2. The fret (fig. 25) is a cognizance derived from the banding or ornamenting of the shield, and a shield covered with this lattice-work decoration (fig. 26) is said to befretty.
3. The bordure, or border (fig. 27), is a stripe encircling the shield. It is much used to distinguish different branches of a family, and is often charged with small devices, on which account it has sometimes been reckoned an hon orable ordinary.
4. The orle (fig. 28) differs from a bordure in not, touching the extremity of the shield.
5. The tressure, regarded as a diminutive of the orle, is generally borne double, and flory counterflory, as in the arms of Scotland, or, a lion rampant within a tressure flory counterflory gules (fig. 29).
G. The pall (fig. 30), the archiepis copal ornament of that name, sent from Rome to metropolitans, and resembling in form the letter Y.
7. The flundas (fig. 31), the dexter and sinister sides of the shield cut off by a curved line., Flanches are always borne in pairs, and sometimes charged.
8. The lozenge, a figure of four equal sides, with the upper and lower angles acute, and the others obtuse.
9. The fusil (fig. 32), longer and more acute than the lozenge.
10. The rustre (fig. 33), a lozenge pierced round in the center.
11. The masele (fig. 34), a lozenge perforated, and showing a narrow border. Mas cies were probably originally links of chain-armor.
A field is said to be lozengy (fig. 35), fusilly, or mascally when divided by diagonal lines in the direction of these subordinaries. A field divided by horizontal and perpen dicular lines into squares of different tinctures is said to be cheeky; in the case of a fess cheeky there are three such rows of squares.
Among subordinaries are sometimes reckoned certain circular charges called roundels or roundlets, distinguished in English heraldry by different names according to their tinctures. When of or, they are called bezants; of argent, plates; of gules, torteaux; of azure, hurts; of purpure, golpes; and of sable, ogresses or pellets.
We now come to the third class of figures occurring in armorial bearings. We have seen that the ordinaries and subordinaries are for the most part purely heraldic figures, connected in their origin with the shield itself; the common charges, on the other band, are representations more or less conventional of familiar objects, which have no neces sary relation to the shield; but are in some way emblematic as concerns family or indi vidual history and character. The knights, in the early days of heraldry, ransacked the animal, the vegetable, and the mineral kingdom, as well as the range of things natural and artificial, for cognizanees which would be distinctive, and at the same time sugges tive, of the name or title of the bearer of them. We can only enumerate a few of the charges of most frequent occurrence.
Of beasts, the lion requires special mention. The king of beasts is one of the most
frequent of heraldic devices, and is made to assume a great variety of attitudes, for which see LION. Lions and other beasts of prey are said to be armed or langued of any tincture when their teeth and claws, or their tongue, is of that tincture. With some change of color or position, the royal beast came to he used by all who could claim kindred, however remote, with royalty, and lions were further multiplied by augmenta tions granted by the sovereign to favorite followers. The heral&rd leopard, which has been the subject of much controversy, was originally but another designation for the lion passant-gardant. Bears, boars, bulls, stags, are favorite heraldic beasts. A stag walking is said to be trippant; he is at gaze when a lion would be statant-gardant; he is attired of any tincture when his horns are of that tincture. The animals that possess horns and hoofs are said to be armed and uvula( in respect of them. The heads and limbs of animals are often borne as charges, and they may be either cooped, cut off in a straight line, or erased, cut off with a jagged edge.
Of birds, we have first the eagle. The sovereign of birne, and symbol of imperial Jove, was, next to the lion, the most favorite cognizance of royal personages, and was adopted by the German emperors, who claimed to be successors of the Caesars of RoMe. The imperial eagle had at first but one head; the monstrosity of a second head seems to have arisen from a, dimidiation of two cagles,.t.o represent the eastern and west ern empire (see 11fkitAirAt.i7i OF Arius). The eagle of lietaldry is Most generally d2:9 played, i.e., its wings are expanded; sometimes it is preying,' or standing devouring its prey. The alerion, the cognizance of the duchy of Lorraine and the family of Mont morency, Was originally but a for the eagle assumed (M. Manche suggests) as an anagram for the word Loraine, but modern heralds have degraded it into a nonde script creature without beak or claws. The martlet was originally a martin, a species of swallow, which has also in course of time been deprived by heralds of its legs and beak. The pelican, the swan, the cock, the falcon, the raven, the parrot or popinjay, and the peacock, are all of tolerably frequent occurrence. The pelican has her wings indorsed, or placed back to back, and is depicted pecking her breast. When in her nest feeding her young, she is called a pelican in her piety. A peacock borne affronffi with his tail expam...sd is said to be in his pride. Birds of prey are armed of the color of which their beak and talons are represented. Such as have no talons are beaked and membered. The cock is said to be armed, crested, and jelloped, the latter term referring to his comb and gills. Birds having the power of flight are, in respect to their attitude, close, rising, or volant.