ter chief to the dexter bafe points. Sable, by perpendicular and horizontal lines crofing each other. Tenny, by diagonal lines from the sinister chief to the dexter bafe points, traverfed by horizontal lines. Sanguine, by lines croffing each other diagonally from dexter finifter, and from finifter to dexter. The English heralds give different names to the roundlet, according to its colour. Thus, if it is Or, it is called a Bezant; Argent, a Plate; Azure, a Hurt; Gules, a Tortea; Vert, a Pomey; Purpure, a Golpe; Sable, a Pellet; Tenny, an Orange; and Sanguine, Guze. Other nations do not admit fuch a multiplicity of names to this figure; but call them Bezants, after an ancient coin ftruck at Conftantinople, once Byzantium, if they are Or and Torteaux; if of any other tincture expressing the same. SECT. II. Of FURS. FURS reprefent the hairy fkin of certain beafts, prepared for the doublings or linings of robes and garments of state and as fhields were anciently covered with furred skins, they are therefore used in heraldry, not only for the linings of the mantles, and other ornaments of the fields, but alfo in the coats of arms themselves. There are 6 different kinds in ufe, (fee Plate CLXXIV.) viz. 1.. Ermine; which is a field argent, powdered with black fpots, their tails terminating in 3 hairs. 2. Erminitis, or Counter-ermine, where the field is fable, and the powdering white. 3. Erminois; the field Or, the powdering Sable. 4. Vair, which is expreffed by blue and white fkins, cut into the forms of little bells, ranged in rows oppofite to each other, the bafe of the white ones being always next to that of the blue ones. Vair is ufually of fix rows; if there be more or fewer, the number ought to be expreffed; and if the colours are different from thofe above mentioned, they muft likewife be expressed. 5. Pean; the field is Sable, the powdering Or. The French ufed no fuch term: but they called all furs or doublings des pannes, or pennes; which term has poffibly given rise to this mistake, and many others, in those who do not understand the French language. 6. Potent, anciently called Vairy-cuppy, as when the field is filled with crutches or potents counterplaced. Vair and Potent may be any two colours. The ufe of the tinctures took its rife from the feveral colours used by warriors whilft they were in the army, which S. de Petra Sancta proves by many citations; and because it was the cuftom to embroider gold and filver on filk, or filk on cloth of gold and filver, the heralds appointed, that in imitation of the clothes fo embroidered, colour fhould never be ufed upon colour, nor metal upon metal. by lines; which, according to their divers forms, receive various names. Lines may be either ftraight or crooked. Straight lines are carried evenly through the efcutcheon: and are of 4 different kinds; viz. a perpendicular line; a horizontal, ~; a diagonal dexter, \; a diagonal finifter, . Crooked lines are thofe which are carried unevenly through the efcutcheon with rifing and talling. French armorists reckon II different forts of them; Guillim admits of 7 only; but there are 12 diftinct kinds, the figures and names of which are as in Plate CLXXIV.: viz. 1. The engrailed. 2. The invected. 3. The wavy. 4. The embattled, or crenelle. 5. The nebule. 6. The ragulg. 7. The indented. 8. The dancette. 9. The dove-tail. The embattled aronde. 11. The battled embattled. 12. The Champaine. 10. The principal reafon why lines are thus used in heraldry, is to difference bearings which would be otherwife the fame; for an efcutcheon charged with a chief engrailed, differs from one charged with a chief wavy, as much as if the one bore a crofs and the other a faltier. As the forementioned lines ferve to divide the field, if the divifion confifts of two equal parts made by the perpendicular line, it is called parted per pale; by the borizontal line, parted per fefs; by the diagonal dexter, parted per bend; by the diagonal finifter, parted per bend finifter; examples of which will be given in the fequel of this treatise. If a field is divided into four equal parts by any of these lines, it is faid to be quartered; which may be done two ways, viz. Quartered or parted per cross: which is made by a perpendicular and horizontal line, which, croffing each other at the centre of the field, divide it into four equal parts called quarters. See Pl. CLXXV, Quartered or parted per faltier; which is made by two diagonal lines, dexter and finifter, that crofs one another in the centre of the field, and likewife divide it into four equal parts. Ibid. The efcutcheon is fometimes divided into a greater number of parts, in order to place in it the arms of the feveral families to which one is allied; and in this cafe it is called a genealogical achievement. Thefe divifions may confift of 6, 8, 12, and 16 quarters, [as the royal arms,] and even fometimes of 20, 32, 64, and upwards; there being examples of fuch divifions frequently exhibited at pompous funerals. An extraordinary inftance of this kind was lately exhibited at the pompous funeral of the late worthy viscountefs Townfhend, whofe corpfe was brought from Dublin caftle in Ireland to Rainham hall in Norfolk, one of the principal tenants on horfe-back carrying before the hearfe a genealogical banner, containing the quarterings of his lordship's and her ladyship's family, to the amount of upwards of 160 coats. Sir George Booth, rector of the valuable living of SECT. III. Of the LINES ufed in the PARTING of Afhton under Line, bears fix diftinct coats of FIELDS. ESCUTCHEONS are either of one tincture, or more than one. Thofe that are of one only, that is, when fome metal, colour, or fur, is fpread all over the surface or field, fuch a tincture is said to be predominant: but in fuch as have on them more than one, as most have, the field is divided arms in his field; viz. thofe for Booth, Barton, Venables, Mountfort, Afhton, Egerton; and has befides a right to 37 other coats: but Sir William Dugdale very juftly objects to fo many arms being clustered together in one thield or banner, on account of the difficulty of difcerning and knowing afunder one coat of arms from another. SECT. |