Abatement (heraldry) - Theoretical Abatements

Theoretical Abatements

Eight other abatements were introduced in the late 16th century, each prescribing a specific charge in a specific stain for a specific offense; though the charges themselves were uncommon but no less honourable than any other charge (if colored in any standard tincture or fur), it was only when displayed in the prescribed position and stain that these charges were supposed to be considered dishonourable.

Leigh (1562) enumerated the nine abatements thus:

1. Point dexter parted tenné, for false claims of valor
2. Point champaine tenné, for killing a prisoner who has demanded quarter
3. Plain point sanguine, for one who lies to his sovereign
4. Point in point sanguine, for cowardice
5. Gusset sanguine borne to dexter, for adultery, or to sinister for a drunkard
6. Gore sinister tenné, for cowardice in the face of the enemy
7. Delf tenné, for revoking a challenge
8. Inescutcheon reversed sanguine, for any man who "discourteously entreateth eyther maid or widow against her will, or flieth from his Soveraignes banner"
9. The entire escutcheon inverted, for treason

Scottish herald Thomas Innes of Learney mentioned abatements in marital situations: "The law of arms provides for abating the arms of an adulterer by two gussets sanguine, and where the bearing of arms is necessary this, and one gusset (they will be close-gussets) for non-adulterous divorcees, are, at least in Patents, applied in the case of divorcees."

Several notable modern heraldists have asserted that the execution of this system of abatements has never been attested in fact, and that the whole system was in all likelihood a theoretical exercise created by heralds for the purpose of discouraging armigers from committing dishonourable acts.