Funeral Achievements

Funeral Achievements

Funeral Achievements, or Hatchment. Is the Coat of Arms painted and framed.

The frame is lozenge shaped, and coveredwith black cloth. It is placed on the front of the house on the morning of interment, where it generally remains for twelve months, and thence is removed and frequently put up in the Church. The arms on a Hatchment are always painted as borne by the party when living, so that the Hatchment of a Peer is known by his Coronet, Mantle, etc. A Baronet by his Badge ; a Knight by his Helmet, or Badg3 and Motto of his Order; a Bishop by the Jhtre. etc. ; a Bachelor's by his Shield; and a Maid, or Widow's by her Lozenge ; the only difference is, that when a married woman dies before her husband the Crest is omitted. To distinguish what party is dead, the ground on which the arms are painted, is represented either Black or White, or one side White, the other Black. Thus the Arms of a Bachelor, Maid, Widow, and Widower, are painted upon a Black ground. When a married woman dies, her husband still surviviiiiT, the sinister half of the trround is painted Black, the dexter White. If a married man dies, and his wife survives, the ground is painted the reverse. In many instances, instead of the family motto, the words " In coelo quies " or " Resurgam " are placed on the Hatchment.

The Hatchment of aBachelor. P. 46, f. 23. Bishop, f. 35. Husband dead, wife surviving, f. 25, Husband dead, wife an Heiress surviving, f. 27. Husband dead, first wife dead, second surviving. f. 29. Husband both wives dead . 30. Maid. f. 24. Widow, f. 32. Widower, f. 31. Wife dead, husband surviving, f. 26. Wife an Heiress dead, husband surviving, f. 28.