Orle (Period)

The orle is an heraldic ordinary, a band parallel to the edge of the shield; its width is typically one-tenth to one-twelfth that of the shield.  Its original form was as an escutcheon voided, which form dates to c.1255 in the arms of Balliol [ANA2 503]; but unlike an escutcheon voided, which is always escutcheon-shaped, the orle conforms to the shape of the field it charges.  As an ordinary, it is subject to most of the usual treatments.

The diminutive of the orle is the “tressure”; the term is used when there are two or more of the charge.  The number is given as, e.g., a “double tressure” or “triple tressure”.  Double tressures are found as early as 1280, in the arms of the Kings of Scots [ANA2 103].  The tressures used in Scotland’s arms, the “double tressure flory counter-flory”, are granted by the Crown of Scotland as an augmentation, and not permitted in Society heraldry; even charges suggestive of the Scots tressures, such as the orle demi-flory, are disallowed.  (The arms of Scotland at one point used an orle flory counter-flory, c.1244 [Asp2 208], so the prohibition has some historical basis.)  Although in theory a double tressure could be surmounted by charges other than fleurs-de-lys – e.g., a double tressure surmounted by mullets – no period examples have been found, and the practice is considered a step from period practice.

Orle of martlets (Period)

The term “orle” had another usage in medieval blazons, predating its application to the escutcheon voided:  it described an unnumbered group of charges arranged around the edge of the shield, where the edge of a bordure would be.  Thus, in the arms of the Earls of Pembroke, c.1244 [ANA2 210], a group of martlets around the shield’s edge (as shown in the illustration) would be blazoned “an orle of martlets”.  Note that the charges in the orle are all in their default orientation; if the charges are to orient themselves parallel to the edge of the shield, Society blazon would use the term “an orle of [charges] in orle”.

Frithiof Sigvardsson Skägge bears:  Gyronny argent and vert, an orle sable.

Padraig Ó Taidg bears:  Azure, a double tressure argent.

Rowan of Hakesleah bears:  Gules, an orle of escallops Or.

Geoffrey le Bay bears:  Sable, an orle of plates.

Ordinaries are among the oldest and most common heraldic charges, being simple geometric shapes bounded by straight lines (or semi-circular curves, for some).  Their shapes may have been derived from the reinforcing bands of a shield.  There is disagreement in heraldry texts over the distinction (if any) between an ordinary and a sub-ordinary, and which charges fall into which categories.  The general Society usage refers to the central ordinaries, which cross the center of the field – the bend, chevron, chief-pale, cross, fess, pale, pall, pile, and saltire – and the peripheral ordinaries, which lie on the field’s edge – the base, bordure, canton, chief, flaunches, gore, orle, and tierce.

In general, ordinaries are drawn so as to take up one-fourth to one-third the width of the shield; the bordure and the orle are typically somewhat narrower.  These are rules of thumb only, not precise divisions; the exact proportions will vary, depending on the composition of the armory.  If the ordinary is surrounded by secondary charges, it will be drawn somewhat narrower; if the ordinary is itself charged, or if it has a complex line of division, it will be somewhat wider.

When more than one of a given ordinary is used in armory, they must necessarily be drawn narrower; these are called the “diminutives” of that ordinary.  Special terms may be used in those cases:  the diminutive of the fess is the “bar”, the diminutive of the bend is the “bendlet”, &c.  The diminutive term should not be applied to single ordinaries, but only when there are two or more of them (or, rarely, when the visual importance of the ordinary is in some way reduced:  a “bendlet enhanced”, for instance).

More than a single type of ordinary may be used in one armory, though there are limitations.  In general, the use of two or more peripheral ordinaries is considered poor style.  A central ordinary may usually be used with a peripheral ordinary (a fess and a bordure, for instance).  Continental armory had some special names for certain combinations of ordinaries, treating them as charges in their own right:  e.g., the chief-pale, combining a pale and a chief.

Ordinaries are subject to the complex lines of division:  indented, wavy, &c.  Only the double-sided ordinaries, however, may be dancetty, voided, fimbriated, or cotised; and except for the fess, ordinaries nowed are considered a step from period practice.  Peripheral ordinaries flory (e.g., a “bordure flory”, with demi-fleurs issuant into the field but not into the bordure) are likewise deemed a step from period practice.  For more information, see the entries for the individual ordinaries.  See also cotising, gemel.

Alia fitz Garanhir bears:  Argent, a fess conjoined in chief with a demi-pale between three mullets of six points gules.

Daria Tayt bears:  Gules, a pale and a chief Or.