Hese Fields are the parts of Armes, containing: Charges which are the parts contained, are next to be considered.

A Charge, is that thing whatsoever that doth occupy the Field, and is in the same as Contentum in Continente, whether it bee Sensitive, or Vegetable, Naturall, or Artificiall, and is placed, either thorowout all the Superficies of the Escocheon, or else in some speciall part of the same.

The common Accidents of Charges, are

{ Adumbration, or Transparency.
{
{ Transmutation, or Counter-changing.

Adumbration or Transparency, is a cleere exemption of the substance of the Charge, or thing borne, in such sort, as that there remaineth nothing thereof to be discerned, but the naked and bare proportion of the outward lineaments thereof, or the outward Tract, Purfle, or Shadow of a thing; and such kind of bearing, is by better Heraulds then Grammarians, termed transparent, quasi transpatens, because the Field, being (as it were) on the further side of the Charges, or underneath the same, yet the Tincture and Colour thereof sheweth cleane thorow the charge, and that no lesse clearley then as it were thorow a glasse.

In Blazoning of Coate-armour of this kind, you shall say that the owner thereof beareth this beast, bird, tree, &c. umbrated; for that by reason of the exemption of the substance thereof, which was intended to bee the Charge, it affoordeth no other representation then the simple shadow thereof, which in Latine is called umbra, and thereof is it termed umbrated. And the Portraicting out of any thing umbrated, is nothing else but a sleight and single draught or Purfle, traced out with a Pensill, expressing to the view a vacant forme of a thing deprived of all substance, which must be done with some unperfect or obscure colour, as Blacke, or Tawney, unlesse the Field bee of the same Colour.

Such bearing hath undergone the sharpe censure of those that judged it to have beene occasioned by reason of some ungentlemanlike or unthrifty quality, in regard that the same representeth a shadow void of substance. Others are of opinion that their owners were such, whose Progenitors in forepassed times have borne the same essentially and completely, according to the true use of bearing; but forasmuch as their patrimony and possessions were much impaired, or utterly wasted; their Nephews and Kinsmen seeing themselves deprived of their Inheritance, and yet living in hope, that in future time the same may (by some unexpected accident) revert unto themselves, or to their posterities (laying aside all ordinary differences) chose rather to beare their Armes umbrated, that whensoever either that inheritance or any other high fortunes should light on their family, they might againe resume the wonted substance to such their umbrated forme, and so reduce their Armes to their ancient bearing. And it is deemed a farre better course (upon such occasion) to beare the Armes of their Progenitors, umbrated, then utterly to reject the same, whereby it might (within a few descents) be doubted much, if not denied, that they were descended from such a Familie.

Whatsoever is borne in Armes umbrated, must not be charged in any case. In Blazoning you must never nominate the colour of such tract of the thing that is umbrated, because they doe only beare a shew of that they are not, that is to say, of a Charge; and therefore is the colour of such Adumbration esteemed unworthy to be named in Blazon. As touching the distribution of Charges, it is to be observed that

       All Charges of Armes are either

{ Proper,
{
{ Common.

Those Charges are said to be Proper, which by a certaine proprietie doe peculiarly belong to this Art, and are of ordinarie use therein, in regard whereof, they are called Ordinaries: and they have also the title of Honourable Ordinaries, in that the Coat-armour is much honoured thereby, forasmuch as they are oftentimes given by Emperours, Kings and Princes, as Additions of Honour unto the Coat-armours of persons of desert, for some speciall service already past, or upon hope of some future worthy merit. Moreover (as Leigh sheweth) they are also called, most worthy partitions, in respect that albeit the Field be charged in divers parts thereof, whether with things of one or of divers kindes, yet is every of them as effectuall as if it were onely one, by the Soveraigntie of these partitions being interposed betweene them.

       In these we must consider their

{ Making,
{
{ Manner of Bearing.

The making of Ordinaries consisteth of Lines diversly composed. Lines therefore are the matter whereof these Ordinaries are formed, and according to the divers Tracts and formes of Lines, they doe receive a divers shape and variation of Names. For this cause, Lines must be duly considered, and especially their properties: in speaking whereof, I must crave pardon of Euclydes Artists, if I trace not in their steps and definitions, but use such descriptions as shall be fittest for our practise.

       The Properties of those Lines are their

{ Rightnesse,
{
{ Crookednesse.

Rightnesse is a propertie of a Line whereby it is carried levelly or equally thorowout the Escocheon, without either rising or falling. Crookednesse is a propertie of a Line meerely contrary to Rightnesse, in that it is carried unevenlie thorowout the Escocheon, with rising and falling.

In Blazoning of Ordinaries formed of straight Lines, you must only name the Ordinarie, without making mention of the straightnesse of the Line wherof the same is composed: but if the same be made of any of the manifold sorts of crooked Lines, the forme of such crookednesse must be especially mentioned; as by Examples shall be made plaine heereafter in their proper places.

These Honourable Ordinaries before mentioned (according to Leigh) are in number nine, viz.

{
{ Crosse,
{
{ Chiefe,
{ Pale,
{ Bend,
{ Fesse,
{ Escocheon,
{ Chevron,
{
{ Salterie,
{
{ Barre,

}
}
}
}
}
}
} whose Content is
}
}
}
}
}
}

{ 5.Part of the Escocheon
{ uncharged, and charged
{ the 3.
{ 3. Part.
{ 3. Part.
{ 5. Part.
{ 3. Part.
{ 5. Part.
{ 5. Part.
{ 5. Part uncharged, and
{ charged the 3. part
{ thereof.
{ 5. Part.

As touching the properties of a Crooked Line, it is to bee observed, that

       A Crooked Line is

{ Bunched,
{
{ Cornered.

A Bunched Line is that which is carried with round reflections or bowings up and downe, making divers hollow Crookes or Furrowes, by reason of the sundry bendings to and fro, as by these examples next following may appeare.

Of these some are

{ Invecked,
{
{ Engrailed,
{
{ Waved,
{
{ Nebulæ

}
}
}
} As in example,
}
}
}

{
{
{
{
{
{
{

A Cornered Line is framed of sundry lines meeting together corner-wise.

Of cornered Lines,
some are

{ Rect-anguled: so called
{ of their right corners
{ or angles, and are formed
{ after this maner,
{
{
{
{
{
{ Acute-anguled: so
{ named because their
{ corners or angles are
{ acute, or sharpe; and
{ these we call
{
{

{
{
{
{



{ Indented,
{ after this
{ manner,
{
{ Daunsette,
{ which are
{ formed
{ after this
{ sort,

{
{
{

{
{
{
{

Note, that these two last mentioned sorts of Lines, viz. Indented and Daunsette, are both one, secundum quale, but not secundum quantum: for their forme is all one, but in quantitie they differ much, in that the one is much wider and deeper then the other. Of all these severall sorts of Lines, Examples shall bee given heereafter, as occasion shall arise.