The Handbook to English Heraldry Part 27

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 366.--Earl of Chester.]

A cinquefoil, said to have been borne by him on a red Shield, was the device of ROBERT FITZ-PERNEL, Earl of LEICESTER, who died in 1204.

Accordingly, the cinquefoil, derived from him, as early as the thirteenth century, appears in token of feudal connection on the Shields of many families of Leicestershire. As I have already shown, (page 183) a BERKELEY, who was of Leicestershire, subst.i.tuted _ten cinquefoils_ for the ten crosses patee of the Berkeley Shield; and thus he combined feudal Differencing with Cadency.

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 367.--Fitz Ralph.]

Many a red chevron or chevronel, with other devices, charged upon a golden field, or a gold chevron on a red field, is a sign of feudal alliance with the great house of DE CLARE, whose Shield was--_Or, three chevronels gu._, No. 124. For example, the FITZ-RALPHS, near neighbours of the De Clares at Clare in Suffolk, differenced the Shield of the Earls by charging _silver fleurs de lys_ on each chevronel, as in No.

367 (E. 2); and, for secondary difference, they sometimes added a _bordure azure_, as in the fine early Bra.s.s at Pebmarsh, near Clare.

Again: by a change of tinctures, without affecting the charges of the Shield, the Arms of L'ERCEDECKNE (now Archdeacon) are--_Arg., three chevronels sa._

At Carlaverock, EDMUND DE HASTINGS, brother of the Earl, bore--_Or, a maunche gu., with a label of five points sa._, the Earl himself bearing simply--_Or, a maunche gu._, No. 276. And, close by the side of EDMOND DE HASTINGS was his friend and companion, the feudal ally, without doubt, of his house, JOHN PAIGNEL, a very proper comrade, as the chronicler testifies--

"Un bacheler jolif et comte,"

who differenced Hastings by change of tinctures, and bore--_Vert, a maunche or_.

The Shield of the n.o.ble house of DE LUTERELL, or LOTEREL, I have blazoned with changed tinctures for two near kinsmen bearing that name (page 182), thus showing in what manner they marked their Cadency. This same shield, No. 368--_Or, a bend between six martlets sa._, was also differenced by other families to mark their feudal alliance with the house of Luterell. Thus, the DE FURNIVALS, themselves a powerful and distinguished family, who held their lands by feudal tenure under the Luterells, in token of this alliance bore the Shield of De Luterell with a fresh change of tinctures; and, accordingly, the arms of the De Furnivals are well known as--_Arg., a bend between six martlets gu._ Then, while the FURNIVALS, for Cadency, differenced these arms amongst themselves, _their_ feudal allies and dependants, the ECCLESALLS or EKELESHALES, the MOUNTENEYS, the WADESLES or WADSLEYS, and the WORTELES or WORTLEYS, all united in declaring their connection with their chief by a.s.suming arms founded upon the Furnival Coat. These very interesting and characteristic examples of feudal Differencing are well blazoned, as follows, in the Roll of EDWARD II. For DE ECCLESALL--_Sa., a bend between six martlets or_: for DE MOUNTENEY--_Gu., a bend between six martlets or_: for DE WADSLEY--_Arg., on a bend between six martlets gu., three escallops or_, No. 369: and for DE WORTLEY--_Arg., on a bend between six martlets gu., three bezants_, No. 370.

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 368.--De Luterell.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 369.--De Wadsley.]

The MOUNTENEYS further difference their common arms, for Cadency, after this manner. Instead of _gules_, Sir ERNAUF DE MOUNTENEY has the field of his shield _azure_, his bend and martlets being _golden_: Sir JOHN bears these same arms, but charges his bend with a _mullet gules_, No.

371: Sir T. DE MOUNTENEY bears Sir John's arms, but with _a field gules_: and another Sir JOHN cotises his bend thus--_Gu., a bend cotised between six martlets or_, No. 372.

North of the Tweed, also, the same principle is found to be exemplified in Scottish Heraldry. "In Annandale," writes Mr. SETON, "the chief and saltire of the Bruces are carried (of different tinctures and with additional figures) by the Jardines, Kirkpatricks, Johnstons, and other families." The arms of BRUCE are--_Or, a saltire and a chief gu._, No.

73: those of JARDINE are--_Arg., a saltire and a chief gu., the latter charged with three mullets of the field, pierced of the second_: and the arms of KIRKPATRICK are--_Arg., a saltire and chief az., the latter charged with three cushions or_. This coat of Kirkpatrick is also borne by the JOHNSTONS, the tinctures differenced thus--_Arg., a saltire sa., and on a chief gu. three cushions or_.

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 370.--De Wortley.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 371.--Sir John de Mounteney.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 372.--Sir John de Mounteney.]

Once more, returning to the southern side of the Scottish border, of RICHARD DE NEVILLE, the renowned "King-maker," we find it to be recorded that, so great was his popularity at Calais, of which city he was governor, that his Badges were universally adopted,--"no man esteeming himself gallant whose head was not adorned with his _silver ragged staff_ (No. 294); nor was any door frequented, that had not his _white cross_ (silver saltire, No. 121) painted thereon." This was an extravagant application of the earlier usage in denoting feudal alliance, such as was in keeping with the heraldic sentiment of the second half of the fourteenth century. Those good citizens of Calais, however, who were Neville-worshippers four hundred years ago, were not singular in exhibiting an armorial ensign at the entrance to their houses. Numerous, indeed, are the doorways in various parts of England, and particularly in the counties of Surrey, Suss.e.x, and Norfolk, which in the "sign of the chequers" still display the insignia (_chequee or and az._, No. 68) of the once mighty Earls of WARRENNE and SURREY; and thus show that relics of the old feudal influence are endowed with a tenacious vitality, which prolongs their existence for ages after the feudal system itself has pa.s.sed away. But no doubt some cases must be referred to the less romantic explanation of the reckoning board of the Steward.

Differencing adopted, so far as now is apparent, _simply for the sake of distinction_, lays open before the student of Heraldry a wide and a diversified field of inquiry. All the miscellaneous charges that are a.s.sociated in blazon with the Ordinaries, and also with the Subordinaries, thus are brought under consideration; and, without a doubt, it was for the express purpose of Differencing that many of these charges were introduced into English Heraldry. How far some remote degree of relationship, or some subordinate feudal motive now lost to sight and forgotten, may originally have affected the choice of Charges "for difference," it is not possible now to determine; nor can we always follow the rebus-loving search for a "Difference," that might speak through that allusive quality which is a primary element of the Herald's science. We do know that the act of bearing the same arms by different families, without some heraldic Difference, was of very rare occurrence; and that, when it did occur, it was regarded with marked surprise, and on more than one occasion led to a memorable controversy: and, further, we find great numbers of early differenced Shields, which ill.u.s.trate in a very effective manner the growth and development of English Heraldry.

Shields of this order have strong claims on our attention. The examples that I am able here to place before students are to be regarded simply as specimens, few in number, and yet sufficient to show some of the varied forms under which early Differencing was effected.

The proceedings in the High Court of Chivalry in the suit between Sir RICHARD LE SCROPE and Sir ROBERT GROSVENOR, relative to the right to the Arms--_Azure, a bend or_, No. 111--commenced on the 17th of August 1385, and the final judgment of the King himself upon the appeal of the defendant against the finding of the Court was not p.r.o.nounced till the 27th of May 1390. On the 15th of May 1389 the judgment of the Court a.s.signed the arms--_Azure, a bend or_--to Sir RICHARD LE SCROPE; and to Sir ROBERT GROSVENOR, these arms--_Az., a bend or, within a plain bordure argent_. Thus the Court confirmed to Sir Richard le Scrope the right to bear the Ordinary in its severe simplicity, without any other charge and without any Difference: and, at the same time, it was decided that these arms of Scrope should be differenced, in order that they might become the arms of Grosvenor, and the "Difference" was to be a _plain silver bordure_. The whole of the proceedings in this remarkable case are preserved, and have been published; and they derive a peculiar interest from the circ.u.mstance, that amongst the witnesses who gave evidence was the father of English Poetry, GEOFFREY CHAUCER. Appeal having been made to the Sovereign, RICHARD II. determined that a "plain bordure argent" was a Mark of Cadency, good and right, and perfectly sufficient as a Difference "between Cousin and Cousin in blood"; but that it was "not a sufficient Difference in Arms between two strangers in blood in one kingdom." The King, therefore, cancelled and annulled the sentence of the Court of Chivalry; and in so doing he gave a very clear definition of the distinction to be observed in Heraldry between kinsmen and strangers in blood. Then it was that the Shield, _Azure, a garb or_, was adopted as the arms of Grosvenor. We may a.s.sume, that the judgment of the Court would have been confirmed by the King, had Sir Robert Grosvenor been commanded to blazon his golden bend between two garbs, or charged with one or more garbs, or with three garbs on a chief, or with any other decided Difference which would be palpably distinct from a Mark of Cadency.

The examples of Differenced Shields which follow I have selected from the Roll of EDWARD II. It will be seen that in each small group of these examples some primary feature of the composition is common to every Shield, so that the distinction between the Shields in each group is effected either by a simple change of tinctures, or by the introduction of various secondary charges.

CHIEFS.--Sir JOHN DE ARDERNE--_Gu., crusilee and a chief or_. Sir THOMAS LE ROUS--_Erm., on a chief indented gu. two escallops arg._ Sir JOHN DE CLINTONE--_Arg., on a chief az. two fleurs de lys or_, No. 74. Sir JOHN DE CLINTONE, of Maxtoke--_Arg., on a chief az. two mullets or_, No. 75: here the Difference denotes Cadency as well as a distinct individuality.

BENDS.--Sir ROBERT POUTREL.--_Or, on a bend az. three fleurs de lys arg._ Sir WALTER DE BERMYNGHAM--_Arg., on a bend gu., cotised az., three esallops or_. OLIVER DE BOHUN--_Az., on a bend, cotised and between six lioncels or, three escallops gu._, No. 321.

FESSES AND BARS.--Sir JOHN DE DAGEWORTH--_Erm., a fesse gu. bezantee_, No. 80. Sir G. DE WACHESHAM--_Arg., a fesse and in chief three crescents gu._ Sir R. DE COLEVILLE--_Or, a fesse gu., and in chief three torteaux_. Sir J. DE GEYTONE--_Arg., a fesse between six fleurs de lys gu._ Sir G. DE OUSFLET--_Arg., on a fesse az. three fleurs de lys or_.

Sir R. DE LOMELYE (Lumley)--_Gu., on a fesse between three popinjays arg., as many mullets sa._ Sir B. BADLESMERE--_Arg., a fesse between bars gemelles gu._ Sir G. DE LA MERE--_Or, a fesse between bars gemelles az._, No. 84. Sir J. DE PREIERES--_Gu., a fesse between bars gemelles arg._ Sir J. WAKE--_Or, two bars gu., in chief three torteaux_, No. 82.

Sir B. PYCOT--_Az., two bars or, in chief three bezants_. Sir R. DE WEDONE--_Arg., two bars gu., in chief three martlets sa._ Sir R.

BORDET--_Az., two bars or, on the uppermost three martlets gu._ Sir R.

DE ROYINGE--_Arg., three bars and an orle of martlets gu._ Sir N. DE ESTOTEVILLE--_Barry arg. and gu., three lioncels sa._ Sir R. DE YNGELFELD--_Barrulee arg. and gu., on a chief or a lion pa.s.s. az._ Sir W. DE MONECASTRE--_Barrulee arg. and gu., on a bend sa. three escallops or_. Sir T. DE PONINGE--_Barry or and vert, on a bend gu. three mullets arg._

CROSSES.--Sir N. DE WEYLANDE--_Arg., on a cross gu. five escallops or_.

Sir R. BYG.o.d--_Or, on a cross gu. five escallops arg._ Sir WM.

KIRKETOT--_Az., on a cross arg. five escallops gu._ Sir WM. DE BERHAM--_Sa., a cross between four crescents arg._ Sir R. DE BANNEBURY--_Arg., a cross patee between four mullets gu._ Sir J.

RANDOLF--_Gu., on a cross arg. five mullets sa._ Sir G. DE DUREM--_Arg., on a cross gu. five fleurs de lys or_. Sir P. DE GEYTONE--_Arg., crusilee and three fleurs de lys az._ Sir R. DE HOFTOT--_Az., a cross patee erm. between four roses erm._

CHEVRONS.--Sir G. ROSSEL--_Or, a chevron az., between three roses gu._ Sir J. DE CRETINGE--_Arg., a chevron between three mullets gu._ Sir R.

MALET--_Sa., a chevron between three buckles arg._ Sir T. DE ANVERS--_Gu., a chevron between three mullets or_. Sir WM. DE BERKEROLES--_Az., a chevron between three crescents or_. Sir W.

BLUET--_Or, a chevron between three eagles vert_. Sir R. DE CAPLE--_Arg., a chevron gu. between three torteaux_. Sir T. MALET--_Sa., a chevron between three buckles arg._ Sir R. DE PEYVRE--_Arg., on a chevron az. three fleurs de lys or_, No. 125. Sir R. DE BOTERELS--_Chequee or and gu., on a chevron az. three horseshoes arg._

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 373.--At St. Albans.]

LIONS.--The Earl of LINCOLN--_Or, a lion rampt. purp._, No. 194. The Earl of ARUNDEL--_Gu., a lion rampt. or_. Sir HENRY DE PERCY--_Or, a lion rampt. az._, No. 196. Sir JOHN MOWBRAY--_Gu., a lion rampt.

arg._, No. 193. Sir R. DE SOTTONE (Sutton)--_Or, a lion rampt. vert_.

Sir J. DE NORTONE--_Vert, a lion rampt. or_. Sir W. FAUCONBERG--_Arg., a lion rampt. az._ Sir G. DE HAUTVILLE--_Sa., crusilee, a lion rampt.

arg._ Sir ---- DE MOUNTFORT--_Arg., crusilee gu., a lion rampt. az._ Sir WM. MAUFEE--_Arg., semee of escallops gu., a lion rampt. sa._ Sir J. DE CREPPINGE--_Gu., billetee or, a lion rampt. arg._ Sir R. DE a.s.sCHEBY--_Arg., a lion rampt. sa. billetee or_. Sir J. DE DEYVILLE--_Gu., semee de lys, a lion rampt. arg._ _Arg., within a bordure gu. bezantee, a lion rampt. sa._, for Sir T. DE PICKERING; and, _Arg., within an orle of roses gu., a lion rampt. sa._, for Sir R.

PIERPOUND, both apparently founded on the shield of the Earl of CORNWALL, No. 140, which also is blazoned in this Roll. Sir J. LE STRANGE--_Gu., two lions pa.s.s. arg._, No. 191. Sir J. DE SOMERI--_Or, two lions pa.s.s. az._ Sir R. DE ST. WALY--_Or, two lions pa.s.s. gu._ Sir N. CARRU (Carew)--_Or, three lions pa.s.s. sa._ Sir J. GIFFARD--_Gu., three lions pa.s.s. arg._, No. 192. Sir R. LE FITZ PAYN--_Gu., three lions pa.s.s. arg., over all a bendlet az._ Sir G. DE CANVYLE--_Az., three lions pa.s.s arg._ In the beautiful chantry of Abbot THOMAS RAMRYGE, at St.

Albans, one of the large sculptured Shields is charged with a lion rampant within what may be considered to be an _orle of roses_--the arms, as I have just shown, a.s.signed in the Roll of EDWARD II. to Sir R.

PIERPOUND. This Shield, carefully drawn by the engraver himself from the original in the Abbey Church of St. Alban, is represented in No. 373.

AUGMENTATION, or AUGMENTATION OF HONOUR, is a term employed to denote an addition to a Shield of arms, specially granted by the Sovereign to commemorate some worthy or ill.u.s.trious deed, and forming an integral element of the Shield as an hereditary bearing. Such additions will be found marshalled in the forms of Chiefs and Inescutcheons as Cantons, or as Quarterings; or they may a.s.sume the character of additional charges.

Also, this same term denotes similar additions of Crests, Badges, or any other accessories of Shields.

The Augmentation displayed upon the Ducal Shield of WELLINGTON, a most honourable exception to the prevailing degenerate heraldic feeling of the period in which it was granted to the Great Duke, in characteristic and expressive qualities is second to no other example of its own cla.s.s and order. This true Augmentation of Honour is the _National Device of the British Empire_, as it is blazoned in the "Union Jack," charged upon an inescutcheon, and displayed upon the honour point of the Duke's paternal Shield.

An equally significant Augmentation of an earlier date is borne in the Arms of HOWARD. These Arms before the battle of Flodden were--_Gu., a bend between six crosses crosslets fitchee arg._ To commemorate the great victory won by him at Flodden Field, Sept. 9, 1513, when JAMES IV.

of Scotland was defeated and slain, HENRY VIII. granted to THOMAS HOWARD, Duke of Norfolk, and to his descendants, as an Augmentation of Honour, the _Royal Shield of Scotland_ (No. 138), _but having a demi-lion only, which is pierced through the mouth with an arrow_, to be borne in the middle of the bend of his proper arms. This Shield is represented in No. 374; and in No. 374A the augmentation is shown on a larger scale.

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 374.--Howard, after Flodden.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 374A.--The Howard Augmentation.]

A small group of additional examples will be sufficient to ill.u.s.trate this most interesting cla.s.s of historical Arms, and at the same time will not fail to excite in students a desire very considerably to extend the series through their own inquiries and researches. In memory of the devoted courage and all-important services of JANE LANE, after the disastrous battle of Worcester, CHARLES II. granted as an Augmentation a _Canton of England_ (No. 187 marshalled on a canton), to be added to the hereditary Coat of Lane, which is--_Per fesse or and az., a chevron gu.

between three mullets counterchanged_. The Crest of the family of DE LA BERE is said to have been conferred by the BLACK PRINCE upon SIR RICHARD DE LA BERE, as a memorial of the good service rendered by that gallant knight on the memorable field of Cressi. This Crest is--_Out of a crest-coronet a plume of five ostrich feathers per pale arg. and az._, the Plantagenet colours--the device (as Mr. LOWER observes) being evidently derived from the Prince's own Badge, and also forming a variety of the "panache," the Crest then held in such high estimation.

The heart charged upon the shield of DOUGLAS (see Nos. 156, 157, p. 74) is another remarkable Augmentation. So also is the adoption of the armorial insignia of the CONFESSOR, No. 2, by RICHARD II., and his marshalling it upon his own Royal Shield, impaled to the dexter with the quartered arms of France and England.

English Heraldry has been required to recognise another and a perfectly distinct cla.s.s of "Augmentations," which consist of additions to the blazonry of a Shield or of additional quarterings or accessories, granted as tokens of Royal favour, for heraldic display, but without any particular "merit" in the receiver, or any special historical significance in themselves. Augmentations of this order may be considered to have been first introduced by RICHARD II., when he granted, "out of his mere grace," to his favourite ROBERT DE VERE, Earl of OXFORD, Marquess of DUBLIN and Duke of IRELAND, a differenced Coat of ST. EDMUND (No. 3)--_Az., three crowns or, within a bordure argent_, to be quartered with the DE VERE arms as the arms of IRELAND. In the same spirit, RICHARD II. granted, as similar Augmentations, the arms of the CONFESSOR to be marshalled, with Differences, on their Shields by THOMAS and JOHN HOLLAND, Dukes of SURREY and EXETER, and by THOMAS MOWBRAY, Duke of NORFOLK. It will be remembered that it was one of the capital charges against the then Earl of SURREY, a lineal descendant of this THOMAS MOWBRAY, the Duke of NORFOLK, in 1546, that he had a.s.sumed, without the special licence of HENRY VIII., the same arms of the CONFESSOR as an augmentation.

By EDWARD IV. similar augmentations, "by grace" and not "for merit,"

were granted; and by HENRY VIII. the system was carried to excess in the grants made to augment the armorial blazonry of ANNE BOLEYN, and of his English consorts, her successors.

ABATEMENT is a term which was unknown until it made its appearance in certain heraldic writings of the sixteenth century, when it was used to denote such marks or devices as, by the writers in question, were held to be the reverse of honourable Augmentation--_Augmentations of dishonour_ indeed, and tokens of degradation. True Heraldry refuses to recognise all such pretended abatements, for the simple reason that they never did exist, and if they could exist at all, they would be in direct antagonism to its nature, its principles, and its entire course of action. Honourable itself, Heraldry can give expression only to what conveys honour, and it records and commemorates only what is to be honoured and held in esteem.

The very idea of an heraldic Abatement implies, if not a complete ignorance, certainly a thorough misconception of the character and the office of Heraldry. Even if Heraldry were to attempt to stigmatise what is, and what ought to be esteemed, dishonourable, who would voluntarily accept insignia of disgrace, and charge and display them upon his Shield, and transmit them to his descendants? And the believers in Abatement must hold that Heraldry can exert a compulsory legislative power, which might command a man to blazon his own disgrace, and force him to exhibit and to retain, and also to bequeath, any such blazonry.

A belief in heraldic Abatement, however, is by no means singular or rare. A curious example of its existence was recently brought under my notice, in connection with one of the most renowned of the historical devices of English Heraldry. The _bear_, the badge of the BEAUCHAMPS, Earls of WARWICK, which appears at the feet of the effigy of Earl RICHARD in the Beauchamp chapel at Warwick, in accordance with a special provision to that effect, is "_muzzled_"; and, wearing a muzzle has this bear been borne, as their Badge, by the successors of the BEAUCHAMPS in the Warwick Earldom, the Earls of the houses of NEVILLE, DUDLEY, RICH, and GREVILLE. But, it would seem that a legend has found credence at Warwick Castle itself, which would a.s.sociate the muzzle of the bear with some dishonourable action of an Earl of the olden time; and, consequently, it was proposed that at length this Abatement should be removed from the bears still at Warwick! Earl RICHARD DE BEAUCHAMP was not exactly the man to have displayed upon _his_ bear any ensign of dishonour; nor were his son-in-law, the "King-maker," and Queen ELIZABETH'S ROBERT DUDLEY, at all more probable subjects for any similar display; still, it is quite certain that they bore the muzzled bear, as he appears on the seal of the great Earl, No. 448.[7] That muzzle, doubtless, has its becoming heraldic significance, without in the slightest degree partaking in the a.s.sumed character of an Abatement.

I hope eventually to be able to trace out conclusively what the muzzle may really imply, and I commend the research to other inquirers: meanwhile, neither at Warwick nor elsewhere is there any such thing as "Abatement" in English Heraldry.