PLATE. One of the six roundlets; its colour is argent, but the tincture is not mentioned, as the plate is always silver.

POMEIS. Green roundlets.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Pommelled]

POMMELLED. The pommel of the sword is the round ball or k.n.o.b at the end of the hilt of a sword.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Portcullis]

PORTCULLIS. A grating suspended by chains, used to defend the entrance to a castle.

POTENT. The ancient name of a crutch: when the field is covered with figures like small crutches it is called potent; when the heads of the crutches touch each other it is called counter potent.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Potent and counter potent]

Ex. Argent and azure, potent and counter potent. Some armorists call counter potent vary cuppy.

PRINCE. The only Princ.i.p.ality in Great Britain is that of Wales. The t.i.tle of Prince of Wales is usually conferred upon the eldest son of the British monarch. All other sons, grandsons, brothers, uncles, and nephews, are called princes of the blood royal. For instance, the Duke of Cambridge, the uncle of Queen Victoria, is styled His Royal Highness Prince Adolphus Frederick Duke of Cambridge.

His son is styled Prince George of Cambridge.

PRINCESS. Daughter of a sovereign. In England the eldest daughter of the monarch is called the Princess Royal; the others by their Christian names.

PROCLAMATION. A publication by the authority of the King.

Proclamations of peace or war, or other matters of importance, are usually read by one of the heralds. They are addressed to the whole community under their different orders or ranks, viz. Clergy, n.o.bility, Gentry, Burgesses, and Commons.

PROPER. This word is used to denote that animals introduced as charges in an escutcheon appear in their natural colour. Modern writers on Heraldry consider this word superfluous, as the omission of the name of any metal or tincture is quite sufficient to make any person conclude that a lion, horse, or other animal is to be represented as it appears in nature.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Purpure]

PURPURE. The colour of purple, described in engraving by lines drawn diagonally from the sinister to the dexter side of the shield.

PURSUIVANTS. Four officers of the Heralds' College, whose duty it is to attend the King-at-Arms on public occasions, and preside over certain departments of the Heralds' Office.

They are called--Rouge Croix, Blue Mantle, Rouge Dragon, Portcullis.

They are ent.i.tled to rank as gentlemen, but not esquires.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Quartered]

QUARTERED. A shield divided into four equal parts by a cross is said to be quartered. The quarter occupying the dexter chief is marked 1, or the first quarter; that occupying the sinister chief, 2; the dexter base, 3; the sinister base, 4; as in the annexed example.

QUARTERLY. This term is used to signify that the shield is quartered.

In describing the royal arms of England we should say--Quarterly, first and fourth gules, three lions pa.s.sant guardant, or. Second, or, a lion rampant gules, within a double tressure of the same, flory and counter flory. Third, azure, a harp or, stringed, argent.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Quartered or Parted per Saltier]

QUARTERED OR PARTED PER SALTIER. A field divided by diagonal lines crossing each other in the centre of the field.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Quarter foil]

QUARTER FOIL. A four-leaved flower.

QUARTERINGS. An escutcheon divided into any number of squares is said to contain as many quarterings; they may be as numerous as the arms required. An escutcheon containing a number of quarterings is called a genealogical achievement.

QUADRATE. Square. See CROSS QUADRATE.

QUARTER PIERCED. See CROSS QUARTER PIERCED.

RADIENT. Any charge having rays or beams about it.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Radient]

Ex. Azure, a pale, or, radient.

RAGULY. Any bearing that is ragged, like the trunk or limbs of a tree lopped of its branches, is said to be raguly. See CROSS.

RAMPANT. Any beast in a fighting att.i.tude. See LION RAMPANT.

RAY. A stream of light proceeding from a luminous body.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Ray]

Ex. Azure, a ray of the sun issuing out of the dexter corner of the escutcheon. The lines on each side are not noticed.

REST. The figure inserted in the ill.u.s.tration of the word "clarion" is by some writers on Heraldry thought to represent a rest for a lance, and they give the charge that name. See CLARION.

REGARDANT. An animal looking towards the sinister side of the shield.

See LION REGARDANT.

RIBAND. A diminutive of the bend.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Riband]

Ex. Gules, a riband, or.

ROUNDLETS. Small round figures, all named from different metals and tinctures. See p. 8. [CHAP. II.]

RUBY. A precious stone, formerly used instead of gules.

SABLE. The term used in Heraldry for black.

SALIENT. An animal springing forward. See LION SALIENT.

SALTIER. One of the honourable ordinaries, by Scottish heralds called St. Andrew's Cross.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Saltier]