ARMS, COAT OF, or ARMORIAL BEARINGS. These have properly been defined, hereditary marks of honour, consisting of certain tinctures and figures, borne in a shield, granted by sovereigns for distinguishing persons and families.
We are entirely unacquainted both with the country where armorial bearings originated, and the earliest mode of using them. Some authors incline to icier them to a very ancient date, because Tacitus affirms, that the shields of the Germans were diStingbished by colours, and Diodorus ascribes similar characteristics to the Gauls. We hesitate, however, in admitting such general observations as conclusive of the fact ; particu larly as we know that the rudest modern nations orna ment their shields with different kinds of colouring. But whatever might be their origin, they were adopted by universal consent throughout all Europe, and the privilege of bearing them was guarded with the utmost jealousy. Ordinances were made in every civilized state, regulating the rights of those individuals entitled to armorial bearings, and what they should use. They were insignia reserved only for persons of exalted sta tion, or men who had signalized themselves in feats of war, or personal prowess. No branch of a family might assume the arms of his chief without suitable differ ences, and the lower orders were rigorously prohibited from aspiring to such emblems of dignity. This con tinued long the case, and even when ancient strictness had so far relaxed, that merchants were permitted to bear arms, the figures allotted to them were none of those comprehended under real heraldic marks and cha racters. It was dangerous to infringe the statutes en acting such limitations, for the lowest penalty decreed was confiscation of the articles whereon arms, thus un lawfully assumed, were imprinted. Indeed, but a few years have elapsed since a valuable piece of property was confiscated under the enactment of some of the Scottish ordinances on this head, and publicly sold in the capital, for bearing arms unlawfully assumed.
A full coat of arms consists in the first and principal place of the shield, and secondly, of its accessories, which, although many heralds reckon ten in number, we restrict to three, the crest, motto, and supporters. The
rest we judge to conic under the denomination of orna ments, as they Ak e dependent either on each other, or on some more material part. Heralds of note have viewed the supporters and motto in the same light, thus reducing armorial bearings to the crest and shield alone. Practice, however, has established a different rule.
The shield is the sole essential part of arms, and it is. there that the genuine and characteristic insignia of the owner are contained. During the prevalence of iron armour, whereby the person was completely enveloped and concealed from view, the figures imprinted on his shield sheaved his identity to his follvers. There was on that account a necessity for adopting great diversity in a numerous army : and though the figures, as authors think, may have originally represented the rude imple ments of war, or fanciful devices, they have in progress of time increased almost to infinity. A modern writer professes his design to enumerate no less than 50.000 coats armorial and crests. The same arms, without any whatever, have been retained by families dur ing several centuries ; but many, to shew their alliances, have adopted such numerous quarterings, that the ori ginal insignia can be very indistinctly recognised. Some heralds have thence been induced to consider those arms the most honourable with fewest figures in the shield, such as a fess, cheveron, saltine, or checque.
Even now it is equally unlawiul as ever to assume arms without a royal grant, or one issuing from the pro per officer of the crown. An individual who thinks him self entitled to a coat armorial, applies to the Heralds office in London, or the Lyon King at Arms in Scot land, producing authentic documents in support of his claim. Should those prove satisfactory, a warrant is is sued containing his name, pedigree, and a blazon of the arms which he shall henceforward be entitled to bear.