Pimbley's Dictionary of Heraldry - F

Faillis - (fail'-lis) [French.] A fracture in an ordinary, as if it were broken or a splinter taken from it.

Falcon - The Falcon makes its appearance frequently in heraldry. When it is borne with jesses (leather thongs about its legs), a hood and bells, it is said to be "jessed, hooded and belled." When represented as feeding, it is "at prey." The falcon is also known as a gerfalcon, peregrine falcon and tiercelet.

The lure was a bunch of feathers by which the bird was taught to return.

False - Said of a charge when the central area is removed.

Family - Arms of Family. [See under ARMS.]

Feathered - Applied to an arrrow in which the feather is of a different tincture from the shaft.

Fer de cheval - A horseshoe.

Fer de moline - The same as MILLRIND.

Fess - {See FESSE.]

Fesse - (fes) One of the ordinaries. A strip or band placed horizontally across the shield, occupying one-third of the field. Its diminutives are the bar, the barrulet and the closet.

The term fessy is never used.

FESSE LINE - The line constituting the fesse.

FESSE POINT - The exact center of the shield.

Fesseways - The same as FESSEWISE.

Fessewise - In the shape of a fesse; after the manner of a fesse.

Fetterlock - Sometimes borne as a charge.

"A fetterlock and a shaklebolt azure - what may that mean?" - Ivanhoe.

Feudal - Feudal Arms. [See under ARMS.]

Fiched - [See FITCHEE.]

Field - The surface of a shield upon which the charges or bearings are blazoned; or, of each separate coat when the shield is quartered or impaled.

Fillet - (fil'-let) A bearing equaling in breadth one-fourth of the chief. It is a narrow strip laid upon the chief, a little above its lower margin. Guillim mentions the fillet as the diminutive of the chief.

Fimbriated - (fim'-bri-a-ted) Ornamented with a narrow border or hem of another tincture.

Fireball - A charge resembling the ancient war instrument of that name, which was an oval-shaped projectile made of canvas and filled with combustible composition.

Fish - Fishes do not appear frequently in heraldry, and are rarely seen in the earlier coats. Among those used are:










[The above are all heraldically fish, irregardless of their position in any other science.]

The fish may be borne natant, horizontal; haurient, vertical; embowed, bent.

Fissure - (fi'-sure) The fourth part of the bens sinister. [See BATON.]

Fitched - [See FITCHEE.]

Fitchee - (fitsh'y) Pointed like a dagger; sharpened at the lower extremity. Fitchee is generally applied to crosses that taper from the center downward. Fitchee at the foot is used when the tapering begins near the bottom of the cross.

Fitchy -[See FITCHEE.]

Flamant - (flam'-ant) Flaming, burning, blazing; a torch; a firebrand. Flanch - The segment of a circle taken out of the two sides or flanks of the shield, the margin of which forms the cord. (Also written flasque, flanque and flaunch.)

The flaunch is always used in pairs - one on each side. Its diminutive is the voider. Neither is of great antiquity.

Flasque - The same as FLANCH.

Flaunch - [See FLANCH.]

Fleetant - (fleet'-ant) Bent serpentine fashion, like the letter S. (Essentially the same as EMBOWED.)

Fleeted - [See EMBOWED.]

Fleur-de-lis - (flur'-de-lee) Heraldically this is a flower, and stands at the head of the flowers of heraldry. Its origin is unknown, one "authority" claiming that it was brought down from heaven by an angel for the arms of France. It is also said to mean the flower of Louis (Fleur de Louis), and was certainly used by Louis VII. It is undoubtedly the "flower of the lilly."

Originally the royal banner of France was seme of lis (completely covered with fleur-de-lis); but from the time of Charles VI it has consisted of three golden fleur-de-lis on a blue field.

The fleur -de-lis did not at first meet with much favor in England, and did not become popular, in fact, until its assumption by Edward III. The French quartering in the English royal arms was abolished by George VI on his accession.

When used as a difference the fleur-de-lis represents the sixth son.

Fleurette - [See FLEURY.]

Fleury - (flu'ry) A bearing adorned with fleur-de-lis, trefoils, etc. (Also written flory, floretty, flury and fleurettee.)

FLEURY CROSS - (Cross Fleury) A cross adorned with fleur-de-lis, trefoils, etc. A cross whose ends terminate in flowers. (Also called a Flourished Cross.)

Flexed - Bent, as an arm or limb. [EMBOWED.]

Floretty - The same as FLEURY.]

Flory - The same as FLEURY.

Flotant - (flo'-tant) Flying or streaming in the air, as a flag flying to the breezes. When applied to a bird it is the same as VOLANT.

Flourished - [See FLEURY.]

Foldage - (fold-ige) Applied to leaves having several foldings and turnings, one from the other.

Formee - (for'-may) A cross having the arms expanding toward the ends and flat at the outer edges. It differs from the cross patee in that the extremities of the formee reach the edge of the field.

Fountain - A bearing resembling the roundel. It is a disk divided by six lines wavy, tinctured argent and azure, to represent water.

Fourchee - (foor'-shay) Applied to a cross having the ends forked as branches, and with the ends of the branches terminating abruptly as if cut off.

Fracted - (fract'-ed) Having a part displaced, as a chevron fracted.

Fraise - A strawberry leaf.

Free - A term applied to a horse when represented in a field.

Fret - A bearing composed of bars crossed and interlaced, representing a trellis. This was originally borne fretty. Usually composed of eight pieces. When the joints are nailed it is clouce

Fretted - Aplied to charges interlaced with each other.

Fretten - The same as FRETTED.

Fretty - Applied to a bordure of eight, ten or more pieces, each reaching the extremity of the shield, and interlaced after the manner of the fret.

The fret of eight parts was originally blazoned as fretty. For instance, Maltravers bore "Sable, fretty or." This later became "Sable, a fret or."

Fructed - (fruct'-ed) Bearing fruit. Applied to a tree or plant when so represented.

Funeral escutcheon - [See HATCHMENT.]

Furiosant - (fur-i-os'-ant) An epithet applied to a bull or other animal when represented as in a rage or fury. (Also called Rangant.)

Furnished - Said of a horse when borne bridled, saddled and completely caparisoned.

Fusil - (fu'-sil) An elongated lozenge. The word comes from the French fuscan = a spindle, and the bearing is supposed to represent a distaff charged with a yarn.

"Fusils must be made long, and small in the middle. In the ancient coat of Montague [Montacute?], 'Argent, three fusils in fesse gules.' " - Peacham.

It has been said the Perceys derived their fusils from their lordship of Spindleton.

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