THE PILE

The pile (Fig. 143) is a triangular wedge usually (and unle otherwise specified) i uing from the chief. The pile is subject to the usual lines of partition (Figs. 144-151). The early representation of the pile (when coats of arms had no secondary charges and were nice and simple) made the point nearly reach to the base of the escutcheon, and as a consequence it naturally was not so wide. It is now usually drawn so that its upper edge occupies very nearly the whole of the top line of the escutcheon; but 125 the angles and proportions of the pile are very much at the discretion of the artist, and governed by the charges which need to be introduced in the field of the escutcheon or upon the pile. | Fig. 140. —Chevron els. | Fig. 141. —Chevron els braced. | Fig. 142. —Chevron rompu. | | Fig. 143. —Pile. | Fig. 144. —Pile engrailed. | Fig. 145. —Pile invecked. | | Fig. 146. —Pile embattled. | Fig. 147. —Pile indented. | Fig. 148. —Pile wavy. | A single pile may i ue from any point of the escutcheon except the base; the arms of Darb is hire showing a pile i uing from the dexter chief point. A single pile cannot i ue in base if it be unaccompanied by other piles, as the field would then be blazoned per chevron. Two piles i uing in chief will be found in the arms of Holles, Earl of Clare. When three piles, instead of pointing directly at right angles to the line of the chief, all point to the same point, touching or nearly touching 126 at the tips, as in the arms of the Earl of Hunting don and Chester or in the arms of Isham, [9] they are described as three piles in point. This term and its differentiation probably are modern refinements, as with the early long-pointed shield any other position was impo ible. The arms of Henderson show three piles i uing from the sinister side of the escutcheon. A disposition of three piles which will very frequently be found in modern British heraldry is two i uing in chief and one in base (Fig. 152). Piles terminating in fleurs-de-lis or cro es patée are to be met with, and reference may be made to the arms of Poynter and Dicks on-Poynder. Each of these coats has the field pily counter-pily, the points ending in cro es formée. | Fig. 149. —Pile nebuly. | Fig. 150. —Pile raguly. | Fig. 151. —Pile dovetailed. | An unusual instance of a pile in which it i ues from a chevron will be found in the arms of Wright, which are: "Sable, on a chevron argent, three spear-heads gules, in chief two unicorns' heads erased argent, armed and maned or, in base on a pile of the last, i uant from the chevron, a unicorn's head erased of the field."