[73] It is almost unnecessary to observe that the expression 'a merchant's mark' is by no means appropriate; for such devices were employed in a great variety of ways. They appear, primarily, to have been used as signatures by illiterate though wealthy merchants, who could not write their names. At a later date they were employed for _marking_ bales of goods. Within the last century, many flockmasters in the South of England used them for marking sheep. Although the illiterate of our own times substitute a + for their proper names, it was far otherwise two centuries ago, when they generally made a rude monogram, or _peculiar_ mark, analogous to the merchant's mark of earlier date. [74] Dallaway. [75] C. S. Gilbert's Hist. Cornw. vol. i, Introd. to Herald. [76] Historical and Allusive Arms, p. 347. [77] Montagu, Study of Heraldry. But this is, perhaps, an isolated instance of such early date, for Dame Julyan Berners, more than a century later, says, "There be vi differences in armys; ij for the excellent and iiij for the nobles; Labelle and Enborduryng for lordis; Jemews, Mollettys, Flowre delyce and Quintfoyles for the nobles," (i. e. gentry). [78] Cited by Dall. p. 127. [79] Memoirs, p. 287. Cott. MS., Calig. A. xviii. [80] Vide my English Surnames, 2d edition, p. 194 et seq. [81] Montagu, p. 42. [82] If Heraldry had to be established _de novo_, something of the sort might be done, by giving each family a patent right to a particular ordinary, provided the ordinaries were much more numerous than they are. But as nearly every ordinary and charge is common to many families, Dugdale's system cannot possibly be carried out. [83] Hugh Clark's 'Introduction to Heraldry,' which may be purchased for a few shillings, contains everything necessary to a thorough knowledge of the art of blazon. [84] Spenser uses this word: "How the red roses flush up in her cheeks, And the pure snow with goodly _vermeil_ stain." [85] Roll of Karlaverok, p. 26. [86] In the 'Secretes of Master Alexis of Piedmont' are many recipes for making this article. [87] There is an extraordinary difference of opinion respecting the Mediæval Latin, _Sinopis_. Ducange, with the authorities quoted above, make its colour green; but the _sinoper_, or ruddle of commerce, is of a dark red or purplish hue. In one of the Cottonian MSS. Nero, c. vi, fol. 156, is the following account of it: "Sinopim, colorem videlicet illum cujus tres sunt species, videlicet _rubea_, _subrubea_, et inter has media, invenerunt primitus, ut scribit Ysidorus viri regionis Ponticæ in urbe eorum quam solent ipsi Sinopem vocitare." [88] Page 205. [89] It is a prevailing error that the bend sinister is a mark of dishonour, as betokening illegitimacy; this seems to have arisen from its having been confounded with the baton, which bearing differs from it both in being much narrower, and in being cut off from the borders of the escocheon.