HERALDRY. 15 



wife." Coussans, page 165, "Marshalling by impalement is effected by 

 slightly compressing the two coats of arms, and placing them in their entirety 

 side by side on one escutcheon. In this manner the arms of husband and 

 wife are usually combined, those of the husband, or, in heraldic phraseology, 

 the baron towards the dexter, and those of the femme on the sinister." 



The sons use their father's coat of arms unless their mother 

 is an heiress ; i. e.> has inherited the arms in consequence of 

 there being no male heirs and she being the eldest or only 

 daughter, in which case the sons are entitled to quarter their 

 shield with the paternal and maternal arms. 



Authority: Coussans, page 166, "All the issue of a marriage with an 

 heir female are entitled to bear both their paternal and maternal coats 

 quartered, together with all the quarterings to which their mother may her- 

 self have been entitled." 



2. THE FEMALE MEMBERS of a family inheriting arms may 

 use the shield, and only the shield, with the modifications 

 given below. 



Authority : Boutell, page 298, " Crests are not borne in the armorial in- 

 signia of ladies with the exception of the sovereign." Coussans, page 199, 

 " There are many ancient families who, though bearing arms, possess no motto, 

 and its use is in all cases forbidden to ladies, the queen excepted." 



Daughters and widows who are entitled to bear arms use 

 a diamond or lozenge shaped shield. 



Authority : Boutell, page 9, " The escutcheons of unmarried gentle- 

 women and widows and noble ladies who have married commoners are 

 always lozenge or diamond shaped." 



Regarding the use by women of impaled, i. e., combined 

 arms, see last paragraph of laws relating to the use of arms 

 by the male members of a family. The use of the impaled 

 shield is appropriate when co-ownership is to be implied. 



The ridiculous audacity of a commoner displaying a crown 



