Heraldry Dictionary Section Q

Quadrangular. Four cornered, or square.

Quadrans. A quarter.

Quadrant. An instrument for taking the altitudes of the sun and stars.

Quadrant fer-de-moline. A mill-rind with a square centre.

Quadrate. Square.

Quadrature, In. When four charges are placed at the angles of an imaginary square, generally blazoned, two and two.

Quarter. An ordinary, containing one fourth of the shield.

Quarter-Angled. Same as quadrat.

Quarter Pierced. See Quarterly Pierced.

Quarter-Pointed, or Quarter per Saltier. Also termed a squire, or point removed.

Quarter-Staff. A long straight pole.

Quartered. When the shield is divided into four equal parts. Sometimes applied to the cross when voided in the centre.

Quartering. The regular arrangement of various coats in one shield.

Quarterings. The arms of different families arranged in one shield to shew the connection of one family with another; and the representation of several families by combining their respective bearings according to priority of accession.

Quarterings Grand. See Marshalling.

Quarterly. The field or charge divided into four equal parts.

Quarterly Quartered or Grand-Quarters. See Marshalling.

Quarterly, Quarter-Pierced or Quarter Voided. Perforated in a square form.

Quartier-Franc. A plain quarter.

Quaterfoil or Quatrefoil. Four leaved grass. The Quaterfoil was an imitation of the primrose, which being one of the first Flowers of the Spring, was considered as the harbinger of revivified nature, and was adopted by the church architects to signify, emblematically, that the gospel, the harbinger of peace and immortality, was there preached. The Trefoil was the emblem of the Trinity.

Quaterfoil double. The same as Caterfoil.

Quartylle. Same as Quarterly.

Quatrefeuille. A Quaterfoil.

Quatuforfolia. Same as Quaterfoil.

Queen. A Queen regnant is the only female who is entitled to bear her arms in a shield with helmet, crest, lambrequin, motto, and the order of knighthood.

Queue Ermine. An ermine spot.

Queue, Queve, or Quevye. See Queued.

Queue-Forchee or Fourche. Same as tail forked.

Queued. A term for the tail of an animal.

Queued Inflected. When the tail comes between the legs.

Queve or Queued Renowned. Having the tail elevated over the head.

Quill of Gold. Or Silver thread. See Trundle.

Quilled Penned or Shafted. Applied to the quill of a feather when borne of a different tincture from the feather itself.

Quince. A sort of apple.

Quintain. A plank about six feet high, fixed firmly in the earth. At this, men on horseback tilt with poles.

Quintal. See Quintin.

Quinterfoil. The same as Cinquefoil.

Quintefueil or Quintefeuille. The same as Cinquefoil.

Quintin or Quintal. An upright pole with a cross beam on the top, which works on a pivot. At one end of the cross beam is a shield painted with rings, and at the other end is a log of wood, suspended by a stout chain. Men on horseback tilted at the shield, and unless they passed very quickly were struck by the log as the beam revolved.

Quintise. A covering for the helmet, supposed to be the origin of the mantling.

Quinysans. Sea Cognisance.

Quise, A la. See A-la-quise.

Quiver of Arrows. A case filled with arrows.