Of charges

Cross of Charges

§8. Beyond the variations to which the cross is subjected there are certain devices which are made up of charges arranged in the form of the cross, and so in some cases are blazoned as such. A cross, for instance, of four ermine-spots, with the heads meeting(fr. abouttées or appointées) in the fesse-point, has been blazoned by some heralds as a Cross erminée. A cross composed of four escallop shells, or of four pheons, would only be blazoned as such.

Argent, a cross of four ermine-spots sable--HURSTON, Cheshire.

Vert, a cross of four escallops, the tops at the centre meeting, or--WENCELAUGH, co. York, 1584.

Quarterly, gules and azure, a cross of four pheons, the points to the centre argent--TRUBSHAWE.

With respect, however, to the formation of crosses from lozenges, fusils, and mascles, the device is so frequent that the terms cross lozengy, or cross fusilly(fr. fuselée), or cross masculy of such a tincture, are frequently adopted, though strict heralds consider these terms inadmissible, for lozengy, masculy, and fusilly require that two tinctures should be named, and that the cross or other ordinary be drawn entire, and treated just as if it was blazoned chequy, or compony, or any other form of diversification; they therefore contend, and with reason, that the proper expression for a cross of this description should be a cross of so many lozenges, fusils, &c.

But further than this, very strict heralds contend that a cross fusil, or of fusils(where no particular number is mentioned), should consist of nine, whereof five should be enire and four halved for the extremities, which touch the edge of the shield. If, however, the blazon runs, 'a cross of so many fusils,' especially of fusils conjoined, all the fusils should be entire, but need not necessarily touch the edge of the shield. If, however, they are intended to touch the edge of the shield, then the term throughout should be added. Practically, however, these rules are in ancient drawing never adhered to, and in modern drawing but seldom. What has been said of fusils applies of course also to lozenges and mascles.

Examples below will be found to illustrate sufficiently the variety of blazon, and it will be noted also that in some cases a cross composed of lozenges, of fusils, is terminated by some other device, e.g. fleuretty, or by a bezant.

Or, a cross of lozenges, and in the dexter chief an eagle displayed gules--FODRINGHEY.

Gules, a cross lozengy argent--STAWELL, Devon.

Gules, a cross of nine lozenges conjoined argent--STOWELL, Somerset.

Argent, a cross of five lozenges conjoined gules--Sr. de KESSELL.

Per pale or and azure, a cross lozengy counterchanged--HASLEFOOTE.

Quarterly or and sable, a cross lozengy counterchanged--HUNT.

Or, a cross of nine mascles gules--QUATERMAN, Leicester.

Gules, a cross masculy argent--BUTLER.

Azure, a cross of four mascles conjoined or--MILLER, Warwickshire.

Argent, a cross of nine mascles throughout gules--John de BREWES.

Argent, a cross of four fusils sable--Sir Thomas BANESTER, K.G.

Gules, a cross lozengy fleuretty or, a crescent for difference--FOTHERBY, Bp. of Salisbury, 1618-20.

Gules, a cross flory of nine fusils or--FOTHERBY, co. Lincoln, 1730.

Gules, a cross of four mascles argent, at each point a bezant--WALOIS.

In many cases, too, we find five or more charges arranged in cross, and in one case a cross is supposed to be formed of one lozenge with the fleury projections(see under mascle); and in another case a cross is formed of bones. While to a cross composed of two strings of beads the name of cross pater-noster has been given, although no example is cited.

Argent, fretty of six sable, five crosses crosslet fitchy in cross as the first--Sr. de BUGG.

Gules, a cross flory of one lozenge or--CASSYLL.

Sable, a cross of a thigh bones, in dexter chief a bezant--RALPH BAYNE, Bp. of Lichfield and Coventry, 1554-59.

Another way of composing a cross is by crossing bars, or rather barrulets or fillets, as some heralds term them, for the horizontal line, with endorses or batons for the vertical line. When two of these occur the term cross biparted or double parted is used, and when three occur it is called a cross triple parted. By the following examples it will be seen how loosely the various terms are used.

Gules a cross of one barrulet ermines, and an endorse ermine, both humetty--SPONNE.

Azure, a cross double parted argent--DOUBLER.

Argent, a cross triple parted and fretted sable--SKIRLAW, or SCYRLOW, Yorkshire.

Argent, a cross of six batunes interlaced sable--SKIRLAWE, Bp. of Lichfield, 1366; afterwards of Bath and Wells, 1386-88.

Argent, a cross humetty triple parted azure--HURST, Salop.

Azure, a cross of three barrulets, and as many endorses fretted argent, dovetailed or--PICKFORD.

If a Cross triparted should be also flory heralds say that the fillets, &c., should terminate in the manner shewn in the margin, but no example is given in the works which lay down this rule.

A cross cabled is given in English lists(in French lists cablée) and described as formed of a cable or twisted rope; but no arms bearing these devices, either English or French, have been noticed. And the fr. cr. vivrée probably consists of a fillet crossed by an endorse, both of them nebuly or dancetty.