Cross patonce (Period)

The “cross patonce” was sometimes called a “cross griffee-de-loup” (wolf-clawed) in medieval blazons; Victorian heraldic writers sometimes misblazoned it a “cross formy fitchy at all points” (cf. the discussion of the cross fitchy).  As with the cross formy, the arms of the cross patonce may converge to a point, at the artist’s discretion.  It is one of the oldest cross variants, found in the arms of the Counts of Aumale c.1244 [Asp2 216].  The cross patonce is negligibly different from the cross flory.

Arval Benicoeur bears:  Per saltire Or and sable, a cross patonce counterchanged.

Elwyn Tenways bears:  Per pale Or and gules, three crosses patonce counterchanged.

John de Rokyngham bears:  Party of six argent and gules, three crosses patonce gules.