THE PHOENIX OF GRECIAN MYTHOLOGY

The Phoenix, one of the few mythical birds which heraldry has familiarised us with, is another, and perhaps the most patent example of all, of the appropriation by heraldic art of an ancient symbol, with its symbolism ready made. It belongs to the period of Grecian mythology. As a charge upon a shield it is comparatively rare, though it does occur. On the other hand, it is frequently to be found as a crest. It is always represented as a demi eagle issuing from flames of fire, and though the flames of fire will generally be found mentioned in the verbal blazon, this is not essential. Without its fiery surroundings it would cease to be a phoenix. On the other hand, though it is always depicted as a demi-bird, it is never considered necessary to so specify it.

Occasionally, a two headed demi eagle displayed is seen issuing from flames and may be blazoned as a two-headed Phoenix .

HERALDRY RAMBLINGS

Next month we will be providing additional Families of Britain (Garter Series) renderings due to popular demand. Many of you have this collection and requests have been numerous.

In December we will be providing a better drawing of a lamb's head and corresponding lambs in various positions featuring the new head.

The Doves with head guardant are exclusive to AG for those who seek something unique. Close, Rampant and Rising are provided.

barefoot upon a thistle

The Thistle ranks next to the rose in British heraldic importance. Like the rose, the reason of its assumption as a national badge remains largely a matter of mystery, though it is of nothing like so ancient an origin. Of course one knows the time-honoured and wholly impossible legend that its adoption as a national symbol dates from the battle of Largs, when one of the Danish invaders gave away an attempted surprise by his cry of agony caused by stepping barefooted upon a thistle. The fact, however, remains that its earliest appearance is on the silver coinage of 1474, in the reign of James III., but during that reign there can be no doubt that it was accepted either as a national badge or else as the personal badge of the sovereign. In 1540, when the thistle had become recognised as one of the national emblems of the kingdom, the foundation of the Order of the Thistle stereotyped the fact for all future time

THE CRANE

Where its vigilance came from....

Another bird for which heraldry has created a term of its own is the Crane. It is seldom met with except holding a stone in its claw, the term for which stone is its "vigilance," a curious old fable, which explains the whole matter, being that the crane held the stone in its foot so that if by any chance it fell asleep, the stone, by dropping, would awaken it, and thus act as its "vigilance". It is a pity that the truth of such a charming example of the old world should be dissipated by the fact that the crest of Cranstoun is the crane asleep-or rather dormant-with its head under its wing, and nevertheless holding its "vigilance" in its foot! The crane is not often met with, but it occurs in the arms of Cranstoun, with the curious and rather perplexing motto, "Thou shalt want ere I want." Before leaving the crane, it may be of interest to observe that the derivation of the word "pedigree" is from pied de grue, the appearance of a crane's foot and the branching lines indicative of issue being similar in shape. Heraldic representation makes little if any difference when depicting a crane, a stork, or a heron, except that the tuft on the head of the latter is never omitted when a heron is intended.

DID YOU KNOW

The plume of ostrich feathers is, moreover, attributed as a crest to a far greater number of families than it really belongs to, because if a family possessed no crest the helmet was generally ornamented with a plume of ostrich feathers, which later generations have accepted and adopted as their heritable crest, when it never possessed such a character. A notable instance of this will be found in the crest of Astley, as given in the Peerage Books.

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