The Handbook to English Heraldry - Part 20
Library

Part 20

_Panache._ A plume of feathers, generally of the ostrich, set upright and born as a crest. A panache sometimes consists of a single row of feathers; but more generally it has two or more rows or "heights" of feathers, rising one above the other. In the greater number of examples the tips of the feathers are erect; in others they wave, or slightly bend over. A panache may be charged with some device or figure, "for difference," as by the TYNDALLS, with an _ermine circlet_, a _martlet_, and a _fleur de lys_. In Nos. 283, 285, from the seals of EDWARD COURTENAY, and EDMUND MORTIMER (A.D. 1400 and 1372) the "heights" both expand and rise in a curved pyramidal form. No. 284, from the seal of WILLIAM LE LATIMER (A.D. 1372), shows a remarkable variety of both panache and mantling. Waving plumes formed of distinct feathers first appear near the end of the fifteenth century, and are prevalent during the sixteenth century.

_Party_, _Parted_. Divided.

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 283.--PANACHE CREST: Edward Courtenay.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 284.--PANACHE CRESTS: William le Latimer.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 285.--PANACHE CRESTS: Edmund Mortimer.]

_Pa.s.sant._ Walking and looking forward: No. 173. _Pa.s.sant Guardant._ Walking and looking out from the shield, No. 174. _Pa.s.sant Reguardant._ Walking and looking back. _Pa.s.sant Repa.s.sant_, or _Pa.s.sant and Counter Pa.s.sant_. Walking in opposite directions.

_Pastoral Staff._ The official staff of a bishop or abbot, having a crooked head, and so distinguished from an archbishop's _crozier_.

_Patee_, or _Formee_. } _Patonce._ } Varieties of the heraldic Cross, Nos.

_Patriarchal._ } 106, 99, and 95.

_Pean._ The Fur, No. 60.

_Peer._ That general t.i.tle, expressing their equality as members of a distinct "order" in the realm, which is applied to Dukes, Marquesses, Earls, Viscounts, and Barons of England, Scotland, Great Britain, Ireland, and the United Kingdom.

_Peerage._ The hereditament of a Peer: also rank of a Peer; a list of the Peers.

_Pegasus._ A horse with wings--a cla.s.sic as well as an heraldic imaginary creature.

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 288.--A Portcullis.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 286.--A Pennon.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: No. 287.--A Pheon.]

_Pelican._ Blazoned "in her piety," when feeding her young with her own blood.

_Pellet._ A black roundle.

_Pendent._ Hanging.

_Pennon._ An armorial lance flag, pointed or swallow-tailed at the fly.

No. 286 is from the Bra.s.s to Sir JOHN D'AUBERNOUN, A.D. 1279; the arms are--_Az., a chevron or_.

_Per._ By means of, or after the manner of.

_Pheon._ A pointed arrow-head, borne with the point in base, unless the contrary is specified, No. 287.

_Phnix._ A fabulous eagle, always represented as issuant from flames.

_Pile._ One of the Ordinaries, in form like a wedge, Nos. 126, 127, 128.

_In Pile._ Arranged after the form of a pile.

_Planta Genista._ The broom plant badge of the Plantagenets, No. 21.

_Plate._ A silver roundle.

_Plenitude._ The moon when full. See No. 166.

_Plume._ See _Panache_.

_Points of Shield._ No. 27. _In Point_ is the same as _In Pile_.

_Pomme._ A green roundle.

_Popinjay._ A parrot (H. 3).

_Port._ A gateway, as the entrance to a castle: No. 222.

_Portcullis._ A defence for a gateway, No. 288: the badge of the Houses of BEAUFORT and TUDOR, borne by the former with the significant motto, "_Altera securitas_" (additional security).

_Potent._ A variety of the heraldic cross, No. 108; also a Fur, No. 64.

_Powdered_, _Poudree_. The same as _Semee_.

_Preying._ When an animal devours its prey. See _Trussing_.

_Prince_, _Princess_. In this country the rank and t.i.tle of the members of the Royal Family. Their style is "Your Royal Highness." The Coronet of the Prince of Wales differs from the crown of the King, only in having a single arch instead of two intersecting arches: No. 289. The coronets of the Princes and Princesses, the sons and daughters of the King, are the same as the coronet of the Prince of Wales, but without any arch: No. 290. The coronets of the Princes and Princesses, the grandchildren of the Sovereign, differ in having the circlet heightened with two crosses patee, as many strawberry leaves, and four fleurs-de-lys, No. 291. Other Royal coronets have the circlet heightened with four crosses patee, and as many strawberry leaves. No. 292. For the arms of their Royal Highnesses, see Chapter XVIII.

_Purfled._ Lined and bordered or garnished.

_Purpure._ A colour: No. 56.

_Pursuivant._ A Herald of the lowest rank. In the Middle Ages, these officers were attached to the households of personages of high rank, and bore t.i.tles generally taken from the armorial insignia of their lords.

_Quadrate._ A form of cross: No. 94.

_Quarter._ The first (from the dexter chief) of the divisions of a shield that is parted per cross, as in No. 30; also any other division of a shield, to be specified in blazoning. See No. 36, and _Canton_.

_Quartering._ Marshalling two or more coats of arms in the different quarters of the same shield. When two coats are thus quartered, the one in the first quarter is repeated in the fourth, and the one in the second in the third; when three are quartered, the first quartering is repeated in the fourth quarter. Any required number of coats may be quartered on the same principle. This same term is also applied to denote the dividing a shield "_quarterly_," as in No. 30, or into more than four divisions, as in No. 36.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Nos. 289-292.--CIRCLETS OF ROYAL CORONETS No. 289. Prince of Wales.]

No. 290. King's Daughters and Younger Sons.]

No. 291. King's Grandchildren.]

No. 292. Royal Dukes.]

_Quarterly._ A shield divided into four divisions, as in No. 30: each division to contain a complete coat of arms, or a distinct heraldic device or composition. Should the shield be divided into more than four sections, the number is to be specified: thus, No. 36 is "_quarterly of eight_," &c. See Nos. 252, 253.

_Quarterly Quartering_ and _Quartered_. The quartering of a "quarter" of a shield that is divided "quarterly"; also distinguished as "_Compound Quartering_." See page 34.

_Quatrefoil._ A flower or figure having four foils or conjoined leaves, No. 293. In modern cadency a _Double Quatrefoil_ is the difference of the ninth son.

_Queue Fourchee._ Having a forked tail; No. 181.