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An Interpretation of the Gossett Coat of Arms
Burke's The Landed Gentry gives the description of the Gossett arms. The French description:
Arms: D'azur, à un annulet d'or, et trois Goussés de fèves feuillées et tigées, et rangées, en pairle de même; au chef d'argent, chargé d'une aiglette de sable.
The British translation:
Azure, an annulet and three bean-pods leaved and stalked, proceeding there from and ranged en paille, or; on a chief, argent, an eagle, displayed, sa.
The literal translations of the French words in the Gossett coat-of-arms are:
D'azur, of blue, the field is azure.
à un annulet d'or, with an annulet of gold.
et trois Goussés, and three pods.
de fèves, of beans.
feuillées, furnished with leaves, leafed (prosperous).
et tigées; and stalked. (This is an old term and is frequently omitted.)
et rangées, and put in order, ranged.
en pairle, in a figure like Y. (In Heraldry "pairle" means a figure like Y.)
de même, from the same, i.e. proceeding from the annulet.
au chef d'argent, on a chief of silver.
Chargé d'une aiglette de sable, a figure is depicted of a young she eagle, black.
The appearance of the annulet on the shield of the Gossett arms designates that Goussé knights engaged in the earliest crusades. Various devices were imported into heraldry to indicate the religious zeal of the knights and their participation in the Holy Wars. The annulet, a circle or ring, was a token of the early crusades, representing rings and attractive ornaments which the crusaders had seen on the wrists and the ankles of the dancing girls of the Saracens.
The annulet is well-known as the emblem of fidelity and a sign of knighthood and noble birth. Sometimes it represents the fifth son of a knight. In addition to indicate the early crusades, the annulet was chosen for the Gossett arms to represent the fifth son of an ancient nobleman by the name of Goussé.
Goussé estates were at La Roche, west of Poitiers and south of Normandy.1 The ancient Goussé arms are described and illustrated in Riepstap's Armorial Général, I, 808, as follows:
Goussé -- Poitou. De gu. à neuf los. d'arg.
The meaning is, the arms borne by the Goussé family, in Poitou, consist of a red (gu.) shield with nine (neuf) silver (d'arg.) squares (los., means lozenge). The squares symbolize nine courageous (gules) knights, i.e. sons, or nine illustrious feats of honour or victories.
There is a similarity in the meaning of the Lozenge and the Annulet. "The Lozenge, like all other square figures, represents honesty and constancy, and it was held to be a token of noble birth".2 There are evidences of noble birth far back in the Goussé lineage. The Annulet in the Gossett arms represents the fifth son (lozenge) of the Goussé nobleman as well as a knight of the crusades.
The combination of the symbols in the Gossett arms, "un annulet et trois Goussés de féves feuillées", indicates that three (trois) Goussé knights who were very powerful and very prosperous (feuillées) feudal lords, engaged in the early crusades. In heraldry, the French phrase, "rangées en pairle", meaning "put in order in a figure like Y", represents the original knight and two sons, or a son and then a grandson. Pairle may mean third in line, signifying that three generations were crusaders.
Paota Wite Patrick, a specialist in heraldry and a former librarian for many years in the genealogical department of the Los Angeles Public Library, emblazoned the Gossett coat-of-arms and assisted in the interpretation of the symbols. She interprets the phrase, "rangées en pairle de même", as signifying that the Goussé feudal lord, who is represented by the bean stalk, was survived by two sons, or a son and a grandson, who are represented by the two branches (of the figure like Y); and, they were at the same time, or successively, gallant knights in the crusades. "de même", proceeding therefrom (the annulet), indicates these knights in the early crusades won great distinction and honour.
The chief, which is a broad band occupying the upper third surface across the top of a shield, signifies dominion and authority. It is a very favorite ordinary and lends itself to the purposes of honorable augmentation. "It has often been granted for prudence and wisdom, as well as successful command in war.'"3
On a silver chief on the Gossett shield is emblazoned a black eagle with outstretched wings. The French description is, "au chef d'argent, chargé d'une aiglette de sable".
The eagle, as king of birds, is a symbol of power. In heraldry, the eagle is held to be typical of a noble nature from its sagacity, strength, and innate power. It has been generally employed as a high device, signifying a man of action, one of lofty spirit, speedy in apprehension, ingenuous, judicious . . . The eagle is usually represented with wings outstretched, "displayed". The displayed wings signify protection.
The chief and the eagle on the Gossett shield, therefore, reveal characteristics of the three powerful knights, indicating they exercised brilliant leadership and wisdom, serenity and constancy, prudence and protection; and, they possessed great power, authority, and a vast domain.
Wherefore, it is not conjectured but it is confirmed from their armorial bearings, in words as clearly as symbols can express, that the three Goussés were powerful feudal barons and valiant knights; sagacious, serene chieftains; and, commanders in the earliest crusades. All of the devices in the Gossett coat-of-arms are rare and of early date, going back to the beginning of heraldry, and they are word pictures in their heraldic simplicity.
The eagle is black (sable) and it is feminine gender in the Gossett arms. The black eagle, symbolizing constancy, is seldom used, and there is no heraldic explanation why the Goussé eagle is a young she eagle, une aiglette. The meaning is doubtful. However, since all of the other symbols in the Gossett arms have historical implication, the charge may deal with a very important incident in the very earliest family history. The explanation, discussed as follows, seems logical.
History states that the emperors of the western Roman Empire used a black eagle, and with royalty black was very popular in armour. Some relationship or connection with the royalty of the western Roman Empire may be implied. The Norman invaders were presumably young men, for they came without women from Norway. Before the 8th century, i.e., before the breaking up of the western Roman Empire, the original Goussé knight may have married a young princess, daughter of a Roman emperor, therefore he is represented by the young black eagle. Through his marriage, then, the knight acquired his vast domain in France, his dominion and authority. Such an alliance would indicate the Gossetts were in Normandy at a very early date.
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Gosetti Coat of Arms
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In connection with this symbolical interpretation, it is astonishing to find reproduced in Enciclopedia Storico-Nobiliare Italiana (Italy), III, 524, a Gosetti coat-of-arms, dated 1572. (Gosetti is the Italian for Gossett.) The shield is gorgeous in coloring. Its emblems are, practically, duplications of the emblems of the Gossett shield. A black eagle is in the chief; also, an eagle is the crest. A castle, instead of the bean-pods and the annulet, is in the center of the shield. The castle or the bean symbol -- either one, represents the estates of a nobleman.
Every nobleman was not a knight because it was exceedingly difficult to be created a knight. In heraldry, the sign of knighthood is a knight's helmet which is the ornament situated above the shield, as appears in the Gossett coat-of-arms. Except to indicate royalty, the visor is always closed. An open or a grilled visor, as appears above the Gosetti shield, denotes royalty.
The crest is situated above the shield. This ornament originated in the thirteenth century and was, therefore, a much later device than the emblems of the shield. The crest was introduced to distinguish more readily the leader or commander while engaged in a battle or a tournament. It was definitely hereditary, representing the oldest son, and was inseparable from the shield. Being a mark of honour, it was valued beyond the shield of arms. In England the crest was more important than in other countries, and in the reign of Queen Elizabeth all of the great nobles were granted crests to their ancient arms.
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Fairbairn's Illustrations
of the Gossett Crests
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Animals' heads were included among the earliest crests. A greyhound's head is the crest belonging to the Gossett shield. It is a silver greyhound's head with a red collar encircled with gold. The interpretation is, the greyhound is swift and faithful and never gives up the chase, symbolizing alertness, loyal fidelity, and tenacity of the knight. Red and gold on the collar represent animation and courage, hardihood and generosity of the knight; and, silver represents his innocence, serenity, and sincerity.
Seldom was there granted more than one crest. A second crest with a single surname can be borne only as an honorable augmentation by special grant from the Crown. Fairbairn's Book of Crests of the Families of Great Britain and Ireland describes and illustrates a second crest which belongs to the Gossett arms. Both are described in Volume I, page 234; and, both crests are illustrated in Fairbairn, Volume II, plate 61, no. 2, and plate 212, no. 9.
Descriptions of the Gossett Crests are:
- Gosset, a greyhound's head erased 5 arg., collared gu. ringed 6 and garnished 7 or.
- Gosset or Gossett, a hand couped 5 at the wrist erect holding a dagger in pale 8 ppr. 9
The colors used in heraldry are symbolical. The attributes of the Goussé knights are represented by four colors on the shield, and an additional color appears on the crest. These colors are:
- Azur (azure blue), denoting, figuratively, loyalty and truth.
- Or (gold), generosity and elevation of mind.
- Argent (silver), peace, serenity, sincerity, innocence, beauty, and gentility.
- Sable (black), constancy.
- Gules (red), courage and animation.
Mottoes are not hereditary, and no authority is required for the adoption of a motto. In France mottoes were not used. In England the officers of arms willingly add any motto requested to one's records in the archives.
The Latin motto, "Probitas verus honos", has at some time accompanied the Gossett arms. Its translation is, "Integrity is true honour". Other families have used this motto, according to Fairbairn's Book of Crests, Vol. I, p. 64.
Definitely according to the description, the symbols and the colors must be accurately reproduced on the shield. But any type of decoration may surround the shield. Often a wreath of acanthus leaves is used.
The meaning of heraldry is that those men who served in the crusades were endowed by their governments with arms. Some of those men were nobles; some were clerics; some were peasants -- members of the three classes of society in that period of history. Arms became hereditary about 1250.
Grants of arms are obtainable from the College of Arms at Somerset House in London. Herald's College was instituted about 1483, when the English government struck out all armorial bearings which had been assumed and, then, taxed those which were approved. In England owners of arms must pay taxes on their arms.
In France the heralds were formed into an incorporation by Charles VI in 1406, which is earlier than the College of Arms was constituted in England. The French records, however, were destroyed by the populace at the time of the revolution (1789), and no heraldic college now exists in France.
The Gossett coat-of-arms which is reproduced in this volume is a photostat of the Plate appearing in J. B. Payne, An Armorial of Jersey. This version of the arms is a magnificent piece of work, produced, obviously in metal, by a great heraldic artist. Probably it was used as a door-knocker, or over the mantle, or for a bookplate. The owner, Rear-Admiral Henry Gosset of the British Navy, was born May 12, 1796; died Nov. 24, 1868. (Recorded in Burke, The Landed Gentry.)
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Rear-Admiral Henry Gosset's Coat of Arms
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Rear-Admiral Henry Gosset was the second son of Matthew and Grace Frankland Gosset. She was the daughter of a baron, Sir Thomas Frankland (5th Bart. of Thirkleby, Yorks). Matthew Gosset was of Bagot, Jersey, and Connaught Square, London. He was appointed by the King of England and was for many years Viscount of the Island of Jersey until his death in 1842. He was a grandson of Abraham Gosset, who was a brother of John and Peter Gosset, emigrants to America. (See ?Pedigree of Gosset? by Payne.)
In the Registers of Marriages of St. Mary la Bone, (Church of England) Middlesex (Parish of) 1792-1796, Ed. by W. Bruce Bannerman F.S.A. London 1923, appears:
Marriage record, Feb. 4, 1793, Matthew Gosset, esq., Viscount of the Island of Jersey and of St. Marylebone, w., and Grace Frankland, s., by Special License, by Nicholas Isaac Hill, clerk. Wit.; Wm Frankland, Sarah Frankland, Harriet Frankland, William Frankland, Jr.
- Historie Genealogique et Chronologique de la Maison Royale de France by Anselme de Saint-Marie (1628), Tome III, 778. RETURN TO TEXT
- Wade, op.cit., p. 94. RETURN TO TEXT
- Ibid., p. 43. RETURN TO TEXT
- Edward III's son was called the ?Black Prince? because he wore black amour in the Hundred Years War. The Count of Anjou was called ?Foulques the Black.? RETURN TO TEXT
- Couped means cut off smoothly. This term is distinct from erased, which is ragged by being torn off violently. RETURN TO TEXT
- Ringed means encircled, annulated RETURN TO TEXT
- garnished, decorated. RETURN TO TEXT
- In pale, pointed directly upward. RETURN TO TEXT
- Ppr. The abbreviation for ?proper?, a charge when depicted in its true shape and natural color. RETURN TO TEXT
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