THE BILLET

The billet (Fig. 247), though not often met with as a charge, does sometimes occur, as for example, in the arms of Alington. | Fig. 246. —Arms of Hugh Courtenay, Earl of Devon ( d. 1422): Or, three torteaux, a label azure. (From his seal.) | Fig. 247. —The Billet. | Fig. 248. —Billetté. | Its more frequent appearance is as an object with which a field or superior charge is semé, in which case these are termed billetté (Fig. 248). The best known instance of this is probably the coat borne on an inescutcheon over the arms of England during the joint reign of William and Mary. The arms of Gasceline afford another example of a field billetté. These are "or, billetté azure, and a label gules." Though not many instances are given under each subdivision, Papworth affords examples of coats with every number of billets from 1 to 20, but many of them, particularly some of those from 10 to 20 in number, are merely mistaken renderings of fields which should have been termed billetté. The billet, slightly widened, is sometimes known as a block, and as such will be found in the arms of Paynter. Other instances are to be found where the billets are termed delves or gads. The billet will sometimes be found pointed at the bottom, in which case it is termed "urdy at the foot." But neither as a form of semé, nor as a charge, is the billet of sufficiently frequent use to warrant its inclusion as one of the ordinaries or sub-ordinaries. 156 | Fig. 249. —Armorial bearings of R. E. Yerburgh, Esq.: Per pale argent and azure, on a chevron between three chaplets all counterchanged, an annulet for difference. Mantling azure and argent. Crest: on a wreath of the colours, a falcon close or, belled of the last, preying upon a mallard proper. | Fig. 250. —Armorial bearings of Robert Berry, Esq.: Quarterly, 1 and 4, vert, a cro cro let argent (for Berry); 2 and 3, parted per pale argent and sable, on a chaplet four mullets counterchanged (for Nairne), in the centre of the quarters a crescent or, for difference. Mantling vert, doubled argent. Crest: upon a wreath of his liveries, a dem i-lion rampant gules, armed and langued, holding in his dexter paw a cro cro let fitchée azure; and in an escroll over the same this motto, "In hoc sig no vinces," and in another under the shield, "L'espérance me comforte." |