A System of Heraldry - Clan Strachan Society

OF CKJ J:STIAL FIGURES, ? t . -.,
\Vlien three things of one kind are situate, 2 and i, their situation i. seldom
mentioned in the blazon, being supposed always to be so ; and ai
accompany the ordinaries, thcfesse and bar. When many figures
arc Mtuute in a
shield, the greatest number is always upmost, and decreaseth always in number
towards the base ; in which is beauty, as is observed before : But if contra,
situate, the smallest number uppermost, there is deformity ; for which the i'rc:
say, in bla/on, mtil-nrdonnes.
Indefinite numbers of figures, in amis, is, when they exceed sixteen, an
irregularly placed : And, in blazon, they are said to be sans now/>re, or serxe. .'.-'
nombre is said of figures, when more than sixteen, and irregularly situate, and all
entire within the shield; which the English call arms Derated, or powdered, with
such figures. The term seme, more frequently used in blazon., ii thought to be
brought from the Latin word seminar io to sow, because then the figures are sown
over the field as seed. Some bring the terra seme from semi half a thing, because
the half part of some of the seme figures appears on the sides of the shield : And
: As the old arms of
so seme dirlers from sans nombre, gerating or powdering
FRANCE, azure, six flower-de-luces or : And in the arms of DENMARK, or, seme of
hearts gules, three \\onspassajit gardant azure, PlateX. fig. 35. For the term seme,
see page 24. And so much for numbers, and the causes of armorial beauties.
I now proceed to treat of the common charges separately. And, as for the
method 1 take, it is not much matter with which of them I begin, since their
knowledge does not depend upon one another, nor any precedency due to them to
be here considered ; neither is it here to be expected, that I should treat of all na-
tural and artificial things, but only of such as fall within the compass of our practice
in armories in Britain, and other places, where they are signs and notes of
nobility.
CHAP. II.
OF CELESTIAL FIGURES, THE SUN, MOON, AND STARS.
THE sun, the chief of all planets and celestial bodies, is latined, say some, so',
quia. aume *, exortus omnibus planetis solus apparet, i. e. when it appears, it is
seen alone in the heavens; upon which account, when Louis le Grand, as the only
hero in Europe, over-run Flanders, in the year 1672, he took for his device the
sun, with the motto, Unas in orbe: But here we are to speak of the sun as an armorial
figure, and carried by several families in Europe, as relative to their name,
and upon other accounts.
The family of SOLIS, in Spain, carries gules, a sun or.
SONENBERG, in Switzerland, azure, the sun in his glory, as relative to the name :
such another bearing is carried in the achievement of the Marquis of LOTHIAN, a-
a coat of augmentation. Plate X- fig- i.
With us the surname of BROWNHILL, azure, the sun in- his glory, between three
er-de-luces argent ; and for crest, a mount, the sun arising out of the top of
it, both proper ; with the motto, Radii omnia lustrant. Font's Manuscript.
The surname of GILCHIUST, azure, the sun in his splendour, between two cross
patees fitched in chief, and a mullet in base argent. Sir George Mackenzie.
When the sun is of the metal or, in blazon, it is said to be proper, or in its splendour,
or glory ; and is always lepresented with rays and beams, whereof the one
half straight, being the beams; and th other, the rays, are crooked or waved, the
number of them being ordinarily twelve or sixteen. " Sol pingitur," says Sylvester
Petra Sancta, " semper radiis circumfusis duodenis, iisque partim rectis, partim
" autem crispatis seu sinuosis."
In England, the name of SUNYBANK in Oxfordshire, azure, on a bank in base, a
sun arising, both proper. Morgan's Heraldry.
The surname of RICHMOND there, azure, a sun in his glory. Morgan's He-
raldry.
* The word aume, in this : quotation, unintelligible We suspect the author meant to refer to the comroon
"
derivation, .Wquod solus appareat, caetens sideribus- suo fulgore
obscuratis." E.
3 M
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