Search Results for: crow

Sea-horse

Sea-horse (Period)

Natural sea-horse (Accepted)

The sea-horse is an heraldic sea-monster, with the foreparts of a horse and the tail of a fish. Period depictions, from the late 15^th Century, may show it with forehooves, or with fins in their place; either form is correct. (The latter is more often found in English emblazons, as with the supporters of the Worshipful Company of Pewterers, 1573 [Bromley & Child 198].) There may also be a webbed dorsal fin; this too is artistic license. The sea-horse is erect by default, as in the illustration.

The modified term “natural sea-horse” refers to the small tropical fish of the Syngnathidae family. At one point, it was sometimes blazoned a “hippocampus”, but that term is no longer used in the Society, as being ambiguous. The natural sea-horse’s naiant posture, erect with the tail curled, is its default.

The Crown Province of Østgarðr bears: Argent, a sea-horse erect azure within a laurel wreath vert.

Katharine Ravenshill bears: Sable, a sea-horse Or.

Adriana von Vogelsang bears: Vert, two natural sea-horses addorsed argent.

Rose

Rose (Period)

The rose is a beautiful flower, the most frequently used flower in heraldry. It is also one of the oldest, dating from the earliest heraldry in the arms of Darcy, c.1255 [Asp2 137]. Its standard heraldic form is somewhat stylized: shown affronty, with five petals separated by barbs, and central seeds. The barbing and seeding may be of a different tincture than the rest of the rose; when blazoned “barbed and seeded proper”, the barbs are green, the seeds gold. In Society heraldry, a “rose proper” is gules, barbed vert, seeded Or.

Early heralds made no distinction between heraldic roses and cinquefoils, considering both the blazons and emblazons interchangeable (as in the cadet arms of the Darcy family through the 14^th Century). They are thus negligibly different in Society armory. Period heraldry has rare instances of four-petaled or six-petaled roses (e.g., the arms of Rosenberger, 1605 [Siebmacher 215]); these variants are likewise negligibly different in Society armory, and indeed are often left unblazoned.

Roses may be slipped and leaved; the serrated leaves and thorny stems of nature are here employed. Examples of roses slipped and leaved are more prevalent on the Continent than in England: e.g., the arms of Güttingen, c.1340 [Zurich 55]. Note that “roses slipped and leaved” are distinguished, by blazon and heraldic difference, from “rose branches flowered”.

“Garden rose” slipped and leaved (SFPP); garden rosebud slipped and leaved (Disallowed)

For several years, Society blazons distinguished between the stylized rose of heraldry and the “garden rose”, depicted as found in nature: seen in side view, the petals overlapping and slightly spread. (The illustration shows a garden rose slipped and leaved.) This distinction is no longer made: all roses, be they heraldic or natural, are now blazoned simply as “roses” – with the understanding that they may all be legitimately drawn in the heraldic form. If the emblazon is submitted with a garden rose, however – seen from the side – it’s considered a step from period practice. Moreover, a naturalistic rose may not be blazoned “proper”, as roses in nature come in many colors. (The exception had been the “Damask rose proper”, which was treated as pink. This variant is no longer permitted, as being too naturalistic for medieval heraldry.)

A more specific variant of the garden rose was the “garden rosebud”, depicted with the petals closed, before the flower has fully bloomed. (The illustration shows a garden rosebud slipped and leaved.) This rose variant is no longer permitted in Society armory.

A “double rose” is an heraldic rose charged with another. When the inner petals are the same tincture as the outer petals, the double rose is treated as an artistic variation of the standard heraldic rose (indeed, the fact that the rose is doubled is currently left unblazoned), with no difference granted. When the inner and outer petals are of different tinctures, the outer petals are blazoned first: i.e., “a double rose gules and argent” and “a rose gules charged with a rose argent” are equivalent blazons.

A “rose en soleil” is shown with solar rays, alternating straight and wavy, issuant from its edges; this was a badge of Edward IV, d.1483 [HB 97].

In English cadency, the rose is the brisure of the seventh son. In the War of the Roses, the white rose was the badge of the House of York, and the red rose the badge of the House of Lancaster; roses of those tinctures may not be used in Society armory when the submitter’s name includes “of York” or “of Lancaster”, respectively. The Tudor rose, combining the York and Lancaster roses (in any of several specific ways, such as impaled), is prohibited from Society use. Likewise, the crowned rose is an English Royal badge, and so not registerable in the Society.

Kendall flower (Disallowed)

Mamluk rosette (Disallowed)

Of rose variants unique to the Society, the most common is the “Kendal flower proper”: a simplified rose of six petals, alternately argent and gules, barbed Or, seeded vert. This form was once disallowed, as being a variant of the Tudor rose; while the motif is now registerable, it’s no longer blazoned by the Society-specific term. There is also the “Mamluk rosette”, a motif found in Arabic art, which is essentially a stylized sexfoil; it likewise has been disallowed, as having been too uncommon in period to be compatible with Society armory.

For related charges, see foil.

The Legion of Courtesy, of Caid, bears: A rose Or barbed and seeded vert.

Alys of the Midnight Rose bears: Or, a rose slipped and leaved azure.

Jonas Aquilian bears: Azure, three roses argent.

Sonja of Atenveldt bears: Per chevron azure and sable, a rose gules en soleil argent.

Aurelia of Ashton bears: Azure fretty argent, on an open book Or a damask rosebud slipped and leaved proper.

Kaidu ibn Yesugai bears: Azure, on a bend sinister Or between two Mamluk rosettes argent, an arrow inverted sable fletched gules.

Gerhard Kendal of Westmoreland bears: Or, a lizard tergiant displayed vert between in fess two Kendal flowers proper.

Pile

Pile (Period)

Three piles in point (Period)

The pile is an heraldic ordinary consisting of a triangle issuant from the chief of the shield to the base point, or almost reaching it. It seems to have derived from attempts to fit a pale onto a heater-shaped shield, with the bottom pinched together rather than cut off.

The medieval pile is about one-third the shield’s width at top, and is throughout to the base point; the Tudor pile is wider and squatter, and does not reach all the way throughout. Either form is found in Society heraldry, though the medieval form is encouraged; no heraldic difference is counted between the two, or between throughout vs. not.

Multiple piles are common in mundane and Society heraldry; no diminutives of the pile are recognized. Multiple piles with their points conjoined may be blazoned “piles in point”; this was the medieval default for multiple piles, due to their derivation from pinched pallets. If multiple piles are palewise, instead of in point, this should be explicitly blazoned.

Pile ployé (Accepted)

Piles sometimes issue from other points besides the chief: there are examples in late-period armory of piles “inverted” or issuant from base, piles issuant from dexter, and “bendwise” (issuant from dexter chief). In Society heraldry there have even been piles “in saltire”.

The pile is subject to the normal lines of division, including cotising and voiding; the “pile ployé”, with concave arched lines, is unique to Society heraldry. For related charges, see chapé, chaussé, gyron, tooth (wolves’).

The King of Artemisia bears: Sable, on a pile between two griffins combattant, each maintaining an arrow inverted Or, an ancient crown within a laurel wreath sable.

The Baron of Ruantallan bears: Azure, a pile argent, overall a laurel wreath counterchanged.

Adelindis filia Gotefridi bears: Gules, a pile Or.

Muirenn ingen Nath-í bears: Sable, three piles in point Or.

Masae Lorane bears: Or, five piles inverted in point throughout azure.

Eleanor Valentina Beota bears: Azure, on a pile ployé argent, a hummingbird hovering vert.

Pale

Pale (Period)

The pale is an heraldic ordinary, a vertical band down the center of the shield, occupying roughly one-third to one-fourth the shield’s width. Its diminutive is the “pallet”; Society blazonry does not recognize any other term for the pale’s diminutive.

The cotises of a pale are termed “endorses”; the whole may be blazoned a “pale endorsed” or a “pale between two endorses”.

Pale offset (Period)

Pale bevilled (Accepted)

The pale is subject to the normal complex lines: engrailed, wavy, &c. There are also some usages peculiar to the pale: The “pale offset” is divided along the fess line, with each half then shifted to dexter or sinister; an example is found in the Armorial Bellenville, c.1380, in the arms of von Zirn [Pastoureau 206]. The “pale bevilled” is divided bendwise sinister, and similarly shifted; this appears to be a Society adaptation.

For related charges, see chief-pale.

The King of Meridies bears: Argent, on a pale sable a crown of three points, above each point a mullet argent, overall a laurel wreath counterchanged.

Yñigo de Cueva bears: Or, a pale checky gules and argent.

Anne Balfour of Markinch bears: Ermine, a pale endorsed azure.

Katherine of Glastonbury bears: Vert, two pallets Or.

Angela of Rosebury bears: Gules, a pale offset between in bend sinister two mascles argent.

Orle

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.

Mullet

Mullet (Period)

Spur rowel, or mullet of six points pierced (Period)

A mullet is a geometric figure, originally meant as the rowel of a spur, but commonly used to represent a star or other heavenly body. It’s an ancient charge, also called a “molet” in early blazons; it dates from at least 1244, in the arms of de Vere, Earl of Oxford [Asp2 221]. All mullets have a point to chief by default.

The default mullet has five points, as in the illustration. Mullets of six or eight points were also very common in period; examples with seven or nine points are found. Indeed, Society heraldry has seen mullets with as few as three and as many as twelve points. No difference is granted for the number of points.

Note that mullets with unusual numbers of points may be too readily confused with other charges. For instance, a mullet of three points is indistinguishable from a caltrap, and is only barely recognizable as a mullet; it is no longer permitted in Society armory for that reason. On the other end of the scale, a mullet of more than eight points is indistinguishable from a sun, and gets no difference from it (indeed, it will frequently be so blazoned).

A mullet may be “pierced”, with a circular hole in its center. In particular, a mullet of six points pierced (as in the illustration) may also be called a “spur rowel”.

Mullets are found “voided and interlaced” in period, as in the arms of Degelin von Wangen, 1605 [Siebmacher 119]. For many years, Society heraldry did not permit mullets of five points to be voided and interlaced: the motif was seen as a mystical or Satanic symbol. Currently, with the wider acceptance of wiccan religion, the motif is acceptable under the same guidelines as other religious symbols. Mullets with more points may likewise be voided and interlaced: in the case of six points, the result is the star of David.

Mullet of eight interlocking mascles (SFPP)

Period armory shows us rare examples of a multi-pointed mullet with a single point greatly elongated (usually to base): cf. the arms of Beneditti, c.1550 [BSB Cod.Icon 275:137]. These are considered to be an artistic variant of the comet, and are treated as such. A “mullet of four points elongated to base” is acceptable, based on this pattern, but is considered a step from period practice. At one time, Society practice also allowed mullets to be “elongated palewise”, i.e., with one point elongated to chief and another to base; this is no longer permitted.

Society practice allows other charges to be combined to form a mullet, although the combination’s outline must resemble a mullet to be blazoned as such. Thus the Society has examples of, e.g., a “mullet of five pheons, hafts conjoined”, or a “mullet of eight interlocking mascles”. The latter is considered a step from period practice.

Compass star (SFPP)

Rivenstar (Disallowed)

There are other variants of the mullet, unique to Society heraldry. The “compass star” is a mullet of four greater and four lesser points; its use is considered a step from period practice, and not permitted at all when elongated to base. (Likewise, any mullet of greater and lesser points is deemed a step from period practice: e.g., the “mullet of five greater and five lesser points”.) The “riven star” is essentially a compass star disjointed per bend sinister; as it has no period exemplars, the riven star is no longer registerable.

Some mullet variants are blazoned as though they were other charges: A “cross estoile” is a mullet of four points elongated to base; the usage does not appear to be period. A “sword of Höflichkeit” is an obsolete Society term for a mullet of four points elongated to base, gyronny Or and sable.

In English cadency, the mullet is the brisure of the third son. For related charges, see compass rose, cross estoile, estoile. See also sparks.

The King of Ansteorra bears: Or, a mullet of five greater and five lesser points sable within a laurel wreath vert, in chief a crown of three points, all within a tressure sable, overall issuant from base a demi-sun gules.

The Prince of Vindheim bears: Quarterly sable and gules, a laurel wreath and in chief three mullets of six points Or.

The Baron of Rivenstar bears: Azure, a riven star between in bend sinister two laurel wreaths, all argent.

The Baron of Brendoken bears: Per pale vert and sable, a mullet of eight points within a laurel wreath Or.

Áine ingen Néill mec Lugdech bears: Gules, three mullets argent.

Selivia de l’Estoile bears: Gyronny of six purpure and argent, a mullet of six points azure.

Aelfwine Denedom bears: Quarterly vert and sable, a mullet of four points throughout argent.

Paul of Sunriver bears: Azure, a compass star Or.

Robert FitzNorman bears: Azure, a mullet of eight interlocking mascles argent.

Michel le Blanc bears: Barry sable and argent, a mullet of three points pallwise throughout Or.

Katerine Rowley bears: Quarterly azure and Or, four spur-rowels counterchanged.

Ailis Linne bears as a badge: A mullet of five points voided and interlaced within and conjoined to an annulet azure.

Lion

Lion (Period)

The lion is a feline beast whose pride and strength have made it the King of Beasts and the noblest of animals. It is thus a frequent charge in medieval armory, dating from the earliest heraldic records: e.g., the canting arms of the Kingdom of Leon, c.1275 [ANA2 529].

The lion is rampant by default, as in the illustration. When depicted passant guardant, as in the arms of England, medieval heralds often blazoned him a “leopard”. To avoid confusion, Society blazons don’t use the unmodified term “leopard”: instead, the term “natural leopard” denotes the beast found in nature, and lions passant guardant are explicitly blazoned as such.

Lion passant guardant (Period)

Ounce (Period)

Period heraldic depictions of the lion were highly stylized, with pinched waist and exaggerated tufts and tail. Society heraldry also includes great cats, related to the lion, which tend to be drawn more naturalistically: the “Bengal tiger”, the “cheetah”, and the “natural leopard”, also called an “African leopard”. These cats differ trivially in outline; only their markings change.

There is also the “ounce”, a generic maneless lion, which is found (so blazoned) as the supporters of the Worshipful Company of Salters, 1591 [Bromley & Child 215]. The Society has also used more modern terms to blazon the ounce, such as “catamount”, “cougar”, “mountain lion”, or “natural panther”. All of these great cats, like the lion, are rampant by Society default.

Lion bicorporate (Period)

Lion tricorporate (Period)

Lionesses and lion cubs are rarely if ever found. More frequent are the variant forms: the lion “queue-fourchy” or “queue-fourchée”, with a tail split into two tails; the “double-headed lion”; the “lion bicorporate”, with two bodies attached to a single head, as in the arms of John Northampton, Mayor of London in 1381 [Dennys 137]; and the lion “tricorporate”, with three bodies attached to its head [Legh 47]. For related charges, see cat, panther, tyger.

The King of An Tir bears: Checky Or and argent, a lion rampant, tail forked and nowed sable, crowned gules, grasping in dexter forepaw a laurel wreath bendwise vert.

Flóki hvítskeggr Lambason bears: Argent, a lion rampant sable, armed, orbed and langued gules.

Cyrus Aurelius bears: Counter-ermine, three lions Or.

Guillaume de Saint Jacques bears: Sable, a lion sejant ermine.

Arianwen ferch Arthur bears: Quarterly argent and azure, four ounces sejant counterchanged.

Roger Fitzlyon bears: Per pall inverted azure, vert, and sable, a tricorporate lion argent.

Jewelry

Hexagonal gemstone (Period); step-cut gemstone (Accepted)

Jewelry are items of personal adornment, usually made from precious metals or stones. While they are often shown worn on a human form, they are also used as charges in their own right. Examples from Society armory include cameo busts, wristlets and arm-rings, and necklaces.

Individual gemstones are also sometimes found as charges, as in the civic arms of Beihlstein, 1605 [Siebmacher 226]. Gemstones should be cut in a period style: for instance, the gem in the arms of Beihlstein is hexagonal. In Society armory the step-cut (or emerald-cut), as seen in Holbein’s portraits, is the most common. By default, gemstones are drawn as seen from above – gemstones in profile are considered a step from period practice – and should be solidly tinctured, not chased. Post-period gem cuts, such as the brilliant cut, may not be registered.

The illustration shows an hexagonal gemstone, as in the arms of Beihlstein, and a step-cut gemstone as frequently seen in Society armory. For specific entries, see: brooch, crown, paternoster, ring, torque.

The Order of the Gemme d’Or, of Gyldenholt, bears: Azure, a hexagonal gemstone Or.

Gerold Bright Angel bears: Gules, a double cameo bust within two wings conjoined Or.

Branwen of Cherry Bay bears: Gules, a boar’s-tooth necklace in orle throughout argent.

Lucia Greenstone bears: Argent, a step-cut emerald palewise vert.

Human figure

Though human body parts (heads, hands, &c) were used as charges from the earliest days of heraldry, full human figures did not begin to be used in arms until the 14^th Century: e.g., the monk in the canting arms of Mönchen, c.1370 [Gelre 41v]. The usage seems to have begun on the Continent and eventually spread.

Maiden (Period)

Examples of human types include maidens, children, and old men. Humans seem to be statant affronty by default; when in some other posture (e.g., “passant”), they’re turned to dexter, but even then the torso partially faces the viewer. The exact type of human should be explicitly blazoned.

In period blazon, a human figure “proper” was assumed to be Caucasian (pink or white) unless otherwise specified; Society blazon had once followed this, but is now more inclusive. Human figures proper are now blazoned as one of three categories: “dark-skinned” or “Black” proper, which is sable or a dark shade of black or brown; “brown-skinned” or “Brown” proper, which is any other shade of brown except light tan; and “light-skinned” or “White” proper, which is white, light pink (carnation), or light tan. The first two categories are treated as colors for contrast purposes, and will conflict with one another, all else being equal. The third is treated as a metal, and will conflict with argent, all else being equal. For all three categories, hair tincture should be specified separately.

Human figures are assumed to be vested, but the exact nature of the vesting (especially if in another tincture) may also be blazoned. Lack of vestment should always be blazoned: nudes were not uncommon in period armory, as in the nude damsels (Italian donzelle) in the canting arms of Donine, mid-15^th C. [Triv 131], or the nude man in the arms of Dalzell, 1542 [Lindsay].

Many human figures are defined by their professions: e.g., the “monk” of Mönchen, noted above; the “builder” (German Bauer) in the arms of Pawr von Stain, mid-16^th C. [NW 64]; the “fool” (German Narr) in the arms of Narringer, mid-16^th C. [NW 12]; the “miner” in the arms of the Mines Royal Company, 1568 [Gwynn-Jones 105]. Occasionally, a notable figure is blazoned by name: e.g., “the figure of Saint George”. In these cases, the figures are appropriately garbed, without needing explicit blazon.

The “Turk” is mustachioed, and bald save for a long topknot of hair; if he wears a turban, it is explicitly blazoned. When “proper”, he is “light-skinned” with black hair. The Turk is found in the canting arms of Turcha, c.1550 [BSB Cod.Icon 276:123]. Turks’ heads are more often found: they’re frequent in Hungarian armory, a remnant of that conflict during the 16^th and 17^th Centuries; they are found in the arms of Captain John Smith (of Pocahontas fame), granted 1603 [Volborth 122; Woodcock & Robinson 38-39].

Moor (Period)

Saracen maintaining a scimitar (Period)

The “Moor” or “blackamoor” is a Negroid human, unbearded and with nappy hair. If he wears headgear (a torse, a kerchief, &c), it is explicitly blazoned. When “proper”, he is “dark-skinned” with black hair. Moors and Mooresses are frequently found, especially for canting purposes, as in the arms of Mordeysen, 1605 [Siebmacher 160].

The “Saracen” is sometimes misblazoned as a “Moor” in mundane armory. The Society has accepted the definition of a Saracen as having Semitic features, bearded by default; his hair, when visible, is long and wavy. He’s most frequently shown turbaned, but some period examples show him crowned or torsed; in any case, the headgear is explicitly blazoned. Saracen’s heads are found, blazoned as “soldan’s (sultan’s) heads” in the canting arms of Sowdan, c.1460 [RH]; the full figure is found in the arms of Thomshirn or Thumbshirn, 1605 [Siebmacher 158]. When “proper”, the Saracen is black-haired, “light-skinned” though a darker tan. (There were rare instances in period of dark brown Saracens [HCE xxxiv]; they should be blazoned “brown-skinned Saracens proper” in Society armory.)

Savage maintaining a club (Period)

Woodhouse (Period)

There was confusion in period between the “savage” or “sauvage” and the “wild man” or “woodhouse”. Both were wild and unclothed, but the term “woodhouse” referred to a specific form: long-haired, bearded, and body covered entirely in hair (some texts say leaves). This form was found as the canting crest of Sir Thomas Wodehouse, c.1520 [Walden 84; see also Friar 377]. The savage was similarly long-haired and bearded, and sometimes drawn covered with body hair, like the woodhouse; but the better-known form of savage has him smooth-skinned, girded with leaves, and often carrying a club. This form of savage was found in the arms of von Dachröden, 1605 [Siebmacher 149]. The very fact that the woodhouse and savage may be distinguished in English has probably led to their current heraldic definitions; and these are the definitions used in the Society.

Other specific variants include the “Saxon”, unbearded, light-skinned, and blond, garbed appropriately. The “knave” is a boy or youth, defined less by vestment than by attitude: the knave is shown making a rude face, pulling back his lips with the fingers of both hands. He’s found in the arms of Reyßmaul, mid-16^th Century [NW 154].

Of blazons peculiar to the human figure, Your Author’s favorite is one taken from Franklyn [215]: a nude maiden, with her arm hiding her bosom, may be termed a “maiden in her modesty”. A human “armed cap-a-pie” is fully armored in plate, from head to foot. A human “genuant” is in profile, kneeling on one knee.

For related charges, see ape, humanoid monsters, mandrake, skeleton. See also glove-puppet.

The Order of the Walker of the Way, of the Outlands, bears: Argent, a palmer, robed, hooded and bearing a staff sable.

Pawel Aleksander od Zerania bears: Azure, a man armed cap-a-pie and maintaining a lance and shield argent, between in chief two plates.

Jimena Montoya bears: Gules, a demi-maiden in her modesty and on a chief embattled argent a sword fesswise gules.

Martha Elcara bears: Azure, a nude blonde baby sejant erect to sinister, legs crossed proper.

Wulfgifu Wadylove of Wokyhole bears: Argent, a savage rampant and on a chief wavy azure two hearts argent.

Sofia Staritskaya bears: Per pale vert and sable, Saint George mounted and passant contourny, spear piercing a dragon in base within a bordure Or.

Sely Deth bears: Per pale gules and sable, a demi-knave vested and capped, pulling back his lips with his fingers argent.

Hedgehog

Hedgehog (Period)

The hedgehog is a small insectivorous beast, also called an “urchin” or “herrison”. When faced with danger it would roll itself into a ball, exposing only its spines; so it came to be a symbol of caution. It is a period charge, found in the canting arms of Herries, c.1275 [ANA2 120]. The hedgehog is statant by default, as in the illustration; its “proper” tincture is brown, with a white face and belly.

Of the period depictions of hedgehogs in armory, one curious example shows it with grapes impaling its spikes, rather like an animated hors d’oevre tray! It’s found this way as the crest of Claxton, 1561 [Gwynn-Jones 33].

Similar to the hedgehog is the “porcupine”, with longer and fewer quills which were held to be poisonous. It too is a period charge, dating to 1445 in the arms of Eyre [Parker 473]. A crowned porcupine was the badge of Louis XII, d.1515 [Neubecker 210].

Rúadnat ingen Diarmada bears: Or, three hedgehogs statant gules.

Oláfr Ígulbjarnarson bears: Vert, an urchin sejant erect argent.

Judhael de Cornouailles bears: Argent, a chevron gules cotised, in base a porcupine statant sable.

Mergriet van Edelare bears: Gules, a hedgehog statant argent its quills impaling grapes purpure.

Mistholme

heraldry, illumination, and random jottings