Chapter IX

., page 92.

_Eaglet._ An Eagle on a small scale.

_Earl._ In Latin, "Comes"; in French, "Comte" or "Count." Before 1337, the highest, and now the third degree of rank and dignity in the British Peerage. An Earl is "Right Honourable"; he is styled "My Lord"; his eldest son bears his father's "second title," generally that of Viscount; his other sons are styled "Honourable," but all his daughters are "Ladies." The circlet of an Earl's Coronet has eight lofty rays of gold rising from the circlet, each of which supports a large pearl, while between each pair of these rays there is a golden strawberry-leaf. In representations five of the rays and pearls are shown; No. 238. Elevated clusters of pearls appear in an Earl's coronet--that of THOMAS FITZ ALAN, Earl of ARUNDEL--as early as 1445; but the present form of the coronet may be assigned to the second half of the following century.

[Illustration: No. 238.--Circlet of an Earl's Coronet.]

[Illustration: No. 239.--Eastern Crown.]

_Eastern_, _Radiated_, or _Antique Crown_. No. 239.

_Electoral Bonnet._ A cap of crimson velvet guarded with ermine, borne, in the Royal Arms, over the inescutcheon of the arms of Hanover from 1801 till 1816. No. 240.

_Embattled_, and _Counter-Embattled_. A term applied to a fess or bar when so depicted both above and below.

_Embowed._ Bent. An arm embowed has the elbow to the dexter, unless blazoned to the contrary.

_Embrued._ Stained with blood.

_Endorse._ A diminutive of the pale.

_Enfiled._ Pierced, _e.g._ with a sword, or surrounded, _e.g._ with a coronet.

_Engrailed._ The border-line, No. 38D.

_Enhanced._ Raised towards the chief. Thus the arms of BYRON, No. 241, are--_Arg., three bendlets enhanced gu._

_Ensigned._ Adorned; having some ensign of honour placed above--as a coronet above a shield.

_Entire._ Said of a charge when it is necessary to express that it extends to the border lines of a shield, coat, or banner; also of a shield, coat, or banner of arms, when borne without any difference or mark of cadency.

_Entoire_, _Entoyre_. A bordure charged with a series of inanimate figures or devices, as crosslets, roundles, &c.; to a similar bordure of living figures the term _Enaluron_ is applied. These are not terms ordinarily in use.

_Enveloped_, _Environed_. Surrounded.

_Equipped._ Fully armed, caparisoned, or provided.

_Eradicated._ Torn up by the roots.

[Illustration: No. 240.--Electoral Bonnet.]

[Illustration: No. 241.--Shield of Byron.]

_Erased._ Torn off with a ragged edge; the contrary to _Couped_.

_Ermine_, _Ermines_, _Erminois_. Nos. 57-60 and 57A. The animal, the ermine, sometimes appears in blazon, and an ermine spot is borne as a charge.

_Erne._ An eagle. (See p. 96.)

_Escarbuncle._ No. 19.

_Escroll._ A ribbon charged with a motto; also a ribbon, coiled at its extremities, borne as a charge.

_Escutcheon._ An heraldic shield: Nos. 39-40: also No. 27. An Escutcheon, when borne as a charge, is usually blazoned as an "_Inescutcheon_": thus, the Arms of HAY are,--_Arg., three inescutcheons gu._: see also Nos. 131, 133.

_Escutcheon of Pretence._ A shield charged upon the centre of the field of another shield of larger size, and bearing a distinct Coat-of-Arms.

_Escallop_, or _Escallop-Shell_. A beautiful and favourite charge; No. 165.

_Esquire._ A rank below that of Knight. Besides those Esquires who are personal attendants of Knights of Orders of Knighthood at their installations, this title is held by most attendants on the person of the Sovereign, and all persons holding or having held the Sovereign's commission in which they are so styled.

_Estate._ Dignity and rank.

[Illustration: No. 242.--Estoile.]

_Estoile._ A star with wavy rays or points, which are six, eight, or sometimes even more in number: No. 242. (See _Mullet_.)

_False._ Said of any charge when its central area is removed--thus, an _Annulet_ is a "false roundle."

_Fan_, or _Winnowing Fan_, or _Vane_. The well-known implement of husbandry of that name, borne by the Kentish Family of De Sevans or Septvans--_Az., three fans or_ (E. 2). This shield appears in the Brass to Sir R. DE SEVANS, A.D. 1305, at Chartham, in Kent, and in the cloisters at Canterbury.

_Fan Crest._ An early form of decoration for the knightly helm, exemplified in the 2nd Great Seal of RICHARD I., and in many other Seals, until about A.D. 1350. (See