Buckle

Buckle

Buckle(fr. boucle), or fermail(old fr. fermaille): from an early period buckles were used as charges.

Sire William ROSSELYN de azure iij fermaus de or--Roll, temp. ED. II.

Sire Peres ROSSELYN de goules a iij fermauls de argent--Ibid.

Sire Robert MALET de sable a un cheveron e iij fermals de argent--Ibid.

As buckles of various forms occurred in heraldry it became necessary to mention the shape. An arming-buckle is in the form of a lozenge.

Azure, an arming-buckle argent, between three boar's heads or--FERGUSON, Kilkerran.

Argent, three lozenge-(or mascle-, or arming-)buckles gules--JERNINGHAM or JERNEGAN, Suff.

Argent, a fesse sable in the dexter chief a square buckle gules--GILBY.

We find besides, square buckles, circular buckles, and even oval buckles figured. In some examples the tongues are turned to the dexter, in others to the sinister; and to the variety of buckles may be added the gar buckle(possibly contraction for garter buckles), and the belt-buckle.

Sable, three round buckles argent, tongues pendent--JODDREL, Cheshire.

Azure, three gar-buckles argent(possibly garter-buckles)--STUKELEY.

Argent, a chevron between three circular buckles sable--TRECOTHIK.

Or, a lion rampant gules; over all on a bend wavy sable an oval buckle tongue upwards, between two mascles argent--SPENCE, Edinburgh.

Argent, three belt-buckles sable--SAPCOTT.

Argent, a fesse azure between three belt-buckles gules--BRADLEY.

A strap or garter with a buckle may be termed buckled, and generally the buckle is of another tincture.

Gules, three men's garters nowed and buckled argent--SYDEMERS.