Or,
yellow or gold
|
Generosity |
Argent,
white or
silver
|
Peace and
sincerity |
Sable or
black
|
Constancy, sometimes grief |
Azure or
blue
|
Loyalty
and truth |
Gules or
red
|
Military
fortitude and magnanimity |
|
Vert or
green |
Hope, joy
and sometimes loyalty in love |
Purpure,
purple
|
Royal
majesty, sovereignty and justice |
Tenne or
tawney
|
Worthy
ambition |
|
Murray or
sanguine |
Not hasty
in battle, and yet a victor |
| |
|
Heraldic Lines
|
Nebulee
or Nebuly
|
The sea
or water |
Engrailed
and
Invected
|
Earth or
land |
Indented
|
Fire |
Dancette
|
Water |
Ragulee
or Raguly
|
Difficulties which have been encountered
|
Embattled
|
Fire or
the walls of a fortress or town |
Ordinaries
|
Chief
|
Dominion
and authority |
Cross
|
Chevron -
Protection |
Fess
|
Military
belt or girdle of honor |
|
Bar
|
For "one
who sets the bar of conscience, religion and honor against angry
passions
|
Pale
|
Military
strength and fortitude |
Palet
|
Same as
Pale |
Pile
|
Same as
Pale |
|
Canton |
Bearing
of honor. When borne charged, it often contains some special
symbols granted by the sovereign in reward for the performance of
eminent service
|
|
Quarter |
Bearing
of honor. Similar to the Canton
|
Bend
|
Defense
or protection |
|
Battune
Sinister |
Marks a
royal descent that is barred by illegitimacy from succession to
the throne
|
Orle or
Tressure
|
Preservation or protection |
Flasques
|
Given by
a king for virtue and learning, and especially for service in
embassage
|
|
Voiders |
Given to
gentlewomen who have deserved highly
|
Bordure
or Border
|
Frequently adopted as a "difference" between relatives bearing the
same arms
|
Gyron
|
Unity |
Common Charges
|
Lion
|
Deathless
courage |
|
Tiger |
Great
fierceness and valor when enraged to combat; one whose resentment
will be dangerous if aroused
|
Bear
|
Ferocity
in the protection of kindred |
Wolf
|
Denotes
valiant captains that do in the end gain their attempts after long
sieges and hard enterprises. One whom it is dangerous to assail or
thwart
|
Rhinoceros
|
Great
ferocity when aroused |
Elephant
|
Courage
and strength |
Heraldic
Tiger
|
Same as
Tiger |
Leopard
|
Valiant
and hardy warrior |
Panther
|
As a lion
may be said to signify a brave man, so may a panther a beautiful
woman, which, though fierce, is very tender and loving to her
young, and will defend it with the hazard of her life
|
|
Horse |
Readiness
for all employments for king and country
|
Bull or
Ox
|
Valor and
magnanimity |
|
Boar
|
A fierce
combatant when at bay, and ceases fighting only with its life, and
therefore may be properly applied as the armorial bearing of a
warrior
|
|
Goat |
Emblem of
that martial man who wins a victory by the employment rather of
policy than valor
|
|
Lamb |
Gentleness and patience under suffering
|
Ram
|
Authority |
|
Hares and
Rabbits |
One who
enjoys a peaceable and retired life
|
|
Squirrel
|
Sylvan
retirement being the delight of its bearer
|
Hedgehog
|
Provident
provider |
Beaver
|
Industry
and perseverance |
|
Fox |
One who
will use all that he may posses of sagacity, wit or wisdom in his
own defense
|
Talbot,
Mastiff and Greyhound
|
Courage,
vigilancy and loyal fidelity |
Cat or
Cat-A-Mountain |
Liberty,
vigilance, forecast and courage
|
Camel
|
Docility,
patience and indefatigable perseverance
|
Bee
|
Well-governed industry |
Ant
|
Symbolizes a man of great labor, wisdom and providence
|
|
Spider |
Wisdom,
labor and providence in all affairs
|
Grasshopper
|
Wisdom
and nobility |
House
Snail
|
Deliberation and perseverance |
Double
Eagle
and Eagle |
Signifies
a man of action, ever more occupied in high and weighty affairs,
and one of lofty spirit, ingenious, speedy in apprehension and
judicious in matters of ambiguity
|
|
Alerion |
Signifies
one who having been maimed and lamed in war, was thus prevented
from fully asserting his power
|
Wings
|
Celebrity, sometimes protection or coverture
|
Feathers
(usually ostrich)
|
Willing
obedience and serenity |
Falcon or
Hawk
|
One eager
or hot in the pursuit of an object much desired
|
Hawks or
Falcons Bells
|
One who
feared not to signal his approach in either peace or war |
Owl
|
One who
is vigilant and of acute wit |
Peacock
|
Beauty
and pride of carriage |
Pelican
|
Devoted
and self-sacrificing charity |
Stork
|
Filial
duty, emblem of a grateful man |
Swan
|
A lover
of poetry and harmony |
Goose and
Duck
|
A man of
many resources |
|
Gannet |
To
subsist by the wings of his virtue and merit, having little land
to rest upon
|
|
Swallow |
One who
is prompt and ready in the dispatch of his business
|
Cock
|
Courage,
always ready for battle, ready to fight to the death
|
Dove
|
Loving
constancy and peace |
|
Raven |
One who,
having derived little from his ancestors, has through Providence
become the architect of his own fortunes or one of an enduring
constancy of nature
|
|
Crow |
Signifies
a settled habitation and a quiet life
|
|
Dolphin |
Charity
and a kind affection towards children
|
Tortoise
|
Invulnerability to attack |
Unicorn
|
Extreme
courage |
|
Griffin |
Sets
forth the property of a valorous soldier whose magnanimity is such
that he will dare all dangers, and even death itself, rather than
become captive
|
Dragon
|
A most
valiant defender of treasure |
Cockatrice
|
Terror to
all beholders |
Sphinx
|
Omniscience and secrecy |
|
Pegasus |
Exceeding
activity and energy of mind whereby one may mount to honour
|
Harpy
|
Ferocity
under provocation |
Mermaid
|
Eloquence |
|
Centuar |
For those
who have been eminent in the field
|
Hydra
|
The
conquest of a very powerful enemy |
Phoenix
|
Resurrection |
Stag,
Hart, Buck
and Deer
|
Policy,
Peace and Harmony |
Horns and
Antlers
|
Strength
and Fortitude |
Escallop
Shell
|
One who
has made long journeys or voyages to far countries, who had borne
considerable naval command or who had gained great victories
|
Other
Shells
|
Protection of Providence |
Heart
|
Charity,
sincerity |
Flaming
Heart
|
Ardent
affection |
Hand
|
Faith,
sincerity and justice |
Red Hand
|
Usual
mark for a baronet if borne on a small escutcheon
|
Arm
|
A
laborious and industrious person |
Gauntlet
|
Signify a
man armed for the performance of martial enterprise |
Leg
|
Strength,
stability and expedition |
Shoe
|
Same as
Leg |
Foot
|
Same as
leg |
Human
Head
|
Honor |
Blackamoor Head
|
Deeds of
prowess in the Crusades |
Skulls
|
Mortality |
Crossed
Thigh-bones
|
Mortality |
Eye
|
Providence in Government |
Millstones
|
The
mutual converse of human society |
Sceptre
|
Justice |
Trident
|
Maritime
dominion |
Crown
|
Royal or
seigniorial authority |
Celestial
Crown
|
Heavenly
reward |
|
Pastoral
Crosier |
The
emblem of a shepherd’s watchfulness over his flock, and denotes
episcopal jurisdiction and authority
|
Annulet
or
Finger Ring
|
Fidelity |
Lozenge
|
Honesty
and constancy, also held to be a token of noble birth
|
Billets
|
Their
first bearer was a man who obtained credence, knowledge and faith
in his words and deeds, and who was secret in his affairs
|
Pen
|
Emblematic of the liberal art of writing and of learned
employments
|
Inkhorn
|
Same as
pen |
Harp
|
Contemplation |
Lyre
|
Same as
harp |
|
Scythe |
Hope of a
fruitful harvest of things hoped for
|
Sickle
|
Same as
Scythe |
|
Anchor
|
Succor in
extremity and the Christian symbol of hope
|
Ship,
Lumphiad or Galley
|
All such
symbols would point to some notable expedition by sea, by which,
perhaps, the first bearers had become famous
|
|
Cubes,
squares or dice |
Constancy, wisdom, verity probity, and equity
|
Lozenge
|
Same as
Cubes |
Axe
|
Execution
of military duty |
|
Purse |
A frank
and liberal steward of the blessings that God has bestowed
|
Tower or
Castle
|
Grandeur
and solidity. Sometimes granted to one who has held one for his
king, or who has captured one by force or stratagem
|
Bridge
|
Signifies
a governor or magistrate |
Pillar or
Column
|
Fortitude
and constancy |
Snake
|
Wisdom |
Scaling
Ladder
|
One who
was fearless in attacking |
Crosses
|
Symbolic
of some Christian experience or sentiment
|
Trestles
and stools
|
Hospitality |
Cushions
|
Marks of
authority |
Angels,
Cherubs and Seraphs
|
Dignity,
glory and honor |
|
Estoiles |
Emblems
of God’s goodness or of some eminence in the first bearer above
the ruder sort of men
|
|
Mullet |
Denotes
some Divine quality bestowed from above
|
Gold Spur
|
Dignity
of knighthood |
Silver
Spur
|
An
esquire |
Sun
|
Glory and
splendor |
|
Crescent |
Signifies
one who has been enlightened and honored by the gracious aspect of
his sovereign
|
Moon
|
Serene
power over mundane actions |
Fire
|
Zeal |
|
Lightning |
The
effecting of some weighty business with great clarity and force
|
Rocks
|
Safety,
refuge and protection |
Portcullis
|
Effectual
protection in emergency |
Hunting
Horn
|
One who
is fond of high pursuits |
Trumpet
|
Ready for
the fray |
Cannon,
Mortars, Cannon Balls and Grenades
|
Well
bestowed on those who have dared their terrors in sieges and
battles |
|
Sword |
Indicates
the bearer to a just and generous pursuit of honor and virtue in
warlike deeds
|
Arrows
and Arrowheads
|
Martial
readiness |
Spear or
Lance
|
Knightly
service and devotion to honor |
|
Spear
Heads or Pheons |
Dexterity
and nimbleness of wit to penetrate and understand matters of
highest consequence
|
Shield
|
A
defender |
Saddles,
Stirrups
and Spurs
|
Preparedness for active service |
Horse
Shoe
|
Good luck |
Trunk of
a Tree
|
An object
of veneration |
Fusil
|
Travel
and labour |
Shacklebolt
|
Victory
in war |
|
Water
Bougets |
Conferred
on those who had brought water to an army or besieged place
|
Catharine
Wheel
|
Emblem of
one who is prepared to undergo great trials for the Christian
faith
|
Escarbuncle
|
Supremacy |
Buckles
|
Victorious fidelity in authority |
Clarion
or Rest
|
Same as
Trumpet |
Beacons
or Cressets
|
One who
is watchful for the commonwealth or who gave the signal in time of
danger
|
|
Chains |
A reward
for acceptable or weighty service
|
Fusil of
Yarn
|
Negotiation |
Fret
|
Persuasion |
Gold
Roundles
|
One who
has been found worthy of trust and treasure
|
White
Roundles
|
Generosity |
Wheel
|
Fortune |
Cornucopia
|
Bounty of
Nature’s gifts |
|
Chaplets
and Wreaths |
Granted
for special service |
