genealogy Article Article From Heraldry toto GenealogyGenealogy fromfrom SilverwareSilverware Bruce Durie 1,2 Bruce Durie 1,2 1 University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9YL, UK; [email protected] 1 University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH8 9YL, Scotland; [email protected] 2 Académie Internationale de Généalogie, 75000 Paris, France 2 Académie Internationale de Généalogie; Paris 75000, France Received: 1 February 2019; Accepted: 22 February 2019; Published: 1 March 2019 Abstract: A Coat of Arms engraved on a piece of silver silverwareware allowed the identificationidentification of the parties concerned, and the elucidation of the details of theirtheir marriage and ancestries. The Arms themselves have an interesting provenance.provenance. Keywords: heraldry; arms; symbology; England; College of Arms; Lynes; Parr; silverwear; Georgian 1. Introduction The author was sent an image of a complicated Co Coatat of Arms engraved upon upon a a piece piece of of silver. silver. The sourcesource was was enquiring enquiring about about the “symbology”the “symbology” of the of elements the elements of the engraving.of the engraving. Heraldry, Heraldry, although undoubtedlyalthough undoubtedly symbolic, symbolic, is not as simpleis not as as simple collecting as collecting and arranging and arranging “meaningful” “meaningful” symbols symbols at will. Rather,at will. Rather, it follows it follows strict rules strict as rules to the as origin to the andorigin composition and composition of the Arms,of the Arms, and the and inheritance the inheritance of the Armsof the ofArms forebears of forebears is strictly is controlled.strictly controlled. It was possible It was topossible identify to from identify the Arms from thethe partiesArms the concerned, parties detailsconcerned, of their details marriage of their and marriage ancestries, and and ancestries, circumstances and circumstances by which the Armsby which were the granted Arms by were the Collegegranted ofby Arms the College in London, of Arms England. in London, England. 2. The Silverware and the Engraving Figure1 1 Shows Shows the the engraving engraving as as first first sent sent to to the the author. author. Figure 1. Engraving on silverware, used with permission. Genealogy 2019, 3, 10; doi:10.3390/genealogy3010010 www.mdpi.com/journal/genealogy Genealogy 2019, 3, x; doi: FOR PEER REVIEW www.mdpi.com/journal/genealogy Genealogy 2019, 3, 10 2 of 5 Genealogy 2019, 3, x FOR PEER REVIEW 2 of 5 A number of things are immediately obvious: A number of things are immediately obvious: a. It is a shield, with a motto below in a scroll, and a crest above; b.a. ItThat is a shield, the motto with is a below motto the below shield in suggestsa scroll, and that a the crest origin above; of the Arms is not Scottish; c.b. ThatThe the shield motto consists is below of two the Coatsshield of suggests Arms, impaled that the (i.e.origin side-by of the side) Arms which is not indicates Scottish; a marriage c. Theof anshield armiger consists to the of daughtertwo Coats of of another Arms, impaled armiger or(i.e. armigerous side-by side) heiress; which indicates a marriage d. ofThe an armiger engraving to the has daughter been “hatched”, of another allowing armiger foror armigerous the identification heiress; of the original tinctures d. The(colours). engraving has been “hatched”, allowing for the identification of the original tinctures (colours). 3. The Composition of the Shield 3. The Composition of the Shield 3.1. The Motto 3.1. The Motto Foi, Roi, Droit translates as Faith, King and Right. Although mottos may be common to many unrelatedFoi, Roi, individuals, Droit translates this example as Faith, is unique. King and Fairbairn’s Right. AlthoughCrests is themottos standard may handbookbe common of armorialto many bearingunrelated used individuals, by jewellers this and example engravers, is unique. and although Fairbairn’s unreliable Crests is in the many standard ways, handbook it at least hasof armorial a useful Tablebearing of Mottosused by ( Fairbairnjewellers [and1829 engravers,] 1905). This and identifies although the unreliable motto with in the many surname ways, Lynes. it at least The has same a bookuseful lists Table four of Mottos Lynes Armigers,(Fairbairn [1829] with their 1905). crests This identifies and (in three the motto cases) with mottos, the surnameviz. (abbreviations Lynes. The expandedsame book to lists accord four withLynes modern Armigers, usage) with (Fairbairn their crests [1829] and 1905 (in three): cases) mottos, viz. (abbreviations expanded to accord with modern usage) (Fairbairn [1829] 1905): Lynes, An elephant’s head erased Purpure; LynesLynes, of Tooley An elephant's Park, Leicestershire, head erased and Purpure; Hatton, Warwickshire—Crest: In front of a fleur-de-lis Argent, a lionLynes rampant of GulesTooley, Motto: Park, Leicestershire,Foi, roi, droit; and Hatton, Warwickshire—Crest: In front of a fleur-de-lis Lynes,Argent, Samuel a lion Parr, rampant Esquire, Gules of Garthmeilio,, Motto: Foi, roi, Corwen, droit; North Wales—same crest and motto; Lynes, Samuel Parr, Esquire, of Garthmeilio, Corwen, North Wales—same crest and motto; Lynes, Rev. John, M.A., of Sandesfort House, Wyke Regis, Dorset—same crest and motto. Lynes, Rev. John, M.A., of Sandesfort House, Wyke Regis, Dorset—same crest and motto. This suggests a familial relationship between at least the last three. Note Samuel Parr Lynes. This suggests a familial relationship between at least the last three. Note Samuel Parr Lynes. 3.2. The Dexter Side 3.2. The Dexter Side By convention, in impaled Arms the husband is on the dexter (left if looking at it, right if holding it as anBy actualconvention, shield. in The impaled colours Arms can bethe identified husband byis on reference the dexter to the (left “Petra if looking Sancta” at it, hatching right if holding scheme it as an actual shield. The colours can be identified by reference to the “Petra Sancta” hatching scheme (Figure2). The main field (background) of the shield is plain, and therefore Argent (silver or white); (Figure 2). The main field (background) of the shield is plain, and therefore Argent (silver or white); the lions rampant are Gules (red); the bend is Azure (blue). Burke’s General Armory gives us this for the lions rampant are Gules (red); the bend is Azure (blue). Burke’s General Armory gives us this for Lynes (again, expanded and modernized) (Burke [1842] 1884): Lynes (again, expanded and modernized) (Burke [1842] 1884): Lynes (Tooley Park, County Leicester, and Hatton, County Warwick; descended from John Lynes (Tooley Park, County Leicester, and Hatton, County Warwick; descended from John Lynes, Esq., of Corley and Kirkby Mallory). Argent, on a bend Azure between two lions rampant Lynes, Esq., of Corley and Kirkby Mallory). Argent, on a bend Azure between two lions rampant Gules a fleur-de-lis between two griffins’ heads erased Or. Crest—In front of a fleur-de-lis Argent a Gules a fleur-de-lis between two griffins' heads erased Or. Crest—In front of a fleur-de-lis Argent a lion lion rampant Gules. Motto—Foi, Roi, Droit. rampant Gules. Motto—Foi, Roi, Droit. Undoubtedly these are the Arms as portrayed on the dexter side of the engraving, and can be coloured as per Figure3 3.. Figure 2. TheThe metals metals and and tinctures tinctures of ofheraldry, heraldry, and and the the equivalent equivalent Petra Petra Sancta Sancta system system used used by byengravers. engravers. Genealogy 2019, 3, 10 3 of 5 Genealogy 2019, 3, x FOR PEER REVIEW 3 of 5 Genealogy 2019, 3, x FOR PEER REVIEW 3 of 5 FigureFigure 3. 3.The The Arms Arms ofof Lynes,Lynes, as blazoned blazoned in in the the text. text. 3.3. The3.3. SinisterThe Sinister Side Side Figure 3. The Arms of Lynes, as blazoned in the text. In3.3. impaled TheIn impaledSinister Arms Side Arms the the wife wife is is on on the the sinister sinister side.side. In In this this case, case, the the blazon blazon would would be something be something like: like: Ermine,Ermine, two barstwo Azurebars Azure each each charged charged with with as manyas many crosses crosses patt pattéé Argent, Argent, a a bordure bordure engrailedengrailed Sable thereon four In impaled Arms the wife is on the sinister side. In this case, the blazon would be something like: four escallops and as many roses alternately of the second [meaning Argent]. escallopsErmine, and two as many bars Azure roses alternatelyeach charged of with the as second many[meaning crosses pattéArgent Argent,]. a bordure engrailed Sable thereon Burke’s General Armory has (Burke [1842] 1884): Burke’sfour escallopsGeneral and as Armory many roseshas alternately (Burke [1842] of the 1884second): [meaning Argent]. Parr (granted to the Rev. John Lynes, LL.B., of Tooley Park, in behalf of his wife, Caroline ParrBurke’s (granted General to the Armory Rev. Johnhas (Burke Lynes, [1842] LL.B., 1884): of Tooley Park, in behalf of his wife, Caroline Sobieski, and to her sister, Augusta Eliza Wynne, the wife of Captain Sir John Marshall, Sobieski,Parr (granted and to her to the sister, Rev. Augusta John Lynes, Eliza LL.B., Wynne, of Tooley the wife Park, of in Captain behalf of Sir his John wife, Marshall, Caroline R.N., R.N., C.B., and K.C.H., as the two representatives of the Rev. Dr. Samuel Parr, Prebendary Sobieski, and to her sister, Augusta Eliza Wynne, the wife of Captain Sir John Marshall, C.B.,of and St. K.C.H.,Paul's). Ermine, as the twotwo representativesbars Azure each charged of the with Rev. as Dr. many Samuel crosses Parr, patté PrebendaryOr, a bordure of St. R.N., C.B., and K.C.H., as the two representatives of the Rev. Dr. Samuel Parr, Prebendary Paul’s).engrailedErmine, Sable, two thereon bars four Azure escallops each chargedand as many with roses as many alternately crosses Argent.