HERALDRY.
HEraldry is an Art rightly prescribing the true knowledge and use of Arms, and consists in Blazoning and Marshalling.
Blazon is taken either for an Explication of Arms in apt and significant terms; or else for a display of the Virtues of the Bearers of Arms.
Marshalling is the conjoyning of divers Arms into one Shield or Escutcheon, &c. And Arms (saith Cambden) are Ensigns of Honour Born in Banners, Shields and Coats, for notice and distinctions of Families one from another, and are descendable as hereditable to Posterity.
Arms in this sence have been of great Antiquity in the world, as appears from Sacred Writ: Particularly from Numb. 2 d: wherein every Tribe of Israel was commanded to pitch his Tent under the Standard of his Fathers House.
Ensigns of Honour among Military men, have been anciently used in this Kingdom; and the Coats that are now born by the Nobility and Gentry, are visible signs of their Nobility, and shortned Symbols of the Heroical actions of their Predecessors: And the several Divisions of their Shields, ought to shew the Wounds and Cuts received in many various Acts and Heroical Atchievements of their Progenitors, which from them hath been descended down to their Posterity; which principally took its Rise from their Services in the Warres in the Holy Land, wherein several Christian Nations were engaged; every one under their several Banners: As,
The English displayed a Red Cross on a white Field:
The French and Portugals under a white Cross in a Blew Field:
The Irish, a Red Cross in a yellow Field.
The Spaniards, with a Salter Crosse trunked in a white Field:
The Scots with St. Andrews Crosse, white in a Blew Field.
And the more particular bearings in the Holy Land, was the Crosse Crouched and Crossed, of infinite Varieties, as may be seen in all Military Orders of Chivalry and Knighthood: So that all those particular Families, that did signal Service there, have their Shields adorned therewith: As Escalop Shells, Pilgrims Scrips or Staves, Saracens heads, &c.
Every Coat of Arms ought to consist of both Mettal and Colour, having some Analogy of the Body and Spirit of the Bearers, represented by the Field and Charge; Rendred in the proper Language of Heraldry, which is called Blazon.
The Mettals, Colours and Furres are represented in the first Plate of this book, each of them exprest by several Hatchings of Lines: As, Or, is exprest by Pricks and Points; Argent, plain, &c. As may be seen under their respective titles: All which are Common Fields in Heraldry, and are subject to Division and Charge: Only observe the Vary, is Armour of it self, being always Argent and Azure.
An Explication of the Divisions of several Shields with their Significations.
FIrst, of the Crosse, being the most worthy of all Bearings, noting all Divine and Moral Virtues.
The Second, is a Chief, which though it consists but of one Line, yet is the Embleme of Fame, who bears her Head in the Clouds, Representing a Head, a Chief, a Commander.
The Third is a Fesse, signifying Resolution to action, and is a Military Girole, going out to Conquer.
The Fourth, is called a Bend, signifying an old Souldier, and represents the Baltheum Triumphalis, worn by those that have Conquered.
The Fifth is a Pale, Representing a Military man in a standing posture, denoting Vigilancy and Diligence, and is as a Colomn or Pillar erected to the Memory of deserving Men.
The Sixth, is a Cheveron, and denoteth an Establish'd House, one that doth enjoy the Spoyls of Arms gain'd in Warres.
The Seventh, is the Saltier, which is an Engine of Manhood to assault or gain, per Saltum, and denoteth a Politick Souldier.
The Eighth is an Escutcheon, representing the property of a good man, who labours to keep a quiet Conscience in his Breast.
The Ninth Ordinary, is the Barr, which is never single, and are of the nature of the Scarf worn about the Neck, Arm or Middle: Denoting such as either with Arms or Councel defend their Nation: Two Barrs representing Love and Honour.
When a Field is Charged by these Lines drawn straight or thwart, do constitute certain honourable Ordinaries, as being Ordinarily used, and are called Ordinarij.
The Differences of the several Brothers are to be placed on the several Escutcheons, with their significations.
The Shield being charged with Living Creatures, and principally with the Lyon the King of Beasts, in their several Postures, are presented as followeth:
First, The Lyon Couchant, signifies Vigilancy, and an Illustrious Hero.
- Secondly, Rampant, Magnanimous, Noble.
- Thirdly, Passant, Resolute.
- Fourthly, Passant, Guardant, Prudent.
- Fifthly, Saliant, Valiant.
- Sixthly, Sejant, Advised.
- Seventhly, Regardant, Circumspect.
- Eighthly, Double-headed, Politique.
- Ninthly, Double-Queiv'd, Strenuous.
And which you may see answered to the several Figures in the Plate, where the Helmets are expressed.
And, because Man as he is the head of the whole Creation, so to bear the Head of any thing is accounted the most Honourable: And what is gained by Labour and Pains is to be preferred: As the Erased Head is more of Military power than the Couped; the one being torn off, and the other cut off.
Cantons have place among Augmentations: As in the Institution of Barons, each wearing an Escutcheon, or a Canton charged with a sinister hand Gules: And when one Escutcheon is born on another, it signifies that the Husband hath Marryed an Heiress General, and having Issue by her, it is Quartered by the Son, to shew that the Right of her Inheritance is transmitted from her to him: But if she be not an Heiress, he may but impale the Coat on the sinister side, which is called Baron and Feme: As for the outward Ornaments of Mantles, Helmets and Crests, with which the Coats were called altogether Atchiavements.
Of the diversity of Helmets.
THe Helmet is for the defensive part of the Head, representing Council; and are thus distinguished, as may appear in the 2 d Plate in the Book.
- The First is that of an Esquire or Gentleman.
- The Second is that of a Knight.
- The Third, is that of a Baron Garde Visure, placed in that Ciroulus Aureus, which the King hath conferred on Barons of the Realm with six Pearls only.
- The Fourth, is that of a Viscount, consisting of the whole Circle of Pearls.
- The Fifth, is that of an Earl.
- The Sixth, that of a Marquess.
- The Seventh is that of a Duke.
- The Eighth is that of a Prince.
And the Ninth is that of a Soveraign, which is the Highest.
And for the Manner of Blazoning Coats of Arms, you shall find herein several Examples: As in the Second Plate answering to the several Figures; and the Escutcheon N o 1. Is thus Blazoned: He beareth Sable, a Fesse Dancette Sable, by the Name of Vavasour.
The Escutcheon N o 2. is thus Blazoned: He beareth Argent on a Canton Sable, a Lions paw erased in Bend, Or, by the name of Bowthby.
The Escutcheon N o 3. is thus Blazoned: He beareth Argent, two Lions pawes issuing out of a Dexter and sinister base points erected in form of a Cheveron Argent, Armed Gules, by the name of Frampton.
The Escutcheon N o 4. is thus Blazoned: He beareth Argent a Cheveron between three Boars heads erased, Sable, Muzled, Or, by the name of Pennarth of Cornwall.
The Escutcheon N o 5. is thus Blazoned: He beareth Topaz on a Chief, Diamond, three Lions heads erased of the first, by the name of Richardson, once Lord chief Justice of the Kings Bench, and therefore Blazoned by precious Stones.
The Escutcheon N o 6. is thus Blazoned: He beareth Azure a Pile waved, issuing out of the Dexter Corner of the Escutcheon Bend-wayes, Or, by the name of Aldam.
The Escutcheon N o 7. is thus Blazoned: No beareth Ermin a Crosse engralled, Gules, by the Name of Norwood of Lekhampton in the County of Gloueester.
The Escutcheon N o 8. is thus Blazoned: The Field is Azure, a Bend engrailed Argent Cotissed, Or, by the name of Fortescue of Devon.
The Escutcheon N o 9. is thus Blazoned: He beareth Sable a Bend Argent, between two Cottises, Dancette, Or, by the name of Clopton.
The Escutcheon N o 10. is thus Blazoned: He beareth Argent, two Bends, Gules.
The Escutcheon N o 11. is thus Blazoned: He beareth Argent, three Bends wavy, Azure, by the name of Wilbraham of Cheshire.
The Escutcheon N o 12. is thus Blazoned: He beareth Gules on a Cheveron Argent with Barres, Gemelles Sable, by the name of Throckmorton of Gloucestershire.
The Escutcheon N o 13. is thus Blazoned: He beareth Sable, a Pile Argent surmounted of Cheveron, Gules, by the name of Dynton.
The Escutcheon N o 14. is thus Blazoned: He beareth Sable on a Saltier engrail'd Argent: An Escutcheon, Or Charged with a Crosse, Gules, by the name of Morris.
The Escutcheon N o 15. is thus Blazoned: He beareth Argent on a Pale Sable, three Crosses Pattee, Or, within a Bordure, Engrailed of the Second, by the name of Crouch of Alswick in the County of Hertford.
The Escutcheon N o 16. is thus Blazoned: He beareth Argent a Fesse and Canton Gules: This Coat of Armour pertained to the Honourable Family of Woodvile.
The Escutcheon N o 17. is thus Blazoned: He beareth Gules, two Barrs and a Canton Argent: By the Name of Dean of Tatton in the County of Hereford.
The Escutcheon N o 18. is thus Blazoned: He beareth Sable a Bend and Chief, Or, a Coat or rare bearing.
The Escutcheon N o. 19. is thus Blazoned: He beareth Or, a Fesse between two Cheverons Sable: This Coat of Armour was born by Sir John Lisle Knight.
The Escutcheon N o 20. is thus Blazoned: He beareth Gales a Crosse Argent in the Dexter Quarter, an Escutcheon Or, charged with three Cheveronels of the first, by the name of Sir Owen, which Form of bearing is very rare.