I cannot here forget to inform that of old Our Acts of Parl. had oftentimes the Kings great seal appended to them Upon the right hand were appended all the seals of the Ecclesiasticks and upon the left all the seals of the Nobility with which the whole Act was surrounded Of these I have seen many and particularly a ratification granted by King Iames 4. to Hepburn Earl of Bothwel upon the forfeiture of the Ramsay Anno 1480. Which bears In quorum omnium fidem ac corroborationem laudationem earundem praefatus supremus Dominus noster Rex regni status per se singulariter requisiti sua sigilla quorum nomina sigilla representant praesentibus appendi jusserunt I conceive that Seals may very well represent not only the bearing it self but the colours which I first order'd to be practised for the Seal may be varried in its cut as the other figures of this Book are which may be very useful seing many mens Arms differ only in the colours CHAP. II. Who can give or bear ARMS OF old Emperours or Senats only gave Arms Laz. lib. 9. cap. 17. But thereafter they did choose an old expert Warriour on whom they bestowed the power of rewarding with Coats of Arms such as had deserved well and these were called Foeciales by the Romans but now are called Heraldi or Herawldi For Heer signifies an Army and alt an Elder Senes in armis or from heer an Army and Alda which in the Hungarian tongue signifies a common servant Hopping cap. 6. part 9. The ehief of that Society is called Lyon King of or at Arms with us Rex armorum in Latine Which name he bears from the Lyon which is the Royal charge with us and Konning Van Wappen by the Germans Ibid. Garter in England and Montjoy St. Denis in France and His Patent in Scotland runs thus CAROLUS Dei gratia c. tenoreque praesentium facimus creamus constituimus ordinamus memoratum Carolum Aereskin Leonem nostrum Foecialem Regem armorum c. Dedimus imposuimus tenoreque praesentium damus imponimus ei nomen Leonis nostri Foecialis Regis armorum Una cum stilo titulo c. ac per praesentes ordinamus eum in dicto officio actualiter investiri secundum praxin coronari c. similiter munimus pranominatum CAE tanquam Leonem Regem armorum plenâ potestate libertate licentiâ authoritate personis virtute praeditis de nobis benè meritis diplomata armorum secundum ordinem constitutiones eatenus praescriptas concedendi But though this power be bestowed upon Heralds yet Princes have not so denuded themselves of it but that they may and do ordinarily grant Coats of Arms And thus when Noble-men get their honours by Patent with us there is either a command given therein to the Lyon King at Arms to grant Arms Crest Crown and Supporters or else they are specified in the Patent And it is a rule in the Heraldry of all Nations and in use with us that no part of the Royal bearing can be bestowed by the Lyon without a special order from the Prince Colomb cap. des brisurs pag. 74. and this may reprehend the error of some of our Heralds who have given the Tressure-flori Conter-flori to private persons without a warrand The Lyon in Scotland did formerly direct his Patents thus TO all and singular to whose knowledge these presents shall come Iames Balfour of Kinnaird Knight Lyon King of Arms through the whole Kingdom of Scotland and Islands thereto adjacent sendeth his due commendations and greeting Know you That Sir Iames Galloway Knight Master of Requests to Our dread Soveraign CHARLES King of Scotland England France and Ireland Defender of the Faith c. One of His Majesties most Honourable Privy Council in this Kingdom hath requested me by vertue of my Office to give and assign unto this his ancient Coat-armour being arg a Lyon rampant azure langued and arm'd Gules a Crest with Escrol and Motto which he may bear without wrong doing to others To whose reasonable request I have condescended and for Crest does assign him to bear above his Helmet upon an wreath arg and Azure A mound Bespread with the rayes of the Sun proper embrac'd betwixt two Corn ears Saltoir wayes Or and above all in an Escrol this motto Higher as here in the margent adjected is to be seen All which Arms Crest Escrol and Motto I the said Lyon King of Arms doth by these presents ratifie confirm give grant and assign unto the said Sir Iames Galloway Knight and to his posterity for ever to use bear and show forth the famine in Signet Shield Coat-armour Ensign or otherwise at all times and in all places at his and their free liberty and pleasure In witnesse whereof I have to thir presents affixt my hand and seal of Office at Holy-rood-house the nineteenth day of December in the sixth year of the Reign of our Soveraign Lord King Charles and of our Redemption 1631. Iames Balfour Lyon The Concessions by the Lyon do now run thus TO all and sundry whom it effeirs I Sir Charles Areskine of Cambo Knight and Baronet Lyon King of Arms Considering That by several Acts of Parliament as well of Our dread Soveraign Lord CHARLES the Second By the Grace of God King of Scotland England France and Ireland Defender of the Faith as of His Majesties Royal Predecessors especially by the twenty one Act of the third Session of this Current Parliament I am impowered to visit the whole Arms and Bearings within this Kingdom and to distinguish them and matriculate the same in my Books and Registers and to give Extracts of all Arms expressing the Blazoning thereof under my hand and seal of Office And which Register is by the fore-cited Act ordained to be respected as the true and unrepealable Rule of all Arms and Bearings in Scotland to remain with the Lyons Office as a publick Register of the Kingdom Therefore conform to the power given to me by His Sacred Majesty and according to the tenors of the said Acts of Parliament I testifie and make known that the Arms of old belonging to the Royal Burgh of Aberdeen and now confirm'd by me are matriculate in my said publick Rigister upon the day and date of thir presents And are thus blazoned viz. The said Royal Burgh of Aberdeen Gives for Ensigns Armorial Gules three Towers triple towered within a double Tressure Counterflowred Argent Supported by two Leopards propper The Motto in an Escrol above Bon-Accord the Word Bon-Accord was given them by King Robert Bruce for killing all the English in one night in their Town their word being that night Bon-Accord And upon the Reverse of the Seal of the said Burgh is insculped in a Field Azure a Temple Argent Saint Michael standing in the Porch mitered and vested propper with his Dexter hand lifted up to Heaven praying over three Children in a boyling Caldron
of Seatoun in the 2. and 3. arg a wing'd Dragon vert vomiting fire which Dragon is the Crest of his eldest brother the Earl of Winton But I approve not this way of Marshalling and I would rather allow a second Brother or any Cadet when nobilitated to bear the Arms of the house with a difference except he were oblig'd by his marrying an Heretrix to quarter her Arms or had got some Symbole of his Majesties Favour to reward some great service done him Some get Cognizances and Rewards of Honour from their Prince not by way of impaling or quartering but in a Canton thus the Earl of Annandale got from King Iames the sixth in a Canton arg a Thistle vert crown'd Or and the Earl of Elgin got in a Canton a Lyon rampant Gules arm'd azur Sometimes also a Shield over all is given as a reward of Honour thus the Earl of Stirling did bear two Coats quarterly and over all an Inescutcheon of Nova Scotia because he was the first Planter of it When any Nobleman at his creation takes or gets a new additional Symbole as Earl as Montrose carries the Roses not as Grahame but as Earl I think that these Coats or Symbols should not be transmitted to their Cadets but are incommunicable as the Honours are to signifie which they were granted And such as are descended from the Dukes of Lennox may as well take the Symbole which he bears as Admiral as such as are descended from the Earl of Montrose may take these Roses which he bears as Earl And yet custome has prevailed against this Rule Follows the Blazon of the Coats in the Plate of the quarterings I. QUarterly first and last azur three flowers de lis within a bordure ingrailed Or by the title of Obignie in France 2. and 3. Or a fess checkie azure and argent within a bordur Gules charged with 8 buckles as the first by the name of Stewart On a Shield over all Argent a Saltire ingrailed some give it plain betwixt 4 roses Gules by the name of Lennox II. Four Coats quarterlie first azure 3 boar heads couped Or by the name of Gordone Second Or 3 Lyons heads erased Gules lingued azure by the name or title of Badzenoch 3. Or 3 Crescents within a double tressure counterflowered Gules by the name of Seaton fourth azure 3 frazes argent by the name of Frazer III. Quarterly viz. first azur a Lyon rampant argent crowned Or by the name of Mcdoual Second Or a Lyon rampant Gules surmounted of a ribbon by some a cost Sable by the name of Abernethie Third argent three Pyles conjoyning at the point Gules by the name of Wishart Fourth Or a fess checkie azur and argent surmounted of a bend Sable charged with 3 buckles of the first by the name of Stewart Over all his Paternal Coat being argent a mans heart crowned Gules on a chief azur 3 Stars of the first by the name of Dowglas IV. Two Coats quarterly first Or on a chief Sable three Escallops of the Field by the name of Grahame second argent three Roses Gules by the title of Montrose third as the second the fourth as the first V. Gave the Coats of Huntly and over all that of Sutherland but it is now changed thus Quarterly quartered first Gules three starrs Or by the name of Sutherland second and third the Arms of Huntly viz. Gordone Badzenoch Seaton and Frazer as may be seen before in Huntlies Atchievement the last as the first VI. Two Coats quarterly first argent on a bend azur three buckles Or by the name of Lesly second Or a Lyon rampant Gules surmounted of a ribbon sable be the name of Abernethie third as the second the fourth as the first VII Two Coats quarterly first and last azur three flowers de lis Or by the name of Montgomery second and third Gules three annulets or stoned azur by the name of Eglinton third as the second the fourth as the first all within a bordure Or charged with a double Tressure counterflowred Gules VIII Quarterly first azur a Ship at anchor her oars erected in saltire within a double tressure counterflowred Or by the name of Spar second and third Or a Lyon rampant Gules by the name of fourth azur a Ship under sail Or by some argent by the title of Caithness over all dividing the Coats a Crosse ingrailed sable by the name of Stclair IX Quarterly first and last vert a Lyon rampant argent by the name of Home second and third argent 3 Pepingo's vert becked and membred Gules by the name Pepdie over all on a Shield Or ane Orle azur by the name of Landel X. Two Coats quarterly first Gules an Imperial Crown within a double tressure counterflowred Or as a Coat of augmentation for his good service against the Earl of Gowrie second argent a pale sable by the name of Areskine third as the second the fourth as the first XI Two Coats quarterly first Or a Lyon rampant Gules by the name of Weem or Mcduff second argent a Lyon rampant sable by the name of Glen third as the second fourth as the first XII Two Coats quarterly first and fourth argent a Lyon rampant azur armed and langued Gules as the old Arms of the Bruces when they were Earls of Carrick second and third Or a saltire and chief Gules by the name of Bruce The reason why Bishops and other Officers have their own Coats impal'd with those of their Office is because they are in Law in place of Husbands to their Office and therefore the Canon Law calls a Bishop or other beneficâ—d person maritus Ecclesiae But if so It may be askt why the Bishops proper Coat is not impal'd on the right syde as the Husbands is when his wifes Coat is impal'd with his own to which the proper answer is that the Churches Arms take place as the more nobleâ— and the Bishop is Husband by a figurative speech only The Guarter of England who is the principle King at Arms bears the Arms pertaining to the Office which is argent a crosse Gules on a chief azur a crown environ'd with a Guarter buckled and now'd betwixt a Lyon passant gardant and a flowr de lis impal'd with his own Coat Sir Charles Areskin Lyon King of Arms gives the Coat of the Office being argent a Lyon sejant full-faced Gules holding in his dexter paw a thistle slipped vert and in the sinister an Escutcheon of the second on a chief azur a St Andrews crosse as the first likewise impaled with that belonging to himself as the second brother of the Earl of Kellie But sometimes the Office has no known Shield but ane other Symbol which is plac'd without the Shield thus the Admiral carries an Anchor the Chancellor a Purse the Theasaurer a Whyt rod the Lord Chamberlain a Key The Constable two Swords and the Marshal Battons CHAP. XXV Of
ATCHIEVEMENTS in general AN Atchievement is the whole Arms adorn'd with their exterior parts and ornaments which are the Helmet Wreath Crest Mantlings Supporters and Motto's or Words and because these are but accidental parts of the Arms and of late institution as Ferme observes Therefore we are not ty'd superstitiously to all the nice Rules of Art but may speak of and express one colour twice and use and within or such relative particles as oft as we please I shall first treat of such of these exterior parts separatly and then I shall show how they are marshall'd together in blazoning a compleat Atchievement CHAP. XXVI Of the HELMET ONe of the chief parts of Armour is a Helmet because it covers the chief part of man which is his Head and therefore it is made by Heraulds one of the chief ornaments of their Coat Armours It was of old called Galea from the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a Cats skin whereof it was made Cassis by the Romans It is now call'd Helm by the Germans from the Dutch word Helm which signifies the Head hence comes the French word Heaume the English word Helmet and the Italian Elmo Who should bear Helmets and in what manner they should be born is much controverted And whole Nations rather than private Authors do here disagree amongst themselves and yet most of them agree in this that it is nobler to bear an open Helmet than a closs one because the open Helm is given to and is only fit for such as have command and so must see what others do and must speak to them and tell them what they ought to do Whereas such as are obliged to thrust themselves into all dangers and need little to see others and speak none should bear a Helmet closse Nostri mores sayes Besold thesaur Pract. duplicem faciunt stech-vnd Thermer helm illam plebeiorum clausam hanc nobilium opertam and yet this Rule is not without all exception for Hopping cap. 9. Aldrovand tom-1 pag. 91. observe that in Spain and Italie some great Families bear no Helmets upon their Coat Armours and others bear their Helmets closs and gives an instance in the Dukes of Brunswick but generally all Nations use Helmets in their Heraldrie and distinguish betwixt open and closs Helmets Because the English and French do differ so much in their Rules here I resolve to give an account of both their principles and to begin with the English The English allow a Gentleman to bear a side-standing Helmet with the baver closs which was the Roman custom as appears by Iuvenal Et statua meditatur Praelia Lusca To a Knight a Helmet standing direct forward with a baver open without guards To all Persons above the dignity of a Knight and below that of a Duke a side-Helmet with an open-fac'd guard visure To Dukes and all above them a Helmet which is full forward open-fac'd with guard visures To a Knight they allow a side-standing Helmet with 5 Barrs in his Guard vizur Fenestras distinctas clathris seu cancellis To a Barron they allow to carry his Helm half side-wise half in Front en Tiers as the French call it with 7 Griles or Barrs To Counts Vidames and Viscounts a direct standing Helmet with 9 Barrs To Marquesses a direct standing Helmet with 11 Barrs To Kings and Emperours a direct Helmet altogether open Though Scotland agrees with England in the Bearing of their Helmets yet I must confess that both by the consent of all other Nations and in reason also it were fitter to give Kings Helmets fully open without Garde visurs as the French do than to Knights as we do for Knights are in more danger and have less need to command and seing all Nations agree that a direct standing is more noble than a side-wise standing I see not why the Helmet of a Knight should stand direct and a Dukes only side-wise Sculptura sive ornamentâ—m quod in fronte est plus prae se fert quam illud quod a latere est nam oculum habet ubique Limneus lib. 6. cap. 6. There is likewise this difference betwixt them that the English make no difference betwixt the Bearers from the Metall of which the Helmets is made whereas the French allow only the Knights a Helmet adorn'd with Silver to Counts and all above them they allow Helmets adorn'd with Gold and to Kings all the Helmet damasquin'd But Limneus lib. 6. cap. 6. sayes thus Altora est differentia quod Duces uti possunt aureis Comites argenteis reliqui verò ferreis Ovid. Scuta sed Galeae gemmis radientur auro Timbre is ordinarily us'd amongst the French and Italians for a Helmet and was frequently us'd by the English of old It is a general word which comprehends all sorts of Ornaments of the Head and comes from la forme d'un timbre de cloche the shape of a Bell which it resembles somewhat And as L'oseau observes des ordres des gentils-hommes cap. 5. Gentlemen did not adorn their Atchievements with Helmets till they found that the Burgesses of Paris did by warrand from Charles V. bear Coat-armours Whereupon to distinguish themselves from those Gentlemen did assume Helmets and by the 200 Article of the Statutes of Orleance all who were not Gentlemen by birth were discharg'd to bear Helmets on their Arms. Helmets being a part of the Souldiers Arms it is only us'd by Sword-men or Gentle-men Bishops use Mitres Cardinals a Hat and therefore L'oseau cap. 5. remarks justly That Gown-men should not bear a Helmet but a Corner'd Cap and my reason allowes rather his Judgement than our Custom which is contrary CHAP. XXVII of MANTLINGS OF old Knights and such as did wear Helmets took great pains to keep them very neat and clear and therefore they did cover them with Linning or Stuff doubled with Silk which served also to distinguish them in the Battel And when they went to Battel these Coverings being very much cut and torn they did thereafter paint them with their Casques in their Atchievement or Arms and these we call Mantlings in English which hang down cut now with Art and Curiosity The French call them Lambreqains from the Latine Lamberare it may be which as Festus observes signifies to cut or tear because these were torn the Germans Helm-deâ—ken and Helmzter the Latine Fascae seu Lacinlae utrinque dependentes Paul Iov oiim hae nihil aâ—iud quam galearum tegâ—ina Crus pag. 477. and that their Institution was very old appears from Diod. Sieul iib. 5. cap. 30. And that such were us'd by Knights appears from all the old Seals Menest cap. 8. Sometimes Skins of Beasts as Lyons Bears c. were thus born to make the Bearer more terrible and that gave occasion to the Doubling our Mantlings with Furrs In Scotland all the Mantlings of Noblemen are G. doubl'd with Ermine because the Robes of our Earls and above are Scarlet doubled with Ermins and therefore oftentimes
in Blazoning we only say With Crown Helmet and Mantling befitting his degree without expressing the Colours But since Mantlings represent only the Coverts of Shields and must be represented all torn I see no reason why they should with us represent the Robes of our Noblemen and of old with us our Mantlings were of the colour of the Coats lin'd or doubl'd with the Metalls which was more proper than that we now use Sometimes the Atchievement stands within a Pavilion as that of the Emperour and King of France this Petra Sancta calls Tentorium and is as he observes competent only to Princes though all use them not But I admire why the Kings of England did not assume as well the Pavilion as Arms of France seing that is one of the special Honours of that Kingdom But yet Subjects use Mantlings in form of a Pavilion as is to be seen in the Atchievement of Belchier of Gilsborough represented by Guilims pag. 409. And these Pet. Sanct. calls Chlamys Vmbella or Palliolum pag. 642. where he also informs us that the General of the Pope's Armies carries ratione Officii his Arms within a Pavilion or Tent. CHAP. XXVIII Of WREATHS ABove the Helmet immediately did stand the Wreath which the French call Burlet and in our ancient Scots Herauldry it was call'd the Roll or Row because of its shape Sometimes the English and we in imitation of them do terme it a Torse à torquendo It was a Corde of their Mistresses Colours as Favin relates pag. 1. cap. 3. fol. 24. and did hang and dangle to the very Cruppers of their Horses the Extremities being tassl'd and enrich'd The use of it was to fasten their Mantlings to their Helmet Now these Wreaths should be of the colours of the Field and Charge and the Rule is That the first should be that of the Field and then that of the immediate Charge and after that the next mediate and so forth if there be moe Charges than one yet some old Wreaths with us differ from these and possibly these have been at first Mistresses colours Though the Earl Marshal bear arg on a Chief Or three Pales gules yet his Wreath is Or and Gules whereas it should have been Arg. Or and Gules The Earl of Nithisdale arg a double Eagle sable membred gules yet his Wreath arg and sable yet this may be ascribed as an errour of the Painter but it should be reform'd When moe Coats are quarter'd the Colours of the Paternal Coat are only to be twisted in the Wreath and this Rule is observ'd in all our Atchievements two or three excepted which may be reform'd without naming the Bearers If the Field be charg'd with a Furr and colour then some make the Wreath to be of that same Furr and Colour Thus the Earl of Lowâ—on bears Gyronâ—e of 8 pieces Ermine and Gules and his Wreath is Ermine and Gules but I think that the Wreath should never consist of any Furr for Furr is not fit to be twisted in a Wreath nor to bind the Helmet which was the use of a Wreath nor did I ever see any such Wreath in approven Authors and we say constantly On a Wreath of his colours but never of his Furrs so that these who carry only Furrs in their Shield should carry a Wreath of these Colours as if Ermine then White and Black c. CHAP. XXIX Of CRESTS THe Ancients did wear the shapes of several Creatures or some such things above their Helmets call'd Crista to make them appear terrible Virg. lib. 8. Aen. Terribilem Cristis Galeam flamasque vomentem Or to distinguish them in Battell Sed cum centuriones Galeas haberent ferreas transversis tamen argentatis Eristis quo facilius agnoscerentur à suis Veget. lib. 2. cap. 16. Or to adorn their Helmet Stat. lib. 2. Interdum Cristas hilaris jactare comantes That these are Iuris Gentium in use amongst and approven by all Nations is clear from Limn lib. cap. 6 num 74. and now all such as are allowed to wear Helmets are allowed to adorn them with Crests and for Crests men choose what they fancy only it is not proper to choose such things as could not stand or be carry'd by Warriours upon their Helmets such as Ballances or such other things which cannot either stand fixt or wave with Beauty The French call the Crest Cimier because it stands upon the top of the Shield sur la Cime de L'escu but the old and proper term us'd in Scotland for a Crest was a Badge because our Noblemen in riding Parliaments and at other Solemnities do bear their Crest wrought out in a Plate of Gold or Silver upon their Lacquies Coats which are of Velvet And now the Crest is us'd upon all Seals and Plates and therefore it is necessar for Noblemen amongst us to carry differing Crests from the chief Family out of which they are descended It is ordinar to bear for a Crest a part of what is born in the Charge thus the Crest of Scotland is a Lyon the Crest of England is a Leopard the Crest of France a double Flower de lis And with us the Earl of Dumfermling carrys a Cressent and the Earl of Lothian a Sun in his Glory sometimes also the Crest is a part of the Supporters thus the Earl of Linlithgow carrys for his Crest a Demy-Savage proper holding a Batton in Hand dexter and his Supporters are two Savages with Battons The Earl of Weems carry's for his Crest a Swan proper and his Supporters are two Swans Sometimes also the Crest is bestow'd by the Prince as a Reward of Service done to the Crown and the Royal Crest cannot be born without special warrand and thus the Earl of Lauderdale bears the Crest of Scotland for his Crest having a Flower de-lis in place of the Scepter Sometimes it is relative to Alliances and thus the Earl of Kinghorn bears for his Crest a Lady to the West holding in her right Hand the Royal Thistle and inclosed within a Circle of Laurells in memory of the honour that Family had in marrying King ROBERT the second 's Daughter Sometimes it represents some valiant Act done by the Bearer thus M cclelland of Bombie did and now the Lord Kirkcudbright does bear a naked Arm supporting on the point of a sword a Mores head because Bombie being forfeited his Son kill'd a More who came in with some Sarazens to infest Galloway to the Killer of whom the King had promised the Forfeiture of Bombie and thereupon he was restored to his Fathers land as his Evidents yet testifie Sometimes it respects the Title of the Bearer thus the Lord Ross of Halkhead bears for his Crest a Falcons head eras'd Sometimes it relates to an Office or Employment thus the Lord Iohnstoun being Warden of the Marches and very famous for repressing Robbery took for his Crest a Spurr with Wings Sometimes it is à rebus that is to say something borrow'd from
the Name thus the Lord Cranston has for his Crest a Crane sleeping with her head under her wing And sometimes Crests are taken by Noblemen from the Name of the Countrey as the Earl of Sutherland takes a Cat for his Crest because Sutherland is call'd Cattu in Irish and was so called from the great number of Wild Cats which were of old and yet are to be found in that Shire Sometimes Crests are taken from some considerable Deliverance Thus the Laird of Anstruther gives two Hands grasping a Pole-axe with the Word Perâ—issem ni periâ—ssem because his Predecessor as is commonly reported did strike off the head of the Laird of Barns with a Pole-axe when he was coming to his house with an intentiâ—n to kill him It is lawfull to change the Crest and Colomb pag. 4. tells us that it is lawfull for such as change their Arms to retain a part of their old Arms as a Crest Cadets also do and may change their Crests Thus Dumfermling keeps not the Crest of Winton nor Kellie the Crest of Marr but it is most proper for Cadets when they take Crests to take a Member or some small part of their Chiefs Crest or Arms as Ogilvie of Birnies has taken the Lyons Paw though it be ordinar to retein the Chiefs Crest markt by the ordinar differences or of a different Colour CHAP. XXX Of CROWNS THe first Origine of Crowns in Arms was from the Romans App. lib. 2. de Bell. Civil For they rewarded the great Actions of their Citizens and Warriours with different and suitable Crowns which I have set down out of ingenious Mr. Cartwright Corona Muralis this was due to him that was first seen upon the Wall of the Enemy Corona Castrensis for him that made a breach in the Wall of the Enemy The first a Crown embattail'd or made with Battlement being of Gold the other of Towers And then they had Corona Navalis garnish'd with Fore-Castle for Service at Sea made of Gold too Then Corona Ovalis of Mirtle for Victorie gotten with little hazard Corona Obsidialis which was made of Grass for him that preserved an Army besieged Corona Civica for him that saved a Citizen from the Enemy made of Oaken boughs Corona Olivaris of Olive leaves for Victory in the Olympick Games and Corona Populea for young men that were found Industrious and Studious in the Exercises of Virtues But I find that amongst these Rewards of Honor that of Ivie called Corona Hederalis was only appropriated to the Poets Crowns were still the infallible Mark of Kingly Power and therefore Sueâ—on in Calligula's Life observes Parum abfuit quin Diadema sumeret speciem Principatus in Regnum converteret which Expression I have set down to show that the Roman Emperours were then less than Kings in their Titles though greater in their Power As to the Crowns now born they differ not only according to the Quality of the Bearerâ— but according to the Nation wherein they are born for England and France differ much in this though the English acknowledge that they owe their Heraldry to the French I have here set down the different Shapes of the English Crowns The first whereof is the Crown of the Empire of Germany which is but little different from that of England in the second which is Imperial too The third is a Coronet of the Prince which is the same with the Kings only the Arches Mound and Cross wanting The fourth is a Crownet of an Arch-Duke which is the same with a Duke the Arch only added The fifth is a Crownet Florial only proper to a Duke The sixth is the Crownet of a Marquess which differs thus It is of Leaves and Points the Leaves or Flowers above the points The seventh is proper to an Earl which hath Points and Flowers but the Points are above the Flowers The eighth is due to a Viscount which is a Circulet pearl'd and neither Flowers nor points As to the French the French Kings Crown is closs above like the Imperial and rais'd into eight Demy-Diadems enriched with Diamonds c. The Dolphine Crown differs only from the Kings in that it rises upon four Demy-Diadems the Kings upon eight The Circle of their Ducal Crown is enriched with Stones and Pearles and is raised with eight Flowers Their Marquess Crown has its Circle adorned only with Pearles tempeste de Perls and raised into four Flowers betwixt 12 Points or Pearls as the French call them Their Counts carry only a Circle of Gold raised unto nine Points ane Cercle d' or garny de pier reries rehausse de 9 grosses perle de Comte The Viscount has only a Circle of Gold plain or enambled and rais'd unto four Points or as the French term them four Pearls Baroâ—s have also in France a Circle of Gold enambled mounted by a Bracelet of Pearls Of late both the Barons in England and Lords in Scotland have got Coronets by His Majesties concession The Bannerets carried only a plain Circle of Gold adorn'd with three ordinar Pearls Our Baronets cary no crown nor circle The Regal Crown of Scotland hath Arches Mound and Cross like to that of England adorned with precious Stones and Pearls and having four Flowers de lis and as many Crosses patâ—é interchanged Farme pag. 79. The ninth Figure here represented is by Silvanus Morgan said to be than Crown which is born by Homager Kings and by Iohn Baliol when he held the Crown of Scotland of Edward the First but I begg the Gentlemans pardon to tell him that of old the Roman Emperours carried no other than these after their Apotheosis and being numbred amongst the the gods Lucan Fulminibus Manes radiisque ornabit Astris A Lords Coronet CHAP. XXXI Of SUPPORTERS SUpporters are these Exterior Ornaments which are plac'd without the Shield at its side and were at first invented as Pet. Sancta observes to represent the Armour-Bearers of Knights but why then are they ordinarily two and therefore I rather believe that their first Origine and Use was from the Custom which ever was and is of leading such as are invested with any great Honoâ— to the Prince who confers it Thus when any man is created a Duke Marquess or Knight of St. Andrew of the Garter or any other order either in Scotland or else where he is supported by and led to thâ— Prince betwixt two of the Quality and so receives from him the Symboles of that Honour and in remembrance of that Solemnity his Arms are thereafter supported by any two Creatures which he chooses and therefore in the received Opinion of al Heraulds only Nobiles Majores who have been so invested in these Honours are allowed to have Supporters And albeit Chiefs of old Families have used Supporters with us yet they owe these to Prescription and not to the original Institution of Heraldry as shall be observed Others as Menestier think that when Knights hung up their Shields to provoke all Passengers