CHARGES IN A SHAPE

If more than one copy of a single charge is used, then it is necessary to indicate how many are used and positions. If they are arranged in the shape of an ordinary, then that must be indicated.

To indicate the arrangement one must use "in _____". For example, in pale, in bend, in saltire. Sometimes other terms are also used, such as "bendwise".

five roundels in pale	five roundels in fess	five roundels in fess in chief	five roundels in cross
five roundels in bend	five roundels in saltire	three roundels	five roundels, three and two

Diagram - Charges in a shape

Charges in a Pattern and Semee
It is also possible to have an ordinary that is comprised of an indefinite number of orbordinary or common charges. 

Many subordinaries (as well as common charges) can be used to form a pattern. This pattern is call "semee" and the field is said to be "semee of _____". Because the size of the charges must be very small, detail at a distance is likely to be lost. For this reason, more complex charges would have been less likely used in this manor, particularly in early heraldry. Many common "semees" have a special term. As mentioned previously, some reenactors treat ermine as an argent field, semee of ermine tails sable.

semee of billets / billety	vert semee of sheep argent (highly unlikely but possible later in middle ages)	a pale of crosses	a fess of roundels

Diagram - Charges used to form a pattern

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