A DICTIONARY OF HERALDRY AND RELATED SUBJECTS by COLONEL A. G. PUTTOCK ARC0 PUBLISHIWGC, MC. New York O 1985 Arco Publishing, Inc. 215 Park Avenue South, New York, N.Y. 10003 Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Puttock, A. G. A dictionary of heraldry and relaied subjects. Bibliography: p. 1. Heraldry-Dictionarics. 1. Tiile. CR13.P8 1985 929.6'03'21 85-7363 ISBN 0-668-06572-9 This cdition published by arrangement 4th Blakeron Hall Limited, London under licence frorn the aurhor Colonel A. C. Puttock. Reproduced, printed and bound in Great Britain DEDICATION To my grandsons Andrew, James and David. 1 hope that tliey will find as much interest in. and obtain as much joy from the study of HeraIdry and its Related Subjects as 1 have. CONTENTS PARTONE HERALDRY Page 13 PART'ho GENEALOGY Page 117 PARTTHRBE ARMOUR ~rnARMS Page 189 PART FOUR HISTORICAL AND MISCELLANEOUS Page 235 BIBLIOGRAPHY Page 256 AUTHOR'S PREFACE HERALDRY1s a subject about which one never stops learning. My own introduction to the subject was a little over forty years ago when 1 was still at school, and though 1 did not work at it seriously during my years in the army, yet it was always in the back of my mind and now, though 1 am engaged in both Heraldry and Genealogy in a professionaI capacity, 1 still have a great deal to learn. Tbis book represents the fruits of a considerable amount of research, and as il is research which can be of considerable help to others 1 have tried to set out in these pages what 1 think will be of assistance to them. Many people look on Heraldry and Genealogy as being dry subjects which would possibly be of interest to nobody but a snob. but how far this is Prom the truth, and 1 am glad to say that the last fi€teen or twenty years have produced a terrific crop of students, by no means ali of whom are themselves armigerous, who are anxious to learn about and enjoy the fascinations of Heraldry. Furthemore, though there has always been a considerable number of people keen to find out sornething of their own family history, yet the last few years seem to have brought out even more than usual. Throughout the years 1 have gained a great deal from such works as Shield and Crest by Julian Franklyn. Boutells Herafdry as revised by C. W. Scott-Giles and J. P. Brooke-Little, Scots Heraidry by Sir Thomas Innes of Learney, to say nothing of the many and varied tieles by LRslie Pine. AI1 of these 1: commend to my readers, yet 1 feel that a Dictionary of Heraldry and Related Subjects, such as this, can be used as a quick reference by any and everybody, and for this reason 1 have grouped the four parts together. To my wife 1 give my thanks for her encouragement, particularly in the early days of my research, and in recent months for her criticism of the illuslrations. To my secretary Glynis Kirkbride 1 give my thanks for the patient way she has taken dictation, then typed the manuscript. FinaIly 1 hope my readers will obtain as much joy from reading the pages of this book as 1 have experienced in putting it together. PART ONE HERALDRY HERALDRY As A keen Heraldist for many years 1have always hoped for the publication of an up-to-date Dictionary of Heraldry, as the last one was published over 100 years ago and, though stiH extrernely useful, is of course out of date in many ways. However, nothing seems fo materialise from any of the many Heraldic writers and so eventually 1 decided to write one myself. A Dictionary of Heraldry if properly used can be an extremely valuable book. It is never designed to give exhaustive information on any one particular subject but to provide sufficient information at least to give its user enough general information about a particular subject for his immediate needs. After all, if one is at a loss to how the meaning of a word in every- day life one makes reference to one of the standard dictionaries. One does not expect to get a complete explanation of al1 the whys and wherefo~es about it. but enough information to lmow its general rneanjng. Heraldry is an extremely Fascinating subject wllich is piaying a much wider part in al1 our lives today than at almost any time in history. During the MiddIe Ages probably a greater use was made of armorial bearings, in that, though al1 who possessed them displayed them more widely, their use was restricted almost entirely to the NobiJity. Today, however. personal arms can be used by almost anybody, providing he is a straiglltforward and decent living citizen. Furthermore, arms are used by cities, towns, I~ospitals, schools and many other well known institutions, and even some of the larger and well established industrial companies. This means that aImost everybody both male and female owes a Ioyalty to one or more persons or bodies bearing arms. During World Wars 1 and II a great many rnembers of the community scrved with the forces and bear a loyalty to a particular unit or formatioii. In the case of the Navy it would have been a ship's badge; if it was the Army there would have been a regimental or corps badge together with a formation sign; in the case of the Royal Air Force there were the squadron badges, many of which became exceedingly famous. Al1 this is Heraldry and though service badges may be trated as one of the Rclatad Subjects yet it is still part of the Heraldic study. Royal Heraldry though liglitly touched upon in these pages is again a definite study of its own and a particularly interesting one, too. Much of the information 1 have gathered in compiling this work of reference has been obtained from or verified in those excellent books on Heraldry by C. W. Scott-GiIes and Julian Franklyn, to whom I gladly give fullest acknowledgement. Finally 1 hope that all students of Heraldry WUfind this reference of value. We are al1 students of Heraldry however knowledgeable we may be, because it is a subject in which one can never learn everythuig and that, too. is one of its great fascinations. A Abatements were imposed for such ' crimes ' as the following: 1. Revoking one's own challenge. Abased, abaissé - An expression 2. Desertingone's sovereign's banner. used when a chevron, fess or other 3. Discourteously treating either ordinary is placed lower than its maiden or widow against their will. usual position. 4. Boasting of one's prowess. 5. Killing one's prisoner. Abatements - Sometimes known as 6. Telling lies to one's sovereign. rebatements are marks of disgrace 7. Cowardice. applied to arms in early Heraldry 8. Drunkenness. on account of some dishonourable Special HeraIdic marks of bas- act of the bearer. There were nine tardy have sometimes been called in number viz. abatements because they abate or 1. Delf reduce the status of the arms lo 2. hescutcheon reversed. is not in the direct legitimate line 3. Point dexter. the extent of showing that the bearer 4. Point in point. of succession. This use of the word 5. Point champaine. abatement does not irnply dishonour 6. Plain point. in any way whatsoever. 7. Gore sinister. 8. Gusset dexter. Abbreviations - The following ab- 9. Gusset sinister. breviations are commonly used in These marks must be in one of the Heraldry: oJd tinctures, namely sanguine or 1. Arg - argent. tenné as in any other tincture they 2. Az - azure. may very occasionally be found as 3. Erm -ermine. a normal charge. 4. Gu - gules. There is another mark of disgrace 5. Or - Or. which is due ouly to the traitor; this 6. Ppr - proper. consists of reversing the entire coat. 7. Pur - purpure. There is considerable speculation 8. Sa - sable. as to whetber these abatements were 9. Ve - vert. ever used. Guillim describes them Other tinctures, furs etc. are not 1 as ' these whimsical abatements ', abbreviated. I but as îhe marks only applied to the In the case of tricking anns in unfortunate bearer of the arms and order to save space and avoid any they were designed to keep him out chance of error the abbreviations of public life, this they must success- ar and B are used for silver and fully have doue and it js probable blue (azure) instead of those Iisted that tbey were use.. above. 15 Abeyaace - This is the state of a which is in use today e.g. a cross peerage which is vested in fxvo or accompanied by four mullets. more CO-heinbotb or al1 of whom appear to have an equal. claim. Accosted - An expression used whea When chere are sevcral equal claim- charges are placed on each side of ants e.g. descendants of thedaughters another charge, e.g. a pale accosted and CO-heiresses of the deceased by four crescents. Another appli- peer none is in a position to main- cation of the word is to two beasts tain a claim against the otliers and waiking or running side by side. Un- a peerage remains in abeyance. It less tbey are accosted passant is not therefore held by any of hem counter passant the more distant until by death of the other claimants should be shown a little in advance only one remains and he then has of the other. the right to claim the peerage.