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A System of Heraldry - Clan Strachan Society

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. THOMAS<br />

440<br />

OF ARTIFICIAL THINGS.<br />

younger sons in England, and those <strong>of</strong> the best note. The younger sons <strong>of</strong> King<br />

Edward III. <strong>of</strong> that kingdom differenced themselves and their families from one<br />

another, by a label over the imperial arms.<br />

I shall begin with the eldest son. Edward the Black Prince <strong>of</strong> Wales did bear<br />

his father';; sovereign ensign, viz,. France quartered with England, bruised with a<br />

label <strong>of</strong> three points argent.<br />

LIONEL PLANTAGENET, third son <strong>of</strong> King Edward, carried the same arms, and<br />

label; but, to difference himself from his elder brother the prince, made the points<br />

<strong>of</strong> the label parti, gules and argent. Sylvester Petra Sancta takes notice <strong>of</strong> this<br />

variety, thus, " Leonellus Plantagenetus tertio genitus Regis Edwardi Tertii, u't<br />

" frangeret regia insignia, turn Gallia, turn etiam Britannia, usus est trifide laciniola<br />

" argenteola, cujus pedes dimidii tantum ostro sunt imbuti."<br />

JOHN <strong>of</strong> GAUNT, the fourth son <strong>of</strong> .King Edward, who was Duke <strong>of</strong> Lancaster, in<br />

right <strong>of</strong> his wr ife the heiress there<strong>of</strong>, carried also France and England,- quarterly,<br />

with a label ermine for his difference.<br />

EDWARD <strong>of</strong> LANGLEY, another son, Duke <strong>of</strong> YORK, carried the same arms, with<br />

;t iubel argent; but, for difference, charged it with torteauxes gules. These last<br />

two brothers were the founders <strong>of</strong> the great families <strong>of</strong> Lancaster and York, whose<br />

devices were the red and white roses, which became badges to their heirs and<br />

followers, in a long and bloody war betwixt these two families; and thereafter,<br />

the badges <strong>of</strong> the kings <strong>of</strong> England, as descended from them, by a continued practice.<br />

And since those days, to this day, the label has been used to difference fa-<br />

milies by the greatest in Europe. Amongst many examples, I shall add these.<br />

PLANTAGENET Duke <strong>of</strong> CLARENCE, second son to King Henry IV. <strong>of</strong><br />

England, carried over France and England, quarterly, a label <strong>of</strong> three points ermine,<br />

with red spots. JOHN Duke <strong>of</strong> BEDFORD, that king's third son, had his label parted<br />

per pale ; that part which lay over France, wr as ermine, and the other half, on the<br />

quarter <strong>of</strong> England, azure, charged with flower-de-luces.<br />

GEORGE PLANTAGENET, third son to King Edward IV. had a label <strong>of</strong> five points,<br />

parted per pale ; the beam and two points, and a half argent, each charged with<br />

three torteauxes gules, and the other part <strong>of</strong> the beam with its points azure,<br />

charged with lioncels or.<br />

HENRY Duke <strong>of</strong> YORK, second son to King Henry VII. carried over the arms <strong>of</strong><br />

England, a label <strong>of</strong> three points argent, each charged with as many torteauxes<br />

gules.<br />

By this practice we learn, that not only younger brothers, but their sons, made<br />

use <strong>of</strong> labels, to difference themselves by labels <strong>of</strong> different tinctures, various attributes<br />

and charges, as, others <strong>of</strong> sovereign families <strong>of</strong> nobility and gentry were in<br />

use to variegate their bordures, <strong>of</strong> which I have treated fully in this volume, in all<br />

its varieties, at the title <strong>of</strong> the Bordure, page 169.<br />

Having thus far treated <strong>of</strong> all figures, both proper and natural, generally used<br />

in armorial bearings throughout Europe, in their proper terms, significations, and<br />

various blazons, according to their different positions, situations and dispositions<br />

within the shield, I should now have proceeded to the other parts <strong>of</strong> heraldry<br />

mentioned in my proposals, viz. <strong>of</strong> additional figures, or marks <strong>of</strong> cadency; and <strong>of</strong><br />

marshalling divers coats in one shield : As also <strong>of</strong> other figures without the shield,<br />

such as helmets, crowns, mantlings, wreaths, crests, mottos, supporters, &-c. But<br />

the variety <strong>of</strong> matters already treated <strong>of</strong>, having swelled the book beyond the number<br />

<strong>of</strong> sheets mentioned in the proposals, and. to which I was limited by my undertaker,<br />

and finding, that the subjects yet to be treated <strong>of</strong> will make such another<br />

volume, I am obliged here to break <strong>of</strong>f. And shall, in the subsequent volume, not<br />

only finish the whole Science <strong>of</strong> <strong>Heraldry</strong>, but rectify and supply w^hat errors or<br />

defects may have happened in this, especially with respect to memorials <strong>of</strong> families<br />

in Scotland : And therefore, all who think themselves concerned, are desired to<br />

send in their corrections or additions, with their proper vouchers, in order to render<br />

this work as complete as possible, and to do both themselves and posterity justice.<br />

END OF VOLUME FIRST.

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