Chapter XVII.. [illustration: No. 302.--Sixfoil.]

Staple. Borne by STAPLETON: No. 305 represents a badge formed of two staples.

Statant. Standing.

Star. See Estoile and Mullet; also a knightly decoration.

Stirrup. Borne, with appropriate straps and buckles, by SCUDAMORE, GIFFARD, and a few others.

Stock. The stump of a tree.

Stringed. As a harp or a bugle-horn; or, suspended by, or fastened with, a string.

Sun. When represented shining and surrounded with rays, he has a representation of a human face upon his disc, and is blazoned "In splendour." Sunbeams, or Rays, are borne in blazon, and form an early charge. See Collar.

Supporter. A figure of whatsoever kind that stands by a Shield of arms, as if supporting or guarding it. Single Supporters occasionally appear, but the general usage is to have a pair of Supporters--one on each side of the supported Shield. They came gradually into use in the course of the fourteenth century, but were not regularly established as accessories of Shields till about 1425, or rather later. At first they were generally alike, being then duplicate representations of the badge, but subsequently the more prevalent custom was that the two Supporters should differ, as in the case of the Royal Supporters, the Lion and the Unicorn, famous in History as in Heraldry. See Bearer, Tenant, and also Chapter XVI.

Surcoat. Any garment worn over armour; but especially the long flowing garment worn by knights over their armour until about 1325, when its form was modified by cutting it short in front, and it was distinguished as a Cyclas. See Jupon.

Surmounted. Placed over another.

Swan. When blazoned "proper," white with black beak and red legs. It is the badge of the BOHUNS, and of their descendants the LANCASTRIAN PLANTAGENETS, the STAFFORDS, and some others. This Swan has his neck encircled with a coronet, from which a chain generally passes over his back. By HENRY V., the Swan badge of his mother, MARY DE BOHUN, was borne with the wings expanded.

Sword. When borne as a charge, straight in the blade, pointed, and with a cross-guard. All the appointments of the weapon are to be blazoned. It appears, as a spiritual emblem, in several episcopal coats of arms; in the arms of the CITY OF LONDON, No. 306, the first quarter of a Shield of ST. GEORGE (arg., a cross gu.) is charged with a sword erect gules, the emblem of ST. PAUL, the special patron of the English metropolitan city. The sword is also borne in blazon in its military capacity.

Tabard. A short garment with sleeves, worn in the Tudor era. It has the arms blazoned on the sleeves as well as on the front and back: No. 307, the Tabard of WILLIAM FYNDERNE, Esquire, from his brass, A.D. 1444, at Childrey in Berkshire: the arms are--Arg., a chevron between three crosses patée sable, the ordinary being charged with an annulet of the field "for Difference." A similar garment is the official habit of heralds.

Tau, Tau-Cross. A cross formed like the letter T, so called in Greek, No. 93; borne as a charge in the arms of DRURY, TAWKE, and some others: this charge is also called the Cross of ST. ANTHONY: it is sometimes borne on a badge, as in the Bishop's Palace at Exeter. See