Sometimes known as the "floral border around the garden of history," heraldry is the art and science of creating coats of arms and other symbols. It developed during the Middle Ages as armor grew Increasingly elaborate, which made it more and more difficult to tell the good guys from the bad. By the 12th century it had become common to paint simple designs on one's shield, a sort of trade mark. These gradually became more and more elaborate, with complex symbols on the shield itself, plus things like crests on the helmet and mantling (a patterned cape to go with them). As each knight, and each place had to have a distinctive "achievement," someone had to keep track of all the different designs, and the task was assigned to the Heralds. They had their work cut out for them, for many ancient families had designs which were identical to those of other ancient families, and there were often lawsuits, such as the famous Scrope-Grosvenor case, which dragged on for years during the mid-14th century, and even involved Chaucer as a witness. Heraldry is a complex skill, with an elaborate technical vocabulary (red, for example, is gules, white is argent), intricate rules, and hoary traditions. It survives today in many countries, including the United States, where it is usually practiced badly.