in armoury, denotes the uppermost part of an armory, or that part rising over the cask or helmet. Next to the mantle, says Guillim, the crest or cognizance claims the highest place, being seated on the most eminent part of the helmet, yet so as to admit an interposition of some escrol, wreath, chapeau, crown, or the like.

The ancient warriors wore crests to strike terror into their enemies, at the sight of the spoils of animals they had killed; or to give them the more formidable mien, by making them appear taller and fiercer.

In the ancient tournaments, the cavaliers had plumes of feathers, especially those of ostriches and herons, for their crests; these tufts they called plumarts, and they were placed in tubes, on the tops of high caps or bonnets. Some had their crests of leather; others of parchment, pasteboard, &c. painted or varnished, to keep out moisture; others of steel, wood, &c. on which were sometimes represented a member or ordinary of the coat, as an eagle, fleur-de-lis, &c. but never any of those called honorable ordinaries, as pale, fesse, &c. The crests were changeable at pleasure; being reputed merely an arbitrary device or ornament.

Herodotus attributes the origin of crests to the Carian, who first bore feathers on their casks, and painted figures on their bucklers, whence the Persians called them oaks.

The crest is esteemed a greater mark of nobility than the armory, as being borne at tournaments, to which none were admitted until they had given proof of their nobility. Sometimes it serves to distinguish the several branches of a family. It has also been employed, on occasion, as the distinguishing badge of factions. Sometimes the crest is taken from the device; but more usually it is formed of some piece of the arms. Thus, the emperor's crest is an eagle; that of Castile, a castle, &c. Families which exchange arms, as the houses of Brunswick and Cologne have done, do not change their crests; the first still retain the horse, and the latter the mermaid.