Part 2

A Viscount is a Vicecomes, or deputy for a Count or Earl. The Earls have retained their Saxon name, but the Viscount has kept the Norman equivalent of their rank as Sheriffs. Both the Earl and his Viscount were originally county officials. Since 1441 the title has been one of hereditary rank. The first English Viscount was John, Viscount Beaumont, so created by Henry VI. The first English Viscount to wear a coronet was Robert, Lord Cecil of Effingdon, who was created Viscount Cranbourn by James I. in 1605, and his coronet was essentially the same as is now used.

At the coronation of Edward VII., the official description of a Viscount's coronet is "of silver gilt and on the circle sixteen silver balls." Pictorially nine of these silver balls are shown.

The Barons are probably the modern representatives of the ancient Saxon Thanes. It is an old Norman name for the Thane, and it is found often enough in ancient documents. Guillim says that citizens of London were called "Barons Londonni," and in _Domesday_ there is mention of Barons of Warwick. There were Barons of the Exchequer, and there are still the Barons of the Cinque Ports. But none of these were hereditary titles.

Edward III., however, created William de la Pole an hereditary Baron, and since that time the dignity has been generally hereditary. Baronies were at first held by Tenure, that is by reason of the existence of adequate territorial possessions, and Guillim says that this essential was forgone by Henry III., who created Barons by Writ. In later times, when the rank became hereditary, Baronies by Writ have been heritable through the female line, and because of this, Baronial titles have in many instances been held by several allied families, with different family names.

The coronet of a Baron was originally a plain circlet, but Charles II. ordained that in future there should be six balls upon it, and the Barons at his coronation wore such additional ornamentation. In Ireland, however, this form of Barons' coronets had already been fixed by James I.

At the coronation of Edward VII., the official description of a Baron's coronet is "of silver gilt and on the circle six silver balls at equal distances." Pictorially four silver balls are shown.

The coronet of a King-of-Arms is of silver gilt, and on the circlet is inscribed the words "MISERERE MEI DEUS SECUNDUM MAGNAM MISERICORDIAM TUAM," taken from the 51st Psalm. From the circlet rise alternately long and short oak leaves.

The Kings-of-Arms, Heralds, and Pursuivants were incorporated as a College by Richard III. in 1483, and Derby House in the city, now the College of Arms, was given to them as their headquarters in 1555. Kings-of-Arms wore coronets from the beginning; a portrait of William Bruges, the first Garter King-of-Arms, in 1420, in an illuminated manuscript, shows him wearing a coronet on which are four trefoils, or leaves, upon short pyramidal stems. On the grant of arms of the Tallow Chandlers' Company, John Smert, Garter King-of-Arms in 1456, is shown wearing a coronet on which are three leaves and two pearls or balls. Sir William Dugdale, Garter King-of-Arms during the latter half of the seventeenth century, wore a coronet with twelve oak leaves of equal height on the circlet, on which there was no inscription. The coronet as now used was probably first decided upon early in the eighteenth century.

Heralds and Kings-of-Arms are entitled to surround their arms with the ancient collar of SS. The same honour is allowed to the Serjeants-at-Arms and several of the Judges.

Imitation jewels are repoussé upon the circlets of all these coronets, except those of Barons and Heralds. No English crowns or coronets, except those worn by the Sovereign or the Queen Consort, have any real jewels upon them.

Crowns and coronets are only officially worn in England on the occasion of the coronation, and then with the ordered coronation dress. They are put on when the crown is put upon the head of the Sovereign. But if they are held over the head of the owner it appears to be sufficient, as in Sir George Hayter's beautiful picture of the coronation of Queen Victoria, the Duchess of Cambridge is shown with a Lady-in-Waiting holding her coronet over her head. The Duchess was wearing a very handsome diamond tiara which, no doubt, she considered more becoming than her coronet.

Crowns and coronets are properly depicted without any cap within them, but when they are worn it is always over the Peer's cap, known variously as a Cap of Estate, of Maintenance, or of Dignity. The same cap is also used in many early instances as a crest-chapeau. The cap is the same for all ranks, from the Sovereign to the King-of-Arms; it consists of a red velvet cap lined with white silk and turned up with miniver, which is white ermine fur having small dots or tufts of black horsehair sewn into it at intervals. At the top is an ornamental gold button, with fringes of gold thread.

The earliest figure of a cap of this sort can be seen on the Black Prince's helmet over his tomb at Canterbury; it has been painted red and miniver, but is now in a very bad condition. The crest stands upon it.

The Cap of Estate, without any crown or coronet over it, is worn by the Sovereign on the way to the coronation, and it is also generally borne on a cushion by one of the great officers of State when the Sovereign is present in State or Semi-State. It is carried by the Marquis of Winchester or his representative. Peers used such caps pictorially before they showed coronets, and on fifteenth and sixteenth century seals the Cap of Estate marks a high rank. It commonly shows on the seals of Dukes and Earls in conjunction with a helmet. The chapeau in early times seems to end in two swallow-tails, but now it is worn round. As a crest support in modern times it is rarely granted, but there still remain a few instances of its use.

Although it is correct to depict coronets without the Cap of Estate, it is also correct to show them with it. In the latter case the miniver turn-up comes just below the lower rim of the circlet. It is a common mistake to show the miniver turn-up without the velvet Cap above it, which is obviously absurd.

In the absence of a crown or coronet the Helmet rests directly on the upper part of a shield. In fifteenth and sixteenth century seals it shows very large in comparison with the coat-of-arms, and so does the crest; the helmet often shows the guige or shield belt, and the shield often hangs _couchée_ or sideways. The Helmet, so says Guillim, is the true mark of English nobility, and it certainly shows as such on seals dating from the fourteenth until about the end of the sixteenth century, when rank coronets began to be used instead of, or together with, a corresponding form of helmet.

From the early seventeenth century the shapes and metals of the helmets denoting rank have been clearly laid down, and they are as follows:--

On the Helmet, between it and the crest support, comes the mantling, the survival of the helmet cover torn in war, and showing in strips, now ornamentally treated. The main metals and colours of the coat-of-arms should be repeated in the mantling.

To wear a crest at a Tournament implied more social status than the possession of a shield, and in the latter part of the fourteenth century all great nobles were very careful to display their crests, but lesser gentry had to be content with their shields only. In early visitations coats-of-arms were frequently granted without crest at all.

Later, in Jacobean times, crests were sometimes given to persons already bearing arms, and they became commoner. Whenever ancestral coats-of-arms are quartered with a given coat, the corresponding crests may also be worn, but in English usage this is rarely done. In the event, however, of an additional surname being adopted by Royal Licence, with the corresponding coat-of-arms and crest, the second crest is commonly used; but it is very rare in English Heraldry to show more than two crests.

Crests are undoubtedly derived from the fact that in the days of Armour, Knights were completely covered up and required some evident mark by which they could be recognised. To meet this difficulty a coloured device set on the top of a man's helmet offered an obvious and ornamental solution. Such a crest was strictly personal; the retainers of a Knight wore his badge and his colours, but never his crest. The modern use of livery colours and badges can be well seen in the case of the Beefeaters at the Tower. Very ancient helmets were sometimes ornamentally coloured.

The crest "Crista," a cockscomb, was often of a fan or cockscomb shape on the top of a helmet, but gradually it assumed more distinguishing peculiarities. On the Great Seal of Richard I., on the equestrian side, a cockscomb crest shows on the King's helmet, with a lion of England on the flat base of it. The whole coat-of-arms sometimes shows on the Fan crest, as it does in the crest of the City of London. The original Fan, however, in this instance, has become curiously modified into the shape of a dragon's wing.

Crests are carried on some sort of support; those usually found are one or other of the following:--

On a crest-chapeau, the old cap of maintenance, dignity, or of estate. It was, and is, usually used by persons of high rank. The earliest remaining example of the use of the crest-chapeau is in Canterbury Cathedral, and a model of one is there on the helmet of the Black Prince, over his tomb. The cap is of red velvet turned up with miniver; it is not a round cap like its modern representative, but is of an elongated shape, ending in two swallow-tails.

Issuing from an heraldic coronet showing three strawberry leaves, the colour of the coronet being exemplified in the official grant. This coronet does not appear to have any meaning.

Issuing from a Mural coronet, sometimes granted to Army officers.

Issuing from a Naval coronet, sometimes granted to Naval officers.

On a fillet or twisted torse of the chief metal and chief colour of the coat-of-arms with which it is used. This fillet is the commonest crest support, and the others, chapeau or coronet, are themselves sometimes set upon a torse. It should be stated in the grant.

Crests carry the same cadency marks as occur on the coat-of-arms.

Crests are of very ancient use; marks of dignity worn upon the head are among the earliest signs of chieftainship used by mankind. A savage chief would readily wear a rare bird's feather in his head as a mark of dignity, or even his own hair matted into particular forms, as the Zulus still do. As for feathers, we still wear them on our heads as indications of rank; they can be found on the ceremonial hats of all the great Orders of Knighthood, on the hats of the Staff of our army as well as on several Regimental head-dresses, and on the hats of our Civil Servants.

Knights and Companions, or Esquires, of Orders of Knighthood show the badge or badges of the Order or Orders to which they belong suspended from the proper ribbon from the base of their shields. Medals are seldom so shown. Knights Commanders of Orders of Knighthood usually, in addition, surround their coats-of-arms with the ribbon and motto of their senior Order. From this ribbon may depend the badges of all the Orders to which the Knight belongs. Knights Grand Cross may further surround their coats-of-arms with the collars of any or all the Orders having collars to which they belong, the badge of each depending from its proper collar. When several collars are shown they are sometimes halved, each badge always being so arranged as to hang from a link of its own collar.

Many officials besides those already mentioned are entitled to show emblems of their office outside their shields, but few of these show on book-stamps. An instance, however, may be seen on one of the stamps used by Samuel Pepys, where he shows two anchors behind his shield as a mark of his position as Secretary to the Admiralty. In the same way Field-Marshals are entitled to place crossed batons behind their shields.

Clergymen of high rank sometimes ensign their coats-of-arms with a Mitre, but as non-combatants they use no crests. Archbishops and Bishops impale the Arms of their See with their own paternal coats, the official coat taking the dexter position. Deans also and lesser ecclesiastical dignitaries in many cases impale their family coats with an official one, in the same way.

The origin of Supporters to coats-of-arms is a matter upon which there is much difference of opinion. It is probable that as now used they are partly of utilitarian and partly of decorative origin. Badges and charges on coats-of-arms have often developed into Supporters. Henry VIII., in 1528, borrowed one of the lions of England from his coat-of-arms and adopted him as a Dexter Supporter, a dignity he has retained ever since.

At Tournaments, before the combatants entered the Lists their banners and shields were displayed and held by retainers or pages. These serving-men were dressed in their Lord's livery or in some fancy dress. So that a Knight's shield would be recognised not only by the devices upon it, but also by the colours and appearance of its Supporter.

Many foreign shields, and ancient English ones also, show only one Supporter, and it is likely enough that when pictorial heraldry began generally to show Supporters, a second Supporter was often added for the sake of uniformity alone. In King Arthur's Book at the College of Arms, illuminated quite early in the sixteenth century, banners are shown with only one Supporter holding them up.

Supporters were regularly used by persons of high rank from early in the fifteenth century; they carry on them any marks of cadency which may be on the shield to which they belong. The right to use Supporters depends upon the wording of the grant of Arms concerned. Practically they are now seldom granted except to Peers. In the past, however, many commoners have been granted Supporters for their coats-of-arms, by Royal Warrant, and some of these are hereditary. This is a point which would be specified in the grant, and without such specification the Supporters would not be hereditary.

In Scotland ancient usage is allowed to be a good cause for using Supporters.

Supporters have at present no defined status, they indicate no rank; but the tendency now is to restrict their use, and it is quite probable that some day they will become actual evidences of Peerage rank, as they probably originally were. No list of English Heraldic Supporters has yet been published.

Mottoes largely derive from War-cries. In England they are not mentioned in grants of arms, and very rarely in visitation books. Mottoes are not hereditary, but can be changed at the will of any armigerous person. Officers of arms will record mottoes by request, provided they do not infringe any existing rights.

In Scotland, however, mottoes are recognised officially; they are subject to grant, and their position with regard to the coat-of-arms or crest to which they belong is specified. Heraldic mottoes appear to have been used in England in the sixteenth century; they show on some of the Garter Plates at Windsor. Mottoes often accompanied badges, and in many cases they may have been transferred from them to the coat-of-arms or to the crest.

The motto "DIEU ET MON DROIT" was adopted by Edward III., in allusion to his claim to the Throne of France. In 1801, on the Legislative union of Great Britain and Ireland, the title of King of France, as well as the coat-of-arms of France which had appeared on the English coat-of-arms ever since the time of Edward III., was discontinued, but the motto has been retained and is still used. Useful lists of English mottoes are given in several editions of Burke's _Peerage_, and in the 1905 edition of Fairbairn's _Crests_.

Some elementary knowledge of heraldic terms and bearings must be acquired before it is possible to use any of the ordinaries, or lists of coats-of-arms, arranged according to the divisions of shields and the bearings upon them.

Fortunately the primary and, at the same time, the most important divisions of a shield are few and easily learnt. They had originally a structural origin, and although I begin with a line in my analysis, it is likely that the charges were originally first; for instance, a red scarf tied across the top of a shield would develop heraldically into "a chief gu." In the same way a red scarf tied from top to bottom of an iron shield would become heraldically "sa., a pale gu." and so on. There are now proper proportions for all these charges, but in practice they are not strictly adhered to.

A large number of coats are not divided up at all, but are simply charged with bearings that may be easily identified if the colours are known; such coats have frequently animal forms upon them, a Lion rampant or an Eagle displayed, or more than one animal arranged in a certain order. Such coats can generally be easily found in an Ordinary, but the colour in old seals and on old books is seldom given, and this often makes any unsupported identification very doubtful.

The shield may be divided by a centre perpendicular line from top to bottom; this is called division _per Pale_, and when the dividing line is thickened it becomes a charge, and is described "a Pale." A husband impales his wife's coat with his own, on the sinister side, except when the lady is an heraldic heiress, when her coat will be found on an escutcheon of Pretence in the centre of her husband's shield. Children of such a marriage are entitled to quarter their mother's coat with their paternal coat. They can also use any ancestral quarterings to which their mother was entitled.

When a shield is divided by a central horizontal line it is said to be divided _per Fess_, and when the dividing line is thickened it becomes a charge and is called "a Fess." Several small fesses are called bars, or the shield may be described as "Barry."

If the perpendicular pale and the horizontal fess lines are combined, a shield becomes "Quartered" or "Quarterly," and if these lines are thickened we get the Cross, of which there are several varieties, _e.g._ cross pattée, with the ends flattened out like feet; cross crosslet with each end crossed by a little bar; cross moline with double-pointed ends; cross fleury with triple-pointed ends, and so on. If a shield is covered all over with reduplications of the quartering lines, so as to be divided into a number of little squares, or quarterings, it is said to be chequy or compony.

When a shield is divided diagonally, either from right to left, or from left to right, which must be specified, it is said to be _per Bend_, dexter or sinister, as the case may be. If either of these lines is thickened so as to become a charge it is called "a Bend" (dexter or sinister). If the dexter and sinister dividing Bend lines are combined, a division _per Saltire_ is the result, and if these lines are thickened so as to become a charge, it is called "a Saltire." If the upper triangle in the Saltire is drawn down into a narrow point and forms a charge, it is called "a Pile." There may be several of these, and their number, position, and colour are always stated. If the Saltire lines are repeated so as to cover the entire shield with diamond-shaped spaces, it is said to be Lozengy, and if these lines are thickened so as to become charges, it is called Fretty, and the little bars are interlaced.

If now the dividing lines of a quartered coat and those of a coat divided per Saltire be combined, we get a division known as Gyronny, common in Scottish heraldry.

If a shield is divided by an angular line in a gable form, the two lowest lines of a division per Saltire, it is called _per Chevron_, and if this line is thickened so as to become a charge, it is called a Chevron.

When a third part of the top of a shield is marked off by a horizontal line it forms what is called a Chief, and when the top left-hand corner is marked off as a small square, measuring about a third of the chief, it is called a Canton, and is often an honourable augmentation to a coat-of-arms, granted for some distinguished service.

When a shield has a narrow border all round it, it is called a Bordure, and this is also often an honourable augmentation, difference, or mark of cadency on a family coat-of-arms.

The boundary lines of all these charges are normally straight, but they may also be either

and a few more which are rarely met with.

Charges are usually placed on shields in certain positions which follow one or other of the main lines of division which have just been enumerated.

For instance, the three lions of England are arranged one under the other, on an imaginary line running from the top to the bottom of the shield. If such a broad line existed it would be called a Pale, so the lions are said to be "In, or Per Pale." Similarly, they might be arranged "In Fess" or "In Bend," and so on.

All charges and bearings on shields should be shown flat except

The Fret, which is interlaced.

Fretty, a small fret repeated, also interlaced.

Roundels in colour, which should be shown as hemispherical. They doubtless represent the bosses on a shield. The metal roundels, however, the Bezant of gold, and the Plate of silver, no doubt represent coins, and are shown flat; and that Cadency marks may correctly be represented, as in relief on a shield.

Heraldic charges are numerous, and if any prolonged investigation is likely to be required their names and forms will have to be learnt. But a few of the commoner charges may well be explained here, as such explanation may possibly in many cases save a long search.

A _Cockatrice_ is a Wyvern with a cock's head.

A _Basilisk_ is a cockatrice with its tail ending in a dragon's head.

A _Lion_ shows one eye, one ear, and stands upon one foot, rampant. He has a mane, and his tail has a tuft at the end, and he shows no spots. If a lion is otherwise depicted it must be mentioned in the blazon. A lion showing two eyes and two ears is a lion "Leopardé."