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Chief
The chief is a broad band across the top of the shield that stands
for authority and domination of will. The chief has often been
granted as a special reward for prudence and wisdom, as well as
for successful command in war. The chief theoretically contains
the upper 1/3 of the shield, although it rarely actually does. The
chief is never surmounted by any other ordinary (a simple
background symbol) except for in very exceptional cases. A chief
is also never couped (cut off before reaching the edges of the
shield) or cottised (surrounded closely by smaller bars), and it has
no diminutive.
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Pale
The pale is a vertical band down the shield denoting great
defensive military strength. Protective railings were made of pales.
It has often been bestowed on those who have defended cities,
supported the government of their sovereign, or stood strong for
their country under stress. The guidelines of heraldry instruct that
the pale is to occupy one third of the width of the shield, though
this is not always strictly followed. The pallet or palet is a
diminutive of the pale. Numerous pallets are often found on a
shield, and when the field is striped vertically it is said to be "paly."
Bend
The bend is a broad, diagonal band across the shield representing
either a scarf worn like a sash, or the shield suspender of a knight
or military commander. It has often been granted to those who
have distinguished themselves as commodores. The bend
signifies defense or protection, and is a bearing of high honor.
Unless it is specified otherwise the bend is assumed to go from the
upper right corner of a shield to the lower left. The bend sinister
follows the opposite diagonal. According to old theorists the bend
should occupy one third of the surface of a shield, though it is
usually drawn slightly more narrowly than this. A charge half the
width of a bend is termed a bendlet, and if six or eight of these
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pieces occurs on a shield it is termed "bendy," though the number
must be specified.
Bend Sinister
The bend sinister has been used occasionally as a mark of
illegitimacy though this is not commonly the case. More often a
bendlet sinister is used, or a baton sinister, which is a bendlet that
does not extend to the very edges of the shield.
Fess(e)
The fesse is a broad, horizontal band across the center of the
shield that represents the military belt and girdle of honor of the
ancients. It signifies that the bearer must always be in readiness to
act for the well being of the people. It is supposed to occupy a full
third of the height of the shield, though it is seldom drawn this way,
and it is subject to the lines of partition. Its position is directly
across the center of the shield unless the fesse is described as
enhanced or abased. There can only be one fesse on a shield. If
more than one is present then they are termed bars. The term "bar
sinister" is quite simply an impossible term of heraldry - one must
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assume that the layman who quotes such a term means a bend
sinister.
Cross
The cross is a common heraldic device that signifies the Christian
faith of the bearer. It was a popular symbol during the crusades
and it is said that during the first Crusades the principle nations of
Christendom were distinguished by different colored crosses. A
plain cross, one that divides the shield into roughly equal
partitions, is also called a Greek cross to distinguish it from the
Latin cross where the lower member is much longer than the other
three, stemming from the time when the shields were much more
elongated. The plain cross is often thought of as the cross Saint
George, the patron saint of England. Though his emblem is
properly a red cross on a white field, the shape of this cross is
common in heraldry and is used often as either a charge or an
ordinary, may be charged with other devices and is subject to the
lines of partition. It may also be formed by bars or barrulets, parted
and fretty, meaning that they are interlaced; it may be quarter-
pierced or quarter-voided with the central piece where the two bars
overlap removed, or voided, meaning that the center of the cross
is the same color as the field, with only a narrow border left.
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Saltire
The saltire is most often found in Scottish arms because it is the
well-known cross of St. Andrew, the patron saint of Scotland. It is a
cross running from corner to corner rather than vertically and
horizontally like a crucifix. The saltire symbolizes suffering for faith
and the endurance of hardships.
Chevron
The chevron occurs very frequently in British and French heraldry,
and is comparatively rare in German heraldry. The chevron
represents the roof of a house, derived from the French word
"chevron" meaning rafter. It signifies protection. The chevron was
granted to those who had participated in some notable enterprise,
had built churches or fortresses, or had accomplished some work
requiring faithful service. The chevron used to almost reach the
very top of the shield and then more nearly attained the 1/3 of the
surface of the shield that was allotted to it by the guidelines of
heraldry. Now it is drawn lower and with a less acute inner angle to
allow more devices to be represented more attractively, and an
artist may draw the chevron at the height and angle that will best
suit the accompanying charges. The chevronel, is the diminutive of
the chevron and is much narrower. Chevronels may be stacked on
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top of each other or side-by-side at the same height, which is
termed interlaced, or braced. A field composed entirely of an even
number of chevrons is called "chevronny."
See Also
History of Heraldry
Furs of Heraldry
Colors of Heraldry
Elements of Family Crests and Coats of Arms
Heraldry and Genealogy
References
1. ^ Swyrich, Archive materials
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