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then Queen safe through the Storm into the Port in Scotland *.

SETON Earl of WINTON.

The Paternal Arms of Seton, afterwards Earls of Winton, were Crescents, for which no particular reason appears: but the Lords of Seton have for some hundreds of years carried, "Or, a Sword erected in pale, supporting an Imperial Crown Proper, betwixt Three Crescents within a Double Tressure, counterfleured, Gules." This honourable Augmentation was granted by Robert the Bruce to his Nephew Sir Alexander Seton, of that Ilk, for the special and seasonable services performed by him and his Father Sir Christopher to that Monarch during the time of his troubles. Sir Christopher Seton, it seems, had lost two Estates of great value, one in Scotland, the other in England, together

Douglas's Peerage, p. 547. The Scottish Writers give different Derivations of the Name of Drummond, not to our present purpose; though all seem to agree as to the reason of the Armorial Bearing of the Family. See the Works of Drummond of Hawthornden.

with his Life, in the Service of his King and Country; upon which account King Robert (whose Sister, Christian Bruce, Sir Christopher had married), when he had overcome his Enemies, restored his Nephew, Sir Alexander Seton, to the Lands in Scotland which his Father had lost, though he could not re-possess him of the English Estate; granted the Augmentation of the Sword and Crown to his Paternal CoatArmour, to perpetuate their gallant Actions; and added the Double Tressure, which at that time was given to none but such as had married, or were descended from, Daughters of the Blood-Royal *. One branch of the Family, viz. Sir Alexander Seton of Pitwedden (at one time a Lord of Session), upon the event of the death of his Father, who, in the Reign of King Charles I. (during the Civil Commotions) was killed by a Shot from the King's Enemies, with a Banner in his hand, assumed the Armorial Bearing of “An Heart distilling Drops of Blood †.”

* Nisbet, Cadencies, p. 191.

+ Ibid. p. 200.

These, my Lord, I offer in the line of Nobility, as Historical Bearings; but many may likewise be found among the Gentry, who have Armorial Devices allusive to gallant actions, high employments, or other honourable circumstances.

Of those, the few that follow, most easily occur, from the works of that laborious Herald, Mr. Alexander Nisbet.

GRAHAM

of Inchbrackie, descended of an eldest Son, of a second Marriage, of the first Earl of Montrose, gives, “Or, a Dyke Dyke [or Wall] fess-wise, Azure, broken down in several parts, &c." The Dyke there is assumed, to difference the Bearer from his Chief, and to perpetuate that action of Gramus (one of the Predecessors of the noble Family of Graham) in pulling down the Wall [anno 420] built by the Roman Emperor Severus, which was thereafter called "Graham's Dyke."

N. B. By the Dyke the Scots seem to mean the Wall, i. e. the Vallum, which is formed out of the Dyke.

CLARK

of Pennycuik. Sir John Clark, of Pennycuik, had this Motto, Free for a Blast," which is explained in part by the Crest, which is a Man blowing a Horn: but for both the Crest itself, and the Motto, we must look into the Tenure of the Estate, which they derived, most probably by Marriage, from the Pennycuiks of that Ilk, an old Family in Mid-Lothian, who bore "Or, a Fess between Three Hunting Horns Sable, stringed Gules;" and, by the ancient Tenure of their Lands, were obliged, once a year, to attend in the Forest of Drumsleich, since called Barrowmuir, to give a Blast of a Horn at the King's Hunting.

The Clarks, holding by the same Tenure, preserved the Motto.

KIRKPATRICK,

who the last Blow to Cummin, supgave posed to have been slain, cried out, "Lest he should not be quite dead, I will secure him," and stabbed him with his Dagger. Hence the Family took the Crest of "A

Hand holding a Dagger in Pale, distilling Drops of Blood ;" and with the Motto "I'll make sicker (sure);" or, "I'll make sure.

CARRICK.

*

STEWART, Earl of Carrick. The Paternal Arms of Stewart, out of which was a Lion naissant, all within a Double Tressure, counter-fleured Gules: the Lion naissant intimating his original right to the Crown †.

FARQUHARSON,

of Invercald, carries, in addition to his Paternal Coat, "Argent, a Fir Tree growing out of a Mount Proper on a Chief Gules,

a

Mr.

-the Banner of Scotland in Bend, and on a Canton of the first (viz. Or), a Dexter Hand couped at the wrist, grasping Dagger, point downwards, Gules." Nisbet says, they carried the Fir Trees because their Country abounded with such Trees; the Hand grasping a Dagger, for

* Nisbet, p. 147. See also Hume's History, ch. xiii. + Nisbet, Cadencies, p. 33.

Cadencies, p. 196.

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