Page:Architectural Review and American Builders' Journal, Volume 1, 1869.djvu/327

 1868.] Heraldry. 267 AZURE,— BLUE, is expressed in armoristie en- gravings by horizontal lines, drawn regularly over every portion of a field, or a figure, so col- ored. In Trick- ing it is marked ■with the letter B, in order to distinguish it from Argent, which, being first in order, has therefore appropriated the letter A, black, we may acid, taking the letter S, for sable. Azure, from the French azure, is in Latin, Gyaneus, Cceruleus, and Asureus, the latter being the real original of the heraldic term. Garibay, in his Discourse of Arms, says, the Spaniards call it Azul and Blau. The Italians have Az- zurro, Azzurrino, and Turchino ;. and the Germans, Blau. "Blue," saj-s Guillim, "is a color, which consisteth of much red, and of little white, and doth represent the color of the sky in a clear, sunshiny day. Ce- ruleus color a Ccelo dictus est, quod tan- quam solers et diligens nescit otiari." Colombiere' has these words of it, " The Azure, hy some called the Saphir, and sky color, and by others Turquine, is what we commonly call Blue, and which we prefer in France before all other colors, because it is the field of the arms of our kings, and for its represent- ing the sky, or heavens, which is the highest of all things created, the tribunal of GOD, and the everlasting mansion cf the blessed." This color signifies Justice, Humility, Chastity, Loyalty, and Eternal Felicity ; of worldly virtues, Praise, Beauty, Meek- ness, Nobility, Victory, Perseverance, Riches, Vigilance, and Recreation ; of the planets, Venus and Jupiter ; of the daj-s of the week, Wednesday and Fri- day ; of the months of the year, Septem- ber ; of the elements, the Air ; of meta's, Tin ; of precious stones, the Turkey Stone [i. e., Turquoise] ; of trees, the poplar ; of flowers, the violet : of four- footed creatures, the chameleon ; of fowls, the peacock ; of human constitu- tions, the sanguine ; and of the ages, youth. The ancient Heralds say, those who bear this color in their arms are obliged to assist and protect the faithful servants of princes, who are deprived of their wages. Samuel Kent says, Blue, is the color of the heavenly canopy, representing the planet Jupiter, and the beautiful Sa- phire [sapphire]. It is called Azure by a corruption of the word Lazulus, of Lapis Lazulus, [Lapis Lazuli,] a certain sort of blue stone. It shows the bearer to be of a Godly Disposition of Perpetual Renown. Coates thinks Azure must certainly be derived from the Italian, Azurro, or the Spanish Azul [ I and r being com- mutable] ; but the Latin, Asureus, as given above, definitely settles the case. SABLE,— BLACK, expressed in engraved bla- zonry by perpendicular and hori- zontal lines crossing each other, and in Tricking, by the letter S,— is from the French word, of the same her- aldic import, Sable, which, however, in France, ordina- rily means sand or gravel ; thus agreeing with the Latin, Sabulum, coarse sand or gravel ; whence Guillim supposes it to be derived, in respect of the heavy and earthy sub- stance, wherein darkness abounds above all others. MacKenzy, with much more reason, in the opinion of Coates, believes Sable to be so named, because the best sable furs are black. Some there are who will not allow