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{{Short description|Ordinary in heraldic blazon in the form of a single, isolated horizontal band}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Other uses}}


[[Image:Fess demo.svg|150px|thumb|right|"Argent a fess gules"]]
[[File:Fess demo.svg|150px|thumb|right|"Argent a fess gules"]]


In [[heraldry]], a '''fess''' or '''fesse''' (from [[Middle English]] ''fesse'', from [[Old French]], from [[Latin]] ''fascia'', "band")<ref>{{Cite article |url=http://www.bartleby.com/61/94/F0089400.html |title=Fess 1. |work=American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th ed |year=2000 |publisher=Houghton Mifflin Company |accessdate=2009-03-29}}</ref> is a [[Charge (heraldry)|charge]] on a [[coat of arms]] that takes the form of a band running horizontally across the centre of the [[Escutcheon (heraldry)|shield]].<ref name="Oxford60">Woodcock & Robinson (1988), ''Oxford Guide to Heraldry'', p. 60.</ref> Writers disagree in how much of the shield's surface is to be covered by a fess or other [[Ordinary (heraldry)|ordinary]], ranging from one-fifth to one-third. The ''Oxford Guide to Heraldry'' states that earlier writers including Leigh, Holme, and Guillim favour one-third, while later writers such as Edmondson favour one-fifth "on the grounds that a bend, pale, or chevron occupying one-third of the field makes the coat look clumsy and disagreeable."<ref>Woodcock & Robinson (1988), ''Oxford Guide to Heraldry'', p. 58.</ref> A fess is likely to be shown narrower if it is ''uncharged'', that is, if it does not have other charges placed on it, and/or if it is to be shown with charges above and below it; and shown wider if ''charged''. The fess or bar, termed ''fasce'' in [[French heraldry]], should not be confused with ''[[fasces]]''.
In [[heraldry]], a '''fess''' or '''fesse''' (from [[Middle English]] ''{{Lang|enm|fesse}}'', [[Old French]] ''{{Lang|ang|faisse}}'',<ref>{{cite book |last= Fouché |first= Pierre |author-link= |date= 1961 |title= Phonétique historique du français |language= French |location= Paris |publisher= Klincksieck |page= 921 |volume= III: Les Consonnes et index général}}</ref> and [[Latin]] ''{{Lang|la|fascia}}'', "band")<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.bartleby.com/61/94/F0089400.html |title=Fess 1. |work=American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th ed |year=2000 |publisher=Houghton Mifflin Company |access-date=2009-03-29 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050926182954/http://bartleby.com/61/94/F0089400.html |archive-date=2005-09-26 }}</ref> is a [[Charge (heraldry)|charge]] on a [[coat of arms]] (or [[flag]]) that takes the form of a band running horizontally across the centre of the [[Escutcheon (heraldry)|shield]].<ref name="Oxford60">Woodcock & Robinson (1988), ''Oxford Guide to Heraldry'', p. 60.</ref> Writers disagree in how much of the shield's surface is to be covered by a fess or other [[Ordinary (heraldry)|ordinary]], ranging from one-fifth to one-third. The ''Oxford Guide to Heraldry'' states that earlier writers including Leigh, Holme, and Guillim favour one-third, while later writers such as Edmondson favour one-fifth "on the grounds that a [[Bend (heraldry)|bend]], [[Pale (heraldry)|pale]], or [[Chevron (heraldry)|chevron]] occupying one-third of the [[Field (heraldry)|field]] makes the coat look clumsy and disagreeable."<ref name="Woodcock">Woodcock & Robinson (1988), ''Oxford Guide to Heraldry'', p. 58.</ref> A fess is likely to be shown narrower if it is ''uncharged'', that is, if it does not have other charges placed on it, and/or if it is to be shown with charges above and below it; and shown wider if ''charged''. The fess or bar, termed {{Lang|fr|fasce}} in [[French heraldry]], should not be confused with ''[[fasces]]''.

==Gallery==
<gallery mode="packed" heights="100">
File:Fess cotised demo.svg|Fess cottised
File:Barrulet demo.svg|Two [[Bar (heraldry)|barrulets]]
File:Bars gemelles demo.svg|Two bars gemelles
File:Armoiries de Kerpen 1.svg|Fess [[Line (heraldry)#Indented and dancetty|indented]]
File:Party per fess demo.svg|Party per fess
File:Hungary Arms.svg|[[Barry (heraldry)|Barry]] of eight
File:Blason-Rochechouart.svg|Barry wavy
File:Heraldique blason ville fr rochechouart.svg|Barry [[nebuly]]
</gallery>


==Diminutives==
==Diminutives==
In [[English heraldry]], two or more such charges appearing together on a shield are termed ''bars'', though there are no definitive rules setting the width of the fess, the bar, nor their comparative width.<ref name="Oxford60" /> A shield of (often six or eight) horizontal stripes of alternating colour is called ''barry''. Narrower versions of the bar are called ''barrulets'' ("little bars"), and when a shield of horizontal stripes alternating colour is composed of ten or more stripes, it is called ''barruly'' or ''burely'' instead of ''barry''.<ref name="Oxford60" /> A ''cotise'', defined as half the width of a barrulet, may be borne alongside a fess, and often two of these appear, one on either side of the fess.<ref name="Oxford60" /> This is often termed "a fess cotised" (also ''cottised'', ''coticed'' or ''cotticed'').<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.heraldsnet.org/saitou/parker/Jpglossc.htm |title=Cottise |work=A Glossary of Terms Used in Heraldry |last=Parker |first=James |year=1894 |accessdate=2009-03-29}}</ref> Another diminutive of the fess called a ''closet'' is said to be between a bar and barrulet, but this is seldom found.<ref name="Oxford60" /> A fess when ''couped'' ("cut off" at either end, and so not reaching the sides of the shield) can be called ''humetty'', but this term is very rare in the Anglophone heraldries and is most often used of the [[cross]].{{Citation needed|date=March 2009}}
In [[English heraldry]], two or more such charges appearing together on a shield are termed ''bars'', though there are no definitive rules setting the width of the fess, the bar, nor their comparative width.<ref name="Oxford60" /> A shield of (often six or eight) horizontal stripes of alternating colour is called ''barry''. Narrower versions of the bar are called ''barrulets'' ("little bars"), and when a shield of horizontal stripes alternating colour is composed of ten or more stripes, it is called ''barruly'' or ''burely'' instead of ''barry''.<ref name="Oxford60" /> A ''cotise'', defined as half the width of a barrulet, may be borne alongside a fess, and often two of these appear, one on either side of the fess.<ref name="Oxford60" /> This is often termed "a fess cotised" (also ''cottised'', ''coticed'' or ''cotticed'').<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.heraldsnet.org/saitou/parker/Jpglossc.htm |title=Cottise |work=A Glossary of Terms Used in Heraldry |last=Parker |first=James |year=1894 |access-date=2009-03-29}}</ref> Another diminutive of the fess called a ''closet'' is said to be between a bar and barrulet, but this is seldom found.<ref name="Oxford60" />


==Other uses==
==Other uses==
<!-- This section is for other HERALDIC uses of the term FESS or FESSE. -->
<!-- This section is for other HERALDIC uses of the term FESS or FESSE. -->
A shield ''party per fess'' (or simply ''per fess'') is divided in half horizontally (''in the manner of a fess''). A charge placed horizontally may be termed ''fesswise'' or ''fessways'', and two or more charges arranged in a horizontal row are blazoned ''in fess'' or ''in bar''.


<gallery mode="packed" heights="100px">
<center><gallery>
File:Tierced per fess demo.svg|Tierced '''per fess'''
File:Tierced per fess demo.svg|Tierced '''per fess'''
File:Coat of arms of Owain Gwynedd.svg|Three eagles '''in fess'''
File:Coat of arms of Owain Gwynedd.svg|Three eagles '''in fess'''
File:Stevenson arms.svg|A fleur-de-lys between two mullets '''in fess'''
File:141 Signal Battalion DUI.PNG|A flaming arrow '''fesswise'''
File:141 Signal Battalion DUI.PNG|A flaming arrow '''fesswise'''
</gallery></center>
</gallery>

A shield ''party per fess'' (or simply ''per fess'') is divided in half horizontally (''in the manner of a fess''). A charge placed horizontally may be termed ''fesswise'' or ''fessways'', and two or more charges arranged in a horizontal row are blazoned ''in fess'' or ''in bar''.


==Notable and unusual forms==
==Notable and unusual forms==
A ''mural fess'' can be seen in the arms of Suzanne Elizabeth Altvater.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.gg.ca/heraldry/pub-reg/project-pic.asp?lang=e&ProjectID=930&ProjectElementID=3368 |title=Suzanne Elizabeth Altvater Grant of Arms |work=The Public Register of Arms, Flags and Badges of Canada |publisher=The Canadian Heraldic Authority |date=1998-10-29 |accessdate=2009-03-29}}</ref>
A ''mural fess'', that is a fess [[Line (heraldry)#Embattled and variants|embattled]] and [[Variation of the field#Masoned|masoned]] of the field, can be seen in the arms of Suzanne Elizabeth Altvater.<ref>{{Cite web |date=1998-10-29 |title=Suzanne Elizabeth Altvater Grant of Arms |url=http://archive.gg.ca/heraldry/pub-reg/project.asp?lang=e&ProjectID=930&ShowAll=1 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160728020456/http://reg.gg.ca/heraldry/pub-reg/project.asp?lang=e&ProjectID=930&ShowAll=1 |archive-date=Jul 28, 2016 |access-date=2009-03-29 |work=The Public Register of Arms, Flags and Badges of Canada |publisher=The Canadian Heraldic Authority}}</ref>


The arms of [[Baroness Fritchie]] provide an example of ''three Barrulets fracted and there conjoined to a Chevronel''.<ref>{{Cite journal |url=http://www.theheraldrysociety.com/publications/gazette/2007-Jun.pdf |title=Heraldry of New Life Peers |publisher=The Heraldry Society |work=The Heraldry Gazette |issue=June 2007 |date=2007-11-24 |accessdate=2009-03-29 |page=3}}</ref>
The arms of [[Baroness Fritchie|Rennie Fritchie, Baroness Fritchie]] provide an example of ''three Barrulets fracted and there conjoined to a Chevronel''.<ref>{{Cite journal |date=2007-11-24 |title=Heraldry of New Life Peers |url=http://www.docstoc.com/docs/75720250/ep-06-Issue |journal=The Heraldry Gazette |publisher=The Heraldry Society |issue=June 2007 |page=3 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140110093133/http://www.docstoc.com/docs/75720250/ep-06-Issue |archive-date=Jan 10, 2014 |access-date=2009-03-29}}</ref>


A flag which has a central ''horizontal'' stripe that is half the height of the flag is sometimes said to have a [[Spanish fess]]. The name is based on the most well-known example of this style of flag, the [[flag of Spain]].
==Gallery==

<center><gallery>
==See also==
File:Fess costied demo.svg |Fess cottised
* [[Spanish fess]]
File:Barrulet demo.svg |Two barulets
* [[Bar (heraldry)]]
File:Bars gemelles demo.svg |Two bars gemelles
* [[Pale (heraldry)]]
File:Armoiries de Kerpen 1.svg |Fess dancetty
File:Party per fess demo.svg |Party per fess
File:Hungary Arms.svg |Barry of eight
File:Blason-Rochechouart.svg |Barry wavy
File:Heraldique blason ville fr rochechouart.svg |Barry nebuly
</gallery></center>


==Notes==
==Notes==
Line 40: Line 50:
==Further reading==
==Further reading==
{{Commons category|Fesses in heraldry}}
{{Commons category|Fesses in heraldry}}
* Boutell, Charles (1890). ''[http://openlibrary.org/details/heraldryancient00avelgoog Heraldry, Ancient and Modern: Including Boutell's Heraldry]''. London: Frederick Warne. {{OCLC|6102523}}
* Boutell, Charles (1890). ''[https://openlibrary.org/details/heraldryancient00avelgoog Heraldry, Ancient and Modern: Including Boutell's Heraldry]''. London: Frederick Warne. {{OCLC|6102523}}
* Fox-Davies, Arthur Charles (1909). ''[http://openlibrary.org/details/completeguidetoh00foxdrich A Complete Guide to Heraldry]''. New York: Dodge Pub. Co. ISBN 0517266431. {{LCCN|09||023803}}
* Fox-Davies, Arthur Charles (1909). ''[https://openlibrary.org/details/completeguidetoh00foxdrich A Complete Guide to Heraldry]''. New York: Dodge Pub. Co. {{ISBN|0-517-26643-1}}. {{LCCN|09023803}}
* Neubecker, Ottfried (1976). ''Heraldry: Sources, Symbols and Meaning''. Maidenhead, England: McGraw-Hill. ISBN 0070463123.
* Neubecker, Ottfried (1976). ''[[iarchive:guidetoheraldry00neub|Heraldry: Sources, Symbols and Meaning]]''. Maidenhead, England: McGraw-Hill. {{ISBN|0-07-046312-3}}.
* Volborth, Carl-Alexander von (1981). ''Heraldry: Customs, Rules and Styles''. Poole, England: Blandford Press. ISBN 0713709405. {{LCCN|81||670212}}
* Volborth, Carl-Alexander von (1981). ''[[iarchive:heraldrycustomsr0000vonv_i3q7|Heraldry: Customs, Rules and Styles]]''. Poole, England: Blandford Press. {{ISBN|0-7137-0940-5}}. {{LCCN|81670212}}
* Woodcock, Thomas and John Martin Robinson (1988). ''The Oxford Guide to Heraldry''. Oxford: University Press. ISBN 0192116584. {{LCCN|88||023554}}
* Woodcock, Thomas and John Martin Robinson (1988). ''[[iarchive:oxfordguidetoher0000wood_z1c5|The Oxford Guide to Heraldry]]''. Oxford: University Press. {{ISBN|0-19-211658-4}}. {{LCCN|88023554}}
* Woodward, John and George Burnett (1892). ''[http://openlibrary.org/details/treatiseonherald00wooduoft Woodward's a treatise on heraldry, British and foreign]''. Edinburgh: W. & A. K. Johnson. ISBN 0715344641. {{LCCN|02||020303}}
* Woodward, John and George Burnett (1892). ''[https://openlibrary.org/details/treatiseonherald00wooduoft Woodward's a treatise on heraldry, British and foreign]''. Edinburgh: W. & A. K. Johnson. {{ISBN|0-7153-4464-1}}. {{LCCN|02020303}}


{{blazon}}
{{blazon}}


[[Category:Heraldic ordinaries]]
[[Category:Heraldic ordinaries]]
[[Category:Flags by design]]

[[ca:Faixa (heràldica)]]
[[es:Faja (heráldica)]]
[[it:Fascia (araldica)]]
[[he:פס (הרלדיקה)]]
[[hu:Pólya]]
[[ja:フェス (紋章学)]]
[[pt:Faixa (heráldica)]]
[[fi:Hirsi (heraldiikka)]]
[[sv:Bjälke]]

Latest revision as of 15:12, 3 December 2024

"Argent a fess gules"

In heraldry, a fess or fesse (from Middle English fesse, Old French faisse,[1] and Latin fascia, "band")[2] is a charge on a coat of arms (or flag) that takes the form of a band running horizontally across the centre of the shield.[3] Writers disagree in how much of the shield's surface is to be covered by a fess or other ordinary, ranging from one-fifth to one-third. The Oxford Guide to Heraldry states that earlier writers including Leigh, Holme, and Guillim favour one-third, while later writers such as Edmondson favour one-fifth "on the grounds that a bend, pale, or chevron occupying one-third of the field makes the coat look clumsy and disagreeable."[4] A fess is likely to be shown narrower if it is uncharged, that is, if it does not have other charges placed on it, and/or if it is to be shown with charges above and below it; and shown wider if charged. The fess or bar, termed fasce in French heraldry, should not be confused with fasces.

[edit]

Diminutives

[edit]

In English heraldry, two or more such charges appearing together on a shield are termed bars, though there are no definitive rules setting the width of the fess, the bar, nor their comparative width.[3] A shield of (often six or eight) horizontal stripes of alternating colour is called barry. Narrower versions of the bar are called barrulets ("little bars"), and when a shield of horizontal stripes alternating colour is composed of ten or more stripes, it is called barruly or burely instead of barry.[3] A cotise, defined as half the width of a barrulet, may be borne alongside a fess, and often two of these appear, one on either side of the fess.[3] This is often termed "a fess cotised" (also cottised, coticed or cotticed).[5] Another diminutive of the fess called a closet is said to be between a bar and barrulet, but this is seldom found.[3]

Other uses

[edit]

A shield party per fess (or simply per fess) is divided in half horizontally (in the manner of a fess). A charge placed horizontally may be termed fesswise or fessways, and two or more charges arranged in a horizontal row are blazoned in fess or in bar.

Notable and unusual forms

[edit]

A mural fess, that is a fess embattled and masoned of the field, can be seen in the arms of Suzanne Elizabeth Altvater.[6]

The arms of Rennie Fritchie, Baroness Fritchie provide an example of three Barrulets fracted and there conjoined to a Chevronel.[7]

A flag which has a central horizontal stripe that is half the height of the flag is sometimes said to have a Spanish fess. The name is based on the most well-known example of this style of flag, the flag of Spain.

See also

[edit]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Fouché, Pierre (1961). Phonétique historique du français (in French). Vol. III: Les Consonnes et index général. Paris: Klincksieck. p. 921.
  2. ^ "Fess 1". American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4th ed. Houghton Mifflin Company. 2000. Archived from the original on 2005-09-26. Retrieved 2009-03-29.
  3. ^ a b c d e Woodcock & Robinson (1988), Oxford Guide to Heraldry, p. 60.
  4. ^ Woodcock & Robinson (1988), Oxford Guide to Heraldry, p. 58.
  5. ^ Parker, James (1894). "Cottise". A Glossary of Terms Used in Heraldry. Retrieved 2009-03-29.
  6. ^ "Suzanne Elizabeth Altvater Grant of Arms". The Public Register of Arms, Flags and Badges of Canada. The Canadian Heraldic Authority. 1998-10-29. Archived from the original on Jul 28, 2016. Retrieved 2009-03-29.
  7. ^ "Heraldry of New Life Peers". The Heraldry Gazette (June 2007). The Heraldry Society: 3. 2007-11-24. Archived from the original on Jan 10, 2014. Retrieved 2009-03-29.

Further reading

[edit]