Hand

Hand

Hand, (fr. main): the human hand is often borne in coat armour, though only one instance has been observed in the early rolls, and that only incidental. When no other position is mentioned it is understood to be apaumé, as in the arms of ULSTER, which came to be the badge of a baronet of Great Britain; it is borne either on an escutcheon or canton. See Baronet. Otherwise the hand may be borne dorsed(or, as it is sometimes called, aversant); or it may be in fesse, or with the fingers downwards, or clenched, or holding some object; the hand is generally couped at the wrist, and is so represented if no other description is given; sometimes, however, the blazon runs couped below, or above the wrist; generally a dexter hand is named, and it is so understood unless a sinister is specified; hands in armour should rather be blazoned gauntlets. See also Gloves.

Sometimes heads are represented as clasping or embracing; and with French heralds two heads joined thus are simply blazoned une foi. In connection with this the arms of PUREFOY and PUREFEY should be noted.

Argent, a sinister hand erect couped gules--Province of ULSTER.

Sire Johan de COYNERS dazure ov la maunch dor e ove la meyn[i.e. a maunche or, a hand proper]--Roll, temp. ED. II.

Azure, a dexter hand[in some instances, a sinister hand] apaumé, couped, argent--BROME.

Gules, a fesse between four dexter hands couped argent--QUATERMAIN, Oxford.

Gules, a dexter hand couped barways argent--BAREMAINE.

Or, on a chief gules a hand couped barwise[otherwise extended transverse the chief] argent--MAINSTONE.

Gules, three hands, fingers downwards argent; a quarter chequy azure and or--SUTTON.

Or, on a bend azure three dexter hands couped at the wrist and clenched, argent--ESINGOLD.

Azure, a dexter hand couped at the wrist and clenched, in pale argent--FEAST, Middlesex.

Sable, a close hand[i.e. clenched] argent--POWNSE.

Sable, three sinister hands erased argent--MAYNARD.

Gules, three hands holding a crown a key and a purse or--arms ascribed to NIGELLUS, Bp. of Ely, 1133-69; and to RICHARD DE ELY, Bp. of London, 1189-98.

Gules, in a maunch ermine a hand proper holding a fleur-de-lis or--BRUTON Priory, Somerset, [also MOHUN].

Purpure, a sinister hand couped and erect argent--MANLEY.

Gules, two arms and hands clasped in fesse proper between three hearts or--WARTON, Bp. of S.Asaph, 1536, and of Hereford, 1554-57.

Gules, three pairs of hands back to back argent--PUREFOY, co. Buckingham.

Sable, three pairs of armed hands embracing argent two and one--PUREFOY, Caldecot, co. Warwick.

Sable, three pairs of dexter hands conjoined or ruffled argent--PUREFEY.

Gueules à la foi d'argent--COUSIN de la TOUR FONDUE.

D'azur, a une foi d'argent vêtue de pourpre posée en bande et mouvante d'une nuée d'argent--ARENE, Provence.

As the Badge of Ulster has been referred to under this article, it is thought well to give one or two examples.

Per pale argent and sable, a chevron between three talbots passant counterchanged; on a chief gules as many leopard's heads or. On the fesse-point the badge of Ulster--GOOCH, Benacre Hall, Suffolk.

Gules, a fret argent, a canton of Ulster--Sir George FLEMING, Bp. of Carlisle, 1735-47.

Gules, a fesse between six mullets argent; a canton of Ulster--Sir William ASHBURNHAM, Bp. of Chichester, 1754-97.

Argent, a chevron sable, a canton of Ulster--Sir Jonathan TRELAWNEY, Bp. of Bristol, 1685; afterwards of Exeter, 1689; and last of Winchester, 1707-21.