V2nd - chapter 11 - more examples - a surprising parallel?

[Michael Bailey]

p 340, from Fausto II's journals during the War:

O Malta of the Knights of St. John!  History's serpent is one; what
matter where on her body we be.  Here in this wretched tunnel we are
the Knights and the Giaours; we are L'Isle-Adam and his ermine arm,
and his maniple on a field of blue sea and gold sun...


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L'isle Adam and his ermine arm:
http://www.crwflags.com/FOTW/flags/smom_521.html says that the coat of
arms of this 16th -century repeller of the Turk includes "a dexter arm
clothed with a scarf ermine"

the surprising parallel that cropped up for me was

(p6) "A miasma of evil suddenly enveloped Profane from behind; an arm
fell like a sack of spuds across his shoulder and into his peripheral
vision crept a beer glass surrounded by a large muss, fashioned
ineptly from diseased baboon fur."