[Ill.u.s.tration: Gemels]
Ex. Azure, two bars, gemels, argent.
When the shield contains a number of bars of metal and colour alternate, exceeding five, it is called _barry_ of so many pieces, expressing their numbers.
[Ill.u.s.tration: Barry]
Ex. Barry of seven pieces, argent and azure.
THE CHEVRON.
The figure of the _chevron_ has been described as representing the gable of a roof. It is a very ancient ordinary, and the less it is charged with other figures the more ancient and honourable it appears.
[Ill.u.s.tration: Chevron]
Ex. Argent, a chevron, gules.
The diminutives of the chevron, according to English Heraldry, are the _chevronel_, which is half the breadth of the chevron.
[Ill.u.s.tration: Chevronels]
Ex. Argent, two chevronels, gules.
And the _couple-close_, which is half the chevronel.
[Ill.u.s.tration: Couple-closes]
Ex. Gules, three couple-closes interlaced in base, or.
_Braced_ is sometimes used for interlaced. See the word BRACED in the Dictionary.
THE CROSS.
This, as its name imports, was the distinguishing badge of the Crusaders, in its simplest form. It was merely two pieces of list or riband of the same length, crossing each other at right angles. The colour of the riband or list denoted the nation to which the Crusader belonged. The cross is an honourable ordinary, occupying one fifth of the shield when not charged, but if charged, one third.
[Ill.u.s.tration: Cross]
Ex. Or, a cross, gules.
When the cross became the distinguishing badge of different leaders in the Crusades, the simple form given in the preceding example was not generally adopted. Some bordered the red list with a narrow white edge, others terminated the arms of the cross with short pieces of the same colour, placed transversely, making each arm of the cross have the appearance of a short crutch; the ends of these crutches meeting in a point, make the cross potent. There is so great a variety of crosses used in Heraldry that it would be impossible to describe them within the limits of this introduction to Heraldry. The reader will find a great number of those most used in English Heraldry described and ill.u.s.trated in the Dictionary. He of course will understand, if a coat of arms comes under his notice where this ordinary is described as a cross engrailed, a cross invected, &c., that the form of the cross is the same as that in the last example, but that the lines forming it are engrailed, invected, &c. Small crosses borne as charges are called crosslets.
See the words CROSS, CROSSLETS, in the Dictionary.
THE SALTIER.
The _saltier_ was formed by making two pieces of riband cross diagonally, having the appearance of the letter X, or, speaking heraldically, the bend and bend sinister crossing each other in the centre of the shield. The saltier, if uncharged, occupies one-fifth of the field; if charged, one-third.
[Ill.u.s.tration: Saltier]
Ex. Gules, a saltier, argent.
Like the cross, the saltier may be borne engrailed, wavy, &c., and the termination of the arms of the saltier varied; but there are not so many examples of the variation of the form in the saltier as in the cross.
CHAP. V.
SUBORDINATE ORDINARIES.
In order more particularly to distinguish the subordinates in an army (the chieftains of different countries alone being ent.i.tled to the preceding marks of honour), other figures were invented by ancient armorists, and by them termed subordinate ordinaries. Their names and forms are as follows:--
[Ill.u.s.tration: Gyron]
The _gyron_ is a triangular figure formed by drawing a line from the dexter angle of the chief of the shield to the fess point, and an horizontal line from that point to the dexter side of the shield.
The field is said to be _gyrony_ when it is covered with gyrons.
[Ill.u.s.tration: Gyrony]
Ex. Gyrony of eight pieces, argent and gules.
[Ill.u.s.tration: Canton]
The _canton_ is a square part of the escutcheon, usually occupying about one-eighth of the field; it is placed over the chief at the dexter side of the shield: it may be charged, and when this is the case, its size may be increased. The canton represents the banner of the ancient Knights Banneret. The canton in the example is marked A.
See KNIGHTS BANNERET in the Dictionary.
The _lozenge_ is formed by four equal and parallel lines but not rectangular, two of its opposite angles being acute, and two obtuse.
[Ill.u.s.tration: Lozenge]
Ex. Argent, a lozenge, vert.
The _fusil_ is narrower than the lozenge, the angles at the chief and base being more acute, and the others more obtuse.
[Ill.u.s.tration: Fusil]
Ex. Argent, a fusil, purpure.
The _mascle_ is in the shape of a lozenge but perforated through its whole extent except a narrow border.
[Ill.u.s.tration: Mascle]