Voided

Cross Voided

§6. A cross is described as voided when the central portion of the four limbs is of the same tincture as the field, and only a narrow border is left, and this is found in ancient blazon described as 'une fausse croix.'

The term voide is used of a Cross in one or two ancient rolls in connection with recercelé, and it has been thought to imply that the voiding extends into the field, which may be described as voided throughout, and as is shewn in the illustration of the arms of KNOWLES. (See under §32.)

Hamon CREVECEUR, d'or ung faulx crois de goules--Roll, temp. HEN. III.

Azure, crusily, a cross moline voided throughout[otherwise disjoined] or--KNOWLES, Barony, 1603.

Gules, a cross patty pointed voided argent; at each corner a bezant--Henry LE WALYS(Glover's Ordinary).

Argent, a cross flory voided gules--James PILKINGTON, Bp. of Durham, 1561-76.

Ermine, a cross voided sable--ARCHDEACON, Harl. MS. 5866.

Argent, a cross humetty voided azure--WASHBORNE.

Or, a cross humetty pointed, voided azure--BURR.

But as it is possible to superimpose one cross upon another(fr. croix chargée, or remplie), and the latter may be of the tincture of the field, the result would be the same as a cross voided. Modern heralds consider that the difference is to be shewn by the shading of the lines, as already noted in the case of the chevron, but such niceties were unknown is ancient heraldry.

De gueules, à la croix d'argent chargée d'une croix alaisée d'azur--NEUFVILLE, Limosin.

Further, there is a third way in which such arms might in some cases be blazoned, namely, as fimbriated, bordured, or edged(fr. bordé) of such a tincture.

And with this may be noted crosses which have cotices, though these are by no means common in English arms. One remarkable example, however, occurs, in which a fleur-de-lis serves as a cotice instead of a line.

Argent, a cross gules fimbriated or--BRADESTONE.

Argent, a cross or bordured sable--TIPPET.

Quarterly or and azure, over all on a griece of three steps a holy cross, all of the first fulfylled sable[i.e. sable fimbriated gold]--Cluniac Priory at LYNTON, Notts.

Argent, a cross cottised with eight demi-fleurs-de-lis, their bottoms towards the fesse-point, sable, between four mullets pierced of the last--ATKINS, co. Cork.