Cardinals Hat

Cardinal's Hat. Though the use of this bearing is strictly confined to certain dignitaries of the Roman Catholic Church, it is nevertheless a perfectly correct heraldic bearing. It is a low, wide-brimmed, scarlet hat, and takes the place of the mitre of Anglican bishops and archbishops. Pendant from the inside of the hat, and hanging upon each side of the escutcheon, are five rows of tassels, commencing with one on each side in the uppermost row, and having two in the second, three in the third, four in the fourth, and five in the lowest and final row. The archbishops and bishops in France surmount their arms with a similar hat, but of a green colour, and with only four rows of tassels; and abbots likewise, only the hat in this case is sable, and the tassels are reduced to three rows.