AZURE. The French word for _blue_: it is distinguished in heraldic engraving by lines running parallel to each other in an horizontal direction, as in the annexed example. [Illustration: Azure] BADGE. A distinctive mark worn by servants, retainers, and followers of royalty or nobility, who, being beneath the rank of gentlemen, have no right to armorial bearings. The rose and crown is the badge of the servants, &c., of the Kings of England: they are displayed as in the annexed example. [Illustration: Badge (Rose and Crown)] BANDED. Anything tied with a band. [Illustration: Banded] Ex. Argent. Three arrows proper, banded. BANNER. The principal standard of a knight. The great banner borne at the funeral of a nobleman contains all the quarterings of his arms: it varies in size according to the rank of the deceased. The banner of the sovereign is five feet square; that of a prince or duke, four feet square; for all noblemen of inferior rank, three feet square. BANNER ROLL is a small square flag containing a single escutcheon of the deceased. Thus, if there are twelve quarterings in the banner, the same number of banner rolls will be required to be borne in the funeral procession. The annexed engraving shows the banner and banner-roll. [Illustration: Banner roll] BAR. An honourable ordinary, occupying one-fifth of the shield. It may be placed in any part of the field. It has two diminutives, the closet and barrulet. [Illustration: Bar] Ex. Ermine, two bars gules. BARBED. Bearded. It is also applied to roses. [Illustration: Barbed] Ex. Azure, a rose argent, barbed, and seeded proper. BARON. The lowest title of the peerage of Great Britain. BARON AND FEMME. Terms used in Heraldry to denote the arms of a man and his wife, marshalled together. See p. 38. [CHAP. VI.] BARRULET. The smallest diminutive of the bar. The closet is half the bar; the barrulet half the closet. [Illustration: Barrulet] Ex. Gules, two barrulets argent. BARRY. A field divided transversely into several equal parts, and consisting of two different tinctures interchangeably disposed. [Illustration: Barry] Ex. Barry of eight pieces, azure and argent. BATON. BATUNE. BASTON. It is generally used as an abatement in coats of arms to denote illegitimacy. [Illustration: Baton] Ex. Or, a cross gules, over all a baton argent. BATTERING RAM. An instrument used for battering down walls before gunpowder was known in Europe: it is frequently borne as a charge in a coat of arms. [Illustration: Battering ram] Ex. Argent, a battering ram proper. BATTLE AXE. An ancient military weapon, frequently borne on arms as a mark of prowess. [Illustration: Battle axe] Ex. Argent, three battle axes gules two over one. BATTLEMENTS. Divisions or apertures on the top of castle walls or towers. [Illustration: Battlements] Ex. Gules, three towers embattled argent. BEAKED. The beak of a bird being of a different tint from the body is said to be beaked. [Illustration: Beaked]