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 fashion, 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 shields. "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. Sir James fell, fighting with the Moors of Spain, A.D. 1330. This Shield of Douglas is a characteristic example of the gradual development of armorial composition. About A.D. 1290, the Seal of WILLIAM, Lord DOUGLAS, displays his Shield, No. 155, bearing--_Arg., on a chief az. three mullets of the field._ Next, upon the field of the Shield of WILLIAM, Lord DOUGLAS, A.D. 1333, there appears, in addition, _a human heart gules_, as in No. 156. And, finally, the heart is ensigned with a _royal crown_, as in No. 157, this form appearing as early as 1387.

[Illustration: No. 155.--Shield of Douglas.]

[Illustration: No. 156.--Shield of Douglas.]

[Illustration: No. 157.--Shield of Douglas.]

[Illustration: No. 158.--Isle of Man.]

The Shield of the ancient kingdom of the ISLE OF MAN, No. 158, still continues to be the heraldic ensign of that island: it is--_Gu., three human legs in armour ppr., conjoined in the fesse-point at the upper part of the thighs, and flexed in triangle._ This true curiosity of Heraldry leads Mr. Planché to remark, that "the _arms_ of MAN are _legs_" ("Pursuivant of Arms," p. 112). The Shield represented in No. 158 is drawn from an original example of the age of EDWARD I. in the Heralds' College. At later periods, the armour of the conjoined limbs is represented in conformity with the usages then prevalent, and golden spurs are added. The ancient symbol of the island of Sicily, in which the limbs are without either armour or clothing, has been represented in No. 10: this device also appears in ancient examples with a human head at the junction of the limbs. Three human arms, united in the same manner, are borne on the shield of the mediæval family of TREMAINE.

[Illustration: No. 159.--Shield of St. Alban's Abbey (partly restored).]

Human figures, winged and vested, and designed to represent ANGELS, are occasionally introduced in English Heraldry, their office generally being to act as "Supporters" to armorial Shields. Fine examples, in admirable preservation, may be seen boldly sculptured in the noble timber-roof of Westminster Hall; also in panels over the principal entrance to the Hall, and in various parts of the Abbey of Westminster. In the grand Abbey Church of St. Alban at St. Alban's, numerous other examples of great excellence yet remain, the works of Abbot John de Wheathamstede, about A.D. 1440. In No. 159 I give a representation of the Shield of Arms of the Abbey of ST. ALBAN--_Az., a saltire or_, supported by Angels, and the Shield ensigned by the Mitre of Abbot Thomas De la Mere, as it is represented in his noble Brass in the Abbey Church. The Shield and the Angel Figures are the work of Abbot John. The Heads of the Figures, which are destroyed in the original, are restored from stained glass of the same period in the Abbey Church. Figures of Angels holding Shields of Arms--each figure having a shield in front of its breast, are frequently sculptured as corbels in Gothic churches.

In the earliest Rolls of Arms, the Lion is the only animal that is found in blazon, with the sole addition of Boar's heads. Deer, dogs, bulls, calves, rams, and a few other animals subsequently appear to share heraldic service and honours with the king of beasts. In modern Armory, however, almost every living creature has been required to discharge such duties as Heralds have been pleased to assign to them. The Lion of Heraldry I leave to be considered, with the Eagle, in the next Chapter. In comparatively early blazon, the _Bear_ is borne by FITZ URSE: the _Calf_, by CALVELEY and DE VELE: the _Ram_, by RAMSEY and RAMRYGE: the _Lamb_, by LAMBERT and LAMBTON: the _Otter_ (_loutre_, in French), by LUTTREL: the _Hedgehog_ (Fr., _herrison_), by DE HERIZ, afterwards HARRIS: and so also, in like manner, some other animals appear as _armes parlantes_ (see p. 16).

With the lordly Eagle a few other Birds are associated in early Heraldry: and, after a while, others join them, including the Falcon, Ostrich, Swan, Peacock or Pawne, and the Pelican borne both as a symbol of sacred significance, and also by the PELHAMS from being allusive to their name. Cocks, with the same allusive motive, were borne by COCKAYNE: Parrots, blazoned as "_Popinjays_," appear as early as HENRY III.: and in a Roll of EDWARD II., the Sire MOUNPYNZON has a Lion charged on the shoulder with a Chaffinch--in French a _Pinson_. The favourite bird, however, of the early Heralds is the Martlet, the heraldic Martin, a near relative of the Swallow or _Hirondelle_. The Martlet is practically always represented in profile, at rest, and with its wings closed. The few exceptions are modern. In some early examples the feet are shown, as in No. 160: but, in the Shield of Earl WM. DE VALENCE in Westminster Abbey, A.D. 1296, the Martlet appears feetless, as in No. 161; and at a later period this mode of representation was generally adopted. French Heralds deprive their Martlets of beak as well as feet.

[Illustration: No. 160.--Early Martlet.]

[Illustration: No. 161.--Martlet.]

[Illustration: No. 162.--Banner of De Barre.]

"As the symbol of a name," writes Mr. Moule, "almost all Fish have been used in Heraldry; and in many instances Fish have been assumed in Arms in reference to the produce of the estate, giving to the quaint device a twofold interest" ("Heraldry of Fish," p 13). The earliest examples are the Barbel, the Dolphin, the Luce (or Pike), the Herring, and the Roach. In conjunction with fish we may perhaps consider the Escallop which, as a charge, belongs to the earliest period of Heraldry. The Barbel, so named from the barbs attached to its mouth to assist it in its search for food, was introduced into English Heraldry by JOHN, Count DE BARRE, whose elder brother married ALIANORE, eldest daughter of EDWARD I. At Carlaverock he displayed, as the chronicler has recorded, "_a blue banner, crusilly, with two Barbels of gold, and a red border en-grailed_," No. 162. The Dolphin, borne by GILES DE FISHBOURNE (H. 3), and afterwards introduced into several English Shields, is best known as the armorial ensign of the DAUPHIN, the eldest son and heir apparent of the Kings of France, who bore, marshalled with the arms of FRANCE--_Or, a Dolphin az._ This title of "Dauphin" was first assumed by CHARLES V., who succeeded to the Crown of France in 1364. In No. 8 I have shown after what manner the Dolphin was represented by an ancient Greek Artist: in the Middle Ages the heraldic Dolphin appeared as in No. 163. GEFFREY DE LUCY (H. 3) bears--_Gu., three Lucies or._ On his marriage with the heiress of ANTHONY, Lord LUCY, in 1369, HENRY, fourth Lord PERCY of Alnwick, quartered these three fish, with his own lion (blue on a golden field) and his fusils (gold on a blue field), upon the well-known Shield of the Earls of NORTHUMBERLAND (