Child

Child

Child: Children, bays and infants are represented on armorial bearings as early as the sixteenth century, and in a great variety of ways. Perhaps some of the oldest are those where the eagle snatches away the child from its cradle, which occurs in different families, and is variously depicted in the arms of the branches of the same family. Of course such arms are readily associated with tradition, but it is scarcely within the scope of a 'glossary' to discuss them. More frequently, however, the children's heads(q.v.) alone occur.

Argent, an eagle sable, crined gules, standing on a child proper, swathed or lying in a cradle vert--COULCHIEFE.

Azure, an eagle preyant sable upon a child swaddled gules--CULCHETH, Lancaster.

Argent, a tree eradicated sable; on it a nest of the first, in which is a child proper, swaddled gules, seized on by an eagle volant of the second.--RISLEY.

The three children in a tub or vessel are generally referred to the miracle of S.Nicolas, who restored them after they had been murdered and salted down for food; and in the insignia of the SEE OF ABERDEEN the Bishop is represented as praying over them. (See under Bishop.) Some curious legend must account for the origin of the following.

Sable, a goat argent, attired or, standing on a child proper, swaddled gules, and feeding on a tree vert--DAVIES, Hope, Co. Montgomery.

To another, (probably that of W. de ALBINI) is due the arms of Richard BARNES, Bishop of Carlisle, in which a naked child, front faced, is represented in one instance as holding in both hands the tongue of a bear. The following is one blazon.

Azure, on a bend argent, between two estoiles or, a bear passant sable, semie des estoiles of the third, ready to devour a naked child of the fourth; on a chief of the second, three roses gules radiated with rays of the sun proper--Richard BARNES, Bp. of Carlisle, 1570; Bp. of Durham, 1577-87.

Other blazoning of these arms is found.

Azure, a bend argent between two estoiles or, a bear passant sable estoiled or, seizing a man proper; on a chief azure three roses gules radiated or--BARNES.

Azure, on a bend argent, between two estoiles or, a naked boy, front faced, holding in both hands proper sable the tongue of a bear statant of the last estoiled gold, a chief as the second charged with three roses gules radiated like the third.--BARNES[the arms confirmed 1571, Harl. MS. 5847].

The FOUNDLING HOSPITAL in London has for its insignia:

Per fesse azure and vert; in chief a crescent argent between two mullets of six points or; in base an infant exposed and stretching out its arms for help proper. Motto, 'Help.'