This century opens with that most valuable fund of information the
celebrated Baron's letter, 1301, the seals attached to which are
beautifully engraved in the _Monumenta Vetusta_ of the Society of
Antiquaries, vol. i, plates 28-33. A large number of these show heater
shields, some more and some less pointed. The beautiful round seal of
Simon de Montacute shows a square shield, No. 7, with a pointed French
base; while to represent the curving of the shield the top is concave.
The side spaces in the field, as is frequently the case with seals of
this date, are filled up with two grotesque animals or worms, while
in the place where a crest would be appears a large castle, &c. The
counterseal to this is square, representing a griffin segreant, not in
a shield at all, but surrounded by a bordure.
Badges or portions of armorial bearings obtained from heiresses now
frequently appear on the fields, to fill up; being the way in which
such intermarriages were shown before the general introduction of
quarterings. Flowers in the field, also enarching and architectural
details, are freely used to fill up the blank spaces, and in one of the
seals attached to the Baron's letter--that of Hugo Bardolf, of Wormgay
(see No. 50)--no room is left outside the architectural embellishment
for an inscription. Seals also occur shaped entirely like a heater
shield; with a similar shield in the centre containing the arms, as in
that of Matthew Fitz John, where the three lions rampant appear, while
the space beyond is filled up with the inscribed name of the owner. See
No. 51.
[Illustration]
The seals of this whole century are most beautifully designed and
executed, and almost universally show the heater shape; pointed
in the earlier decades, and becoming gradually shorter and more
square-shaped say about 1370. The secretum of Robert Braybroke, Bishop
of London 1382-1401, well shows this squareness. It is engraved in the
_Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries_, 9th Dec, 1869, also 3rd
Feb., 1887. To the same deed, dated 21st May, 1392, is also attached
the seal of Sir Gerard Braibrok the younger.
[Illustration]
The fields are beautifully decorated, being diapered or filled up with
architectural or ornamental details--lines, dots, and flowers; while
frequently crests, with helmets and mantlings, occur; and sometimes two
of such helmets are placed as supporters on each side of the shield, or
two grotesque animals hold up the helmet and crest, while the shield of
arms appears in the base.
[Illustration]
Gothic lettering in the Latin inscriptions now first appears, although
more frequently longobardic, and occasionally still the plain Roman
capitals. Frequently the whole face of the seal is so filled up that
the only spaces left for the inscription are on the edges, above and
below the arms. The seal of Edmund of Arundel, 1301-26, shows this
arrangement. It is from _Herald and Genealogist_, vol. ii, p. 56.
Now, also, two, three, or more shields appear, conjointed or standing
side by side. The earliest instance I have noticed is Sigillum Ide de
Clinton, 1298-1300, with three heater shields, points to the centre
[Nicholas Upton, p. 82]. Towards the middle of the century they are
frequently found.
[Illustration]
In the curious seal of Rich., fil. Ricardi de Beyvill of Wodewalton,
which is heater-shaped, and attached to a deed 1349, a square heater
shield shows a chevron between three roundels, and is supported by two
worms or dragons, while across the top of the seal appears the name
"Beyvil." This is engraved _Visit. Huntingdon_, p. 116.
Besides the curved heater of the last century, which appears in the
great seal of Edward II., 1307, and in several monumental effigies,
others of Norman heater form No. 2 appear with the upper corners cut
off and sometimes rounded. Refer to an effigy in Norton Church, Durham,
engraved in _Surtees History_, vol. iii, p. 155 (see No. 52), while in
illuminated MSS. shields occur with the bouche deeply cut and the base
of the shield curved _outwards_. This curved outward turning will be
discussed while speaking of similar shields found in the next century.
Two which occur in Bamberg Cathedral are engraved _Archæological
Journal_, vol. ii, p. 217, and in Hewitt's _Armour_, vol. ii, pp.
138-9, and are specially curious (see No. 55); and several are shown
from Harl. MS. 14379, and engraved in Cutts, p. 434.
[Illustration: _Plate III._