Page 13 - Dictionary of Heraldry and Related Subjects

A
Abatements were imposed for
such ' crimes ' as the following:
1. Revoking one's own challenge.
Abased, abaissé - An expression 2. Desertingone's sovereign's banner.
used when a chevron, fess or other 3. Discourteously treating either
ordinary is placed lower than its maiden or widow against their will.
usual position.
4. Boasting of one's prowess.
5. Killing one's prisoner.
Abatements - Sometimes known as 6. Telling lies to one's sovereign.
rebatements are marks of disgrace 7. Cowardice.
applied to arms in early Heraldry 8. Drunkenness.
on account of some dishonourable
Special HeraIdic marks of bas-
act of the bearer. There were nine tardy have sometimes been called
abatements because they abate or
in number viz.
1. Delf
reduce the status of the arms lo
2. hescutcheon reversed.
is not in the direct legitimate line
3. Point dexter.
the extent of showing that the bearer
4. Point in point.
of succession. This use of the word
5. Point champaine.
abatement does not irnply dishonour
in any way whatsoever.
6. Plain point.
7. Gore sinister.
8. Gusset dexter.
Abbreviations - The following ab-
9. Gusset sinister.
breviations are commonly used in
These marks must be in one of the Heraldry:
oJd tinctures, namely sanguine or 1. Arg - argent.
tenné as in any other tincture they 2. Az - azure.
may very occasionally be found as 3. Erm -ermine.
a normal charge.
4. Gu - gules.
There is another mark of disgrace 5. Or - Or.
which is due ouly to the traitor; this 6. Ppr - proper.
consists of reversing the entire coat. 7. Pur - purpure.
There is considerable speculation 8. Sa - sable.
as to whetber these abatements were 9. Ve - vert.
ever used. Guillim describes them Other tinctures, furs etc. are not
as ' these whimsical abatements ', abbreviated.
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I but as îhe marks only applied to the In the case of tricking anns in
unfortunate bearer of the arms and order to save space and avoid any
they were designed to keep him out chance of error the abbreviations
of public life, this they must success- ar and B are used for silver and
fully have doue and it js probable blue (azure) instead of those Iisted
that tbey were use.. above.
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