Armorer, or Armourer

One who fabricates arms or any warlike weapon. The armor-smiths, or makers of armor, were among the most skilful workers in metal during the feudal times; but their trade afterward fell away, after the invention of gunpowder. In most European armies, an A. is a soldier whose duty it is to take charge of, and keep in good condition, the arms of the troop or company to which he belongs. In the British navy, the A. is a warrant-officer, a isted by a subordinate, who is called armorer's mate; on shipboard he has under his care all the small arms, cutla es, boarding-pikes, . Armo'rial, a. Belonging to armor, or to the arms or escutcheon of a family. A. ensigns, or A. bearings . ( Her . ) A term applied, collectively, to the shield and its charges, and the crest, helmet, and motto, belonging to any gentleman entitled to bear arms. In England, the supporters are also included in this expre ion. It is, however, properly applicable to the devices on the shield only, which are also termed arms. The figure (193) represents the A. ensigns or arms of the kingdom of Spain, which is described as escarteled 1 and 4 gules with argent towers, which are for Castile; 2 and 3 argent with lions of gules crowned Or, which are for Leon ; enté-in-pointe of argent with a pomegranate of gules, having leaves of sinople, for Granada; under all, azure with three fleurs-de-lis of Or, which is for Bourbon (France). Fig. 193.-ARMORIAL ENSIGNS OF SPAIN. Armor'ic, Armor'ican, a . Relating to Armorica. Armor'ic, n. The language spoken in Armorica, which was one of the Celtic dialects. Armor'ica. [Celt. ar , near, and mor , the sea.] The country of the Armorici; the name by which the people occupying the coast of Gaul between the Seine and the Loire were known to Cæsar. Ata later period, the name A. was confined to the country afterward styled Bre tagne, q. v.