Page 32 - Dictionary of Heraldry and Related Subjects

include the Pelican which is gener- BMed - Ldess, may sometimes
aiiy shown standing above its nest be applied to trees.
and wlning or wounding its breast
to nourish its young from the drops Blazon - A word derived from the
of blood which can be seen dripping German ' blasen' meaning to blow
down. The martlet, as found in the a tmmpet or hom. It signifies the
arms attributed to Edward the Con. description of an achievernent in
fesser, is particularly popular in general, and a coat of arms in par-
parts of Sussex. There is also the ticular, in such detail that an accur-
swan, the ostrich, which is usually ate drawing may be made frorn the
shown with a horse-shoe in its beak, description. In order to do so a
the Crane, the heron, the stork, the knowledge of the points of the shield
(See
particularly necessary.
shell-drake, the raven, the peacock. is
which is always 'in his pride ', the ' Points of the Shield ')
1. Ernblazoning the coat of arms
dove, the parrot, which in HeraIdry
is the popinjay, the kite and the the fist thing to be mentioned is the
cock which on occasions is blazoned field. whether it be of one tincture,
as the dunghill cock, which is in fact paa-ty of two. or of any of the pat-
nothing more than the famyard terns frequently found. Examples:
rooster.
(a) Gules, (b) per fess argent and
Birds may be blazoned as ducaiiy gules, (c) gyronny Or and sable, (d)
gorged and on occasions chained bendy of eight argent and azure, (e)
and not inirequently they are them- Azure semi-de-lis.
selves charged with some other
2. The first charges which should
charge.
be noticed are those laid immedi-
ately upon the field and normally
occupying the central and most com-
BIshop - The armorial bearings of a
bishop are nonnally irnpaIed with
principal ordinaries. Examples : (a)
the anns of the See in al1 official
argent a lion rampant gules, (b)
documents.
mire a bend Or, (c) argent a chev-
Various references to his office
ron engrailed sable.
appear as charges and in crests.
3. Any secondary cliarges resting
namely the mitre, the crozier, and
on the surface of the shield.
the ordinary which is known as a
Example: gules a bend Or berween
pal1 was adoptexi from the ecclesias-
thee crescenfs argent.
tical pallium.
4. Objects placed on one of
the charges already mentioned.
Bit - The horses bit is occasionally manding position. These include the
Example : argent on a fess gules
to be found as a charge but the type between lhree garbs azure two
must be specified in blazon. crosses patté Or.
5. Important charges resting on
Blackamore's Head - A number of the surface of the shield but not
heads have been used both as a occupying the central position : viz.
charge and as a crest of which thar a chief, canton, bordure etc.
of a blackamore is one. Example: gules on a bend sinister
between rhree water bougets Or as
many ogresses, a canton argent.
Bladed - An expression used when 6. Objects placed on the charges
the stalk of any grain is tinctured mentioned in number 5. Example:
differently kom the ear. sable on a fess Or between rhree