RICHARD, the second son of King JOHN, in the year 1256 was elected King of Germany (he is generally styled “King of the Romans”), when he bore the Eagle of the Empire: but the only Seals of this Prince that are known to exist in England display the Shield of his English Earldom of Cornwall, No. 140. His Son EDMUND, who succeeded to his father’s Earldom, on his Seals has represented an _Eagle bearing in its beak his Shield of Cornwall_, as in No. 203: this is a peculiarly interesting example of an heraldic usage of striking significance, and it also illustrates the early existence of the sentiment which at a later period led to the adoption of “Supporters” to Shields of Arms. In the early Heraldry of Scotland, a single displayed Eagle is occasionally found supporting an armorial Shield; as in the Seals of ALEXANDER STEWARD, Earl of MENTEITH, A.D. 1296, and WILLIAM, Earl of DOUGLAS and MAR, A.D. 1378 (Seton’s “Scottish Heraldry,” Plates VIII. and XII.): sometimes also, as Mr. Seton has observed, “the Eagle’s breast is charged with more than one Shield, as in the case of the Seals of MARGARET STEWART, Countess of ANGUS (1366), and EUPHEMIA LESLIE, Countess of ROSS (1381), on both of which _three_ escutcheons make their appearance” (“Scottish Heraldry,” p. 268, and Plate XII., No. 5): in No. 204 I give a woodcut of this interesting composition; the Shields are, to the dexter, LESLIE--_Arg., on a bend az., three buckles or_; in the centre, the Arms of the Earl of ROSS--_Gu., three Lions rampant arg., within a tressure_; and, to the sinister, CUMMIN--_Az., three garbs or_. The Imperial Eagle is sometimes represented crowned; the heads also in some examples are encircled with a _nimbus_ or glory, as in No. 212. I must add that in the Heraldry of the English Peerage the Imperial Eagle still supports the Shields of some few Peers of different ranks; as, for example, that of Baron METHUEN. [Illustration: No. 205.--Shield of Piers Gaveston.] [Illustration: No. 206.--Montacute and Monthermer.]