A System of Heraldry - Clan Strachan Society

356
OF FISHES.
CHAP. 'VI.
OF FISHES.
THESE, being by nature inferior to the former animals, arc, with some heralds^
of less esteem than the former, on the account that fishes are not suitable
marks for military men, to show prowess, valour, and fortitude : It is true that few
sovereigns and princes have fishes in their arms, except they be relative to their
names, or the produce of their territories; but, as I said before, so now again, all
figures are of equal dignity, data parltate gestantium the ; bearers of them being
of equal dignity, and approven of by royal authority. They are likewise carried
ro represent some notable event, jurisdiction, and right of fishing, and frequently
relative to the name of the bearers, as by the following examples.
Fishe? want not their commendable qualities too, for which they are used in this,
?is in other sciences, as emblems of industry and vigilancy; for they swim against
the stream and waves, and are said never to sleep. In this science they have
several terms $>f blazon appropriate to them, acccording to their posture and parts.
When fishes are carried pale-ways, they are said to be haurient, for which the
Latins say, Piscis hauriens halitum, or anhelans ercctus.
When they are placed traverse the shield horizontally, that is fesse-ways, they
are naiant, i.e. swimming; when they are placed back to back, adosse ; and,
when face, affront e, as other figures which have ante and post; and, when they are
laid one above another alternately, they are said to \>& fretted ; when their fins are
of different tinctures from their bodies, they are said to be finned, and, by the
French, lore of such tinctures ; when their eyes are sparkling, allume ; when
their mouths are open, pane or pasme, for which the Latins say, expirans, seu
blante ore ; but Uredus uses then the word sopitus ; and, when fishes are feeding,
the English say devouring of all which I shall ;
give examples.
The is
dolphin taken for the King of Fishes (as the Lion and Eagle are said to be
sovereigns of beasts and birds) for his strength and swiftness in the pursuit of other
fishes his prey, and is said to be an admirer of men, so as to be humane, and a lover
of music, for which he is often used in arms and devices. Ulysses is said by Aldfovandus
to have carried the dolphin on his shield: His words are, " Significabat
" se animalis ejus dotes maxime sequi velle, quod simul et humanitate et musices
" amore, et mira celeritate caeteris praestaret omnibus, vel mari vitam degentibus."
Hopingius says, that Ulysses carried the dolphin on his shield and signet-ring, upon
the account of that creature's humanity for saving his son Telemachus when he
fell into the sea. His words are, " Ulysses Delphinum pro insigni habuit, hac oc-
" casione, quod Telemachum filium in mare prolapsum Delphinus servasset, cui
" pater gratiam referens, annulo signatorio et clypeo Delphinum insculpsit ;" for
which, in his 6th chap. N. 129. he gives several authors, and tells us in his pth
chapter, that a dolphin surrounding the stock of an anchor was the ensign and
device of Augustus Caesar, Titus Vespasian, Seleucus and Nicanor, and, of old,
the badge of the High Admiral of France.
The late Dauphin of France had the dolphin, as a lover of music, given him
on the frontispiece of the old books that were dedicated to him for his device,
with these words, Trahitur dulcedins cantus.
DAUPHIN, being the title of the oldest son of the kings of France, is from the
Dauphinate, a territory in France, of old, so named from its lords and princes,
called Dauphins, who carried for their arms a dolphin, relative to their name.
Mezeray, in his History of France, in the life of Philip VI. tells us, that Humbert Dauphin
de Viennois being feeble in body, and Laving no children, he, in odium of the
Duke of Savoy, who invaded his country, made a donation thereof in the year
1343, to King Philip of France, of the Dauphinate and other lands adjoining,
which were incorporate with France for ever, upon condition that the Kings of
France, their eldest sons and apparent heirs should enjoy them ; and, ever since,
the eldest sons of France have used the title of Dauphin, and their arms marshalled
with these of France, viz. quarterly, first and fourth France ; second and
third or, a dolphin imbowed, breathing, azure, eared and barbed gules; the French