Ivanhoe: A Romance

by Walter Scott

  NOTE TO CHAPTER XXIX

  Note F.--Heraldry

  The author has been here upbraided with false heraldry, as havingcharged metal upon metal. It should be remembered, however, thatheraldry had only its first rude origin during the crusades, and thatall the minutiae of its fantastic science were the work of time, andintroduced at a much later period. Those who think otherwise mustsuppose that the Goddess of "Armoirers", like the Goddess of Arms,sprung into the world completely equipped in all the gaudy trappings ofthe department she presides over.

  Additional Note

  In corroboration of said note, it may be observed, that the arms, whichwere assumed by Godfrey of Boulogne himself, after the conquest ofJerusalem, was a cross counter patent cantoned with four little crossesor, upon a field azure, displaying thus metal upon metal. The heraldshave tried to explain this undeniable fact in different modes--but Fernegallantly contends, that a prince of Godfrey's qualities should not bebound by the ordinary rules. The Scottish Nisbet, and the same Ferne,insist that the chiefs of the Crusade must have assigned to Godfrey thisextraordinary and unwonted coat-of-arms, in order to induce those whoshould behold them to make enquiries; and hence give them the name of"arma inquirenda". But with reverence to these grave authorities, itseems unlikely that the assembled princes of Europe should have adjudgedto Godfrey a coat armorial so much contrary to the general rule, if suchrule had then existed; at any rate, it proves that metal upon metal, nowaccounted a solecism in heraldry, was admitted in other cases similar tothat in the text. See Ferne's "Blazon of Gentrie" p. 238. Edition 1586.Nisbet's "Heraldry", vol. i. p. 113. Second Edition.