A System of Heraldry - Clan Strachan Society

426
OF ARTIFICIAL THINGS.
mechanical figures I am to speak of, are of ancient use, and, when relative to the
names of the bearers, are of good esteem, as all canting arms are throughout
Europe, which are even commended by the nice Marcus Gilbertus de Warrennius,
a French writer of no small esteem ; but he mightily discommends arms composed
of the letters of the alphabet, upon the account, says he, that these are made use
of by merchants and tradesmen, as their marks on their bundles and packs of
manufactory goods, in oval and quadrangular cartouches, and to whom it is not
allowed, by the laws of ah1 well governed nations, to place such in formal shields.
With submission to this author, not only the Hebrew, Greek, and Roman cha-
racters have been used, on the ensigns and arms of the ancients singly, interlaced
with others, and also joined in composing words and sentences; and besides, have
been carried in arms for their mystical and symbolical significations, and for being
the initial letters of the names of the bearers.
The letter A, with the Romans, was the mark of absolution, and carried as a
token of honour and innocency.
A is carried in the arms of the family of ALTHAUN, in Germany, as the initial
letter of their name, thus, gules, on a fesse argent, the letter A of the first. Mor-
gan's Heraldry.
The Greek * delta was the symbol of perfect amity, and H in the Hebrew mysteries
was the emblem of generation, brought from the Almighty's adding that
letter to the names of Evah and Abraham, when he was pleased to tell them,
" That she should be the mother of mankind, and he the father of many nations."
The Messinians carried on their ensigns the capital letter M, the initial one of
their name.
Upon the same account, the Ziconians carried the letter Z, and the Lacedemonians
the letter L, and Francis I. King of France, placed the Greek letter * phi on
his seals and coins, upon the account that he rectified the Greek alphabet, as
Menestrier tells us.
BYZANTIUM, now Constantinople, had on its ensigns the Greek B, beta', and the
City of ROME has its old device for its arms, thus, gules, S, P, C^, R, (which stands
for, Senatus Populusque Romanus^)
in bend, between two cottises or.
The REPUBLIC of LUCCA, as a trophy of her preserved liberty, carries azure, the
word Libertas, in bend, between two cottises or.
honourable families have letters in their arms.
Many
SIGISMUND, King of Poland, charged the breast of his eagle with a capital S.
SIGISMUND BATURI, Prince of Transylvania, carried over his arms, by way ot
surtout, the imperial eagle, and charged the right wing with the letter R, and the
left with the letter A, to point out that that bird was Regina Avium, i. e. Queen of
Birds.
Many religions societies of the Church of Rome have their arms composed of
the letters of the holy name of Jesus, and sometimes cyphered with the letters M,
for St Mary his mother.
The congregation of the Benedictines in Italy have the word Pax ; the Minorites,
the word Charitas; and the Servites, the letters S and M, interlaced, which
Dignify Serui Maria, for their armorial figures.
The Turks and Moors being forbid by their religion the use of images, and
figures of living creatures, place letters on their ensigns.
The Spaniards, who had long wars with the Moors in Spain, 'have been in use
to place letters and words on their armorial ensigns,
as the families of VEGA and
round their arms.
ANDRIDA, in Spain, place the words Ave Maria, orle-ways,
Several families in England have letters in their arms ; for which see Morgan
and Guillim's Display of Heraldry : With us I have found no such practice by our
nobility.
Books are frequently carried in the ensigns of universities, colleges, cities, and
some families : they are represented open, the English say, expanded,
by When
and, when closed, clasped ; as Morgan, who tells us, the one implies manifestation,
and the other council.
The REPUBLIC of VENICE carries in its arms a book expanded ; of which before.
The UNIVERSITY of OXFORD, azure, a book open, with seven seals or; and, on the
leaves, the words, Sapientia, Felicitas, between three crov/ns or.