Weavers implements

Weavers' Implements

Weavers' Implements: these are of various kinds, viz. the spindle, the shuttle, the slea, the burling-iron, the shears, and the teazel, and it will be found that several of these are borne by families apart from the COMPANIES OF WEAVERS.

Azure, on a chevron argent between three leopard's heads or, each having in the mouth a shuttle of the last, as many roses gules seeded of the third barbed vert--WEAVERS' COMPANY OF LONDON; Inc. temp. Hen. I., arms granted 1487.

Per saltire azure and gules, in fesse two shuttles filled paleways or; in chief a teazel; in base a pair of shears lying fessways argent; on a chief ermine a slea between two burling-irons of the third--Company of WEAVERS, Exeter.

The spindle is, perhaps, better known in its conventional and heraldic shape as the fusil(q.v.), but it is represented in its natural form also, as the reference to the 'threading' or to the 'slippers' implies.

Argent, a chevron between three wharrow spindles sable--TREFUSIS, Cornwall.

Argent, three spindles in fesse threaded or--BADLAND.

Argent, three fusils upon slippers gules--HOBY, Neath Abbey, co. Glamorgan; HOBBY, co. Berks.

Argent, a chevron between three spindles of silk sable--DARDAS.

Azure, three spindles of silk or; a canton ermine--BISHOPTON.

The Weaver's shuttle(fr. navette) is represented as in the margin, and is borne by several families.

Azure, on a fesse argent between two bees volant in chief proper and in base a wolf's head couped or, a wheel-shuttle in fesse, also proper--MILLER, Preston, co. Lancaster; granted 1821.

Or, fretty azure; on a chief of the last a bee volant between two shuttles in pale of the first--HORROCKS, co. Lancaster.

Argent, three weaver's shuttles sable, tipped and furnished with quills of yarn, the threads pendent or--SHUTTLEWORTH, co. Lancashire and Yorkshire; also by SHUTTLEWORTH, Bp. of Chichester, 1840-42.

Argent, three weaver's shuttles in fesse sable--SHAKERLEY.

Azure, three shuttles or, quills argent--PEIRSON.

The Weaver's slay, or slea, or reed, as this instrument appears to be also called, was borne only as the insignia of the Company exercising their craft at Exeter. It was represented as in the margin.

The burling-irons(q.v.) represented on either side of the slea have already been figured, and it will be seen they are borne by private families for the sake of the play on the name.

The Weaver's shears, used in the process of dressing cloth, were usually represented as in the margin, and the same figure will often be found on brasses and incised slabs in churches, emblematic of the man's trade. They are somewhat different from the Scissors, q.v., borne by the TAILORS' Company of Edinburgh.

Azure, a chevron between in chief two swans, and in base a pair of shears argent--DELANEY; also LANNOY, Hammersmith.

The teazel has been already noticed used Thistle, and it is adopted by the CLOTH-WORKERS' as well as by the Exeter WEAVERS' Company.