The Manual of Heraldry; Fifth Edition | Page 3

used in Heraldry, not only for the lining of mantles and other ornaments of the shield, but also as bearings on escutcheons.
WHITE, represented by a plain shield, like argent.
[Illustration: ERMINE]
ERMINE--white powdered with black tufts.
[Illustration: ERMINES]
ERMINES--field sable, powdering argent.
[Illustration: ERMINOIS]
ERMINOIS--field or, powdering sable.
[Illustration: PEAN]
PEAN--field sable; powdering, or.
ERMYNITES--Argent, powdered sable, with the addition of a single red hair on each side the sable tufts. This fur is seldom seen in English heraldry; and it is impossible to give an example without using colour.
[Illustration: VAIR]
VAIR--argent and azure. It is represented by small bells, part reversed, ranged in lines in such a manner, that the base argent is opposite to the base azure.
[Illustration: COUNTER-VAIR]
COUNTER-VAIR, is when the bells are placed base against base, and point against point.
[Illustration: POTENT]
POTENT--an obsolete word for a crutch: it is so called in Chaucer's description of Old Age.
"So eld she was that she ne went A foote, but it were by potent."
The field is filled with small potents, ranged in lines, azure and argent.
[Illustration: POTENT COUNTER-POTENT.]
POTENT COUNTER-POTENT. The heads of the crutches or potents touch each other in the centre of the shield.

CHAP. III.
LINES USED IN PARTING THE FIELD.
Escutcheons that have more than one tincture are divided by lines; the straight lines are either perpendicular |, horizontal --, diagonal line dexter \, and diagonal line sinister /.
Curved and angular lines are numerous, and each has an Heraldic name expressive of its form. The names and figures of those most commonly used by English armorists are as follow:--
Engrailed
[Illustration: Engrailed]
Invected
[Illustration: Invected]
Wavy, or undé
[Illustration: Wavy]
Embattled, or crenelle
[Illustration: Embattled]
Nebule
[Illustration: Nebule]
Indented
[Illustration: Indented]
Dancette
[Illustration: Dancette]
Angled
[Illustration: Angled]
Bevilled
[Illustration: Bevilled]
Escartelle
[Illustration: Escartelle]
Nowy, or franché
[Illustration: Nowy]
Dove-tailed
[Illustration: Dove-tailed]
Embattled grady: sometimes called battled embattled
[Illustration: Embattled grady]
Potent
[Illustration: Potent]
Double arched
[Illustration: Double arched]
Arched or enarched
[Illustration: Arched]
Urdée
[Illustration: Urdée]
Radient
[Illustration: Radient]
If a shield is divided into four equal parts, it is said to be quartered: this may be done two ways, viz.--
[Illustration: Quartered per cross]
QUARTERED PER CROSS--The shield is divided into four parts, called quarters, by an horizontal and perpendicular line, crossing each other in the centre of the field, each of which is numbered.
[Illustration: Quartered per Saltier]
QUARTERED PER SALTIER, which is made by two diagonal lines, dexter and sinister, crossing each other in the centre of the field.
[Illustration: Quarterings]
The Escutcheon is sometimes divided into a great number of parts, in order to place in it the arms of several families to which one is allied; this is called a genealogical achievement. The compartments are called QUARTERINGS.
DIFFERENCES.
All members of the same family claim the same bearings in their coat of arms; and to distinguish the principal bearer from his descendants or relatives, it was necessary to invent some sign, so that the degree of consanguinity might be known. These signs are called DIFFERENCES. During the Crusades the only difference consisted in the bordure or border, which, as the name implies, was a border or edging running round the edge of the shield. The colour and form of this border served to distinguish the leaders of the different bands that served under one duke or chieftain. The same difference might be used to denote a diversity between particular persons descended from one family. At the present time they are not used to denote a difference, but as one of the ordinaries to a coat of arms. The annexed example exhibits the arms of the Monastery of Bermondsey. Party per pale, azure and gules; a bordure, argent. This bordure is plain; but they may be formed by any of the foregoing lines.
[Illustration: Monastery of Bermondsey arms.]
[Illustration: or, a bordure engrailed, gules]
The annexed example is or, a bordure engrailed, gules.
The differences used by armorists at the present time are nine in number. They not only distinguish the sons of one family, but also denote the subordinate degrees in each house.
The Heir, or first son, the LABEL
[Illustration: Label]
Second Son, the CRESCENT
[Illustration: Crescent]
Third Son, the MULLET
[Illustration: Mullet]
Fourth Son, the MARTLET
[Illustration: Martlet]
Fifth Son, the ANNULET
[Illustration: Annulet]
Sixth Son, the FLEUR-DE-LIS
[Illustration: Fleur-de-Lis]
Seventh Son, the ROSE
[Illustration: Rose]
Eighth Son, the CROSS MOLINE
[Illustration: Cross Moline]
Ninth Son, the DOUBLE QUATREFOIL
[Illustration: Double Quatrefoil]
Should either of the nine brothers have male children, the eldest child would place the label on the difference that distinguished his father; the second son would place the crescent upon it; the third the mullet; continuing the same order for as many sons as he may have.
The label only, is used in the arms of the royal family as a difference; but the points of the label are charged with different figures to distinguish the second and succeeding sons. The arms of the sons of King George III. were thus distinguished: the shield of the arms of the Prince of Wales by a label; the Duke of York's by the label, the centre point of which was charged with a red cross; that of the Duke of Clarence by a label, the dexter and sinister points of which were