ARMS are variously distinguished by the Herolds. Arms of alliance, are those which families or private persons join to their own, to denote the alliances which they have contracted by marriage.
Arms, assumptive, are such as a man has a right to assume of himself, in virtue of some gallant action.
As, if a man who is no gentleman, of blood, nor has coat armour, takes a gentleman, lord, or prince, prisoner, in any lawful war; he becomes entitled to bear the shield of such prisoner, and enjoy it to him and his heirs. The foundation hereof is that principle in military law, that the dominion of things taken in lawful war passes to the conqueror.
Arms, canting, are those wherein the figures bear an allusion to the name of the family.—Such are those of the family of La Tour in Auvergne, who bear a tower; that of the family of Prado in Spain, whose field is a meadow. Most authors hold these the most noble and regular, as is shown by an infinity of instances produced by father Varenne and Menetrier.—They are much debased when they come to partake of the Rebus.
Arms, charged, are such as retain their ancient integrity and value, with the addition of some new honourable charge or bearing, in consideration of some noble action.
Arms of community, are those of bishoprics, cities, universities, and other bodies corporate.
Arms of concession, or augmentation of honour, are either entire arms, or else one or more figures given by princes, as a reward for some extraordinary service.
Arms of dominion, are those which emperors, kings, and sovereign states bear; being annexed to the territories which they possess. Thus the three lions are the arms of England; the fleurs de lys those of France, &c.
Arms of family, or paternal arms, are such as belong to a particular family, and which no other person has a right to assume.
Arms, full, or entire, are such as retain their primitive purity, integrity, or value; without any alterations, diminutions, abatement, or the like.—It is a rule, that the simpler and less diversified the arms, the more noble and ancient they are. For this reason Garcias Ximenes, first king of Navarre, and his successors for several ages, bore only gules, without any figure at all.
The arms of princes of the blood, of all younger sons, and junior families, are not pure and full; but distinguished and diminished by proper differences, &c.
Arms of patronage, are those which governors of provinces, lords of manors, &c. add to their family arms, in token of their peculiar superiority and jurisdiction.
Arms of pretension, are those of such kingdoms or territories to which a prince or lord has some claim, and which he adds to his own, though the kingdoms or territories be possessed by a foreign prince or other lord. Thus the kings of England have quartered the arms of France with their own, ever since the claim of Edward III. to that kingdom, in 1330.
Arms of succession, are assumed by those who inherit estates, manors, &c. by will, entail, or donation, and which they either impale or quarter with their own arms.
ARMS are also said to be parted, coupled, quartered, &c.
ARMS are said to be false and irregular, when there is something in them contrary to the established rules of heraldry. As, when metal is put on metal, or colour on colour, &c.
The laws, and other affairs of arms, with the cognizance of offences committed therein, belong, among us, to the earl-marshall and college of arms.