to be­stow Arms upon the Possessors. Tiraqueil de Nobilitat. cap. 3. though, as Ierom observes, Nobility is nothing oftimes but ancient riches.

4. The being an Heritor of Land doth not Nobilitate in all cases, even though the Heritage be very considerable; for else a Rich man might Ennoble himself: but these feuda only render the possessors Noble, which are bestowed by the Prince, or confirmed by him. For a few in either of these cases make the receivers Noble, seeing the Prince is the Fountain of Honour. And a few in those cases is a sufficient warrand to bear Arms, Tiraqu. cap. 7. And this remembers me of a custom in Scotland, which is but gone lately in dissuetude, and that is, That such as did hold their Lands of the Prince, were called Lairds; but such as held their Lands [Page 14] of a subject, though they were large, and their Superiour very noble, were only called Good-men, from the old French word, Bonne homme, which was the Title of the Master of the Family; and therefore such Fews as had a Ju­risdiction annext to them, a Barrony, as we call it, do ennoble: For Barro­nies are establisht only by the Princes erection or confirmation. And thus it was found by the Parl. of Grenoble, That qui possident castrum cum terri­torio, & omnimoda jurisdictione sunt exempti à contributione subsidiorum, ut Nobiles, licet non sunt à Nobili Progenie, Guid. pap. decis. 385.

6. The employment of a Souldier doth enoble, if it be honoured with any considerable Command, l. 2. C. de Primicier, calls it, Praeclarem nobilio­remque militiam; & l. 2. c. ut nemo prim. aliter miles, aliter plebeius punitur.

7. Church-Employments do nobilitate, Bart. Concil. 180. pertext. in l. 2. C. ut nemo privat. And generally, it is a Law in Heraldry, that Doctors, Orators, and Lawreat Poets may be honoured with Coats of Arms. The rule runs thus, Doctores, Oratores & Poetas (laureatas) togatam militiam profitentes, à dilatione insignium, galea aperta fenestratorum, & cristis, vex­illis, laciniis, condecoratorum, citra laesae Majestatis crimen arcendos non esse. Hopping. pag. 443. and Vaschal. pag. 712. warrands this by a decision of the Courts of France.

Nobility and the right of bearing Coat-Armours, being thus acquired, is lost many wayes; as First, By leading a vitious and profligat life, l. Si qua c. de secund. nupt. Where it is ordain'd, that ob scelera & vitae turpitudi­nem, honestae nobilisque decore privetur. And the reason given for this is, quia nulla sine honestate est Nobilitas: and Nobility thus is not re-assumable by their Children: but this, with many other vertuous Laws, is gone in dis­suetude: For only Crimes and a Sentence, doe now take off the Sacred Character of Honour. And with us, upon reading the Sentence of For­feiture, the Arms are torn, and the Decreet of forefeiture bears an order for this, but no other sentence for other Crimes discharges the bearing of Arms with us: albeit by the Civil Law it seems, that all Crimes dis­charges the bearlng of Arms, Statuas detrahendas scire debemus, l. 24. f. de Pen. cap. 1. c. decis. 130. Nor can such as are condemned for capital Crimes get Arms, Tresser. de existim. l. 3. c. 25. And whatever renders the Bearer infamous, doth likewise render him incapable of getting Arms, though every infamy forfeits them not.

2. This right is not lost by poverty, even in the longest course of time, Tiraquel, cap. 5.

3. This right is lost by exercising mean Trades, Viles & Mechanicas artes, l. nobiliores, c. de Comer. But when they leave off these, they return to their former Dignities, pap. decis. 196. But the being an Advocat is accounted no such Trade: For an Advocat is noble by his profession, l. pro­videndum, c. de postulat. & l. Advocat. c. de Advocat. div. Iuà. And Spar­tian speaking of Iulian the Emperor, saith, That he was descended of Sa­linus Iulianus, who was twice Consul, and twice Governour of Rome, but was much more noble by being a learned Advocat: And therefore in France, they, as all other Gentlemen, are exempted from paying taxes, Pap. decis. 388. Physicians likewise, and their posterity have a right to bear Coat-Armours, Tiraquel. cap. 31.

Though Merchants be most worthy members of the Common-wealths, yet they are not noble nor Gentlemen by their profession, l. nobiliores, c. [Page] [Page]

[Page 15] de Commer. nor should they have Coat-Armours; but the Laws of Heral­dry, and the general custom of the World allowes them a Merchants mark, call'd by the Doctors, marcha mercatoria: And as no man may bear ano­ther mans Arms, so no merchand may put his mark upon another mans goods, Nam balla mercatorum ex signo cognoscuntur, Feret. lib. 15. de re naval: and he who puts another mans mark upon his own goods, or balls, loses his own, Mascard, v. l. 1. conclus. 1. because that he would occasion a confusion in Trade, and because the Law presumes that to be done to conciliat to the Users goods, the priviledges or advantages due to anothers; and for the same reasons, one Tradesman cannot hang up ano­ther Tradesmans sign, whereby his customers may be withdrawn, or strangers may be cheated to give their sale to one who deserv'd it not: it being ordinare for people to go to such signs, where they have heard o­thers to have bought excellent commodities: and therefore Monar. ob­serves a decision, whereby the Parl. of Paris found, 1612. That a mer­chand, who had assumed lately the marke of a red crosse, which his next neighbour, who was a Rich Merchand had long used, should desist in all time coming from using that sign. From this rule are excepted the Merchands of Paris, whom Charles 5. Anno 1371. ennobl'd, and allowed to bear Coat-Armours, and by their examples the chief Burgesses of capital Towns pre­tend to the same priviledge, L' Osean. pag. 65.

HEralds do not expresse all Colours by our ordinar terms, nor do they admit all Colours in blazoning but they use ordinarily two Met­talls, to expresse two of the ordinary Colours, viz. white by argent, and yellow by or; and that because silver is white, and gold is yellow. The Spaniards call such fields as are all Mettal, Campo de Plata.

The use of thir Mettals and Colours, and the difference betwixt them, did in Coat-armours arise, from the several Colours us'd by Souldiers, and others in their habits whilst they were in Armies, as Pet. Sanct. proves by many Citations. And because it was the custom, to embroider gold or sil­ver upon silk, or silk upon cloath of Gold, or Silver; therefore the Heralds did thereafter appoint, that in imitation of the cloaths so embroyder'd co­lour should not be us'd upon colour, nor mettal upon mettal.

The colours us'd by them are only Blew, which they call azur; Red, which they call gules, from the Hebrew word gulude, a piece of red cloath, or from the Arabick word, Gule, which signifies a rose, which are ordinari­ly red, as Menestier observes. Black, which they call sable, because the best sable furrs are black; and green which they call vert: which is the French word of green, or sinople; for so the French term green, never using the word vert: and the reason why it is called sinople, is from a Town in the Levant, called Sinople, where the best materials for dying green are found, and not from the Greek words, [...], because it being contraverted at Constantinople, whether green was a proper colour to be us'd in Heraldry, It was determined, that it suted with Heraldry, cum armis. Menestier de­rives sinople from [...], green arms, by suppressing the first syllable as the Greek often do. The French admit purple in Heraldry, though Favin and some Heralds in that Nation, think that Purple is but argent worne, which by occular inspection turns purple: they likewise allow carnation or flesh colour Colomb.

The French observe, that the English use taunie, which Heralds call tenne; and is composed of gueuls and sable: and the English observe, that the French use it, Guilims, pag. 21. But Guilims is here in a mistake; for [Page 18] the French use it not, but the English do. Colombeir likewise observes, that the English use sanguin; which is made up of pure lacque and orange, which is compos'd of leed and tin: But Colombeir is mistaken here, for the Eng­lish use not orange, but the Germans do sometimes. The ordinar colours and mettals in use, are, or, argent, gules, sable, azur, vert and purpure.

Why Heralds choosed these five colours only, I can give no surer reason, then that they thereby resolved to fix the uncertainty of vagrant and capritious Artists; even as Lawyers have fixt prescription to forty years, and mino­rity to twenty one; but yet there are some original colours. Aristotle redu­ced them to four, White, black, yellow and red. Cardan makes them seven. Albus, Croceus, Purpureus, Puniceus, Viridis, Caeruleus, niger. Scaliger chooses, album, flavum, rubrum, purpureum, viridem, caeruleum, & nigrum, Exercit. 325. But the Chimists observe, that white, blew, red, green and yellow, are the original colours, and from them Heralds have choosed thir.

These colours have their own mystical representations in Heraldry. For Or is us'd to expresse the bearers faith, justice, temperance, riches, genero­sity, or prosperity: Argent, his humility, innocency, beauty: and a white Shield was given to novices, when they went to the War, and before they had done any glorious action, Virgil. Parma. inglorius, alba azur: his cha­rity, victory: Gules, his magnanimity, courage, love and charity: Sable, his grief, prudence, honesty. Sinople or Vert, his courtesie, civility, youth and abundance. Yet sometimes these colours are us'd to disguise and con­ceal the bearers Origin. Thus, some were originally Murrays, but being forc'd to change their Name, and leave their Countrey, they retain'd their Arms, but chang'd their Colours. For whereas the Murrays bore azure, three stars argent, they bear now arg. three stars azur: and yet colours have been chang'd upon very honourable occasions: And thus Ker of Ces­foord did bear G. Till their chief was kill'd at Gambspath, upon the border fight­ing valiantly for his Countrey: whereupon King Iames the fourth appoin­ted, that for the future, the House of Cesfoord should carrie Vert, in re­membrance of that Green Field whereupon he was kill'd. Sometimes al­so Colours were chosen by Knights to their Arms, because at Tiltings, they us'd to appear in that Colour; and for that reason, the first Crichtoun chois'd his Lyon that he bears to be Azure. Sometimes also the things born are allow'd in their natural Colours, if they be of many Colours, and then the things born are said to be born proper. As the Peacocks in Scotland, bear three Peacocks proper, that is to say, in all their ordinar Col­ours. But though this be allow'd in the charge, yet it is not allow'd in the field; for that must be of either the ordinar mettals, or colours. Yet this suffers some exceptions, as in the Arms of the Count de Prado in Spain, who bears a meadow proper, that is to say, a green field charg'd with flowrs of se­veral colours. Or is writ, O; argent, ar Gules. G. azur, az; Sable, S. vert. &c. Sin; purpur, P. Some fantastick Heralds have blazon'd not only be the ordinar colours and mettals, but by flowrs, dayes of the weeks, parts of a mans body, as le feron and Bara, and have been condemned for it by the He­ralds of all Nations: Yet the English have so far own'd this fancy, that they give it for a rule, That the Coats of Soveraigns should be blazon'd by Planets, those of Noblemen by precious Stones, and have suited them in the manner here set down.

[Page 19]

BUt I crave leave to say, that thir are but meer fancies, and are like­wise unfit for the Art in which they are imploy'd: which is clear from these reasons, 1. The French, from whom the English derive their Heraldry, and to whom they conform themselves, not only in principles and terms of Art; but even in extrinsick words of the French language, do not only not use thir different wayes of Blazoning, but constantly treat them en ridicule.

2. The Italian, Spanish, and Latine Haralds, use no such different forms: But Blazon by the ordinary Colours▪ and Mettalls, Non variari no­mina debent mettallroum, vel colorum in Magnatum, aut in Regum in­signiis pro hac re provoco ad scriptores caeteros, qui Gallice, Germanice, aut Latine hac de re disseruerunt, Pet. sanct. pag. 58.

And one of the great designs in Heraldry, is to have the Art universal, and to have the Arms they describe generally understood in all Nations▪ yea, and even Mr. Cartwright, their Countrey man, do's condemn this way as fantastick.

3. Art should imitate nature, and as it were an unnatural thing in com­mon discourse, not to call red [...]punc; red, because a Prince wea [...]s it: So it is unnatu­ral to use these terms in Heraldry: and it may fall out to be very ridicu­lus and unnatural in some Arms. As for instance, if a Prince had for his Arms an asse couchant under his burden, gules: It were very ridiculus to say, that he had an asse couchant mars, for the word mars will agree very ill with asses, Sheep, Lambs, and many other things which are to be Painted red in Heraldry. And a hundred other examples may be given, but it is enough to say, That this is to confound Colours with Charges, and the things that are born with Colours.

4. As this is unnecessar, so it confounds the Reader, and makes the Art unpleasant, and deters Gentlemen, and others from studying it, and strangers from understanding what our Heraldry is: Nor could the Arms of our Princes, and Nobility be translated in this disguise unto the Latine, or any other language.

But that which convinces me most, that this is an error, is, because it makes that great Rule unnecessar, whereby Colour cannot be put upon Colour, or Mettall upon Mettall; for this cannot hold, but where Met­talls and Colours are imploy'd.

It was of old impossible to know the Colours of Arms, except they had been Blazon'd, or Illuminated; and yet Arms differ only by their Colours: As we see in our Lyon, which Scotland carries Red; Kinghorn, Blew; Rosse of Balnagoun, White; and therefore, the French have found out this device, for discovering even in Taliduce, or Carving what the Colours are. For they make or pointe O, arg. plain, Azur is represented by Lyns in Fasse, [Page 14] gules by Lyns in Pale, Vert, by Lyns in band, Purple by Lyns in Barr, sable by Lyns in Pale, and Face [...]punc;

I have thought fit, to represent tenne, by Lyns in Band and Barr, and Sanguine by Lyns in Face and Barr; as will more clearly appear by the figures: and I could wish that Gentlemen would cause cut Seals in this fashion, So that not only the bearing, but the colours of the bearing might be known by the Seal.

It is an uncontraverted rule in Heraldry, that colour cannot be put im­mediatly upon colour, nor mettal upon mettal: that is to say, That if the Field be argent, the immediat charge must not be either, Or, or argent; but must be of some colour, as Azur, Gules, &c. And if the Field be of any colour, as Azur, Sable, &c. then the immediate Charge must be either, Or, or arg. The reason why I add the word immediat here, is, because, though the Field be or, yet the immediat Charge may be a Lyon, or any thing else: If that Lyon be Charg'd with another Charge (which He­ralds call Super-charge) then, that Super-charge may be Or: This rule was not observ'd amongst the Romans, as Pier. observes, cap 19. nam Hercu­leani Seniores gerebant ceruleam aquilam alis utrim (que) expansis in parma ru­bra. But this Law was first authorized by Charles the great, and there­after improv'd by Henry sirnamed Aucuper velser, lib. 4.

And it is now Stated in this forme by Heralds. In Legibus Heraldicis, Non convenit Metallam supra Metallam ponere, ita quoque non decet co­lorem supra colorem pingere, Hoppin. cap. reg. 2. vid. anton. thessaur. decis. 270. and thereafter, Trissin Italia Liberata sayes.

Where he shows us, that the Origin of differencing Mettals, from Colours, was from the differences which fell out in the Trojan Wars, betwixt the followers of Achilles, and Ulisses: Whereupon Achilles friends Blazon'd only Mettals, and Vlisses his friends Colours. And in commemoration of that difference, Heralds appointed that▪ Mettalls, and Colours, should thereafter be no more divided, lest Heraldry should become, or be made a Badge of discord, in Courts or Armies: but I prefer Petr. Sanct. his conjecture above related.

Albeit this rule be very Universal in Heraldry, yet it suffers its own exceptions, as 1. Heralds gave to Godfrey of B [...]lloigne, King of Ierusalem, Crucem auream majorem, cum quatuor cruciculis aureis, in scuto argenteo, Chass. de glor. mundi. consil. 38. conclus. 70. To the end that men seeing His Arms should enquire after them, and so learn the Fame of the bear­er. And the French call, to this day, such Irregular bearings, des armes, a enquerir, Arms to be enquired into. The 2. exception is, of the extre­mities of Beasts, such as their Horns, Tongues, Nails, and their Crowns upon their Heads, which may be Mettal upon Mettal, or Colour upon [Page 21] Colour. The 3. exception is of marks of Cadencie in Royal Families: Thus the House of Bourbon, carry Battons Gules, on a Field azur: The like is in our privat marks to younger Brothers, of Cadencie, such as our mollets, cressents &c. given.

The 4. exception is, of the Colour Purpure; for purple, is ac­counted Mettal, when it is upon Colour; and Colour, when it it is upon Mettal: The reason of which exception seems to be, either because is a Royal Colour, and therefore to be priviledg'd, or more probably, because Purple is thought by some Heralds (as was formerly observ'd) to be oftentimes, argent worn off by use, and time. So that it is hard to know when it was at first design'd to be a Mettal, and when a Colour. Sometimes also a Chief will appear to be so contriv'd, as to be Mettal, up­on Mettal or Colour, upon Colour: but then the French call it Cousu, a Chief sew'd to the Shield. And thus they evite that objection, The French also claim the priviledge to their Flowerdeluce, as Desvarennes observes, be­cause it being given frequently by the Prince, to such as had formerly Fields of Colour, or Mettal: the rule could not be observ'd. But in this I differ from them; For it may still be plac'd upon some other figure, so as to salve the Rule; and if they plead this priviledge to their Flowerdeluce, The Scots may to their Lyon, and the Germans to their Eagle: but in my opinion, it is better to shun the breaking of Rules, then to be vext making apologies.

Some Heralds debate what Colours are Noblest in Heraldry, and Bart. de insig. num. 29. gives it for a Rule, aureum esse nobiliorem, posteum (que) purpureum, & tunc rubeum, sequi hunc azorem, hunc album. Caeteros vero esse nobiliores, aut ignobiliores, quo, de albedine, vel, nigredine plus parti­cipant. But I humbly conceive, that this debate is impertinent to many cases: for colours are chois'd to expresse the humour of the bearer, or the nature of the bearing. And therefore, there can be no precedencie. For that colour is best, which is fittest; but otherwise it seems, that those colours which have most resemblance to light, are the best colours; seing light is the author and cause of all colours: And therefore white is pre­ferable to all colours, but in Heraldry Or is preferred to it, seing white is not a colour in Heraldry, but an Mettals and Mettalls are by the principles of this Art still preferred to colours, and Gold is preferable to Silver.

Though ordinarily colours are not only preferrable, as they suit best with what is represented; as for instance, in the Keiths Arms, three pales, Gules: being to represent three bloody draughts drawn by the King, and a hand Gules in the Mcfersons Arms for killing the Cumming, could not have been so honourably represented by any other colour; yet if the bearing require no special colour, it is given as a Rule, that the Shield should be of a nobler colour than the bearing: and if the Shield be compos'd only of different colours, as will be seen hereafter, in Shields, parted per pale, or per fesse, that the Nobler should be in the upper part, or upon the right side: quoties arma fiunt ex diversis coloribus, semper nobilior color nobiliori in loco ponendus, Hopping, cap. 11. lex. 4. The old Scots us'd still to ex­presse colour by the Word tincture.

SHields were anciently either Painted, or covered with Skins, as the Tar­gets, or Shields of our Hig-hlanders, yet are: The Painting gave occa­sion to the Colours formerly treated of, and the covering to the Furrs, or Skins mentioned in this Chapter. And this I take to be a better ryse for their being in Shields, then to say, that they were used in Mantles and Garments; and that therefore Heralds use them as Guilims observes: For this may be a good reason why they are us'd in Mantlings, but not in the Shields. Pet. Sanct. calls these Furrs Vellera.

There are two Furrs allow'd by Heralds, viz. Ermin, and Vair. Er­mine is a little Beast, lesse then a Squirrell; so call'd, because it lives or­dinarily in the Woods of Armenia; the colour of its body is a pure white, and its tail is black: And therefore our Heralds make Ermines to be a Furr, whereof the ground is white, distinguish'd with black spots; but it is not naturally of the form represented in this figure, the dis­posal of these black spots being only invented by Furriers, who mix for beautie the blacknesse of the tail with the whitenesse of the body. But because the black spot of the tail, was not sufficient, to spot the whole Skin; therefore Furriers do take the wool of Italian Lambs shorn out of the Bellies of their Dames, by which they beautifie the Skin with various spots, as Varennes observes, pag. 8. It is hotly debated by Men­estier, and his namelesse adversare, whether these be whole Skins of Ermins, or only the tails of Ermines, that are; represented in blazoning: But I think both erre, for it cannot be the intire Skin, with its own natural spots only, for some are very frequently spotted: nor can it be the tails of Er­mines only, as Menestier asserts; For these tails are so little, that they would make ill Furring: But I think that these spots are added by Heralds, not only in imitation of the spotted Furrs used by Ladies, for these are regularly spotted, and in Heraldry they are not, but to diversifie the ma­ny Coats of Arms: And thus some bear one spot in the middle, some two, some three, some one in chief; some dispose them as a Crosse, &c. They are call'd by the Italians, Armelini, and the Latine expresse them per maculas nigras muris pontici.

The first user of this Furr in Arms was Brutus the Son of Silvius, who having by accident kill'd his Father, left that unhappie ground, and travel­ling in Bretaigne in France fell asleep; and when he awoke, he found this little Beast upon his Shield, and from that time wore a Shield Ermins, which is the Arms of Bretaigne to this day: and when the Field is charg'd with nothing but Ermins, we say, he carries of Bretaigne; and the Mushets cary Ermins, to show their descent from Bretaigne. And I observe, that many sirnames, who alledge they came from France, bear Ermine; and therefore, I presume they came from Bretaigne: for that Countrey being upon the Sea, its inhabitants were more inclin'd to travel, than the other French: but some Families, as the Coupers, do for more security, cary the [Page]

[Page] [Page 23] Flourdeluces, and Ermins, in one Shield, to signifie their descent from France and from Bretaigne in that Kingdom.

Where the Ground or Field is black, and the pouldring white, we call it Contre-Ermine, Colomb. pag. 52. Though Guilims call it more im­properly Ermins: making no difference, betwixt the names, but the additi­on of the Letter s. But the French write still Hermins, Guilims sayes, that where the Field is Or, and the pouldring black, it is call'd Erminois, and cites for this Bara, pag. 14. But there is no such thing to be found in Bara. and where the Field is black pouldered with Or, He calls it Pean: but I find no such term us'd in the French; for they call Furres, or doublings, des pannes or pennes, which possibly gave occasion to this mistake, and ma­ny others, in such as understand not the French tongue; for the French say only Hermine, if it be proper, viz. white pouldered with black; but if the colours alter, they expresse the same as Sable pouldred with Er­mins, Or; as also they say, Or pouldred, with Ermins sable, semé D. Or. Hermins de sable, Bara. pag. 14. and Colombier, pag. 53. If there be but one hair of red in each side, Guilims calls it Ermenits; but these are but fancies, for Erminits signifies properly little Ermins.

The other Furr is call'd Vair, vellus petasite, where all the several pieces are made in form of little Glasses, and, as some think, are call'd Vair, from the French Verre, a Glasse; or as some say, from the Variation of the co­lours; and therefore, the Latine say, Arma variata ex pellibus albis & cerulis. The Field of it is arg. and az. and if so, it is simply call'd Vair; but if the colours alter, or be moe, the alterations must be exprest: And therefore our Heralds have ill Blazon'd Straiton of Lauristons Arms, verri arg. and az. for here the naming the colours was superfluous.

This Furr must be still of Mettal and Colour, and in Blazoning, you must begin at the Mettal as he carries Verry Or, and Sinople: Nor is there any difference betwixt these words, Vair, Verry, and Verrey, though Sir Iohn Fern, pag 86. assignes to every word its particular difference; but Guil. pag. 28. condemns this justly as a meer fancie, and founded upon no Authority; and I wish he had adverted to this himself in other places. Vair is ordinarily of six ranks▪ if they be moe or fewer they must be ex­prest: This rule the French still observe.

The French likewise observe, that if the pieces be of Mettal, and made not in form of a Glasse, but of a Bell, then they are to be call'd Beffroy Colomb. pag. 58. et on dit a la band de Beffroy de Vair: d, une seul tire, that is, of one rank.

The origin of Vair in armorie is from the Furr of a Beast, called Varus, whose Back is a blew-gray, its Bellie being white: and therefore Heralds have exprest it in blew and white colours, and when the Head and Feet of that Beast is taken from its Skin, it resembles much the figure of Vair, us'd by the Heralds, vid, Aldrovand de quadruped. lib. 2. cap. 24. And the reason why they are never used in Heraldry, in the natural colour of blew-gray, is, because Heraldry admits no mix'd colours; and therefore it has chosen blew, because that is the nearest colour to blew-gray: and the reason why it is never used all blew, or all white, is, because the whole Skin is parted into these different colours: the first use of them in He­raldry is said to be from le Segneur de Coucies, fighting in Hungarie, and seeing his Army flee, did pull out the doubling or lyning of his Cloak, [Page 24] which was of those colours, and hung it up as an Ensign: whereupon the Souldiers knowing his courage, and confiding in it, did return to the bat­tel, and did overcome their enemy. Colomb. pag. 58. Leigh, fol. 132. is of opinion that Ermine is not a colour, but may be lookt upon, and should serve in Heraldry as a mettal: But Guilims, pag. 24. taxes him in this of an error, (saith he) it is us'd as the doubling or lining of mantles, and mettal is not fit for that employment: and therefore he concludes that it must be a colour: but in this I think they err both, for seing it is a com­pound of Mettal and colour, I think it should be lookt upon, as neither the one nor the other, and so may be put indifferently upon Mettal or colour without offending the rules; for seing it is Mettal and colour, it can no more be put upon colour then upon Mettal, and so it must be us'd in­differently as both, or not put in a Coat with either Mettal or colour, which were impossible: but in the practice of Heraldry, they are indiffe­rently us'd, as may be seen by the tresor armori (que) de France, and in Scotland Ermin is born sometimes with colour, as in the Arms of the Mccullochs.

BEfore I descrive the Charge, that is to say, the things born in the Shield, I must advertise my Reader, what the several points of the Shield are; for the same things make different Arms, according as they are plac'd, and therefore, by the Doctors call'd, Alveoli, seu Cellula­soli.

The reason of the Names, and designations of the several points, is from the several parts of a man, who is in Heraldry, Architecture, and Painting, the true measure of all Simetrie, and Perfection: Imagine then a man standing in the Field, his highest point is his head, which in French is Chef, and so chief Point is not so call'd in Heraldry, because it is the most ex­cellent, but because it is the head of the Shield; and the English writ it wrong, for it should be writ Chef: It is allow'd three Points A, B, C.

The second Point, is call'd Honour Point, because a man wears all the Badges of his Honour, about his Neck: As is to be seen in the Knights of the Holy Ghost, Saint Esprit, and even in the Knights of the Garter, who wear their Coller about their Neck, on St. Georges day; though for con­veniencie they wear it otherwise, at ordinary occasions.

The third Point E is call'd caeur, or centre Point, the heart Point; but by Guilims, and other English Heralds, is erroneusly call'd fesse Point: and yet in this they follow Bara, as I conceive: but he calls it fesse, or face: which last is more proper, because face, which is one of the ordinaries, as shall be said hereafter, passes through this Point: For fesse signifies the flank, or the buttocks, and these are not the middle part of a man: And the Italians call Ceur Point, il centro, and the Latine, centrum parmae.

The fourth E, is nombrill Point, the Navel Point; for nombrill signifies a Na­vel, in ordinary French. The English use it also; but I wonder why Les fesse sont plus hautes, que le nombrill, the next Point to nombrill are the two flanks G.H. [Page] [Page]

[Page 25] H. acording to the French, and under them the base Point; but the En­glish have no flank Points, but make all the three to be the dexter base, middle base, and sinister base: Which in my humble opinion is very im­proper; for by occular inspection, it appears that a Shield has but one base Point, or basis Ferne, constantly: and some of our Scotish Books of Bla­zonrie following his mistake, call the base Point bast. And since the En­glish follow the French here generally, both, as to the names, and situa­tions; why they should not follow them, in what is most reasonable seems strange: Especially seing the Latine and Italian Authors agree with them, as is clear by Petra Sancta, cap. 20.

The use of these Points, is, to difference Coats exactly: for Arms having a Lyon in Chief, differ from these who have a Lyon in nombrill Point and all the Points have their different significations: For bearings which argues Precedencie, or Wit, are plac'd in Chief Point: These which are given as additions of Honour, are plac'd in honour Point: These which are given to reward Courage, are given in caeur Point, or centre Point: These that are given in Reward of Supplie, or Support, are given in one of the flank Points; because a mans thighs or flanks are his great Suppor­ters, &c.

The learned Spelman divides the Shield in three Regions, the highest, he calls cephalica, the middle he calls centrica; and the lower perigaei.

1. But these (not being followed by other writers and differing only from others in the way of expression) are not to be used.

Menestrier the Iesuite divides the Shield in 16 points, distinguisht in five threes, and a single base point. The first three, he calls the three points of the chiefe, the second three, he calls the three points of honour, the third threes, he calls the heart points, the fourth threes, he calls the nombril or navel-points, the fifth threes, he calls simplie the points. And the single and lowest point he calls the base point. And thus he designs the several situations of any Bearing exprest in the Shield, by saying it is placed in such a point, or in the canton dextre or sinistre of such a point: if it possess all the three, he terms them couch'd, or laid alongst the cheife, or nombril, &c. sometimes also they are said to be placed in Pale or pale-wise, or Saltire-wise, &c.

When Arms are described without relation to, or expressing the point where they are to be plac'd, they are then understood to possess▪ the center of the Shield called by Plutarch, Homer, and others [...] the seat of the Arms.

THe Charge or Bearing is compos'd of several and different forms of Lyns, of which, though the French do not treat separately; yet seeing they are common to all Bearings, I thought fit to premise to the knowledge of them an explication of different Lyns; of which they are compos'd, fol­lowing Guilims, Cartwright, and the English Heralds.

The figure explains it self.

[Page 26]The chief reason why the Lyns are thus used in Heraldry, Is to difference Bearings, which would be otherwise the same; for a chief wavé differs from a chief simple, as much as if the one bore a Chief, and the other a Lyon Rampant: But though this be the general reason, yet there are particular reasons for these differences, as shall be observed hereafter.

The difference betwixt invecked and engraild, is, that they are opposite, the one being the other turned out, indented and daunsette, differ, in that the one is the other inverted; but I think them all one: And so the French and Latine calls them promiscuously dentatus, vid. Skinner. But for difference, because the one is large and the other small, therefore indented is term'd dentata absolutely, and daunset dentes decumani in Latine, and di non ordina­ria grandezza by the Italian, Pet. Sanct. pag. 181.

Invecked, is so called by the English from the Latine Invehor; because it carries in its corners upon the thing whereupon it borders; But I finde no such word used by the French: yet I think it is useful, seeing ingraild which they make use of, to signifie both, is of a contrary figure. The word ingraild, is said by Upton and Guilims, to come from ingredior, quia ingreditur rem circumscriptam: But this is a mistake, for then invecked and ingraild should not differ, though they be contrair in their figure; but the true origination of it, is from the French word graile, which signifies hail, and engraile in ordinary French, signifies struck, and cut by hail: which hail, being round, pinches and cuts the leaves of trees, or any thing else in the form represented by that lyne, which is called, Linea striata, in Latine, and Skanellata, by the Italians. Waved is so call'd, from the waves of the Sea, which it repre­sents, and is therefore called undê; and is used for signifying that the Bearer got his Arms for service done at sea: Thus the Drumonds bear three faces undé, or wavé, because the first of that name came with Queen Margaret, as Master of the Ship, and having suffered great storm, through which he by his skill conducted them; he did thereafter get three faces wavé, repre­senting those great waves: The Latine call it, Vndiformis or Vndulata, Pet. Sanct. pag. 163. Neb [...]lé is so called, because that Lyne represents a cloud; for which cause, French Heralds call it, nuancé, Colomb. page 102. Linea nubilosa, and is given to such as have been eminent for their skill in Na­vigation and Pilotry: for that Employment oblidges them to understand Clouds, Storms, and Winds: Crenelae is a French word, signifying the batt­element of houses, as the figure of this lyne signifies, which is called, Linea pinnata, and it is used on the Arms of such as have defended Castles for their Prince or Countrey, or of such as are skilful in Architecture.

AFter Battels were ended, the Shields of the souldiers were considered; and he was accounted the most deserving, whose Shield was either most, or deepliest cut; and to recompence the dangers wherein they were known to have been by these cutts, Heralds did represent those cutts upon their Shields. And those Bearings in general, are called the Partitions of the Shield.

[Page 27]The ordinar Cuts did give names to the ordinar Partitions, of which the others are made by several conjunctions: If the Shield was cut from the chief to the base, it is called by the French, parti; if all over, coupé; if from the right high angle, to the lowest left angle, tranché; if from the left high angle, to the right low angle, taillé: But the English observe not these terms, nor have they followed the French in this; but they name the Partitions by the honourable ordinaries, and what the French call parti, they call parted per pale; for coupe, they say parti per fesse; for taillé they say parti per bend sinistre; for tranché they say, Parti per bend: for a be [...]d dextre, needs not be called otherwise then a bend simplie, as in the figure herewith annext will appear, and in this I prefer the English to the French, because they in this use not many superfluous terms, and hereby avoid much confu­sion; likeas they in this agree better with the Latine and Italian Heraldry.

But where the Lynes cannot describe the several Cuttings of the Shield, there must be new terms, and there only they should have place; and there­fore gyrons, quarters and cantons were first invented. A gyron is the French word of bosom, and these partitions are called gyrons, because they meet in the bosom: They were of old called, contrarie-conid, because they did meet in in cono; portat arma contra conata ex octo partibus, vid. Fern. 211. They are in the latine called, pinnulae octonae, and merli octango-laxi, by the Italians: And therefore if they be eight, they need not be exprest, but the number must be exprest if there be moe, or fewer: And Berengarius was so called, quia ejus arma erant benè gyronata.

But the Earl of Argil's Coat should not be blazon'd gyroné, for it may be blazon'd by the ordinary Lyns: and therefore I chuse rather to blazon it thus parted by pale, face, bend dextre, and sinistre, or, and sable; and as this is suitable to reason, so I desire any person to consider if the Earl of Argyl's Coat does not differ from that of Grolle in Colomb. page 80. Why then should they not differ in the termes of art: and for authorizing me in this, I recommend the Reader to Colomb. fig. 11. & 12. pag. 81.

A quarter is the fourth part of the Shield, and is called canton from the French word canton, which signifies a corner. It represents the Banner that has been given to the Bearer, as a reward of his service, or at least is equivalent, as if a Baner had been given him. A pyle in Heraldry repre­sents that ingine whereby souldiers and others secured the foundations of their buildings; and have been given since to such as had been very useful in founding Common-wealths, Colonies, or Families: But three piles are oft­times mistaken (as I conceive) both in England, and with us for the pas­sion nailes; which where ordinarie simbols, assum'd by such as went to the Holy-land· And thus I blazon the Wisharts Arms, arg. three passion nails, gules meeting in point, For they resemble exactly the Jesuites cognizance, which are three passion nails. And generallie in France and Spaine, where these pyles are gules, and meet in point, they are called passion nails: And I ra­ther believe this because Spelman pag. 572. relates, That the Wisharts got this name out of malice from the Sarazens, whom Robert the first of that name, did much persecute, about the time of the Norman conquest.

We express still the place from which the pyle takes its beginning, by the word; issuing as issuing out of the chief, issuing out of the corner dextre.

A flasque is the segment of a circle stretched alongst the straight side of the Shield. It is given as a reward for Learning, as Guilims alleadges, and [Page 28] has its name, as Skinner observes, à similitudine uterum antiquorum: animicando­rem notat, Herodian. in severo, pag. 223. But Spelman asserts, That they are the facings of gowns, which were of old so shapt. Others also there are wno think these flasques to be the proper rewards given by Princes, to such as have served them as domestick servants: for the voyder which is the diminution of the flasque, is acknowledged by Guilims, to be the reward for domestick service, & eadem est ratio totius, & partis.

The flanch is yet as much larger than the flasque, as the flasque is than the voyder.

It is a general Rule in blazoning all these partitions, that we must begin with that Colour or Mettal which possesses the highest part or corner dexter, descriptio harum partitionum (sayes Pet. Sanct. pag. 194.) inchoari debet ab eo fulgore, seu coloris, seu metalli, qui primus obversatur oculis in superi­ore loco, vel in angulo dextro. Sometimes one colour is said to be cut upon a­nother, which Bearing has been invented in imitation of cloaths, where­in stuffs of one colour were ordinarily cut out after that fashion of old, in sumptuous varieties: But I likewise imagine, that this way of blazoning has been fallen upon to save some of the received Rules of Heraldry; for we then only say, That one Colour is cut upon another, when there is a Bor­der, and any honourable Ordinary of one colour; which Ordinary does not reach the extremities of the Shield, as it ought to do: An example whereof, Upton gives, pag. 248. where he calls such Coats, Arma duplicia & jaggata, gules voided, Or by the three Barrs, portat de rubeo ablato, sive evacuato super aurum, ad modum trium barrarum.

THe Bearing which is charg'd upon the Field, is either an Fowl or other creature, Tree, Flower, or some such thing, which depends not upon Heraldry, but has its name, and being independent from that Art, and these are call'd Common Charges: Or else it is one of these pieces which is properly invented, and has its Name, and Beeing from Heraldry, and those are call'd the Proper Charge. And such pieces are call'd the Honourable Ordinaries, because Heralds do ordinarily bestow them upon deserving persons. But Leich and Guilims do erre in calling them the most worthy Par­titions, for Partitions, and Ordinaries are different, as shall be shown hereafter.

Thir Honourable Ordinaries (or Piec [...]s Honorables, as the French call them) are numbred by the French to be ten, Chief, Pale, Band, Fasce, Barre, Crosse, Saultoir, Cheveron, Bordre, and O [...]le; and express all the seve­ral parts of a mans intire Armour. as the Chef, the Helmet; the Pale, his Lance; the Band and Bar, his Sword and Belt; the Fasce, his Scarfe; &c. But this is but a Conjecture, or Fancy: and I rather think that these have been invented to be different Marks of different Qualities in the Bearer. As for example▪ the Chief reward those actions which are the product of Wit, the Cross Religious Exploits, &c. The English make the Border, nor Orle, no Honourable Ordinaries, and so make them nine, viz. 1. Cross. 2. Chief. 3. Pale. 4. Bend. 5. Fesse. 6. An Inescucheon. 7. A Cheve­ron. 8. A Saltyr. 9. A Bar.

Each of these do in the French Heraldry fill a third part of the Shield; But the English give them more or less, or as shall be hereafter observed. In this the French agree with the Italians and Spaniards, as Pet. Sanct. observes, and seeing all the honourable Ordinaries are of the same quality, I see not why they should not have equal room in the Field.

THe Chief is call'd from its Position, which is Dans le chef de lescu; for chief signifies the head, in ordinarie French; and is term'd capitale, or coronis scutaria, by the Latine: And therefore it is ill writ Chlef by the English; for it is not so call'd, because the Head is the chief part, as Guilims observes. According to both, It is given as a reward for Wisdom and Pru­dence, and many out of respect to their Superiors or Over-lords have ta­ken a part of their Over-lords Coat, charg'd in Chief; which I conceive to be the reason why Chiefs are so frequently charg'd in Scotland with other Bearings. Both the English and French conclude, that it containeth the third part of the Shield: [Page] [Page]

[Page 31]When there is a Partition in it, if the Partition be in the upper part, it is call'd a Chief surmounted of another, but if it be divided in its lower part, it is call'd a Fillet, as Guilims observes, who derives that word Fillet, from the Fillet that is put about the hair; but it is indeed a French word, signi­fying a small threed.

A Chief cover'd by any thing which hangs over it, is call'd by the French un chef couvert, and sometimes the covering is like an Episcopal Chapperon: this Mr. Guilims not understanding the French, calls shapournet, or shapernet, as Cartwright writes; and by this, and many other errours it appears how different languages have occ [...]sion'd many mistakes in the term [...]s.

Sometimes it is blazon'd a Chief crenelé, sometimes wavé, &c. accord­ing to the lyns which compose it.

There is much notice to be taken to the several wayes of Blazoning this Ordinarie, as will appear by the examples hereeo subjoyned.

THe Pale is that ordinary, which stands perpendicular in the Shield: and it comprehendeth in the opinion of all, the third part of the Shield. A Pal­let is, as says Guilims, The half of the Pale, and an Endorse is the fourth part of the Pallet.

The French say. That Souldiers of old carry'd Pales of wood to encamp them, which they fixt in the earth, and as Varenus observes, they are be­stow'd on him who empai'd a City for its defence. For Palus signifies these Pales with which Cities or Camps were guarded L. 1 68. f. de verb signifi. Pali & Perticae in numerum mat [...]eriae re [...]igendae sunt, & ideo lignorum appellatione non continentur and, Aul. Gell. Lib. 5. c. 6▪ observes, That Castra & fossarum supercilia palis precinger [...] moris fuit.

Betwixt these they fixt or ty'd small rods, and therefore the French ex­press no diminutive of a Pale, but a Verget, which is their ordinary word for a small rod; and we should call it a rod, and what the English call an Endorse, they call a Pale charg'd with another little Pale or Verget. But I believe Endorse is also an old French terme, and signifies to put upon the back of any thing, in dorso; and therefore Executions of Summonds are call'd Indorsations in Scotland, because they are writ upon the backs of the Summonds.

If there be more Pales, they are numbred as Pales, four or eight; But if there be only six pales, then the French say simplie palé arg. and azur, &c.

THe Bend (or Bande as the French write) is that honorable Ordinarie, which passes from the right angle of the Shield, to the lower left angle. the Bar is just contrare, for it passes from the highest left corner, to the lowest right corner; and is therefore call'd by the English a bend sinister. Both com­prehend a third part, according to the French; but according to the English, it comprehends the fifth part only of the Shield, when i [...] is uncharg'd, but the third part when charg'd, But I see no reason why this should hold in the Cross, Saltyr and Bend, and not in the other Ordinaries, nam ubi eadem ratio, idem jus est statuendum.

This Bend represents the Belt of a Knight, and is call'd Baltheus in Latine, and in Italian, Benda or cingulo, and is born of different colours, and in diffe­rent forms by sundrie Nations: For the French wear their sword belt, as a Bend; the Germans as a face about their middle. The French wear their Bend white, the Spaniard red, the English Scots and Danes blew, the Barbarians black· Such French as wear a bend in their arms with us, wear it white, to show their ori­gine. According to some Amorists it represents a Ladder, and is given to such as Scal'd first the walls of Castles or Towns. Guilims marks its divisions thus, The half of the Bend is call'd a gartier, from the French word gartier; a Cost is the fourth part of the Bend, and half of the gartier; a Ribband is half the Coast. Cartwright differs in this from Guilims, but the French use no such fancies, but call all diminutives of the Bend, Cotisé, from Coste the side, because these Cotices are margin'd upon the side of the Bend. And if there be moe or less than six Bends in one Shield, they express the number. Guilims observes that the Bendlet differs from Bend; in that it is still limi­ted to the sixt part of the Shield, and in that it still begins at the corner, where the Bend is in the middle corner betwixt the Lyns.

The English call half a Bend, sinister, a Scarpe; from the French word esharpe, a scarfe; and half a scarpe, a batton, if it be short of the Shield [Page] [Page]

[Page 35] in both its extremities: But the French call them Battons, though they be not cut, and gives us a rule, that there may be twelve Battons in one Field, but no moe; if they be but six, they say Barré, without numbring the pieces.

The French have no such word as scarpe, but what the English call Scarp, they call counter cottice, and if any thing should be call'd a Scarpe, it should be the Bend, for it looks likest to a Scarfe; and a Bend in English, is un escarpe, in the French, or a scarfe. I finde bend sinister us'd but very seldom with us in Scotland, so much we have hated every thing which lookt like bastardry.

THe Face is that honorable Ordinary, which by two Lyns traverses the Face of the Shield, keeping the centre equally distant from both the Lyns, and [Page 37] comprehends a thrid part of the Shield. The Italians and Latins call it Fascia, or Benda.

The English writ it Fesse, and derive it from the loyns of a man; But Fesse is a French word, signifying the buttocks, which are much lower then the center, and therefore the French (Bara excepted) writ it still face, and it re­presents the Scarfe of a Warriour, un Esharp, Colomb. Pag. 118. and from bear­ing arg. a face azur, The first of the Sharps who came from France with King David, was call'd Monsieur De l' esharp, and by coruption Sharpe.

The face hes no diminitive in the English Heraldry, which I admire, seeing they assigne so many diminitives to other Ordinaries: but the French call little Faces, trangls, if they be equal in number; but burels, if they be unequal in number, as five or seaven: In our Scotish the Face is call'd a Bar, as in the Earl of Perths Arms, who is said to bear O. three Barrs wavé G.; those should be call'd Faces according to the French, and Fesses according to the English; and yet it appears that a Face of old was truly call'd a Bar, and it represents in its shape one of those Barrs which are us'd all over some doors; and therefore the Latine Authors call it Verris, Skinner verb. Bar. As also the name of Dempster carry a Sword arg. surmounted of a Bar Or, to show that they were heritable Dempters, who are criminal Officers; and therefore carry a Sword for power in criminals, and it is call'd Ius gladii: and because the Dempster us'd to stand at the Bar, and pronounce the Verdict; therefore they got the Bar; and this Ordinarie does in effect represent in its shape the Bars, which ly alongs in Judicatures.

The House of Austria carry G a Face arg. because Leopold 2 Duke of Austria in the first Battel of the Holy War had his Coat, which was Cloath of Silver, so covered with blood, that it was all red, except that part which his Scarfe covered, which remain'd still of its native colour: this showes that this Ordinar represents the Scarfe, and shows why it is given by Heralds.

When the Bar is above any Charge, so that the Charge in so far is not seen, we say he carries V. G. a Sword surmounted of a Bar, as Dempster does.

A Cheveron is an ordinar French word, signifying a couple, by Vitruvi­us Capreolus, and therefore this Ordinar represents a couple in its Shape, fig. 1. by the Latine now it is call'd tignum or cantherius; by the Italian, cap­riolo or caviletto, and is given by Heralds to such as have supply'd their Prince, Countrey, or Family: and thus the Hepburns carry G on a Cheve­ron arg. two Lyons pulling at a rose: the reason of which was that when the Scots were near beat at the Battel of two Brothers of that name came in with a fresh Supply and recovered the Battel; (as Holins-bead also confesses) for which they got the Cheveron, to signifie the Supply they brought, the two Lyons to represent the two Brothers, and that they were Scots pulling at a Rose, which is the Arms of [Page 38] England. As also Robertsone of Struan got a Cheveron added to his Shield, for taking Graham, who kill'd King Iames the First; but he has not us'd it of late, because he thought it a mark of Cadency. Leigh sayes, That a Che­veron represents a womans attire for her head; but the conjecture is very groundless, and proceeds from wa [...] of French, and for the same want of French some use to say, a Cheveron rompé, for a broken Cheveron, which is in French, un cheveron rompu, or brisé. Spelman well observes, That it is given to men for [...]ompleating, and having brought any great design to per­fection, since the putting on of the couple shews the work to be compleated: And therefore the Greeks us'd to say, [...]. It comprehends also the third of the Shield, and the reason why a Cheveron is taken broken in its top, is because the Principle House was ruin'd and sold, and therefore the Cadets, to show that they are fallen from the original height of the Fa­milie, take the Cognizance bruis'd in its top.

If there be more Cheverons, they are call'd Cheveronells, of which Leigh and all the English write, that there can be three in a Field; but the French say three Cheverons, and why not three Cheverons as well as three Bends, Bars, &c. the French mark 1.3.4. or 5. Cheverons at plea­sure, and in this, as in many other things we follow the French: For the Mclellans bear, Or, two Cheverons sable.

A Couple close contains the fourth part of a Cheveron, and are not born but by pairs, except there be a Cheveron betwixt them.

If the Cheveron be turn'd down with the point to the base, it is call'd a Cheveron inverted.

If two Cheverons be joyn'd together, the English call them Brazed from the French word Bras, as I conceive, which signifies Arms, because they are interlac'd as Arms; the French, accrochete.

SHields had Bordurs for their ornament, and sometimes for their difference, as vestiments had fringes, and thence did the Bordur grow an honourable Ordinarie amongst Heralds: It possesses the fifth part of the Shield amongst the English, but the third amongst the French. An Orle is a little Bordur, from the Latine word Orula, which signifies a little Bordur; but both the one and the other are given to recompense such, as have given protection and de­fence: For the Bordur defends what is within it, and therefore Scotland got the Orle Flower deluc'd from the French, to recompense the assistance, the French got from the Scots in all the Wars: At which time, and for the same reason, the Scots got the guarding of the French King's body, which honour they retain to this day.

It is now us'd as a mark of distinction by Cadets, because they ought to defend their elder Brothers Family, as the Bordur defends the Shield.

All nations use few terms in describing Borders, except the English, who use very many, and such as are unnecessar, and have proceeded from affect­ing French words for terms of art: For if the Bordur be charg'd with dead things, it is call'd a Bordur entoire, as of Annulets, Besants, &c. which word is from the French word entoure (about) corrupted; this word is also improper; for all Bordurs go about the Shield.

If the Bordur be charg'd with Fowles, it is call'd by them enalauron; if it be charg'd with other beasts, it is term'd enurny; if with Flowers, Fruits, or Leaves, verdoi; and then the particulars, and their numbers are exprest, as Verdoy of eight [...] if with furre, it is call'd Purflew generally, and then the Furr is specified, as he bears G. a Bordur purflew ermine.

The French say only, G. a Bordur Ermine, as also they say, he bears Or, a Bordur of 8 Pigeons.

If the Bordur be of moe colours, it is said to be componed of such and such colours, when there is but one range of them: But if there be moe ranges, and these be counterly plac'd chequer wise, the Bordur is said to be compon'd, and counter-compounded.

Skinner in his Dictionary thinks, that enalauron is a corruption of inoru­latus; but I think it comes from the French, who say, un bordure en ale­rions, to describe a Bordure of martlets, so that enalauron is the corrupti- of en alerion.

The Fiblier is the French diminitive of a Bordur; but the English have no diminitive of it.

He translates likewise a Bordur purflew, fimbria acu puta nam pourfiler is profilare, id est, aureo filo intexere, so that purflew is rather a Bordur em­broder'd, than furr'd.

The Orle is an inward Bordur as in the figure 12. and the Tressure or Tresheur, as the French call it, is the diminitive of the Orle, and where [Page] [Page]

[Page 41] There are two of these as in the Arms of Scotland, it is called a double tressure taenia gemella.

THe Cross has been in great esteem, since our Saviours death did make it so venerable amongst Christians: for the Egyptians did ingrave it upon the breast of their god Serapis: And Caelius Rod teaches us, That the ancient, Philosophers and Mathematicians did highly esteem that Figure. But that which made this Ordinare so considerable in Heraldry, was the expeditions unto the Holy lands, and the Holy war; for both the Pilgrims after their Pilgrimage took the Cross for their Cognizance, and the Ensigne of that War was the Cross; And therefore these Expeditions were call'd Croissads: And in these Wars, the Scots carry'd St. Andrews Cross argent, the French a Cross arg. the English a Cross Or, the Germans sable, the Itali­ans azur, the Spaniards gules, as Colomb. observes. Thus Montmorancy carry the Cross, because they were the eldest Christians amongst the Gaules; and the Dukes of Savoy, because they did assist the Rhodes against the Turks: And the Sibald, who are come from Sabaudia, carry the Cross, because Savoy or Sabaudia, from whence they came, carry'd the Cross; for Siban­das or Sibaldus is but the corrupted name of Sabaudus. Before the Holy War, the Cross was blazon'd four Cantons or Quarters.

It has several Denominations, according to the several Persons, who did originally bear it: Thus the Cross of Calvary is long in the Pale, and short in the Arms, fig. 8. A Patriarchal Cross (or a Cross of Lorraine, bacause Lorraine wears it) as in the fig. 7. A Cross of Maltha, is that which is born by he Knights of Maltha for defending the Christian Religion, fig. 19. [Page 43] A Cross Crosslet, is that which has all corners of it crossed as is the fig 9. A Cross Patee, is that which has large Extremities, though they be not fimbri­ated or doubled, as Guilims alleadges, pag. 90. A Cross fitched, is that, whose lowest point is sharpn'd, and fit to be fixed in the Earth, as in the figures 11. and 12. Fitched comes from Fichée, which signifies fixed in the French Language; but the writing it fitchee with a t is the Errour: But such words though unnecessar, vex the Reader to purpose: and therefore it were better to say, a Cross fixable; and for the same reason it were better to say, a Cross crouch-wise, than to say, a Cross potent, or potence: For a potence signifies a crouch in the French, but potent and potence are the same terms: Nor could the French understand their own terms in those Books.

I cannot here pass by a ridiculous remark made by Upton an Eng­lish Writer, otherwise learned, the reading of whom might have possibly occasion'd some mistakes. Nota, quod istae cruces non sunt propriè signa, sed differentiae signorum. Quare dic quod Rex Haraldorum videns aliquem cupi­entem portare arma, ignorans aliquam bonam, vel malam conditionem in eo, vel proprietatem, debet asignaere sibi de crucibus supradictis, quam crucem portare, signat portantem non habere aliquam causam, vel conditionem secun­dum quam possent sibi arma assignari, sed signant hominem brutalem.

The reason of Crosses fitched (or fixable, as I term them) was that the primitive Christians did alwayes carry crosses with them as marks of devoti­on; and when they setled themselves in their journey at any place for de­votion, they fixt these portable crosses in the ground.

THe Saltyr crux transversalis seu decussis, is a Saint Andrews Cross, and is very ordinary in Scotland, because St. Andrew was our patron Saint; for St. Andrew appeared to Achaius our King upon that Cross, when he fought against the Picts. It was of old one of those Instruments which were us'd as Ladders, to scale the walls of Towns; and therefore it is call'd sautoir by the French, from sauter to leap, because it did help the souldiers to leap over walls: The English write saltyr, but I know no reason for that word: the former reason has in my judgement occasion'd that the Saltyr is with us, and all other nations born ordinarly engrail'd, or ragg'd, as we call it, be­cause the Souldiers us'd to cut so those trees, for helping them to climb, and to support their feet or hands, upon its nicks.

Upon the account, that the Saltyr is a St. Andrew cross, therefore the An­dersons carry ar. a Saltyr engrail'd sable betwixt four stars gules.

When five of any thing, as leaves, beasts, &c. are born like a cin (que), they are said to be born in Saltyr, because of its shape, from the aggreement of a cin (que) and Saltyr in their shapes: And by the Italians it is call'd figura, a for­ma della lettera, X. and what we call Saltyr-wise, they call Incrotiato a fog­gia della lettera X. and we in Scotland use the word Saltyr, or St. Andrews equally oft; because the Saint Andrews Cross is one of the Badges of our Nation.

THere are b [...]sides the Ordinaries many other figures, which are proper to He­raldry: and therefore I have insert them here next these; and before I begin to treat of the common Charge.

These are either round or square.

The round get from the English various names, according to their various forms, which I have here set down from Guilims.

• if they be 1 Or, then we call them 1 besants,
• if they be 2 argent, then we call them 2 plates,
• if they be 3 vert, then we call them 3 pomeis, the French word for aples
• if they be 4 light blew, then we call them 4 hurts,
• if they be 5 sable, then we call them 5 pellets or ogresses
• if they be 6 purpure, then we call them 6 golpes,
• if they be 7 tenne, then we call them 7 oreges,
• if they be 8 sanguine, then we call them 8 guzes,
• if they be 9 gules, then we call them 9 torteauxes.

But the French allow no such multiplicity, nor confusion of terms; and Colomb, sayes, c' est plustost obsturcir la Science que l' éclaircir, c' est pourquoy ce ne scaurois approuuer ces terms begearres d' angleterre.

The ordinar round figures approved by all Nations, are,

The besants, which were the money of Constantinople, and had their Name from that town, which was called Bizantium, and have been generally born of old by such as were at the Holy War; of late they are born by such as have been rais'd, by being Thesaurers or Customers: For these besants are still of Mettal.

[Page 48]If these Roundlets be of colour they are term'd, torteauxes, generally by the Scots and French.

If they be half Mettal, half colour, they are call'd besant torteaux, if the Mettal be in the highest place, or in the dexter side; if otherwise, they are called torteaux besants: This word torteaux is in Latine called limba torta & rotunda (round Cakes) and thence sprung the term torteaux Leigh: calls them wastals. It is given by Chassaneus conclus. 75. as a Rule, That besantae nume­rantur usque ad octo, si excedant dicentur besanteae & tortellae numerantur sicut besantae: That is to say, If the besants exceed six, you should say, bestanted, and need not specifie their number.

If these Roundlets be shadow'd, they are call'd Bowles; and the first who bore these, was the Family of Medicis now Duke of Florence, because the first of that name, Edward de Medicis, who serv'd under Charles the great, kill'd Mugel a Giant, who wasted all about Florence, and murdered Passen­gers by a mace of iron, at which were hung five iron bowles, and did there­upon take five bowles for his Arms.

The four corner'd figures, are either Lozanges, which are exactly four squar'd para-lello grammata, and are born by Mathematicians, and ofttimes are the symbols of exact Honesty, and Constancy; that being a figure whose right side is alwayes highest, homus quadratus, Chas lib. 1. conclu 75. tells us, That Lozangiae factae sunt ad modum lozangiorum in vitriis.

The fusill is longer, and has its highest and lowest angles sharper than the Lozanges: it was the form wherein women carry'd their Arms of old, and by the old shape of it, and the present name, it represents a Spindle: If there be many of these, then we say, lozan'd or fusill'd.

The Macle is also four square, but it is voided as in the fig. 3. some think they resemble the mashes of a net, and if so, they must still be voided, as Guilims well observes, pag 317. and they signifie the Bearer to have been pollitick, and fit to take others in his net, as Sir Iohn Fern observes▪ but if the Macle represents a Mash, why was it cut as a Macle? and therefore I do rather believe Colomb. pag. 149. Who asserts, That these Macles were first used in the Arms of the House of Rohan, who chused them, because all the Carps, and Flints also of their Lands in the Dutchie of Rohan, are all markt with this Fi­gure, which being a thing very extraordinary, and singular, gave occasion to them to use these in their Arms, and these Spots are called Macles in that Countrey from the Latine Macula: Whereupon the Dukes of Rohan have for their Motto, Sine Maculâ, Macla. In my opinion they look like Mirrours, and seeing the Name of Purves carries three Macles, and that their Name in France is Purvoir, I think these Macles represents Mirrours in their Arms.

The English call thir Figures Macles, without distinguishing whether they be voided or pierc'd; but if they be pierc'd round, the French call them rustres.

I have also set down the form of a Fret, which should consist of six pieces, if of moe, we say Fretted.

Billets are also four corner'd, but are longer in the sides, than at the ends; they represent a Brick, and therefore are call'd Laterculus by the Latine He­ralds: Some ancient Families bear these, to show the antiquity of their Fami­lies, as Varreus observes, for of old all houses were built of Brick. Some Fa­milies with us use them, to show their Original was from England, where brick tyles are much us'd.

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[Page 49]I have added the Earle of Errols Coat as an Example of Inescutheons.

THere are some things proper to Heraldry, as the honorable Ordi­nars, and of these I have treated particularly: but there are other things, which have only relation to Heraldry, as they are exprest as bear­ings in the Shields of particular persons; as Planets, Meteors, Animals, Trees, Flowers: And thus, all things may be here comprehended, and Heralds to swell their Books, treat of those, either to show why such things are born: (But since that depends upon the actions done by the bear­ers, that is rather the part of an Historian, then a Herald: But however in the second part of this work, wherein I have given an account of our Families and Arms, I have set down the reason of every Coat, as far as my enquirie can reach) Or else others make long discourses of the nature of the things born; but that belongs rather to a natural Philosopher, then to a Herald.

I am then resolv'd only to trouble my self with the general Laws to be observ'd in bearing these things, which I have reduc'd to these Rules.

1. The first is, that every thing be plac'd in its natural form, if there be no special reason for doing otherwise. For nature is the chief model, and pattern of Art in all things, and Art only imitates Nature.

2. That if a rapacious creature is to be set down, it is to be exprest in the posture that is most devouring; because then it is presum'd to shew most strength: and thus a Lyon is to be exprest, rampant, &c. Bart. de in­sig. num. 16. animalia fera debent exprimi in act [...] ferociori.

3. Other creatures that are not wild and ravenous, ought to be exprest in their noblest position, as a Horse salient, a grey-hound running, &c.

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[Page 51]4. Creatures, that are remarkable for any posture, ought to be born in that posture, as a Lamb passant, because it is naturally simple; a Serpent noué, or circling in a knot, because it is remarkable for that forme.

5. All Creatures must be looking to the right side of the Shield, and must have their right foot first; Which things Bartol founds upon, L. Qui clavum § item sciendum F. de aedilit. edict. Yet I found it rather upon the general opinion that men have, that the heart is in the right side, and that therefore the right side in man is strongest, and so he has made it the no­blest side in all other things.

6. As the right side is nobler then the left, so the upper part is nobler then the lower: and therefore things that must look either up, or down, ought rather to be design'd looking upward.

7. But if two Creatures or things be looking to one onother, then these Rules are not to be respected, Bartol. num. 22.

8. When beasts are to be painted upon banners, the noblest position is to look to the staff; because that is the support of the banner: If upon hou­ses that have chimneys, the noblest position is to look to the fire, because generally the worthiest persons are plac'd next to the fire: if there be no chimney, the noblest posture is to be plac'd, looking from the door: if upon Caparasons, they ought to look to the head of the horse, or beast that bears them.

IX. If they be born to expresse a Historie, they are to be painted in the posture that best expresses the historie.

X. In some things custom has allow'd a peculiar position in Heraldry; which ought to be observ'd: as two Keys are to be born like a Saint An­drews cross, because the Keys born by the Pope, are so painted: A Sword is to be born in pale, because the Sword of Honour is so carry'd before Kings and Magistrats. But these postures, and the special terms are to be found in Guilims, Carter, Morgan, and others; and many of them may be known by the explication of the Coats here set down.

ARms once taken ought not to be chang'd without a sufficient cause. The ordinary causes of changing Arms are six. First, When the bea­rer becomes subject to another, and thus William the Conqueror chang'd the arms of England. 2. The succeeding to a greater Fortune, and thus the Familie of Stewarts arms were chang'd by our Kings, when they succee­ded to the Crown 3. Adoption, as by Tailies with us. 4. Some con­siderable new exploit, and thus a Savoyard having preserv'd Francis 1. at the Battle of Pavie crav'd liberty to change his arms, and take a sword arg. accompany'd with a flower de luce. 5. Some new devote enterprise, as those who went to the holy War. 6. Marks of cadency, and defamati­on, and marriage: of which three last, I shall treat in separate Chapters.

What was meant by a Gentleman of Name and Arms in ancient Re­cords is doubted: For some interpret this of those, who made profession of arms: Others do more justly interpret this of these, who came to the honour of having sirnames, and Coat-armour; for till William the Con­queror's time in England, and King Malcome, Canmor's Reign in Scotland, there were no sirnames; but men were call'd by their Fathers name, as Gulielmus, filius Iacobi: but thereafter they got sirnames from the lands they possest: and therefore it was a mark of Nobility in those dayes, to have a Few, or Lands. But now a Gentleman of Name and Arms, is he, whose Name and Arms are registrated by Heraulds, as Menestier observes.

ARms are sometimes given upon a personal account by a Prince; thus Kings give sometimes to such Strangers, who have mediat happi­ly as Ambassadors, betwixt them, and their own Masters, the Arms of their Kingdom in a Canton; and generally in these cases, Arms are per­sonal, and descend not to his Successors: And such Arms are called insig­nia personalia, Noal. de Transmis. casu 33. and Cartwright, pag. 20. gives an instance of this in the person of S. Henry, St. George, who got the Arms of Swede in a Canton, when he was Ambassadour there: and the Italians give many instances of this Rule, in arms given by Princes to Cardinals: But if Successors be not secluded; then Arms descends to his Heirs, though they be not exprest, Bart. ad l. 1. c. de dignit. Hoping. c. 7. §. 1. and these succeed to their arms, though the arms were bestow'd upon the Father af­ter their birth, even as they would succeed to a Crown falling to their fa­ther after their birth, Tiraquel. c. 15. Hot. quaest. illust. 2.

But when they are given by the Prince to a man, or to his posterity, [Page 70] then his Successors, who are descended of him, do carry the Arms, and have right thereto, and that though they renounce to be Heirs, Noal. ibid. Because these are marks of their Princes favour, and no lucrative parts of succession: And therefore, possiblie it is that our Nobility bear the Titles, and enjoy the honours of their Predecessors, though they renounce to be Heirs, and though these Honours and Titles were given at first to their Pre­decessors and their Heir.

But it is here questioned by the Doctors, whether Daughters have right to bear arms of the Family: as Iason observes, consil. 63. Virile officium est arma & insignia deferre, the carrying Arms belongs only to men; yet it is generally concluded, that Women who were never marry'd, may car­ry their Predecessors arms, Tiraquel. de nobil. cap. ult. & Tacit. lib. 3. annual. de funere juniae ait, Viginti clarissimarum familiarum imagines antilatae sunt, sed praefulge [...]ant Cassius atque Brutus, eo ipso quod effigies eorum non visebantur: idem probatur per l. mulieres, C. de dignitat. and the Custom both in France and Scotland is, That they bear the Paternal Coat in a lo­zenge, limneus: de jure Reipublicae, cap. 6. But they should be born in a fusil, which is a figure longer then a lozen, and signifies a Spindle in French, which is a womanly Instrument: Yet when women have been once marry'd, they can no more carry their paternal Coat or Arms, because, by marriage, transeunt ex familia patris, in familiam mariti, Bart. ad l. quo­ties C. de privil. Schol. menoch consil. 197. and yet to show whence they sprung, they carry their paternal Coat marshall'd with their husbands, as shall be hereafter observ'd: But the children born by them cannot carry their grand-Fathers Arms, Noal: ibid. No man can bear his Mothers Arms; for Children follow the condition of their Father, not of their Mother; and yet the mother may by Paction or Testament provide, that they shall not succced, except they bear her Arms, in which case they may be forc'd to carry them if the Prince consent: For He only can bestow Arms; and without this the Son cannot bear them, Peleus act forens: c. 96. Whither agnati transversales, such as Nephews, Uncles, &c. have right to carry the Arms that are given by the Prince to their Uncles, and those of his family may be doubted: and that they may is concluded by the Do­ctors; nam agnati intelliguntur esse de familia, l. pronunciatio, f. de verb. signif. But if the Arms be granted to a man and these descending of his body, they will thereby, or by any such expresse concession be secluded.

It is most ordinar in Scotland to tailye Estates to the eldest Heir fernal, she marrying one who shall bear the name and arms of the disponers fami­ly: but whether the person who marries that Heretrix or Heiresse, as the English speak, may lawfully carry the disponners Arms, according to the Laws of Heraldry, wants not its scruple; seeing Arma gentilitia, which are presumed still to be granted to a man and his Heirs, non transeunt ad extraneos; else any man might give Arms, as well as the Prince or He­ralds: Yet Lawyers are very positive that their pactions are lawful, & qui liber [...]s non habet, potest in alium transferre suum feudum ea conditione, ut adop­tatus nomen & arma & insignia ferat. Former. tract. feud tit. de his qui feudum accipere possunt; and that because Arms are given, not only to reward the Receivers vertue, but to distinguish Families, & quia adoptatus transit in familiam & agnationem adoptant [...]. Some Lawyers do here distinguish be­twixt [Page 71] him, who is so assum'd or adopted by one of his own Predecessors, or Family; for these surely may bear the Arms of the adopter; And these who were strangers before the adoption; and they conclude that these cannot have right to the Arms: and this is asserted by Hopping. de jur. insig. cap. 7.5. num. 251. to be the common opinion of the best Lawyers. But I think it may be more justly distinguisht▪ whether the disposition be made to a daugh­ter, she marrying one who shall bear the Name and Arms; for in that case certainly, the children may bear the Arms, for she was Heiresse her self: But if Lands were disponed to a meer stranger, not upon condition that he should marry a daughter, but that he should bear the Name and Arms; it may be in that case asserted, that the Receiver of the disposition cannot bear the Arms: for that was not in the disponners power to bestow, ex­cept the Prince consent. And suitable to this it is observed by Co. 4. inst. 126. that Edmond de Eincourt obtain'd from E. 1. a liberty under the great Seal to assign his Name and Arms: but that the Parliament of England did finde that such an assignation without the Kings consent, was voyd. And with us, if the King either confirm a right made of Name and Arms, or accept a Resignation upon that condition, this is thought equivalent to an original right. Though the descendent of him, to whom the Arms were first granted, may bear them; yet the eldest Son who represents the Re­ceiver of the Arms, properly can only bear them intire by the Laws of Spain, Molim. l. 2. de hisp. primog. The same is observed in France, Co­lomb. tit. de Brisurs: and Expilly relates à decis. of the Parliament of Gre­noble, anno 1496. wherein they found that the Cadets of the family, could not bear the Arms of it simply, and without distinction: the like was found by the Parliament of Tholouse, anno 1509. in Scotland and England the same is observ'd. In Piemount all the Sons of Counts bear the same Arms, without any other distinction, save that the eldest carrys the Crown of a Count, but the Cadets do not tessaur decis. 270. nu 6.

In Germany, the several branches of great Families distinguish them­selves only by different Crests, without inserting any addition in the Arms themselves: as Menestrier observes, pag. 389. The eldest also of the three secular Electors, use in each of their Coats, the badge of their office as a mark of their office, rather then as a distinction, Hop. c. 7. and Gaspar. Bom­baci observes, that there are few or no differences us'd in Italy: che vuole essempi frequenti di arme di un medisimo liguaggio ln varie guise non sostantialmen­te maaccidentalmente diversificate; bisogna que esca fuori d' Italia. And I think that the reason, why the Germans use none is, because all succeed equally there to the Honours and Estate. Likeas, it seems that in Italy the reason of frequent omitting them is, because there, the cadets are ordinarily Church-men; and these use, nor need no marks of difference or cadency; because they are to have no succession, and because ofttimes the cadet by his office, is greater, and more honourable then the eldest is by his birth, Menestrier, pag. 390. But our Church-men being allowed suc­cession ought to use these differences.

These marks, whereby the Cadets or younger Sons do distinguish their Arms from those of the principal House, or the chief House, as we say in Scotland, are called Brisurs by the French: because Its brisent, they break the principle bearing of the Family. By the English, they are called diffe­rences, [Page 72] and of late are call'd marks of Cadency by both when their dif­ferences were first instituted, is not easie to be determined; but that they are very old, may be conjectur'd from this, that Paradin makes Robert Count of Anjou who liv'd, anno 870. to bear the Arms of France within a bor­dur Gules, for a difference.

By Fern, pag. 155. Arms were divided into perfect, and abated Arms. Perfect were call'd abstract: But Arms fixal, and terminal were these of Cadets: This Guilims, and others have not noticed, and here he makes embording, as he calls it to be the difference of the second Son·

Colombier relates, that in the Bibliotheck of the Count of Brien, he found those differences set down for Cadets, which are now received by the English, and ascriv'd to Vpton: to the eldest▪ unlambeaux à Trois pendans, a file of three Lambeaux: Which is not only a corruption, but a mistake of the French; for the beam is the Lambeau: But Guilims and others call the pendants lambeaux. Bartol. call them candela, and Upton lingulae sive labellae: This is given to the eldest son whilst his Father lives, to sig­nifie that he is but the third person, his Father being one, his Mother another, and himself being the third. I finde amongst our Arms, some bear this constantly; though they never were the eldest sons of their Fami­lies: as the Earl of Abercorn, who was at first but a second Son of the House of Hamilton: and Findaury, who was a second Son of the Family of Arbuthnet. I finde also, that at an Indentor betwixt David Prince of Scotland, and David Earle of Cranford, anno 1399. the Princes Coat is hung upon an oak tree, having no other Supporters, and the Coat is the ordinary Coat of Scotland, with a file of three labells; and I conceive that these files of three pendants, should be expunged out of these Coats: For though they be born sometimes as ordinary charges, and not as marks of difference; yet here they were originally given as marks of difference, as is clear from their blazone.

The second Son has a Crescent, to show that he should encrease the Family, by adding to the Estate and Repute of the Family. The third an Mullet or Spur Ryal, to show that he should follow Chevalry. The fourth, a Martlet, because expecting no Patrimony, he should become a soul­dier, and defend Castles, which were the only old Fortifications, in which Castles Martlets use to make their nests. The fifth, an annulet d' or, to re­member him to atchieve great actions: the Badge whereof was in old times, jus aureorum annulorum. The sixth, a Flower de iuce, to remember him of his Countrey and Prince. The seventh, a double Rose, to remember him to endeavour to flourish like that excellent Flower. The eighth, an Cross Moulin, or the anchoring Crosse, to remember to grip when he can fasten▪ seing he has nothing else, to which he may trust. The ninth, a double quater foil, or a Flower of eighth leaves, to expresse that he is remov'd from his eldest Brother, and the Succession by eight degrees.

The modern French, and generally all Nations do now reprobat these af­fected forms; and allow every privat person to take what mark of distincti­on, can sute best with the Coat, which his Chief bears. Against the for­mer differences these Arguments may be brought.

First, that the French, from whom these were borrow'd, have rejected them.

2. No other Nation uses them: and uniformity should be very much [Page 73] studied in Heraldry, to avoid confusion; and that our Arms may be the more universally understood.

3. These, nor no constant differences can suit with all Arms; for if the Bearer had three Crescents proper, two, and one; it were very irregular to adject a fourth, which would wronge both the beauty and regularity of the former bearing. Sometimes also the whole Shield is semé de fleuer de lis, all covered with flower de luces: In which case it were impossible that a flower deluce could be a distinction.

4. It is appointed by that Rule, that the mark of cadency shall be still placed in the centre of the Shield; as Colombier relates of that old forme, pag. 74. whereas in many Coats paternal, or in Coats Armours of chief Families, the Centre point is naturally charg'd with some of those same marks, as Crescents, Flower deluces, Annulets; &c.

5. The only reason why it is prest, that the differences should be known is, to the end that the degrees of Consanguinity may be clearly instructed; whereas if the degrees be not remote, then they are easily known without such cognizances; but if they be remote, then thir cognizances are ineffectu­al: for no [...]emoter degree than the grand child of the first Sons can be thus known: for though the second Son (for example) who is descended of a former second Son, may take a Crescent upon a Crescent; yet it is not conceiveable how this second Son, or his second Son can be thus di­stinguished by his Arms.

6. This confounds all the ancient Coats, and has absurdly fill'd ours with moe Crescents and Mullets then are in the Arms of all Europe be­sides.

7. These differences do respect France in some things, which are not communicable to Britain: For the Flower deluce was given at first to re­member the bearer of his Countrey; that Flower being the ordinary cog­nizance of France: But seing the Flower deluce is not the cognizance of Scotland or England; therefore that ground ceases with us.

8. Colomber does very well observe, that the old forms were contrare to the Rules alow'd in Heraldry, by the consent of all Nations; for no sub­ject can take that for his Arms, much lesse for a distinction or diminuti­on, which is a part of the Soveraigns Coat; and therefore the Flower deluce being a Royal Bearing with us, no subject ought to bear it as a mark of difference.

And lastly though these may show that they were once second Brothers, yet they are not perfect marks of difference: Because many Cadets wear the same difference, and thus many Families do bear Crescents, as Second Sons of Huntly: and there have been twenty second Sons of that Familie, which no Crescent could distinguish: whereas if they had taken another difference at pleasure, they might have shun'd that confusion; and the re­gistrating the mark given Cadets in the Lyons Register, with the reasons why they are given to that son, and at what time, will clear much bet­ter the degrees of Consanguinity, then these differences can: and yet that was the only reason, why these differences were invented. And there­fore Colomb. concludes thus, mais quant à m [...]y Ie tiens toutes ces contra in tes inutiles, pource quelles ne peuent pas conveniru à toute sorte d' armes ▪

The French have constantly, and the Scots frequently taken such diffe­rences, or brisurs as might expresse at once some considerable alliance, or [Page 74] action, and might likewise distinguish their Families from that of their Chief; for so we call the representative of the Family, from the French Word chef, a head: and in the Irish with us the chief of the Family, is call'd the head of the Clane. Thus the Lord Balmerrinoch cha [...]ges the Che­veron, which the Elphinston carryes, with three Buckles; because his mo­ther was Monteeth, and daughter to the Laird of Carse, whose charge these are: and the Lord Couper, Brother to Balmerrinoch did charge the Cheve­ron, with three hearts, because his mother was daughter to Maxwel of Newark.

Sometimes also they chang'd only the colour of any one part of their chiefs bearing, and sometimes they alter'd the ordinaries, taking on a bend these cognizances, which the Chief carry'd in chief, or upon a Saltire what he carry'd on a Crosse, &c. as is to be seen in the Families descended of the Craufoords, Rutherfoords, Purvesses, &c. Our Predecessors also took marks of difference from their Employments: and thus Forbes of Corse, a Cross fitché, because they were Learned-Church-men for many generations: Bruce of Earls-hall a Flower deluce, given him as a reward by the French King; which the Patent yet showes: and there are no better differences▪ than any one of the ordinaries, or to alter the ordinary lines: Thus Sir William Bruce of Balcaskie got the lowest line of the Chief in the Bruces Arms wav'd, to show his kindnesse to, and his Skill in the art of Navigation. Sometimes also Cadets add to the number of what is born by their Predecessors; as if he carry two Stars, they add a third: and sometimes they diminish the Number, otherwise alter the position, so that if the eldest have five Crescents saltire­wayes, the Cadet will dispose them on a Bend, &c. Albiet every person may take any Cognizance he pleases to difference his own Arms, from these of the Chief, and all others of the name; yet there are some Rules here to be observed: as First, that they take no part of their Princes Arms, without his Majesties licence: Such as Lyons, nor the double tressure flower deluc'd, and contre flower-deluc'd, nor the flower deluce simple: for though his Majestie bears not these, as Kings of Scotland, yet they are still a Roy­al bearing: and the Doctors assert that this Rule holds in Spain, as to all the Kingdoms under that Kings subjection.

The bearing, or charge of the Chiefs house should not be alter'd, as many Families in Scotland have done: Thus Auchinleck of Balmanno gives arg. a Cross embatled Sable; whereas Auchinleck of that Ilk gives arg. three Bars sable: and Scot of Balwyrie bears different Arms from these of Bal­cleuch. But this was occasion'd by Cadets, their marrying Heretrixes, whose Arms they assum'd without using their own, seing they got no Pa­trimony from their Predecessors.

2. It is irregular to alter the Chiefs Colours, as Campbel of Lundy does, who bears gyronie of eight pieces Er. and Sa. whereas the Earl of Argyle bears gyrone of eight peeces (as we erroneously blazen) O. and Sa: yet this was allow'd of old by our Custome, which may defend what was done, though it should be no precedent for the future, seing all Nations do now endeavourvery justly, not to differ, that so all Arms may be universally under­stood.

3. It was thought irregular to diminish any part of the Chiefs bearing, as Campbel of Cesnock has done, who fill'd the room of one of the Gyrons with a Cheveron: for how can he be said to bear the Chiefs Arms with a [Page 75] difference, who diminishes them, and how can it be known that he is de­scended of that Family when he bears not the Arms of it: For either of the alterations makes the bearings very different, and there are original Fami­lies who differ only so; and yet such differences are ordinar abroad.

4. These Cadets, who have their Arms quarter'd with other Arms, need no difference: for the quartering, or empaling is a sufficient difference: as is clear in the example of Campbel of Glenarchie, Hoom of R [...]nton, and others: And therefore it was unnecessar for the Earle of Kellie to have born a Crescent for a mark of difference, as Second Son of the Earl of Mar, seing he bears quarterly with the Arms Aerskine 1. and 4. an Imperial Crown within a double Tressure Or: bestowed upon him for his assistance given to King James in Gauri's conspiracy.

5. It is observable, that though a Cadet be descended of a Cadet, yet I think, he needs not express the difference of that Family, out of which he is immediatly come; for else the Coat should be fill'd with differences, and the use of differences, is only to distinguish from the chiefs Family. Albeit there be no stated, and constant differences in France, yet the Ca­dets of the Royal Family have their certain and constant differencies: Orle­ans carrys the label, aniou a bordur Gules, Alencon a bordure G, charg'd with eight besants, &c. for by these they are known to the people in Coaches.

It is also observable, That the Heralds of all Nations aggree, that Sisters should carry no mark of difference; the reason of which is by Guilims said to be, that when they are marry'd, they losse their sirname, and receive that of their Husbands. But I crave pardon to think this reason not suffici­ent; for it would only prove that they should not at all bear their paternal Coats, and yet I have formerly demonstrated, that they may in some ca­ses; nor does the reason prove, that daughters before their marriage, should not bear their paternal Coats with difference, seing till then they loose not their own sirnames. But the true reason of this rule is, that albeit amongst Sons, the eldest excludes all the younger from the Succession, and there­fore differences are given for clearing the right of succession amongst Bro­thers; yet Sisters succeed equally, and are Heirs Portioners, and so there is no use for thir differences amongst them, seing Seniority infers no priviledge.

It is generally believed, that thir differences are excepted from that ge­neral Rule, whereby it is declared false Haraldry to place colour upon co­lour, or mettal upon mettal (though Guilims nor Carter have not obser­ved it) But yet seing the instances of this exception, are only given in Royal Bearings, I conceive it is safer to avoid the exception in Coat-arm­ours of private persons: Sunt enim Principes legibus soluti.

In what part of the Shield these differences should be born, is not cer­tain: But the point of Honour is the most proper place, in my opinion, to receive diminutions or additions of honour; and yet Guilims, Morgan, and others give us many different examples as to the place: for Wingfield bears for a difference a flower deluce in the sinister point of the Chief, Ien­ne a Crescent for a difference in the midle point of the Chief, pag. 243. and in Scotland it is generally receiv'd, that the differences should be plac'd upon the point of honour; but to place them at liberty, may lessen much the easiness of knowing, when the things design'd for difference are not so; and yet it is impossible to place them in one fixt place in all Shields, [Page 76] because that place may be charg'd with some figure in the paternal Coat, which cannot well admit the difference to be supercharg'd. But to evite all thir difficulties, it were to be wish'd, that the differences should still be ap­pended to the base without the Shield; for by that means neither should the Shield be confounded, nor should we mistake the original charge for a difference, nec è contra: or at least that exact Registers were kept of thir di­stinctions, which would much better clear the degree of Consanguinity.

SUch as are not born in lawful marriage, are divided by Lawyers in na­turales, spurios, & ex damnatis complexibus procreatos: but by our or­dinar Stile, all of these go now under the general name of Bastards, Bartol. in l. Pronounciatio f. de verb. signif.

It is a received rule amongst Heralds, that Bastards should not bear their paternal Coat, nam de jure patrem demonstrare nequeunt: and therefore se­ing the common law determines not who is their Father, it were absurd that the Laws of Heraldry should allow them to bear any mans Arms, as their paternal Coat: This rule is allow'd by Hopping. de jure insign. cap. §. 3. Colomb. cap. 11. Guilims, pag. 72. Farin. lib. 1. tit. 2. quaest. 13. Me­noch. concil. 117. lib. 2. Boer decis. 127. But though this hold in Germa­ny, where Bastards are not at all allow'd to bear the Arms of their supposed Fathers; yet it is otherwise in some Countreys, as in France, Britain and Italy; in which their Heralds have allow'd, that they may bear the Arms of him who is alledged to be their Father with the difference of a Battoun.

Some Lawyers call this Battoun Barra, sive baculum, Sintag. jur. cap. 6. num. 6. lib. 45. som tinea lutea, Hopping, Some linea Tepat. cap. 5. Some call it divisè Mar: quest, 1140. The Germans call it strich, and Bacho­vius most improperly calls it tignum; for tignum is a Cheveron.

This Battoun is the fourth part of the bend sinister according to Guilims, and should extend to the Corners of the Shield: but it should be cupé, or cut short of both, it represents a cudgel, and is given to Bastards to show that they were not free men, but lyable as slaves of old were, and servants yet are, to be beat and cudgell'd: And though in France the Brisurs, or differences of Princes of the blood differ from these of private persons, yet Bastards have in both the same cognizance as the French G: In England the Brisur of Royal Bastards is still of Mettal; but I think it may be varied in its colour, according to the colours or mettals of the Coat, lest there be colour upon colour, or mettal upon mettal: For, albeit some say that Brisurs should be excepted from that Rule; yet I think that the note of Bastardy de­serves no such priviledge.

I cannot be so partial here, as not to reprove an error of my own coun­trey-men, who make the mark of Bastardy to be a Ribban Sable, and make it to extend from the dexter Corner of the Shield to the sinister: For the mark of Bastardy should still be sinister, nor is it call'd a Ribband in any Nation, and though we have received an opinion, that the Bastards di­stinction [Page 77] may be after three generations born dextre, or omitted; yet I con­ceive the opinion is most unwarrantable: For jura sanguinis nunquam prae­scribuntur, and in the bastards of great Families this were very dangerous, for the bastards might pretend to the succession by this means, albeit that mark was invented to exclude them.

Yet, it is certain, that such as were once Bastards, but are Legittimated by subsequent marriage, may bear the Fathers Arms without any such Di­minution: Menoch, Concil. 128.

Whether such as are Legittimated by Letters of Legittimation, per rescrip­tum Principis, may cary their Paternal Coat, is much debated: Some think that they cannot: because the Prince cannot bestow the right of bloud, as he cannot make a stranger an agnat, and the bearing of Arms is only compe­tent to such, nor can such as are Legittimated, per rescriptum Principis suc­ced in the feudal rights belonging to the defunct, lib. 2. Feud. cap. 15. nor do such Legittimations as these, enoble the children of noblemen, who were formerly Bastards: Tiraquel. de nobilitat. cap. 15. num. 16. Others conclude that any Legittimation, empowers the person Legittimated to bear his fathers Arms; nam pro legittimis habentur & jus sui [...]atis obtinent, Nov. 24. cap. 2. & Nov. 189. cap. 9. But a third sort unwilling to extend favours done to Bastards, beyond what is necessar, and yet unwilling to bound the power of Princes too narrowly, in the matter of honour, which flow'd originally from them, have concluded, that Legittimations by the Prince does not empower the person, who is Legittimated to bear his Fathers Coat, except that power were expresly contain'd in his Legittimation, nisi Legittimatio expresse ad delationem armorum facta fuerit, Hopping de jur. insignium, cap. 7.

Albeit, Bastards be absolutely excluded from bearing the Arms of their suppos'd Father plain, and without a diminution; yet it is doubted if they may not bear their mothers Arms: Gothofred ad l. 2. de muncip. thinks they may because (sayes he) the Law must allow them some original, and the marks of it: But so it is, they are not allow'd to bear their fathers Arms. 2dly Bastards are admitted by the succession of the mother equally with her law­ful children, l. pen. C. ad S. C. Orf. But so it is that insignia inter bona reputantur: But Tiraquel conclud's very justly that they cannot, cap. 15. nam respectu matris agnationis nominisque gentilitii nulla est consideratio, l. 10. F. de grad.

AS the Law was ready to honour such as deserv'd well, so it had not been just, if it had not punish'd such as transgress'd by removing not only them from their imployments they possest, but by removing their honour from them.

This was done either by Deposition, I. aut damnum F. de panis: or exauctoration, l. 4. F. dere milit. or by degradation, l. 3. de offic. mag. schol. Deposition, was a verbal laying them aside; degradation and exauctor [...]ation was real, taking from them the marks of honour: But degradation wa [...] [Page 78] the throwing them down from an higher to a lower degree, l. 2. C. Theo. de curs. publ. and this was by the Graecians called [...].

And that which was called amongst souldiers exauctoration, is as to o­thers called degradation.

When Souldiers were exauctorated, their arms were taken from them, and in imitation of that, the Coat of Arms is taken from others, or it is dis­honoured with some mark of infamy; which by the English, and us, is called an abatment▪ and by the Latine, and French diminution of Arms.

Some think, that this diminution of Arms took it's origine, from throwing down of Images used among the Romans: For most of them had their Statues standing in the mercat-place, and when they were convict of crimes, these Statues were thrown down, l. eorum F. de paenis: But I think that this is more immediately founded upon, L. Iudices, & l. quoti­es C. de dignitat.

These who writ as Lawyers upon this subject, do remark, that Arms are diminished, or lost, for murder, falshood, oppression, false witness, and a profligat life; and that they are many several wayes defac'd, or diminshed, such as abrasion, perforation; but the most ordinary way is by reversing and ryving: which Far. observes to be ordinary in the case of treason, de crim. les. maj. cap. 16. which punishment is in observance by the Laws, and Customs of Scotland; for when any person is forfeited in Parliament, the Lyon, and his brethren Heralds come in with their Coats, and formalities, and the Lyon does publickly tear the Arms of the person forfeited, and if he be a Cadet of a Family, he sayes openly that the tearing of these Arms shall be without prejudice to the Nobleman or chief, whose Arms these are; after which he and his brethren go to the Cross, and there he hangs up the Shield revers'd, turning the base, or lowest point upwards: Which Deci­an tract. crim. lib. 7. c. 31. asserts to be us'd in imitation of the old form of hanging traitors by the feer.

It is debated amongst Lawyers, whether the children of forfeited trai­tors loose thus the Arms of their predecessors, and the ordinar resoluti­on is, that either the Father who was forfeited, was the first who got Arms, and then he being forfeited, his Arms are not transmitted: But if his Arms pertained formerly to his Family; then his crymes does not debare his posteri­ty from using them: For cryms should only infer punishment against the committers, vid. ant. Fabr. l. 9. tit. 29. & Tiraquel de nobil. c. 35. But they advise them to crave restitution as the safer way. With us the children of forfeited parents do use their predecessors Arms without being restored.

Not only in treason, but in other cryms this is allowed, as in the cryme of barratrie, or perverting of justice, Gigas quest. 2. n. i. and in the cryme of ambitus, or unjust acquiring of an office, Tiraquel. de nobilit. c. 6. And of murder, Laur. per. pag. 45. and in the cryme of falshood, where any man does falsly assume other mens Arms, l. [...]os. F. de falso, or committs falshood otherwise, Rochenga. cons, crim. 127.

With us, only treason forfeits Arms once given, except the sentence provide otherwise.

The Lyon may judge with us if Arms be lawfully assum'd; but the Lyon cannot take away a mans Arms, upon commission of a cry me; But in Germany, the Heralds have power to take away Arms, upon com­mission [Page] [Page]

[Page 79] of crymes, though the criminal Judge should neglect his office, Sextin. de Regal. l. i. c. 5. num. 127.

In these abatments, the French differ from the English, both in the form, and colour of their abatments: for the English assign a delf- tenne to him who revocketh a challenge.

An inescutcheon revers'd sanguin, for deflouring a Maid.

A point dexter for too much boasting in Martial Acts.

A point in point sanguine, due to a Coward.

A point Champion tenne, to him that killeth his prisoner.

Two gussets sanguine, for adultery.

A gore sinister tenne, for him that flyeth from his colours.

A point plain sanguine, for telling lyes to a Soveraign, or General.

The whole Coat of Arms revers'd is proper only to a traitor.

Menestier calls these English fancies: for who would bear such abate­ments, nor have I ever seen such abatements born by any: and therefore I rather think, that lesse remarkable Figures are to be us'd, and possibly beasts looking to the left hand, or broken cheverons, have at first been diminu­tions: and I find that the Family of Tiepoli were for a conspiracy in Venice, by the Senate forc'd to quite the Tour arg▪ they carried, and take a Vipers Tail, anno 1310. And one of the Family of Fastrzenbeir in Pole for be­ing accessory to the murder of St. Stinslaus, anno 1279. was forc'd to bear the horse shoes he bore pointing downward, whereas they pointed upward formerly.

The French call these abatements, des marques d'infamie, and call the Arms wherein these are born, des armes deschargees & rompues, and to a Rodomontado or Hector, who boasts injustly of his pretended courage, they do gild the dextre point of the chief of his Shield.

To him who kill'd his prisoner, the blunted point of his Shield.

To him who broke his paroll, they gave a delph (which they call un-tablet) gules in caur point.

To him who lyed betwixt the Prince, and his Subjects they coloured the point of his Shield gules.

To him who was a coward they gave a gore sinister.

Sometimes Princes do for an abatment, diminish a part of the princi­ple bearing: Thus St. Lewes King of France ordain'd, that Iean A'vesnes should bear no more a Lyon arm'd, and langu'd; because he had abus'd his mother in his discourse before the King: And Edward the third of En­land ordain'd of two sex Stars, which a Gentleman had in his Arms to be ef­fac'd; because he had sold a Sea-port, of which he was made Govern­our.

TIll now, I have only treated of distinct Coats Armours, and other abatments: in the next, my method obliges me to consider mo Coats Armours joyn'd together, the disposing of which is call'd to marshal. The French allow moe Coats to be marshall'd, to the number of 32. and the English, and Germans to the number of 40. as Colomb observes, cap. 8. but I find not the number exprest by any English Heraulds in their own books. In Scotland we exceed not six; only the Viscount of Falk­land (who was an English man) did bear 33.

Coat-armours are marshall'd together either to signifie an additione by marriage, by estate, by office, or by dignitie.

The learndest Antiquaries, and Lawyers (who call quartring cumula­tio armorum) do observe that the quartring of Coats, did proceed at first from the vanity of Kings and Princes, who added the Arms of the con­quired, or acquired Kingdoms to these which they bore formerly, Bart. tract, de insign. num. 13. the first instance whereof is given, in the arms of Castill, and Arragon, and they conclude, that when a person leaves his Estate to another, upon condition that he shall bear the disponers name, and arms; he who is to succeed, is not by condition oblidged to lay a­side his own name and arms: but may quarter his own arms, with these of the disponer, except the disponer do, in the institution, prohibite the bearing of any arms, beside his own, Fachin. lib. 2. Concil. 6. num. 3. and the Heir in Marshalling his own, and the disponers arms, may use what order he pleases, by giving the first quarter either to his own, or to the disponers; except the contrair be exprest in the institution, Thes­saur. decis. Pedemont. 270. upon which condition Percey got the Estate of the Lucies in England, Cambd. Brit. page 630.

When a man joyns in the arms of his wife, with his own in one Shield, he does it by dividing the Shield per pale, in two parts; on the right side the mans, and on the left the wifes are plac'd; and therefore this form of bearing is call'd impaling, from the pale that divides the arms, and Bar­ron and femme from the different arms that are born; Barron signifies a man, and femme is the only French word for a woman: So that Barron, and Femme is a mixt expression; and man and wife would do much better: for now neither French nor English understand it.

If a man marry an Heretrix, he himself impales only her Arms; but his children procreat of that marriage quarters them; the first, and fourth quarters should contain the fathers arms, and the third, and fourth, the mothers: Thus the Earl of Rothes bears two Coats quarterly, first and fourth, (some say last) arg. on a bend azur three buckles Or, by the name of Lesly his Paternal Coat: second and third Or, a Lyon rampand g [...]les, Surmounted of a Ribband Sable, by the name of Abernethie: and yet sometimes the Paternal Coat is not the first, which falls out upon many accounts, as for instance, when the Heirs derive not only their Heritage, [Page]

[Page] [Page 81] but their Title and Dignity, from the Mother: And thus the Earl of Marr bears two Coats quarterly, First and Fourth azur, a Bend betwixt six Cross Cressets fitchée Or, by the Name of Marr; 2. and 3. arg. a pale sable, for his Paternal Coat as Areskin.

Sometimes also there are four, or moe Coats marshall'd together upon this account, according to the number of the Heretrices, whom the Bearers predecessors have married, and then all the Coats are not twice born.

Sometimes also (sayes Guilims) he who marries an Heretrix, may car­ry her Arms in an Inescutcheon upon his own; because the husband pre­tends, that his heirs shall one day inherit an Estate by her; it is therefore called an Escutcheon of pretence: but this way of Bearing is not known abroad upon that occasion.

With us in Scotland, and in France also it is ordinar, where many Coats must be Marshal'd, That the Bearers own Arms are born in an In­escutcheon, as the English and we terme it improperly; for an Inescut­cheon is properly that which is born within the Shield; but the French doe better terme it Sur-tout, a Shield over all, because it covers some piece of all the other Shields which are plac'd about it: Thus the Marquess of Dowglass beareth 4 Coats, 1. azur, a Lyon Rampant arg. crown'd Or, for the Name of Mcdowald. 2. Or, a Lyon Rampant gules, surmounted of a Ribband Bend-wise sable, by the Name of Abernethy. 3. Azur, 3 Pyles in point gules, for the Name of Wishart; I call them rather Passion-Nails; born by the Iesuits also, and an ordinar Bearing among such as went to the Holy-war. 4. Or, a Fesse checkie azur and arg. surmounted of a Bend sable, charg'd with three Buckles, above all his paternal Coat, which is arg. a crown'd Heart in the point of Honour on a Chief azur, three Mollets of the first. I must here take notice of an errour in some of our Heraulds, who call, a Shield above all, a Shield of pretence: for it is absurd to say, that a man carries his paternal Coat, as a Shield of pretence; and therefore I say only above all; this of old was call'd, a Fesse Target, Fern. 207.

Sometimes the Arms of one of the Heretrices are born in a sur-toutes, or above all: thus the Earl of Sutherland bear Huntlies four Coats; and above all gules, three Mollets Or, for the Name of Sutherland; this our Heraulds terme erroneously, a Shield of pretence also, for a Shield of pre­tence is only born by him who marries the Heretrix; but not by the Heirs procreat of the marriage, who should quarter the Arms. Here there seem'd a necessity to place the Sutherlands in a sur-tout, or above all, be­cause there were four Coats born by him, as a son of the Earl of Huntly; but this is lately alter'd, and that of Sutherland is placed first and fourth, and the Coats of Huntly in the second and third place. I finde this Bearing us'd, where the Shield above all might have been in one of the Quarters: thus the Earl of Hume bears quarterly 1. and 4. vert, a Lyon Rampant arg. by the Name of Humes 2. and 3. three Pepingoes, by the Name of Pepdie, a­bove all Or, an Orle azur, by the Name of Landells; but these Coats might have been better marshall'd thus, 1. and 4. Pepdies, 2. and 3. Landells, and the Humes Arms in a sur-tout, or above all; or 1. and 4. Hume, 2. Pepdies, and 3. Landells, either of which had been more proper.

When the Arms which are quartered, are the Arms of private Families, we say not, That he bears the Arms of that Family in general, but we Blazon the particular Bearing; but when the Quarters are the Arms of great, and [Page 82] well known Families, then it is good Heraldry to say in general, He bears the Arms of such a Family in general, without Blazoning them: as in Blazoning the Earl of Sutherland's Arms, we say, he bears the Arms of Huntly, without Blazoning the particulars of Huntlys Coats.

That the Terms of Marshalling may be know in Latine, I have blazon'd the Earl of Wintons Coat thus, In solo quadrifido gestatur primo Setonius, nempe in auro tres Lunae crescentes Ambiente teniâ gemellâ exlil [...]is utrinque florente rubicundâ, in secundo Buchania, Umboni superinducitur Vintoniae ce­rulius insignitus Cometa ignescente tenia gemella florida aurea concepta.

If the Shield above all had been an Escutcheon of pretence, the Latine had said, Pretenditur Clypeus.

It was very ordinar in Scotland not to quarter the Heretrix's Coat, but to take a part of it into the Husbands paternal Shield; and thus Hamiltoun of Innerveik did take the Face checkie, when he married Stewart Heretrix of Bancreef: And this seems very proper, when the Husband is not tyed to bear the Father in Law's Arms by tailzie or express paction.

Sometimes the Husband did of old assume only the Wifes Arms who was an Heretrix, as Scot of Balcleuch the Arms of Murdiston, and Naper the Arms of Lennox, and did not bear their own native Arms.

Coat-Armours are Marshall'd sometimes for Honour, and signifie not Alliances, nor an Estate come by Heretrices; but when Earls are created, they get honourable Additions, which are quarter'd or impal'd with their paternal Coat, of Impaling I formerly gave an example in the Earl of Hol­derness Coat.

As to quartering we have many instances; Thus the Marquess of Mon­trose bears two Coats quarterly, first and fourth arg. on a Chief sable, 3. Es­calops Or, by the Name of Grahame, second and third arg. three Roses as Montrose.

Sometimes the Coats of Augmentation are plac'd first, and fourth, and sometimes the paternal Coat is first plac'd; as to which these Rules should be observed, 1. If the person whose Coat is to be augmented be a person of an old Family, and its Representative, he ought to keep his own Coat 1. and 4. as Montrose doth; but a Cadet may place his Coat of augmenta­tion 2. and 3. because his Honour is above his Birth: But if His Majesty bestow any part of His own Arms, even upon an ancient Family in their Coat of Augmentation, then the Coat of Augmentation is to be first.

Some when they are advanc'd to dignities, if they be not obliged to quarter the Coat of some Heretrix, they do for a difference take Crest or Supporters of the Family out of which they are descended, and quar­ter with their paternal Coat: As the Viscount of Kingston bears 1. and 4. the Arms of Seatoun, in the 2. and 3. arg. a wing'd Dragon vert. vomit­ing fire, which Dragon is the Crest of his eldest brother the Earl of Win­ton: But I approve not this way of Marshalling, and I would rather al­low a second Brother, or any Cadet, when nobilitated, to bear the Arms of the house with a difference, except he were oblig'd by his marrying an Heretrix, to quarter her Arms, or had got some Symbole of his Majesties Favour to reward some great service done him.

Some get Cognizances and Rewards of Honour from their Prince, not by way of impaling, or quartering, but in a Canton; thus the Earl of Annandale got from King Iames the sixth in a Canton, arg. a Thistle vert. [Page 83] crown'd Or; and the Earl of Elgin got in a Canton, a Lyon rampant Gules, arm'd azur.

Sometimes also a Shield over all is given, as a reward of Honour: thus the Earl of Stirling did bear two Coats quarterly, and over all, an Inescutcheon of Nova Scotia, because he was the first Planter of it.

When any Nobleman at his creation, takes or gets a new additional Symbole, as Earl, (as Montrose carries the Roses, not as Grahame, but as Earl) I think that these Coats, or Symbols, should not be transmit­ted to their Cadets; but are incommunicable, as the Honours are, to signifie which they were granted. And such as are descended from the Dukes of Lennox, may as well take the Symbole, which he bears as Admiral, as such as are descended from the Earl of Montrose, may take these Roses, which he bears as Earl: And yet custome has prevailed against this Rule.

AN Atchievement is, the whole Arms adorn'd with their exterior parts and ornaments; which are the Helmet, Wreath, Crest, Man­tlings, Supporters, and Motto's, or Words: and because these are but accidental parts of the Arms, and of late institution, as Ferme observes: Therefore we are not ty'd superstitiously, to all the nice Rules of Art; [Page 86] but may speak of, and express one colour twice, and use, and, within, or such relative particles, as oft as we please. I shall first treat of such of these exterior parts separatly, and then I shall show how they are marshall'd together, in blazoning a compleat Atchievement.

ONe of the chief parts of Armour is a Helmet: because it covers the chief part of man, which is his Head; and therefore it is made by Heraulds, one of the chief ornaments of their Coat Armours.

It was of old called Galea, from the Greek [...], a Cats skin whereof it was made; Cassis by the Romans: It is now call'd Helm, by the Germans, from the Dutch word Helm, which signifies the Head; hence comes the French word Heaume, the English word Helmet, and the Italian, Elmo.

Who should bear Helmets, and in what manner they should be born, is much controverted; And whole Nations, rather than private Authors, do here disagree amongst themselves: and yet most of them agree in this, that it is nobler to bear an open Helmet, than a closs one; be­cause the open Helm is given to, and is only fit for, such as have com­mand, and so must see what others do, and must speak to them, and tell them what they ought to do; Whereas, such as are obliged to thrust themselves into all dangers, and need little to see others, and speak none, should bear a Helmet closse: Nostri mores (sayes Besold thesaur. Pract. duplicem faciunt stech-vnd▪ Thermer helm) illam ple­beiorum, & clausam; hanc nobilium, & opertam: and yet this Rule is not without all exception, for Hopping. cap. 9. & Aldrovand. tom-1. pag. 91. observe, that in Spain and Italie, some great Families bear no Helmets upon their Coat Armours; and others bear their Hel­mets closs; and gives an instance in the Dukes of Brunswick: but ge­nerally all Nations use Helmets in their Heraldrie, and distinguish be­twixt open and closs Helmets.

Because the English and French do differ so much in their Rules here, I resolve to give an account of both their principles, and to begin with the English.

The English allow a Gentleman to bear, a side-standing Helmet with the baver closs: which was the Roman custom, as appears by Iu­venal.

To a Knight, a Helmet standing direct forward, with a baver open without guards.

To all Persons above the dignity of a Knight, and below that of a Duke, a side-Helmet with an open-fac'd guard visure.

To Dukes, and all above them, a Helmet which is full forward o­pen-fac'd with guard visures.

The French give to a Gentleman, a side-standing Helmet, very [Page] [Page]

[Page 87] little open, to show that he should not look about to view other mens actions.

To a Knight they allow, a side-standing Helmet, with 5 Barrs in his Guard vizur: Fenestras distinctas clathris seu cancellis.

To a Barron, they allow, to carry his Helm half side-wise, half in Front, en Tiers, as the French call it, with 7 Griles or Barrs.

To Counts, Vidames, and Viscounts, a direct standing Helmet, with 9 Barrs.

To Marquesses, a direct standing Helmet, with 11 Barrs.

To Kings and Emperours, a direct Helmet, altogether open.

Though Scotland agrees with England, in the Bearing of their Helmets, yet I must confess, that both by the consent of all other Nations, and in reason also, it were fitter to give Kings Helmets fully open, without Garde visurs (as the French do) than to Knights, as we do; for Knights are in more danger, and have less need to command; and seing all Nati­ons agree that a direct standing, is more noble than a side-wise standing, I see not why the Helmet of a Knight should stand direct, and a Dukes only side-wise: Sculptura, sive ornament [...]m quod in fronte est, plus prae se fert, quam illud quod a latere est; nam oculum habet ubique. Limneus, lib. 6. cap. 6.

There is likewise this difference betwixt them, that the English make no difference, betwixt the Bearers, from the Metall of which the Helmets is made; whereas the French allow only the Knights, a Helmet adorn'd with Silver; to Counts, and all above them, they allow Helmets adorn'd with Gold; and to Kings, all the Helmet damasquin'd: But Limneus, lib. 6. cap. 6. sayes thus, Altora est differentia, quod Duces uti possunt aureis, Comites argenteis, reliqui verò ferreis, Ovid.

Timbre is ordinarily us'd amongst the French and Italians, for a Hel­met, and was frequently us'd by the English of old. It is a general word which comprehends all sorts of Ornaments of the Head, and comes from la forme d'un timbre de cloche, the shape of a Bell, which it resembles somewhat: And as L'oseau observes, des ordres des gentils-hommes, cap. 5. Gentle­men did not adorn their Atchievements with Helmets, till they found that the Burgesses of Paris, did by warrand from Charles V. bear Coat-ar­mours: Whereupon, to distinguish themselves from those, Gentlemen did assume Helmets; and by the 200 Article of the Statutes of Orleance, all who were not Gentlemen by birth, were discharg'd to bear Helmets on their Arms.

Helmets being a part of the Souldiers Arms, it is only us'd by Sword­men, or Gentle-men. Bishops use Mitres, Cardinals a Hat, and there­fore L'oseau, cap. 5. remarks justly, That Gown-men should not bear a Helmet, but a Corner'd Cap; and my reason allowes rather his Judge­ment, than our Custom, which is contrary.

OF old, Knights, and such as did wear Helmets, took great pains to keep them very neat, and clear; and therefore they did cover them with Linning, or Stuff doubled with Silk, which served also to distin­guish them in the Battel: And when they went to Battel, these Cover­ings being very much cut, and torn, they did thereafter paint them with their Casques in their Atchievement, or Arms; and these we call Man­tlings in English, which hang down cut now with Art and Curiosity: The French call them, Lambreqains, from the Latine, Lamberare, (it may be) which, as Festus observes, signifies to cut or tear, because these were torn; the Germans, Helm-de [...]ken, and Helmzter; the Latine, Fascae, seu Lacinlae utrinque dependentes; & Paul. Iov. oiim hae nihil a [...]iud quam ga­learum teg [...]ina, Crus. pag. 477. and that their Institution was very old, appears from Diod. Sieul. iib. 5. cap. 30. And that such were us'd by Knights, appears from all the old Seals, Menest. cap. 8.

Sometimes Skins of Beasts, as Lyons, Bears, &c. were thus born, to make the Bearer more terrible; and that gave occasion to the Doubling our Mantlings with Furrs.

In Scotland, all the Mantlings of Noblemen, are G. doubl'd with Ermine; because the Robes of our Earls and above, are Scarlet doubled with Ermins: and therefore oftentimes in Blazoning we only say, With Crown, Helmet, and Mantling befitting his degree, without expressing the Colours: But since Mantlings represent only the Coverts of Shields, and must be represented all torn, I see no reason why they should with us represent the Robes of our Noblemen: and of old with us, our Mantlings were of the colour of the Coats, lin'd or doubl'd with the Metalls, which was more proper than that we now use.

Sometimes the Atchievement stands within a Pavilion, as that of the Emperour, and King of France; this Petra Sancta calls, Tentorium, and is, as he observes, competent only to Princes, though all use them not. But I admire, why the Kings of England did not assume as well the Pavilion, as Arms of France; seing that is one of the special Honours of that Kingdom. But yet Subjects use Mantlings in form of a Pavilion, as is to be seen in the Atchievement of Belchier of Gilsborough, represented by Guilims, pag. 409. And these Pet. Sanct. calls Chlamys, Vmbella, or Palliolum, pag. 642. where he also informs us, that the General of the Pope's Armies, carries, ratione Officii, his Arms within a Pavilion or Tent.

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ABove the Helmet, immediately did stand the Wreath, which the French call, Burlet; and in our ancient Scots Herauldry, it was call'd the Roll, or Row, because of its shape: Sometimes the English, and we in imitation of them, do terme it, a Torse, à torquendo. It was a Corde of their Mistresses Colours, as Favin relates, pag. 1. cap. 3. fol. 24. and did hang and dangle to the very Cruppers of their Horses, the Extremities being tassl'd, and enrich'd. The use of it was, to fasten their Mantlings to their Helmet. Now these Wreaths should be of the colours of the Field, and Charge; and the Rule is, That the first should be that of the Field, and then that of the immediate Charge, and af­ter that, the next mediate, and so forth, if there be moe Charges than one; yet some old Wreaths with us, differ from these, and possibly these have been at first Mistresses colours.

Though the Earl Marshal bear, arg. on a Chief Or, three Pales gules; yet his Wreath is, Or, and Gules, whereas it should have been, Arg. Or, and Gules. The Earl of Nithisdale, arg. a double Eagle sable, membred gules, yet his Wreath arg. and sable, yet this may be ascrib­ed as an errour of the Painter, but it should be reform'd. When moe Coats are quarter'd, the Colours of the Paternal Coat are only to be twisted in the Wreath, and this Rule is observ'd in all our Atchieve­ments, two or three excepted, which may be reform'd, without naming the Bearers.

If the Field be charg'd with a Furr, and colour, then some make the Wreath to be of that same Furr and Colour; Thus the Earl of Low [...]on bears, Gyron [...]e of 8 pieces Ermine and Gules, and his Wreath is, Ermine and Gules; but I think, that the Wreath should never consist of any Furr; for Furr is not fit to be twisted in a Wreath, nor to bind the Helmet, which was the use of a Wreath, nor did I ever see any such Wreath in approven Authors, and we say constantly, On a Wreath of his colours, but never of his Furrs; so that these who carry only Furrs in their Shield, should carry a Wreath of these Colours; as if Ermine, then White and Black, &c.

THe Ancients did wear the shapes of several Creatures, or some such things above their Helmets, call'd Crista, to make them appear terrible, Virg. lib. 8. Aen.

[Page 90]Or to distinguish them in Battell;

Sed cum centuriones Galeas haberent ferreas, transversis tamen & ar­gentatis Eristis, quo facilius agnoscerentur à suis, Veget. lib. 2. cap. 16.

Or to adorn their Helmet, Stat. lib. 2.

That these are Iuris Gentium, in use amongst, and approven by all Nations, is clear from, Limn. lib. cap. 6▪ num. 74. and now all such as are allowed to wear Helmets, are allowed to adorn them with Crests; and for Crests, men choose what they fancy; only it is not proper to choose such things, as could not stand, or be carry'd by Warriours upon their Helmets, such as Ballances, or such other things, which can­not either stand fixt, or wave with Beauty.

The French call the Crest, Cimier, because it stands upon the top of the Shield, sur la Cime de L'escu; but the old and proper term us'd in Scotland for a Crest was, a Badge, because our Noblemen in riding Parliaments, and at other Solemnities, do bear their Crest wrought out in a Plate of Gold or Silver upon their Lacquies Coats, which are of Velvet: And now the Crest is us'd upon all Seals and Plates, and there­fore, it is necessar for Noblemen amongst us, to carry differing Crests from the chief Family out of which they are descended.

It is ordinar to bear for a Crest, a part of what is born in the Charge; thus the Crest of Scotland, is a Lyon; the Crest of England, is a Leo­pard; the Crest of France, a double Flower de lis: And with us the Earl of Dumfermling carrys a Cressent, and the Earl of Lothian, a Sun in his Glory: sometimes also the Crest is a part of the Suppor­ters; thus the Earl of Linlithgow carrys for his Crest, a Demy-Savage proper, holding a Batton in Hand dexter, and his Supporters are two Savages with Battons.

The Earl of Weems carry's for his Crest, a Swan proper, and his Sup­porters are two Swans.

Sometimes also the Crest is bestow'd by the Prince, as a Reward of Service done to the Crown; and the Royal Crest cannot be born with­out special warrand; and thus the Earl of Lauderdale, bears the Crest of Scotland for his Crest, having a Flower de-lis in place of the Scepter.

Sometimes it is relative to Alliances, and thus the Earl of Kinghorn bears for his Crest, a Lady to the West, holding in her right Hand, the Royal Thistle, and inclosed within a Circle of Laurells; in me­mory of the honour that Family had in marrying King ROBERT the second's Daughter. Sometimes it represents some valiant Act done by the Bearer, thus M ^cclelland of Bombie did, and now the Lord Kirkcudbright does bear a naked Arm, supporting on the point of a sword, a Mores head; because Bombie being forfeited, his Son kill'd a More, who came in with some Sarazens to infest Galloway; to the Killer of whom, the King had promised the Forfeiture of Bombie; and thereupon he was restored to his Fathers land, as his Evidents yet testifie. Sometimes it respects the Title of the Bearer, thus the Lord Ross of Halk­head bears for his Crest, a Falcons head eras'd.

Sometimes it relates to an Office or Employment, thus the Lord Iohnstoun, being Warden of the Marches, and very famous for repres­sing [Page 91] Robbery, took for his Crest, a Spurr with Wings.

Sometimes it is à rebus, that is to say, something borrow'd from the Name; thus the Lord Cranston has for his Crest, a Crane sleeping, with her head under her wing. And sometimes Crests are taken by No­blemen from the Name of the Countrey, as the Earl of Sutherland takes a Cat for his Crest, because Sutherland is call'd Cattu in Irish, and was so called from the great number of Wild Cats, which were of old, and yet are to be found, in that Shire. Sometimes Crests are taken from some considerable Deliverance: Thus the Laird of Anstruther gives two Hands grasping a Pole-axe, with the Word, Per [...]issem ni peri [...]ssem; because his Predecessor (as is commonly reported) did strike off the head of the Laird of Barns with a Pole-axe, when he was coming to his house with an in­tenti [...]n to kill him.

It is lawfull to change the Crest, and Colomb▪ pag. 4. tells us, that it is lawfull for such as change their Arms, to retain a part of their old Arms as a Crest. Cadets also do, and may change their Crests: Thus Dum­fermling keeps not the Crest of Winton, nor Kellie the Crest of Marr; but it is most proper for Cadets, when they take Crests, to take a Mem­ber, or some small part of their Chiefs Crest, or Arms; as Ogilvie of Birnies has taken the Lyons Paw, though it be ordinar to retein the Chiefs Crest, markt by the ordinar differences, or of a different Colour.

THe first Origine of Crowns in Arms, was from the Romans, App. lib. 2. de Bell. Civil. For they rewarded the great Actions of their Citizens and Warriours, with different and suitable Crowns, which I have set down out of ingenious Mr. Cartwright. Corona Muralis, this was due to him that was first seen upon the Wall of the Enemy. Corona Castren­sis, for him that made a breach in the Wall of the Enemy; The first, a Crown embattail'd, or made with Battlement, being of Gold; the other, of Towers. And then they had Corona Navalis, garnish'd with Fore-Castle, for Service at Sea, made of Gold too.

Then Corona Ovalis, of Mirtle, for Victorie gotten with little hazard; Corona Obsidialis, which was made of Grass, for him that preserved an Army besieged. Corona Civica, for him that saved a Citizen from the Ene­my, made of Oaken boughs. Corona Olivaris of Olive leaves, for Victory in the Olympick Games; and Corona Populea, for young men that were found Industrious, and Studious in the Exercises of Virtues: But I find that a­mongst these Rewards of Honor, that of Ivie, called Corona Hederalis, was only appropriated to the Poets.

Crowns were still the infallible Mark of Kingly Power, and therefore Sue [...]on in Calligula's Life, observes, Parum abfuit, quin Diadema sumeret, & speciem Principatus, in Regnum converteret; which Expression I have set down, to show, that the Roman Emperours were then less than Kings in their Titles, though greater in their Power.

[Page 92]As to the Crowns now born, they differ not only according to the Quality of the Bearer [...], but according to the Nation wherein they are born; for England and France differ much in this, though the English acknowledge that they owe their Heraldry to the French.

I have here set down the different Shapes of the English Crowns.

The first whereof is the Crown of the Empire of Germany, which is but little different from that of England, in the second, which is Imperial too▪

The third is a Coronet of the Prince, which is the same with the Kings, only the Arches, Mound, and Cross, wanting.

The fourth is a Crownet of an Arch-Duke, which is the same with a Duke, the Arch only added.

The fifth is a Crownet Florial, only proper to a Duke

The sixth is the Crownet of a Marquess, which differs thus; It is of Leaves and Points, the Leaves or Flowers above the points.

The seventh is proper to an Earl, which hath Points and Flowers; but the Points are above the Flowers.

The eighth is due to a Viscount, which is a Circulet pearl'd, and neither Flowers nor points.

As to the French, the French Kings Crown is closs above, like the Im­perial, and rais'd into eight Demy-Diadems, enriched with Diamonds, &c.

The Dolphine Crown differs only from the Kings, in that it rises up­on four Demy-Diadems, the Kings upon eight.

The Circle of their Ducal Crown is enriched with Stones and Pearles, and is raised with eight Flowers.

Their Marquess Crown has its Circle adorned only with Pearles (tempeste) de Perls, and raised into four Flowers betwixt 12 Points or Pearls, as the French call them.

Their Counts carry only a Circle of Gold, raised unto nine Points, ane Cercle d' or garny de pier reries rehausse de 9 grosses perle de Comte.

The Viscount has only a Circle of Gold plain or enambled, and rais'd unto four Points, or as the French term them, four Pearls.

Baro [...]s have also in France, a Circle of Gold enambled, mounted by a Bracelet of Pearls.

Of late, both the Barons in England, and Lords in Scotland, have got Coronets by His Majesties concession.

The Bannerets carried only a plain Circle of Gold, adorn'd with three ordinar Pearls. Our Baronets cary no crown nor circle

The Regal Crown of Scotland hath Arches, Mound, and Cross, like to that of England, adorned with precious Stones and Pearls, and having four Flowers. de. lis, and as many Crosses pat [...]é interchanged, Farme, pag. 79.

The ninth Figure here represented, is by Silvanus Morgan said to be than Crown which is born by Homager Kings, and by Iohn Baliol, when he held the Crown of Scotland of Edward the First; but I begg the Gentle­mans pardon to tell him, that of old the Roman Emperours carried no o­ther than these, after their Apotheosis, and being numbred amongst the the gods, Lucan.

And generally all the Kings of Christendom carryed theirs of that [Page]

[Page] [Page 93] shape, (as L'oseau observes) till of late that Dukes, Marquesses, &c. were allowed to bear Crowns: which allowance had this Rise; The child­ren of Kings were of old, in France, Kings, and so carryed the Crown; but thereafter they were forced to take Dutchies, and Earldoms for their shares, yet they still retained their Crowns, to declare their Extraction: Whereupon other Dukes and Earls did think they might like­wise assume the same, being in the same Degree, which obliged the Kings of France to distinguish the Forms of these Crowns, as we now see, L' oseau, chap. 5. des Seigneuries; and from this also did proceed his calling all such of the Nobility as bear Crowns, his Cousens, as the same Au­thor observes.

SUpporters are these Exterior Ornaments, which are plac'd without the Shield at its side, and were at first invented (as Pet. Sancta observes) to represent the Armour-Bearers of Knights; but why then are they or­dinarily two? and therefore I rather believe, that their first Origine and Use was, from the Custom which ever was, and is, of leading such as are invested with any great Hono [...] to the Prince, who confers it: Thus when any man is created a Duke, Marquess, or Knight of St. Andrew, of the Garter, or any other order, either in Scotland, or else where, he is sup­ported by, and led to th [...] Prince, betwixt two of the Quality, and so receives from him the Symboles of that Honour, and in remembrance of that Solemnity, his Arms are thereafter supported by any two Crea­tures which he chooses; and therefore, in the received Opinion of al Heraulds, only Nobiles Majores, who have been so invested in these Ho­nours, are allowed to have Supporters: And albeit Chiefs of old Fami­lies have used Supporters with us, yet they owe these to Prescription, and not to the original Institution of Heraldry, as shall be observed. O­thers, as Menestier, think that when Knights hung up their Shields to provoke all Passengers to the Combat, they placed their Pages, or Ar­mour-Bearer under the disguises of Wild-men, Lyons, Bears, &c. to watch who offered to touch them, and thereafter they used these Figures as Supporters; but beside, that this Fancy seems as wild as the Sup­porters, it may be asked, why some Men use Fowls, or Fishes? to which nothing can be answered, save that Beasts being once allowed, each man choosed thereafter any living creature he pleased.

Shields are oft-times supported either by Living Creatures, and these are properly call'd Supporters, or by things inanimate; and these Arms are said to be co [...]is'd, not from costa, the ribs, as Guilims alleadges, but from coté the side, an ordinar French word; for else they would be pronoun­ced, costis [...]d. The proper word for Supporters in Scotland is Bearers.

Colomb and the French distinguish not betwixt Supporters, and Cottises; nor did I ever see a Shield Cottis'd by things inanimate, and I believe these Cottises are mistaken for the lower parts of the Mantlings; but the French [Page 94] distinguish, entre les Supports, & les tenans, and call these only Sup­porters which raise up the Shield somewhat, whereas these are Tenans, or Holders, which hold the Shield, but do not raise it; and such are ordinarily Angels, Men or Women; whereas Brutes, such as Lyons, Uni­corns, &c. are said by them to be the proper Supporters. I acknowledge nei­ther the one nor the other Distinction, following in this, Chass. paict. 1. Num. 36. conclus. 49. Hopp. cap. 9. § 4. and the other Civilians, who call all things which support Arms, Sustentacula: And albeit the Ger­mans assert, That Supporters are only due to persons who are invested with the highest Jurisdiction, and to great Princes, and that Guilims thinks that none under the degree of a Knight Baronet, and that it is believed now that none under Knight Baronets can have Supporters; nor do some Lawyers allow these to any, save such as have a particular warrand from the Prince, habendi Delatores sive Sustentatores, Zippaeus ad L. 12. C. de dignitate. Yet Chassaneus observes, that, Non interest sint ne alicujus or­dinis Nobiles, vel minus, sed sufficit ut in magnâ aliquâ Dignitate sint constituti: so that according to his opinion, an Heretable Sheriff, or an eminent Judge may take Supporters; and I crave liberty to assert, that all our Chiefs of Families, and old Barons in Scotland, may use Sup­porters: For besides that, to be a Chief, was of old, and is still, re­pute an Honour, though it be adorned with no mark of Nobility; yet these Chiefs have prescribed a right to use Supporters, and that such a right may be prescribed, I have proved formerly, and what Warrand is for most of our Rules in Heraldry, but an aged Custom: and that they have constantly used Supporters past all memory of man, even when they were Knights, is clear from many hundred Instances; Thus the Lairds of Pitcur, did, and do use, two wild-Cats, for their Sup­porters; Fothringhame of Powrie, two naked Men; Irwin of Drum, two Savages, wreathed about head and loyns with Hollin, and bear­ing Battons in their hands; Moncreiff of that ilk, two Men armed at all points, bearing Picks on their shoulders: And many of our Noblemen have only retained the Supporters which they formerly had: And that of old, Barons might use Supporters, de Iure, seems most cer­tain; for they were Members of Parliament with us, as such, and ne­ver lost that Priviledge, though for their convenience, they were al­lowed to be represented by two of their number, and therefore such as were Barons before that time, may have Supporters, as well as Lord Barons; nor should we be governed in this by the custom of England, seing there is Dispar ratio; and this is now allowed by the Lyon to such.

Supporters are not Hereditary, but they may be altered at pleasure, Colomb. pag. 42. and it is fit, that these extrinsick Parts of Atchievements should not be Hereditary, to the end, men may have somewhat to as­sume, or alter, upon considerable Emergents; but it Cadets keep their Chiefs Supporters, they use to adject some difference, as is to be seen in the Earl of Kellies Atchievement.

Supporters have been given and taken in Scotland, upon many occasi­ons; for sometimes the Royal Supporters are given, to signifie the As­sistance the Bearer has got from the Crown: Thus Bruce of Clakman­nan got the Royal Suporters. But without a special Warrand, none can assume, nor can the Lyon bestow the Supporters of the Prince. Thus al­so [Page] [Page]

[Page 95] Sir Philip Moubray of Barnbugle, having been forfeited by King Ro­bert the Bruce, the Lands were restored to his Daughter; in requital of which favour, the Husband and all the Family since, have a Man and Woman for their Supporters.

Sometimes also, a part of the Benefactors Arms are taken as Suppor­ters: And thus the Lairds of Dundass did take the Lyons, which was the Earl of Marches Arms, to testifie how much they were obliged to that Family. Sometimes they are taken to signifie the Employment and Hu­mour of the Chooser; Thus the Lord Rae, when he went to Germany with his Regiment, did take his Arms supported on the dexter side by a Pick-man arm'd, at all parts proper, and on the sinister, by a Musquetier proper. By Supporters, sometimes the occasion of the Bearers Honours is signified; and thus the Earl of Panmure changed his old Supporters to two Grew-hounds, because he was first noticed by King Iames upon the occa­sion of his entertaining him with excellent sport in the Moor of Monrowman.

Some use to adorn their Supporters with a part of the Charge; and thus the Earl of Monteith adorns the collars of the Lyons, which are his Sup­porters, with Escalops, which are a part of his charge; and the Laird of Innes, the collars of his Grew-hounds with three Starrs, which are the Charge.

The Germans and Spaniards sometimes want Supporters, and some­times takes Supporters, which seems very irregular; for sometimes they have the head of a Lyon, or other Beasts, at the opposite corners of their Shields; and sometimes their Crest is a Serpent, whose body sur­rounds the Shield; and sometimes their Shields are surrounded with the Banners which they have taken from the Enemies.

It is given as a Rule by the French Heraulds, that only soveraign Princes, can use Angels for their Supporters; but I see no reason for that Rule, nor finde I it in the Authors of any other Nation; so that I believe this Rule holds only in France, where Angels are the Sup­porters of the Prince, and so should not be used by any subject without permission: But in Scotland, the Lords Borthwick and Iedburgh, have long had Angels for their Supporters, which were their old Supporters before they were Noblemen.

The Compartment is that part of the Atchievement, whereupon the the Supporters stand, and though none have offered to conjecture what gave the first occasion to Compartments in Heraldry, yet I conceive that the Compartment represents the Bearers Lands and Territories; though sometimes they are bestowed in Recompense of some honorable Action: And thus the Earls of Dowglass got the priviledge of having their Sup­porters to stand within a Pale of Wood wreathed, because the Earl of Dowglass, in the Reign of King Robert the Bruce, did defeat the English in Iedburgh Forrest, and that they might not escape, cause wreathe and impale in the night that part of the Wood, by which he conjectured they might make their escape.

These Compartments were ordinarily allowed to soveraign Princes only, nor know I any subjects in Britain, whose Arms stood on a Compartment, save those of the Marquess of Dowglass above set down, and that of the Earl of Pearth, who hath for his Compartment, a Galtrap used in Warr; albeit of late, Compartments are become more common: And yet some Families in Scotland have certain Creatures, upon which their Atchieve­ments [Page 96] stands, as the Laird of Dundass, whose Atchievement has for many hundreds of years, stood upon a Salamander in flames proper; and Robert­sone of Strowan gives, a monstruous Man lying under the Escutcheon chai­ned, which was given him for his taking the Murtherer of King Iames the first.

Women generally use no Supporters; but they surround their Shields with a Corde of their colours, which the French call, Cordeliere, or las d'amour, the Lace of Love, Cingulus laqueatus in se insertus, born first by the Relict of Charles VIII. as some say, in veneration to St. Francis, Patron of the Cordeliers, Pet. Sanct. pag. 639. I find Muriel, Countess of Strathern; to have carried her Shield, Anno 1284. with one Supporter, viz. A Falcon standing upon the Neck of a Duck, which with the Neck lyes under the Escutcheon, and both Shield and Sup­porter are within a Lozenge.

OF old, Men did choose some Sentence or Word, whereby they ex­prest somewhat, and yet concealed somewhat of their genius and inclination: This being carried by Knights upon their Arms, and be­ing ordinarily relative to them, or explicatory of them, did give ocasi­on to Heraulds to account these as fit Ornaments of Armories. The English call this a Worde; the French, a Devise; the Italians, a Motto; the Scots, a Ditton; the Latine, Epigraphe; the Grecians, [...].

It is placed by the French, in a scroll above the Atchievement; but in my opinion, if it relate to the Crest, it should be placed above; but if it relate to the Armour, it should be placed under the Atchievement, that so it may be near to the Armour to which it relates.

That Dittons or Words relate sometimes to the Bearing, is clear by many instances; Thus the Earl of Glencairn bears, Arg. a Shake [...]fork sable, and his Word is, Over fork over. Sometimes, and most ordi­narily, to the Crest, as the Earl of Kinghorn has for his Crest, a Maid, holding a Thistle vert in her hand, within a Garland or Wreath vert, and or; and his Motto is, In te Domine speravi, for having gained the affection of King Robert the second's daughter, he was much crossed in his Match, but having at last married her, he took that Crest, and the Motto relative to it.

The Earl of Galloway has for his Crest, a Pelican feeding her young ones in a nest, or; and the Motto is, Virescit vulnere Virtus.

And yet Burnet of Burnetland, who has for his Crest, a Hand hold­ing a pruning Knife, pruning a Hollen-tree all proper, hath the same Motto: and having pursued Burnet of Lees before Lindsay of the Mount then Lyon, to change his Motto; Lees did thereupon take for his Motto, Alterius non sit qui potest esse suus, alluding to the occasion.

[Page 97]Sometimes it is relative to the Supporters: Thus the Supporters of Buccleugh, were two Ladies in rich and antique Apparel az. their lokes over their shoulders, and the Word is, Amo, which was assumed by his Predecessors, when he got his first Estate by marrying the Heretrix of Murdistone. Sometimes it relates to the Supporters and Compartment: Thus the Earle of Pearth gives for his Supporters, two Savages with Bat­tons on their shoulders, and under their feet, a Galtrap, with this Motto, Gang warrily.

Sometimes it is relative to the difference or mark of Cadencie: Thus the Earle of Kellie, a brother of the Earl of Mar, gave for his Word, De­cori decus addit avito.

Sometimes the Word is relative to some considerable Action, and to neither Arms, Crest, nor Supporters: And thus the Earl of Stirling, having planted Nova Scotia, the Word he took was, Per Mare per Terras.

Sometimes they are but a meer Rebus, alluding to the Name,

Sometimes to the Bearers Office, as Forresters Motto is, Blow Hunter thy horn; The Lord Iohnstoun, when Warden of the Marches, Light thieves all, id est, Light from your Horses and render your selves. Some­times they serve to remember a family to be ware of a misfortune: Thus the Lord Maxwell being forfeited, and thereafter restored, took for his Motto, Reverisco, I stand in awe to offend.

Sometimes they show the Bearers Origine more than the Arms do: Thus the M ^cphersons have for their Motto, Touch not the Cat gloveless, to show they are of the Clanchattan.

These Dittons serve ofttimes to instruct us, what is the true Bearing: Thus the Earle of Glencairn's Ditton, Fork over fork, showes that his Bearing is a Fork, and not an Episcopal Pale, as some would have it: and though Bailzie of Lamingtons Arms are by some blazoned Mollets, (Spurryals) yet that they are Starrs appears from the Motto, which is, Quid clarius astris.

NOt unlike these Motto's are our Slughorns, which are called Cris de guerre in France. The use of them is either to serve as a Watch­word to all of one Family, or are the name of the place at which a Family should meet in time of Warr: And thus the M ^ckenzies have for their Slughorn, Tulloch Ard, which is the place at which this Clan does meet; and the Name of Hume have for their Slughorn (or Slogan, as our South­ern Shires terme it) a Hume, a Hume: For it is most ordinar to have ei­ther the Name of the Family who do meet, or the Name of the Place at which they do meet: And this Word or Cry was proclaimed every­where, by a person who carried a Cross of wood burning, or a firie Cross, as we call it, by which and by the cry of War or Slogan, all the Cadets of the Family were advertised to meet at the ordinar place; For [Page 98] of old, all of a Family did dwell in a Neighbour-hood. From which we may conclude, that these Words are the Marks of Greatness and of Antiquity; nor were they of old allowed to any but to the Chiefs of Clans, and to great men, who had many Followers, Vassals, and De­penders; and in effect they are useless to all others. Menestier allows them only to such as had power of carrying a Displayed Banner, and sayes, that they were taken from the Name of the Princes, or Great Men who did command. 2. From the chief place where they were to ren­dezvous. 3. Some used the Name of the Family out of which they were descended. 4. The Name of the Saint they adored. 5. The Designe they were about. 6. Some remarkable and happy Accident relating to the Family, and these Slughorns were not only used in publick Rendez­vouses, but in private Combats, upon which occasions the Heraulds used to cry aloud the Slughorn of the Combatant, when he entred the lists, and the beholders used to cry out chearfully when he prevailed.

THough we confound Devises and Motto's, yet they differ much; for a Devise properly is a painted Metaphor, Metaphora in fatto, as the Italians call them, wherein one thing is represented by another to which it resembles: The painted Resemblance is called the body of the De­vise, and the Word whereby these are explained, the souls of the Devise: And thus it appears, that a Devise comprehends somewhat like to both Crest and Motto, and that some Authors are mistaken, who make De­vises to be either such as are all soul, such as the Pathetick Sentences used by some, to express their Inclinations; or those that are all Body, such as the ancient Hierogliphicks; or such as are composed of Soul and Body, which are indeed the true Devises.

Some believe that Devises are as ancient as Antisthenes, who gave Cephisolode for his Devise, Incense burning, with this Word, [...], that is to say, I please whilst I consume. But others think that De­vises were no older than Paulus Iovius; and yet Petra Sancta, lib. [...]. simbol. heroic. asserts, That the Thistle taken by Achaius King of Scots, when he made his Alliance with Charlemaigne, with the Word, Nemo me impunè lacesset, is the ancientest Devise now upon record and all praise it as very regular and pretty. But some think it ought to be Lacessit, because the present time shows best the nature of the thing, yet Lacesset has more of daring and Gallantry.

The ordinary Rules in making Devises (which Scipione Ammirata, calls Filosofia del cavaliere, are these as to the Body of the Devise, 1. That no­thing Monstruous be used, for the easilier it be understood, the better it is. 2. Things of different Natures ought not to be joined together, for else it were too easie to make Devises, and would also breed Confusi­on, and for the same reason too many things must not be represented, and moe than four are irregular, and even two or three are irregular, except [Page] [Page]

[Page 99] they relate to one Design. 3. No parts of a mans body must be taken for a Devise, because say they, that were to represent man by man; but I think this a mistake, for some one part of a mans body, may well with some posture or addition, represent the inclination or designe of a living man, such as a Hand with a Lawrel, or a Heart in Flames, &c. 4. Be­cause a Devise should be a Noble and Pleasant Representation, therefore Devils, vile Animals, or rustick and mean Mechannick Instruments, ought not to be used. 5. For the same reason, the thing that is put in the De­vise, ought to be put in its n [...]blest posture, as a Lyon rather rampant than sleeping. 6. They ought to be modest, and thus the present French Kings Devise, which is a Sun, with the Word, Nec pluribus impar, is very faul­tie, because very vain. 7. The Body of the Devise should be things known and apparent, and therefore Flowers or Beasts not known amongst us, ought not to be used; and thus some blamed that excellent Devise ta­ken by Queen Mary of Scotland, after the Death of Francis the II. of France her Husband, which was a Liquorish Stalk with this Word, Dulce meum terra tegit.

The Rules relat [...]ng to the words of the Devise are, 1. That they be not too general, and such as might be used to almost any thing. 2. That the words do not express as fully the things represented, as if you saw the thing it self; for else the representation were useless, as una Hi­rundo non facit ver; and this is called an Embleme, and not a Devise: And therefore the words of a Devise must have still something that is mysteriously imperfect, as ut vivat, under a Phoenix burning; and co­minus & eminus, to a Porcupine, without adding the word ferit. 3. We must not for the same reason express the thing represented in the words of the Devise, so we must not say, ita Phoenix, or ut vivat Phoenix. 4. The words must relate to the thing, and not to the person, and thus where the Devise was gold in a Furnace, these words, Domine probasti me, are cen­sured, because they are not applicable to the Gold. 5. The words must not be clenching, or equivocall, for that were to make Devises meer Ae­nigmata.