HERALDRY. 



met. The crown or coronet is more an- 

 cient than the helmet, and was invented 

 as a testimony of triumph and victory ; the 

 radiated crown was assigned to Emperors ; 

 but the coronet, with pearls on the circle, 

 and foliage intervening, was not used in 

 heraldry more than 300 years past. (See 

 fig. 5356) the coronet of a Duke, Mar- 

 quis, Earl, Viscount, and Baron ; besides 

 ducal, mural, naval, civic, Celestial, cus- 

 tom, valary, &c. 



The helmet was worn in battle and at 

 tournaments, both for use and distinction. 

 Since the invention of fire arms it has 

 been nearly confined to heraldric purposes. 

 The manner of placing them on shields 

 is shewn in fig. 57, 58, 59. Those right 

 in front, many bars, to Sovereigns ; 

 those nearly in profile, to Peers ; when 

 front and open, to Baronets and Knights ; 

 in profile close, to esquires and Gentle- 

 men. 



The wreath is a roll of silk, of two co- 

 lours, blazoned on the shield, and laid on 

 the helmet as a support to the crest. See 

 fig. 60. 



, The crest is the most elevated part of 



the armour of the head, and is said to be 

 derived fromcmta,'or cock's-comb. The 

 original use appears to have been a pro- 

 tection from the edge of the sword, when 

 aimed at the upper part of the skull. 

 Gwillim asserts, that the crest, or cogni- 

 zance,, should possess the highest place 

 next to the mantle, yet so as to permit the 

 interposition of a scroll, wreath, chapeau, 

 or crown. The knights who celebrated 

 jousts wore plumes of the heron and os- 

 trich feathers, with crests of various ma- 

 terials, which were altered at pleasure. 

 They are of great antiquity, and were of 

 superior honour, as no person was admit- 

 ted to tilt at a joust till he had given proof 

 of his noble descent, and they were limit- 

 ed to those only, (see fig. 61) which ex- 

 hibits a crest on the wreath. 



The mantle isthe drapery that is thrown 

 around a coat of arms; it is doubled, or 

 lined throughout by one of the furs. 



Supporters are figures by the side of a 

 Shield, appearing as if they actually held 

 it erect. (Fig. 62.) In England, sup- 

 porters are confined to peers, and knights 

 of the four orders and proxies of the 

 Princes of the Blood Royal, at installa- 

 tions, except by an especial grant from 

 the Sovereign. 



HKIIALDS. The heralds, winch are six 

 in number, are distinguished by the names 

 of Richmond, Lancaster, Chester, Wind- 

 sor, Somerset, and York, and are all equal 

 in degree, only preceding according to 

 the seniority of their creation, their pa- 



tents being under the great seal of Enj 

 land. 



HEUALDKIC ACHIEVEMENT, in bias 

 an armorial bearing or device, formed 

 cording to the rules of heraldry, common- 

 ly called Coat of Arms. These armorial 

 bearings appertain to families and nations. 

 The arms belonging to the United States, 

 adopted after the declaration of indepen- 

 dence, and in use to the present time, 

 were designed by William Barton, Esq. a 

 gentleman very eminent for his heraldric 

 knowledge and skill. 



" The device for an armorial Achieve- 

 ment and Reverse of a great seal for the 

 United States in Congress assembled is as 

 follows : 



" Arms. Paleways of thirteen pieces, 

 argent and gules, a chief azure ; the es- 

 cutcheon on the breast of the American 

 bald eagle displayed, proper, holding in 

 his dexter talon an olive branch, and in 

 his sinister a bundle of thirteen arrows, all 

 proper ; and in his beak a scroll inscribed 

 with this motto, " E pluribus unum." 



" For the Crest. Over the head of the 

 eagle, which appears above the escut- 

 cheon, a glory, or, breaking through a 

 cloud proper, and surrounding thirteen 

 stars forming a constellation, argent, on 

 an azure field. 



" Reverse. A Pyramid unfinished. 



** In the zenith an eye in a triangle sur- 

 rounded with a glory, proper. Over the 

 eye these words " Annuit Cceptis." 



" On the base of the pyramid, the nu- 

 merical letters MDCCLXXVI, and under- 

 neath the following motto : " Novus ordo 

 seclorum. 



" Remarks and Explanations of the De- 

 vice. The escutcheon is composed of the 

 chief and pale, the two most honourable 

 ordinaries. The thirteen pieces paly re- 

 present the several states in the union, 

 all joined in one solid compact, entire, 

 supporting a chief which unites the whole, 

 and represents Congress. The motto al- 

 ludes to this union. 



" The pales in the arms are kept close- 

 ly united by the chief, and the chief de- 

 pends on that union, and the strength re- 

 sulting from it, for its support, to denote 

 the confederacy of the United States, and 

 the preservation of the Union through 

 Congress. 



" The colours of the pales are those 

 used in the flag of the United States of 

 America. White signifies purity and in- 

 nocence, red hardiness and valour, and 

 blue, the colour of the chief, signifies 

 vigilance, perseverance, and justice. The 

 olive branch and arrows denote the power 



