An heraldic primer - part 5

Blazon—the language of heraldry

From the very earliest times heralds have employed old French as the language to describe arms. Of course this was the every day language of the upper classes of the time. Today this language, called blazon still contains old French, but many terms have been anglicised and new ones added. If one addresses the description in the same systematic way used by modern heralds, together with a knowledge of the language used, it is relatively easy to crack the code after a little practice.

The first step in blazoning is to describe the background colour or field. (see the last instalment) The background may be divided or parted—thus party per pale (usually shortened to per pale) signifies the background is divided vertically. (black is a shading for sable)

Common Partitions L-R: fess; pale; bend; bend sinister; quarterly (or cross); saltire; chevron.

These are just the basic partitions. They can be multiplied and thus many per chevrons becomes chevrony, many per pales become paly. They can also be combined so that paly combined with bendy becomes paly bendy. (pictured adjacent)
The second step is to describe the principal shape or charge on the shield or escutcheon. If they are geometrical shapes they are known as Ordinaries. Their width is determined largely by what device if any they have on them. The simplest are pictured, but they need not have straight edges. Each form can also have a diminutive version and thus a bend becomes a bendlet, pale becomes pallet, etc. Some forms do not have a diminutive but in the case of crosses there are twenty common variations. If they are combinations of creatures or inanimate shapes they are known as charges.

Some Ordinaries L-R: ; bend; bend sinister; chief; fess; pale; cross; saltire; pall; chevron; pile.

In the third stage other charges on the field are described next, followed by any charges upon the main charge.

Finally any charges on the Ordinaries are described.

Examples of Charges: L-R: eagle displayed; lion rampant; unicorn passant; enfield; gryphons-segreant; mermaid; opinicus; wyvern.

Inanimate charges to left: mullet pieced; castle; harp, spur; sun

Partitioning can accommodate the following formats.

Examples of partitioning: L-R: dancetty, dovetailed, embattled, engrailed, fleury, nebuly, potented, indented, invecked, raguly, rayonny.

In the next issue we will see how this is all put together.

Graham Jaunay BA DipT MACE AAGRA

Originally published as a series in, Relative Thoughts, Fleurieu Peninsula Family History Group