Hippogriff segreant (Period)

This chimerical monster is considered a variant of the griffin, with the griffin’s head, wings and foreparts, and the hindquarters of a horse.  It’s a late addition to the bestiary of monsters: one of its earliest mentions was in Ariosto’s Orlando Furioso, 1516.  Some authors (e.g., Vinycombe [161]) maintain that the hippogriff wasn’t used in period armory, but we have one period example:  the arms of Greiff, mid-16h C., clearly depict a hippogriff, not a griffin [NW 37].

Unlike the griffin, the hippogriff doesn’t seem to have a default posture; the illustration shows a hippogriff segreant (rampant).  For related charges, see opinicus.

Iriel of Branoch bears:  Sable, a hippogriff rampant to sinister Or.

Ysabeau Cameron bears:  Per pale Or and gules, two hippogriffs combattant counterchanged.

Nicolette de Coulours bears:  Quarterly purpure and vert, a hippogriff segreant Or.