Aving spoken of the properties of Lines, so much as serves for our intended purpose; let us next take a view of the severall kindes of those Lines, as farre foorth as they have use in Heraldrie.

For they are used

{ Single,
{
{ Manifold.

Of both which kindes and formes are all the Honourable Ordinaries composed, as well shall shew heereafter. And first, for the Single Lines and their use, it is to be understood, that one single line doth make that sort of Ordinarie which we name a Cheefe. A Cheefe is an Ordinarie determined by some one of the severall formes of Lines aforesaid, added to the Cheefe part of the Escocheon, as in Example.

He beareth Gules, a Cheefe, Argent, by the name of Workesley. When I say, that a Cheefe is determined by one line, I meane not, that one single Line is of it selfe a complete Cheefe, but that the bounds and proportion of such an Ordinarie is designed out and limited by such a single Line: for otherwise, to speake more properly, a Cheefe containeth in depth the third part of the Field; and the same may be diminished, but in no case divided into halfes. The Cheefe betokeneth a Senatour or honourable personage, borrowed from the Greekes, and is a word signifying a Head; in which sense we call Capitaneus (so named of Caput, the Head) a Chiefetaine: though he spake wittily, who derived the name of a Captaine à capiendo & tenendo, of taking, and then holding: For

Non minor est virtus, quàm quærere, parta tueri:
                   No smaller praise is in it,
                   To hold a Fort, then win it.

And as the head is the chiefe part in a man, so the chiefe in the Escocheon should be a reward of such onely, whose high merits have procured them chiefe place, esteeme, or love amongst men. This Ordinarie in our example you see is formed of a straight line: you must therefore in the Blazon thereof, onely name the kinde of Ordinarie (as before wee admonished) making no mention at all of the straightnes of the line: but if the same, or any other Ordinarie, be framed of any other forme then straight, then must you expresly mention the forme of the line whereof such Ordinarie is composed, be it Bend, Chevron, Fesse, Saltire, &c. shewing the same to be either Invecked, Ingrailed, Wavy, Indented, &c.

Hee beareth Gules, a Cheefe Crenelle, Argent, by the name of Ryncester. This terme is derived of the French word Crene, which signifieth the dent or notch in the horne of a bow, or such other thing. There is a kinde of bearing much like unto this in shew, but yet farre different from it in kinde: therefore good deliberation must be used, lest being carried away with a deceiveable appearance, we doe utterly mistake the truth of things in Blazoning.

Cheefes are made of all those severall formes of lines before mentioned, as well as other Charges, as by examples of Bordures before handled may in part appeare, and shall be more fully shewed heereafter in other kindes.

The Field is Tennè, a Cheefe, Or, charged with a Shapournet, Ermine. This terme Shapournet (if I mistake not) is derived from the French word Chaperon, which signifieth a Hood, whereof this is a Diminutive, and beareth a resemblance. Leigh seemeth to take this forme of bearing to be a kind of partition, and for that cause doth extend the dividing line (as in this Escocheon) to the extremities of the Chiefe; for which cause I have inserted the same (although untimely) in this place, which otherwise I would have reserved to some other. For mine owne part, I take the same to be rather a Charge to the Chiefe, then a portion thereof, distinguished from the same only by a conceited line of partition, never heeretofore heard of: which mooved me to shorten the head of the rising line, whereby the middle part hath the more resemblance of a Chaperon or Hood, in respect that it is made large below, and so ascending with a comely narrownesse to the top of the Chiefe: and if the Chiefe bee the Head, as before we said, what place can be fitter for the Hood to bee on, then the Head?

A Chiefe (saith Sir John Ferne) may bee honoured of another, as an Addition to the former, as in Example.

He beareth Gules, a Chiefe, Argent surmounted of another, Or. This is accounted good Armorie, and signifieth a double reward given by the Soveraigne. So well may a Gentleman deserve in giving counsell to his Soveraigne, that he may bee twice rewarded for the same, as was the Bearer heereof a French Counsellor, which when it hapneth, must be placed in this maner: Those Additions of honour that are given in reward for Counsell or wise actions, are thought to be placed most fitly on the chiefe part or head of the Escocheon, Quia à Capite edenda est omnis ratio, Because all reason proceedeth from the braine. That contrariwise a Chiefe may be also diminished, this next Example may teach us.

He beareth Or, a Chiefe, Azure, a Fillet in the nether part thereof, Argent. Some perhaps strictly observing the forme of my undertaken Method, will conceive that this Coat might have beene more fitly placed hereafter among such Ordinaries as are made of a twofold-line. Neverthelesse, though it may seeme to bee of the number of those, yet in very deed, one line being added to the lower part of the Chiefe, doth constitute a Fillet, whose Content must bee the fourth part of the Chiefe, and must be placed properly and naturally in the precise lowest part thereof. For a twofold respect was the name of Fillet given it; the one in regard of the thing whereunto it is resembled, by reason of the length and narrownesse thereof, and the other because of the place wherein it is bestowed. For as the Fillet is shaped long and narrow for the more commodious use of women in trussing up of their haire, as also for the fastning of their Head-tires, & restraining of their haire from scattering about their browes; so is this very aptly placed on the Chiefe, which is the head of the Escocheon, and doth confine and encompasse the uttermost borders of the same. This head-tire being taken from women, may well fit uxorious or luxurious persons, or such a one as in matters of importance is overswaied by a woman: which doth not a little extenuate and impaire their dignity or estimation amongst those of graver sort, for that they are deemed to have their head fixed upon the shoulders of others, and those of the weaker sexe.