its upper and lower part more acute and sharp than the other two collateral middle parts, which acuteness is occasioned by the short distance of the space between the two collateral angles; which space, if the fusil is rightly made, is always shorter than any of the four equal geometrical lines whereof it is composed.

The rustre is a lozenge pierced round in the middle, called by the Germans rutten.

The mascle is pretty much like a lozenge, but voided or perforating through its whole extent, showing a narrow border, as in the figure.

Papillone is an expression used for a field or charge that is covered with figures like the scales of a fish. M. Baron gives us an example of it in the arms of Monti, Gueules Papelone d'Argent. The proper term for it in English would be scallop-work.

Diapering is said of a field or charge, shadowed with flourishings or foliage with a color a little darker than that on which it is wrought. The Germans frequently use it; but it does not enter into the blazoning or description of an arms; it only serves to embellish the coat.

If the fore-mentioned ordinaries have any atributes, that is, if they are engrailed, indented, wavy, &c., they must be distinctly specified, after the same manner as the honorable ordinaries.

As in all ages men have made use of representations of animals and other symbols to disnguish themselves in war, human ingenuity has been not a little exerted, in multiplying these marks of distinction, by all sorts of figures, some natural, others artificial, and many chimerical; in allusion to the state, quality, or inclination of the bearer.

Hence the sun, moon, stars, comets, meteors, &c., have been introduced to denote glory, grandeur, power, &c. Lions, leopards, tigers, serpents, stags, &c., have been employed to signify courage, strength, prudence, swiftness, &c. War, hunting, music, &c., have furnished lances, swords, pikes, arms, harps, &c. Architecture, columns, cheverons, &c.; and the other arts various things that relate to them.

Human bodies, or parts of them, as well as clothes and ornaments, have, for particular intentions, found place in armory. Trees, plants, fruits, and flowers, have also been adopted to denote the rarities, advantages, and singularities, of different countries.

The relation of some creatures, figures, &c., to particular names, has been likewise a very fruitful source of variety in arms. Thus the family of Coningsby bears three coneys; of Arundel, six swallows, from hirundo, the Latin for a swallow; of Urson, a bear, from the Latin ursus; of Lucie, three pikes, in Latin tres lucios pices; of Starkey, a stork; of Castleman, a castle tripletowered; of Shuttleworth, three weavers' shuttles, &c.

Besides these natural and artificial figures, many chimerical or imaginary ones are used in heraldry, the result of fancy and caprice; such as centaurs, hydras, phoenixes, griffins, dragons, &c. This great variety of figures prevents us from comprehending all common charges in a work of this nature; therefore such only are

treated of as are most frequently borne in coats of arms.

I. Among the multitude of natural figures which are used in coats of arms, those most usually borne are, for the sake of brevity as well as perspicuity, distributed into the following classes, viz. 1. Celestial figures; as, the sun, moon, stars, &c., and their parts. 2 Effigies of men, women, &c., and their parts. 3. Beasts; as lions, stags, foxes, bears, &c., and their parts. 4. Birds; as, eagles, swans, storks, pelicans, &c., and their parts. 5. Fishes; as, dolphins, whales, sturgeons, trouts, &c., and their parts. 6. Reptiles and insects; as, tortoises, serpents, grasshoppers, &c., and their parts. 7. Vegetables; as, trees, plants, flowers, herbs, &c., and their parts. 8. Stones; as, diamonds, rubies, pebbles, rocks, &c.

These charges have, as well as ordinaries, various attributes or epithets, which express their qualities, positions, and dispositions. Thus the sun is said to be in his glory, eclipsed, &c. The moon, in her complement, increscent, &c. Animals are said to be rampant, passant, &c. Birds have also their denominations, such as close, displayed, &c. Fishes are described to be hauriant, naiant, &c. Lions are termed lioncels, if more than two in a field, and eagles eaglets. A lion is said to be couchant, when lying down; and rampant, when standing on his hind legs, and rearing up his fore feet, as if climbing. Trees and plants are also said to be trunked, eradicated, fructuated, or raguled, according as they are represented in arms. See plate II.

II. Of artificial figures, borne in coats of arms, some are taken from warlike instruments; as swords, arrows, battering rams, gauntlets, helmets, spears, pole-axes, &c. Others from ornaments used in royal and religious ceremonies; as crowns, coronets, mitres, wreaths, crosiers, &c. Others are borrowed from architecture; as towers, castles, arches, columns, plummets, battlements, churches, portcullisses, &c. Others from navigation; as ships, anchors, rudders, pendants, sails, oars, masts, flags, galleys, lighters, &c.

All these bearings have different epithets, serving either to express their position, disposition, or make: viz. swords are said to be erect, pommelled, hilted, &c.; arrows, armed, feathered, &c.; towers, covered, embattled, &c.; and so on of all others.

III. Chimerical Figures form the last and the oddest kind of bearings in coats of arms. Under the name of chimerical figures, heralds rank all representations of things that have no real existence, but are mere fabulous and fantastical inventions. These, charges, griffons, martlets, and unicorns excepted, are not common in British coats. Those most in use are the following, viz.—

Angels, Cherubim, Tritons, Centaurs, Martlets, Griffons, Unicorns, Dragons, Mermaids, Satyrs, Wiverns, Harpies, Cockatrices, Phoenixes, and Sphinxes. These, like the foregoing charges, are subject to various positions and dispositions, which, from the principles already laid down, will be plainly understood.

To these figures may be added the montegre, an imaginary creature, supposed to have the body of a tiger with a satyr's head and horns; also those which have a real existence, but are said to be endowed with extravagant and imaginary qualities, viz. the salamander, beaver, chameleon, &c.

OF THE EXTERNAL ORNAMENTS OF
ESCUTCHEONS.

The ornaments that accompany or surround the escutcheons were introduced to denote the birth, dignity, or office of the persons to whom the coat of arms appertains; which is practised both among the laity and clergy. Those most in use are of ten sorts, viz. Crowns, Coronets, Mitres, Helmets, Mantlings, Chapeaux, Wreaths, Crests, Scrolls, and Supporters.

The first crowns were only diadems, bands, or fillets; afterwards they were composed of branches of trees, and then flowers were added to them. Among the Greeks, the crowns given to those who carried the prize at the Isthmian games were of pine; at the Olympic of laurel; and at the Nemean of smallage.

Examples of some of these ancient crowns are frequently met with in modern achievements, as the mural crown; the naval or rostral crown; the castrense or vallary crown; the civic crown; the radiated crown; the celestial crown, formed like the radiated, with the addition of a star on each ray, is only used upon tomb-stones, monuments, and the like. Others of the ancient crowns are still borne as crests.

But modern crowns are only used as ornaments, which emperors, kings, and independent princes set on their heads, in great solemnities, to denote their sovereign authority. These are the most in use in heraldry, and are as follows:

The crown of the kings of Great Britain, see plate of crowns, is a circle of gold, bordered with pearls and precious stones, and heightened up with four large fleurs-de-lis, and four crosses pattee alternately; from these rise four arched diadems adorned with pearls, which close under a mound, surmounted of a cross like those at bottom. Mr. Sandford, in his Genealogical History, remarks, that Edward IV. is the first king of England, who in his seal, or on his coin, is crowned with an arched diadem.

The crowns of Spain and Portugal are a ducal coronet, heightened up with eight arched diadems that support a mound, ensigned with a plain cross. Those of Denmark and Sweden consist of eight arched diadems, rising from a marquis's coronet, which conjoin at the top under a mound ensigned with a cross botone.

The crowns of most other kings in Europe are circles of gold, adorned with precious stones, and heightened up with large trefoils, and closed by four, six, or eight diadems, supporting a mound, surmounted with a cross.

The grand seignior bears over his arms a turban, enriched with pearls and diamonds, under two coronets, the first of which is made of pyramidical points heightened up with large pearls, and the uppermost is surmounted with

crescents.

The pope appropriates to himself a tiara, or

long cap of golden cloth, from which hang two pendants embroidered and fringed at the ends, semée of crosses of gold. This cap is enclosed by three marquis's coronets; and has on its top a mound of gold, whereon is a cross of the same, which cross is sometimes represented by engravers and painters pometted, recrossed, flowery, or plain. It appears, from very good authority, that Boniface VIII., who was elected in 1295, was the first who encompassed his cap with a coronet; Benedict XII., in 1835, added a second to it; and John XXIII., in 1411, a third; with a view to indicate by them, that the pope is the sovereign priest, the supreme judge, and the sole legislator amongst Christians.

The coronet of the prince of Wales, or eldest son of the king of Great Britain, was anciently a circle of gold set round with four crosses pattee, and as many fleurs-de-lis alternately; but, since the Restoration, it has been closed with one arch only, adorned with pearls, and surmounted of a mound and cross, and bordered with ermine like the king's. But, besides the coronet, his royal highness has another distinguishing mark of honor, peculiar to himself, viz. a plume of three ostrich feathers, with a coronet of the ancient princes of Wales. Under it, in a scroll, is this motto, Ich dien,' which in the German or old Saxon language signifies, I serve. This device was at first taken by Edward prince of Wales, commonly called the Black Prince, after the famous battle of Cressy, in 1346, where, having with his own hand killed John, king of Bohemia, he took from his head such a plume, and put it on his own.

The coronet of all the princes, immediate sons and brothers of the kings of Great Britain, is a circle of gold, bordered with ermine, heightened up with four fleurs-de-lis, and as many crosses-pattées alternate. The particular and distinguished form of such coronets as are appropriated to princes of the blood-royal is described and settled in a grant of the 13th of Charles II.

The coronet of the princesses of Great Britain is a circle of gold, bordered with ermine, and heightened up with crosses-pattées, fleurs-de-lis, and strawberry leaves alternate.

A duke's coronet is a circle of gold bordered with ermine, enriched with precious stones and pearls, and set round with eight large strawberry or parsley leaves.

A marquis's coronet is a circle of gold bordered with ermine, set round with four strawberry leaves, and as many pearls on pyramidical points, equal height, alternate.

An earl's coronet is a circle of gold, bordered with ermine, heightened up with eight pyramidical points or rays, on the tops of which are as many large pearls, placed alternately with as many strawberry leaves, but the pearls much higher than the leaves.

A viscount's coronet differs from the preceding ones as being only a circle of gold bordered with ermine, with large pearls set close together on the rim, without any limited_number, which is his prerogative above the baron,

who is limited.

A baron's coronet, which was granted by

king Charles II., is formed with six pearls set at equal distances on a gold circle, bordered with ermine, four of which only are seen on engravings, paintings, &c., to show he is inferior to the viscount.

The eldest sons of peers, above the degree of a baron, bear their father's arms and supporters with a label, and use the coronet appertaining to their father's second title; and all the younger sons bear their arms with proper differences, but use no coronets.

As the crown of the king of Great Britain is not quite like that of other potentates, so most of the coronets of foreign noblemen differ a little from those of the British nobility.

The archbishops and bishops of England and Ireland place a mitre over their coats of arms. It is a round cap pointed and cleft at the top, from which hang two pendants fringed at both ends; with this difference, that the bishop's mitre is only surrounded with a fillet of gold, set with precious stones; whereas the archbishop's issues out of a ducal coronet.

This ornament, with other ecclesiastical garments, is still worn by the archbishops and bishops of the church of Rome, whenever they officiate with solemnity; but it is never used in England except on coats of arms.

The helmet was formerly worn as a defensive weapon, to cover the bearer's head and face; and is now placed over a coat of arms as its chief ornament, and the true mark of gentility. There are several sorts, distinguished by the matter they are made of, by their form, and by their position.

As to the matter they are, or rather were, made of the helmets of sovereigns were of burnished gold damasked; those of princes and lords, of silver figured with gold; those of knights, of steel adorned with silver; and those of private gentle men, of polished steel.

As to their form: those of the king and the royal family, and noblemen of Great Britain, are open-faced and grated, and the number of bars serves to distinguish the bearer's quality; that is, the helmet appropriated to the dukes and marquises is different from the king's, by having a bar exactly in the middle, and two on each side, making but five bars in all; whereas, the king's helmet has six bars, viz. three on each side. The other grated helmet with four bars is common to all degrees of peerage under a marquiss. The open-faced helmet without bars denotes baronets and knights. The close helmet is for all esquires and gentlemen.

Their position is also looked upon as a mark of distinction. The grated helmet in front belongs to sovereign princes. The grated helmet in profile is common to all degrees of peerage. The helmet standing direct without bars, and the beaver a little open, denotes baronets and knights. Lastly, the side-standing helmet, with beaver close, is the way of wearing it amongst esquires and gentlemen.

Mantlings are pieces of cloth, jagged or cut into flowers and leaves, which now-a-days serve as an ornament for escutcheons. They were the ancient coverings of helmets, to preserve them, or the bearer, from the injuries of the weather;

as also to prevent the ill consequences of their too much dazzling the eye in action. But Guillim very judiciously observes, that their shape must have undergone a great alteration since they have been out of use, and, therefore, might more properly be termed flourishings than mantlings.

The French heralds assure us, that these mantlings were originally only short coverings which commanders wore over their helmets; and that, going into battles with them, they often, on their coming away, brought them back in a ragged condition, occasioned by the many cuts they had received on their heads; and, therefore, the more hacked they were, the more honorable they were accounted; as our colors, in time of war, are the inore esteemed for having been shot through in many places.

Sometimes skins of beasts, as lions, bears, &c. were thus borne, to make the bearer look more terrible; and this occasioned the doubling of mantlings with furs.

A chapeau, is an ancient hat, or rather cap of dignity, worn by dukes, generally scarlet-colored velvet on the outside, lined and turned up with fur; of late frequently to be met with above a helmet, instead of a wreath, under gentlemen's and noblemen's crests. Heretofore they were seldom to be found, as of right appertaining to private families; but by the grants of Robert Cooke, Clarencieux, and other succeeding heralds; these, together with ducal coronets, are now frequently to be met with in families who yet claim not above the degree of gentlemen.

The wreath is a kind of roll, made of two skeins of silk of different colors twisted together, which ancient knights wore as a head-dress when equipped for tournaments. The colors of the silk are always taken from the principal metal and color contained in the bearer's coat of arms. They are still accounted one of the lesser ornaments of escutcheons, and are placed between the helmet and the crest. In the time of Henry I., and long after, no man who was under the degree of a knight had his crest set on a wreath; but this, like other prerogatives, has been infringed.

The crest is the highest part of the ornaments of a coat-of-arms. It is called crest from the Latin word cresta, which signifies comb or tuft, such as many birds have upon their heads, as the peacock, pheasant, &c., in allusion to the place on which it is fixed. Crests were formerly great marks of honor, because they were only worn by heroes of great valor, or by such as were advanced to some superior military command, that they might be the better distinguished in an engagement, and thereby rally their men if dispersed; but they are at present considered as a mere ornament. The crest is frequently a part either of the supporters, or of the charge borne in the escutcheon." Thus the crest of the royal achievement of Great Britain is a lion guardant crowned.

The scroll is the ornament placed sometimes above the crest, but most usually below the shield and supporters; containing a motto or short sentence, alluding thereto, or to the bear

ings; or to the bearer's name, as in the two following instances. The motto of the earl of Cholmondeley is, Cassis tutissima virtus, i. e. Virtue is he safest helmet; on account of the helmet in the coat of arms. The motto of the right honorrable lord Fortescue is, Forte scutum salus Jucum, i. e. A strong shield is the safety of commanders; alluding to the name of that ancient family. Sometimes it has reference to neither, but expresses something divine, or heroic; as that of the earl of Scarborough, Murus æreus conscientia sana, i. e. A good conscience is a wall of brass. Others are ænigmatical; as that of the royal achievement, which is, Dieu et mon droit, i. e. God and my right; introduced by Edward III. in 1340, when he assumed the arms and title of king of France, and began to prosecute his claim, which occasioned long and bloody wars, fatal, by turns, to both kingdoms. Mottos, though hereditary in the families that first took them up, have been changed on some particular occasions, and others appropriated in heir stead, instances of which are sometimes met with in the history of families.

Sometimes there are two mottos, as in the royal arms of Scotland; where the one, In defence, is placed in a scroll above the crest; and the other, Nemo me impune lacessit, in a scroll under the shield and supporters. Sometimes a third motto is added, as in the royal arms of Great Britain, where the garter, with its motto Honi soit qui mal y pense, surrounds the shield.

Supporters are figures standing on the scroll, and placed at the side of the escutcheon; they are so called because they seem to support or hold up the shield. The rise of supporters is, by M. Menestrier, traced up to ancient tournaments, wherein the knights caused their shields to be carried by servants or pages under the disguise of lions, bears, griffons, blackamoors, &c., who also held and guarded the escutcheons, which the knights were obliged to expose to public view for some time before the lists were opened. Sir George M'Kenzie, who dissents from this opinion, says, That the first origin and use of them was from the custom which ever was, and is, of leading such as are invested with any great honor to the prince who confers it: thus, when any man is created a duke, marquis, or knight of the garter, or any other order, he is supported by, and led to the prince betwixt, two of the same quality, and so receives from him the symbols of that honor; and, in remembrance of that solemnity, his arms are thereafter supported by any two creatures he chooses.' Supporters have formerly been taken from such animals or birds as are borne in the shields, and sometimes they have been chosen as hearing some allusion to the names of those whose arms they are made to support. The supporters of the arms of Great Britain, since the accession of king James I. to the throne, are a lion rampant guardant crowned or, on the dexter side; and a unicorn argent, crowned, armed, unguled, maned, aud gorged with an antique crown, to which a chain is affixed, all or, on the sinister. Bearing coats of arms supported is, according to the heraldic rules of England, the prerogative, 1. Of those called nobiles majores, viz. dukes, marquises,

earls, viscounts, and barons. 2. Of all knights of the garter, though they should be under the degree of barons; and, 3, Of knights of the bath. who both receive on their creation a grant of supporters. And, lastly, of such knights as the king chooses to bestow this honor upon; as in the instance of Sir Andrew Fountain, who was knighted by Philip, earl of Pembroke, when lord lieutenant of Ireland, Fountain being then secretary; and, on his return to England, king William granted him supporters to his arms, viz. two griffons gules and or. In Scotland all the chiefs of clans or names have the privilege of claiming supporters; also the baronets. But by act of parliament, 10th September, 1672, none are allowed to use either arms or supporters, without the lord Lyon's authority, under a penalty and confiscation of all moveables whereon such arms are put.

OF THE RULES OF HERALDRY.

The rules for blazoning, such as the ancient usage and laws of heraldry have established amongst us, are the following:

1. The first and most general rule is, to express heraldic distinctions in proper terms, so as not to omit any thing that ought to be specified, and at the same time to be clear and concise without tautology.

2. Begin with the tincture of the field, and then proceed to the principal charges which possess the most honorable place in the shield, such as fess, cheveron, &c., always naming that charge first, which lies next and immediately upon the field.

3. After naming the tincture of the field, the honorable ordinaries, or other principal figures, specify their attributes, and afterwards their metal or color.

4. When an honorable ordinary, or some one figure, is placed upon another, whether it be a fess, cheveron, cross, &c., it is always to be named after the ordinary or figure over which it is placed, with one of these expressions, sur tout, or over all.

5. In blazoning such ordinaries as are plain, the bare mention of them is sufficient; but, if an ordinary should be made of any of the crooked lines mentioned above, its form must be specified, that is, whether it be engrailed, wavy, &c.

6. When a principal figure possesses the centre of the field, its position is not to be expressed, or (which amounts to the same thing), when a bearing is named, without specifying the point where it is placed, then it is understood to possess the middle of the shield.

7. The number of the points of mullets or stars must be specified when more than five; and also, if a mullet or any other charge be pierced, it must be mentioned as such, to distinguish it from what is plain.

8. When a ray of the sun, or other single figure, is borne in any other part of the escutcheon than the centre, the point it issues from must be named.

9. The natural color of trees, plants, fruits, birds, &c., is no otherwise to be expressed in blazoning but by the word proper; but if discolored, that is, if they differ from their natural color, it must be particularised.

10. When three figures are in a field, and their position is not mentioned in the blazoning, they are always understood to be placed two above, and one below.

11. When there are many figures of the same species borne in a coat of arms, their number must be observed as they stand, and distinctly expressed.

There are other positions called irregular; as, for example, when three figures, which are naturally placed two and one, are disposed one and two, &c. It must also be observed, that when the field is strewed with the same figures, this is expressed by the word semée; but if the figures strewed on the field are whole ones, it must be denoted by the words sans nombre; whereas, if part of them is cut off at the extremities of the escutcheon, the word semée is then to be used.

OF MARSHALLING COATS OF ARMS. By marshalling coats of arms is to be understood the art of disposing divers of them in one escutcheon, and of distributing their contingent ornaments in proper places. Various causes may occasion arms to be thus conjoined, which J. Guillim comprises under two heads, viz. manifest, and obscure. What this learned and judicious herald means by manifest causes, in the marshalling of coats of arms, are such as betoken marriages, or a sovereign's gift, granted either through the special favor of the prince, or for some eminent services. Concerning marriages it is to be observed,

1. When the coats of arms of a married couple, descended of distinct families, are to be put together in one escutcheon, the field of their respective arms is conjoined pale-ways, and blazoned parted per pale, baron and femme, two coats; first, &c. In which case the baron's arms are always to be placed on the dexter side, and the femme's arms on the sinister side.

2. If a widower marry again, his late and present wife's arms are, according to G. Leigh, to be both placed on the sinister side, in the escutcheon, with his own, and parted per pale. The first wife's coat shall stand on the chief, and the second on the base; or he may set them both in pale with his own, the first wife's coat next to himself, and his second outermost. If he shouia marry a third wife, then the two first matches shall stand on the chief, and the third shall have the whole base. And if he take a fourth wife, she must participate one-half of the base with the third wife, and so will they seem to be so many coats quartered.' But these forms of impaling are meant of hereditary coats, whereby the husband stands in expectation of having the hereditary possessions of his wife united to his patrimony. If a man marry a widow, he marshals her maiden arms only.

3. In the arms of femmes joined to the paternal coat of the baron, the proper differences by which they were borne by the fathers of such femmes must be inserted.

4. If a coat of arms that has a bordure be impaled with another, as by marriage, then the bordure must be wholly omitted in the side of

the arms next the centre.

5. The person who marries an heiress, instean of impaling his arms with those of his wife, is to bear them in an escutcheon placed in the centre of his shield, and which, on account of its showing forth his pretension to her estate, is called an escutcheon of pretence, and is blazoned sur tout, i. e. over all. But the children are to bear the hereditary coat of arms of their father and mother quarterly, which denotes a fixed inheritance, and so transmit them to posterity. The first and fourth quarters generally contain the father's arms, and the second and third the mother's; unless the heirs should derive not only their estate, but also their title and dignity, from their mother.

6. If a maiden or dowager lady of quality marry a commoner, or a nobleman inferior to her rank, their coats of arms may be set beside one another in two separate escutcheons, upon one mantle or drapery, and the lady's arms ornamented according to her title.

7. Archbishops and bishops impale their arms differently from the forementioned coats, in giving the place of honor, that is, the dexter side, to the arms of their dignity. Prelates thus bear their arms parted per pale, to denote their being joined to their cathedral church in a sort of spiritual marriage.

With respect to such armorial ensigns as the sovereign thinks fit to augment a coat of arms with, they may be marshalled various ways, as may be seen by the arms of his grace the duke of Rutland and many others. So far the causes for marshalling divers arms in one shield, &c., are manifest As to such as are called obscure, that is when coats of arms are marshalled in such a manner that no probable reason can be given why they are so conjoined, they must be left to heralds to explain.

OF THE ORDERS OF KNIGHTHOOD, &c. To the augmentations above mentioned may be added,

1. The baronet's mark of distinction, or the arms of the province of Ulster in Ireland, granted and made hereditary in the male line by king James I., who erected this dignity on the 22d of May, 1611, in the seventh year of his reign, in order to propagate a plantation in the fore-mentioned province. This mark is—Argent, a sinister hand couped at the wrist, and erected gules; which may be borne either in a canton, or in an escutcheon, as will best suit the figures of the arms.

2. The ancient badge of the most noble order of the garter, instituted by king Edward III., 1349, in the twenty-seventh year of his reign. This honorable augmentation is a deep blue garter, surrounding the arms of such knights, and inscribed with this motto-Honi soit qui mal y pense.'

The arms of those who are knights of the orders of the Bath, of the Thistle, or of St. Patrick, are marshalled in the same manner, with this difference only, that the color and motto accord with the order to which it belongs. Thus the motto, 'Quis separabit, 1783,' on the light blue riband of the order, surrounds the escutcheon of a knight of St. Patrick. Nemo me impune la