A Complete Guide to HeraldryFox-Davies, Arthur Charles
History
A Complete Guide to Heraldry
Fox-Davies, Arthur Charles
Heraldry -- Great Britain
When the arm is bare it is termed "proper." When clothed it is termed
either "vested" or "habited" (Fig. 268). The cuff is very {171} frequently
of a different colour, and the crest is then also termed "cuffed." The hand
is nearly always bare, but if not represented of flesh colour it will be
presumed and termed to be "gloved" of such and such a tincture. When it is
represented in armour it is termed "in armour" or "vambraced" (Fig. 269).
Even when in armour the hand is usually bare, but if in a gauntlet this
must be specifically so stated (Fig. 270). The armour is always represented
as riveted _plate_ armour unless it is specifically stated to be _chain
armour_, as in the crest of Bathurst, or _scale armour_. Armour is
sometimes decorated with gold, when the usual term employed will be
"garnished or," though occasionally the word "purfled" is used.
Gloves are occasionally met with as charges, _e.g._ in the arms of
Barttelot. Gauntlets will be found in the arms of Vane.
[Illustration: FIG. 268.--A cubit arm habited.]
[Illustration: FIG. 269.--An arm embowed in armour.]
[Illustration: FIG. 270.--A cubit arm in armour, the hand in a gauntlet.]
Legs are not so frequently met with as arms. They will be found, however,
in the arms of the Isle of Man and the families Gillman, Bower, Legg, and
as the crest of Eyre. Boots will be found in the crests of various families
of the name of Hussey.
Bones occur in the arms of Scott-Gatty and Baines.
A skull occurs in the crest of Græme ["Two arms issuing from a cloud
erected and lighting up a man's skull encircled with two branches of palm,
over the head a marquess's coronet, all proper"].
A woman's breast occurs in the canting arms of Dodge (Plate VI.) ["Barry of
six or and sable, on a pale gules, a woman's breast distilling drops of
milk proper. Crest: upon a wreath of the colours, a demi sea-dog azure,
collared, maned, and finned or"].
An eye occurs in the crest of Blount of Maple-Durham ["On a wreath of the
colours, the sun in splendour charged in the centre with an eye all
proper"].
The man-lion, the merman, mermaid, melusine, satyr, satyral, harpy, sphinx,
centaur, sagitarius, and weirwolf are included in the chapter upon mythical
animals. {172}
CHAPTER XI
THE HERALDIC LION
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