Heraldry epitomiz'd and its reason essay'd / by Silvanus Morgan...

Heraldry epitomiz'd and its reason essay'd / by Silvanus Morgan...

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HERALDRY Epitomiz'd: And its REASON Eſſay'd.

§

HERALDRY Epitomiz'd: And its REASON Eſſay'd.

[Page]

By Silvanus Morgan, Arms-Painter, at the Sign of the Camden's H [...]d near the Royal-Exchange.

ARMORY, or Coats of Arms, ſaith Monſieur Ulſon, is no other than the Seal or viſible Character of Nobility, which is the moſt glorious recompence that either our own Virtues, or that of our Predeceſſors could acquire us. And as a Chriſtian ought not to be ignorant of his Chriſtian name, ſeeing it is the mark of his Adoption; ſo ſhould it be ſhameful for a Gentleman to be ignorant of his own Coat of Arms, being the viſible ſign of his Nobility and ſhortned Symbols of his Heroical Actions, or thoſe of his Predeceſſors: And in the general ſignification, as Enſigns of Honour among Military men, have been as anciently uſed in this Realm, as in any other; for neceſſity bred the uſe of them in Military affairs, for Order and diſtinction both of Political Bodies, Military and Civil, and for particular perſons, as notes of Honour; as may be gathered from the Sacred Scriptures on the party colour'd Coat of Joſeph, who had that honourable diſtinction, and from thence was called the Trophy-bearer, and the Abſconditorum repertor, The Blazoner of Symbolical matter; as alſo that from Numb. 2. wherein every Tribe was commanded to pitch his Tent under their Standard, and under the Arms of his Father's Houſe. And not only the Armilogie of this Heroic Science was preſerved, but the Gamilogie and preſervations of their Families by Genealogies, as may be gathered from the ſecond Chapter of Ezra, where thoſe that ſought out their Genealogies, among thoſe that were reckoned by Genealogy, but being not found were as polluted, caſt from the Prieſthood. For though they were in Captivity, Fortuna non mutat Genus. And it hath been the care of all Nations, namely, the Carians, Lacedemonians, Meſſonians, Romans, &c. So let me deſire my Countrymen (that ſeeing the Learned Camden hath with ſome other given the firſt Honour of the Invention of Armory in this Part of the World to the Picts and Britains, who diſtinguiſhed their ſeveral particular Families, by Colours, adorning their Bodies by Figure and Blazon) that they will accept this Introduction to the knowledge of Heraldry in the uſe of Arms, which in ſtrict ſignification, the Learned Spelman hath defined thus, Sunt Inſignia decora Symbola ad Notitiam & honorem latoris à Legitimo Judice Militibus aſcripta, which is handled in all its parts by Dr. Waterhouſe, in his Defence of Arms. And our Learned Clarenceulx Camden doth define Arms, in the Military and Civil uſe.

‘Is quem Grammatici, Ptolomae; qu [...]m venerantur, Quem Feciales ſimul & Hiſtorici Colunt. Camdeni Inſignia.’

Willi [...] Camden. Clarenceux King of Armes [...]

Camd: Britania.

Debes natales Terrae Camdene Britannae?

Nonne magis debet Terra Britanna tibi?

Quis tanto dignus reperitur Heraldus Heraldo?

Quis Britonum hunc pingat, pinxit ut hic Britonas?

Camdeni Inſignia.

ARMS (ſaith he) are Enſigns of Honour, born in Banners, Shields, and Coats for notice and diſtinctions of Families one from the other, and deſcendable as Hereditable to Poſterity, which hath been very Ancient; their Eſtimation beginning in the Holy Land, becoming by little and little Hereditary, their Poſterity accounting it moſt honourable to carry the Arms that had been diſplayed in that moſt holy Service: The Engliſh Nation diſplaying a Red Croſs on a White Field. The French and Portugal a white Croſs in a blew Field. The Iriſh a red Croſs in a yellow Field. The Spaniſh, &c. a Salter croſs trunked in a white Field. The Scots, St. Andrew's Croſs, white in a blew Field. And the more particular bearing in the Holy Land was the Croſs, Crouched and Croſſed, of infinite Varieties, as may be ſeen in all Military Orders of Chevalry and Knighthood; So alſo thoſe particular Families that did ſignal Service there, had their Shields adorned therewith, or with Eſcalop-ſhells, Pilgrims, or Palmers Scrips or Staves, Saracens Heads, whoſe wreaths as they were uſually born by them, ſo now as a Triumph of the Croſs, are worn on the Helmets of all Chriſtian Soldiers; and in which Service, ſome Arms were altered upon ſeveral Occaſions; other Gentlemen beginning to bear Arms from their Lords, or whom they held in Fee, or to whom they were devoted, and for the granting of Arms from ſome great Earls, and paſſing of Coats from one private Perſon to another, there wants not ſome Precedents, which were all before the reduction of the Heralds under one Regulation, and as now, ſetled under three Kings of Arms. Viz. Garter, Clarenceulx, and Norroy; The firſt being for all Patents of Honour, and Princely Ceremonies of Coronations, Marriages, and Interments of Nobility. Clarenceulx being a Provincial King of Arms, of the Eaſt, Weſt and South Parts of England, from the River of Trent Southwards, having the granting of Arms, and ordering of Funerals, from a Knight downwards, as hath Norroy alſo in his own Province under the Earl Marſhal, to whom Gentlemen in former time would repair, and by his Authority would take Arms, which were regiſtred by the Officers of Arms, in the Rolls of Arms made at every Service, wherein there was alſo a diſtinction between a Gentleman of Blood, and a Gentleman of Coat Armour, and the third from him who firſt had Coat Armour, was a Gentleman of Coat Armour, and the fifth from the firſt Bearer, is a Gentleman of Blood and Coat Armour: Nobility being agreeable to Religion, Almighty God vouchſafeing to be called the Lord of Hoſts, affecting the Military man's Enſigns of the Sword and Shield: and the Church Military hath the Shield of Faith, the Breaſt plate of Righteouſneſs, the Sword of the Spirit, and the Helmet of Salvation, &c.

[nine sample coats of arms]

EVery Coat of Arms, ought to conſiſt of both Metal and Colour, having ſome Analogy of the Body and Spirit of the Bearers repreſented by the Field and Charge; Therefore it is neceſſary to know how to ſpeak in the proper Language of Heraulds, which is called Blazon. I have here in the firſt place preſented you with the two Metals, and five Colours, and two Furs, moſt commonly uſed in Arms, every one expreſs'd by ſeveral hatching of Lines, Viz. The Or, by Pricks or Points; The Argent, Plain; The Gules, by upright Lines; The Azure by Horizontal; The Sable, by croſs Lines; The Vert, by Lines bending to the right, and the Purpure to the left; The Ermin being in its Natural colour, and the Vary being always Argent and Azure; though they alſo are varied, as the Colours are variouſly mixed, having other Names, if differing in Colour from the two laſt mentioned: All which are the common Fields in Heraldry, and are ſubject to Diviſion and Charge; only the Vary being perfect Armory of it ſelf: And if the Shield be divided, it is called Parted; repreſenting the blows or the Cuts proceeding from the hands of Warriors, who having given or received the like in Combats, and made a ſhew Peraid to their Comrades, cauſing them to be painted upon their Eſcocheons in the ſame manner; it being a beauty to receive wounds in thoſe Combats from whence flows more Glory, than Blood. And now with Cauſin, let me cry,

[nine sample coats of arms]

THe Firſt, is the repreſentation of the Church Militant, called a Croſs; being the moſt worthy of all bearings, denoting all Divine and Moral Virtues. The ſecond is a Chief, which though it conſiſt but of one Line, yet is the emblem of Fame, who bears her head in the Clouds, repreſenting a Head, a Chief, a Commander. The third is a Feſs, ſignifying Reſolution and readineſs to Action; and is a Military Girole going out to conquer. Whereas the fourth repreſents the Baltheum Triumphalis, worn by thoſe that have conquered, and is called a Bend; it ſignifieth an old Soldier. The fifth is the Pale, repreſenting a Military man in a ſtanding Poſture, and is called a Pale, denoting Vigilancy and Diligence; and is as a Column or Pillar erected to the memory of deſerving Men. The ſixth is a Cheveron, and denoteth an Eſtabliſh'd Houſe, one that doth enjoy the Spolia Opima, the ſpoils of Arms gained in Wars: Honour being a Spur to Virtue, having attained to Opimum, which is all one with Amplum, and hath now ſet up the top Rafters of his Houſe. The ſeventh is the Salter, which is an Engin of Manhood to aſſault or gain per Saltum, fitting Quadrata fronte; and denoteth a Politic Soldier. The eighth is the In Eſcocheon, repreſenting the Property of a good Man, who labours to keep a quiet Conſcience in his Breaſt. The ninth, Ordinary; that is, ordinary is the Bar which is never ſingle, and are of the nature of the Scarf, worn about the Neck, or Arm, or Middle; denoting ſuch as either with Arms or Council defend their Nation: two Bars repreſenting Love and Honour.

[nine sample coats of arms]

O Nobility, deceive not your ſelves in the acknowledgment of the Badge of your Profeſſion, nor flatter your ſelves under a falſe mark of Valour. Military Virtue is in your own Atchievments; what your Progenitors did, vix ea noſtra voco. The ſeveral Diviſions on your Shields, ought to ſhew the wounds and cuts you have received, or the ſeveral Accompliſhments you have made in the ſteps of your Progenitors. The firſt is ſaid to be parted per Croſs (or quarterly) Or, and Sable; repreſenting by thoſe Colours, Wiſdom, Riches, and Elevation of Mind. The ſecond is parted per Chief indented, Argent and Sable; repreſenting Conſtancy and Divine Doctrine. The third is parted per Pale Argent and Gules; and ſignifieth Bold in all honeſt Enterprizes. The fourth is parted per Bend, Azure and Or; which repreſenteth in Moral Virtues, a Soldier of the Holy Court, given to divine Contemplation, and vigilant in Service. The fifth is parted per Feſs, Argent and Azure; Courteous and Diſcreet. The ſixth is parted per Cheveron, Or and Vert; repreſenting Splendor and Felicity. The ſeventh is parted per Salter, Or and Gules; ſignifying a deſire to conquer. The eighth is parted per Gyron, Argent and Purpure; ſignifying Majeſty and Dignity. The laſt is parted per Pyle, Or and Sable; ſignifying ancient Riches. Now when a Field is charged by theſe Lines drawn ſtrait, or thwart, They do conſtitute certain Honourable Ordinaries, as being ordinarily uſed, or as they were called ORDINARII, that in a Battel led on the Battalia, and being charged, are like thoſe Auguſtales, that by Auguſtus were joyned to the Ordinary.

[nine sample coats of arms]

I Have cauſed the differences of the ſeveral Brothers to be placed on the ſeveral Eſcocheons, for the Information of the Ignorant: And come now to the Charges of the Shield with living Creatures. And becauſe Man conſiſteth of ſomething of the Beaſt, we will conſider him in the moſt Heroical, and King of Beaſts, the Lyon; whoſe ſeveral poſtures doth denote as followeth, Firſt, Couchant, Vigilancy and the Illuſtrious Hero. Second, Rampant; Magnanimous, Noble. Third, Paſſant; Reſolute. Fourth, Paſsant-Gardant; Prudent. Fifth, Saliant; Valiant. Sixth, Sejant; Adviſed. Seventh, Regardant; Circumſpect. Eighth, Dubble headed; Politic. Ninth, Dubble Qu [...]ive; Strenuous. And becauſe Man, as he is the Head of the whole Creation, ſo to bear the Head of any Thing, is accounted the moſt Honourable; and what is gained with more Labour and Sweat to be preferred. As the Eraſed Head is more of Military Power than the Couped; the one being Torn off, and the other Cut off: So now to ſpeak of Heraldry, it is no other than that part of Hiſtory that conſiſts of Succeſſion in States, Countries, or Families, and Profeſſions, as the Lives of famous Men in any Faculty; For as the Emperor ſaith, We do not count that they only war, for our Empire, which do labour with the Sword and Shield; but alſo our Advocates: For though Councellors are not actual Warriors, yet they are repreſentative Warriors. And this noble Science is the ſame of Hiſtory, which is a commemoration of Things paſt, with the Circumſtances of Time and Place in diſtinct diſtances by ſmall Deſcents to revive the Dead, and to the Encouragement of the Surviving. Cantons have place among Augmentations, as in the Inſtitution of Baronets each wearing an Eſcocheon or Canton, charged with a Siniſter hand Gules, and when one Eſcocheon is born on another, it ſignifieth the Husband hath Married an Heireſs general, and having Iſſue by her, it is Quartered by the Son, to ſhew the right of her Inheritance is tranſmitted from her to him; But if ſhe be not an Heir, he may but impale the Coat on the Siniſter ſide, which is called Baron and Fem; as for the outward Ornaments of Mantles, Helmets and Creſts, with which the Coats were called altogether Atchievments, they were of Military and Civil uſe; The Mantles as the Tent, Cloak, or Surcoat over all.

[nine sample helmets]

THe Helmet, as the defenſive part of the Head, repreſenting Council; And ſo the Armed Virgin was the Iſſue of Jupiter's Brain. The Creſts on the eminent tops of the Helmets, which the French call Timbres, were anciently to terrifie by Monſtrous and Terrible ſhapes, and many years was arbitrarily taken up at pleaſure, but began to be Hereditary with us, about the time of King Edward the Second. More might be ſaid of the outward Ornaments, of Coronets and Supporters, as diſtinctions of the Degrees of Nobility, as is here deſcribed: The firſt, that of an Eſquire or Gentlemen; The ſecond, that of a Knight; The third, that of a Baron, Garde viſure, placed in that Circulus Aur [...]us, which the King hath conferred on Barons of the Realm, with ſix Pearls only; The fourth, that of a Viſcount, conſiſting of the whole Circle of Pearls; The fifth, that of an Earl; The ſixth, that of a Marqueſs; The ſeventh, that of a Duke; The eighth that of a Prince; And the ninth that of a Soveraign: And beyond the number Nine, none could ever go; ſo that if you deſire more of this Art, in my Sphere of Gentry, in four times nine Chapters, you ſhall ſee the Harmony of Heraldry, from the beginning of the world; and that Nobility [...]s ancient Riches. And whoſoever will note the manner of our Progenitors in that Age, when they wore their Coat-Armour over their Armour, and bearing their Arms on their Shield, in their Banners, Pennons, and in what formal manner they were made Bannerets, and had Licence to bear their Banners of Arms which they preſent inrolled to their Prince, who unfolded and redelivered with happy wiſhes; I doubt not but he will j [...]dge that our Anceſtors were as Valiant and Gallant, as they have been ſince they left off their Arms, and uſed the Colours and Curtains of their Miſtreſſes Beds inſtead of them. And though the Characters of Mechan [...]cs cannot be read, yet Arms are ſilent Names, and the Science thereof is Heroical. And foraſmuch as the Skill of Armory conſiſteth of Rules of Blazoning and Marſhalling; (The firſt being an Explanation thereof in apt Terms either by Colours, Planets, or Precious Stones) which ought to be with brevity, plainneſs, and without repetition of theſe words, of, or, and on, or ſuch like; and the other being an ordinary diſpoſing of Coats. as they may of right be joined together. The premiſed well underſtood, will be infinitely ſufficient to Both.

§

LONDON, Printed and are to be ſold by William Bromwich, at the Sign of the Three Bibles in Ludgate ſtreet MDCLXXIX.

Information about this book

Title statement

Heraldry epitomiz'd and its reason essay'd / by Silvanus Morgan...

Morgan, Sylvanus, 1620-1693.

Edition statement

1679

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Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

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Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) :

Date

2009-03 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1).

ID [DLPS]

A51370

ID [STC]

Wing M2740

ID [STC]

ESTC R32290

ID [EEBO-CITATION]

12619902

ID [OCLC]

ocm 12619902

ID [VID]

64491

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(EEBO-TCP ; phase 1, no. A51370)

Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 64491)

Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 1532:3)

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— Heraldry epitomiz'd and its reason essay'd / by Silvanus Morgan..., Morgan, Sylvanus, 1620-1693..

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1 broadside : ill., port.

Printed and are to be sold by William Bromwich ...,. London :: MDCLXX1X [1679]. (Engraved portrait of William Camden.) (Reproduction of original in the Bodleian Library.)

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