Bend sinister

Bend sinister

Bend sinister, (fr. barre): an ordinary resembling the Bend is form, but extending from the sinister chief to the dexter base. It is, however, borne in English arms but rarely. Its diminutives are the scarpe, which is half its width, and the baton(q.v.), which is half as wide as the scarpe and couped.

Argent, a bend sinister gules--BIZZET, Scotland.

Or, a bend sinister azure--TRYE[originally from France].

Argent, three bendlets engrailed sable; over all a scarpe gules--BLAGE, Kent.

According to Nisbet, bends sinister were formerly much borne in Scotland, but have generally been changed to dexter bends of late, from a mistaken notion that they always betokened illegitimacy. It is the sinister baton(or diminutive bend couped), which alone conveys this disgrace, In Germany the bend is borne almost as frequently sinister as dexter.