HERALDRY. 



HERALDRY. 



berry. ThM colours and metals hare been nine* the 16th century 



expressed in engravings by line* and pointa or dots, 



the ingenious Idea of which ia attributed to an 



Italian named Petraaancta. Thus Or, or gold, is 



known by the eaouteheon being filled with email 



poinU or dota. 



ArgtMl, or tilrrr, by the shield being left perfectly 

 plain. 



Gaits, or red, by perpendicular lines from the 

 top to the bottom of the escutcheon. 



Azure, or blur, by horizontal lino-. 



Sable, or block, by the two former crossing c.iuh 

 other. 



Vert, or grttn, by diagonal lines from right to left. 



Purport, or purple, by ximihr lines from left to 

 right. 



, or oraxge, by perpendicular lines crossing 

 lines from right to left. 



f'anyvine, or mnrrtg, by transverse lines from 

 each side of the shield. 



The metals and colours above mentioned are also distinguished by 

 one heralds by the names of planets and precious stones ; and there 

 nre besides, according to Sir John Feme ('Glory of Orarr 

 twelve other fantastical aorta of blazoning (by which word is meant, 

 dowribing in proper heraldic terms, the bearings, tc., of a shield or 

 banner) ; but as all these are now obsolete, we shall only allude to the 

 fact without enuunibering our columns by rehearsing th< 



There are nine roundleta, or balls, also used in heraldry, the names 



of which are sufficient to denote their colour, without particularising 

 the same, namely : 



Secants . . Or. 

 Plate*. . Argent 

 Torteaux . Gules. 



Hurts . . Azure. 

 Pommes . Vert. 

 Golpes . Purple. 



Pellets . Sable. 

 Oranges . Tenne. 

 Guxes . Sanguine. 



i i t 



L 1 1 1 i 

 A slJL J 

 L 1 1 t J 

 * A 1 



To metals and colours must be added FURB, 

 which, according to some heralds, ore of ten diffe- 

 rent sorts. Those most commonly met with are 

 however comprised under the names of Ermine and 

 Vair, the rest being variations of colour and dis- 

 position. The first is represented in heraldry thus, 

 the field being whitt, or anjenl, the spots and tails 

 black, or table. 



The second is represented by figures like littl<> 

 cups or bells reversed and ranged in lines, thus : 

 the colours being, of the field Aryent.ot the cups 

 Azure, or vice versft; but where the matter is 

 doubtful, the metal to possess the field by pre- 

 eminence. 



N.B. If the same figures are found in other 

 colours, they are no longer to be blazoned or 

 described as Vair ; but " Vairy, Or, and Galet" or whatever else it 

 may be. 



The principal variations above mentioned are : 

 ' 1. Erminrt, the field of which is &iblt, and the 

 spots and tails Argent. 



2. Ermiwn*, the field Or, the spot* and tails 

 Sable. 



3. Pcan, the field Sable, the spots and tails Or. 



4. Erminitet, the same as Ermine, with the addition of a mi hair ou 

 each side the blark tails. 



5. Vair en point is when the point of a cup or 

 bell is opposite to the base of another. 



6. Ciia/cr Viiir, wlirn Kills nf the same colour 

 are placed base to bane and point to point. 



7. Potent is classed as a fur, but the word signifies 

 a crutch or a gibbet (Potence, FT.). It is represented 

 thus 



8. Potent-roiiHter-potent, sometimes calltxl \',iin/ 



x when the crutches are counter 

 thus 



The principal charges or figures expressed on the shield ar. 

 the Ordinaries ; they are nine in number, and styled htnourabU. Tl,. v 

 consist of the Chief, the Palf, tin- //</. Ilif Itrml fiinitter, th. 

 the Bar, the Ckcrron, the Crna, and the Saliirr. 



