Quote Originally Posted by JerseyLawyer View Post
Todd,

I think you'll find that the present trend (for the last several hundred years) outside of Scotland, is against cadency marks, with the exception of the Royals, who are often given a completely differenced coat. Otherwise, things become an impenetrable thicket of cadency marks. The Scottish system, of course, is designed to make things easier by using bordures.
Well I wouldn't entirely agree with the above, Cadency marks are still widely used in England apart from the female line who can use the arms of their father undifferenced. In Scotland yes bordures are used for the second, third son etc when they matriculate arms on leaving the family home. It is quite common to use 'temporary cadency' marks such as the crescent, star for the second and third son to differentiate between family members when they are still under the family roof. Again daughters and wives can use the armigers arms undifferenced but usually in a oval or lozenge type shield (for want of a better word) to show they are feminine.