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With its roots in the pomp and circum-
stanceoffeudal times,heraldrybeganasa
wayofidentifyingknightsinfullarmoras
they paraded and fought. Today, embla-
zoned on antiques, china, bookplates,
postage stamps, buttons and buildings, it
continues to record a family history in an
elegant language all its own.
A DictionaryofHeraldryisarich reference
guide to the heraldic arts. Elaborately
illustrated with color reproductions and
specially commissioned drawings by re-
nowned heraldic artists John Ferguson,
Andrew Jamieson and Anthony Wood, it
coverseveryaspectofhistoricandmodern
heraldry—in more than 1,000 entries.
From the basics of a coat of arms to the
most intricate heraldic symbols and their
subtle meanings, these entries have been
prepared by a group of highly distin-
guished experts including John Brooke-
Little, Norroy and Ulster King of Arms,
and Malcolm R. Innes, Lord Lyon King of
Arms of Scotland.
Described indetailareunusualheraldic
beasts such as the magnificentgriffin; the
delicate martlett, a small bird with no
feet; and the alphyn, a stocky tiger with a
thick mane, a long thin tongue, eagle's
claws and a tail knotted in the middle.
Some of these tightly entries dis-
cuss matters of contr like abate-
ments and stains, the arn\ mbolsof
(Continued on backfl
SAUSAUTO PUBLIC LIBRARY
Ill
3 1111 01108 7481
For Reference
Not to be taken from this room
^
eraldr^
Edited by
Stephen Friar
with illustrations by
John Ferguson
Andrew Jamieson
and
Anthony Wood
Harmony Books/New York
Sausalito Public Library
Sausalito, California 94965
Copyright © 1987by Stephen Friar
WGC entries copyright © 1987 by The Flag Institute
All rights reserved. No part ofthis book maybe reproduced or transmitted in any form orby any
means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage
and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher.
Published in the United Statesby Harmony Books, a division ofCrown Publishers, Inc., 225 Park
Avenue South, New York, New York 10003 and represented in Canada by Canadian manda Group.
Originally published in Great Britain by Alphabooks Ltd, Sherborne, Dorset,
a subsidiary ofA & C BlackPic, 35 Bedford Row, London WC1.
HARMONY and colophon are trademarks ofCrown Publishers, Inc.
Manufactured in Great Britain.
Library ofCongress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
A Dictionary ofheraldry
—
1. Heraldry Dictionaries. I. Friar, Stephen
CR13.D53 1987 929.6'03'21 87-8353
ISBN 0-517-56665-6
987654321
10
First Edition
List of Contributors
John Allen
Sedley Andrus LVO Beaumont Herald Extraordinary
John Brooke-Little CVO FSA FHS Norroy and Ulster King ofArms
AMA
Charles J. Burnett FSA(Scot) AAIH Dingwall Pursuivant ofArms
John Campbell-Kease FRSA
Ben Chapman
D.H.B. Chesshyre FSA Chester Herald ofArms
John Coales FSA
William G. Crampton
Peter D. Esslemont
Peggy Foster
Peter Greenhill
Peter Gwynn-Jones Lancaster Herald ofArms
A.H. Hamilton-Hopkins Hon FHS
Kay W. Holmes
Cecil Humphery-Smith FSA FHG FSG FHS
Malcolm R. Innes of Edingight CVO WS Lord Lyon King ofArms
Dr David Johnson
Major Francis Jones CVO FSA Wales Herald Extraordinary
The Mac Carthy Mor
Michael G. Messer
Edward Paget-Tomlinson
Henry Paston-Bedingfeld Rouge Croix Pursuivant ofArms
Leslie G. Pierson Hon FHS
Prof Jonathan Riley-Smith FR Hist S
Stephen Slater
Peter Summers FSA FHS
Dr Conrad Swan CVO FSA York Herald ofArms
E.N. 'Pete' Taylor Hon FHS
John E. Titterton
Yvonne Weir
Simon Winter
Anthony Wood NDD FHS FRSA FSSI
Margaret Young
Artists:
Anthony Wood NDD FHS FRSA FSSI
John Ferguson ARCA FRSA
Andrew Jamieson HS DipAD(Hons)
Acknowledgements
I acknowledge with grateful thanks the assistance of the following people in the
preparation ofthisbook: The Bibliographer, The Royal Library,WindsorCastle; Sir
BasilBlackwell;MissE.Botker;MrThomasBrown;MrPeterBrudgam;SqnLdrW.D.
Brunger; Mr W. Burgess; The Chapter of the College of Arms; The Clerk of the
Records, The House of Lords; Mr John Coales; Sir James Cobban; Lady Cooke;
Henrik Degerman; Mrs Barbara Ferguson; Revd Michael Freeman; MrJ.H. Gaylor;
CommanderB.D. Gibson;Mr Grist;MrPeterHammond;MrMichaelH.Harrison-
J.
Mr Nicholas Hart; Miss L. Haugbyrd; Mr Jean O. Heineman; Mr Hugh Jaques; Mr
Henkt7ong;DrBernardJuby;MrArthurE.Linge;MrL.LoganRussell;MrHenryS.
Lynn Jr.; Lord Lyon King of Arms; Mrs Caroline Morrison; Mr J.R. Newman; Mr
DavidPeace; MrRogerPeers;MrK.S. Pundyke;MrSeanCDriscoll; RevdA.Pryse-
Hawkins; Mrs C.G.W. Roads, Lyon Clerk and Keeper ofthe Records; Mrs Frances
Robson; MissJoan Robson; Mr George Squibb, NorfolkHerald Extraordinary; Mrs
Nan Taylor; Mr T.W. Taylor; Lt Col H. Von Arnim; Mr H.R. Walden; Revd Canon
D.C. Welander; Mr Howard Wright; Mr R.C. Yorke, Archivist at the College of
J.
Arms; the anonymous owner of the Grenville Diptych.
The entryentitledWales,byMajorFrancisJones,isreproducedbykindpermission
of the Heraldry Society. My especial thanks to John Campbell-Kease and John
Ferguson, without whose friendship, enthusiasm and unselfish commitment this
work would not have been possible. Finally, this book is for Kate, Thomas and
Richard to whom I owe the greatest debt of all.
S.F.
Introduction
Intheterminologyofthe computerage,thisbookisintendedtobe'user-friendly'.It
is compiled so that all readers, from the novice to the expert armorist, may enjoy
immediate access to the subject of heraldry at whatever level and for whatever
purpose they have in mind.
The appeal ofheraldry is that it encompasses so many and such diverse areas of
interest. Those who enjoy visiting churches, for example, will no doubt turn to the
CHURCH entry and will there find, among various references, one to MONUMENTS.
This,inturn,willlead them ontoBRASSES,MONUMENTAL;EFFIGY;HATCHMENTandso
on,untiltheyeventuallyperceiveaneedtomasterthebasicsofBLAZONsothatthey
maymore accurately interpretthe armorial deviceswithwhichtheyare confronted
on their next visitto a church. There they may meeta family historianwho, having
turned to the GENEALOGY entry and realizing the importance of MARSHALLING in
determiningthe relationships ofhisancestors, has soughtoutthe 'family'church in
anticipation ofdiscovering some newpieces ofarmorial evidence,aware also ofthe
'traps' that await the unsuspecting amateur.
This book is, effectively, two dictionaries in one. First there is the subject of
Heraldry, defined asall matters relatingto the dutiesandresponsibilitiesofofficers
of arms; and the art of depicting armorial devices in paint, line, stone, glass, etc.
Secondly, and fundamental to both aspects of heraldry, is Armory, which is
concerned with the symbols and conventions relating to coats of arms and other
devices, and it is the terminology of armory which forms the other subject of the
dictionary.
The novice is recommended to approach the subject of armory through the
sectiononblazon (togetherwiththecolourillustrationsonpages50and51).Blazon
is far less complex than it may at first appear and used in conjunction with
illustrations ofarms, both inthis bookand elsewhere, itwill soonbecomeapparent
that the language and conventions of armory are both simple and logical. Cross-
references will lead the reader on to such matters as TINCTURES, ATTITUDES and
ATTRIBUTES and various common charges such as ORDINARIES, SUB-ORDINARIES,
CROSSES, CREST CORONETS, and SO on.
Blazonsinthetextaregiveninitalicthroughout,thoughindividualarmorialterms
arenot. Cross-referencesareindicatedbyCAPITALLETTERSandtheseareintendedto
refer the reader to relevant entries which will extend his understanding of a
particular aspect ofheraldry. Armorial terms are cross-referenced onlywhere two-
way referencing is considered helpful: attitudes and attributes, for example.
The dictionary contains a number of generic entries, such as KNIGHTHOOD AND
CHIVALRY,ORDERSOF;HEREDITARYOFFICES and OFFICEROFARMS, whichare intended
to lead the reader to further entries on related subjects.
For the experienced armorist, the dictionary is intended primarily as an aide-
memoire and is set out with this in mind, rather than in a strict dictionary
format.
Addressesoforganizationsmentionedinentrieswillbe foundlistedinaseparate
ADDRESSES entry.
Heraldry is such a broad subject that it has been possible only to touch on those
peripheralmatterswhichIcallvernacularheraldry.Ihopethattheinclusionofsuch
entries as MINIATURES, POSTCARDS, AIRLINE DEVICES and TRADE AND SERVICE MARKS
will both encourage armorists to look beyond the confines of their discipline for
furtherenjoymentandunderstanding,andleadthosewhoseinterestsareatpresent
concerned with these Vernacular' subjects to greater appreciation of armory.
Iam indebtedto the many distinguished contributorswho have so enthusiastically
supported me in this venture and whose work maybe identified by their initials at
the end of an entry. All other texts are written by myself or compiled from
contributors' material. Having written somewhat controversially at times, I feel
obligedtopointoutthattheviewsexpressedinthisbookare notnecessarilyshared
by all contributors.
Stephen Friar
Caundle Wake, Dorset
June 1987
