A System of Heraldry - Clan Strachan Society

4co OF ARTIFICIAL FIGURES IN ARMORIES.
" au milieu en quoi elles sont differentes des etoiles." Sylvester Petra Sancta says
the same, but mentions not the number of their points, " Ehenatas calcarium rnol-
" lute pertusac in orbem, in quo nimirum a stellis tesserariis ex differunt, equestii,
" militine argumcntum esse possunt."
The English do not clearly distinguish in their blazons, mallets, or mullets, whether
they represent a spur-rowel or a star; and distinguish them not by the number
of their points, but sometimes they add the word pierced to a mollet, to represent
a spur-rowel; though since mollet signifies nothing else, the term pierced seem,-,
superfluous. Upon what account they call stars, mollets, or mullets, I cannot
learn; it seems they take them for fallen stars, as Guillim,; such as that in the
bearing of Vere Earl of Oxford, called a mollet by them, to represent the star
which they say fell on the shield of one of his progenitors at the seige of Jem
salem.
Our old blazoners call them spur-rials, or revels, to distinguish them from stars;
but our moderns have followed the English, calling them stars, both nioliets, or
mullets, without distinction ; so that it is hard to know when they represent the
which is often omitted in their
one or the other, except they add the word pierced,
blazons and paintings.
I ordinarily take mallets, or mullets, for stars in blazon, when they accompany
celestial figures, as these in the arms of Baillie; but when they accompany military
instruments, and other pieces of armour, for spur-rowels. When they have
no such figures with them, but are alone in a shield, consisting only of five points,
as these in the arms of Sutherland, Douglas, &c. I take these mullets then for stars,
except some other documents or tradition make their signification appear. I shall
here subjoin some examples of spur-rowels.
Sir JOHN JARDINE of Applegirth, Baronet, argent, a saltier and chief gules on the
last, three spur-rowels of six points of the first ; which arms are supported on the
right side by a horse at liberty argent, and on the left by a man completely armed
cap-a-pee, proper; crest, a spur-rowel of six points, as the former; with the motto,
Cave adsum; as in the L. R. and Plate of Achievements. He is chief of the
name, and represents an ancient family, which was of old very numerous, and
active in defending the borders of Scotland against the English and other depredators.
They had considerable lands in Galloway, and, in the East Border, the lands
of Jardinefield, so called of old, and at this time.
As for the antiquity of the name, Winfredus Jardine is witness in a charter of
of Aberbro-
King David I. to the abbacy of Kelso, and, in another, to the abbacy
thock, as in their chartularies, and in Mr Prynne's Collections of the Barons of
Scotland, that attended King Edward I. at Berwick, in the competition for the
crown of Scotland between the Bruce and Baliol. There are of the name to be
found, and the family has matched with honourable families, as with Charteris of
Amisfield, Douglas of Drumlanrig, and of late again, Sir Alexander Jardine of
Applegirth, Baronet, married Lady Margaret Douglas, sister to the first Duke of
CMaeensberry, father and mother of the abovementioned Sir John.
Sir JOSEPH BRAND, in the county of Suffolk, azure, two swords in saltier argent,
hiked and pommelled or, within a bordure of the last ; crest, a leopard's head
issuing out of a ducal coronet.
The name of CURREL, or CURLE, with us, argent, a fesse gules, between two
spur-rowels in chief, and a hunting-horn in base sable, stringed of the second.
P. MS.
The name of PURDIE, or, a cheveron azure between three mullets pierced sable.
(P. MS.) Sometimes the piercing is of a different tincture from the field, as in
other figures voided.
The name of NIDDRIE, azure, a fesse or, between three mullets of the last, pierced
argent.
SIMM, gules, a cheveron argent, between two spur-rowels in chief, and a halbert
in base or. P. MS.
The name of TOWNES, quarterly, first and fourth, parted per pale, argent and
gules, two spur-rowels in
pale counter-changed ; second and third gules, three
knight-helmets or. P, MS.