A System of Heraldry - Clan Strachan Society

358
OF FISHES.
fesse-ways, looking to the sinister, and two to the dexter chief and flank points :
of which before, at the title of fret andfrette, page 216.
The Town of GLASGOW carries argent, an oak tree growing out of a mount in
base, with a bird standing on the top thereof, and a bell hanging on a branch in
the sinister side, and in base a salmon fish, with a ring in its mouth, all proper ;
to perpetuate the story of a miracle said to be wrought by St Mungo, that town's
patron saint, in recovering by a salmon, in its mouth, the ring of a lady out of the
water of Clyde, where she accidentally dropt it, which being got, prevented tht-
jealousy of her husband.
The name of SALMON, in England, sable, three salmon fishes haurient argent,
speaking to the name.
The name of ORD, in Northumberland upon Tweed, azure, three fishes haurient
argent. The principal family of the name is of an old standing, as Ord of that
Ilk, and of Felkington, from which there are several considerable families in that
country.
In France, the name of PISSON, from piscis a fish, gules, a carp naiant in fesse.
The name of CIIABOT there, or, three chabot fishes, 2 and i gules; for which see
Monsieur Baron's I'Art dc Blaswi.
Naiant is said when fishes are placed fesse-ways, as fig. 17. Plate XI.
In England, the name of PIK.TON, argent, three pikes naiant in pale.
Art. Her.
The name of ELLIS, argent, three eels naiant in pale sable . Ibid.
And with us the surname of ORNEEL, or ARNEEL, argent, two eels pale-ways
waved between two stars in the flanks azure. W. MS.
The name of SPROTTY, gules, three salmons (some say trouts) haurient, with a
ring through each of their noses argent. Mack. Her.
CRAB of Robslaw, azure, a cheveron argent, between two flower-de-luces in
chief, and a crab-fish in base or.
The name of SHELLY, in England, sable, a fesse ingrailed between three wilks or;
the same borne by Sir JOHN SHELLY of Michgrave in Sussex, Baronet. Art. Her.
Since I have come the length of shell-jisbes, I shall insist, so far as I have room
in this Volume of Heraldry, upon the escalop, cocquel and vannet, since they artso
frequent in armorial figures, all Europe over, on account of their symbolical and
As Sal-
hieroglyphical significations which some have been pleased to give them :
ter, an Englishman, in his writings, tells us, that, in the Records of the Office at
Arms in London, the escalop signifieth, that tire first of a family who carried an
escalop has been a commander, and for his virtues and valour had gained the
hearts and love of his companions and soldiers. The Italian, Sylvester Petra
Sancta, in his Treatise, commends them as coffers of the riches of the sea, and calls
them scrinia colornm atque gemmaruvi.
Others again look upon them as fit badges of inviolable fidelity, on account that
the shells of the escalop or cocquel are married by nature in pairs and ; that, when
separate, they can never be matched again to join with others ; for which they
have been chosen by sovereigns and others, as apposite badges of fraternity of seve-
ral orders of knighthood and other societies.
They have been also for many ages the badges and marks of pilgrims in their
expeditions and pilgrimages to holy places, and of such a distinguishing character
and mark, that Pope Alexander IV. by a bull, discharged the giving the use of
them but to pilgrims who were truly noble; as Ashmole, in the Institutions of the
Garter, observes, chap. ii. sect. 5. where also he gives several instances of the escalops
adorning the orders of knighthood, as that called the Order of St James in
Gallicia, institute in the year 837, had, for its ensign,
a red cross in a white field,
cantoned with four escalops.
The escalop, or cocquel, was so much esteemed in France, that St Lewis, in the
year 1269, instituted the noble Order of the Ship, upon his expedition into Africa,
ackirned the collar of that Order with escalops of gold, interlaced with double crescents
of silver ; and Louis XI. of France, when he, in the year 1469, instituted the
Order of St Michael, he composed the collar with escalops ol gold, joined one with
another, fastened to small chains or mails of gold.
The c.scalop, or cocquel, with the French, are all one ; but when they want ears,
the French call them vannets. We make no distinction, and use only the term
escalop, and are latined conchas mannas.