HER 
Hepatic gus, the old name for sulphu- 
retted hydrogen. 
HEPIALUS. See Phalena. 
HEPTACHORD, in the ancient poetry, 
signified verses that were sung or played on 
seven chords, that is, on seven different 
notes. In this sense it was applied to the 
lyre, when it had but seven strings. One 
of the intervals is also called an heptachord, 
as containing the same number of degrees 
between the extremes. 
HEPTAGON, in geometry, a figure com 
sisting of seven sides, and as many angles. 
In a regular heptagon, the angle at the cen- 
tre is =51° the angle of the polygon is 
= 128° |. The area is = the square of one 
of the sides multiplied by 3.6339, or if a 
equal the side, the area = a 2 x 3.634 nearly 
~a 2 X {t, where t is the tangent of 64° it 3 = 
half the angle of the polygon. 
In fortification, a place is termed an hep- 
tagon, that has seven bastions for its de- 
fence. 
HEPTAGON AL numbers, in arithmetic, 
a sort of polygonal numbers, wherein the 
difference of the terms of the correspond- 
ing arithmetical progression is 5. Arith- 
metical 1, 6, 11, 16, 21, &c., and these 
added together-, make Heptagonals 1, 7, 18, 
S4, 55, ike, One of the properties of these 
numbers is, that if they be multiplied by 
40, and 9 be added to the product, the sum 
will be a square number. 
Thus 1 X 40 -f 9 = 49 = 7 2 
7X40-|-9 = 289 = 17 2 
18 X 40 -j- 9 = 329 = 27 2 
34 X 40 -f- 9 = 1369 = 37* 
55 X 40 9 = 2209 = 47* &c. 
Here it is evident, that the series of 
squares thus formed, is 7 2 , 17 2 , 27 2 , 37 2 , 47 2 , 
j&c. the common difference of whose l oots 
is 10, which is double the common dif- 
ference of the arithmetical series from 
which the heptagonals are formed. 
HEPTANDRIA, in botany, the seventh 
class in Linnaeus's system, consisting of 
plants with hermaphrodite flowers, which 
have seven stamina or male organs. There 
are four orders of this class, derived from 
.the number of styles. 
HEPTARCHY, a government of seven 
persons : also a state or country divided 
into seven kingdoms, and governed by se- 
ven independent princes ; in which sense 
it is particularly applied to the government 
jof South Britain, when divided amongst the 
.Saxons. 
HERACLEUM, in botany, cotv jmrsnep, 
YOU III. 
HER 
a genus of the Pentandria Digynia class and 
order. Natural order of Umbellatae or 
Unibellifcrae. Essential character ; invo- 
lucre caducous ; corolla difform, inflex, 
emarginate ; fruit elliptic, emarginate, com- 
pressed, striated, margined. There are six 
species, with several varieties, 
HERALDRY, We shall commence 
this article with some account of the great 
and important services of the heralds in 
former times, how ancient heraldry hath 
been, their employments in war and peace, 
and in proclaiming and publishing weighty 
affairs. 
As for their antiquity, they were in re- 
quest among the ancient Greeks ; Homer 
in his second book, speaks of nine heralds 
in the Grecian army ; and with the Romans 
they were in such esteem, that Numa Pom- 
pilius, the second King of Rome, instituted 
a society of heralds, and Ancus Martius, 
his grandson, and fourth king of Rome, 
erected a college for them. 
Their business was to determine peace 
and war, leagues, agreements, wrongs offer- 
ed or taken by them or their enemies, and 
to execute martial messages, &c. and as 
the Romans strove chiefly to obtain honour, 
so the heralds distributed ornaments and 
rewards to all who performed worthy ac- 
tions at home and abroad. 
The Roman law strictly prohibited any to 
take up arms against an enemy, without the 
consent and approbation of these heralds, 
and one above the rest being called Pater 
Petratns, was crowned with vervain, from 
whence he became their chief, or king, 
either in denouncing war, or concluding 
peace, as now is practised in England. 
In the time of Edward I, Thomas Earl 
of Lancaster, Leicester, and Derby, and 
constable of England, ordained, that no 
parson, curate, churchwarden, &c. should 
pull down any hatchment, coat of arms, or 
pennon, or eraze any tomb out of churches 
or clmrch-yards ; and also, that no gold- 
smith, coppersmith, glazier, painter, or 
marbler, have to do with arms, without the 
consent of the King of Arms of that pro- 
vince and that they should not set a mer- 
chant’s mark within an escutcheon : which 
order was revived in 1707, by Henry 
Howard, earl of Bindon, deputy earl- 
marshal of England, with these additions, 
viz. that no engraver, cbacer, carver, stone- 
cutter, coach-maker, funeral-undertaker, 
and others in the premises, should design, 
and appoint, to or for any persons, any 
arms, or ensigns armorial, &c. as tiiej 
