Part 36 (1/2)

The fleur-de-lis ”florencee,” or the ”fleur-de-lis flowered,” as it is termed in England, is officially considered a distinct charge from the simple fleur-de-lis. Eve employs the term ”seeded,” and remarks of it: ”This being one of the numerous instances of pedantic, because unnecessary distinction, which showed marks of decadence; for both forms occur at the same period, and adorn the same object, evidently with the same intention.”

The difference between these forms really is that the fleur-de-lis is ”seeded” when a stalk having seeds at the end issues in the upper interstices. In a fleur-de-lis ”florencee,” the natural flower of a lily issues instead of the seeded stalk. This figure formed the arms of the city of Florence.

Fleurs-de-lis, like all other Royal emblems, are frequently to be met with in the arms of towns, _e.g._ in the arms of Lancaster, Maryborough, Wakefield, and Great Torrington. The arms of Wareham afford an instance of fleurs-de-lis reversed, and the Corporate Seals of Liskeard and Tamworth merit reproduction, did s.p.a.ce permit, from the designs of the fleurs-de-lis which there appear. One cannot leave the fleur-de-lis without referring to one curious development of it, viz. the leopard's face jessant-de-lis (Fig.

332), a curious charge which undoubtedly originated in the arms of the family of Cantelupe. This charge is not uncommon, though by no means so usual as the leopard's face. Planche considers that it was originally derived from the fleur-de-lis, the circular boss which in early representations so often figures as the centre of the fleur-de-lis, being merely _decorated_ with the leopard's face. One can follow Planche a bit further by imagining that this face need not necessarily be that of a leopard, for at a certain period all decorative art was crowded with grotesque masks whenever opportunity offered. The leopard's face jessant-de-lis is now represented as a leopard's face with the lower part of a fleur-de-lis issuing from the mouth, and the upper part rising from behind the head. Instances of {276} this charge occur as early as the thirteenth century as the arms of the Cantelupe family, and Thomas de Cantelupe having been Bishop of Hereford 1275 to 1282, the arms of that See have since been three leopards' faces jessant-de-lis, the distinction being that in the arms of the See of Hereford the leopards' faces are reversed.

The origin may perhaps make itself apparent when we remember that the earliest form of the name was Cantelowe. Is it not probable that ”lions'”

faces (_i.e._ head _de leo_) may have been suggested by the name? Possibly, however, wolf-heads may have been meant, suggested by _lupus_, or by the same a.n.a.logy which gives us wolf-heads or wolves upon the arms of Low and Lowe.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 495.--Pomegranate.]

Fruit--the remaining division of those charges which can be cla.s.sed as belonging to the vegetable kingdom--must of necessity be but briefly dealt with.

_Grapes_ perhaps cannot be easily distinguished from vines (to which refer, page 264), but the arms of Bradway of Potscliff, co. Gloucester [”Argent, a chevron gules between three bunches of grapes proper”] and of Viscountess Beaconsfield, the daughter of Captain John Viney Evans [”Argent, a bunch of grapes stalked and leaved proper, between two flaunches sable, each charged with a boar's head argent”] are instances in point.

_Apples_ occur in the arms of Robert Applegarth (Edward III. Roll) [”Argent, three apples slipped gules”] and ”Or, a chevron between three apples gules” is the coat of a family named Southbey.

_Pears_ occur in the arms of Allcroft, of Stokesay Castle, Perrins, Perry, Perryman, and Pirie.

_Oranges_ are but seldom met with in British heraldry, but an instance occurs in the arms of Lord Polwarth, who bears over the Hepburn quarterings an inescutcheon azure, an orange slipped and surmounted by an imperial crown all proper. This was an augmentation conferred by King William III., and a very similar augmentation (in the 1st and 4th quarters, azure, three oranges slipped proper within an orle of thistles or) was granted to Livingstone, Viscount Teviot.

_The Pomegranate_ (Fig. 495), which dimidiated with a rose was one of the badges of Queen Mary, is not infrequently met with.

_The Pineapple_ in heraldry is nearly always the fir-cone. In the arms of Perring, Bart. [”Argent, on a chevron engrailed sable between three pineapples (fir-cones) pendent vert, as many leopards' faces of the first.

Crest: on a mount a pineapple (fir-cone) vert”], and in the crest of Parkyns, Bart. [”Out of a ducal coronet or, a pineapple {277} proper”], and also in the arms of Pyne [”Gules, a chevron ermine between three pineapples or”] and Parkin-Moore, the fruit is the fir or pine cone. Latterly the likelihood of confusion has led to the general use of the term ”pine-cone”

in such cases, but the ancient description was certainly ”pineapple.” The arms of John Apperley, as given in the Edward III. Roll, are: ”Argent, a chevron gules between three pineapples (fir-cones) vert, slipped or.”

The real pineapple of the present day does, however, occur, _e.g._ in the arms of Benson, of Lutwyche, Shrops.h.i.+re [”Argent, on waves of the sea, an old English galley all proper, on a chief wavy azure a hand couped at the wrist, supporting on a dagger the scales of Justice between two pineapples erect or, leaved vert. Mantling azure and argent. Crest: upon a wreath of the colours, a horse caparisoned, pa.s.sant, proper, on the breast a s.h.i.+eld argent, charged with a pineapple proper. Motto: 'Leges arma tenent sanctas'”].

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 496.--Acorn slipped and leaved.]

_Bean-Pods_ occur in the arms of Rise of Trewardreva, co. Cornwall [”Argent, a chevron gules between three bean-pods vert”], and Papworth mentions in the arms of Messarney an instance of cherries [”Or, a chevron per pale gules and vert between three cherries of the second slipped of the third”]. Elsewhere, however, the charges on the s.h.i.+eld of this family are termed apples. Strawberries occur in the arms and crest of Hollist, and the arms of Duffield are: ”Sable, a chevron between three cloves or.” The arms of the Grocers' Livery Company, granted in 1531-1532, are: ”Argent, a chevron gules between nine cloves, three, three and three.” The arms of Garwynton are stated to be: ”Sable, a chevron between three heads of garlick pendent argent,” but another version gives the charges as pomegranates. ”Azure, a chevron between three gourds pendent, slipped or”

is a coat attributed to Stukele, but here again there is uncertainty, as the charges are sometimes quoted as pears. The arms of Bonefeld are: ”Azure, a chevron between three quinces or.” The arms of Alderberry are naturally: ”Argent, three branches of alder-berries proper.” The arms of Haseley of Suffolk are: ”Argent, a fess gules, between three hazel-nuts or, stalks and leaves vert.” Papworth also mentions the arms of Ta.r.s.ell, viz.: ”Or, a chevron sable, between three hazel-nuts erect, slipped gules.” It would, however, seem more probable that these charges are really teazles.

The fruit of the oak--the _Acorn_ (Fig. 496)--has already been incidentally referred to, but other instances occur in the arms of Baldwin, Stable, and Huth. {278}

Wheat and other grain is constantly met with in British armory. The arms of Bigland [”Azure, two ears of big wheat erect in fess and bladed or”] and of Cheape are examples, and others occur in the arms of Layland-Barratt, Cross, and Rye [”Gules, on a bend argent, between two ears of rye, stalked, leaved, and slipped or, three crosses cramponne sable”].

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 497.--Garb.]

_Garbs_, as they are invariably termed heraldically, are sheaves, and are of very frequent occurrence. The earliest appearance of the garb (Fig. 497) in English heraldry is on the seal of Ranulph, Earl of Chester, who died in 1232. Garbs therefrom became identified with the Earldom of Chester, and subsequently ”Azure, three garbs or” became and still remain the territorial or possibly the sovereign coat of that earldom. Garbs naturally figure, therefore, in the arms of many families who originally held land by feudal tenure under the Earls of Chester, e.g. the families of Cholmondeley [”Gules, in chief two helmets in profile argent, and in base a garb vert”]

and Kevilioc [”Azure, six garbs, three, two, and one or”]. Grosvenor [”Azure, a garb or”] is usually quoted as another example, and possibly correctly, but a very interesting origin has been suggested by Mr. W. G.

Taunton in his work ”The Tauntons of Oxford, by One of Them”:--

”I merely wish to make a few remarks of my own that seem to have escaped other writers on genealogical matters.