le]

Ex. Argent, a pile, purpure.

IN PILE. Arms or other charges that are placed so as to form the shape
of a pile are said to be borne in pile.

[Illustration: In pile]

Ex. Argent, three swords in pile, their points towards the base.

PLATE. One of the six roundlets; its colour is argent, but the
tincture is not mentioned, as the plate is always silver.

POMEIS. Green roundlets.

[Illustration: Pommelled]

POMMELLED. The pommel of the sword is the round ball or knob at the
end of the hilt of a sword.

[Illustration: Portcullis]

PORTCULLIS. A grating suspended by chains, used to defend the entrance
to a castle.

POTENT. The ancient name of a crutch: when the field is covered with
figures like small crutches it is called potent; when the heads of the
crutches touch each other it is called counter potent.

[Illustration: Potent and counter potent]

Ex. Argent and azure, potent and counter potent. Some armorists call
counter potent vary cuppy.

PRINCE. The only Principality in Great Britain is that of Wales. The
title of Prince of Wales is usually conferred upon the eldest son of
the British monarch. All other sons, grandsons, brothers, uncles, and
nephews, are called princes of the blood royal. For instance, the
Duke of Cambridge, the uncle of Queen Victoria, is styled His Royal
Highness Prince Adolphus Frederick Duke of Cambridge.

His son is styled Prince George of Cambridge.

PRINCESS. Daughter of a sovereign. In England the eldest daughter
of the monarch is called the Princess Royal; the others by their
Christian names.

PROCLAMATION. A publication by the authority of the King.
Proclamations of peace or war, or other matters of importance, are
usually read by one of the heralds. They are addressed to the whole
community under their different orders or ranks, viz. Clergy,
Nobility, Gentry, Burgesses, and Commons.

PROPER. This word is used to denote that animals introduced as charges
in an escutcheon appear in their natural colour. Modern writers on
Heraldry consider this word superfluous, as the omission of the name
of any metal or tincture is quite sufficient to make any person
conclude that a lion, horse, or other animal is to be represented as
it appears in nature.

[Illustration: Purpure]

PURPURE. The colour of purple, described in engraving by lines drawn
diagonally from the sinister to the dexter side of the shield.

PURSUIVANTS. Four officers of the Heralds' College, whose duty