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A System of Heraldry - Clan Strachan Society

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S 8<br />

OF THE BAR.<br />

gules; crest, a dexter hand, armed with a gauntlet, proper, holding a r pheon<br />

motto, Per tela per bostes, so matriculated in the Lyon Register.<br />

DICK, argent , a fesse waved azure, between three stars gules, in Mr Font's Blazons.<br />

Sir JAMES DICK <strong>of</strong> Prestonfield, near Edinburgh, ermine, a fesse azure, between<br />

two mullets in chief and a hart's head erased gules, in base ; and for crest, a ship<br />

in distress, proper : motto, Spes infracta, matriculated in the Lyon Register ; where<br />

is also,<br />

SCOTT <strong>of</strong> Logic, argent, a fesse counter-embattled between three lions' heads<br />

gules*<br />

The surname <strong>of</strong> ROWAN, or, a fesse cheque,<br />

a-zure and argent, between three<br />

cross croslets fitched in chief, and as many crescents in base gules. Font's MS.<br />

M'CRACH, argent, a fesse between three mullets in chief, and a lion rampant in<br />

base gules.<br />

M'BRAIR, argent, a fesse gules, between three stars in chief, and a lion rampant<br />

in base <strong>of</strong> the second.<br />

The surname <strong>of</strong> DEE, argent, a fesse wavey azure, between three mullets gules^.<br />

in Qgilvy's Collections.<br />

The surname <strong>of</strong> DALGARNER, gules, a fesse between three boars' heads couped argent.<br />

Font's MS.<br />

CHAP. XI.<br />

OF THE BAR.<br />

'T'HE Ear is one <strong>of</strong> the honourable ordinaries, which the English, as Guillim,<br />

JL describe, saying, " That it is formed by two lines equidistant, drawn over-<br />

"<br />

thwart the escutcheon, (after the manner <strong>of</strong> a fesse before-mentioned), and con-<br />

"<br />

taineth only the fifth part <strong>of</strong> the field."<br />

Seeing ther^ according to the English, there is no other difference between the<br />

fesse and the bar, but that the one possesseth the third part <strong>of</strong> the field, and the<br />

other only the fifth part, and both it is horizontally, evident, that the bar is but<br />

naturally a diminutive <strong>of</strong> the fesse ; and if so, why a distinct ordinary more than<br />

the diminutives <strong>of</strong> the other ordinaries, as the pallet, bendlet, and cheveronel ?<br />

To this some answer, That the fesse must always possess the centre <strong>of</strong> the shield,<br />

and the bar may be placed in chief, or in base. Yet it is still to be observed, when<br />

there is but one bar in the field, it must possess the centre as well as the fesse :<br />

And there is no mpre special reason for the bar to be counted an ordinary by itself<br />

than a pallet ; for* when one pallet appears in the field, it then possesses the<br />

centre.<br />

As for the signification <strong>of</strong> the bar, it is known, by the .name, to represent a piece<br />

<strong>of</strong> timber, or other matter, laid traverse over some passes, bridge, or gates, to stop<br />

and debar enemies from entrance ; and for that effect, says John Ferae, they are<br />

called bars, which do represent, in armories, force, valour, and strength : And<br />

the<br />

'-ame says <strong>of</strong> the pallets, bendlets, and cheveronels, which do represent the pieces<br />

<strong>of</strong> timber in the fortifications <strong>of</strong> camps, cities, and the barriers <strong>of</strong> places where<br />

tournaments and joustings were celebrated ; and from the various position <strong>of</strong> these<br />

pieces came their different names.<br />

To speak generally <strong>of</strong> the bar, all oblong pieces which thwart or traverse the<br />

ihield, as the honourable ordinaries do, have been called bars by all nations, speak-<br />

ing generally <strong>of</strong> them. The Spaniards give the name bar indifferently to pales,<br />

fesses, and bends : Speaking <strong>of</strong> the arms <strong>of</strong> Arragon and Barcelona, which are pally<br />

argent and gules, they call them barras longas, as relative to the name Barcelona.<br />

The Italians call them sbars, as Menestrier observes; who adds, that some<br />

French heralds have likewise called the ordinaries indifferently barres. The house<br />

<strong>of</strong> BARR in France, says he, carried azure, a bend argent, betwixt two stars <strong>of</strong> the<br />

last ; which bend is called a bar, as relative to the name <strong>of</strong> the family : But, since<br />

the term bar has been appropriated particularly to the bend sinister, by the<br />

French, this family have made their bend dexter a bend sinister, to make the allu-

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