A System of Heraldry - Clan Strachan Society

SYSTEM
OF
HERALDRY,
SPECULATIVE AND PRACTICAL:
WITH THE TRUE ART OF BLAZON.
CHAP. I.
OF THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF ARMORIES.
BEFORE I proceed to treat of ARMORIES in all their it
parts, will not be improper
to premise briefly somewhat concerning their name, rise and progress.
Arms have been taken by all nations, and in all ages, for military marks and
signs of honour ; by which, not only persons, families and communities are dis-
tinguished and known, but nobles also distinguished from plebeians, and nobles
among themselves. Which marks and signs were called arms ; because in ancient
times, they were painted, or engraven on shields, and other pieces of armour ;
as also, upon banners and pennons, from whence they are called armorial ensigns :
And being likewise embroidered or painted on the surcoats of military men, which
they wore over their armour, to distinguish them in battle, they were called coats
of firms.
How useful and honourable of old these marks and signs have been, will appear
from \vhat some learned men have written on that subject j of whom I shall only
mention a few.
William Wyrley, in his True Use of Armories, printed at London, an. 1592,
" Without ,
armorial tokens, no martial discipline can be exercised, no army
ranged, no attempt of any company achieved, and, by consequence, no conquest
made, nor so much as any commonwealth defended, neither from outward enemies,
civil discord, or rebellion of any plebeian rout. It will, I hope, reduce into
estimation, a matter both of honour, order and necessity, which no doubt was,
by the wisest and best governed states, at the first devised, and generally by all
of any policy, received to a most necessary end."
A