Part 38 (2/2)

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 531.--Woolpack.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 532.--Escarbuncle.]

_Cus.h.i.+ons_, somewhat strangely, form the charges in a number of British s.h.i.+elds, occurring, for example, in the arms of Brisbane, and on the s.h.i.+eld of the Johnstone family. In Scottish heraldry, indeed, cus.h.i.+ons appear to have been of very ancient (and general) use, and are frequently to be met with. The Earls of Moray bore: ”Argent, three cus.h.i.+ons lozengewise within a double tressure flory-counterflory gules,” but an English example occurs in the arms of Hutton.

_The Distaff_, which is supposed to be the origin of the lozenge upon which a lady bears her arms, is seldom seen in heraldry, but the family of Body, for instance, bear one in chief, and three occur in the arms of a family of Lees.

_The Shuttle_ (Fig. 530) occurs in the arms of Shuttleworth, and in those of the town of Leigh, while the s.h.i.+eld of the borough of Pudsey affords an ill.u.s.tration of shuttles in conjunction with a woolpack (Fig. 531).

_The Escarbuncle_ (Fig. 532) is an instance of a charge having so developed by the evolution of an integral part of the s.h.i.+eld itself. In {291} ancient warfare s.h.i.+elds were sometimes strengthened by being bound with iron bands radiating from the centre, and these bands, from the shape they a.s.sumed, became in course of time a charge in themselves under the term escarbuncle.

The crest of the Fanmakers' Company is: ”A hand couped proper holding a _fan_ displayed,” while the chief charge in the arms is ”... a fan displayed ... the sticks gules.” This, however, is the only case I can cite of this object.

The _Fasces_ (Fig. 533), emblematic of the Roman magisterial office, is very frequently introduced in grants of arms to Mayors and Lord Mayors, which no doubt accounts for its appearance in the arms of Durning-Lawrence, Knill, Evans, and Spokes.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 533.--Fasces.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 534.--Fetterlock.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 535.--Fleam.]

An instance of _Fetterlocks_ (Fig. 534) occurs in the arms of Kirkwood, and also in the coat of Lockhart and the crest of Wyndham. A chain is often subst.i.tuted for the bow of the lock. The modern padlock has been introduced into the grant of arms to the town of Wolverhampton.

_Keys_, the emblem of St. Peter, and, as such, part of the insignia of His Holiness the Pope, occur in many ecclesiastical coats, the arms of the Fishmongers' Livery Company, and many families.

_Flames of Fire_ are not frequently met with, but they are to be found in the arms of Baikie, and as crests they figure in the achievements of Graham-Wigan, and also in conjunction with keys in that of Flavel. In connection with certain other objects flames are common enough. The phoenix always issues from flames, and a salamander is always in the midst of flames (Fig. 437). The flaming sword, a device, by the way, included in the recent grant to Sir George Lewis, Bart., has been already alluded to, as has also the flaming brand. A notable example of the torch occurs in the crest of Sir William Gull, Bart., no doubt an allusion (as is his augmentation) to the skill by which he kept the torch of life burning in the then Prince of Wales during his serious illness in 1871. A flaming mountain occurs as the crest of several families of the name of Grant.

{292}

A curious instrument now known nearly exclusively in connection with its use by farriers, and termed a _Fleam_ (Fig. 535), occurs on the chief of the s.h.i.+eld of Moore. A fleam, however, is the ancient form and name of a surgeon's lancet, and some connection with surgery may be presumed when it occurs. It is one of the charges in the arms recently granted to Sir Frederick Treves, Bart.

_Furison._--This singular charge occurs in the s.h.i.+eld of Black, and also in that of Steel. Furisons were apparently the instruments by which fire was struck from flint stones.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 536.--Clarion.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 537.--Bugle-horn.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 538.--Bugle-horn stringed.]

Charges in connection with music and musical instruments do not occur very frequently, though the heraldic use of the _Clarion_ (Fig. 536) and the _Harp_ may perhaps be mentioned. The bugle-horn (Fig. 537) also occurs ”stringed” (Fig. 538), and when the bands round it are of a different colour it is termed ”veruled” or ”virolled” of that colour.

_The Human Heart_, which should perhaps have been more correctly referred to in an earlier chapter, is a charge which is well known in heraldry, both English and foreign. Perhaps the best known examples of the heart ensigned with a crown is seen in the s.h.i.+elds of Douglas and Johnstone. The legend which accounts for the appearance of this charge in the arms of Douglas is too well known to need repet.i.tion.

_Ingots of silver_ occur in the s.h.i.+eld of the borough of St. Helens, whilst the family of Woollan go one better by bearing ingots of gold.

_A Maunch_ (Fig. 539), which is a well-known heraldic term for the sleeve, is, as it is drawn, scarcely recognisable as such. Nevertheless its evolution can be clearly traced. The maunch--which, of course, as a heraldic charge, originated in the knightly ”favour” of a lady's sleeve--was borne from the earliest periods in different tinctures by the three historic families of Conyers, Hastings, and Wharton. Other garments have been used as heraldic charges; gloves in the arms of {293} Fletcher and Barttelot; stockings in the arms of Hose; a boot in the crest of Hussy, and a hat in the arms of Huth. Armour is frequently met with, a cuira.s.s appearing in the crest of Somers, helmets in the arms of Salvesen, Trayner, Roberton, and many other families, gauntlets (Fig. 540), which need to be specified as dexter or sinister, in the arms of Vane and the crest of Burton, and a morion (Fig. 541) in the crest of Pixley. The Garter is, of course, due to that Order of knighthood; and the Blue Mantle of the same Order, besides giving his t.i.tle to one of the Pursuivants of Arms, who uses it as his badge, has also been used as a charge.

_The Mill-rind_ or _Fer-de-moline_ is, of course, as its name implies, the iron from the centre of a grindstone. It is depicted in varying forms, more or less recognisable as the real thing (Fig. 542).

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