▁from ▁across ▁Europe ▁for ▁a ▁un ited ▁cause , ▁would ▁have ▁encourag ed ▁the ▁ad option ▁of ▁arm orial ▁bear ings ▁as ▁a ▁means ▁of ▁ident ifying ▁one ' s ▁command ers ▁in ▁the ▁field , ▁or ▁that ▁it ▁helped ▁dis sem inate ▁the ▁principles ▁of ▁arm ory ▁across ▁Europe . ▁ ▁At ▁least ▁two ▁distinct ive ▁features ▁of ▁her ald ry ▁are ▁generally ▁accepted ▁as ▁products ▁of ▁the ▁cr us aders : ▁the ▁sur co at , ▁an ▁outer ▁gar ment ▁worn ▁over ▁the ▁arm or ▁to ▁protect ▁the ▁wear er ▁from ▁the ▁heat ▁of ▁the ▁sun , ▁was ▁often ▁decor ated ▁with ▁the ▁same ▁devices ▁that ▁appeared ▁on ▁a ▁kn ight ' s ▁shield . ▁ ▁It ▁is ▁from ▁this ▁gar ment ▁that ▁the ▁phrase ▁" co at ▁of ▁arms " ▁is ▁derived . ▁ ▁Also ▁the ▁l am bre quin , ▁or ▁mant ling , ▁that ▁depends ▁from ▁the ▁hel met ▁and ▁frames ▁the ▁shield ▁in ▁modern ▁her ald ry , ▁began ▁as ▁a ▁practical ▁covering ▁for ▁the ▁hel met ▁and ▁the ▁back ▁of ▁the ▁neck ▁during ▁the ▁Cr us ades , ▁serving ▁much ▁the ▁same ▁function ▁as ▁the ▁sur co at . ▁ ▁Its ▁slash ed ▁or ▁scal loped ▁edge , ▁today ▁rendered ▁as ▁bill ow ing ▁fl our ishes , ▁is ▁thought ▁to ▁have ▁origin ated ▁from ▁hard ▁we aring ▁in ▁the ▁field , ▁or ▁as ▁a ▁means ▁of ▁de aden ing ▁a ▁sword ▁blow ▁and ▁perhaps ▁ent ang ling ▁the ▁attack er ' s ▁weapon . ▁