Raven Volant

The Raven Volant is the principal heraldic device of John Uskglass, King of Northern England and of Other Lands. We are told "John Uskglass's arms shewed a Raven-in-Flight upon a white field (Argent, Raven Volant)" [64]. The words in parentheses are the correct description as a herald would give it; "argent" meaning "silver or white", and "volant" meaning "flying".

An example of this device is visible just to the left of this box, though in this case it has the initials of the Library at Hurtfew superimposed.* It is commonplace for those loyal to the king to demonstrate their allegiance by adopting a variation of his arms: William of Lanchester, his great friend and seneschal, did the same. As of course did the reprehensible Johannites.

Notes

*. It should also be noted that the heraldic description of the raven used by the Library at Hurtfew would be "volant, to sinister" as the raven is facing to the viewer's right, which would be the bearer's left (sinister). The default direction (attitude) of heraldic creatures is presumed to be dexter, which faces the viewer's left and the bearer's right.