Quarter

Quarter

Quarter: an ordinary occupying one fourth of the field, and situated(unless otherwise directed) in the dexter chief. The term quarter is used also in referring to the divisions when the shield is quarterly, or when in addition to a cross there is a charge in one of the divisions; and in old arms we find the word cauntel used for this as well as quarter.

Vairy, argent and sable, a quarter gules--ESTANTON.

Bertram de CRIOLL, d'or a deux cheverons et ung quartier de goules--Roll, temp. HEN. III.

William de LANCASTRE, d'argent a deux barres de goules; ung quartier de goules et ung leopard en la quartier d'or--Ibid.

Sire Edmon de PAGENHAM, quartile de or e de goules, e un egle de vert en lun quarter--Roll, temp. ED. II.

Sir Symon de MONTAGU, quartile de argent e de azure; en les quarters de azure les griffons de or; en les quarters de argent les daunces de goules--Ibid.

Monsire de BRADSTON, argent, a une quarter de gules, une cinque foille d'or--Roll, temp. ED. III.

Monsire Philip le DESPENCER, port barre d'or et d'asur de vi peeces, a une quarter d'ermin--Ibid.

Sable, fretty argent on a quarter gules a cross forming flory or--Henry WAKEFIELD, Bp. of Worcester, 1375-95.

Argent, two chevrons and a quarter gules--CRIELLE, Kent.

Argent, on a quarter sable, three cronels in bend or--HULSON, co. York(granted 1571).

Argent, on a quarter gules, three lions of England in pale--The ROYAL SOCIETY, London(Inc. 1663).

As already pointed out, it seems in ancient to have ben practically synonymous with the Cauntel or Canton.

Rafe BASSET, pale dor et de goules a une cantel dargent a une croys de sable paté--Roll, temp. HEN. III.; Harl. MS. 6589.

Rauff de BASSETT, d'or a trois peles de goulz, ung quartre de ermyne--Another Roll, temp. HEN. III.; Transcript in College of Arms.

Sire Rauf BASSET, de or a iij peus de goules; e un quarter de ermyn--Roll, temp. ED. II.

It may be observed, perhaps, that in modern English arms the quarter is comparatively rare, the canton having superseded it. In the French arms, however, the term franc-quartier is frequently used, which appears to be neither so large as a quarter nor so small as a canton, but like the latter has its definite position in the dexter chief. The name franc-canton is synonymous with it. The term quartier by itself is seldom, if ever, employed except in connection with quarterly(fr. ecartelé).

D'or, à la croix ancrée de sinople; an franc-quartier de gueules--LA SABLE, Bourbonnais.

D'argent, fretté de gueules; au franc-canton d'azur--GRIMONARD, Poitou.

Whatever be the number of coats of arms comprized in one shield(see Marshalling) the term quarter may be used for them, though quartering is the more accurate them.