Moline

Cross Moline

§24. We next come to a cross having a great variety of nomenclature as well as of form. The ordinary and correct term is the Cross moline, and like the fer-de-moline or mill-rind, from which it derives its name, the ends are bifurcated. But they are usually made to turn over like the two side lobes of the cross fleury, the central lobe being absent.

Neither the fer-de-moline nor the cross moline occurs in the rolls of Henry III. In those of Edward II. the fer-de-moline occurs as a charge, and also the cross recercelée(q.v.), which may perhaps represent the Cross moline; but by some heralds the term Cross recercelée, q.v., is supposed to be confined to a cr. moline voided.

Moreover, with the author of the poem which describes the siege of Caerlaverock, the term Fer-de-moline appears to mean the Cross moline, as there is no doubt the arms of Antony BECK, the warrior-bishop of Durham, 'who sent has banner of red, with a fer-de-moline of ermine,' were somewhat as represented in the margin, since a Bishop would be sure to bear a cross.

    Le noble evesque de Dureaume,                                               
    Le plus vaillant clerk du roiaume ...                                       
    Vermeille, o un fer de molyn                                                
    De ermine, e envoia se ensegne.                                             
      Roll of Caerlaverock, c. 1300.                                            

The Cross recercelée too is found more frequently in the later rolls, e.g. in Edward III.'s reign, and then it will be seen that the cross moline occurs but in one instance.

The drawings very in the extent to which the bifurcated end is curved, and either of those shewn in the margin may be followed. It they are much more curved, the term 'anchory' may perhaps be given to the cross, a translation of the French term ancrée, which seems to represent the cross moline; but it is not a very happy description, as the ends are not drawn like the flukes of an anchor.

Monsire Symon de CHAMBERLAYNE, quarterly, d'or et gules a une crois molin argent en la quarter devant--Roll, temp. EDW. III.

Azure, a cross moline or--MOLYNEUX, of Hawkley, Lanc. [many other families of the same name bear crosses moline variously pierced and tinctured.]

Argent, a cross moline azure--MILLER, Scotland.

Azure, a cross moline or--Adam MOLEYNS, Bp. of Chichester, 1445-50.

Per fesse embattled gules and azure, in chief two pickaxes and in base a cross moline or--PICKWICK.

Argent, a cross moline pierced gules--MILBORNE.

Gules, a cross moline voided argent--BECKE.

Gules, a cross moline sarcelled argent--BEC.

Azure, a cross anchory or--BEAURAIN.

Sable, a cross anchory or--TATYNGTON, Suffolk, Harl. MS. 1449.

The cross called by French writers anillée, and varied in spelling by French and English writers into neslée, nyslée, nillée, &c., seems to be but another name for the cross moline, the French anille being exactly the same as the mill-rind. But because some French heralds have drawn the curved extremities more slender than is usual in English drawing, the cross anillée has been described as a very thin cross anchory.

D'azur, à trois anilles ou fers de moulin d'or--GERESME, Brie.

A severer form, and perhaps one more skin to the original notion of the fer-de-moline, is one with rectangular ends, which heralds have named cross mill-rind, abbreviated into cross miller). But so far as has been observed the title occurs only in heraldic works, and is not applied especially to any actual arms.

Under this head it may be well to include the Cross fourchée. It is found in ancient blazon, particularly in the roll of arms of the time of Henry III., and in one the term fourché au kanee occurs, which has been itself a crux to heraldic writers. The exact form of the cross fourché is not known, but it is supposed to be like that in the margin, for which later heralds have invented the term cross miller rebated. In French heraldic works a distinction seems to be made between fourchée and fourchetée, but it is not clear what that distinction is.

Gilbert de la VALE, de la MARCH, d'argent ung croix fourche de goules--Roll, temp. HEN. III.

John de LEXINGTON d'argent ung crois d'azure fourche au kanee.--Ibid.

Per pale or and vert, over all a cross fourchy gules--HINGHAM.

Argent, a cross moline rebated engrailed, sable--COTES, Harl. MS. 6829.

In connection with the cross fourché may be noted the erroneous blazon of the shake fork(q.v.) as a cross pall; it is not, however, a cross at all; it is the forked character of the pall which has led to a combination of the two ideas.

A Cross moline is said to be sometimes used as a mark of cadency.