Impaling

Impaling

Impaling: the meaning and object of the impaling or setting side by side two coats of arms or more in the same shield will be found explained under marshalling, as well as some of the chief rules laid down by heralds respecting the process. An example is here given from a monument which once existed in Dorchester Church, Oxon, which is thus blazoned by Antony à Wood.

Lozengie argent and vert; on a chevron gules three bezants; on a chief gules a goat's head erased between two cinquefoils or; Impaling, (1) Or, on a chevron between three choughs gules, a crescent or; (2) Azure, three hatchets or--William YOUNG and Alicia his wife, which died, May 15, 1430. [Wood does not given the name of the second wife.]

It will be observed that the ordinaries, or charges, have to be drawn, as a rule, smaller, or at least narrower, than when then whole shield is occupied; and what is particularly to be noticed is that when a bordure, or an orle, or tressure occurs, it is, as a rule, not continued round the side where the impaling takes place; it may be said to be(but not blazoned as) couped by the line of impalement. The example given in the margin represents the arms of John KEMP, Abp. of Canterbury, 1452.

Azure, a pastoral staff in pale or, ensigned with a cross pattée argent, surmounted by a pall of the last, edged and fringed of the second, charged with four crosses pattée fitchée sable, for CANTERBURY; impaled with Gules, three garbes within a bordure engrailed or, for KEMP.

Other illustrations of Impaling will be found under Marshalling. It will, as a rule, readily be distinguished form Party per pale.