Heraldry in Relation to Scottish History And
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^^i UC-NRLF B 3 fllfl S5fl 1 -A HERALDRY IN RELATION TO SCOTTISH HISTORY AND ART Edinburgh : Printed by George Waterston &> Sons ^ FOR DAVID DOUGLAS LONDON, . SIMPKIN, MARSHALL, HAMILTON, KENT, AND CO., LIMITED CAMBRIDGE, . MACMILLAN AND BOWES GLASGOW, . JAMES MACLEHOSE AND SONS Jambs iv. and queen Margaret, from the skton armorial, see />age 200. Frontispiece. HERALDRY IN RELATION TO SCOTTISH HISTORY AND ART BEING THE RHIND LECTURES ON ARCHEOLOGY FOR 1898 BY Sir JAMES BALFOUR PAUL F.S.A. SCOT., LORD LYON KING OF ARMS EDINBURGH: DAVID DOUGLAS, CASTLE STREET MDCCCC r^3 PREFACE. The following Lectures were delivered in November 1898, and the interest then taken in them leads me to think that they will not be unacceptable in their present form to a larger circle of persons than could attend when they were originally given. Although in the first Lecture I have touched upon the technical terms used in the blazoning of arms, the volume is by no means intended to instruct its readers in the details of the science ; there are only too many books written on the subject, to any of which reference can be made. What I have wished to point out, in as simple and direct a manner as possible, is, first, the interesting manner in which Heraldry is interwoven with, and illustrative of, Scottish history ; and second, how it has entered into the artistic development of the country in a way which, perhaps, has not hitherto been fully recognised. I have also endeavoured to indicate how, when many of the absurd accretions which have grown up round 350 VI PREFACE. Heraldry have been eliminated, it remains not merely a pleasant, but also a profitable, subject of study, not least from its artistic side, which in recent days shows signs of being appreciated, if not to its full worth, at all events better than it was before. I have retained the direct style used in deliver- ing the Lectures, as being more in keeping with the informal character of the work, which does not profess to be an exhaustive treatise on its subject, but rather a suggestive sketch for the benefit of those who are desirous of studying it more thoroughly. I have to express my obligations to several friends who have given me much kind assistance. Mr W. R. Macdonald, Carrick Pursuivant, whose knowledge of Scottish arms is both extensive and accurate, has read the proofs most carefully, and given me many valuable suggestions ; and they have also had the benefit of the revision of Mr F. J. Grant, Rothesay Herald and Lyon Clerk. I am indebted to Bishop Dowden for some inter- esting references to the heraldic decoration of ecclesiastical vestments. The Earl of Home most kindly put at my disposal the illustrations of the PREFACE. vii fine collection of Douglas seals which appeared ; in Sir William Eraser's '' Douglas Book " and my best thanks are due to Messrs MacGibbon and Ross, architects, for permission to use some designs which appeared in their monumental work on ''The Castellated and Domestic Architecture ; of Scotland " and also to the Society of Anti- quaries for a similar courtesy extended to me in respect of several illustrations which have appeared in their '* Proceedings." J. B. P. April igoo. Erratum.—Page 22, fig. i^.for "wreath of ribbon " read "palm- branch and ribbon." CONTENTS. LECTURE I. THE GRAMMAR OF HERALDRY. PAGE Heraldry not so generally studied as formerly 2 Both a science and an art 4 A product of modern civilisation ib. I ndividual cognisances used from early times 5 Earliest armorial bearings very simple in character 6 Arms became hereditary about 11 89 7 Origin of the term " coat of arms " ib. The metals, tinctures, and furs 8 Fundamental rules of blazoning 9, 10 The honourable and subordinate ordinaries 10 The division of shields and diapering 12 Common charges ib. Charges unsuitable for coats of arms 13 Conjunction of ordinaries with common charges 14 The shield the foundation of all armory ib. Different shapes of shields 15 First appearance of the Stewart fess chequey 16 Appearance of the guige or strap 17 Shields nearly triangular in 13th century ib. Become broader in the base 18 And generally displayed coiiche ib. Undergo a marked change in i6th century 20 The bouche or lance-rest a conspicuous feature 21 Elizabethan shape prevalent in Scotland 22 Influence of Renaissance art in shapes of shields ib. Shields become more florid and artificial in i8th century 23 And deteriorate in elegance in later days 24 The crest and its use ib. Some surviving examples of crests 25 The crest often taken from a charge in the shield 26 Mistaken ideas as to a " family crest " ib. K CONTENTS. PAGE Crests of the branches of the Hamilton family 27 Some objects entirely unsuitable for crests 27 The crest wreath and its development 28 Livery colours 29 The lambrequin or mantling id. Composed of the colours of the wreath 30 The evolution of the helmet, the bassinet 31 The tilting helm 32 The salade and armet 33 The heraldic stationer's helmet 34 Persons who have a right to supporters 34, 35 Origin and early form of supporters 35 Examples of single supporters 36, 37 Not much variety in Scottish supporters 38 The compartment 38, 39 Special compartments assigned to several families 39 The cordelier and lac d'amour 40 The motto ib. LECT URE II. HERALDRY AS ILLUSTRATING HISTORY. Different conditions of England and Scotland at the introduc- tion of Heraldry 43 The feudal and patriarchal systems 44 Limited number of surnames in Scotland 45 Difference of character in English and Scottish surnames ib. Family coats more commonly differenced by cadets in Scot- land than in England 46 Scottish coats generally simple in character 47 Their charges often peculiarly national 48 Distribution of tinctures in Scottish arms 48, 49 Relative popularity of the ordinaries in ditto 49 The lion the most common beast in ditto 50 Mythical stories about the royal arms of Scotland 51 Early occurrence of the double tressure 51, 52 The tressure abolished by Act of Parliament 52 Version of the arms of Scotland in the Zurich Armorial 53 Others in the armorial of von Griinenberg 54 CONTENTS. XI PAGE Curious and unexplained rendering of the arms 55 A possible heraldic joke on the travelling Scot ib. The royal arms in the Armorial de Gelre 56 Renderings of the same by Virgil Solis and others 57 Arms used by various kings of Scotland 58 First occurrence of unicorns as supporters ib. Armorial bearings of Queen Mary with crest 59 A collar of thistles on her achievement ib. The marshalHng of the arms at the Union of the Crowns 60 The different classes of arms ib. Feudal connection of vassal and lord accounts for the origin of many family coats 61 Larger number arose from a play on the name ib. The name suggested the arms often directly, sometimes in- directly 62 Heraldic symbolism in connection with names 63 Arms frequently derived from profession of bearer 63, 64 Overstrained theories as to symbolism in Heraldry 65 Traditional origin of many coats entirely fictitious 66 The story of the Hay coat impossible 67 Fabulous incidents related of the Forbes and Keith arms 68 Absurd assertion as to arms of Balnevis 69 Coats of authentic historical origin 69, 70 The crowned heart of the Douglases 70 The differencing of the arms of cadets 71 Bordures usually employed for this in Scotland 7I) 72 Other methods of differencing 73, 74 Impalement of arms of husband and wife 75 Arms of an heiress borne on an escutcheon of pretence ib. Rules as to quartering of arms 76 LECTURE III. THE HERALDIC EXECUTIVE IN SCOTLAND. Officers of arms in France and England 79 Early notices of heralds in Scotland 80 The Lyon Heralds in the 14th and 15th centuries 81 Incident of Sir William Cumyng and Lord Drummond 82 Sir David Lindsay, Lyon King of Arms 83 XII CONTENTS. PAGE Execution of a Lyon for witchcraft 84 Sir James Balfour of Denmiln, Lyon 85, 86 Appointments by Cromwell to the office of Lyon 86 The Erskine dynasty in the Lyon Office 87 Period of decadence in Scottish Heraldry 88 Reform of administration of Lyon Office ib. Heralds' visitations almost unknown in Scotland 89 The duties of the Lyon King of Arms 90, 91 Coronation and investiture of the Lyon 91 His tabard and other regalia 92 Titles of Scottish heralds and pursuivants '. 92 Adventure of John Trumpour, Carrick Herald 93 Early notices of Scottish heralds 94 The heralds at Flodden ib. Pursuivants usually unfledged heralds 95 Execution of a pursuivant for murder 96 Curtailment of the heraldic offices in Scotland ib. Enumeration of some of the more eminent heralds 97 The serving of summonses of treason by heralds 98 Unpleasant experiences of a herald at a funeral 99 Funeral processions in Scotland 100 The funeral of the Duke of Rothes, Lord Chancellor loi The baptism of Prince Henry, son of James VI 102 The riding of Parliament 103 Proclamation of the Pretender in Edinburgh ib. Scottish heraldic authors, a small band 104 Alexander Nisbet and his works 105-108 His new departure as a heraldic writer 106 Failure to publish his "Treatise on Heraldry" 107 Only the first volume published during his life ib. Mangled version of the subsequent portion 108 Seton's " Law and Practice of Heraldry " 109 LECTURE IV. THE ART OF HERALDRY. Heraldry of value in artistic ornamentation 113 At its best during the 14th and 15th centuries 114 The conventional treatment of heraldic design 115 CONTENTS.