"The only abatement used in heraldry is the baton: this denotes illegitimacy. It is borne in the escutcheons of the dukes that assume the royal arms as the illegitimate descendants of King Charles the Second." -Hall, 1862

Shield Showing Baton

"The only abatement used in heraldry is the baton: this denotes illegitimacy. It is borne in the escutcheons…