The Handbook to English Heraldry | Page 9

Museum, where they are easy of access, contain a great variety of devices. The examples, Nos. 7, 8, 9, and 10, are from our own National Collections. No. 7, the shield black, the border and the pegasus red; No. 8, the shield black, and the two dolphins white; No. 9, the shield black, with a border adorned with red discs, the serpent white; No. 10, the shield black, with purple border, the three human legs conjoined white. The shields, Nos. 9 and 10, are both borne by the goddess +ATHêNê+ (Minerva); and the remarkable device displayed on No. 10 is also found on the coins of ancient Sicily. Other similar shields display lions, horses, dogs, wild boars, fish, birds, clusters of leaves, chariots and chariot-wheels, votive tripods, serpents, scorpions, with many others, including occasional examples of human figures. In another collection I have seen an anchor and an Amazon's bow. A?device differing from that in No. 10 only in having the conjoined limbs in armour, will be found in our own English Heraldry to be the armorial ensign of the Isle of Man.
[Footnote 1: In his "Hand-book of Engraved Gems," Mr. King maintains that "the devices on the signets of the ancients were both hereditary and unalterable, like our armorial bearings;" but, at the same time, he admits that the "armorial bearings," which appear "on the shields of the Grecian heroes in the most ancient pictures extant, the Vase-paintings," "seem to have been assumed at the caprice of the individual, like the knight's cognisances at tournaments in the days of chivalry, and not to have been hereditary." --"Hand-book," page 216. Almost immediately, however, Mr. King adds, that traditions exist which represent the mythic heroes bearing "engraved on their signets the same devices that decorated their shields." It would seem that the argument from such traditions would rather indicate the signet-devices to have been arbitrary, than the shield-devices to have been unalterable. While I readily admit the very interesting devices of antiquity to possess decided heraldic attributes, I?cannot consider Mr. King to have shown that, as a general rule, they were held by the ancients themselves to have been either "unalterable" or "hereditary." Possibly, further light may be thrown upon the hereditary quality of ancient Heraldry: but, I?certainly do not expect to see any evidence adduced, which would establish a line of descent connecting the Medi?val Heraldry of England with any heraldic system of classic antiquity.]
[Illustration: Nos. 7-10.--Ancient Shields from Greek Vases.]
This Heraldry of Antiquity is to be regarded as the predecessor, and not as the ancestor of the Heraldry of England. There may be much that is common to both; but, there is nothing to show the later system to have been a lineal descendant from the earlier. It would seem much more likely that Heraldry, when it had been evolved, adopted ready made the emblems of an older civilisation for its own purpose, often appropriating at the same time the symbolism attaching to the emblems. The Heraldry, therefore, that has flourished, declined, and now is in the act of reviving in our own country in almost the full vigour of its best days, I?shall treat as an independent science, proceeding from a single source, and from thence flowing onwards with varied fortunes, side by side with the chequered chronicles of England. In the course of its progress from the palmy days of EDWARD?III., it has had to encounter, in a degree without precedent or parallel, that most painful and mischievous of trials--the excessive admiration of injudicious friends. Hence, Heraldry was brought into disrepute, and even into contempt, by the very persons who loved it with a genuine but a most unwise love. In process of time, no nonsense appeared too extravagant, and no fable too wild, to be engrafted upon the grave dignity of the Herald's early science. Better times at length have succeeded. Heraldry now has friends and admirers, zealous as of old, whose zeal is guided aright by a sound judgment in alliance with a pure taste. Very much already has been accomplished to sweep away the amazing mass of absurdities and errors which had overwhelmed our English Heraldry, by such men as Nicholas, Nichols, Courthope, Seton, Planché, Walford, Montagu, and Lower: and the good work goes on and prospers, with the most cheering assurances of complete and triumphant success.
CHAPTER II
EARLY HERALDIC AUTHORITIES
Seals: Monumental Effigies, &c.: Rolls of Arms, Official Heraldic Records, &c.-- Earliest Heraldic Shields and Banners-- Allusive Quality of Early Armory-- Attributed Arms.
"Let us begin at the beginning." --PURSUIVANT OF ARMS.
At the head of the earliest existing authorities in English Heraldry are SEALS. To the fortunate circumstance of the legal importance attached to them we are indebted for the preservation of these equally interesting and valuable relics, in great variety and in very considerable numbers.