pale a band placed vertically in the middle of a shield

pall or paile an archiepiscopal vestment of white lamb's wool formed in heraldry by half a pale issuing from the base meeting in the fess point half a saltire issuing from the dexter and sinister chief to form a letter Y

pallet a diminution of the pale

palisado a crown composed of palisade-shaped points

palisse a division of the field in the form of piles reaching from top to bottom representing the palisades before a fortification

paly divided into an equal number of pieces of alternate colours by perpendicular partition lines the number of divisions must be specified, paly of six, of eight, etc

paly-bendy pales cut by diagonal partition lines

Palmer's staff a pilgrim's staff

papilone a field divided into variegated specks like those on a butterfly but ranged like the scales of a fish

park pales palings depicted close to each other with pointed tops

pascuant or pasquant used of animals when grazing

Paschal or Holy Lamb a lamb passant argent carrying the banner of St George

passant used of an animal in a walking position (see ambulant)

passant guardant used of an animal walking with its head full faced

Passion Cross a cross with three steps (see Calvary Cross and grieces)

Passant reguardant walking but looking back

passant repassant used when animals are shown walking past each other in opposite directions

Pater Noster or Nostré a cross composed of beads

patoncé of a cross whose bars splay outwards in curved fashion

patté splayed towards the end as a paw is

pattes paws

pavement depicted like masonry

pavilion an oblong tent with a projecting entrance

pean a fur with gold spots on a black ground

peel a tool used for drawing bread from the oven

pegasus a horse with wings

pelican always shown pecking her breast so that it bleeds when feeding her young in this manner she is said to be 'in her piety'

pellet a black roundle (see ogress)

pelletty or pellettée semée of pellets

penner and ink horn a case for holding pens and ink

pennon a pointed or swallow-tailed flag (see guidon)

pennoncelor or pencil a small streamer or flag

penny-yard a small coin

per used to show how a shield, ordinary or charge is divided by any of the partition lines as per bend, per pale etc

petronel a pistol

pheon the head of a dart or arrow

pierced used when an ordinary or charge is perforated the shape should be specified, square, round etc

pile a wedge issuing from the chief and tapering towards the base

pilgrim's scrip a wallet or pouch (see scrip)

plate a silver or white roundle

playing tables backgammon tables

plenitude a full moon

plié used of a bird when its wings are folded

ployé bowed and bent

plummet a plumb line

poing a closed hand

pomme a green roundle (plural pomels)

popinjay a small green parrot with red beak and legs

portant used of a cross that is not erect but placed across the shield as if being carried on the shoulder pose (see statant)

pot a steel hat

potent a crutch also a fur composed of crutch-shaped or T-shaped divisions (see counter-potent)

potenté a line of division formed by crutch-shaped figures

pouldron armour for the shoulder

pounce the talons of a bird of prey

powdered used when a field, crest or supporter is scattered with minor changes, such as crescents, mullets or fleurs-de-lys (see semée)

pride used of a peacock or turkey cock with its tail spread out (see in pride)

proper used of objects when shown in their natural colours

purflew trimmed or garnished used of the studs and rims of armour when they are a different colour from the armour itself

purflew or purfled used of a border of fur shaped like vair when of one row it is termed purflewed when of two counter-purflewed

purpure purple formerly amethyst

python a winged serpent