Part 7 (1/2)

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 147.--Campbell.]

The GYRON, a triangular figure, not known in English blazon as a separate charge (except perhaps in the one case of the arms of Mortimer), gives its t.i.tle to the _gyronny field_, which is more commonly found in the Heraldry of the North than of the South. The field gyronny generally, and more particularly in Scotland, is divided into _eight pieces_: but the divisions are sometimes six, ten, twelve, or even sixteen in number. A Roll of the time of HENRY III. has, for WARIN DE BASINGBORNE--”_Gerony d'or et d'azur_.” The Arms of CAMPBELL are--_Gyronny or and sa._, No. 147.[3] Here, where there are eight pieces of divisions, it is not necessary to specify the number; but if they were either more or less than eight the blazon would be--_gyronny of six, of ten, &c._

[Footnote 3: In the ill.u.s.tration the colours are unfortunately reversed.]

The FRETTE, in more recent Heraldry, has generally superseded the original _field fretty_. This interlaced design, whether borne as a distinct figure, as No. 148, or repeated over the field of a s.h.i.+eld, as in No. 149, differs from a field lozengy or gyronny, in being a bearing charged _upon_ the field of a s.h.i.+eld, and not a form of varied surface: No. 149, for DE ETCHINGHAM (E. 2), is--_Az., fretty arg._ An early variety or modification of Frette is the _Trellis_ or _Treille_, in which the pieces do not interlace, but all those in bend lie over all those in bend sinister, and they are fastened at the crossings with nails--”_clouee_,” as in No. 150. RICHARD DE TRUSSELL or TRESSELL (H. 3) bears--_Arg., a trellis gu., clouee or_.

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 148.--A Frette.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 149.--De Etchingham.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 150.--Trellis Clouee.]

The ROUNDLES, or ROUNDLETS. These simple figures, in constant use in every age of Heraldry, are divided into two groups, which correspond with the division of the Tinctures into ”Metals” and ”Colours.”

The first group contains the two Roundles of the _Metals_, which are _flat discs_: 1, The _Bezant_, or golden Roundle, No. 151, which has apparently derived its name from the Byzantine coins with which the Crusaders, when in the East, would have been familiar. 2, The Silver Roundle, or _Plate_, is from the Spanish ”Plata”--_silver_. When Bezants or Plates appear in considerable numbers, the field on which they are charged is said to be ”_bezantee_” or ”_platee_.” See No. 140.

The second group contains the five Roundles of the _Colours_, which are _globular_, and are usually shaded accordingly. The _Torteau_, No. 152, in the plural _Torteaux_, is gules: the _Hurt_ is azure: the _Pellet_ or _Ogress_ is sable: the _Pomme_ is vert: and the _Golpe_ is purpure.

These distinctive t.i.tles, which are more calculated to perplex the student than to simplify his study, are of comparatively recent origin, the early Heralds having used the terms ”_Bezant_,” ”_Plate_,” and ”_Torteau_,” with the general designations ”_Roundle_” and ”_Pellet_,”

adding the tinctures for the others. Examples:--_Az., bezantee_, for WM.

DE LA ZOUCHE: _Or, on a fesse gu. three plates_, for ROGER DE HUNTINGFIELD: _Arg., ten torteaux, four, three, two, one_, for ALEX.

GIFFARD (all H. 3). See also Nos. 80, 82.

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 151.--Bezant.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 152.--Torteau.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 153.--Fountain.]

A circular figure or Roundle that is _barry wavy arg. and az._, is blazoned as a ”_Fountain_,” No. 153. Examples:--_Arg., three fountains_, for WELLES: _Arg., a Chevron sable between three fountains_, borne by a family named _Sykes_, their name being an ancient term signifying a well or fountain. An _Annulet_, or a plain ring, No. 154, was sometimes blazoned as a ”_false Roundle_”--a Roundle, that is, pierced, and having its central area removed.

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 154.--Annulet.]

CHAPTER VIII

THE GRAMMAR OF HERALDRY

SECTION V

_Miscellaneous Charges:-- Human Beings-- Animals-- Birds-- Fish-- Reptiles and Insects-- Imaginary Beings-- Natural Objects-- Various Artificial Figures and Devices-- Appropriate Descriptive Epithets._

”The Formes of pure celestiall bodies mixt with grosse terrestrials; earthly animals with watery; sauage beasts with tame; fowles of prey with home-bred; these again with riuer fowles; reptiles with things gressible; aery insecta with earthly; also things naturall with artificiall.”

--GUILLIM'S ”Display of Heraldry,” A.D. 1611.

Thus, in his own quaint fas.h.i.+on, the enthusiastic old Herald of the seventeenth century indicates the number and variety of the Charges, which in process of time had been introduced into Armory even before his era. In earlier days the Charges of Heraldry were much less varied, comparatively few in their numbers, and generally of a simple character.

It will readily be understood, however, that fresh figures and devices would continually appear in blazon; and also that these, in their turn, would lead the way for the introduction of further varieties and new modifications.

Human Beings are of very rare occurrence, except as Supporters. Parts of the human frame constantly appear, but they are more generally borne as Crests upon helms than as charges on s.h.i.+elds. ”Moor's heads” or ”Saracen's heads” appear in some coats, with arms, hands and legs: and a human heart is well known as a charge in the coat of the famous house of DOUGLAS, where it was placed to commemorate the duty entrusted by ROBERT BRUCE to the ”good Sir JAMES DOUGLAS,” that he should bear with him the heart of his Sovereign and friend to the Holy Land, and bury it there.