obijcit pro capite ferientibus No beaste moueth the tongue so quickely as the Serpent dothe so that thereby he seemethe to haue twoo or three tongues when it is but one Serpentes autem diu viuere dicuntur adeo vt deposita vetere tunica senectutem deponere atque in iuuentutem redire perhibeantur It is saide that a Serpente dare not touche a naked man Plurimis verò eorum aduersatur saliua hominis There is a little Serpente whiche of somme is called a Sacer whiche greate Serpentes and mightie flee and auoide He is but one cubite longe Species hirsuta Quicquid momorderit continuò circiter putrescit The Delphine hath y e name because he foloweth mannes voice or for y t he wil harken delight to hearethe tune of the Simphoni and therfore he is called a Symphone because he hath great liking in harmonie No fish in y e sea is more swift then the Delphin For oftentimes they are sene to leape ouer ships whose leaping so playing in the sea betokeneth that some tempest is at hand Hi propriè Simonides nominantur Est Delphinum genus in Nilo dorso serrato qui Crocodylos tenera ventrium secātes interimunt The Delphine is most meke louing gentle not only towards his own kind but also towardes men childrē When as Arion that excellent Musition plaier of y e Lute shoulde haue bene drowned for his money whiche he had gotten by his art of the shipmen which should haue caried him into his countrey The Delphins which a litle before he was cast into y e sea had heard him so swetely play vpon his Lute receiued him one of them taking him vpō his backe brought him safe vnto the shoare Leonicus de var. Histor. Li. 1. ca. 53. dothe reporte that he sawe a Delphine quickly to come at the accustomed call of a childe and to take him on his backe and oftentimes so to carrie him throughe the sea Collati in se beneficij memor This noble fish knoweth by y e smell if a man drowned in the sea did eate of his kind And if the deade man hath eaten thereof he then eateth him anone But if he did not eate he mightily defendeth and kepeth his body from deuouring of other fishe and shewinge it he bringeth the corpse to some cliffe or drie lāde with all hys power Their loue also towardes theire owne kynde manifestly appeareth in that one of them beyng taken at Caria a great multitude of other Delphynes came together vnto the hauen taried there vnto the fisherman whiche did take the Delphyne let him loose againe whome they all receaued ioyfully and so returned with hym into the Sea Paruos item Delphinos magnus aliquis semper comitatur custodiae causa The fielde is verte a whale nayante Argente pellette Sable Thys fishe is called a whale for hys hugenes or greatnes of bodie which is as it were a mountaine or hill Suche was the whale that swalowed Ionas the Prophete hys wombe or belly was so greate that it might bee called hell For the Prophete sayeth Clamaui de tribulatione mea ad Dominum exaudiuit me de ventre inferi U. Beareth Golde a Balene hariante Azure The Balene is a fishe greate and huge moche like to the whale is so called because of hys outcasting and shedinge of water for they throwe water hyer than other great fishes of the Sea Such a like fishe or rather a monstre called Balaena appeared aswell in the sight of the Tyrians as the Macedons at the siege of Tyre whiche liynge vpon hys backe aboue the water came towardes the mole or pere whiche Alexander the great had caused to bee made agaynste the citie of Tyre and beatyng the water he lifted vp hymselfe at the head of the Mole and immediately diued vnder the water agayne some tyme appearyng aboue and sometyme vnderneath and when he came nere the walles of the citie vanished out of sighte The fielde is of the Dragons heade a Belue Lune Thys is a great fishe in the Sea and is called Belua He casteth out water at hys iowes with vapoure of good smell and other fishe when they fele the same pursue hym whotely and delityng after the smell they enter and come in at his iowes whom he deuoureth so fedeth hymselfe with thē The water Horsse of the Sea is called an Hyppotame for that hee is like an Horsse in backe mayne and neaynge rostro resupinato a primis dentibus cauda tortuosa vngulis binis He abideth in the waters on the daye and eateth corne by nyghte hunc Nilus gignit W. Hys fielde is Mercurie a Crocodyle d'Ermyne The Crocodile is so called because he is of the coloure of Safron Hee lyueth partely on water partely on lande is in fashion like a Dragon but he hath small eyes verie long teeth like to a sawe and lacketh a tōgue and moueth onely th'ouermost iawe not the nether and hath greate nayles and stronge on hys fete there hath ben seene of thē twenty fote longe and the skynne of hys backe is vnpenetrable Hee deuoureth not onelye men but also beastes Hunc pisces quidam serratam habentes cristam tenera ventrium desecantes interimunt Enydros a lyttle beaste so named for that he frequenteth the waters is enemye to the Crocodile whome yf hee finde slepyng he first tombleth and waloweth hym selfe in dirte and myer and so entreth through hys mouth into hys belye and fretynge or persinge all hys inwarde partes hee commeth forth on lyue oute of hys bowels leauinge hym dead He liueth longe and groweth bigger and bigger as longe as he lyueth The fielde is verte on a scocheon golde a Phagiō nayante gules Thys fishe the Grecians call fagrum because he hath so harde teth that he eateth oysters in the Sea And therfore he is also called Dentrix for the multitude and greatenes of hys teeth and as it were a fishe strongely toothed He beareth Argente three Mullettes nayante propre A Mullet is a fishe of meane quantitie hauyng two barbes or wartes on the nether lyppe the coloure toward grene with some yealowe lynes The fielde is of the Sunne a Uermante Iouis A Uermante is a fishe of color blue and is in lengthe lx cubites which hath suche strength that when Elephantes doe come into the water and do dryncke hee will take one of them by the nose and plucke hym into hym Y. Beareth verte a Muscule nayante betwene two barres gemewes d'Argente Thys is a lyttle fishe whiche guydeth the whale that he doe not runne on the rockes The fielde is of the Iacinthe a pyle in poynte d'Ermyne betwene two Zyphes hariante Lunae This is a fishe whiche is named a sworde fishe and hath in his nose a bone like to the scaberde of a Sworde ▪ There is an other fishe named in Latyne Gladius and
to serpentes and do â—lea them when they be olde their birdes feede them and prouide meate for them volandi impotentes humeris gestant wherefore the Image of them was the token of iustice and the auncient kings had it in the tops of their septers whereby theye were admonished to auance iustice and pietie and to oppresse iniustice crueltie Inter omnes alias aues pietatis simbolum gerit de immensa earum pietate erga suos pullos refert Isidorus in lib. de natura auium Ciconiae magna cura alunt vicissim parentes iam aetate deficientes sola bonitate naturae ad id agendum impulsae inquit Aelian lib. 15. cap. 4. Of this bird came a greeke word for a prouerbe Antepelargeni which signifieth to be lyke a storke which prouerbe is to exort men to bee kinde to their parentes or to their masters whiche teache and bring them vp requiting the benefit whiche they receyued of them The Noble Citie of Excester for thensigne thereof hath in a fielde parted per pale Mars and Saturne a castell triple towred Solis supported of two Pegasus lunae wyth winges vndie Pearle and Saphiere Manes and shooes of the Topaze The creast vpon an healme on a Torce Sol and Saturne a demie Lyon Martis crowned holdinge a Mounde whereuppon is set a crosse botonie Topace manteled Rubie doubled Pearle The true fidelitie that this Citie hath alwaies borne to their liege and soueraigne is most worthely reported in diuers chronicles to the great and renowmed fame of the Citizens therein inhabitinge who moste faithfully in the time of diuers auncient prynces haue manfully defended their citie from the spoile of the rebellious enemy And amongst other vnder that most prudeÌ„t prince king Henry the seuenth when it was enuironed lyke to be enflamed by that traiterous rebel Perken warbek ouercomming fyer by fyer and fortifiyng places vnfortefied at the last they so couragiously lyke valiant chaÌ„pions defended their portes posternes and walles that after many daungerous assaultes they droue away the sayde Parken with the rablement of his rebellious army How much also how worthely are they to be commended for their faithfull seruis in the time of king Edward the sixt who being in the middest of rebells vnuitailed vnfurnished vnprepared for so long a siege dyd nobly holde out the continual and daungerous assault of the rebell for they sustayned the violence of the rebellious rout not onely when they had plenty enough of victuall but also a leuen or twelue daies after the extreme famin came on them and liuing without bread weare in courage so manfull and in duetye so constant that they thought it muche better to die the extreame deathe of hunger shewing truth to their king and loue to their countrey then to geue any place to the rebell and fauor him with ayde whose examples god graunt all cyties may follow and learne to be noble by Excester whose truethe dothe not onely deserue longe prayses but also great rewarde He beareth vert the wings of an Egle de Argent and to his creast vpon the healme on a wrethe Or Azure an head de cheual rassed de Argent pellitie betwene two winges Sable brydebled golde set on a wrethe Argent and Uert manteled Gules doubled Argent It hath bin is to be seen that Angels are painted fetherd and winged declaring vnto vs thereby as I read that they be alien and cleane from al earthly cogitacion and ben rapt vp aboue to the inuest contemplacion of the loue of god and they are also figured hauing winges to signifie their swift discourse in all things the windes are said to haue winges propter velocitatem scilicet vnde scriptura sacra dicit qui ambulat super pennas ventorum Paradine discribethe lightening to haue winges that god of eloquence Maercurie appeared to diuers winged I suppose men in these our dayes haue winges also and flye contrarye to nature but I doubt they be counterfet winges as those whom Icarus made to flye with all whiche when he had set them together with wax and ioyned to his syde faste and suer inough as he thought hee mounted vp into the ayre but so sone as y e Sonne had somwhat heated him and his wax began to melt hee fell downe into a greate ryuer where hee was drowned out of hand the whyche water was euer after called by his name IcaruÌ„ mare the lyke fall had Bellerophon when hee tooke vpon hym to ascend vppon Pegasus the horse that had winges nowe what other thynge dothe these signifie vnto vs but that no man shoulde meddle with thynges aboue hys compasse He beareth Azure Gules parted with a Cheuron betwene three Candlesticks de Argent His creast y e beast Alce propre leaning to an Oke Uert set on a torce de Or and Gules manteled Sable doubled Or supported with a Beuer argent coloured vnguled Sable and an Harpie Uert Wynged de Or. The Alce discribed for the creast of the said coate armour is a wilde beast in the woods of Germany in facion skinne like to a fallowe Deere but greater hath no iointes in his legges and therefore he doth neuer lye but leane to a tree when he doth rest him The huÌ„ters knowing this do saw y e trees that they vse to leane to halfe a sunder wherby they fall downe and be taken Of the supporters the one is a Beuer a beast called in latin Fiber or Castor whose stones are vsed in medicine He hath the taile of a fishe and in the residue is like to an Otter The other assistant is an Harpie a monstruous bird hauing the visage of a maid and talons of a maruelous capacitie I dyd omit to speak any thing of the tokens aboue blazed in the coate armor nexte aforesaide whyche I shoulde haue firste desplayd but the vse of candelstickes is very well knowne to all men and wherefore theye serue Theye bee called Candelabra a candelis quasi candelafera quod candelas ferant Gold also as it is y e most principal mettal of al to worldly men so it is the soueraigne guide to marcial affaires For where Mars can not rule he taketh place Thus it is prooued that golde is victorious but assuredly the bearer thereof in coate armour ought if his field be al thereof to be supplyant and meeke The Lions in the said fielde are in their gentle nature nor haue any ferocitie in them beyng passant and ruled by the Sonne who geeueth them lyght to their trauail that they may the sooner ouercome the enemye theye considering their estate are enemies to none for al their hautye courage The Lyon liueth long because plerique dentibus defecti reperiuntur The Lyon onelye of all beastes is gentle and not lightlie angrye in supplices nam prostratis parcit et vbi saeuit in viros prius quaÌ„ in faeminas fremit in infantes non nisi magna fame adactus grassatur
it and stande vp as it shoulde doo Propterea in certaminibus Palmam signum esse placuit victoriae quoniam ingenium eiusmodi ligni est vt vrgentibus prementibusque non cedat I haue here caused to be figured vpon the said Cote armour a Swalowe of colour as ye maie see on a wreathe Or and Uerte Aristotle saithe that there be in the Ile Samo white Swalowes Quibus excaecatis lumen iterum restituitur Cecina Volaterranus comprehensus hirundines nuntias belli mittebat amicis in nidum pristinum redire solitas They will not enter into the Citie of Thebes because that Citie hathe bene so often taken and ransacked They are not in daunger to the Rauen of other byrdes Nec vnquam praeda est Therefore the Scrowe whiche shee beareth in her beake manifestly declareth the same Nulli praeda that shee is praye to none If by mans handes they be caught they die because they cannot be broughte to feede on any thinge but that whiche them selues can catche flyinge in the ayre Excaecatis Pullorum oculis herba Chelidonia visum restituunt Cyrus king of the Persians what time he was readie to die gaue in charge by his wil to make or ordayne no other Sepulchre or Tombe for hym but only to be buried and laide in the earth whiche bringeth foorthe grasse and floures then the which no thing can be founde more excellente que he nor that can better become a gaue The Cofer in Latin is called Scrinium and is a necessarye thynge made for the safe keepynge of Iewelles or Ornamentes as also of Bookes Euidences Recordes of Iudgementes or Enrolmentes Plini writeth in his naturall Historie that amonge all the spoyles whiche Alexander the greate gotte of Darius kinge of Persia he liked one moste especially whiche was a Cofer of sweete Oyntementes verye sumptuous and of great valour bothe in Golde pretious Stones and Pearles and shewinge the same to diuerse his friendes and louers he questioned with them to what pourpose it woulde beste serue After diuerse and contrary reasons by them therein declared shewed he saide it would best serue for the safe keping of the bookes of Homere as the most excellent worke for the declaration of mans mind iudging no treasure more pretious then it Ita visum est iuueni qui se totum ad exemplar Achillis componebat Cofers or Cheastes are for many good purposes and respectes to be borne in Armorie For diligence and vertuous studie is therby signified represented and not negligence or niggishe keepinge of worldely pelfre and mucke The Bison here figured for a Creaste on a Torce Argente and Gules is a Beaste hauinge one horne standinge betweene his eares and a verye longe mayne In shape he is like to an Harte but in somme Countries he is blacke I reade that there is greate stoare of them in Germanie Yet this is not the Beaste whiche somme take to be the same that is named Bubalus a Bugle or wilde Oxe For the Poete Martialis maketh them vnlike as this his Uerse folowinge doth declare Illi cessit atrox Bubalus atque Bison The fierce Bugle to him gaue place And also the Bison in his race A shooe too large for thy foote It cannot but thee ouerthrowe If too little it be agayne It vexeth thee with greater payne A Shooe on a mannes foote maye seeme good and â—itte yet where it greeueth no man can tell but the wearer Paulus Aemylius Sonne of Lucius Paulus a Consull moste excellente amonge the Romaines hearinge hys Wife Papyria the daughter also of a Consull commended for her beautie Noblenesse of byrthe modestie and fruitefulnesse shewed his shooe to them that praised her and asked howe they liked it They answeared it was a good shooe and well made Sed qua parte pedem meum distorquet nescitis But none of you dothe knowe saithe he where it wringeth me Meaninge that he alone felte it The Patten is a commendable token and maie well beseeme a Cote armour Who is the bearer hereof as none is in fighte on foote muste seeme to haue the maisterie Here is also seene volante on a wreathe Or and Sable an Agathal d'Argent guttie beaked and legged Uerte gesante an Alimon proper The byrde called Agathallus hathe natural enimitie with an other byrde called Achanthylis so that if the bloude of them be forcibly mixte together they will after seuer eche from other The Herbe aforesaide which he beareth is of that nature that it will not suffer them that taste it to be hungrye For the Creaste here is to be seene a Bugles heade rassed d'Argente a braunche of Iuniper tree proper This tree accustomably groweth in sandye places The leaues and braunches therof is continually grene It will not putrifie or stynke Non floret It hathe no floures It is of the same vertue or strengthe as is the Ceder tree The Pithe thereof also is euery where more sounde then is the Ceder and the woode principallye harde as Mantuane reporteth It is greate beyonde measure and huge in Spayne and growethe beste on the hilles hauinge prickâ—es in steade of leaues It is crooked and wrapped together Beinge burnte it is verye odoriferous and purgeth the corrupted Ayre It is a sweete busshe in this Realme and woorthye greate commendation In London it is beste solde Who so beareth this in any signe or token Armoriall oughte to be a man of an excellente and prompte witte apte to do Iustice without corruption parcialitie or fauour Wherfore this Apothegme is added Aequitas lucet per se. This building here described is in our english tongue to be taken for a Steeple which is a great buildinge made of stone or other mattier and is fourmed broade foure square beneath and vpwardes small and sharpe as it were y e flame of fire whiche endeth sharpe This is a Cote of greate excellencie and who so euer should beare the same ought in al thinges to be found discrete and constant and to abide therein The Hybre which here is assigned for y e Crest is a kind of Haukes whiche very seldome or neuer is seene to flye in the day time but seeketh his praye in the night Pugnat cum Aquila acriter adeò vt ambae mutuo assultu implexae quandoque deferantur in terram On a Torce Argent and Uert here is ensigned twoo Armes sleues and ruffes Ermyne set within a Crowne d'Or holding in the handes proper two SerpeÌ„tes Azure I reade that Iphiclus sonne of Alcmena borne with Hercules at one byrth But Hercules was gotten by Iupiter and Iphiclus by Amphitrio And when twoo Serpentes came to the Cradle of Iphiclus slue him after when they came to Hercules he tooke in either of his handes one and slue them Touching that the Torce is of white and greene Darius the king of Persia at what time he arayed battaile againste the Greate Alexander did weare a Roule of the same colours aboute the Diademe vpon his heade called by the Persians
kynde of Nobilitie is saide to be that whiche of all others is moste excellente as when anye man dothe exceede or farre passe others in honestie gentlenesse or noblenesse of harte and dothe trauaile by the puissance of his owne renoume And he truely is to be called Noble whom not other mennes but his owne vertue hathe aduanced vnto glorie To these foure kindes Aristotle addeth the fifth that is to saie of them which did florishe in highe learninge and knowledge of thinges wonderfull and suche by righte ought to be called Noble men because they doo not only ennoblish their owne Houses whereof they descended but also make honorable the Cities and CouÌ„tries wherein they were borne as for example Iuba the sonne of Iube kinge of Numidia beinge a childe and also a captiue Iulij Caesaris triumphum Africannm secutus est And although he thus had loste his Kingedome and libertie and was spoyled of all his honour and glorie yet he thought not vtterly to lose all his estimation Wherefore he earnestly applied him selfe to the studie of good learnynge wherein he so muche profited that in fewe yeares he attained to such knowledge as thereby he was accoumpted amongest the moste learned Writers of all Greece So that what so euer fortune had abated of his Nobilitie the same did the learning of good artes more abundantly restore to the greate augmentation of his honour Semblably Hannibal of Carthage in his greate miserie aduersitie and olde age learned the Greeke tongue and became so eloquent that he moste wisely did bothe write the actes and deedes of certaine Emperours and also noble Bookes of Martiall policie whereby he deserued righte highe commendation and aduancemente to his former Nobilitie whiche consisted not in the ancient Linage or dignitie of his Auncetours but in the greate learninge wisedome and vertue which in him was very Nobilitie and that Nobilitie brought him to dignitie Virtute decet non sanguine niti Nam genus proauos quae non fecimus ipsi Vix ea nostra voco The woordes of that prince of Oratours Cicero in his second Booke of Offices which he writte vnto his sonne Cicero doth admonish vs not onely to consider the name or fame of our parentes or Auncetours but that we must diligently take heede that we commit nothinge whereby we maie be thought vnwoorthy to beare the Ensignes of our Progenitours These are his woordes vnto his sonne If any from the beginninge of his youthe hathe the title of honorable name either receiued of his Father which to thee my Cicero I thinke to haue happened or by any chaunce or fortune on him all men caste their eyesâ— and of him there is seachinge what he doothe and howe he liueth And so as thoughe he shoulde leade his life in moste open lighte neither woorde nor deed of his can be vnknowne Thus it is proued that Noble men muste haue especial regarde that they maie be thought woorthy to beare that whiche they receiued of theire Grandsiers For their faultes or vices are of all men euen of the basest sorte bothe noted and reported and for theire honorable doinges and deseruinges are likewise of them commended praised Wherefore it is expediente for all those of the Nobilitie and suche as desire to beare the names of Gentlemen especially aboue all others to be circumspecte in their liuinge and manners and to walke as in the day lighte Nobilitas sola est atque vnicae virtus Finis Libri primi NVMER 2. Euerie man of the children of Israell shall pitche vnder his owne Standerde and vnder the Armes of their Father Houses ¶ The second boke entituled The Armorie of Honour ¶ What they were who in olde time did beare tokens or signes of Armes NObilitie as Boetius in his thirde Booke De Consolatione Philosophiae defineth it Est laus quaedam proueniens ex meritis Parentum It is also a dignitie of Byrthe and Linage Aristotle saithe in his fourth Booke Politicorum that is Virtus diuitae antiquae The whiche definitions teach vnto vs the true knowledg of very Nobilitie which diuerse sundrie persons haue and doo yet attaine vnto by the name and good fame of their parentes other by chaunce or fortune some for theire studies some by feates of armes some for their great possessioÌ„s or long continuance of theire bloude and aunciente house in one name and lynage and also many for their vertues onely which aboue al other ought euer to haue preheminence in praise commendation And therfore to y t kind or lynage of those men were armes first giueÌ„ as to them which excelled al others in vertue prowes goodnes of kind and such were called noble persons or gentle they did beare in their shields on their helmetê or other armor certain signes or tokens to be knowne by Vt passim videre licet apud Poetas Pallas that mightie Goddesse of Battaile wisedome for because shee woulde seeme more terrible in battaile did beare for her Ensigne the monstrous and Serpentines heade of Gorgon Bacchus the sonne of Iupiter by Semeles daughter of Cadmus who wente a greate parte of the world destroyinge Tyrantes and Monsters and conquered the Countrie of India did beare vpon his Helmet the hornes of an Oxe whiche was his Creaste as it is nowe termed of the Heraultes Mars Hercules for that theire strengthe power force shoulde be well knowne did beare on theire Armour the skinnes of Lyons in Latin called Leonum exuuiae Iupiter also the sonne of Saturnus who for his prowes wisedome after his death was of all the Greekes honoured as a God called Father kinge of Gods did beare for his Ensigne a Swanne his heade with the necke All whiche Ensignes and tokens by them deliuered to theire successours Nobilitatis quòd ab heroibus nati essent specimen dabant Porus the king of the Indians when he ordered his battaile against y e greate Alexander did beare in his standerd the Image of Hercules for an encouragement of his souldiers to fight well for a note of reproufe and infamie to them that shoulde flye from the same and losse of life to them that left it in the fielde Suche veneration and Religion the Indians conceiued of Hercules that sommetime had bene their enimie Thus by whom tokens of Armes in old time were borne may partly be perceiued But yet the goodly order trade in bearing ordering of them was not then suche as it is nowe For of these before recited I finde no mention made of mettall colour terme or any other rule in what fourme they did beare them ¶ Of the fourme of Scutcheons To sette foorthe here the fourme of Scutcheons it needeth not For of sundrie fashions thereof in especially mene may plainely be seene in the booke entituled The Accidence of Armorie And therefore firste I will declare in howe sundrie
of the sayde Theseus hys banner and penon in these wordes The redde statue of Mars with spere targe So shyneth in hys whyte Banner large That all the fieldes glitteren vp downe And by hys Banner borne is hys penon Of golde full riche in whiche there was ybete The Minotaure that he wan in Crete Thus it maye appere that armes were long borne in good ordre before the siege of Troye for the destruction of the citye Thebes was before that siege as Ihon Lydegate doth affirme Chaucer also in the tale of the knyghte describeth what token Lycurge the great kyng of Thrace dyd beare in the fielde These be hys wordes In steade of a Cote armour ouer his harneys With nayles yealowe and bright as any golde He hath a Beares skinnne cole blacke for olde This litle Historie is not vnworthy to be had in remembraunce N. beareth Sable three Owsles d'Argente beaked and legged Or. The tymbre a Bull gardant Argente armed and vnguled Gules sette on a Wreathe Sable manteled Azure doubled Argente The Owsle or Blacke byrde singeth pleasantly and therefore is ofte taken and kepte in cage This byrde althoughe shee bee in all Countries blacke yet in Achaiae shee is white as Isidore saithe This Creaste for the saide Cote armour is a white Bul. Iupiter turned him into the similitude thereof when louinge the faire mayde Isis he could not otherwise haue his will of her This signifieth that beautie maie ouercome the beste The wholesome doctrine of S. Paule is of all faithfull and obediente subiectes to be receiued and embraced where he saithe Wilte thou be without feare of the power Doo well then thou shalte haue praise of the same for he is the minister of God for thy wealthe But if thou doo euill then feare for he beareth not the sworde for naught For he is the minister of God a taker of vengeance to ponishe him that dothe euill c. His fielde is Iouis twoo pillers Lunae Diuerse Emperours and puissante Conquerous haue erected Pillers in theire Empiers and kingedomes for sundrie and weightie causes and pourposes some to declare the extentes and lymittes of theire Landes and Kingedomes somme to shewe the expeditions of theire iourneyes and voyages somme to sette forthe the places of theire burialles somme to figure therein theire Actes and valiaunt deedes to the encouragemente of those that shoulde succeede them to doo the like And other somme haue written therein the secret knowledge of certaine sciences and letters as in diuerse Histories maie be readde And more of Pillers ye maie reade in the nexte booke folowinge This in Latin is called Rastrum militare siue Politicum serueth for defense in the gatê of Citties Castles Portes Towres For the same being loosed or let downe it letteth or rather oppresseth them that woulde enter thereby Eiusmodi ad portas militare obstaculum Romae factum fuisse scribit Appianus Res Roman Ciuili dissidio vrgente Imperium sibi vendicante Sylla Sustulit hoc maleficium Carboniana turba quam dum conarentur per portam Collinam irruptionem facere Sylla repressit laxatisque insidiarijs Rastris intrò latebat quorum iniuria lapsu Senatores ipsi nonnulli qui se in Carbonianam libertatem adseruerant oppressi sunt When he is pursued of hunters and seeth he cannot escape he taketh stones with his hoofe casteth againste his enimies and oftentimes hurteth them When he is killed there is founde stones and yron in his stomake whiche he consumeth after longe digestion He hatethe the Horse by kinde I founde him figured in the Cosmographie of Munster as before is descriued Q. beareth Geules on a Bende betwene twoo Cotizes d'Argente thre Siphons Sable Isidore saithe that the Siphon is a certaine vessell whiche men of the Easte countries vse to occupie and fill with water especially when houses beene on fire to quenche the same The fourme I haue descriued here as Paradyne figureth it amonge his diuises Heroiques R. beareth Saturne and Mars parted per Pale twoo Partizantes Lunae in Saltier These weapons are commonly knowne and borne about the persons of Princes Nobles and Captaines S. beareth Syluer a Launce betweene twoo Flaunches Sable and on the Flaunches twoo Gauntlettes as the fielde The especial token borne in this Ensigne is taken for a Dimilaunce staffe whiche beinge the chiefeste weapon of the horseman is therefore congruently placed betwene twoo Gauntlettes the moste especiall armoure of the handes T. beareth Gold on a Scocheon Gules a key d'argent wrapped about with a Serpent Uert This Cote armour touching the fielde is one of the honorable ordinaries charged When as Quintus Fabius beyng Dictator or principall capitayne of the Romaynes had trayned drawne Anniball hys hoste into a fielde inclosed about with mountaines and depe ryuers where Fabius had so enuiroÌ„ned him and hys armye that they were in ieopardye eyther to bee famished for lacke of vitaile or els in flying to be slayne by the Romaines Anniball perceauing these dangers coÌ„maunded to be brought afore hym in the depe of the night whan nothing was stirrynge about two thousande great oxen and bulles which a little before hys men had taken in forrageyng and caused fagottes made of drie stickes to be fastened vnto theire hornes and sett on fyre The beastes troubled with the flambe of fire ranne as they were woode vp towarde the mouÌ„taynes whereas laye the hoste of the Romaynes Anniball with hys whole armye folowing in araye The Romaines whiche kepte the mountaynes being sore afrayde of this newe and terrible sight forsoke theire places And Fabius dreading the deceiptfull witte of Anniball kept hys armye within the trenche and so through policie Anniball with his hoste escaped without damage Thus ye maye vnderstande as I sayde before how greatly histories do geue lighte to the hydde secrettes of Armorie The Eagle whan he hathe gathered muche duste in hys fethers doth then withoute feare set vpon the Harte and falleth euen betwene hys braÌ„ches and beatinge with hys wynges so stoppeth the Hartes eyes with duste vntill at length he falleth hedlonge from some hyghe hyll or rocke and so becommeth a praye to the Eagle Industrie labor diligence is to be vsed whan difficulte weightie hyghe matters are to be ouercome P. Beareth Gules and Sable parted per bende sinistre a Lyon rampaunt d'Or vibrante a sworde d'Argente Pompey the great had suche a Lyon grauen in hys signet vide in vitis Plutarchi The fielde is partie per baste barre vndade Argente and Uerte a shippe vnder sayle in her ruffe Sable The vse of shippes and of theire ordinance is knowne to all men He beareth Or thre Anckers in bende sinistre betwene two Gartiers azure Th'Ancker is especially ascribed to Admiralles in signum vt apparet officij sui in expeditionibus prouincijsque naualibus
Gules c. The Barbes of thys floure haue no vsual woordes in blazon for that they abide alwaies of theire proper coloure which is greene enuiron the leaues of the floure as it were gardinge theÌ„ from falling The saide Saltier being of the furre called Uerrey is alwaies found to be d'azure and argent or els d'argent azure For as maâ—ster Gerard Leighe saieth in hys accidence of Armorie where the matter is doubtefull there the mettall hath of rightâ— the preheminence And I finde a Saltier varrey d'argent azure in a fielde gules borne by the name of Willington I finde thys coate blazed otherwise as thus ¶ Hee beareth Sable and Ermine partie per Fesse contrecolored in 6. quarters thre Scallops argent in the firste Where he saith in the firste hee meaneth that the Escalloppes stande in Sable which is first named in the blazon and the same I do commende for that he which vsed hys blazon was an Heraulte and wel learned in theire mysteries These coates thus parted as aforesaide are most commendably borne whan they are charged but with one token as in triangle and not with two which to moche augmenteth the Blazon the same abidinge in so manye quarters These also whiche folowe are of the like bearinge in order and coÌ„mixtion with two of the honorable ordinaries 1 ArgeÌ„t fretie gules a cheife d'azure borne by the name of Curteyn 2 Sable fretie d'or a chiefe d'ermine 3 Uerte fretie d'Ermine a chiefe d'argent 4 Or. fretie d'azure a chiefe d'ermines 5 Gules fretie d'argent a cheife d'or I here vse in the blazon of these coates Fretie because they be of more pieces then viij accordinge to the rule of master Gerard Leighe in hys Accidence of armorie wher he treateth of coates commixte with two of the honorable ordinaries Hee beareth gules a BeÌ„de engrailed d'or Thys was the coate armoure of a noble knight named Sir WilliaÌ„ Marshall And as these bendes are seene often thus engrailed so are they founde moste vsually plaine in thys wise 1 Or a bende sable borne by the name of Bonauile 2 Argent a Bende verte by the name of Kendal 3 Sable a Bende d'argent by the name of Antingham 4 Argent a bende sable by the name of Malley 5 Or a Bende dazure by the name of Carthorpe ¶ What a Cheuron is also a Cressant I haue therof sufficieÌ„tly before made meÌ„tion yet the saide ensigne beynge one of the most worthie particions take these also to be of y e same bearing whiche folowe 1 Gules a cheuron betweene 3. cressantes d'or 2 Argent a cheuron betweene three cressantes d'azure 3 Uert a cheuron betwene thre cressants d'argent 4 Ermine a cheuron betwene 3. cressants d'ermines 5 Azure a cheuron betwene three cressantes d'Ermine 6 Or a cheuron betwene 3. cressants vert The attire of thys Buckes heade differeth proprely for challenge Thys weapon before displaid is called Securis bellica and y â— bearer Securigeâ— which hath bene and is an office of hyghe credit especial aboute Princes martial affaires It doth demonstrate aucthoritie to commitie persons offending the lawes to the execution of death for the suertie of y e prince quietnes of the common weale This is the ensigne of master William Fleetewood Esquier Recorder of y e noble citie of London Also Marton beareth argent ij Barres Gules The sayde coate is bone by the name of Wynter Also I finde Argent and Sable Checkey a Fesse Gules borne by the name of AkeloÌ„d These perteined to master Frauncis Furbisher of Don caster in the county of York a right worshipful Esquyer and iust Iusticer also when hee liued hee was one of the Queenes Maiesties 〈◊〉 rable counsell established in the 〈◊〉 partes a 〈◊〉 whiche loued righteousnes and 〈…〉 countrey doth worthely reporte of 〈…〉 the 〈…〉 sent daies Thys deuise is straunge moche to be meruaâ—led at coÌ„sidering that the token borne therein hath hys head adourned Diadematè modo Romanorum Pontificum It mighte therefore bee applied to bee th'engsine of some Romishe bishoppe fraudulently aspiring thereunto liuyng moste lasciuiously and therefore deposed worthely That excellent clerke Bocatius an ItaliaÌ„ borne in his treatise which he writeth of the fall of Princes maketh meÌ„tion of a woman that was pope and what befell of her and how she was put downe The whiche hystorie I wil here set forth as it is translated or rather metrized out of Latine into our English tongue by Iohn Lidgate wher he writeth that after the miserable ende of many notable prouinces ¶ Came a creature Like a Bishoppe rounded shorne And as a priest she had a brode tonsure Her apparaile outwarde vesture BeiÌ„g a womaÌ„ wherof Bochas toke good hede Like a Prelate shape was her wede ¶ She was the same that of yore agon Vnworthely satt in Peters place And was afterwarde called pope Iohn A berdeles prelate no heare seene on her face Of her birth named was the place Magunce a citie not standinge in Itaile But on the Rhine full famous of vitaile ¶ In her youth in her tender age Forsooke her kinne in especial Caste she wolde for her aduantage Gyue her to cunninge bodie harte all And in the sciences called liberall In all seuen by famous excellence By great studie she had experience ¶ Her name couth in manie lande To shewe her cunninge firste when she began Serching prouinces came into Englande No wighte supposing but that she was a man Came to Rome her storie tell can Taughte Grammer Sophisterie and Logick Red in schooles openly Rhethorick ¶ In the time of Emperour Lotharie After the death as made is mencion From mine aucthour if I shall not varie That the pope which called was Leon The saide woman by election Istalled was no wighte supposing than By no token but that she was a man ¶ The boke of sortes after that anon Of auenture turned vp so downe She was named called Pope Ihon â–ª Of whose natural disposition Fâ—ll by processe into temptacion Quicke with child the houre came on her thaÌ„ was deliuered at Sainct Ihon Lateran After put downe for her great outrage I will on her spende no more labor But passe ouer all the surplusage Of her liuing and of her great errour Of this monstre it needeth not to shewe any further significacion the matter whereupon it dependeth beynge knowne to all that be christians and whiche abhorre the tiranny of that Romishe Sea But note heare touchinge the saide tripled Crowne wherewith the Goates head is ensigned I reade that the kinge and people of that famous citie in Indie the more called Calechut woorship the deuill in a wodderfull and horrible forme moste lothsome to be recited and hauing a Diademe on his hed as the popishe prelates vsethe and that whiche is more Ternis insignitur cornibus And this deuill hathe also hys priestes called Bramini whiche do make cleane and take awaye the spottes of
Cydaris Our Sauiour Iesus as the Scriptures doo witnesse was borne in the Cittie of Dauid called Bethelem distante from Ierusalem sixe myles and was firste called Euphrata and signifieth in the Hebrewe tongue the House of Breade Wherefore the Prophete saithe in his Psalme Ecce audiuimus eam in Euphrata c. Loe we haue hearde of the same at Enphrata and founde it in the Woode The further interpretation hereof I leaue to Diuines The Ramme here diuised for y e Crest is quarterly parted S. and Ermyne armed vnguled d'Or He is a noble beaste and best knowne in this Realme Laberius the Poete calleth them Reciprocornes for the turning backeward and eftsoones forwarde of their hornes They are also called Lanicules because they haue their skynne couered with woll Some reporte affirme that of Rammes hornes buried or hidde in the grounde is broughte forthe an Herbe called Asparagus in Englishe Sperage Christe was called Aries a Ramme Propter Principatum for his Soueraignetie and Dominion The Ringe is the most principall ornamente to beautifie the hand of man or woman But in wearing of them oftentimes is found detestable prid offence and displeasure bothe to God and Man Are not oftentimes gemmes therein enclosed whiche stir prouoke the wearer thereof to filthye lust abominable vices are not oftener in place of stones which are called pretious known to be enclosed familiar diuels seruing to worke nothing that is good and godly but contrary altogether bothe to grace godlinesse God graunte that no Christian man be founde to weare suche Ringes I reade in a prophane history that Gyges seruant to Caudales kinge of Lydea had a Ringe of suche vertue that when the broder part therof was turned to the palme of his hande he was seene of no man but he might see all thinges and when he turned the Ringe of the contrary part he was him selfe seene openly By the meane wherof he slue Caudales and committed adultrie with his wife and so of a lasie shepheard he was made a cursed kinge The byrde called an Osprey is of suche whitenesse on his breaste and winges that when he houereth ouer any runnynge water or fishe Poole all the fishe therein turneth vp theire bellies and so he taketh his praye Hee is taken to be a kynde of Eagles that haunteth aboute the Sea The Bergander is a byrde of the kinde of Geese somewhat longer and bigger then a Ducke liuing in the water breeding sometime in Conye holes sometime in hollowe places in Rockes This byrd is here figured bearing the herbe Hiacinthe with the floure proper It hathe leaues like a Porret an hande breadth in height lesse then a maydes little finger grene of colour y e toppe lying down ful of purple floures and the roote rounde The floure springeth out in spring time with the Uiolet and before the Rose It is commonly called here in Englande Crowetoes The Creste here seene is an Erodye Golde Guttie set on a Torce Siluer Gules Calepine saithe that the byrd Erodius is the greatest fowle that flyeth ouercommeth and deuoureth the Eagle Other write that in time of treadinge he sweateth bloude The fielde of thys Cote Armoure is verte three cuppes couered in Pale betwene ij flasques d' Or charged with two clustres of grappes propre And to the Creste vppon the helme a kynges heade with a Diademe crowned set on a Chapeau Sable turned vp Ermyne manteled verte dobled Argente cotized of two Equicerues propre thys Apothegme added sato prudentia maior The torne corpse of Pentheus and the cause of hys death sufficiently displayeth all the sayde ensignes who as the fables do reporte was kynge of the Thebanes whose father was called Echion and hys mother Agaue Thys Pentheus despised the Sacrifice of Bacchus the god of wyne or the droncken god wherefore hys owne mother Agaue cut of hys heade and hys sisters with the other companye of women which than did celebrate the feaste and sacrifice of the sayde Bacchus and tore hys bodye all to pieces The Equicerne as I reade is a beaste in the Oriente forma cerui aequi compositum in forme or shape of an harte and an horse ioyned together hauing hornes a longe mayne to the shoulders a bearde vnder hys chynne like vnto the goate and fete rounde clouen like an harte is as greate as an harte Thys Beaste is founde in Indie about great ryuers He hath a tayle lyke an Olyphante in colour blacke or baye For the Creste it is thus assigned vpon the helme on a wreathe d'Or and Sable a Cardnell volante beaked and legged Argente all the reste proper manteled verte dobled Argente Thys lyttle byrde is here figured gesante a seade of the thistle for that she lyueth by the seades of them vnde illi inditum nomen She hath a redde heade yealowe winges distincte with white and blacke Cardnales imperata faciunt autore Plinio nec voce tantum sed pedibus ore pro manibus They are taught to do anye thing not onely with y e voice but also with the fete and byll in steade of handes Thys Poesie is also added Tendit in ardua virtus The Tarandule is a beaste cōmōly called a Buffe which is like an Oxe but that he hath a bearde like a Goate Medusa a Ladie of whom fables do reporte that by Minerua her heares were tourned into Adders and they whiche beheld her were tourned into stones whom Perseus that noble knyght afterwarde slewe Almighty God being greatly displeased with the pryde of Nabuchodonozor for that hee woulde haue his image honored for god sodeinly transformed him into an horrible mōstre hauing the heade of an Oxe the feete of a Beare and the tayle of a Lyon who dyd eate hey as a Beaste And after he had donne penaunce in that forme God beyng moued with mercie and accepting for hym the continual prayers of Daniel the prophete restored hym to hys pristinate forme who afterwarde lyued wel and commaunded that the very god of heauen should bee onely honored Whoso should beare these ensignes let hym onely feare serue obey and giue al prayse honor and glory to God for euer and euer Thys Byrde deuised for the creaste hath a long bill and redde legges whiche drincketh as though it dyd byte the water She dippeth all her meate in the water also quem pede ad rostrum veluti manu affert that is whiche she conueyeth to her bill as with an hande She is moste estemed in Concagena a parte of Syria and is taken of some to bee the Pellycane ▪ The Icon or forme of the same birde I haue caused thus to bee figured portant a water Rose propre This Eagle also in the breste is charged with a mans harte propre wherein ys conteyned a deuyne misterye B. Beareth on a torce Perle and Rubye a Meleuete Saturne beaked and membred Veneris Thys Byrde is otherwise called Onocrotalus and is like to a Swanne