DIFFERENCES.

All members of the same family claim the same bearings in their coat
of arms; and to distinguish the principal bearer from his descendants
or relatives, it was necessary to invent some sign, so that the degree
of consanguinity might be known. These signs are called DIFFERENCES.
During the Crusades the only difference consisted in the bordure or
border, which, as the name implies, was a border or edging running
round the edge of the shield. The colour and form of this border
served to distinguish the leaders of the different bands that served
under one duke or chieftain. The same difference might be used to
denote a diversity between particular persons descended from one
family. At the present time they are not used to denote a difference,
but as one of the ordinaries to a coat of arms. The annexed example
exhibits the arms of the Monastery of Bermondsey. Party per pale,
azure and gules; a bordure, argent. This bordure is plain; but they
may be formed by any of the foregoing lines.

[Illustration: Monastery of Bermondsey arms.]

[Illustration: or, a bordure engrailed, gules]

The annexed example is or, a bordure engrailed, gules.

The differences used by armorists at the present time are nine in
number. They not only distinguish the sons of one family, but also
denote the subordinate degrees in each house.

The Heir, or first son, the LABEL