A System of Heraldry - Clan Strachan Society

84
OF THE BEND.
says, " That this Manuscript is in the English College of Benedictines at Douay ;"
for the antiquity of the family of Greys, see the Peerage of England.
EDWARD DEVEREUX, Viscount of HEREFORD, argent, a fesse gules, in chief three
from whence
torteauxes. This family has its surname from a town in Normandy,
they came and was ; dignified with the title of Viscount of Hereford 1549,
v .
Edward VJ. and is the Premier-Viscount in England, as in the foresaid book.
CHAP. XIII. .
OF THE BEND.
THE bend, say the English, is made by t\vo lines drawn over-thwart the escutcheon,
from the dexter chief to the sinister base point, by an equal distance,
containing the fifth part of the field, when not charged, and the third part
distinction, and tell us, that the bend
when charged : But others make no such .
possesses the third middle part of the field diagonally, from the right chief angle,
to the leff. angle in base.
Menestrier says, " Bande est une piece honorable, qui occupe diagonalement
" le tiers de 1'ecu par le milieu de droit a gauche." Some bring bend or bands
from a barbarous Latin word, bandum, which signifies an ensign, made of a piece
of silk or stuff, more long than broad, which distinguished companies of men ; and
from whence we say bunds of soldiers ; but the bend is more generally taken, to
represent in arms the shoulder-belt, and is commonly Latined bulteus. Sylvester
Petra Sancta, in his 2pth chap. De Balteo Tesserario, says, " Balteum voco vittam
"
eblique ab latere dextro exaratam, qure trientem coixtinens parmuhe nostrae tes-
"
serariae, earn perinde ac militem balteus praecingit."
The old Latin Blazoners for a bend- said benda. The author of the book Le Trophee
(CArmes Heraldiques will have the bend to represent le baudrier, which Peacham
describes to be a sign of honour, called the baudrick, which knights used to
wear of old over their shoulder, and under the left arm, whereat hung the sword :
But Camden and Minshew will have the/m