Part 38 (1/2)

_Bells_ are well instanced in the s.h.i.+eld of Porter, and the poet Wordsworth bore: ”Argent, three bells azure.” It may be noted in pa.s.sing that in Continental armory the clapper is frequently of a different tincture to that of the bell, as, for instance, ”D'Azure, a la cloche d'argent, butaille [viz. with the clapper] de sable”--the arms of the Comtes de Bellega.r.s.e. A bell is a.s.sumed to be a church-bell (Fig. 518) unless blazoned as a hawk's bell (Fig. 519).

_Bridle-Bits_ are of very infrequent use, though they may be seen in the achievement of the family of Milner.

The _Torse_ (or wreath surmounting the helm) occasionally figures as a charge, for example, in the arms of Jocelyn and Joslin.

_The Buckle_ is a charge which is of much more general use than some of the foregoing. It appears very frequently both in English {288} and foreign heraldry--sometimes oval-shaped (Fig. 520), circular (Fig. 521), or square (Fig. 522), but more generally lozenge-shaped (Fig. 523), especially in the case of Continental arms. A somewhat curious variation occurs in the arms of the Prussian Counts Wallenrodt, which are: ”Gules, a lozenge-shaped buckle argent, the tongue broken in the middle.” It is, of course, purely an artistic detail in all these buckles whether the tongue is attached to a crossbar, as in Figs. 520 and 521, or not, as in Figs. 522 and 523. As a badge the buckle is used by the Pelhams, Earls of Chichester and Earls of Yarborough, and a lozenge-shaped arming buckle is the badge of Jerningham.

_Cups_ (covered) appear in the Butler arms, and derived therefrom in the arms of the town of Warrington. Laurie, of Maxwelltown, bear: ”Sable, a cup argent, issuing therefrom a garland between two laurel-branches all proper,” and similar arms are registered in Ireland for Lowry. The Veronese family of Bicchieri bear: ”Argent, a fess gules between three drinking-gla.s.ses half-filled with red wine proper.” An uncovered cup occurs in the arms of Fox, derived by them from the crest of Croker, and another instance occurs in the arms of a family of Smith. In this connection we may note in pa.s.sing the rare use of the device of a _Vase_, which forms a charge in the coat of the town of Burslem, whilst it is also to be met with in the crest of the family of Doulton: ”On a wreath of the colours, a demi-lion sable, holding in the dexter paw a cross crosslet or, and resting the sinister upon an escutcheon charged with a vase proper.” The motto is perhaps well worth recording; ”Le beau est la splendeur de vrai.”

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 520.--Oval buckle.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 521.--Circular buckle.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 522.--Square buckle.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 523.--Lozenge-shaped buckle.]

The arms of both the city of Dundee and the University of Aberdeen afford instances of a _Pot of Lilies_, and _Bowls_ occur in the arms of Bolding.

PLATE V.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

{289}

Though blazoned as a _Cauldron_, the device occurring in the crest of De la Rue may be perhaps as fittingly described as an open bowl, and as such may find a place in this cla.s.sification: ”Between two olive-branches vert a cauldron gules, fired and issuant therefrom a snake nowed proper.” The use of a _Pitcher_ occurs in the arms of Bertrand de Monbocher, who bore at the siege of Carlaverock: ”Argent, three pitchers sable (sometimes found gules) within a bordure sable bezante;” and the arms of Standish are: ”Sable, three standing dishes argent.”

The somewhat singular charge of a _Chart_ appears in the arms of Christopher, and also as the crest of a Scottish family of Cook.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 524.--Chess-rook.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 525.--Crescent.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 526.--Increscent.]

_Chess-Rooks_ (Fig. 524) are somewhat favourite heraldic devices, and are to be met with in a s.h.i.+eld of Smith and the arms of Rocke of Clungunford.

The _Crescent_ (Fig. 525) figures largely in all armories, both as a charge and (in English heraldry) as a difference.

Variations, too, of the form of the crescent occur, such as when the horns are turned to the dexter (Fig. 526), when it is termed ”a crescent increscent,” or simply ”an increscent,” or when they are turned to the sinister--when it is styled ”decrescent” (Fig. 527). An instance of the crescent ”reversed” may be seen in the s.h.i.+eld of the Austrian family of Puckberg, whose blazon was: ”Azure, three crescents, those in chief addorsed, that in base reversed.” In English ”difference marks” the crescent is used to denote the second son, but under this character it will be discussed later.

Independently of its use in conjunction with ecclesiastical armory, the _Crosier_ (Fig. 528) is not widely used in ordinary achievements. It does occur, however, as a princ.i.p.al charge, as in the arms of the Irish family of Crozier and in the arms of Benoit (in Dauphiny) [”Gules, a pastoral staff argent”], while it forms part of the crest of Alford. The term ”crosier” is synonymous with the pastoral or episcopal staff, and is independent of the cross which is borne _before_ (and not _by_) {290} Archbishops and Metropolitans. The use of pastoral staves as charges is also to be seen in the s.h.i.+eld of Were, while MacLaurin of Dreghorn bears: ”Argent, a shepherd's crook sable.” The _Palmer's Staff_ (Fig. 529) has been introduced into many coats of arms for families having the surname of Palmer, as has also the palmer's wallet.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 527.--Decrescent.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 528.--Crosier, or pastoral staff.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 529.--Palmer's staff.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 530.--Shuttle.]