A Complete Guide to Heraldry Part 5

_Garter King of Arms._--Argent, a cross gules, on a chief azure, a ducal coronet encircled with a garter, between a lion pa.s.sant guardant on the dexter and a fleur-de-lis on the sinister all or.

_Clarenceux King of Arms._--Argent, a cross gules, on a chief of the second a lion pa.s.sant guardant or, crowned of the last. {48}

_Norroy King of Arms._--Argent, a cross gules, on a chief of the second a lion pa.s.sant guardant crowned of the first, between a fleur-de-lis on the dexter and a key on the sinister of the last.

Badges have never been officially a.s.signed to the various Heralds by any specific instruments of grant or record; but from a remote period certain of the Royal badges relating to their t.i.tles have been used by various Heralds, viz.:--

_Lancaster._--The red rose of Lancaster ensigned by the Royal crown.

_York._--The white rose of York en soleil ensigned by the Royal crown.

_Richmond._--The red rose of Lancaster impaled with the white rose en soleil of York, the whole ensigned with the Royal crown.

_Windsor._--Rays of the sun issuing from clouds.

The four Pursuivants make use of the badges from which they derive their t.i.tles.

The official arms of Lyon King of Arms and of Lyon Office are the same, namely: Argent, a lion sejant full-faced gules, holding in the dexter paw a thistle slipped vert and in the sinister a shield of the second; on a chief azure, a St. Andrew's cross of the field.

There are no official arms for Ulster's Office, that office, unlike the College of Arms, not being a corporate body, but the official arms of Ulster King of Arms are: Or, a cross gules, on a chief of the last a lion pa.s.sant guardant between a harp and a portcullis all of the field. {49}

CHAPTER IV

HERALDIC BRa.s.sES

BY REV. WALTER J. KAYE, JUNR., B.A., F.S.A., F.S.A. SCOT.

_Member of the Monumental Bra.s.s Society, London; Honorary Member of the Spalding Gentlemen's Society; Author of "A Brief History of Gosberton, in the County of Lincoln."_

Monumental bra.s.ses do not merely afford a guide to the capricious changes of fashion in armour, in ecclesiastical vestments (which have altered but little), and in legal, civilian, and feminine costume, but they provide us also with a vast number of admirable specimens of heraldic art. The vandal and the fanatic have robbed us of many of these beautiful memorials, but of those which survive to our own day the earliest on the continent of Europe marks the last resting-place of Abbot Ysowilpe, 1231, at Verden, in Hanover. In England there was once a bra.s.s, which unfortunately disappeared long ago, to an Earl of Bedford, in St. Paul's Church, Bedford, of the year 1208, leaving 1277 as the date of the earliest one.

Latten (Fr. _laiton_), the material of which bra.s.ses were made, was at an early date manufactured in large quant.i.ties at Cologne, whence plates of this metal came to be known as cullen (Koln) plates; these were largely exported to other countries, and the Flemish workmen soon attained the greatest proficiency in their engraving. Flemish bra.s.ses are usually large and rectangular, having the s.p.a.ce between the figure and the marginal inscription filled either by diaper work or by small figures in niches.

Bra.s.ses vary considerably in size: the matrix of Bishop Beaumont's bra.s.s in Durham Cathedral measures about 16 feet by 8 feet, and the memorial to Griel van Ruwescuere, in the chapel of the Lady Superior of the Beguinage at Bruges, is only about 1 foot square. Brazen effigies are more numerous in England in the eastern and southern counties, than in parts more remote from the continent of Europe.

Armorial bearings are displayed in a great variety of ways on monumental bra.s.ses, some of which are exhibited in the rubbings selected for ill.u.s.tration. In most cases separate shields are placed above and below the figures. They occur also in the spandrils of canopies and {50} in the shafts and finials of the same, as well as in the centre and at the angles of border-fillets. They naturally predominate in the memorials of warriors, where we find them emblazoned not only on shield and pennon but on the scabbard and ailettes, and on the jupon, tabard, and cuira.s.s also, while crests frequently occur on the tilting-helm. In one case (the bra.s.s of Sir Peter Legh, 1527, at Winwick, co. Lancaster) they figure upon the priestly chasuble. Walter Pescod, the merchant of Boston, Lincolnshire, 1398, wears a gown adorned with peascods--a play upon his name; and many a merchant's bra.s.s bears his coat of arms and merchant's mark beside, pointing a moral to not a few at the present day. The fifteenth and sixteenth centuries witnessed the greatest profusion in heraldic decoration in bra.s.ses, when the tabard and the heraldic mantle were evolved. A good example of the former remains in the parish church of Ormskirk, Lancashire, in the bra.s.s commemorating a member of the Scarisbrick family, _c._ 1500 (Fig. 21).

Ladies were accustomed at this time to wear their husband's arms upon the mantle or outer garment and their own upon the kirtle, but the fashion which obtained at a subsequent period was to emblazon the husband's arms on the dexter and their own on the sinister side of the mantle (Fig. 22).

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 21.--Bra.s.s in the Scarisbrick Chapel of Ormskirk Church, co. Lancs., to a member of the Scarisbrick family of that name.

Arms: Gules, three mullets in bend between two bendlets engrailed argent.

(From a rubbing by Walter J. Kaye.)]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 22.--Bra.s.s of Margaret (daughter of Henry Percy, Earl of Northumberland), second wife of Henry, 1st Earl of c.u.mberland, in Skipton Parish Church. Arms: On the dexter side those of the Earl of c.u.mberland, on the sinister side those of Percy.]

The majority of such monuments, as we behold them now, are dest.i.tute of any indications of metals or tinctures, largely owing to the action of the varying degrees of temperature in causing contraction and expansion. Here and there, however, we may still detect traces of their pristine glory. But these matters received due attention from the engraver. To represent _or_, he left the surface of the bra.s.s untouched, except for gilding or perhaps polishing; this universal method has solved many heraldic problems. Lead or some other white metal was inlaid to indicate _argent_, and the various tinctures were supplied by the excision of a portion of the plate, thereby forming a depression, which was filled up by pouring in some resinous substance of the requisite colour. The various kinds of fur used in armory may be readily distinguished, with the sole exception of _vair_ (_argent_ and _azure_), which presents the appearance of a row of small upright shields alternating with a similar row reversed.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 23.--Bra.s.s of Sir John D'Aubernoun at Stoke D'Abernon.

Arms: Azure, a chevron or. (From a rubbing by Walter J. Kaye.)]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 24.--Bra.s.s of Sir Roger de Trumpington at Trumpington.

Arms: Azure, crusilly and two trumpets palewise or. (From a rubbing by Walter J. Kaye.)]

The earliest bra.s.s extant in England is that to Sir John D'Aubernoun, the elder (Fig. 23), at Stoke D'Abernon, in Surrey, which carries us back to the year 1277. The simple marginal inscription in Norman-French, surrounding the figure, and each Lombardic capital of which is set in its own matrix, reads: "Sire: John: Daubernoun: Chivaler: Gist: Icy: Deu: De: Sa: Alme: Eyt: Mercy:"[3] In the s.p.a.ce {51} between the inscription and the upper portion of the figure were two small shields, of which the dexter one alone remains, charged with the arms of the knight: "Azure, a chevron, or."

Sir John D'Aubernoun is represented in a complete panoply of chain mail--his head being protected by a _coif de mailles_, which is joined to the _hauberk_ or mail {52} shirt, which extends to the hands, having apparently no divisions for the fingers, and being tightened by straps at the wrists. The legs, which are not crossed, are covered by long _chausses_, or stockings of mail, {53} protected at the knees by _poleyns_ or _genouilleres_ of _cuir bouilli_ richly ornamented by elaborate designs.

A surcoat, probably of linen, depends from the shoulders to a little below the knees, and is cut away to a point above {54} the knee. This garment is tightly confined (as the creases in the surcoat show) at the waist by a girdle, and over it is pa.s.sed a _guige_ whereto the long sword is attached.

"Pryck" spurs are fixed to the instep, and the feet rest upon a lion, whose mouth grasps the lower portion of a lance. The lance bears a pennon charged with a chevron, as also is the small heater-shaped shield borne on the knight's left arm. The whole composition measures about eight feet by three.

Heraldry figures more prominently in our second ill.u.s.tration, the bra.s.s to Sir Roger de Trumpington, 1289 (Fig. 24). This fine effigy lies under the canopy of an altar-tomb, so called, in the Church of St. Michael and All Angels, Trumpington, Cambridgeshire. It portrays the knight in armour closely resembling that already described, with these exceptions: the head rests upon a huge _heaume_, or tilting-helm, attached by a chain to the girdle, and the neck is here protected from side-thrusts by _ailettes_ or oblong plates fastened behind the shoulders, and bearing the arms of Sir Roger. A dog here replaces the lion at the feet, the lance and pennon are absent, and the shield is rounded to the body. On this bra.s.s the arms not only occur upon the shield, but also upon the ailettes, and are four times repeated on the scabbard. They afford a good example of "canting" arms: "Azure, crusilly and two trumpets palewise or, with a label of five points in chief, for difference." It is interesting also to notice that the engraver had not {55} completed his task, for the short horizontal lines across the dexter side of the shield indicate his intention of cutting away the surface of the field.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 25.--Bra.s.s of Sir Robert de Septvans in Chartham Church.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 26.--Bra.s.s of Sir William de Aldeburgh at Aldborough, Yorks. Arms: Azure, a fesse argent between three cross crosslets or. (From a rubbing by Walter J. Kaye.)]

Sir Robert de Setvans (formerly Septvans), whose beautiful bra.s.s may be seen at Chartham, Kent, is habited in a surcoat whereon, together with the shield and ailettes, are seven winnowing fans--another instance of canting arms (Fig. 25). This one belongs to a somewhat later date, 1307.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 27.--Bra.s.s of Elizabeth Knevet.]

Our next example is a mural effigy to Sir William de Aldeburgh, _c._ 1360, from the north aisle of Aldborough Church, near Boroughbridge, Yorkshire (Fig. 26). He is attired like the "veray parfite gentil knight" of Chaucer, in a _bascinet_ or steel cap, to which is laced the _camail_ or tippet of chain mail, and a hauberk almost concealed by a _jupon_, whereon are emblazoned his arms: "Azure, a fess indented argent, between three crosslets botony, or." The first crosslet is charged with an annulet, probably as a mark of cadency. The engraver has omitted the indenture upon the fess, which, however, appears upon the shield. The knight's arms are protected by _epaulieres_, _bra.s.sarts_, _coutes_, and _vambraces_; his hands, holding a heart, by gauntlets of steel. An elaborate baldric pa.s.ses round his waist, from which are suspended, on the left, a cross-hilted sword, in a slightly ornamented scabbard; on the right, a _misericorde_, or dagger of mercy. The thighs are covered by cuisses--steel plates, here deftly concealed probably by satin or velvet secured by metal studs--the knees by _genouilleres_, the lower leg by _jambes_, which reveal chausses of mail at the interstices. Sollerets, or long, pointed shoes, whereto are attached rowel spurs, complete his outfit. The figure stands upon a bracket bearing the name "Will's de Aldeburgh."

The parish church of Eastington, Gloucestershire, contains a bra.s.s to Elizabeth Knevet, which is ill.u.s.trated and described by Mr. Cecil T. Davis at p. 117 of his excellent work on the "Monumental Bra.s.ses of Gloucestershire."[4] The block (Fig. 27), which presents a good example of the heraldic mantle, has been very kindly placed at my disposal by Mr.

Davis. To confine our description to the heraldic portion of the bra.s.s, we find the following arms upon the mantle:--

"Quarterly, 1. argent, a bend sable, within a bordure engrailed azure (Knevet); 2. argent, a bend azure, and chief, gules (Cromwell); 3. chequy or and gules, a chief ermine (Tatshall); 4. chequy or and gules, a bend ermine (De Cailly or Clifton); 5. paly of six within a bordure bezante....

6. bendy of six, a canton...."[5]

A coat of arms occurs also at each corner of the slab: "Nos. 1 and 4 are on ordinary shields, and 2 and 3 on lozenges. Nos. 1 and {56} 3 are charged with the same bearings as are on her mantle. No. 2, on a lozenge, quarterly, 1. Knevet; 2. Cromwell; 3. Tatshall; 4. Cailli; 5. De Woodstock; 6. paly of six within a bordure; 7. bendy of six, a canton; 8. or, a chevron gules (Stafford); 9. azure, a bend cottised between six lioncels rampant, or (de Bohun). No. 4 similar to No. 1, with the omission of 2 and 3."

In later times thinner plates of metal were employed, a fact which largely contributed to preclude much of the boldness in execution hitherto displayed. A prodigality in shading, either by means of parallel lines or by cross-hatching, also tended to mar the beauty of later work of this kind. Nevertheless there are some good bra.s.ses of the Stuart period. These sometimes consist of a single quadrangular plate, with the upper portion occupied by armorial bearings and emblematical figures, the centre by an inscription, and the lower portion by a representation of the deceased, as at Forcett, in the North Riding of Yorkshire. Frequently, however, as at Rotherham and Rawmarsh, in the West Riding of the same county, the inscription is surmounted by a view of the whole family, the father kneeling on a cushion at a fald-stool, with his sons in a similar att.i.tude behind him, and the mother likewise engaged with her daughters on the opposite side, while the armorial insignia find a place on separate shields above. {57}

CHAPTER V

THE COMPONENT PARTS OF AN ACHIEVEMENT

We now come to the science of armory and the rules governing the display of these marks of honour. The term "coat of arms," as we have seen, is derived from the textile garment or "surcoat" which was worn over the armour, and which bore in embroidery a duplication of the design upon the shield. There can be very little doubt that arms themselves are older than the fact of the surcoat or the term "coat of arms." The entire heraldic or armorial decoration which any one is ent.i.tled to bear may consist of many things. It must as a minimum consist of a shield of arms, for whilst there are many coats of arms in existence, and many still rightly in use at the present day, to which no crest belongs, a crest in this country cannot lawfully exist without its complementary coat of arms. For the last two certainly, and probably nearly three centuries, no original grant of personal arms has ever been issued without it containing the grant of a crest except in the case of a grant to a woman, who of course cannot bear or transmit a crest; or else in the case of arms borne in right of women or descent from women, through whom naturally no right to a crest could have been transmitted. The grants which I refer to as exceptions are those of quarterings and impalements to be borne with other arms, or else exemplifications following upon the a.s.sumption of name and arms which in fact and theory are regrants of previously existing arms, in which cases the regrant is of the original coat with or without a crest, as the case may be, and as the arms theretofor existed. Grants of impersonal arms also need not include a crest. As it has been impossible for the last two centuries to obtain a grant of arms without its necessarily accompanying grant of crest, a decided distinction attaches to the lawful possession of arms which have no crest belonging to them, for of necessity the arms must be at least two hundred years old. Bearing this in mind, one cannot but wonder at the actions of some ancient families like those of Astley and Pole, who, lawfully possessing arms concerning which there is and can be no doubt or question, yet nevertheless invent and use crests which have no authority.

One instance and one only do I know where a crest has had a {58} legitimate existence without any coat of arms. This case is that of the family of Buckworth, who at the time of the Visitations exhibited arms and crest. The arms infringed upon those of another family, and no sufficient proof could be produced to compel their admission as borne of right. The arms were respited for further proof, while the crest was allowed, presumably tentatively, and whilst awaiting the further proof for the arms; no proof, however, was made. The arms and crest remained in this position until the year 1806, when Sir Buckworth Buckworth-Herne, whose father had a.s.sumed the additional name of Herne, obtained a Royal Licence to bear the name of Soame in addition to and after those of Buckworth-Herne, with the arms of Soame quarterly with the arms of Buckworth. It then became necessary to prove the right to these arms of Buckworth, and they were accordingly regranted with the trifling addition of an ermine spot upon the chevron; consequently this solitary instance has now been rectified, and I cannot learn of any other instance where these exceptional circ.u.mstances have similarly occurred; and there never has been a grant of a crest alone unless arms have been in existence previously.

Whilst arms may exist alone, and the decoration of a shield form the only armorial ensign of a person, such need not be the case; and it will usually be found that the armorial bearings of an ordinary commoner consist of shield, crest, and motto. To these must naturally be added the helmet and mantling, which become an essential to other than an abbreviated achievement when a crest has to be displayed. It should be remembered, however, that the helmet is not specifically granted, and apparently is a matter of inherent right, so that a person would not be in the wrong in placing a helmet and mantling above a shield even when no crest exists to surmount the helmet. The motto is usually to be found but is not a necessity, and there are many more coats of arms which have never been used with a motto than shields which exist without a crest. Sometimes a _cri-de-guerre_ will be found instead of or in addition to a motto. The escutcheon may have supporters, or it may be displayed upon an eagle or a lymphad, &c., for which particular additions no other generic term has yet been coined save the very inclusive one of "exterior ornaments." A coronet of rank may form a part of the achievement, and the shield may be encircled by the "ribbons" or the "circles" or by the Garter, of the various Orders of Knighthood, and by their collars. Below it may depend the badge of a Baronet of Nova Scotia, or of an Order of Knighthood, and added to it may possibly be what is termed a compartment, though this is a feature almost entirely peculiar to Scottish armory. There is also the crowning distinction of a badge; and of all armorial insignia this is the most cherished, for the existing badges {59} are but few in number. The escutcheon may be placed in front of the crosiers of a bishop, the batons of the Earl Marshal, or similar ornaments. It may be displayed upon a mantle of estate, or it may be borne beneath a pavilion. With two more additions the list is complete, and these are the banner and the standard.

For these several features of armory reference must be made to the various chapters in which they are treated.

Suffice it here to remark that whilst the term "coat of arms" has through the slipshod habits of English philology come to be used to signify a representation of any heraldic bearing, the correct term for the whole emblazonment is an "achievement," a term most frequently employed to signify the whole, but which can correctly be used to signify anything which a man is ent.i.tled to represent of an armorial character. Had not the recent revival of interest in armory taken place, we should have found a firmly rooted and even yet more slipshod declension, for a few years ago the habit of the uneducated in styling anything stamped upon a sheet of note-paper "a crest," was fast becoming stereotyped into current acceptance. {60}

CHAPTER VI