A Complete Guide to Heraldry Part 38

_Bells_ are well instanced in the shield of Porter, and the poet Wordsworth bore: "Argent, three bells azure." It may be noted in pa.s.sing that in Continental armory the clapper is frequently of a different tincture to that of the bell, as, for instance, "D'Azure, a la cloche d'argent, butaille [viz. with the clapper] de sable"--the arms of the Comtes de Bellega.r.s.e. A bell is a.s.sumed to be a church-bell (Fig. 518) unless blazoned as a hawk's bell (Fig. 519).

_Bridle-Bits_ are of very infrequent use, though they may be seen in the achievement of the family of Milner.

The _Torse_ (or wreath surmounting the helm) occasionally figures as a charge, for example, in the arms of Jocelyn and Joslin.

_The Buckle_ is a charge which is of much more general use than some of the foregoing. It appears very frequently both in English {288} and foreign heraldry--sometimes oval-shaped (Fig. 520), circular (Fig. 521), or square (Fig. 522), but more generally lozenge-shaped (Fig. 523), especially in the case of Continental arms. A somewhat curious variation occurs in the arms of the Prussian Counts Wallenrodt, which are: "Gules, a lozenge-shaped buckle argent, the tongue broken in the middle." It is, of course, purely an artistic detail in all these buckles whether the tongue is attached to a crossbar, as in Figs. 520 and 521, or not, as in Figs. 522 and 523. As a badge the buckle is used by the Pelhams, Earls of Chichester and Earls of Yarborough, and a lozenge-shaped arming buckle is the badge of Jerningham.

_Cups_ (covered) appear in the Butler arms, and derived therefrom in the arms of the town of Warrington. Laurie, of Maxwelltown, bear: "Sable, a cup argent, issuing therefrom a garland between two laurel-branches all proper," and similar arms are registered in Ireland for Lowry. The Veronese family of Bicchieri bear: "Argent, a fess gules between three drinking-gla.s.ses half-filled with red wine proper." An uncovered cup occurs in the arms of Fox, derived by them from the crest of Croker, and another instance occurs in the arms of a family of Smith. In this connection we may note in pa.s.sing the rare use of the device of a _Vase_, which forms a charge in the coat of the town of Burslem, whilst it is also to be met with in the crest of the family of Doulton: "On a wreath of the colours, a demi-lion sable, holding in the dexter paw a cross crosslet or, and resting the sinister upon an escutcheon charged with a vase proper." The motto is perhaps well worth recording; "Le beau est la splendeur de vrai."

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 520.--Oval buckle.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 521.--Circular buckle.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 522.--Square buckle.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 523.--Lozenge-shaped buckle.]

The arms of both the city of Dundee and the University of Aberdeen afford instances of a _Pot of Lilies_, and _Bowls_ occur in the arms of Bolding.

PLATE V.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

{289}

Though blazoned as a _Cauldron_, the device occurring in the crest of De la Rue may be perhaps as fittingly described as an open bowl, and as such may find a place in this cla.s.sification: "Between two olive-branches vert a cauldron gules, fired and issuant therefrom a snake nowed proper." The use of a _Pitcher_ occurs in the arms of Bertrand de Monbocher, who bore at the siege of Carlaverock: "Argent, three pitchers sable (sometimes found gules) within a bordure sable bezante;" and the arms of Standish are: "Sable, three standing dishes argent."

The somewhat singular charge of a _Chart_ appears in the arms of Christopher, and also as the crest of a Scottish family of Cook.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 524.--Chess-rook.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 525.--Crescent.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 526.--Increscent.]

_Chess-Rooks_ (Fig. 524) are somewhat favourite heraldic devices, and are to be met with in a shield of Smith and the arms of Rocke of Clungunford.

The _Crescent_ (Fig. 525) figures largely in all armories, both as a charge and (in English heraldry) as a difference.

Variations, too, of the form of the crescent occur, such as when the horns are turned to the dexter (Fig. 526), when it is termed "a crescent increscent," or simply "an increscent," or when they are turned to the sinister--when it is styled "decrescent" (Fig. 527). An instance of the crescent "reversed" may be seen in the shield of the Austrian family of Puckberg, whose blazon was: "Azure, three crescents, those in chief addorsed, that in base reversed." In English "difference marks" the crescent is used to denote the second son, but under this character it will be discussed later.

Independently of its use in conjunction with ecclesiastical armory, the _Crosier_ (Fig. 528) is not widely used in ordinary achievements. It does occur, however, as a princ.i.p.al charge, as in the arms of the Irish family of Crozier and in the arms of Benoit (in Dauphiny) ["Gules, a pastoral staff argent"], while it forms part of the crest of Alford. The term "crosier" is synonymous with the pastoral or episcopal staff, and is independent of the cross which is borne _before_ (and not _by_) {290} Archbishops and Metropolitans. The use of pastoral staves as charges is also to be seen in the shield of Were, while MacLaurin of Dreghorn bears: "Argent, a shepherd's crook sable." The _Palmer's Staff_ (Fig. 529) has been introduced into many coats of arms for families having the surname of Palmer, as has also the palmer's wallet.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 527.--Decrescent.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 528.--Crosier, or pastoral staff.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 529.--Palmer's staff.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 530.--Shuttle.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 531.--Woolpack.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 532.--Escarbuncle.]

_Cushions_, somewhat strangely, form the charges in a number of British shields, occurring, for example, in the arms of Brisbane, and on the shield of the Johnstone family. In Scottish heraldry, indeed, cushions appear to have been of very ancient (and general) use, and are frequently to be met with. The Earls of Moray bore: "Argent, three cushions lozengewise within a double tressure flory-counterflory gules," but an English example occurs in the arms of Hutton.

_The Distaff_, which is supposed to be the origin of the lozenge upon which a lady bears her arms, is seldom seen in heraldry, but the family of Body, for instance, bear one in chief, and three occur in the arms of a family of Lees.

_The Shuttle_ (Fig. 530) occurs in the arms of Shuttleworth, and in those of the town of Leigh, while the shield of the borough of Pudsey affords an ill.u.s.tration of shuttles in conjunction with a woolpack (Fig. 531).

_The Escarbuncle_ (Fig. 532) is an instance of a charge having so developed by the evolution of an integral part of the shield itself. In {291} ancient warfare shields were sometimes strengthened by being bound with iron bands radiating from the centre, and these bands, from the shape they a.s.sumed, became in course of time a charge in themselves under the term escarbuncle.

The crest of the Fanmakers' Company is: "A hand couped proper holding a _fan_ displayed," while the chief charge in the arms is "... a fan displayed ... the sticks gules." This, however, is the only case I can cite of this object.

The _Fasces_ (Fig. 533), emblematic of the Roman magisterial office, is very frequently introduced in grants of arms to Mayors and Lord Mayors, which no doubt accounts for its appearance in the arms of Durning-Lawrence, Knill, Evans, and Spokes.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 533.--Fasces.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 534.--Fetterlock.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 535.--Fleam.]

An instance of _Fetterlocks_ (Fig. 534) occurs in the arms of Kirkwood, and also in the coat of Lockhart and the crest of Wyndham. A chain is often subst.i.tuted for the bow of the lock. The modern padlock has been introduced into the grant of arms to the town of Wolverhampton.

_Keys_, the emblem of St. Peter, and, as such, part of the insignia of His Holiness the Pope, occur in many ecclesiastical coats, the arms of the Fishmongers' Livery Company, and many families.

_Flames of Fire_ are not frequently met with, but they are to be found in the arms of Baikie, and as crests they figure in the achievements of Graham-Wigan, and also in conjunction with keys in that of Flavel. In connection with certain other objects flames are common enough. The phoenix always issues from flames, and a salamander is always in the midst of flames (Fig. 437). The flaming sword, a device, by the way, included in the recent grant to Sir George Lewis, Bart., has been already alluded to, as has also the flaming brand. A notable example of the torch occurs in the crest of Sir William Gull, Bart., no doubt an allusion (as is his augmentation) to the skill by which he kept the torch of life burning in the then Prince of Wales during his serious illness in 1871. A flaming mountain occurs as the crest of several families of the name of Grant.

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A curious instrument now known nearly exclusively in connection with its use by farriers, and termed a _Fleam_ (Fig. 535), occurs on the chief of the shield of Moore. A fleam, however, is the ancient form and name of a surgeon's lancet, and some connection with surgery may be presumed when it occurs. It is one of the charges in the arms recently granted to Sir Frederick Treves, Bart.

_Furison._--This singular charge occurs in the shield of Black, and also in that of Steel. Furisons were apparently the instruments by which fire was struck from flint stones.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 536.--Clarion.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 537.--Bugle-horn.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 538.--Bugle-horn stringed.]

Charges in connection with music and musical instruments do not occur very frequently, though the heraldic use of the _Clarion_ (Fig. 536) and the _Harp_ may perhaps be mentioned. The bugle-horn (Fig. 537) also occurs "stringed" (Fig. 538), and when the bands round it are of a different colour it is termed "veruled" or "virolled" of that colour.

_The Human Heart_, which should perhaps have been more correctly referred to in an earlier chapter, is a charge which is well known in heraldry, both English and foreign. Perhaps the best known examples of the heart ensigned with a crown is seen in the shields of Douglas and Johnstone. The legend which accounts for the appearance of this charge in the arms of Douglas is too well known to need repet.i.tion.

_Ingots of silver_ occur in the shield of the borough of St. Helens, whilst the family of Woollan go one better by bearing ingots of gold.

_A Maunch_ (Fig. 539), which is a well-known heraldic term for the sleeve, is, as it is drawn, scarcely recognisable as such. Nevertheless its evolution can be clearly traced. The maunch--which, of course, as a heraldic charge, originated in the knightly "favour" of a lady's sleeve--was borne from the earliest periods in different tinctures by the three historic families of Conyers, Hastings, and Wharton. Other garments have been used as heraldic charges; gloves in the arms of {293} Fletcher and Barttelot; stockings in the arms of Hose; a boot in the crest of Hussy, and a hat in the arms of Huth. Armour is frequently met with, a cuira.s.s appearing in the crest of Somers, helmets in the arms of Salvesen, Trayner, Roberton, and many other families, gauntlets (Fig. 540), which need to be specified as dexter or sinister, in the arms of Vane and the crest of Burton, and a morion (Fig. 541) in the crest of Pixley. The Garter is, of course, due to that Order of knighthood; and the Blue Mantle of the same Order, besides giving his t.i.tle to one of the Pursuivants of Arms, who uses it as his badge, has also been used as a charge.

_The Mill-rind_ or _Fer-de-moline_ is, of course, as its name implies, the iron from the centre of a grindstone. It is depicted in varying forms, more or less recognisable as the real thing (Fig. 542).