Page:Architectural Review and American Builders' Journal, Volume 1, 1869.djvu/263

 1868.] Heraldry. 219 HERALDRY. POINTS OF THE ESCUTCHEON :— TINCTURES. AA TE may now consider ourselves as fairly entering upon the study of Heraldry. Many reflections might here lie made, and much general information could now be imparted ; but, altogether, it will be better for us to learn, at once, for the sake of better fixing the mind, a few fundamental and comprehensive points. Our first article strove to explain the Uses of Heraldry in a republican country ; and our second was devoted to the Shape of the Shield, which at one time was both a weapon of militaiy defence and a ground whereon were painted hereditary marks of distinction, technically known, in Blazonry, as Arms. The subject of the second article is so far continued in this, that every one of our ten illustrations is different in shape. Six of the shields presented are differ- ent forms of the lozenge, set apart for women ; and the remaining four apper- tain, of course, to the armory of men. The Field is the term set apart, by the heralds, for the entire surface of an escutcheon, or of a flag. It may have some reference in its English form, to the fact, that the marks upon it were, primarily, only de- rived from services in the field of war ; but merely as an arbitraiy designation, it is well chosen, from its signification of expanse. Within a few years, a sin- gular misuse of this technical term has sprung up, in American manufactories of flags, &c, it being applied by both -employers and employees, to the quar- ter, or the union of national ensigns, or, in other words, to the blue portion con- taining the stars : whereas, properly, both field and flag, or field and shield, always mean the entire surface of the general colored symbol. In heraldic banners, the staff end of the drapery corresponds to the top of the shield ; but, in applying the science to modern flags, which may be clone, with the utmost readiness, it is better to make the staff end of the ensign the dexter side of the shield. This latter method would correspond with the feu- dal practice for battle banners, whereon coats-of-arms were painted. The staff end answering to one of the sides of the shield ; and, in transparent emblems, the description being from that side of the flag having the dexter side of the field towards the staff. Charges are all figures of whatever kind — whether heraldic ordinaries, sub-ordina- ries, or other objects, — depicted upon the surface, or field, of an escutcheon. Points of the Escutcheon. It is often necessary in blazoning, — i. e., in technically describing a Coat-of- Arms, — to express the exact position of small bearings or charges. For this purpose, the old heralds settled upon a certain number of points, whose acqui- sition by the learner will be* of the ut- most benefit. To determine these, the shield is supposed to occupy a much larger space than usual; to be in reality a full-sized, ancient buckler ; and to be shaped with a very close approximation to rectangularity. It must first be understood, that the shield is considered as if borne squarely before a man, in defence, and that the beholder confronts the wearer. That part of the escutcheon, then, on the wearer's right hand will be upon the gazer's left, and that part on the own- er's left will be upon the inspector's right. This will account for the ap- parent arbitrary reversal of the mean-