Charges - Fret Engrailed

This particularly spiky arrangement is from Guillim's 1611 Display of Heraldrie. It's blazoned as Gules, a Frette Engrailed Ermine, though the emblazon given is rather lacking in any ermine spots.


A warning, however. If you use this on your device, don't have it carved on your chair. I accept no responsibility for any injuries received if you disregard this.

Charges - Harpey

The Field is Azure, an Harpey displaied, Crined, Crowned, and Armed, Or. These are the Armes of the noble City of Norenberga, which according to some Authors is sitituate in the very Center of the vast and spacious Country of Germany. The Harpey (saith Upton) should be given to such persons as have committed manslaughter, to the end that by the often view of their Ensignes they might be moved to bewaile the foulnesse of their offence.

This is rather a good entry in the competition for 'charges which should never be shown displayed' by John Guillim in his 1611 Display of Heraldrie.

Charges - Fiber

R. beareth Verte, a Fiber, Argent. This beaste, Animal est emphibion, because he can live bothe on the lande and in the water, and maketh houses or dennes, arraied with wonderfull crafte, in the brinckes of Rivers, and waters, as Plinie saithe. He is also named Castor, à castrando. For he geldeth him selfe, when he perceiveth that he is persued of the hunter, and bitinge of his stones, which are marveilously good in medicines, layeth them in the sighte of the hunter, knowinge by nature, that he is hunted for the same, and so he escapeth deathe. The whiche Cicero in Scauriana affirmeth: sayinge, that he ransometh him with that parte of his bodyfor whiche he is moste pursued. Juvenall also saithe, that he geldeth him selfe, for the desire he hath to escape. This beast in shape is wonderfull, for his tayle onely is fishe, and all the other deale of his body hathe the fourme of a litle hounde. His hynder feete be as it were feete of an hounde, wherewith especially he goeth on the lande : and his twoo forefeete bene as it were the feet of a Goose, and therewith he chiefely swimmeth in the water. In runninge his is very slowe, Ob ventrem tumidum, & ad terram dendentem. His skinne is full pretious, and properly white.

Are you glad you're not a beaver in period? John Bossewell doesn't have a good life ahead for you...

Charges - Towers and Castles

In SCA heraldry, the terms tower and castle are often used interchangeably, or with a castle being similar to two or more castles joined by a wall. However in Display of Heraldrie (1611), Guillim gives these examples:

The first device given is blazoned thusly:

Hee beareth Argent, a Towre triple towred Sable, chained transverse the Port Or, by the name of Oldcastle.

This is similar to the tower used in SCA heraldry, though the 'chained transverse the port' is an nice addition.

The other example is blazoned as follows, and then the distinction is further explained.

He beareth Or, a Castle triple-towred Gules, the Port displaied of the Field, Leaved Argent. Note, that when the Architecture or Masonrie extendeth it selfe all over the Field from the one side of the Escocheon to the other, then it must bee named a castle. But if it be thus Turretted and environed by the Field, then must it be blazoned (as above) a Towre triple-towred, or a Tower with so many Turrets. The Gate must bee conceived to be transparent, so as the Field doth manifestly shew it selfe thorow the same: and all the Port should have Or, if the conceited shadow representing the thicknesse thereof, did not extenuate a great part of the same.

Unfortunately, the facsimile of the book that I'm working from is not coloured, so it is more difficult to tell which part is meant by 'leaved'.