94 HISTORY AND ETHNOLOGY. 



historians and antiquarians, and to such as wish to settle the degrees of 

 consanguinity between relatives and families in lawsuits or other ques- 

 tions. Heraldry, in short, indicates a man's rank and family, collateral 

 descent, and relationship by marriage, as the arms of the wife were 

 combined with those of her husband. It establishes also the political or 

 ecclesiastical power, residence and occupation, right of succession, and, 

 finally, adoption, as in the last case the arms of the patron are united with 

 those of the ward. Armorial designs belong {a) to individuals, as a lord- 

 bishop ; (p) to each branch of the family, hence family-arms ; {c) to a 

 republic or an association. Again, we meet with arms designating the sacred 

 position of the wearer, or his authority, or some circumstance indicative of 

 the occasion on which the dignity was conferred by the king ; or, finally, 

 armor of patronage and protection. When the names of the figures or 

 symbols composed the name of the wearer, it was called denominational or 

 titular armor ; thus the Henneberg family emblazoned their shield with a 

 black hen (Henne) on a green mountain {Berg). 



The armorial shield usually contained various ornamental pieces, as the 

 helmet, crown, cap, or hat ; sometimes animals or men supported it, while 

 in other cases pillars or insignia peculiar to military orders surmounted it. 

 As marks of condition, it was also adorned with the globe of empire, sceptre, 

 sword, crozier, or other accidental symbols. 



The form of the armor was often national. Thus the French shield 

 terminated below in two wave lines meeting each other {pi. 27^ fig. 10), 

 while the lower part of the Spanish shield is rounded {fi^g. 11). The 

 German shield had several indentations {fig. 8), though originally it had 

 but one {fig. 1). The prominent parts were often twined or ornamented. 

 As the shape is not essential, the shield often takes a triangular {fig. 2) or 

 heart form {fig. 4). The Knights of the Banner in France bore square 

 shields {fig. 13), while the ladies selected the rhomboidal {fig. 5), or the 

 heart-shaped {jig. 4). Scholars frequently adopted the French form in a 

 slanting position {fig. 6). Many families had the shield crooked or inverted. 

 When a man could claim several shields, they were grouped in a circle, 

 placing the most honorable in the centre, and the others in accordance 

 with their rank ; but they might also be combined, and form the fields of 

 one la,rge shield. The science of heraldry regulated this arrangement, 

 and the heralds at the tournaments, in announcing or blazoning the titles 

 of a knight, mentioned first the central shield, and then proceeded from 

 the right to the left, and from the top downwards. 



The shield is generally divided into five principal points / the centre is 

 called the heart or fess point ; the top the head point, or precise middle 

 chief ; the point equally between the fess and chief was called the honor 

 point ; that at the foot the precise middle base ; and that between the 

 heart and base, the naval or nombril point. 



If the shield contains several representations separated by lines, the 

 portions of the shield thus set apart are termed fields {pi. ^'J.^fig. 53), and 

 when there are four equal divisions, as in figs. 13, 29, and 53, the shield is 

 called quadripartite. 

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