A Complete Guide to HeraldryFox-Davies, Arthur Charles
History
A Complete Guide to Heraldry
Fox-Davies, Arthur Charles
Heraldry -- Great Britain
The colour of the ordinary is not mentioned until after the charge, if it
be the same as the latter, but if it be otherwise it must of course be
specified, as in the coat: "Or, a fess gules between three crescents
sable." If the ordinary is charged, the charges thereupon, being less
important than the charges in the field, are mentioned subsequently, as in
the coat: "Gules, on a bend argent between two fountains proper, a rose
gules between two mullets sable."
The position of the charges need not be specified when they would naturally
fall into a certain position with regard to the ordinaries. Thus, a chevron
between three figures of necessity has two in chief and one in base. A bend
between two figures of necessity has one above and one below. A fess has
two above and one below. A cross between four has one in each angle. In
none of these cases is it necessary to state the position. If, however,
those positions or numbers do not come within the category mentioned, care
must be taken to specify what the coat exactly is.
If a bend is accompanied only by one charge, the position of this charge
must be stated. For example: "Gules, a bend or, in chief a crescent
argent." A chevron with four figures would be described: "Argent, a chevron
between three escallops in chief and one in base sable," though it would be
equally correct to say: "Argent, a chevron {101} between four escallops,
three in chief and one in base sable." In the same way we should get:
"Vert, on a cross or, and in the 1st quarter a bezant, an estoile sable;"
though, to avoid confusion, this coat would more probably be blazoned:
"Vert, a cross or, charged with an estoile sable, and in the first quarter
a bezant." This example will indicate the latitude which is permissible if,
for the sake of avoiding confusion and making a blazon more readily
understandable, some deviation from the strict formulas would appear to be
desirable.
If there be no ordinary on a shield, the charge which occupies the chief
position is mentioned first. For example: "Or, a lion rampant sable between
three boars' heads erased gules, two in chief and one in base." Many
people, however, would omit any reference to the position of the boars'
heads, taking it for granted that, as there were only three, they would be
2 and 1, which is the normal position of three charges in any coat of arms.
If, however, the coat of arms had the three boars' heads all above the
lion, it would then be necessary to blazon it: "Or, a lion rampant sable,
in chief three boars' heads erased gules."
When a field is _semé_ of anything, this is taken to be a part of the
field, and not a representation of a number of charges. Consequently the
arms of Long are blazoned: "Sable, semé of cross crosslets, a lion rampant
argent." As a matter of fact the semé of cross crosslets is always termed
_crusilly_, as has been already explained.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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