SECTION VI

The Lion and the Eagle in Heraldry

"The LION and a King of Beasts." —SHAKESPEARE, Richard II.

"The EAGLE, ennobled by Nature in as high a degree of nobility as the chiefest of the terrestrial animals, is the most honourable bearing of Birds." —GWILLIM (Edition of 1724).

The regal dignity of the LION amongst the creatures that are quadrupeds, like himself, would naturally secure for him a position of corresponding eminence in Heraldry. From the dawn of the heraldic era, accordingly, the Lion is blazoned on the Shields of Sovereigns, Princes, and Nobles. The tressured Lion has been already noticed upon the Royal Shield of SCOTLAND, No. 138; and a crowned Lion has also appeared in the same attitude, borne by an English Prince, RICHARD, Earl of CORNWALL, No. 140. From the time that they first possessed any true armorial insignia, the Sovereigns of the Realm of ENGLAND have borne Lions upon their Royal Shield. A Lion was the Ensign of the Native Princes of WALES, as he was of the Kings of LEON, of NORWAY, and of DENMARK, and of the Counts of HOLLAND, HAINAULT, EU, &c. And, in like manner, the Lion was in high favour with the most noble and powerful Barons of England—the MOWBRAYS, BOHUNS, LONGESPEES, FITZ-ALANS, LACIES, PERCIES, SEGRAVES, and such as they.

It was a necessary consequence of his great popularity that the Lion of Heraldry should be blazoned in various attitudes, and also variously tinctured, otherwise it would not be possible duly to distinguish the Lions of different Shields. Heralds of all countries appear readily to have permitted their Lions to lay aside their natural tawny hue, and in its stead to assume the heraldic or, argent, azure, gules, and sable; but Continental Heralds were not generally disposed to recognise in their Lions any other attitude than the one which they held to be consistent with their Lion character, instincts, and habits—erect, that is, with one hind paw only on the ground, looking forward towards their prey, so as to show but one eye, and evidently in the act of preparing to spring. This undoubtedly most characteristic attitude is rampant, No. 171: and only when he was in this rampant attitude did the early Heralds consider any Lion to be a Lion, and blazon him by his true name. A Lion walking and looking about him, the early Heralds held to be acting the part of a leopard: consequently, when he was in any such attitude, they blazoned him as "a leopard." The animal bearing that name bore it simply as an heraldic title, which distinguished a Lion in a particular attitude. These heraldic "leopards" were drawn in every respect as other heraldic "lions," without spots or any leopardish distinction whatever. This explains the usage, retained till late in the fourteenth century, which assigned to the Lions of the Royal Shield of England the name of "leopards." They were so called, not by the enemies of England for derision and insult, as some persons, in their ignorance of early Heraldry, have been pleased both to imagine and to assert; but the English Kings and Princes, who well knew their "Lions" to be Lions, in blazon styled them "leopards," because they also knew that Lions in the attitude of their "Lions" were heraldic "leopards." When at length the necessity of varying the attitude of their Lions was admitted by all Heralds, in consequence of the greatly increased numbers of the bearers of Lions, some strict adherents to the original distinctive nomenclature blazoned any Lion that was not rampant by the compound term of a "lion-leopard," or a "lion-leopardé." But that controversy has long been at rest.

The following terms are now in use to denote the various attitudes of the Lion in Heraldry:—

Rampant: erect, one hind paw on the ground, the other three paws elevated, the animal looking forward and having his tail elevated, No. 171. Rampant Guardant: as before, but looking out from the Shield, No. 172. Rampant Reguardant: as before, but looking backwards.

Passant: walking, three paws on the ground, the dexter fore-paw being elevated, looking forward, the tail displayed over the back, No. 173. Passant Guardant: as before, but looking out from the Shield, No. 174. Passant Reguardant: as before, but looking backwards.

Statant: standing, his four paws on the ground, and looking before him, No. 175. Statant Guardant: as before, but looking out from the Shield, No. 176: in this example the Lion has his tail extended, but this would be specified in the blazon, as it is an unusual position. In like manner, if the tail of a Lion in any other attitude be extended, there must be a statement to that effect.

Sejant: sitting down with his head elevated, No. 178. If he looks out from the Shield, the word Guardant is to be added. A Scottish Lion sejant usually has his fore paws raised in the air, and in English terms of blazon would be described as "Sejant erect" or "Sejant rampant."

Couchant: is at rest, the fore legs stretched on the ground, as No. 177.

Dormant: asleep, head resting on fore paws, No. 179.

Salient: in the act of springing, the hind paws on the ground, both the fore paws elevated, No. 180.

Queue fourchée: having a forked tail.

Double-queued: two tails, as No. 181, which is a lion rampant double-queued.

Coward: passant reguardant, his tail between his legs, No. 182.

Two Lions rampant, when face to face, are Counter rampant, or Combatant: when back to back, they are Addorsed: when passant or salient in contrary directions, they are Counter passant or Counter salient.

Lions, whatever their tincture, except it be red, or they are charged on a field of that tincture, are armed and langued gules; but azure in the case of either of these exceptions, unless the contrary be specified in the blazon. When several Lions appear in one composition, or when they are drawn to a comparatively very small scale, they are sometimes blazoned as "Lioncels." This term "Lioncel," it must be added, when used alone, denotes a small Lion rampant.

A Lion's head is a Charge: it may be erased, as in No. 183; or cut off smooth, when it is couped. A Lion's face also is a Charge, No. 184; so is his jambe or paw, No. 185. A demi-lion rampant is the upper half of his body and the extremity of his tufted tail, as in No. 186.

The LIONS OF ENGLAND are golden Lions leopardé, three in number, placed one above the other on a red Shield. They are blazoned—Gu., three Lions pass. guard., in pale, or, No. 187.

A Lion in this attitude, of this tincture, and on a field gules, may be blazoned as a "Lion of England." These three Lions first appear upon the second Great Seal of RICHARD I., A.D. 1194, on the Shield of the King, No. 188. An earlier Seal, used by Prince JOHN before his brother's accession, has a Shield charged with two Lions only, and they are passant, No. 189. The first Great Seal of the lion-hearted King has a Shield, bowed in its contour, and charged with a single Lion rampant facing to the sinister, or counter-rampant, No. 190; and it has been conjectured that, were the whole face of this Shield visible, a second Lion rampant facing to the dexter would appear, thus charging the Shield with two Lions combattant; this, however, is a conjecture which is not supported by the authority of many Shields of the same form. A red Shield charged with two golden Lions passant guardant in pale (No. 22), and therefore closely resembling No. 189, as I have already shown, has been assigned to WILLIAM I., and his two sons and his grandson, WILLIAM II., HENRY I., and STEPHEN. The Shield bearing the three Lions, No. 187, has been assigned to HENRY II., but it first makes its appearance on the Great Seal of his son. The probability is that up to this period the device was simply a lion, indeterminate in position or numbers. This same Shield has continued, from the time of RICHARD I., to display the ROYAL ARMS of the REALM OF ENGLAND: how, in the course of ages, these Arms become grouped with other insignia, I shall presently have to show.

The Lion passant is carefully distinguished in the earliest Rolls as a different Charge from the Lion passant guardant. Thus (H. 3), for HAMON LE STRANGE—Gu., two Lions passant arg., No. 191; and for JOHN GIFFARD—Gu., three Lions pass. arg., No. 192: for Sir NICHOLAS CAREW (E. 2),—Or, three Lions pass. sa.

From the numerous early Shields which bear Lions rampant, I select the following examples, associated with names illustrious in English History. For ROGER DE MOWBRAY (H. 3)—Gu., a Lion rampt. arg., No. 193: this Coat is quartered by the present Lord MOWBRAY, SEGRAVE and STOURTON. For FITZ-ALAN, Earl of ARUNDEL—Gu., a Lion rampt. or (H. 3), No. 193. For DE LACI, Earl of LINCOLN—Or, a Lion rampt. purpure (E. 2), No. 194. For Sir JOHN DE SEGRAVE (E. 2)—Sa., a Lion rampt. arg., crowned or, No. 195. For PERCY, Earl of NORTHUMBERLAND—Or, a Lion rampt. az., No 196: this Shield is drawn from the fine counter-seal of Sir HENRY DE PERCY, first Lord of Alnwick, who died A.D. 1315.

Two Shields of the DE BOHUNS, Nos. 114, 115, already described, exemplify the display of Lioncels as heraldic charges. An earlier Shield, charged with six Lioncels, but without any Ordinary, was borne by FAIR ROSAMOND'S son, WILLIAM LONGESPÉE, Earl of SALISBURY, A.D. 1226: it is boldly sculptured with his noble effigy in Salisbury Cathedral, and it also appears upon his Seal—Az., six Lioncels or, No. 197. The Roll of Edward II., confirmed by his Seal, gives for Sir WM. DE LEYBOURNE the same composition, with a difference in the tincturing—Az., six Lioncels arg. Other members of the same family change these tinctures for gules and or, gules and argent, and or and sable (E. 2). Examples of Shields which bear Lions or Lioncels with various other charges will be described and illustrated in succeeding chapters.

Lions also fulfil important duties of high honour in English Heraldry as Crests and Supporters, and also as Badges. From the time of EDWARD III. a Crowned Lion, at the first standing on a Cap of Estate, and afterwards upon the Crown, has been the Royal Crest of ENGLAND; a Lion also has always been the Royal Crest of SCOTLAND (see Chapter XVIII.). The Princes of the Royal Houses of England, in like manner, have always borne the Royal Lion distinguished by some "Mark of Cadency" (see Chapter XII.): No. 198 is the Lion Crest of the BLACK PRINCE, from his Monument at Canterbury, the Lion differenced with the Prince's silver label. The Lion also appears as the Crest of many noble and distinguished families, as the DE BOHUNS, the PERCIES, and the HOWARDS. The Lion Crest of RICHARD II., sculptured statant guardant upon his helm, with a chapeau and mantling, and with the Badge of two Ostrich feathers, in Westminster Hall, is without any crown: No. 199.

As a Royal Supporter of the Arms of England, the Lion appears in company with some other creature from the time of HENRY VI., EDWARD IV. sometimes having his Shield supported by two Lions. On the accession of JAMES I. of Great Britain, the Royal Lion Supporter formed that alliance with the Unicorn of Scotland which still continues, and will continue, it is to be hoped, throughout all time. Lions, as I shall point out more in detail in Chapter XVI., were frequently introduced into the composition of Seals before true heraldic Supporters were in use. In more recent Heraldry the Lion is a favourite Supporter: he now appears supporting the Shields of the Dukes of NORFOLK, ARGYLL, ATHOLL, BEDFORD, GRAFTON, NORTHUMBERLAND, PORTLAND, and WELLINGTON; also, with many others, those of the Marquesses of BATH, EXETER, HEADFORT, and SALISBURY; of the Earls of ALBEMARLE, BROWNLOW, CARLISLE, CARNARVON, CORK, ESSEX, and HARDWICK; of the Viscount HARDINGE; and of the Barons ARUNDEL, CAMOYS, DUNBOYNE, MONSON, MOWBRAY, PETRE, and SOUTHAMPTON. As a Supporter the Lion is represented rampant, rampant reguardant, and sejant rampant. Lions also, and Demi-Lions, are frequently borne as modern Crests.

In our own treatment of the Lions of Heraldry, whatever their attitude or tincture, whatever also the position they may occupy or the heraldic duty they may discharge, we are always to draw and to blazon them as true heraldic Lions, while, at the same time, in their expression and general characteristics they are to be genuine Lions.

In becoming fellowship with the Lion, the EAGLE appears in the earliest English Rolls and examples of Arms. The Royal bird, however, does not occur in English blazon so frequently as the Lion; and his appearance often denotes an alliance with German Princes. A Roll of Arms (printed in "Archæologia," XXX.) of the year 1275 commences with the Shields of the "EMPEROR OF GERMANY," and of the "KING OF GERMANY," which are severally blazoned as,—"Or, an Eagle displayed having two heads sa.," and, "Or, an Eagle displayed sable." In York Cathedral, in stained glass, there are Shields with both the double-headed and the single-headed Eagles, all of them German, which may be considered to have been executed before the year 1310. In the north choir-aisle at Westminster, the Shield (now mutilated) of the Emperor FREDERICK II. is boldly sculptured by an heraldic artist of the time of our HENRY III., No. 200; here the Eagle had one head only. The German Emperors naturally adopted the Eagle for their heraldic Ensign, in support of their claim to be successors to the Roman Cæsars; and the Russian Czars, with the same motive, have also assumed the same ensign. The Eagle having two heads, which severally look to the dexter and the sinister, as in No. 201, typified a rule that claimed to extend over both the Eastern and the Western Empires; as the Eagle with a single head, No. 202, might be considered to have a less comprehensive signification. The Eagles of the Princes of Germany are frequently to be found, blazoned for them, in England.

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.

PIERS GAVESTON, who was created Earl of CORNWALL by EDWARD II., bore—Vert, six Eaglets or, No. 205, (E. 2 and York stained glass): on his Seal, however, the number of the Eaglets is reduced to three. Another early example is the Shield of that gallant and persevering knight, RALPH DE MONTHERMER—Or, an Eagle displayed vert, No. 206, who became Earl of GLOUCESTER in right of his wife, JOAN, daughter of EDWARD I., and widow of GILBERT DE CLARE, the "Red Earl"; this green Eagle of Monthermer long held a place of high distinction in the mediæval Heraldry of England, marshalled on the Shields of the Earls of SALISBURY and WARWICK; in which, as in the example, No. 206, the Eagle of Monthermer is quartered with the coat of Montacute, No. 20 (page 17). The Eagle of early Heraldry was sometimes blazoned as an "Erne," and sometimes as an "Alerion," WILLIAM D'ERNFORD (H. 3) bears—Sa., an Erne displayed arg.: and, at the same period WM. DE ERNFIELD bears a pair of Erne's or Eagle's Wings, called a "Vol," No. 207. From Shields of the fourteenth century which bear Eagles, and are blazoned in the Roll of Edward II., I select the following small group as good examples:—Sir WM. DE MONGOMERIE—Or, an Eagle displayed az.: Sir NICHOLAS DE ETONE—Gu., a Chevron between three Eaglets arg.: Sir JOHN DE CHARLESTONE—Arg., on a Chevron vert three Eaglets or: Sir PHILIP DE VERLEY—Or, a Bend gu., between six Eaglets sa.: Sir JOHN DE LA MERE—Arg., on a Bend az. three Eaglets or, No. 209: a Shield bearing a Bend charged with three Eagles, but with different tinctures, No. 88, I have shown to have been the Arms of the Grandisons.

Eagles, under their name of "Alerions" (which early Heralds represented without feet and beaks), are blazoned in the same disposition as in No. 209, in the Arms of the Duchy of LORRAINE,—Or, on a Bend gu. three alerions arg.: and this device the Dukes of Lorraine are said to have borne in commemoration of an exploit of their famous ancestor, GODFREY DE BOLOGNE, who is also said, when "shooting against David's tower in Jerusalem," to have "broched upon his arrow three footless birds called alerions." "It is impossible," remarks Mr. Planché upon this legend, "now to ascertain who broached this wonderful story; but it is perfectly evident that the narrator was the party who drew the long bow, and not the noble GODFREY." Mr. Planché adds, that the Alerions of Lorraine may indicate an alliance with the Imperial House; and he directs attention to "a similarity in sound between 'Alerion' and 'Lorraine,'" and also to a singular Anagram produced by the letters ALERION and LORAINE, which are the same ("Pursuivant of Arms," p. 87). The Arms of Lorraine are still borne by the Emperor of AUSTRIA: and in England they were quartered by Queen MARGARET of Anjou.

The Roll of Edward II. gives also for Sir HUGH DE BILBESWORTH these arms—Az., three Eagles displayed or. A similar Shield, the tinctures changed to—Arg., three Eagles displayed gu., armed or, was borne by ROBERT DE EGLESFIELD, Confessor to PHILIPPA of Hainault, Queen of EDWARD III., who in the year 1340 founded Queen's College, Oxford: this Shield of the Founder is borne by the College. One of the Shields in the Chantry of Abbot RAMRYGE in St. Albans Abbey Church bears the same charges—three eagles displayed, No. 210: the drawing of the eagle in this Shield is remarkable, and the form of the Shield itself is singularly characteristic of the close of the fifteenth century. Another Shield in the same monument bears a single Eagle, drawn in the same manner, and sculptured with extraordinary spirit. The German Heralds, and also their brethren of France, delight in exaggerations of what I may distinguish as the Westminster Eagle, No. 200. The Austrian Eagle, besides having both its heads crowned, has a large Imperial Crown placed between and above the two heads, as in No. 211. The Imperial Eagle (Holy Roman Empire) sometimes has a nimbus or glory about each head, which dignified accessory is represented by a circular line, as in No. 212. In some examples of Eagles, as well in our own Heraldry as in that of continental countries, the wings are represented as erect (the more usual form in England), and having the tips of all the principal feathers pointing upwards, as in No. 213. The Eagle borne as the Ensign of Imperial FRANCE was represented grasping a thunderbolt, in an attitude of vigilance, having its wings displayed, but with the tips of the feathers drooping, as they would be in the living bird; No. 214.

EDWARD III., as a Second Crest, bore an Eagle. An Eagle also was borne for his Crest, as the imperial bird was displayed upon his Shield (No. 206), by Earl RALPH DE MONTHERMER. In the more recent Heraldry of England, the Eagle is a Supporter to the Shields of the Earls of CLARENDON, COVENTRY, and MALMESBURY; the Viscounts BOLINGBROKE and ST. VINCENT; and the Barons HEYTESBURY, RADSTOCK, WYNFORD, and others. Eagles also and Demi-Eagles are borne as Crests in the English Heraldry of our own day.

In drawing our heraldic Eagles, we can scarcely improve upon some of the examples in which early English Heralds expressed their ideas of the king of birds.

CHAPTER X

THE GRAMMAR OF HERALDRY