52 



rank of Baronet, those above tliem from Barons up to Dukes 

 adopting precious stones corresponding to the colors enumerated, 

 while more exalted personages leave tilings terrestrial and soar- 

 ing to the celestial, impressed the planets for their colors and 

 glisten in the efulgence of the heavenly bodies. 



A detailed description of many of the ordinaries led to attention 

 being called in the paper to the splendid variety of crosses used 

 in Blazon. There were at least 385 varieties, while many 

 achievements borrowed their charges fi'om the skies. The sun 

 often occurs in the full blaze of orient splendom-, anon luna 

 hangs out her resplendent lamp. The reasons for such symbols 

 will readily suggest themselves. The crescent comes from the 

 Saracen and was borne on christian shields because it was at 

 one time the privilege of the vanquisher to transfer the emblem 

 of the vanquished to his own cote. But not alone do the sideral 

 heavens fmiiish full contingent to the science, the lower heavens 

 where the elements hold sway, are laid under the law of armorial 

 exaction. Hence we find " flames of fire," " thunderbolts,"' 

 " clouds " and rainbows." Next comes the animals, in long and 

 arklike procession : Fabulous, hideous, mythological, hybrid, 

 natm-al, wild and domestic, all are represented, and each hold 

 pointed allusion to the bearer of the cote. The scene again 

 changes and down the Heraldiic vista come birds on the wing, 

 hopping, vulning, crowing— to take up their places in the field 

 of variegated tincture and array. Fishes too are borne in Arms, 

 the finny tribes of ocean, lake, and river are laid under quest; am- 

 phibious reptiles, insects are grouped with then- representatives, 

 and toads, adders, tortoises, scorpions, snails, grasshoppers, 

 spiders, ants, and gadflies. It is singular, says Lower " that 

 such despised and noxious creatures should have been adopted 

 as marks of honor." And last in the animal kingdom as last in 

 creation, but most excellent and noblest of all, man is enrolled 

 to share in the honour, and take his place in heraldric glory and 

 courtly show. 



But the tale is not yet complete. The whole arcana of created 

 glory shares the privilege of heraldric appropriation. The 

 celestial kingdom stands not alone. The vegetable world offers 

 its verdant decoration in many a blazon, floral, horticultural, 

 and arboricultural. The cereals too, in produce agricultural. 



A word or two on the Language of Heraldry should not be 

 considered out of place in dealing with the subject from a popular 

 point of view. Of the many examples of escutcheons connected 

 with famihar local names a few were selected for illustration and 

 were read as follows : 



Soit>en — Houlding. " He beareth sable a fess between two chevrons 

 ermine, beticixt the chevron in chief and the fesse a covered cup or." A 

 very natural enquiry would be what does this pompous language mean ? 

 Aji heraldric student would answer— the tinctures, ordinaries and charges 



