[Illustration: FIG. 81. Helm with crest and wreath, from the Hastings brass at Elsing, 1347.]
The wreath or torse, as it was also called, from being a twist, was usually of two colours, derived from the principal metal and colour of the arms; but the fifteenth century stall-plates show many variations from this rule. Thus Lewis lord Bourchier (_c._ 1421) has a torse of blue, gold, and black, and John earl of Tankerville (_c._ 1421) one of green, red, and white. John lord Bourchier (_c._ 1421) and Henry lord Bourchier (_c._ 1452) both have black and green torses. Richard Wydville lord Rivers (_c._ 1450) has the crest issuing from a green torse, crested with a crown of holly leaves. Thomas lord Stanley (_c._ 1459) has a torse of gold and blue with red spots or jewels between, and Sir William Chamberlayne (_c._ 1461) a red and blue torse.
The modern practice is that the twists of a torse shall be only six in number; but in old heraldry there was no such rule, and any number from four may be found, whatever would look best. In the Harsick brass (fig. 82) there are eleven twists.
[Illustration: FIG. 82. Helm with crest and torse and simple form of mantling, from the Harsick brass at Southacre, 1384.]
Crests occasionally had mottoes or 'words' associated with them, quite apart from the ordinary 'word' or 'reason' of the family or individual. Thus the ermine bush of feathers that formed the crest of Sir Simon Felbrigge is accompanied on his stall-plate (_c._ 1421) by a scroll lettered ~Sanz muer~ (fig. 83), and on that of John lord Scrope (el. 1461) the crest, which is likewise a bush of feathers, has above it the 'reason' ~autre qz-elle~. Two of the fine seals of Richard Nevill earl of Salisbury (1428-60) have behind his demi-griffin crest a scroll lettered apparently ~ma~ [_or_ ~do~] ~ple[s]ier~ (pls. XVII A and XXII B), and the seal of John Talbot earl of Shrewsbury, as marshal of France (1445), has a scroll with his 'word' issuing from the mouth of his lion crest (pl. XVII B).
[Illustration: FIG. 83. Stall-plate of Sir Simon Felbrigge, _c._ 1421.]
A Richard Nevill earl of Salisbury, 1428-60.
From what has been said above as to the ancient association of helm and crest, it follows that the present fashion of representing the crest by itself, apart from the helm to which it was always attached, is entirely wrong. It at once renders the crest meaningless: in appearance it forthwith becomes insignificant; and attempts to treat it artistically generally end in failure.