150 FLORAL SYMBOLISM 



Christian symbol. It was not till then that the 

 heraldic writers, the greater part of whom be- 

 longed to the Church, forced themselves to 

 recognize in the heraldic fleur-de-lys the form 

 of the lilium, even though, in place of being 

 or upon azur and having three petals, it ought 

 in that case to have five petals and appear in 

 argents 



The monkish heralds found a very elaborate 

 symbolism in the royal shield of France. The 

 lilies were of gold, not silver, because in heraldry 

 gold signifies the four kingly virtues, nobility, 

 goodwill, charity and magnanimity. 



They are three in number because this 

 number is complete as is the Holy Trinity. . . . 

 Also, the centre one signifies the Christian faith, 

 that on the right the clergy, that on the left 

 the army. There was no end to the hidden 

 meanings. 



' Enfin,' concludes Carlo Degrassalio of Car- 

 cassonne, ' ces trois fleurs-de-lis d'or sont sur un 

 dcu d' azur, parceque, de mime que Dieu, le roi 

 des rois, la puissance des puissances, a en quelque 



' Recherches sur I'orgine du Blazon et en particulier la Fleur- 

 de-Lis. 



