JAG - Differencing

Journalists' & Authors' Guide to Heraldry and Titles

Introduction

Coat of Arms

Heraldic Achievement

Metals, Furs and Colours

Clans, Badges and Tartans

Differencing Chapter One

Differencing Chapter Two

Differencing Chapter Three

Differencing Chapter Four

Differencing Chapter Five

Differencing Chapter Six

Differencing Chapter Seven

Differencing a.k.a. Cadency

Chapter Eight

Diagonals

Arms of Gifford - in pretence and quartered

IN CHAPTER THREE we looked at the addition of a bend as a mark of difference but, together with its diminutives it deserves a deeper examination and a chapter to itself. First, however, we should look at the definitions and at the different names often used for the same charge.

A bend is a broad diagonal descending from dexter chief to sinister base. In width it will be between one-third and one fifth of the width of the shield, a measurement that will depend on the size of any charges placed on it, and on the size, shape and number of any charges placed either side of it. If the bend descends the other way, from sinister chief to dexter base, then it is described as a bend sinister.

The first diminutive of the bend, termed the bendlet or garter, is one-half as wide, and the second diminutive, termed the cottise or cost or riband or ribbon, is one-half of that. Not all heraldic writers agree on these terms. Some insist that a riband is a bendlet for difference, while others insist that where a cost is sinister it is couped and termed a baton. In this chapter we shall use the simplest interpretation of these ancient terms.

The four shields above, left to right, are those of Edmund de Mortimer, Roger Mortimer, John Mortimer, and another Roger Mortimer.

Not all members of this branch of the Mortimers differenced their arms with variations on the inescutcheon. The Mortimers of Richards Castle used a bend gules overall, and Henry de Mortimer changed the gold and blue tinctures to gold and red.

It is possible that the basic silver inescutcheon was itself a difference and that the original arms were as shown above right. However, we have been unable to find any record of them in this form. Any reader who knows of them without the inescutcheon is urged to contact the Editor.

In the Armorial de la Toison d’Or we can find other examples of the inescutcheon used to difference. For example, the Seigneur de Lannoy bore the basic coat of Argent three lions Vert ducally crowned Or, and his kinsman Hue bore this within a red engrailed border.

Le Behge de Lannoy then differenced this coat with an inescutcheon Barry of eight Argent and Azure.