Heraldry Notes

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It would be foolish to claim that the meaning of a coat of arms today has anything to the dignity which was once ascertained long ago.

Originally, heraldry was a way in which men could tell the difference between friend or foe. This wasn’t exactly easy when a knight was covered in armor. Eventually, the badges themselves became known as coats of arms, yet originally the coat of arms was the surcoat which was decorated by the badges or charges.

A Herald is a person who designs the coats of arms. They make sure that no two designs are exactly the same. They record each design in books called armorials. Heralds announce knights at tournaments and prepare parchment and fliers.

Heraldry comprises everything within the duties of a herald. It is the regulation of ceremonials and matters of pedigree.

Blazonry is the special language for describing the arms. The names are as follows: dexter (right side), sinister (left side), in chief (top), in base (bottom), field (background color), device (emblem or design), basic element (the shield). A self created emblem is called arms of assumption.

A coat of arms may also include accessories. Their placement is as follows: helmet (on top of the shield), a crest (on top of the helmet), mantling (on top of the shield and behind the helmet), cape ( attached to the helmet or draped around the shield), supporters (on each side of the shield), base (supporters stand upon) and a banner (placed under or around the base).

The heraldic colors used in heraldry use metals (argent) such as silver and gold. The main colors (tinctures) that are used include blue (azure), green (vert), black (sable), red (gules) and purple (purpure).

Basic badges or charges are called ordinaries (row 1). They can be divided (row2), subdivided (row 3), and their edges can be patterned (row 4).

A badge is a coat of arms used by a large group of people such as a clan or a knighthood. A charge is an emblem used to obtain a badge… however one must start or join a clan, knighthood, etc. No two badges can be the same and no two charges within a clan may be the same.

In a clan the badge is worn on the front, back or both of one’s attire while one’s charge is patterned continuously in the background.

In knighthood, or other group, the badge is worn on the right, left, or both shoulders of one’s attire. The badge and charge of one’s clan etc. is worn in the normal fashion.

Sometimes the badges of two families are combined creating a new coat of arms. It is used either when two clans combine, or when a lord has no sons to carry on his family name. This is called impaling arms.

Clans and knighthoods are not the only uses for coats of arms. Towns, guilds, stores etc. may also obtain one. They may be us

Clans and knighthoods are not the only uses for coats of arms. Towns, guilds, stores, etc. may also obtain one. They can not only be used on clothing, but may be used on armor, flags, seals, above buildings and so on. The only allowable use on clothing for uses of this type of coat of arms I know of on clothing is when they accompany the store‘s, gilds name etc.

Partition Lines

A shield may be divided by partition lines running in the direction of almost any “ordinary”, in which case the field will be described as “per bend” or “per chevron”.

Field

A coat of arms must consist of at least one thing, the field. This is equivalent to the color of the ground of the shield.

Sun (gold), moon (silver), Mars (red), Jupiter (blue), Venus (green), Saturn (black), Mercury (purple).

The term “Seme” means “powdered with” or “strewed with” any objects, the number of the latter being unlimited, the purpose being to evenly distribute them over the shield. For example, seme of crosslets.

A field cannot be ‘per pile’ or ‘per chief’, because there is no other way of representing these ordinaries.

A field can be composed of any number of pieces in the form of the ordinaries filling the area of the shield in which case the field is said to be ‘barry’, ‘paly’, ‘bendy’, ‘chevronny’, etc. but the number of pieces must be specified.

A grant of arms is theoretically a grant from the crown. The privileges of possession of arms provides that a person is palpably living in that style and condition of life in which the use of arms is usual. A ‘Grant of Arms’ can ordinarily be obtained upon payment of the usual fees.

Augmentation

It is an especial mark of favor from the High Chapter, and the effective grant is a Royal Warrant.

Signs for sons:

In a clan, each male member under the guidance of the Chief is considered a son. Each member of the family has a different symbol. For example, the symbol of the second son may be a crescent, or a new moon; the third may have a mullet, or five-pointed star; and the fourth a marlet.

1. The coat of arms (of lord without a son) of a small clan.

2. The clan which will accept membership of clan 1. (Coat of arms his daughter marries into.)

3. Coat of arms when 1 and 2 are combined.

4. (When the lady’s father passes away, the coat of arms changes again.

5. The lord and lady have a son. When the lord dies, the son has the coat of arms quartered, or divided into four.

Every part of a shield has a special name.

Charge: Animals, plants (may have cropped ears, limbs, or head).

Rules Governing the Display of the Marks of Honor

Coats of arms (term), was derived from the ‘surcoat’ which was worn over the armor, and which bore the emblem (embroidery), duplicated upon the shield.

The entire heraldic or armorial decoration to which one is entitled to wear may consist of many things.

Minimum: It must consist of a shield of arms. A crest can not exist without it’s complimentary coat of arms.

A woman cannot bear or transmit a crest.

Grants of impersonal arms need not include a crest.

Crests are generally always granted with a coat of arms.

The armorial bearings of an ordinary commoner consists of a shield, crest, and motto. To these must naturally be added the helmet and mantling, which become an essential to other than an abbreviated achievement when a crest has to be displayed.

The helmet is not specifically granted… it is a matter of inherit right.

The escutcheon may have supporters. It may be placed in front of the crosiers of a bishop, the batons of the Earl Marshal, or similar ornaments. It may be placed upon a mantle of estate, or it may be borne beneath a pavilion.

A coronet of rank may form part of the achievement, and the shield may be encircled by the “ribbons” or the “circles” or by the Garter of the various Orders of Knighthood, and their collars.

A compartment is a feature almost entirely peculiar to Scottish armory.

Grants of impersonal arms need not include a crest.

Judgment is reserved for those with a higher knowledge of arms. The following is a list (to the best of my knowledge) of the order in which judgment was reserved.

1. Earl Marshal: Head of the College of Arms
2. King of Arms: (King of Heralds) person who presides over heralds.
Garter King of Arms: Immediately attached to Illustrators order is likewise Principle King of Arms; although the offices are separate they may be united in one person.
3. Heralds of Arms: The Illustrators Order
4. Pursuivants of Arms

Other related terms to research that may be included within this list:
Falcon King of arms
Three Kings of Arms
Dukedons
Royal Badges
Earldoms
Eldest Herald Lord High Constable, the first military rank under the king Marshal or Earl Marshal
Law Officers of the Crown

The Shield:

The shield is the most important part of the achievement, for on it are depicted the signs and emblems of the house to which it appertains; the difference marks expressive of the cadency of the members within the house; the augmentations of honor which the Sovereign has conferred; the quartering’s inherited from families which are represented; and the impalements of marriage; and it is with the shield principally that the laws of armory are concerned, for everything else is dependant on the shield, and falls into comparative insignificance alongside of it.

A shield may be depicted in any fashion and after any shape that the imagine can suggest - that could actually be accepted as a shield.

Let no one think that a design ceases to be a coat of arms if it is not displayed upon a shield.

The making and decorating of the shields lay mostly in the hands of the herald painters, who also had charge of the riding paraphernalia.

Shields are of wood, covered with linen or leather, the charges in relief are painted.

Leather plastic: leather is soaked in oil, and pressed or beaten into shape.

Pressed linen: linen dipped in chalk and lime. Then painted… a kind of tempera painting on chalk background.

After the shield was decorated it was frequently strengthened with metal clasps, or studs, particularly where it was expected to be exposed to blows and pressure.

Tinctures: gules (red), azure (blue), bert (green), purpure (purple), and sable (black), argent (silver). Argent is usually represented by white or leaving the surface untouched. Metal Gold is represented as yellow.

Component Parts of an Achievement

It will usually be found that the armorial bearings of an ordinary commoner consist of shield, crest, and motto. That the helmet is not specifically granted, and is a matter of inherent right.

Parts of coat of arms or heraldic achievement

Glossary of terms:

Herald: Person who designs coats of arms, also announces the knights at tournaments. Heraldry: System used to design badges.
Surcoat: Coat worn over armor that is decorated with a knights badge. A knights identifying gown.
Armorials: Books used to record Coats of Arms.
Blazonry: Special language for describing the arms (Dexter side is the right side).
Charge: The symbol (animals, plants, etc.)
Armory: The laws and rules which govern the use, display, meaning, and knowledge of pictured signs and emblems appertaining to shield, helmet, or banner. Armory relates only to the emblems and devices. The widest definition of armory is any pictorial badge which is used by an individual or family with the meaning that is a badge indicative of that person or family, and adopted and repeatedly used in that since, is heraldic.
Crown: The soul foundation of honor.
Arms: One’s claim to gentility (or Harmony), the use of arms being the advertisement of one’s claim to that gentility. By coronet, supporters and helmet can one’s place be indicated in the scale of precedence. Arms that are added designate that one is of gentle rank.
Quartering’s: Show the other gentle families one represents; the different marks show one’s position on one’s own family.

Augmentations indicate the deeds of one’s ancestors )which is held in especial remembrance_. By use of a certain coat of arms, it is asserted that one’s descent from the person to whom those arms were granted, confirmed, or allowed.

Heraldry is the definite sign of nobility # rank, but also a means of decoration. Indication of ownership.

The Crown is the Foundation of honor, having the supreme control of coat-armor. The actual control, however has been delegated to the Heralds and Kings of Arms.

Heralds, in token of their office they wear the coats of arms of the kin they serve, and their status is that of a non combatant messenger.

Useful terms to research:
The control of arms
The right to grant arms
The right to judge in disputes concerning arms
Jurisdiction of arms
Officer of Arms

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