A Complete Guide to Heraldry Part 24

A very similar animal is the ounce, which for heraldic purposes is in no way altered from the leopard. Parts of the latter will be found in use as in the case of the lion. As a crest the demi-leopard, the leopard's head (Fig. 329), and the leopard's head affronte (Fig. 330) are often to be met with. In both cases it should be noticed that _the neck is visible_, and this should be borne in mind, because this const.i.tutes the difference between the leopard's head and the leopard's face (Fig. 331). The leopard's face is by far the most usual form in which the leopard will be found in armory, and can be traced back to quite an early period in heraldry. The leopard's face shows no neck at all, the head being removed close behind the ears. It is then represented affronte. For some unfathomable reason these charges when they occur in the arms of Shrewsbury are usually referred to locally as "loggerheads." They were perpetuated in the arms of the county in its recent grant. A curious development or use of the leopard's face occurs when it is jessant-de-lis (Fig. 332). This will be found referred to at greater length under the heading of the Fleur-de-lis.

{194}

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 333.--Arms of Styria. (Drawn by Hans Burgkmair, 1523.)]

The _panther_ is an animal which in its relation to heraldry it is difficult to know whether to place amongst the mythical or actual animals.

No instance occurs to me in which the panther figures as a charge in British heraldry, and the panther as a supporter, in the few cases in which it is met with, is certainly not the actual animal, inasmuch as it is invariably found flammant, _i.e._ with flames issuing from the mouth and ears. In this character it will be found as a supporter of the Duke of Beaufort, and derived therefrom as a supporter of Lord Raglan. Foreign heraldry carries the panther to a most curious result. It is frequently represented with the tail of a lion, horns, and for its fore-legs the claws of an eagle. Even in England it is usually represented vomiting flames, but the usual method of depicting it on the Continent is greatly at variance with our own. Fig. 333 represents the same arms of Styria--Vert, a panther argent, armed close, vomiting flames of fire--from the t.i.tle-page of the _Land-bond_ of Styria in the year 1523, drawn by Hans Burgkmair. In _Physiologus_, a Greek writing {195} of early Christian times of about the date 140, which in the course of time has been translated into every tongue, mention is made of the panther, to which is there ascribed the gaily spotted coat and the pleasant, sweet-smelling breath which induces all other animals to approach it; the dragon alone retreats into its hole from the smell, and consequently the panther appears to have sometimes been used as a symbol of Christ. The earliest armorial representations of this animal show the form not greatly dissimilar to nature; but very soon the similarity disappears in Continental representations, and the fancy of the artist transferred the animal into the fabulous creature which is now represented. The sweet-smelling breath, _suozzon-stanch_ as it is called in the early German translation of the _Physiologus_, was expressed by the flames issuing from the mouth, but later in the sixteenth century flames issued from every opening in the head. The head was in old times similar to that of a horse, occasionally horned (as in the seal of Count Heinrich von Lechsgemund, 1197); the fore-feet were well developed. In the second half of the fourteenth century the fore-feet a.s.sume the character of eagles'

claws, and the horns of the animal were a settled matter. In the neighbourhood of Lake Constance we find the panther with divided hoofs on his hind-feet; perhaps with a reference to the panther's "cleanness."

According to the Mosaic law, of course, a four-footed animal, to be considered clean, must not have paws, and a ruminant must not have an undivided hoof. Italian heraldry is likewise acquainted with the panther, but under another name (_La Dolce_, the sweet one) and another form. The dolce has a head like a hare, and is unhorned. (See A. Anthony v.

Siegenfeld, "The Territorial Arms of Styria," Graz, 1898.)

The panther is given by Segar, Garter King of Arms 1603-1663, as one of the badges of King Henry VI., where it is silver, spotted of various colours, and with flames issuing from its mouth and ears. No doubt this Royal badge is the origin of the supporter of the Duke of Beaufort.

English armory knows an animal which it terms the male griffin, which has no wings, but which has gold rays issuing from its body in all directions.

Strohl terms the badge of the Earls of Ormonde, which from his description are plainly male griffins, _keythongs_, which he cla.s.ses with the panther; and probably he is correct in looking upon our male griffin as merely one form of the heraldic panther.

The _cat_, under the name of the cat, the wild cat, the cat-a-mountain, or the cat-a-mount (Figs. 334, 335, and 336), is by no means infrequent in British armory, though it will usually be found in Scottish or Irish examples. The arms of Keates and Scott-Gatty in which it figures are English examples, however. {196}

The wolf (Figs. 337-341) is a very frequent charge in English armory. Apart from its use as a supporter, in which position it is found in conjunction with the s.h.i.+elds of Lord Welby, Lord Rendell, and Viscount Wolseley, it will be found in the arms of Lovett and in by far the larger proportion of the coats for the name of Wilson and in the arms of Low.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 334.--Cat-a-mountain sejant guardant.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 335.--Cat-a-mountain sejant guardant erect.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 336.--Cat-a-mountain pa.s.sant guardant.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 337.--Wolf rampant.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 338.--Wolf salient.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 339.--Wolf courant.]

The wolf, however, in earlier representations has a less distinctly wolf-like character, it being sometimes difficult to distinguish the wolf from some other heraldic animals. This is one of these cases in which, owing to insufficient knowledge and crude draughtsmans.h.i.+p, ancient heraldry is not to be preferred to more realistic treatment. The demi-wolf is a very frequent crest, occurring not only in the arms and crests of members of the Wilson and many other families, but also as the crest of Wolfe. The latter crest is worthy of remark, inasmuch as the Royal crown which is held within its paws typifies the a.s.sistance given to King Charles II., after the battle of Worcester, by Mr. Francis Wolfe of Madeley, to whom the crest was granted. King Charles, it may be noted, also gave to Mr. Wolfe a silver tankard, upon the lid of which was a representation of this crest. Wolves'

heads are particularly common, especially in Scottish heraldry. An example of them will be found in the arms of {197} "Struan" Robertson, and in the coats used by all other members of the Robertson Clan having or claiming descent from, or relations.h.i.+p with, the house of Struan. The wolf's head also appears in the arms of Skeen. Woodward states that the wolf is the most common of all heraldic animals in Spanish heraldry, where it is frequently represented as _ravissant, i.e._ carrying the body of a lamb in its mouth or across its back.

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 340.--Wolf pa.s.sant.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 341.--Wolf statant.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 342.--A lynx coward.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 343.--Fox pa.s.sant.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 344.--Fox sejant.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 345.--A fox's mask.]

Much akin to the wolf is the _Lynx_; in fact the heraldic representation of the two animals is not greatly different. The lynx does not often occur in heraldry except as a supporter, but it will be found as the crest of the family of Lynch. The lynx is nearly always depicted and blazoned "coward,"

_i.e._ with its tail between its legs (Fig. 342). Another instance of this particular animal is found in the crest of Comber.

A _Fox_ (Figs. 343 and 344) which from the similarity of its representation is often confused with a wolf, is said by Woodward to be very seldom met with in British heraldry. This is hardly a correct statement, inasmuch as countless instances can be produced in which a fox figures as a charge, a crest, or a supporter. The fox is found on the arms and as the crest, and two are the supporters of Lord Ilchester, and instances of its appearance will be found amongst others in the arms {198} or crests, for example, of Fox, Colfox, and Ashworth. Probably the most curious example of the heraldic fox will be found in the arms of Sir Watkin Williams Wynn, who for the arms of Williams quarters: "Argent, two foxes counter-salient gules, the dexter surmounted of the sinister." The face of a fox is termed its mask (Fig. 345).

_The Bear_ (Figs. 346-349) is frequently found figuring largely in coats of arms for the names of Barnard, Baring, Barnes, and Bearsley, and for other names which can be considered to bear canting relation to the charge. In fact the arms, crest, and motto of Barnard together form such an excellent example of the little jokes which characterise heraldry that I quote the blazon in full. The coat is "argent, a bear rampant sable," the crest is "a demi-bear sable," and the motto "Bear and forbear."

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 346.--Bear rampant.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 347.--Bear pa.s.sant.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 348.--Bear statant.]

The bear is generally muzzled, but this must not be presumed unless mentioned in the blazon. Bears' paws are often found both in crests and as charges upon s.h.i.+elds, but as they differ little if anything in appearance from the lion's gamb, they need not be further particularised. To the bear's head, however, considerable attention should be paid, inasmuch as the manner of depicting it in England and Scotland differs. The bear's head, according to English ideas of heraldry, would be depicted down to the shoulders, and would show the neck couped or erased (Fig. 350). In Scottish heraldry, bears' heads are almost invariably found couped or erased close behind the ears without any of the neck being visible (Figs. 351 and 352); they are not, however, represented as caboshed or affronte.

{199}

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 349.--Bear sejant erect.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 350.--Bear's head couped (English).]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 351.--Bear's head couped (Scottish).]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 352.--Bear's head erased and muzzled (Scottish).]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 353.--Boar rampant.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 354.--Boar pa.s.sant.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 355.--Boar statant.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 356.--Boar's head erased (English).]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 357.--Boar's head couped (Scottish).]

[Ill.u.s.tration: FIG. 358.--Boar's head erased (Scottish).]

_The Boar_ is an animal which, with its parts, will constantly be met with in British armory (Figs. 353-355). Theoretically there is a difference between the boar, which is the male of the domestic animal, and the wild boar, which is the untamed creature of the woods. Whilst the latter is usually blazoned as a wild boar or sanglier, the latter is just a boar; but for all practical purposes no difference whatever is made in heraldic representations of these varieties, though it may be noted that the crest of Swinton is often described as a sanglier, as invariably is also the crest of Douglas, Earl of Morton ["A sanglier sticking between the cleft of an oak-tree fructed, with a lock holding the clefts together all proper"].

The boar, like the lion, is usually described as armed and langued, but this is not necessary when the tusks are represented in their own colour and when the tongue is gules. It will, however, be very frequently found that the tusks are or. The "armed," however, does not include the hoofs, and if these are to {200} be of any colour different from that of the animal, it must be blazoned "unguled" of such and such a tincture.

Precisely the same distinction occurs in the heads of boars (Figs. 356-358) that was referred to in bears. The real difference is this, that whilst the English boar's head has the neck attached to the head and is couped or erased at the shoulders, the Scottish boar's head is separated close behind the ears. No one ever troubled to draw any distinction between the two for the purposes of blazon, because the English boars' heads were more usually drawn with the neck, and the boars' heads in Scotland were drawn couped or erased close. But the boars head in Welsh heraldry followed the Scottish and not the English type. Matters armorial, however, are now cosmopolitan, and one can no longer ascertain that the crest of Campbell must be Scottish, or that the crest of any other family must be English; and consequently, though the terms will not be found employed officially, it is just as well to distinguish them, because armory can provide means of such distinction--the true description of an English boar's head being couped or erased "at the neck," the Scottish term being a boar's head couped or erased "close."

Occasionally a boar's head will be stated to be borne erect; this is then shown with the mouth pointing upwards. A curious example of this is found in the crest of Tyrrell: "A boar's head erect argent, in the mouth a peac.o.c.k's tail proper."

Woodward mentions three very strange coats of arms in which the charge, whilst not being a boar, bears very close connection with it. He states that among the curiosities of heraldry we may place the canting arms of Ham, of Holland: "Gules, five hams proper, 2, 1, 2." The Verhammes also bear: "Or, three hams sable." These commonplace charges a.s.sume almost a poetical savour when placed beside the matter-of-fact coat of the family of Bacquere: "d'Azur, a un ecusson d'or en abime, accompagne de trois groins de porc d'argent," and that of the Wursters of Switzerland: "Or, two sausages gules on a gridiron sable, the handle in chief."

HORSES

It is not a matter of surprise that the horse is frequently met with in armory. It will be found, as in the arms of Jedburgh, carrying a mounted warrior (Fig. 359), and the same combination appears as the crest of the Duke of Fife. {201}

The horse will be found rampant (or forcene, or salient) (Fig. 360), and will be found courant (Fig. 361), pa.s.sant (Fig. 362), and trotting.