The Handbook to English Heraldry Part 19

_Martel._ A hammer.

_Martlet._ The heraldic Martin, usually represented without feet: Nos.

160, 161, and 70 and 86.

_Mascle._ Lozenge voided: No. 143. _Masculee._ A field divided mascle-wise.

_Masoned._ Representing brickwork.

_Membered._ To denote the legs of a bird.

_Merchant's mark._ A device, adopted as early as 1400 by merchants, as a subst.i.tute for heraldic ensigns which were not conceded to them. Such marks are the predecessors of the _Trade-brands_ and _Marks_ of after times.

_Mermaid_, _Merman_, or _Triton_. The well-known fabulous creatures of the sea, borne occasionally as charges, but more frequently as supporters, badges, or crests. A mermaid was the device of Sir WILLIAM DE BRIVERE, who died in 1226, and it is the badge of the BERKELEYS.

_Metal._ The Tinctures _Or_ and _Argent_: Nos. 50, 51.

_Mill-rind._ See _Fer-de-Moline_.

_Mitre._ The ensign of archiepiscopal and episcopal rank, placed above the arms of prelates of the Church of England, sometimes borne as a charge, and adopted by the BERKELEYS as their crest. The contour of the mitre has varied considerably at different periods, the early examples being low and concave in their sides, the later lofty and convex. See No. 159.

_Moline._ A cross terminating like a Fer-de-moline, No. 97. In modern cadency it is the difference of the eighth son.

_Moon._ No. 166, page 80.

_Motto._ A word, or very short sentence, placed generally below a s.h.i.+eld but sometimes above a crest, an idea perhaps derived from the "war-cries" of early times. A motto may be emblematical, or it may have some allusion to the person bearing it, or to his name and armorial insignia; or it may be the epigrammatic expression of some sentiment in special favour with the bearer of it. As a matter of course, allusive mottoes, like allusive arms, afford curious examples of mediaeval puns.

I give a few characteristic examples:--"_Vero nil verius_" (_nothing truer than truth_, or, _no greater verity than in Vere_)--VERE; "_Fare, fac_" (_Speak--act_; that is, _a word and blow_)--FAIRFAX; "_Cave_"

(_beware_)--CAVE; "_Cavendo tutus_" (_safe, by caution_, or _by Cavendish_)--CAVENDISH; "_Set on_," says SETON; "_Fight on_," quoth FITTON; "_Festina lente_" (_On slow--push forward, but be cautious_, that is), adds ONSLOW. Again: JEFFERAY says, "_Je feray ce que je diray_" (_I shall be true to my word_); SCUDAMORE--_Scutum amoris divini_ (_the s.h.i.+eld of Divine love_); says JAMES--"_J'aime jamais_" (_I love ever_); says ESTWICK--"_Est hic_" (_he is here_); and POLE--"_Pollet virtus_" (_valour prevails_); and TEV--"_Tais en temps_"

(_be silent in time_). The crest of CHARTERIS, an arm with the hand grasping a sword, has over it--"_This our charter is_." In his arms the Marquess CHOLMONDELEY bears _two helmets_, and his motto is--"_Ca.s.sis tutissima virtus_" (_valour is the safest helm_); the crest of the MARTINS of Dorsets.h.i.+re was an ape, with the significant motto--"_He who looks at Martin's ape, Martin's ape shall look at him!_" The motto of PERCEVAL is--"_Perse valens_" (_strong in himself_); but, "_Do no yll_,"

quoth DOYLE. Some "lippes," as Camden remarks, have a taste for "this kind of lettuce."

_Mound._ A globe, encircled and arched over with rich bands, and surmounted by a cross-patee, the whole an ensign of the royal estate.

A mound or orb forms part of the regalia, and the same form appears upon the intersecting arches of the crown of the SOVEREIGN; and it also surmounts the single arch of the coronet of the PRINCE OF WALES: Nos.

234, 289.

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 278.--Mullet.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 279.--Mullet, pierced.]

_Mount._ A green hill.

_Mullet._ A star, generally of five, but sometimes of six or more points (if more than five the number to be specified), always formed by right lines, as No. 278. A mullet is sometimes "pierced," as in No. 279, when the tincture of the field is generally apparent through the circular aperture. In modern cadency an unpierced mullet is the difference of the third son. See _Estoile_.

_Mural Crown._ Represents masonry, and is embattled: No. 280.

_Naiant._ Swimming in fesse. See _Hauriant_.

_Naissant._ Equivalent to _Issuant_, but applied only to living creatures.

_Naval Crown._ Has its circlet heightened with figures of the stern and the hoisted sail of a s.h.i.+p alternating: No. 281.

_Nebulee_, or _Nebuly_. No. 38, H.

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 280.--Mural Crown.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 281.--Naval Crown.]

_Nimbus._ A glory about the head of a figure of a sainted personage: sometimes used to denote sanct.i.ty in a symbolical device.

_Norroy._ See _Herald_.

_Nova Scotia, Badge of._ See _Baronet_.

_Nowed._ Coiled in a knot, as a snake.

_Ogress._ A _Pellet_, or black roundle.

_Opinicus._ A fabulous heraldic monster, a dragon before, and a lion behind with a camel's tail.

_Oppressed._ An alternative for _Debruised_.

_Or._ The metal gold: No. 50.

_Ordinary._ An early princ.i.p.al charge of a simple character. See Chapter VI., and Nos. 71-128: see also page 14.

_Ordinary of arms._ A list of armorial bearings, cla.s.sified or arranged alphabetically, with the names of the bearers. See _Armory_.

_Oreiller._ A cus.h.i.+on or pillow, generally with ta.s.sels.

_Orle._ A Subordinary formed of a border of a s.h.i.+eld, which is charged upon another and a larger s.h.i.+eld, as in No. 134. _In Orle._ Arranged after the manner of an Orle, forming a border to a s.h.i.+eld, as in No. 86.

_Ostrich feathers._ A Royal Badge: also a Device in a few instances charged by Royal and some other personages on an Armorial s.h.i.+eld. See Chapter XV.

_Over all_, or _Sur tout_. To denote some one charge being placed over all others.

_Overt._ With expanded wings.

_Pale._ One of the Ordinaries: No. 87. _Pale-wise_, or _In Pale_.

Disposed after the manner of a Pale--that is, set vertically, or arranged vertically one above another, as are the Lions of England in No. 187, page 87.

_Pall_, _Pallium_. A vestment peculiar to Archbishops of the Roman Church: in Heraldry, as a charge, half only of the pall is shown, when it resembles the letter Y; it is borne in the arms of the Sees of CANTERBURY, ARMAGH, and DUBLIN.

_Pallet._ Half a _Pale_.

_Palmer's Staff_, _Pilgrim's staff_, or _Bourdon_. No. 282. JOHN BOURDON (H. 3) bears--_Arg., three palmer's staves gu._

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 282.--Bourdon.]

_Paly._ Divided per pale into an even number of parts, which all lie in the same plane, as in No. 88. _Paly Bendy._ Divided evenly pale-wise, and also bend-wise, No. 118.