HERALDRY.
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ATTITUDES AND POSITIONS OF ANIMALS IN COATS-OF-ARMS.
When a lion, or other beast of prey, stands upright, with only one eye and
ear seen, he is termed rampant; when walking forward with one eye and ear
seen, passant; when sitting with one eye and ear seen, sejant; when lying
down with one eye and ear seen, couchant. If in any of these positions the
animal turns his face fully to the front, so that both eyes and ears are seen,
the word guardant is annexed to those of rampant, passant, sejant, as the case
may be.
If the animal look backward with only one eye and ear seen in any
of the positions above named, the word regardant is annexed to those of ram-
pant, passant, sejant, as the case may be. An animal in a coat-of-arms is said
to be saliant when leaping forward. Animals of the deer kind, when looking
full-faced, are said to be at gaze; when standing, statant; when walking, trip-
pant; when looking forward, springing; when running, courant; and when at
rest on the ground, lodged. A horse when running, is said to be courant, or
full-speed; when leaping, saliant; when standing, forcene. Birds when standing
with wings down, are said to be close; when preparing to fly, rising; when
flying, volent; when stretched out and their breast seen, displayed; when wings
are open and against each other, they are said to be endorsed; only one wing is
called demivol. Fishes, when placed horizontally, are called naiant; when per-
pendicular, hauriant; when in an arched form, they are embowed.
APPENDAGES TO THE SHIELD.
The helmet, helme, casque, or morion, as it is variously designated, has varied
in shape in different ages and countries. The most ancient form is the sim-
plest, composed of iron, of a shape fitted to the head, and flat upon the top,
with an aperture for the light. This is styled the "Norman helmet," and appears
on very ancient seals, attached to the gorget, a separate piece of armor which
covered the neck. In the twelfth century a change was made, to mark the
rank of the individual bearer.
The helmet assigned to kings and princes of royal blood is placed upon the
shield in arms with the face full to the front, and composed of gold, with the
beauvoir, or visor, divided by six projecting bars and lined with crimson.
The helmet of the nobility is of steel, with the five bars of gold, and is placed
on the shield in coats-of-arms, inclining to profile.
The helmet of knights and baronets is of steel, full-faced, with the visor thrown
back, and without bars.
The helmet of esquires always depicted in profile, is of steel, with the visor
closed.
Each of the helmets is placed immediately above the shield, or escutcheon,
and supports the wreath, which is under the crest. The lambrequin, a kind of
mantle or hood, is placed on the head between the helmet and crest, and
depicted, in heralds' language, flattant behind the wearer. The shape of the
lambrequin was most capricious, for, as it was probably cut through with the
sword in battle, it afforded certain evidence of prowess.
The wreath, upon which the crest is usually borne, is composed of two cords
of silk twisted together; the one tinctured with the principal metal, and the
other with the principal colors in the arms. The wreath, in ancient times, was
used to fasten the crest to the helmet. It is made circular, but when seen in
coats-of-arms, is seen with the side view.
The crest, or cognizance (derived from the Latin word, crista, a comb, or
