Coat of Arms & Family Crests Store
  Burkes General Armory page xivMany spelling errors are shown below because this was scanned and processed with OCR software. I will eventually get the spelling errors corrected.CLICK ON THE IMAGE OF THE PAGE ABOVE TO READ A CLEARER, ACTUAL VERSION xiv HERALDRY. tlns sec nQ mock assuredly io be the intention of the device), one might as wnll alter a covif of' arms as an hereditary crest. Still, 17owcscr, e7ve17!nstane8s may arise in wlich n change becomes desirable; but t.17is should never be made on Flight or unimportant grounds. In early times, Thomas Mowbray, Duke of Norfolk, Earl Marshal of Englnud, was, 17y the special concession of Richard IL, allowed to carry tl.c crest of England- the lion passant guardant or; " and Juhn Howard, in a subsequent reign, having married the daughter and 17ei7•ess of btowbaay, substituted fur the old crest of' Howard, viz., " two wing.i, each charged with the family arms," the new but honourable cognizance of the golden lion. No one is entitled to more than one crest unless he bears two surnames, or has received the additional device by a specific grant. The Germans, indeed, have long Lecn accustomed to display in a row over their shields of arms the crests of all the houses whose ensigns they quarter; but their heraldry is peculiar, differing from that of the other countries of Europe. In truth, the impropriety of the practice of carrying more than one crest is remarkably striking, if we consider for a moment the purpose tor which these cognizancea were first designed. Originally crests were carved in light wood, or made of boiled leather passed into n mould, in the form of some animal real or fictitious, and were fastened to the helmet by the TOME, Or WREATH, which was formed of two pieces of silk, " twisted together by the lady who chose the bearer for her knight." The tinctures of the wreath are always those of the principal metal and colour of the arms; and it is a rule in delineating the wreath (shown edgewise above the shield) that the first coil shall be ot' tlre melal, and the last of the colour of which the achievement is constituted. Such are the wreaths in general use. In depicting arms the wreath consists of six t Hist.c ; when the c•rest is placed on a cap of maintenance, or on, or issuing out or a ducal or other crown, the wreath is not borne. The colours and metals of Liveries are governed by the tinctures of the wreath, or in its absence by the principal metal and colour of the arms; thus, if the principal metal of the arms be aryent, the buttona and lace of (lie livcry is silver; if or, they are gilt. The cloth is blue, red, black, or green, according to the prevailing colour in the arms ; if the colour be red, the colour of the livery may be modified to claret colour; if the field of the arms be a metal, and the charge an animal of its proper colour, and no other colour depicted in the arms, the colour of the livery should follow as near as possible the proper colour of the charge. The most usual colour used in such cases is brown. Crests have sometimes, but very improperly, been confounded with c` DAMES," altogether distinct devices, intended to distinguish the retainers of certain great noblemen, and wrought or sewn upon the liveries with which they were supplied by their lord. The badge appeared also emblazoned on the chief's standard or pennon, and was much esteemed until the reign of Queen Elizabeth, when the last brilliant relics of the feudal system-the joust, the tournament, and all their accompanying paraphernalia-fell into disuse. Henry II. bore an e8ca.rbuncle or; and also introduced the famous badge borne so constantly by his successors, of the broom sprig or Planta Genistm (" Il port.ait ung Gennett entre dcua Plaa7tea de Genestc ") ; and his son, Richard L, on assuming the title of King of Jerusalem, hoisted the banner of the Holy City-the dormant lion of Judah-thc badge of David anti Solomon. Edward 1. had a rose, stalk flrer>u and petals gold. Edward II. commemorated his Castilian descent by the badge of a gold tower. Edward III. bore "ailver clouds with rays descending." Richard II. adopted the white hart,t the device of his mother, the Fair Maid of Kent, and used besides a iYhite Falcon; and his successor, Henry IV , t "Among the few friends who attended Richard II. after his capturo by the Earl of Northumberland, was Jenioo d'Artoia, s Ctascoigne, that still wore the cognizance or device of his master, King Richard, that is to say, a white hart, and would put it away from him neither by persuasion nor threats; by reason whereof, when the Duke of Lancaster understood it, he caused him to be committed to prison, within the Castle of Cheater. This man was the last (as saith mine author) which eorc that device, which showed well thereby his constant heart towards his nuaster."-Ilul,»sGed. CLICK ON THE IMAGE OF THE PAGE ABOVE TO READ A CLEARER, ACTUAL VERSION |
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