A System of Heraldry - Clan Strachan Society

OF THE CROSS,
charged with a crass Tau azure. This cross is always represented patutus,
almost the same with the cross potent, or potence, and so blazoned by Favin.
and i ,
Fig. 8. Plate VI. This is called a cross of eight prints ; and now commonly thrcross
of Malta. It \vas worn by the Knights of the Order of Hospitallers of St
John Baptist in Jerusalem; which Order was institute by King Baldwin 1104;
they carried a white cross of eight points upon their red cassocks ; and after these
Knights were expelled Jerusalem and Rhodes, they betook themselves to the Island
of Malta, in the year 1520, where they reside; from which place this Order and
cross have now the name of the Order and cross of Malta. The cross, which hangs
at the collar of the Order of the Holy Ghost in France, is after that form.
Monsieur Baron says, a cross may have its extremities ending in eight, twelve,
or sixteen points, and gives us for example, the arms of Meline in France, d'azur
a la croix d seize
points de i. argent, e. azure, a cross of sixteen points argent.
Fig. 9. Cross anchorie is when its extremities turn back, like the velocks of an
anchor "
; ancre" says Monsieur Baron, " convient aux croix &. aux sautoirs, lors-
"
que leurs extremites sont termines en double points recubees en facon d'ancre ;"
and gives for example the arms of Aubusson de la Feuillade, d'or, une croix ancree de
gueules, i. e. or, a cross anchor gules : In cruccm cocclneam.
Latin, refert in scuto aureo anchoratam
The Knights of the Order of St Saviour in Arragon, institute
by Alphonso King of Spain, in the year 1118, have, for their badge, a red cross
anchorie in a white field; the English ordinarily call this cross, a cross moline;
whereas the cross moline is always pierced in the middle, as by the following
figure.
The cross moline is much after the form of the cross anchorie, but always
pierced, square or circular in the middle, fig. 10. it represents the mill-rind, or the
ink of the mill ; the Latins say, crux molendinaris, er forrum molendinarium ; and
the French call it amillee, ou fer de moulin. Boswell, in his Book of Heraldry,
intitled the Armories of Honour, says, the cross moline is after the form of an iron
instrument, fixed in the nether-stone of a mill, which beareth and guideth the
upper-millstone equally in its course, and is a fit bearing for judges and magistrates,
who should carry themselves equally to every man in giving justice ; and
Menestrier says, in arms, it is a mark of superiority and jurisdiction of a baron,
that has tenants and vassals thirled and bound to their mills : For of old none but
barons had right to erect mills, and by some it is carried as relative to their names,
as Milne and Miller.
The shape of this cross moline varies a little, according to the fashion of the
countries ; sometimes given thus, as
fig. 10. by Menestrier, in his La Science de la
Noblesse, borne by the family of Montfort in the Low-Country of Gueldres, argent,
a trois annelles de gueules.
The surname of COLVIL, with us, argent, a cross moline sable, fig. 10. By our
painters and engravers it is often represented not perforate, which it should be,
and is so expressed in old books of blazons, as in those of Sir James Balfour,
COLVIL of Ochiltree, argent, a cross moline sable , square pierced of the field.
As for the antiquity of this name, I find
Philippus de Colvil a witness in a charter
of King William the Lion, Randulpho Rupho Kinaird, penes Dominum de Kinaird.
And in another charter (in the custody of Lauder of Fountainhall) granted by
Robert Lauder, Miles Dominus tie ^uarrclwood, of some lands in Lauder, to Thomas
Borthwick, in the reign of Alexander III. IWllielmus de Colvil is a witness. And
another William de Colvil gets a charter from King Robert I. of half the lands of
Whitsom, in the shire of Berwick, in rotula Robert I. And King David II. gave
a charter to Robert Colvil of the barony of Ochiltree. Richard Colvil of Ochil-
tree was slain by the Earl of Douglas for killing John Affleck of that Ilk, in the
year 1449.
Sir William of Ochiltree, in the beginning of the reign of King James IV. died
without issue-male, leaving two daughters. Robert Colvil of Hilton, whether as
heir-male, or otherwise, I know not, acquired the barony of Ochiltree. He wa^
Director of the Chancery in the reign of King James
IV. with whom he lost his
life at Flodden. He was succeeded by his son Sir James Colvil of Ochiltree, who
was also Director of the Chancery in King James V.'s time. He excambed the
lands of Ochiltree with Sir James Hamilton, natural son to the Earl of Arran,