Pimbley's Dictionary of Heraldry - H

Hand - The human hand plays its most prominent part in heraldry as the device of Ulster and the badge of baronets. 

DEXTER HAND - The right.

SINISTER HAND - The left.

Harbored - Applied to the hart, stag, etc., when lying down. The same as couchant in beasts of prey.

Harrington knot - Another name for thr fret.

Harp - The harp is the emblem of Ireland. Its origin as the badge of Erin is obscure, but probably alludes to the instrument of Brian Boroimhe.

Harpy - The heraldic Harpy is a vulture with the head and breast of a woman.

Hart - The Hart, like the stag, is an old bearing, though not of the earliest. John Trie, son and heir of Alicia de Hertley, bore "a hart's head caboched."

Hatchment - A black panel, lozenge-shaped or square, but hung corner-wise, on which the arms of a deceased person are displayed; usually hung on the walls of his or her house.

The rules governing the arrangement of the hatchment are: For a bachelor, his entire achievement on a black ground. For a single woman, her arms are placed upon a lozenge, bordered with knotted ribbons, also on a black ground. For a married man (as seen in the illustration), his arms impale those of his wife, unless she be an heiress, when they are placed on an escutcheon of pretense, the crest and other appendages added, the dexter half of the ground being black and the sinister white. For a widower, the same as for a married man, except the whole ground is black. For a widow, the husband's arms are given with her own, but upon a lozenge. In case there have been two wives or two husbands, the ground is divided into three parts per pale, the background of the survivor being white. When the deceased is a military or naval officer, colors and military or naval emblems are sometimes placed behind the arms.

"His obscure funeral: No trophy, sword or hatchment o'er his bones." Shakespeare.

Hatchment is the same as achievement. The word is a corruption of atchment, a shortened form of atchievement (achievement).

"By pulling down several atchievements (commonly called hatchments)." Wood: Fasti Oxon.

Haurient - (hau'-ri-ent) Applied to a fish when borne palewise, or upright, as if putting its head out of the water to draw or suck in air.

Hausse - (hos'-say) [French.] The same as ENHANCED.

Hawk's lure - {See LURE.]

Heart - The human heart is sometimes borne. A case in point is the arms of the Douglas family in allusion to the mission of James Lord Douglas to the Holy Land with the heart of Robert Bruce. Douglas: "Argent, a man's heart gules, ensigned by a royal crown proper, on a chief azure two mullets of the first."

Hedgehog - Also known in heraldry as the herisson and the ericus. The family of Heriz bore "Azure, three hedgehogs or. The Maxwells bearthe hedgehog for the lordship of Herris.

Helm - The part of a coat of arms which bears the crest.

Helmet - The helmet is borne above the shield and beneath the crest. Like the coronet, it denotes the rank of the wearer. Those used by English heralds are: (1) For sovereigns and princes of the blood, borne full-face, with six bars, all of gold; (2) for the nobility, of steel, with five bars of gold, shown somewhat in profile; (3) for baronets and knights, of steel, full-faced and open; (4) for an esquire or gentleman, of steel, with the visor closed, and represented in profile.

There is a further distinction made by some heraldic writers, being a silver helmet, in profile, with gold ornament, and four silver bars, for the lesser nobility, or those renking below a marquis.

The various distinctions of the helmet are supposed to have been introduced after the Restoration.

Herald - An officer whose duties, among other things, consist of deciding on the proper badges or coat armor of the nobility; to grant, record and blazon arms; record genealogies, etc. The three principal English heralds are called Kings-of-Arms (or king-at-arms). The principal herald of Scotland is called Lyon King-of-Arms; of Ireland, Ulster King-of-Arms. The Lancaster herald is inspector of regimental colors.

Heraldic - (her-al'-dic) Of or pertaining to heralds or heraldry.

Heraldical - Heraldic.

Heraldically - In a heraldic manner; according to the rules of heraldry.

Heraldry - The art or science of blazoning or describing in proper terms coats of arms. It treats also of the history and meaning of armorial bearings, rules governing their use and transmission, and their connection with titular rank, family dignities and genealogies.

Herald's College - {See COLLEGE OF ARMS.]

Heraldship - The office or dignity of a herald. 

Heurt - {See HURT.]

Herisson - (her'-is-son) A hedgehog.

Heron - The heron is found in early coats of arms, being one of the few birds entitled to this distinction. The family of Heron of Chipchase and Ford, according to the roll of Henry III, bore "Gules, three herons argent."

Herring - The fish is seen in the roll of Edward II.

Hirondelle - A Swallow.

Honor point - The point immediately above the center of the shield, dividing the upper portion into two equal parts.

Hood - The binding cap on the head of a hawk (in falconry) to make him sit quietly on his perch.

Hooded - Applied to a hawk or other bird of prey when borne with a hood over its head.

Horned - Applied to animals represented with horns of a different color from the animal itself, or from the proper color of the horns. For instance, a bull with red horns would be described as horned gules.

Horse - The horse does not appear in early examples of heraldry, although the winged horse is seen as the badge of the Order of the Temple. A bay horse is known as a bayard, while the grey horse is a liard. When the horse id displayed caparisoned; when in the field, he is free.

Horseshoe - Sometimes used as a bearing, one of the earliest examples being that of William de Ferrars, sixth earl of Derby. (Also called fer de cheval.)

Humet - [See HUMETTEE.]

Humettee - (hu-met'-tay) Said of an ordinary when cut off, or couped, so that its extremities do not reach the sides of the shield.

Hunting horn - A bearing representing the bugle used in the chase.

Hurst - A charge representing a small group of trees, generally borne upon a mount or base.

Hurt - A roundel tinctured azure; a blue ring. Some claim that it represents a wound or hurt, while others say it is a representation of the hurtleberry. [See also ROUNDEL.]

Hurty - Sown with hurts; a field covered with hurts, without regard to number.