HERALDRY. 



697 



part of the bend sinister. This is borne couped, and 

 is vulgarly known by the name of the bend of bas- 

 tardy, because it is the mark of illegitimacy. 



Fesse. The Fesse is an honourable ordinary whicn 

 occupies the third middle of the field. The fesse is 

 said to surmount another figure when it lies over it, 

 and in the same manner to be surmounted by it ; but 

 when the supercharge is comprehended within the 

 limits of the fesse, it is said to be a fesse charged, or 

 to be o/i a fesse. When the fesse is placed higher 

 than the centre, it is said to be transposed ; and when 

 below the centre, it is abaisse. 



Bar. The Bar is an honourable ordinary which 

 is formed after the manner of a fesse, but occupies 

 only a fifth of the field, and is not confined to any 

 particular part of the field, except when there is only 

 one bar, when it is put in the place of a fesse. Bars 

 are mostly two in a field, sometimes three and more. 

 When the field is filled with bars they are said to be 

 barry, as " Barry of four, six pieces argent and azure, 

 &c." When small figures are ranged horizontally 

 above or below the middle of the shield they are then 

 said to be in bar, or barways ; and when the bar does 

 not touch the sides of the shield it is said to be 

 couped. The diminutives of the bar are the closet, 

 which is the half of the bar, and the barulet, which 

 is the half of the closet : when these diminutives are 

 placed two and two in a shield, they are called bars 

 gemel. The bar is sometimes subject to the acciden- 

 tal forms of lines, as imbattled, ingrailed, &c. 



Chevron. The Chevron is an honourable ordinary, 

 made of the bend dexter and sinister, issuing from 

 the right and left base points of the escutcheon, 

 meeting and ending pyramidically in the collar point. 

 It occupies, according to the French, a third of the 

 field ; but according to the English, the fifth. The 

 chevron is subject to very many accidental forms, for 

 it is accompanied with, or charged with, other figures, 

 and is also imbattled. The diminutives of the chev- 

 ron are the ckevronel, which is the half, and the couple 

 close, whicli is the fourth of its breadth. When the 

 field is filled with pieces of equal number in the form 

 of chevrons, it is said to be chevrony of so many 

 pieces, as chevrony of six, argent and gules, &c. 



Cross. The Cross is composed of the pale and the 

 fesse, which meet in the centre. After the introduc- 

 tion of the cross into the military ensigns of the 

 crusaders, its use became very frequent, and its form 

 was in consequence more varied than that of any 

 other ordinary. 



Saltire. The Saltire, or Sautoir, is an honourable 

 ordinary, composed of the bend dexter and sinister, 

 which is supposed to represent the cross on which 

 the apostle St Andrew suffered. It is subject to the 

 accidental forms of the lines, as ingrailed, wavy,&c. 

 When the saltire is between four figures it is said to 

 be cantoned. When figures are borne on the saltire 

 it is said to be charged, or they are said to be on a 

 saltire. Figures are also borne saltirewise, or in sal- 

 tire. 



The Sub- ordinaries are the Bordure, the Orle, the 

 Tressnre, the Inescutcheon, the Canton, the Quarter, 

 the Billet, the Gyron, the pile, the Flanche, the Lo- 

 zenge, the Fusil, the Rustre, the Mascle, the Fret, 

 the Ronndle, and the Gutte. See plate 44, for a few 

 of these. 



Bordure. A Bordure goes round the extremities 

 of the shield, and takes up mostly the fifth part of 

 the field, but sometimes more and sometimes less. 

 The bordure is subject to all the different forms of 

 lines belonging to the other ordinaries, as ingrailed, 

 invecked, &c., and is also charged with different 

 figures, from which it derives the name of entoire, 

 when charged with inanimate things ; verdoy, when 

 charged with vegetables ; cinirey, for a charge of 



beasts ; and enaluron, for that of birds. Bordures 

 are also said to be compone, or gobonate, and cheeky. 

 A bordure compone is that which is filled with one 

 rank of square pieces. When there are two ranks of 

 pieces it is called counter-compone ; and when there 

 are three or more, cheeky. 



Orle. The Orle is an inner bordure which does not 

 touch the extremities of the shield. The orle is pro- 

 perly a diminutive of the bordure. 



Tressttre. The Tressure, or in French Treschur, 

 is a diminutive of the orle, and consists of a trace or 

 tract flowered, surrounding the inner part of the es- 

 cutcheon as an orle. When there are two of these 

 tracts flowered and counterflowered, within and with- 

 out, it is called a double tressure. 



Inescutcheon. The Inescutcheon represents the 

 military shield, and occupies the fifth middle of the 

 escutcheon. It is subject to the different accidental 

 forms of other ordinaries. 



Canton. The Canton is a square figure possessing 

 a third part of the chief, whicli is used as an addita- 

 ment of honour, and in particular as a Baronet's 

 mark. The canton is frequently cliarged with other 

 figures. 



Quarter. The quarter is a square figure larger 

 than the canton. This is called by the French franc 

 quartier. 



Billets. Billets are oblong square figures which 

 are supposed to represent billets, or letters missive. 

 The proper position of the billets is erect, but when 

 in fesse, or fesseways, they are said to be couche; 

 and, when diagonally placed, they are said to be bend- 

 ways ; and, when they are placed after the manner of 

 a crosspall, which is called by the French pairle, they 

 are then said to be en pairle. When the field is 

 charged with more than ten billets irregularly, it is 

 said to be billety, or seme of billets. 



Gyron. An ordinary of two lines drawn from 

 the side of the shield, meeting in the centre, or 

 top ; if these two lines are extended to the other 

 side of the shield they form two girons. When the 

 field is divided into six or more parts of different 

 tinctures, all the points uniting in the centre of the 

 field, it is called gyronny. The Gyronsare also sub- 

 ject to the accidental forms of lines, as ingrailed, ne- 

 bule, &c. 



Pile. The Pile is an ordinary consisting of a two- 

 fold line formed after the manner of a wedge. It is 

 subject to the accidental forms of other ordinaries. 



Flatiche. The Flanche is an ordinary made by an 

 arch line that swells towards the centre, and is always 

 borne in couples. The flasque and the voider, two 

 varieties of this ordinary, are said to be less in 

 breadth. 



Lozenge. The Lozenge is a rhomboidal figure that 

 has equal sides, and unequal angles. The shield in 

 which maids and widows bear their arms is of this 

 form. When the field is filled with lozenges, it is said 

 to be lozengy. 



Fusil. The Fusil is rhomboidal like the lozenge, 

 but longer than it is broad. When the field is filled 

 with fusils, it is called fusilly. 



Rustre. The Rustre is a lozenge pierced round in 

 the middle so that the field appears through. 



Mascle. The Mascle is also a lozenge voided of 

 the field, but in a square form instead of a round 

 one. 



Fret. The Fret is a figure which resembles two 

 sticks lying saltirewise, and interlaced, within amas- 

 cle. It is sometimes called the true lover's knot. 

 Pretty, or fretted, is said of any figures that are 

 placed in the form of a fret. 



Roundle. The Roundle is an ordinary in the form 

 t of a ball, which receives different names in English 

 \ heraldry, according to the tincture, as follow : 



