Part 5 (1/2)

The CROSS (H. 3), formed from a combination of a Fesse with a Pale, in its simplest form is set erect in the centre of the field, and it extends to the border-lines of the s.h.i.+eld. If at any time it may be necessary or apparently desirable specially to set forth in the blazoning of a s.h.i.+eld, that a Cross charged upon it does thus extend to the border-lines, such a Cross is blazoned as a ”_Cross throughout_.”

No. 1, _Arg., a Cross gu._, the armorial ensign of ST. GEORGE, the special Patron Saint of England, may be blazoned as ”_A Cross of St.

George_.” Of this Cross, the great symbol of the Christian Faith, Spenser says--

”And on his brest a bloodie Cross he bore, The deare remembrance of his dying Lord....

Upon his s.h.i.+eld the like was also scored.”

_Faerie Queen_, I. i. 2.

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 89.--Cross fimbriated.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 90.--Cross pointed.]

A Cross having a narrow border lying in the same plane with itself, is ”fimbriated,” such a border being a ”_fimbriation_”: thus, No. 89, _Az., a cross gu., fimbriated arg._, represents the Cross of St. George in our National ”Union Jack.” A Cross having its four extremities cut off square, so that it does not extend in any direction to the border-lines of the s.h.i.+eld, is ”_couped_” or ”_humettee_”. If the extremities of a Cross are cut off to points, it is ”_pointed_,” as in No. 90. If its central area is entirely removed, so that but little more than its outlines remain, it is ”_voided_,” or (H. 3) ”_a false Cross_” (”faux croix”): when its four limbs are _equal_ in length, it is a ”_Greek Cross_,” as No. 91: when the limbs are _unequal_, the lower limb or shaft being longer than the other three, as in No. 92, it is a ”_Latin Cross_” or a ”long cross”: but neither of these two last terms are used regarding the plain cross throughout, notwithstanding that differences in the shape of the s.h.i.+eld may materially alter the proportion of the limbs. If a cross be formed of a shaft and two horizontal limbs only (like the letter T), as in No. 93, it is a ”_Tau Cross_,” or ”_Cross Tau_”: if it is pierced at the intersection of the limbs, and the entire central area be voided, it is said to be ”_pierced quarterly_.” A Latin Cross on steps, is ”_on Degrees_,” and it is distinguished as a ”Calvary Cross.” Charges having a cruciform arrangement are ”_in Cross_.”

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 91.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 92.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 93.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 94.--Quadrate.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 95.--Patriarchal.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 96.--Fourchee.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 97.--Cross Moline: Arms of De Molines.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 98.--Cross Recercelee: Arms of Bishop Anthony Bec.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 99.--Cross Patonce: Arms of William de Vesci.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 100.--Fleurie.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 101.--Fleurettee.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 102.--Pommee.]

The CROSS:--its HERALDIC VARIETIES. The Cross-symbol appears in English Heraldry under very many varieties and modifications of form and condition, some of them of great beauty. The following engraved representations of the various examples are so explicit, that descriptions of them are unnecessary. The Cross _Quadrate_, No. 94. The Cross _Patriarchal_, No. 95. The Cross _Fourchee_, No. 96. The Cross _Moline_, represented charged upon the s.h.i.+eld attributed to the SAXON KINGS OF ENGLAND, No. 23: this same s.h.i.+eld--_Az., a Cross moline or_, is borne by DE MOLINES or MOLYNEUX, No. 97. The Cross _Cercelee_ or _Recercelee_ (H. 3),--_Gu., a Cross recercelee erm._, No. 98, for ANTHONY BEC, Bishop of DURHAM. The Cross _Patonce_ (H. 3),--_Gu., a Cross patonce arg._, No. 99, from the Seal of WM. DE VESCI, A.D. 1220.

The Cross _Fleury_, No. 100, should be compared carefully with Nos. 97 and 99, the Crosses _Moline_ and _Patonce_. The Cross _Fleurettee_, No.

101. The Cross _Pommee_, No. 102. The Cross _Botonee_ or _Treflee_, No.

103. The Cross _Crosslet_, or _Crosslet crossed_, No. 104. The term ”_Crosslet_” is strictly applicable to any Cross on a very small scale: but it is usually applied to denote a Cross that is crossed as in No.

104. Small Crosses Botonee are occasionally used as these ”Crosses-Crosslets,”--as at Warwick in the arms of the BEAUCHAMPS, the Earls of WARWICK. Crosslets are frequently blazoned _semee_ over the field of a s.h.i.+eld, in which case the special term _crusilly_ is often used; and, in smaller numbers, they also are favourite Charges. No. 105 is the Cross _Clechee_ or _Urdee_.

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 103.--Botonee.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 104.--Crosslet.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 105.--Clechee.]