Page:Architectural Review and American Builders' Journal, Volume 1, 1869.djvu/326

 266 Sloan's Architectural Review and Builders'' Journal. [October, GULES,— RED, — in armorial coloring al- ways understood to be vermilion, in Latin, ruber; in Spanish, roxo ; in German, roth ; French, rouge ; Italian, rosso — is presented by armorial engrav- ers in perpen- dicular lines, for the whole, or any portion of a shield, or charge, so colored ; and is given in Tricking by the letter G. According to Coates, Scribonius de- fines this tincture, Rubedo est color equali simul Albedinis et Nigredinis combinatione constavis, consisting of an equal mixture of white and black. It represents fire, which is the chiefest, lightsomest, and clearest of the elements. MacKenzy supposes the name Gules to be derived from the Hebrew word, Oulude, a piece of red cloth ; or from the Arabic word, Gate, a red rose, as Menestrier observes. Sylvanus Morgan says, it denotes the power of the ALMIGHTY; and, in moral virtues, it signifies, prowess, boldness, and hardiness ; with Oold, a desire to conquer ; with Argent, aveng- ing the innocent, and beating down the envious. The ancients used this color, to make themselves terrible to their enemies, and to stir up magnanimity. Both the ancient Egyptians, and the ancient Britons, esteemed this color above all others. Colombiere observes, that Martial calls this color rutitus and ruffus in these verses, Roma magis fuscis, vestitur Gallia ruffis, Et placet hie pueris, milit ibusque color, — Where we see, that the Gauls were fond of this color, and that it was then agree- able to youth, and to soldiers. The same author adds thus, — Some ancient heralds have called this color warlike vermilion, the color of blood and scai'- let ; and the name of Gules has been given it, as Feron says, " Because all beasts, when they devour their prey, have their throats — in French called Gueules — bloody and full of red." Of spiritual virtues, Gules denotes Justice, Charity, and an Ardent Love of GOD, and our neighbor ; of worldly virtues, Valor, Fury, Nobility, Hardiness, and Magnanimity ; of vices, Cruelty, Choler, Murder, and Slaughter ; of the planets, Mars ; of human constitutions, the Choleric ; of precious stones, the Ruby; of metals, Copper; of trees, the Cedar ; of flowers, the Peony,* the Clove Gilliflower, and the Pink ; of birds, the Pelican ; of the days of the week, Tuesday ; of the months of the year, March and July ; of the. ages of men, the Manly. Those who bear Gules are obliged to relieve such as are oppressed by in- justice, or, as a consequence, to Avert Wrong if they can. Spelman, in his Aspilogia, says this color was honored by the Romans, as it had been before by the Trojans, for they painted the bodies of the Gods, and those of the Generals that triumphed, with vermilion. The Roman soldiers under the consuls wore red, and were, there- fore, called russati. No Roman was allowed to wear it, without the prince's leave. St. Isidorns writes of this color thus : RUSSATA VESTIS, QUAM Gr^ECT PhOZNI- CEAM V0CANT, N0S COCCINEAM, REPKRTA EST A LACEDEMONIJS AD CELANDUM, COL- oris similitudine sanguinem. The red garment, which the Greeks call Phoeni- cian and we scarlet, was first used by the Lacedemonians, to prevent, by the tint of the garment, the detection of blood lost in battle. Kent derives Gules possibly from the Latin, Gula, the throat, whence came the English word gills, for the throat part of fishes, always red.
 * Or Pioiiy.