The Manual of Heraldry

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Honorable ordinaries are the original marks of distinction bestowed by sovereigns on subjects that have become eminent for their services, either in the council or the field of battle. Volumes have been written upon the origin and form of the honorable ordinaries. These long and tedious inquiries can only be interesting to antiquaries: it is sufficient for the tyro in heraldry to know that they are merely broad lines or bands of various colors, which have different names, according to the place they occupy in the shield; ancient armorists admit but nine honorable ordinaries -- the chief, the pale, the bend, the bend sinister, the fess, the bar, the chevron, the cross, and the saltier.

The chief is an ordinary terminated by an horizontal line, which, if it is of any other form but straight, its form must be expressed; it is placed in the upper part of the escutcheon, and occupies one third of the field.

Ex. Argent, on a chief, gules, two mullets, sable.

Any of the lines before described may be used to form the chief.

Ex. Argent, a chief, azure, indented.