[Illustration:  Orle]

Ex.  Azure, an orle, argent.

The flanche is formed by two curved lines nearly touching each other in the centre of the shield.

[Illustration:  Flanche]

Ex.  Azure, a flanche, argent.

In the flasque the curved lines do not approach so near each other.

[Illustration:  Flasque]

Ex.  Azure, a flasque, argent.

In the voider the lines are still wider apart; this ordinary occupies nearly the whole of the field:  it may be charged.

[Illustration:  Voider]

Ex.  Azure, a voider, argent.

The tressure is a border at some distance from the edge of the field, half the breadth of an orle:  the tressure may be double or treble.

[Illustration:  Tressure]

Ex.  Or, a double tressure, gules.

Tressures are generally ornamented, or borne flory or counter flory as in the annexed example.

[Illustration:  Ornamented double tressure]

Ex.  Argent, a double tressure, flory and counter-flory, gules.

CHARGES BORNE IN COATS OF ARMS.

At first when the Feudal System prevailed, not only in England, but other parts of Europe, none but military chieftains bore Coats of Arms.  And as few persons held land under the Crown but by military tenure, that is, under the obligation of attending in person with a certain number of vassals and retainers when their services were required by the king for the defence of the state, heraldic honours were confined to the nobility, who were the great landholders of the kingdom.  When they granted any portion of their territory to their knights and followers as rewards for deeds of prowess in the field or other services, the new possessors of the land retained the arms of their patrons with a slight difference to denote their subordinate degree.  The ingenuity of the armorist was not then taxed to find a multitude of devices to distinguish every family.  And when chivalry became the prevailing pursuit of all that sought honour and distinction by deeds of arms and gallant courtesy, the knights assumed the privilege that warriors in all ages have used; viz. that of choosing any device they pleased to ornament the crests of their helmets in the field of battle, or in the mock combat of the tournament:  the knight was known and named from the device used as his crest.  Thus the heralds, in introducing him to the judges of the field, or to the lady that bestowed the prizes, called him the Knight of the Swan, the Knight of the Lion, &c., without mentioning any other title.  And knights whose fame for gallantry and prowess was firmly established, had their crests painted over their coats of arms.  In two or three generations the bearer of the arms established his right to a new crest, and the heralds, to preserve the memory of the ancient honour of the family, introduced the