Crescent

Crescent

Crescent, (fr. croissant, old fr. cresaunt, pl. cressanz): a half-moon with the horns uppermost. The other positions of the half-moon, viz. increscent and decrescent, will be found mentioned under moon.

A crescent is the ancient ensign of the Turks, and was without doubt introduced into heraldry(properly so called) by the crusaders, and hence in arms dating from Henry III.'s reign onwards it is very frequently employed. It is also the mark of cadency assigned to the second house.

Azure, a crescent argent--LUCY. London.

Frank de BOUN, de goules ung croissant de hermyn, ung urle dez merlotts d'ermyn--Roll, temp. HEN. III.

Sire William de RYTHE de azure a iij cressans de or--Roll, temp. ED. II.

Sire Johan de HANLON de goules a iij cressanz de argent--Ibid.

Monsire de RITHERE port d'asur a trois cressants d'argent--Roll, temp, ED. III.

Monsire de WAUTLAND d'argent un fes gules a deux cressents gules en le chief--Ibid.

Sable, a fesse dancetty or, between three crescents argent--ROUS, Earl of Stradbroke.

Gules, five crescents or--William de KILKENNY, Bp. of Ely, 1254-56.

Argent, a lion rampant gules between five pierced mullets, the two in chief enclosing a pair of crescents sable, the others as the second--DYSON.

In some coats it is noted that the crescents are to be reversed, i.e. with the horns downwards, and they are then blazoned as pendent.

Gules, a bend argent between six crescents 'pendent' or--Esmond FOLLYOT.