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ASPILOGIA, n.
Pronunciation: /as.pi' ło gi.a/
plural aspilogiae 1. Heraldry, coats of arms, armory (especially as a collection) Etymology: Coined by Sir Henry Spelman c. 1595 as the title to his treatise on coat armour. Sir Anthony Wagner argued in his A Catalogue of Mediaeval Arms (1950) that on etymological grounds a better form of the word would have been "Aspidologia," but retained Spelman's innovation. |
The Rolls of Arms|
THE HERALD'S ROLL (The Fitzwilliam version) is an English roll of arms dating to c. 1270-80, consisting of 17 vellum membranes, now bound as a book of 39 leaves, each measuring 9.1" x 10.75", painted in color in the 15th century, illustrating 697 shields in 117 rows of 6 per row, with 1 shield over. The roll is now part of the Cambridge, Fitzwilliam Museum manuscript collection: MS. 297. SEGAR'S ROLL (Grenstreet 11; Papworth G) is an English roll of arms dating to about 1282. The original -- now lost -- measured 6.125" x 9' 4.75", and consisted of 212 shields in 53 rows of 4, with the names of the coresponding kings, princes, nobles, and knights above each shield. Several 17th century copies were made from the original. The following illustrations are based on the c.1600 color facsimile housed at the College of Arms in London -- Ga. MS. L14, Part I, ff. 26-31. GUILLIM'S ROLL (Grenstreet 18; Papworth J) is an English vellum roll dating to about 1295-1305. The original -- now lost -- is thought to be identical to the 17th century manuscript copy, MS. Harl. 6589, ff. 44-5 which consists of 148 shields in 21 rows of 7 + 1, with names above. The following illustrations are based on this copy. THE NATIVITY ROLL(Greenstreet 19; Papworth M) is a lost vellume English roll of arms dating to about 1300, and probably measuring about 6.25" by 4'. The original roll consisted of 79 names and blazoned shields written on the dorse of The Falkirk Roll (q.v.). The illustrations represented here are based on the blazons in the 16th century copy transcribed by Anthony R. Wagner, Richmond Herald, housed at the College of Arms, London; formerly Wrest Park MS. 16, ff. 6-8 THE PARLIAMENTARY ROLL (aka: The Great Roll or The Bannerets' Roll) is an English roll of arms dating to about 1312, consisting of 19 vellum leaves measuring 6" x 8.25", and including the names and blazons for 1,110 English nobles, knights and deceased lords of the day. The roll is part of the British Museum's manuscript collection: MS. Cotton, Caligula A. XVIII, ff. 3-21b. Additional rolls will be added over time. Check back often. |