Couped

Cross Couped

§7. At with other ordinaries, a cross may be couped; and then it is termed humetty(fr. alaisée, spelt sometimes alésée), though the term coupée seems to be occasionally used. Of course all the four arms are couped, unless there is any distinguishing note to the contrary. It would also appear that this cross should be always drawn with its arms equal. When more than one cross or crosslet occurs in the same shield it stands to reason they must be humetty, so that it is not necessary to mention it.

D'argent, à la croix alaisée de gueules--XAINTRAILLES, Ile de France.

A cross humetty between four plain crosslets--John de PONTISSARA, Bp. of Winchester, 1282-1304.

Azure, a bend wavy in the sinister chief a cross coupy argent--arms assigned to William de CURBELLIO, Abp. of Canterbury, 1123-36.

The term humetty is sometimes used in connection with special terminations to the arms of the cross, but practically it is needless, for were the cross extended to the edges there would be no room for such terminations. See e.g. cross annuletty, §11, and fleuretty, §20; also gringolée and the like, §21. To these might be added anserated and ancetty(from the French anse, 'a handle'), though the terms have not been observed in any English blazon.

Azure, a cross humetty terminated with four leopard's heads or--PECKHAM.

Argent, a cross humetty gules, the point in chief terminating in a crescent of the last--WANLEY.

Sable, billetty argent, a cross humetty at top, and there flory of the last--Sir John MORIS, co. Gloucester[Harl. MS. 1465, fol. 53].

On the other hand a cross pattée(which is naturally humetty) must be blazoned as throughout or fixed, if it is intended that the four arms of the cross should reach to the edges of the shield. See §26.

See also passant, as meaning of throughout.

The French term tronçonné, signifying that the cross is broken up into small cubes, is given by Edmondson, and others, but no examples have been noticed either in French or English arms.

One example only of a demi-cross has been observed.