Baton Sinister

Baton Sinister

Baton Sinister, Baston, Batton, Battoon, Batune. Also termed a Fissure. A mark of illegitimacy, is a diminutive of the bend sinister, being one fourth its breadth. It does not extend from side to side of the shield ; and may be borne either plain or charged. See P. 19, f. 27.

The Baton has been adopted since the fifteenth century, in England, to mark theillegitimate descendants of the Eoj'al Family only ; before which time no jDositive rule prevailed, since the more ancient ways of marking illegitimacy were by the Bend, either jjlacing the Father's arms thereon or debruising them by it ; the Border was also used as a mark of bastardy.