Crosses 



27 



The various forms of Crosses are thus spoken of 

 by old Fuller : — " But chiefest of all (the symbols 

 used in heraldry) is the Crosse ; which, though borne 

 in arms before, yet was most commonly and gene- 

 rally used since the Holy Warre. The plain crosse, 

 or St. George's Crosse, I take it to be the mother of 

 all the rest ; as plain song is much senior to any 

 running of division \ Now, as by transposition of 

 a few letters a world of words is made ; so by the 

 varying of this Crosse in forme, colour,, and metali 

 (ringing as it were the changes) are made infinite 

 several coats. The Cross of Jerusalem^ or five C7vsses, 

 most frequently used in this waiTe ; crosse patee, 

 because the ends thereof are broad; fichee, whose 

 bottom is sharp, to be fixed in the ground ; wavee^ 

 which those may justly weare who sailed thither 

 through the miseries of the sea, or sea of miseries ; 

 molinee, because like to the rind of a mill ; saltyree, or 



^ The plain song in the Church was the old Gregorian tones, 

 and such like ; by the " running of division" is meant the rnore 

 or less florid harmonies with which it was accompanied. 



