A Complete Guide to HeraldryFox-Davies, Arthur Charles
History
A Complete Guide to Heraldry
Fox-Davies, Arthur Charles
Heraldry -- Great Britain
The only representation which will be found in British heraldry of the
Deity is in the arms of the See of Chichester, which certainly originally
represented our Lord seated in glory. Whether by intention or carelessness,
this, however, is now represented and blazoned as: "Azure, a Prester
[Presbyter] John sitting on a tombstone, in his left hand a mound, his
right hand extended all or, with a linen mitre on his head, and in his
mouth a sword proper." Possibly it is a corruption, but I am rather
inclined to think it is an intentional alteration to avoid the necessity of
any attempt to pictorially represent the Deity.
Christ upon the Cross, however, will be found represented in the arms of
Inverness (Fig. 251). The shield used by the town of Halifax has the
canting "Holy Face" upon a chequy field. This coat, however, is without
authority, though it is sufficiently remarkable to quote the blazon in
full: "Chequy or and azure, a man's face with long hair and bearded and
dropping blood, and surmounted {159} by a halo, all proper; in chief the
letters HALEZ, and in base the letters FAX."
[Illustration: FIG. 251.--Armorial bearings of the Royal Burgh of
Inverness: Gules, our Lord upon the Cross proper. Mantling gules, doubled
or. Crest: upon a wreath of the proper liveries a cornucopia proper.
Supporters: dexter, a dromedary; sinister, an elephant, both proper. (From
a painting by Mr. Graham Johnston in Lyon Register.)]
No other instance is known, but, on the other hand, representations of the
Virgin Mary with her babe are not uncommon. She will be found so described
in the arms of the Royal Burgh of Banff. The Virgin Mary and Child appear
also in the arms of the town of Leith, {160} viz.: "Argent, in a sea
proper, an ancient galley with two masts, sails furled sable, flagged
gules, seated therein the Virgin Mary with the Infant Saviour in her arms,
and a cloud resting over their heads, all also proper."
The Virgin and Child appear in the crest of Marylebone (Fig. 252), but in
this case, in accordance with the modern English practice, the identity is
not alluded to. The true derivation of the name from "St. Mary le Bourne"
(and not "le bon") is perpetuated in the design of the arms.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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