Abatement, Rebatement

  In very specific instances, a mark of disgrace whereby the coat or shield is lowered or degraded in its dignity. This could take the form of an effacement or removal of one or other charge from the shield and the tincture of such marks is either tenné or sanguine. The charge could also be rebated or cut short though this was very rarely used as a mark of disgrace.

  Marks of illegitimacy may also be called abatements, not as a mark of dishonour but to indicate that the bearer was not in the legitimate line of succession. The baton sinister was often used in this connection.

  The marks of abatement, mentioned by heraldic authors, are nine in number; but although anciently heralds or officers of arms might have settled these bearings as the proper tesseræ, or abatements of honour, to deter men from the commission of such dishonourable acts, scarcely one instance of the bearing of such an abatement is given by heraldic writers, and the French discard it altogether as an English fancy. The French use the term brisure as a mark of cadency or difference.

  The nine marks of abatement are as follow:

1. Delf   tenné - for revoking or receding from a challenge given by himself.

2. Escutcheon reversed, sanguine, occupying the middle point of the shield of arms - for violating the chastity of a maid, wife, or widow, or flying from the banner of his sovereign.

3. A  point  dexter, parted, tenné - for a braggadocio or vain boaster of some valiant act which he never performed.  

4. A point in point sanguine - for cowardice.

5. A point champaign, tenné - for slaying a prisoner after demanding quarter.

6. A plain  point sanguine - for such as might be found guilty of lying to his sovereign or commander-in-chief.

7. A Gore sinister, tenné - for behaving cowardly to an enemy.

8. A Gusset sanguine - for adultery or drunkenness; placing the gusset on the dexter, or right, side, for the former crime; and on the sinister, or left, side, for the latter offence: bearing both, if guilty of adultery as well as drunkenness.

9. The whole coat armour reversed, or turned upside down, contrary to the usual manner of bearing - for treason.

  Abatements of Honour are never of metal, but invariably tinged or coloured, either  tenné or sanguine, and without any charge thereon whatever; but it must be noted, that when such bearings occur in an escutcheon, either charged or borne of the metal Or or Argent, or appear coloured Sable, Gules, Azure, Vert, or Purpure, they are then considered honourable bearings; the point in point and the plain point being acknowledged badges of the greatest honour and distinction, as may be seen in the Hanoverian  Royal Arms of England, where the Arms of Brunswick, Lunenburg, etc. were borne on an Escutcheon of Pretence, and the Arms of Saxony, being gu, a horse current arg, are placed on what in termed a point in point.

Note: Seager, in his Honour, Civil and Military, so describes a degradation of honour: “ It seemeth that the degradation of Knights hath been used only for offences of the greatest reproach and dishonour, which I conceive partly by the rareness of such actions, and partly for that the men, bereft of that dignity, were not only degraded, but also by law executed. As up the reign of King Edward the Fourth, it appeared a Knight was degraded in this sort. First, after the publication of his offence, his gilt spurs were beaten from his heels, then his sword taken from him and broken. That being done, every piece of his armour was bruised, beaten, and cast aside; after all which disgrace he was beheaded. In like manner, Andrew of Herklay, a Knight and Earl of Carlisle, was in this sort degraded. He being apprehended, was by the King’s commandment brought before Sir Antony Lucy, anno 1322, apparelled in all the robes of his estate, as an Earl and a Knight, and so led unto the place of judgement. Being thither come, Sir Antony Lucy said to him these words, First thou shalt lose the Order of Knighthood, by which thou hadst all thy honour; and further, all worship upon thy body be brought to nought. Those words pronounced, Sir Antony Lucy commanded a knave to hew the Knight’s spurs from his heels, and after caused his sword to be broken over his head. That done, he was despoiled of his furred tabard, of his hood, of his furred coats, and of his girdle. Then Sir Antony said to him these words, Andrew, now thou art no Knight, but a knave, and for thy treason the King doth will thou shalt be hanged.”