REPAHTITION LINES, are those by which the shield is divided into unequal parts, as coupe my-partee, and party my-coupee. Sec Figs. 53 and 54.
Of the Figures of Heraldry.
25. These are either peculiar to heraldry, and derive their names from it, and therefore called ordinaries ; or they are things natural or artificial, used in armories, but retaining their own proper names ; these are charges, pro pel ly so called.
I. Of Ordinaries.
All ordinaries are composed of some one or other of the above-mentioned lines. and are in number 19, according to the English heralds, viz.
I. The CHIEF, which is formed by one line only drawn, horizontally across the face of the shield, so as to separate the third part of the escutcheon from the rest. See Plate CCXCII. Fig. 1.
2. The PALE, which is composed of two parallel lines drawn perpendicular from the chief to the base of the escutcheon, and should contain one third part of the breadth of the shield. See Fig. 2.
N. B. The pale admits of two subdivisions, or diminu tions, as to its breadth. The half of the pale is called a pallet ; and the half of the pallet is called an endorse or verget. According to the strict rules of heraldry, neither endorse nor pallet can be charged.
3. The BEND, which is formed by two equidistant lines drawn diagonally from the dexter chief to the sinister base of the escutcheon, according to a rule laid down by Leigh, Holme,Guillim, 8.7.c. should, if charged, be in breadth one third ; if not charged, one-fifth of the shield. Others make no such distinction, hut tell us, that the bend possesseth always the third part of the escutcheon from the right chief angle to the left base angle.
When there are more than one bend in a coat, they are called bendlets ; but when the field is equally divided by 4, 5, 6, 8, or 10 lines, or any even number bendways, then it is termed bendy of so many pieces.
The bend, or as it may be called for distinction sake, the bend dexter, has more subdivisions or diminutives than any of the other ordinaries : 1st, The bendlet, which should contain one-sixth of the shield ; 2dly, A garter ; idly, A cottise ; 4thly, A ribbon, none of which can be with propri ety charged. See Fig. 3.
4. The bend sinister, which passes diagonally from the sinister chief point to the dexter point in base, has not the same diminutives as those of the bend dexter ; but, ac cording to some heraldic writers, is subdivided into a scarp or scarf, which has just half the breadth of the bend sinis ter, and a batton or fissure containing half the breadth of the scarf. See Fig. 4.
Many, however, will by no means admit of the batton be ing said to be a diminutive of the bend sinister, or any part of any of the ordinaries. According to many years practice, the batton does not touch the extremities of the shield, nor the extremities of the quarter where the paternal arms are placed, as all the ordinaries do, but is, on the contrary, coujied or cut short, and so borne as a mark of illegitima cy, (as may be seen in the arms of the Dukes of St Al bans, Grafton, and Buccleuch, all descended from bas tards of King Charles the Sccond,) and not as an ordinary or charge, or any part of the coat. For although some in stances are to be met with of ancient arms, where the bat ton sinister is passed from the sinister chief to the dexter base over all, and others where it passes from corner to cor ner over the paternal arms, and not over the other guar terings ; yet in every one of these it is used as a mark of illegitimacy, and not as either an ordinary or a charge. This mark or batton may, in the arms of royal bastards, be of metal or fur, or both ; but in the escutcheons of those of the humbler sort, of colours only. When both a bend dexter and a bend sinister occur in the same coat, that is first mentioned which lies nearest the shield ; thus argent, a bend azure surmounted by a bend sinister.
5. The FEss is formed by two lines drawn horizontally across the shield, and is understood to comprehend in breadth the third part of the shield, though less room is often assigned to it. This ordinary cannot be divided or diminished like the bend, but may be voided, a form to which all the ordinaries are liable. Voided is said of an ordinary when its middle is cut away, so that no more of it remains visible than the two outside- lines ; as azure a fess voided argent, by the name of Bleckall.