A System of Heraldry - Clan Strachan Society

OF ARTIFICIAL FIGURES IN ARMORIES. 3y7
JAMES BURNET of Shetchocksly, whose grandfather was a third son of the House
of Leys, argent, a falcon volant, proper, bef.vcen three holly leaves in chief I
and a hunting-horn in base sahle, garnished gules; crest, a hand with a knifr
pruning a vine-tree, proper: motto, Virescit valuers virtus. Ibid.
There was a family of the name of BORNAT, or . BURNET, in Clydesdale,
Workman's Manuscript, page 96, who carried argent, a naked man, proper, hold-
ing a sword with both his hands, to cut a tree growing out of a mount in base i
a crescent between two stars of the first.
and on a chief azure,
Leaves of nettles are likewise to be found in arms, as in the achievement of the
Kings of Denmark, for the Country of HOLSTEIN, gales, a nettle of three k-..
expanded, and on its middle an inescutcheon ardent.
The Country L'ORTIU, in Gallicia, carries arvent, three leaves of nettles, proper.
L'Ortie signifies a nettle in that country.
The name of MALLIKKRB, anciently with us, carried or, a cheveron gules, between
three leaves of a nettle v&'t, as equivocally relative to the name. Balfour's
MS.
The name of GEICHEN, with us, carries argent, a fosse gules, between two fern
leaves in chief vert, and a boar's hciid erased in base sable. Font's Manuscript.
It is to be observed, all fruits, tlowers and leaves, are supposed to be erect, with
their heads and tops upward ; but when downward, and stalks upward, they are
then said to be pendent ; as in the arms of PINE, in England, argent, three holly
leaves pendent vert.
To put an end to this chapter, I shall only here mention the arms of ROBERT
DOUGLAS of Cruxston, quarterly, first and fourth argent, a man's heart gules, en-
signed with an imperial crown, and, on a chief azure, three stars of the first ; second
and third argent, a cross counter-embattled sable, all within a bordure in-
grailed of the first, charged with eight holly leaves vert, for Irvine of Drum ; crest
and motto as Douglas of Glenbervie ; being descended of John Douglas, second son
of Sir Archibald Douglas of Glenbervie, and his second wife Alice Irvine, a daughter
of Irvine of Drum. As in Plate of Achievements.
CHAP. VIII.
OF ARTIFICIAL FIGURES IN ARMORIES.
MANY of these have attributes and terms from the Science of Heraldry, as
well as the others above treated of; as also from their position, disposition,
and situation in the shield, as will appear by the following blazons.
They are to be considered, first, as they relate to military use, both by land and
sea. Secondly, as to a civil life in temporal and ecclesiastical offices. And,
lastly, as they relate to liberal and mechanical professions.
I shall begin with military instruments, because arms had their first rise from
military actions.
The shield being a military instrument, I have treated of before, as an honourable
tabula, containing armorial figures ; and also as an armorial charge among t!)c
sub-ordinaries.
The sword, the badge of authority, and mark of a military man, as such, is frequent
in arms, to perpetuate some military exploit done, or to be done; whose
position, with the hilt and pommel,
the blazon.
if of different tinctures, are to be noticed in
HALLIDAY of Tillybole, argent, a svvcrd pale-ways, the pommel within a crescent
in base gules, and a canton azure, charged with a St Andrew's cioss of th