Page:The Grammar of Heraldry, Cussans, 1866.djvu/33

Rh Fig. 69 represents a cross ragulée. The same rule, of course, applies to chiefs, pales, fesses, &c. The example at Fig. 70 would be blazoned, Argent, a chief indented gules.

Crosses are frequently charged upon crosses; as in Fig. 71, which would be blazoned, Vert, on a cross argent, another of the field. On a casual glance, this diagram seems to be the same as No. 66, which is a cross voided; but it will be found that the shading is differently disposed.



When a shield consists of more than one tincture, and the partition is formed by a line drawn in the direction of any of the ordinaries, it is said to be party per that ordinary: thus, Fig. 2 is Party per pale, gules and azure; Fig. 3, Party per less, purpure and gules. A shield, however, is never party per chief, or of any of the diminutives of the ordinaries.

SUBORDINARIES.

Besides the ordinaries already enumerated, there is a group of charges of less importance called the Subordinaries. This classification, however, is very arbitrary, as several devices, which some authorities include under this head, are reckoned by others as simple charges. Those which are generally included amongst the subordinaries are:—

The Pile, which is a figure in the form of a wedge.