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Nag. See Horse.
Naiant: written sometimes Natant, swimming: applied to a fish borne fesswise.
Nailed. See under Latticed.
Closing Nail.
Closing Nail.
Nails are of various kinds; the ordinary nail has a square head; those in insignia of the GLAZIERS' Company are called closing nails, and are drawn as in the margin; tilers' nails have larger heads than ordinary nails. Horse-nails are also found named. The term spike is sometimes used for nail, and the drawing is sometimes mistaken for the wedge. (See also Passion-nails).
    Ermine, three nails meeting in point sable--CADE.
    Argent, a bend gules between six tiler's nails sable--John TYLER, Bishop of Llandaff, 1706-24.
    Argent, on two chevrons sable ten horse-nails or--CLOUVYLE, Essex.
    Argent, three spikes gules, closing towards the points in base--BALMAKIN, Scotland.
    Gules, semy of nails or, a lion rampant argent--BRYN.
EAME.
EAME.
Naissant(fr.), sometimes written nascent: issuing from the middle of an ordinary, as shewn in the illustration. It is sometimes confused with issuant, which should be restricted to charges which rise from the upper line of a fesse or bar, or the lower line of a chief.
    Or, a demi-lion rampant gules, naissant from a fesse sable. Sir Henry EAME, or ESME, K.G., temp. ED. III.
    Argent, a demi-stag gules naissant out of a fesse tortilly of the second and first--MCCORQUODELL, Scotland.
Narcissus: the heraldic form of this flower is practically a sexfoil.
    Gules, three narcissuses argent pierced of the field--LAMBART, Earl Cavan.
    Vert, a fesse vairy argent and erminois between three narcissus flowers of the second--WHITE, Hursley, co. Northampton, 1750.
Nascent. See Naissant.
Natte, (fr. for mat): used for the sake of the name in two coats of arms of French families.
Naturel, (fr.): au naturel is equivalent to the English heraldic term proper, q.v.
Navel, i.q. nombril. See Points.
Navette, (fr.): shuttle. See under Weaver's.
Navire, (fr.): Ship.
GOLAFRE.
GOLAFRE.
Nebuly, (fr. nebulé): an undulating line of division, which being intended to represent clouds is drawn horizontally; when applied to the field, however, it is usually described as barry nebuly, q.v. But it may also be applied to ordinaries such as the fesse and chevron; but not to an ordinary so as to interfere with its horizontal position. It is liable to be confused from careless drawing with undy or wavy, and in ancient armoury with vair; but though the term does not occur in early blazon, it was in later blazon no doubt intended to denote a different form from either.
    Argent, four bars nebuly[otherwise barry nebuly of six argent and] gules; a bend sable charged with three bezants--GOLAFRE, Fyfield, Berks.
    Gules, a fesse nebuly argent--APPLEDORE.
    Argent, two bars nebuly gules--John CHAMPION, Kent.
    Ermine, on a chief nebuly azure three escalops or--NEGUS, Norfolk.
    Per bend nebuly argent and gules--FOLKSTAYNE.
    Or, a chevron barry nebuly argent and azure[now vair] between three roebucks proper--SWYFT.
Needle: needles are named only in the arms of the Company of needle-makers. Tailors' bodkins are also borne.
    Vert, three needles in fesse argent, each ducally crowned or[otherwise, Vert, from three crowns in fesse or as many needles pendent argent]--Company of NEEDLEMAKERS[Est. 1656].
    Azure, three tailor's bodkins argent handles or--BODKINES.
Negro. See Man; also Head.
Neptune. One coat of arms has the figure of Neptune thus minutely described, believed to have reference to an escape from shipwreck.
    Argent, a Neptune crowned with an Eastern crown of gold, his Trident sable headed or, issuing from a stormy ocean, the sinister hand grasping the head of a ship's mast appearing above the waves as part of the wreck, all proper; on a chief azure, the arctic polar star of the first between two water bougets of the second--HEARD, co. Somerset[Lancaster Herald, afterwards Garter King of Arms, granted 1762].
Nerved, (fr. nervé): when a leaf is veined of a different tincture.
Nest: birds' nest are introduced into some coats of arms, and birds are frequently represented as on their nests, especially the Pelican. In the arms of RISLEY a child(q.v.) is represented lying in a nest.
    Argent, on a mount vert a tree of the last with two bird's nests pendent by strings gules--AURIOL, London.
    Argent, three Pelicans in piety or, nests vert; on a chief azure a mitre of the second between two mullets of the first--PATERSON, Scotland.
Net, (fr. reseau, old fr. rets): in one Scotch coat a fisherman's net occurs, but it is suggested by heralds that the term fret, or rather fretty, should be used to represent the nets.
    The field a sea proper, a net argent suspended from the dexter chief point and the sinister fesse point to the base; in chief two and in base three herrings entangled in the net--Burgh of INVERERA, Scotland.
    Sable, fretty[otherwise a fret] argent--HARINGTON.
Nettle: in one or two coats of arms the leaves of the nettle occur, and in one a bunch nettles.
    Or, a chevron gules between three nettle leaves proper--NETTLES, co. Cork, also MALHERBE, co. Devon.
    Argent, a saltire gules between four nettle leaves vert--KEATING or KECHING, London.
    Gules, on a saltire argent five nettle leaves vert--KEATING, Ireland.
    Or, [otherwise argent] a bunch of nettles vert--MALLERBY, co. Devon.
Nimbus, of Circle of Glory, represents the ring of light placed around the heads of Saints, the Holy Lamb(q.v.) and other sacred subjects. Modern painters often represent it as a circle of sun-rays, as around the head of S.John the Baptist, (q.v.).
    Azure, a book gules with gilt edged leaves supporting a Lamb couchant argent with nimbus and staff or and banner argent, a cross gules--Arms attributed to the Company of STATIONERS, London. [See the Arms of the Company given under Book.]
    Gules, two lions passant gardant or; on a chief azure the Virgin Mary, a circle of glory over her head, sitting on a tombstone issuant from the chief; in the dexter arm the Infant Saviour, Head radiant; in her sinister hand a sceptre all as the second--The See of LINCOLN.
    Argent, upon a mount vert a dove rising ... nimbed gold, all between two bars wavy azure charged with three fishes naiant two and one or--John HILSEY, Bishop of Rochester, 1535-8.
Nippers. See Glazier's.
Noah's Ark, (fr. Arche de Noé): this device is singularly chosen for more than one coat of arms, both of English and French families. It is generally represented floating on the waters of the deluge, and in chief a dove flying, bearing in its beak the olive-branch.
    Argent, an ark in the water proper surmounted by a dome azure standing thereon and holding in the beak an olive-branch vert, all between three gilly-flowers gules stalked and leaved of the fourth--JOLLY, Scotland.
    Argent, in a sea in base the Ark of Noah, and in chief a dove volant with an olive-branch in the beak all proper--GALLIEZ, Scotland.
    Azure, an antique hulk, the stern terminating with the head of a dragon; in the hulk the ark with three doors in the side; from the ark against the side a stepladder all or; on a chief argent the Cross of S.George gules; charged in the centre with a lion passant gardant of the second--SHIPWRIGHTS' Company[Inc. 1605].
Noded: knotted, used of a cable. See example under Ring.
Nombril point. See Points.
Nooked, (fr. encoché): of arrows. and birdbolts when notched of a different tincture.
Norroy king of arms. See Heralds.
Noueux, (fr.): with knots; applied to the stump of a tree, (to be distinguished from noué=nowed).
Nourri, (fr.): of a plant when no root appears.
Nowed, (fr. noué, old fr. renowé): twisted so as to form a knot; applied chiefly to serpents, q.v., and the tails of lions. A garter also is sometimes said to be nowed and buckled. (See under buckle, adder, &c).
    Gules, a serpent nowed or--MANTHELBY[i.q. NATHELEY].
    Argent, a lion rampant tail forked and nowed gules collared of the first--HAVERING, co. Dorset.
Nowy, applied by certain heralds to a Cross, q.v., §25.
Nuagée, (fr.); nebuly.
Nuée, (fr.): with a cloud passing over it, e.g. of a mountain.
Numerals. See Letters.
Nun: a white nun or smew. See under Duck.
Nun's head, See Heads.
Nut. See Hazel.
Nylle, or Nisle. See Cross Moline §24.

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