BLA'ZON, BLA'ZONB.Y (Ger. blasen, to blow, as with a horn). These heraldic terms originated in the custom of blowing a trumpet to announce the arrival of a knight, or his entrance into the lists at a joust or tournament. The blast was answered by the heralds, who described aloud and explained the arms borne by the knight. B. and B. thus came to signify the art of describing, in technical terms, the objects (or charges, as they are called) borne in arms—their positions, gestures, tinctures, etc., and the manner of arranging them on the Rules of Blazoning.—As heraldry, though an entirely arbitrary, is a very accurate science, the rules of blazoning are observed on all occasions with the most rigid precis ion. The following are the most important: 1. In blazoning or describing a coat of arms, it is necessary to begin with the field, mentioning the lines by which it is divided per pale, per fess, etc., if such there be—and noticing if they are indented, engrailed, or the like, it being taken for granted that they are straight, unless the contrary be men tioned. 2. There must be no unnecessary repetition in blazoning; thus, where the field is blue, and the charg.es yellow, we should say, azure. a crescent between three stars, or, thereby implying that both the crescent and the stars are or. 3. For the same reason,
where a color has been already mentioned, and it is necessary, in order to avoid ambiguity, to repeat it in describing a subsequent charge, we say, of the first. or of the second, as the case may be. Thus, we should say, azure, on a saltire argent, three water bougets of the first, thus avoiding the repetition of the Word azure. 4. Again, recurring to our first example, it would be an error to say, three stars with a crescent between them, because we must always begin with the charge which lies nearest the center of -the shield. 6. Where the charges are of the natural color of the objects or animals represented, in place of describing the color, you simply say proper—i.e., of the proper or natural color. 6. Another general rule in blazoning, or rather in marshaling coat-armor, is, that metal shall never be placed upon metal, nor color upon to!or.
The rules for blazoning separate charges, whether animate or inanimate. are indi cated in the descriptions which will be found of them under their respective heads. See OuorNmuns; also BAR, BEND, etc. •