the royal society's coat of arms

The Royal Society's Coat of ArmsAuthor(s): Anthony WagnerSource: Notes and Records of the Royal Society of London, Vol. 17, No. 1 (May, 1962), pp. 9-14Published by: The Royal SocietyStable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/531010 .

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9

THE ROYAL SOCIETY'S COAT OF ARMS

Report by the Garter Principal King of Arms, Sir Anthony Wagner, K.C.V.O.

[Plate i]

VW y HEN Major Gagarin was entertained at luncheon by the President and Officers, the Soviet Ambassador asked the President about the

significance of the hounds and eagle in the Society's Coat of Arms. As neither the President nor the immediate Past President could answer his question, the President asked the College of Arms for a description of the Society's Coat of Arms with a copy of the enrolment. The following reply was received from the Garter Principal King of Arms, Sir Anthony Wagner:

'The design of the arms of the Royal Society appears to have been settled in the late summer of 1662. Evelyn records in his Diary under 20 August that, "The King being likewise pleas'd to give us the armes of England, to beare in a Canton, in our Armes" (i), and under 17 September, that the Council of the Society "had now resolved upon the Armes . . . which was presented to his Majestie for approbation, and orders given to Garter K. at Armes to passe the Diploma of their office for it". (2) There is no trace in the Records of the College of Arms of any action being taken at this time. The second Royal Charter of 22 April 1663 granted the arms described by Evelyn and, at a Chapter held at the College of Arms on 30 June in the same year, these were recorded on the motion of Elias Ashmole, Windsor Herald and a Fellow of the Royal Society.

'It would appear, however, that Evelyn had no small concern in the designing of the arms for a paper in his hand with drawings of six suggested coats of arms was published by C. J. Snith in his Historical and Literary Curiosities in I840. The original was then in the possession of a Mr Upcott. Of these designs for a shield the first and fifth include a plain canton, the latter without any other charges in the field. A blazon of these proposed designs can be seen on page 12 and the editor's comment that, "The principle on which the annexed sketches were designed, was evidently allegorical rather than heraldical, and the mottoes were especially intended to express the purpose for which the Royal Society was instituted." They do, in fact, bear a marked resemblance to the imprese used by Italian Academies at this time and it may be conjectured that they reflect Evelyn's knowledge of that country gained during his stay there. It is known, for example, from his Diary



Plate 1

The Arms of the Royal Society from the second Charter, 1663.

[Facing page 9



IO0

that he attended a dinner of the Umoristi at Rome and visited the della Crusca at Florence in 1645, noting in both the imprese decorating their rooms. (3)

'Although the blazon does not specify the particular significance of the charges, the description of the supporters, two Talbots argent gorged with Crowns, as "Canes sagaces" is interesting as this tallies with their attributes given in Guillim's Display of Heraldry. (4) This was the most popular heraldry book published in the seventeenth century and went through six editions between I6Io and I666, the last of which was reprinted again in 1724 providing the basis for at least two of the eighteenth century books. Although the quaint conceits which the author gives concerning the significance of colours and charges have been adversely criticised by more recent writers there can be no doubt that these were accepted and in common use at this time. The description of the qualities of both the Talbot and the Eagle which appears in the crest show their aptitude for expressing the aims of the Royal Society, an untiring search for scientific knowledge.'

From the following copy of the Enrolment it will be seen that the blazon follows the usual practice in not specifying the significance of the charges used.

'Whereas his Matie by his Letters Patents under the greate Seale of England, bearing date at Westminster the 22nd day of Aprill, in the i5th yeare of his Reigne, Hath Ordained and Constituted a Society, consisting of President Councell and Fellowes, called by the Name of the President Councell and Fellowes of the Royall Society of London for advancement of naturall Science: to whome amongst other things, his said Matie hath therein granted a Coate of Armes Crest and Supporters: the said President Councell and Fellowes, being desirous to have the Clause, whereby the same are granted unto them, together with a Trick thereof entered among the Records of this Office; It was this day, being the 3oth of June An° Dni 1663 in full Chapter, upon the Motion of Elias Ashmole Esqr. Windsor Herald; and one of the Fellowes of the said Society, (by whom the said request was signified, and the said Patent sent heither to be viewed) agreed and consented unto and there upon Ordered to be entred as followeth.

'Damus insuper et concedimus per presentes, Praesidi, Concilio et Sodalibus Regalis Societatis praedictae, eorumqz in perpetuun successoribus, in favoris nostri Regij erga ipsos, nostraeqz de ipsis peculiaris existimationis, praesenti et futuris aetalibus testimonium,



II

haec honoris Insignia sequentia vizt: In parmae argenteaeangulodextro tres Leones nostros anglicos: et pro Crista, Galeam Corona flasculis interstincta adornatam, cui supereminet Aquila nativi coloris altero pede scutum Leonibus nostris insignitum tenens: telamones scutarios, duos Canes sagaces, albos, colla Coronis cinctos. Pront in Margine Luculentino videre est et praedictis Preside, Concilio, ed Sadallibus ipsorumqz successoribus pront feret occasis in perpetuum, gestanda, producenda, possidenda.

Examined by ELIAS ASHMOLE WINDSOR.'

To supplement the Garter Principal King of Arms' Report to the President, the following text of the report of Evelyn's paper in Smith's Historical and Literary Curiosities, together with the reproduction of Evelyn's drawings are given below.

'FAC-SIMILES of an ORIGINAL DRAWING of Designs for the ARMORIAL ENSIGNS and CYPHERS for the ROYAL SOCIETY, by John Evelyn, Esq. one of the Founders and a Member of the First Council.

'From the date of I660 being inscribed on this Drawing, and from the following entry in Evelyn's Diary, it is not improbable that it was presented to the Members of this Association on the day of Evelyn's election; when it already appears to have been placed under the Royal patronage. "I66--I66I. January 6th. I was now chosen, (and nominated by his Majesty for one ofye Council,) by suffrage of the rest of y members, a Fellow of ye Philosophical Society now meeting at Gressham College; and where was an assembly of divers learned gentlemen. This was the first meeting since the King's return, but it had been begun some years before at Oxford, and was continued, with interruption, here in London during the Rebellion." The principle on which the annexed sketches were designed, was evidently allegorical rather than heraldic, and the mottoes were especially intended to express the purpose for which the Royal Society was instituted, that of improving Science by means of extensive communications verified by actual experiment only. The first shield, therefore, bears a vessel under sail, with the motto Et Augebitur Scientia: and Science shall be advanced. It is possible that these words, with the ship, have a reference to the pas- sage in Daniel, chap. xii. v. 4. "Many shall run to and fro, and know-

ledge shall be increased:" but there is not any resemblance to the verse as it stands in the Vulgate Latin. The second escutcheon is parted



Plate 1

The Arms of the Royal Society from the second Charter, I663.

[Facing page 9



13

Greater Light; but on one side of this sketch is written part of the verses 463-465 from the first book of the Georgics of Virgil, (Solem) Quis dicere Falsum-Audeat? Who dares accuse the Sun of Falsehood? As the succeeding shield bears a canton only, with the motto Nullius in Verba-On the report of none-as at present used by the Royal Society, it is probable that this sketch was intended to shew the disposition of the Arms subsequently adopted. The last shield is charged with a terrestrial globe, with a human eye in chief; and above is inscribed another motto from the Georgics of Virgil, book 2nd, verse 400, Rerum cognoscere causas, To know the causes of things. Beside these inscriptions appears the word Experiendo-By Experience,-with a repetition of the motto adopted. The signature of Evelyn is added to these interesting sketches, and the originals of all are in the possession of Mr. Upcott.

'None of these designs were adopted, the King himself proceeding in the very unusual manner of granting the Royal Society a much more honourable Armorial Ensign in the Charter of Incorporation; the reason for which appears to have been, that no member of the College of Arms would have considered himself authorised in issuing the heraldic bearings assigned to the Association. The first notice of these Arms appears thus recorded in Evelyn's Diary, August 20th, I662:-"The King gave us the Armes of England to be borne in a canton in our Armes; and sent us a mace of silver-gilt, of the same fashion and bigness as those carried before His MatY. to be borne before our President on meeting daies. It was brought by Sir Gilbert Talbot, Master of His MatY's, Jewel-house."-Another entry in the same Diary, on September I7th in the same year, states that, "We resolved that the Armes of the Society shod. be a field Argent, with a canton of the Armes of England; supporters, two talbots, Argent; crest, An Eagle Or, holding a shield with the like Armes of England, viz. three lions. The words, Nullius in Verba. It was presented to his MatY for his approbation, and orders given to Garter King of Armes to passe the diploma of their office for it.'"

REFERENCES

(i) The Diary ofJohn Evelyn, edited by E. S. de Beer, 3, 332. (2) Ibid., 3, 336. (3) Ibid., 2, 364 and 4I5-I6. (4) Guillim,J., Display ofHeraldry, I724, p. I95': ' .. Talbots passant... These kind of Dogs

are called in Latin, Canes Sagaces, for the Tenderness of their Scent, and Quickness of



I4

Smelling, because they thereby do readily discover and find out the tracts, Forms and Lodgkins of Beasts of Chace and of Savage-kind: which done, they do propsecute (sic) their undertaken chase with open Mouth and continual cry, that oftentimes, through hot pursuit, they so tire it, as that it is either taken up by the Huntsman, or doth become a Prey to themselves.' p. 209: 'The Eagle having her Wings thus displayed, doth manifest her industrious Exercise, in that she is not idle, but continually practiseth that Course of Life whereunto Nature hath ordained her: And doth signify a Man of Action, evermore occupied in high and weighty Affairs, and one of a lofty Spirit, ingenious, speedy in Apprehension, and judicious in Matters of Ambiguity, for among other noble Qualities in the Eagle, her sharpness and Strength of Sight is much commended, and it is a greater Honour to one of Noble Off-spring to be wise and of sharp and deep understanding than to be rich or powerful, or powerful, or great by Birth.'



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