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The blazonry term sustaining is used when an animate charge (e.g. a lion) is holding another charge of comparable size. The term supporting could be used as well, but sustaining has this virtue: it's a known period term, used in the arms of Winstone, Per pale gules and azure, a lion rampant argent sustaining a tree eradicated vert. The coat is found as the second quartering of Sir William Cecil (b.1520), Queen Elizabeth's main counsellor. (Bossewell's Workes of Armorie , 1572, fo.107; Wagner's Historic Heraldry of Britain, p.67)
Either sustaining or supporting will be used when a "held" charge is of comparable size to the beast holding it; maintaining will continue to be used when the held charge is of negligible heraldic difference. (Brayden Avenel Durrant, July, 1992, pg. 6)
[Checky Or and gules, a <beast> maintaining a <charge> Or] The Or <charge> has insufficient contrast against the (partially) Or field. While maintained charges aren't as strictly bound by the Rule of Contrast as other charges, they still can't share a tincture with the field (v. Phillippa MacCallum, Sept 88). [See also Luke of Caerleon, November 1992 LoAR, pg. 16 and Eleri Langdoun, March 1993 LoAR, pg. 23] (Tanarian Brenaur ferch Owain fab Bran, October, 1992, pg. 33)
[A tree trunk couped azure, its top bound by a chain sable] The sable chain has insufficient contrast on the azure trunk. While artistic details are not as strictly bound by the Rule of Tincture as are primary charges, this submission still does not permit ready identification of all its charges. (Dofinn-Hallr Morrisson, August, 1993, pg. 18)
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