A System of Heraldry - Clan Strachan Society

3 8
OF THE PAL!..
It is to be observed, when a shield is filled with such pieces, as
pules, bends,
bars, &c. of different tinctures, those of the greatest number are to be first named in
the blazon ; as in the above example, the tincture or predominates, which is taken for
the field, and the pallets gules for the charge. But when these pieces are of equal
and name first that of
number and quantity, then we say, paly of so many pieces,
the tincture on the right side.
HUGH GOURNEY, a Norman, was made Earl of GOURNEY in England by King
William Rufus, and carried paly of six pieces, or and azure. His daughter and
heir was married to the Lord Mowbray, and his brother Sir Roger Gourney carried
.is the said Hugh ; of whom Sir John Newton in England is descended, as in a
Manuscript of the Ancient Nobility of England, which I have seen in the House of
Seaton : 1 take some blazons out of it upon account of their antiquity, as those of
Simon Sentliz Earl of Huntingdon, who carried paly of six, or and gules, within a
bordure argent. He was Earl of Huntingdon in right of his wife Maud, daughter
and heiress to Waltheof Earl of Northumberland, Cumberland, and Huntingdon,
widow of David I. King of Scotland, and mother of Prince Henry. After Simon's
death, the earldom of Huntingdon descended to her grandchild David, brother to
King William of Scotland.
The surname of RUTHVEN with us, paly of six, argent and gules, as fig. 12. The
chief of this name was Ruthven Lord Ruthven, and thereafter Earl of Gowry.
They are said by some to be originally from Arragon, from the similitude of their
arms ; but this is no certain evident of itself, without other documents. This
ancient family, as others, took their surname from their lands, called Ruthven ;
and was dignified with the title of Lord Ruthven by King James HI. Thereafter
that fumily marrying one of the daughters and co-heirs of Patrick Halyburton
Lord Dirleton, quartered their arms with those of Halyburton, being argent on a
bend azure, three mascles or. William Lord Ruthven was by King James VI. created
Earl of Gowry, 1581. The family ended when the lineal succession was cut off
for their treasonable practices against that king. The next branch of that name
was Ruthven Lord Ruthven of Freeland, who carried only the arms of Ruthven,
paly of six, argent and gules; crest, a goat's head; with the motto, Deed shaiv;
and for supporters, two goats, proper, which were the same used formerly by the
Earls of Gowry, as relative to that title, which signifies a goat.
Fig. 13. Plate III. paly of six, argent and gules, over all, on abend azure, three
cushions, or, by the name of Lundy of that Ilk in Fife, as in our books of blazons ;
and are so illuminate, as I have seen them, with those of other Scots barons, on the
roof of Falla-hall, an ancient monument of arms. Over all is said of the ordinary,
and other things, when placed over figures proper or natural. And for over all,
the French use the term brochant, and blazon the foresaid coat thus, palle d'ar-
rent, et de gueles, de six pieces a la bande brochante d?azure, charge de trots coussins
d'or. The Latins, for over all, say, in totam aream protensum; or, toti superinductum,
(as Uredus, in his Blazon of Sax. Modern}, or omnibus imposition. LUNDIE of
that Ilk carries now the arms of Scotland, within a bordure gobonated; of whom
afterwards.
Fig. 14. Plate III. Paly of six, argent and sable, surmounted with a fesse of the
first, charged with three stars of the second, by the name of JAFFREY of Kingswells.
JOHN JAFFRAY of Dilspro, as a second son of Kingswells, the same, with
a crescent for difference ; with the crest of the family, the sun beaming through
a cloud, proper ; and motto, Post nubila Phcebus : As in the Lyon Register.
Tig. 15. Paly of eight pieces, others say, eight pieces pale-ways, or and gides,
over all a bend sinister azure, charged with a crescent argent, betwixt two stars of
'.he first, by the name of MACKY.
These examples may seem to some to be contrary to the received rule in he-
raldry, that metal should not be placed upon metal, nor colour upon colour: For,
the above cheveron, bends dexter and sinister, being of colour, lie upon colour.
But there is an exception of this rule, besides others, which will occur as we go.
along, viz. that, when the field is filled with pieces alternately of metal and colour,
whether paly, barry, bendy, cheverony, fusily, lozengy, flower-de-lucy, it is then a
compound field, and may receive a charge either of metal or colour, as the fields
of furrs do. Sylvester Petra Sancta, in his 83d. Chap, intitled, An Metallum in.