[Illustration:  Clenched]

Ex.  Azure, a dexter arm vambraced couped, the fist clenched proper.

CLOSE.  A bird with its wings closed.

[Illustration:  Close]

CLOSET.  A diminutive of the bar, being only one half its width.

[Illustration:  Closet]

Ex.  Or, two closets azure.

CLOSEGIRT.  A figure whose dress is fastened round the waist.

[Illustration:  Closegirt]

Ex.  Gules, an angel erect with wings expanded or, dress closegirt.

COAT ARMOUR, or Surcoat.  A loose garment worn over the armour of a knight; hence the term coat of arms.  On this garment were emblazoned the armorial bearings of the wearer.

[Illustration:  Coat Armour]

COCKATRICE.  A chimerical animal, a cock with a dragon’s tail and wings.

[Illustration:  Cockatrice]

COLLARED. Having a collar.  Dogs and inferior animals are sometimes collared:  the supporters and charges are generally said to be gorged.  See GORGED.

COMBATANT.  A French word for fighting.  See LION.

COMPLEMENT.  The Heraldic term for the full moon.  When this figure is introduced as a charge in a coat of arms, it is called a moon in her complement.

COMPONY.  A term applied to a bordure, pale, bend, or any other ordinary, made up of squares of alternate metal and colour.

[Illustration:  Compony]

Ex.  Argent, an inescutcheon azure, border compony, or and gules.

CONJOINED. Joined together.

[Illustration:  Conjoined]

Ex.  Argent, three legs armed, conjoined at the fess point at the upper extremity of the thigh, flexed in a triangle, garnished and spurred, or.

CONY.  An heraldic name for a young rabbit.

[Illustration:  Cony]

COTICE.  One of the diminutives of the bend:  cotices are generally borne on each side of the bend.

[Illustration:  Cotice]

Ex.  Gules, a bend argent, coticed of the same.

The cotices are frequently of a different tincture from the bend they cotice.

COUCHANT.  The French word for lying down with the breast towards the earth, and the head raised.  See LION COUCHANT.

COUNT.  A nobleman that was deputed by the king to govern a county or shire:  the title is not used in the British Peerage; his rank is equal to an earl.

COUNTER.  In Heraldry implies contrariety, as in the following examples:—­

COUNTER-CHANGED. The intermixture of metal with colours opposed to each other.

[Illustration:  Counter-changed]

Ex.  Per pale, or and azure, on a chevron, three mullets all counter-changed.

COUNTER SALIENT.  Two animals leaping different ways from each other.

[Illustration:  Counter salient]

Ex.  Argent, two foxes counter salient.

COUNTER PASSANT.  Two animals passing the contrary way to each other.