Azure, blue, the lines in this instance are horizontal, (see fig. 4,) and intended for the tint of the air or sky, and is said to denote loyalty, fidelity, and chastity ; the precious stone and planet in azure were adopted as possessed of superior quali ties, emblematic of the worth of nobles and princes.
Sable, or black, represented by per pendicular and horizontal lines crossing each other at right angles (see fig. 5). Sable indicates gravity, constancy, and grief for the loss of friends ; the diamond is the most valuable of all stones, and Sa turn presides over counsellors and other grave characters.
Vert, green, the lines are bend ways (see fig. 6.) or from the sinister corner of the chief to the opposite of the base, and is emblematical of youth, peace, and con cord.
Purpure, is a colour composed of a large part of crimson, and a less of blue, and the lines which express it tend di reedy contrary to those of vert, (see fig. 7.) this word is derived from the fish call ed purpura ; the amathyst was preferred, for its excellence, to decorate the breast of Aaron, and the planet Mercury signi fies goodness of temper, Tenne, or tawny, is a mixture of red and yellow, and represented by lines like those of purpure ; it has been but little used in but was formerly in a considerable degree in France.
Sanguine, is composed of' lake and a small quantity of Spanish hrown, and ex pressed by lines as purpure ; it was much used by the knights of the Bath, and by the serjeants at law, in their vestments ; the Sardonix is said by St. John to be the sixth stone in the Heavenly Jerusalem.
Furs are the next object to be consi dered, the use of which may be thus ex plained.
Ermine, implies a field argent, with the powdering sable, (see fig. 8.) Ermines; is the reverse, or a field sable, and the powderings argent.
Erminois, signifies a field or, and the powdering sable.
Penn, is a field sable, and the powder ings or.
Vair, is of two descriptions ; if it con sists of argent and azure, it is sufficient to say vair ; but if it is compounded of any other colours, it is usual to say vairy of the colours adopted, (see fig. 9.) Fig. 10 is blazoned potent-counter-po tent, and the colours argent and azure.
Doublings, or furs, were anciently, and are at present, used for the linings of the robes and mantles of senators, consuls, and kings.
The bordure is extended to a great va riety, as (fig. 11) gules a bordure, or ; (fig. 12) a bordure indented, argent ; (fig. 13) a bordure counter compose, ar gent and gules.
The bordure is generally one-sixth part of the breadth of the shield, and is in grailed, indented, charged, componed, and countered. If the inner line of the bordure is strait and the latter plain the colour of the bordure alone is named in blazoning ; if it is charged with parts of plants or flowers, it is described as verdoy of trefoils. If it consists of ermines, vair or vairy, or any of the furs, the heralds say purflew of ermines. When charged with martlets, charged with an enaluron of martlets.
The label is the first of the distinctive marks of the branches of a family, and is borne by the eldest son during the life of his father (see fig. 14). The second son bears a crescent, the third a mullet, the fourth a martlet, the fifth an annulet, the sixth a fleur de lis, the seventh a rose, the eighth a' cross moline, and the ninth a double quatrefoil. (see figures 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22.) Those differences should be strictly ob served by every brother or house, to prevent contention relating to coat ar mour.
In the second house, the first son bears a crescent charged with a label during his father's life only ; the second son, of the same house, a crescent charged with ano ther crescent; the third, a crescent charg ed with a mullet ; the fourth, a cres cent charged with a martlet ; the fifth, a crescent charged with an annulet ; and the sixth, a crescent charged with a fleur de lis.
The mullet, which is the difference of the third house, is thus charged : the first son, with a label during the life of his fa ther; the second, with a crescent ; the third, with a mullet ; the fourth, with a martlet ; the fifth, with an annulet ; and the sixth, a fleur de lis.
The martlet, annulet, and fleur de lis, the differences of the fourth, fifth, and sixth houses, are charged for distinctions similar to the mullet.