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THE ARMORIAL ENSIGNS

ROYAL BURGH OF ABERDEEN

200 Copies printed.
No. //£...

ARMORIAL ENSIGNS OF THE CITY OF ABERDEEN, as certified by the
Lyon King of Arms in 1883,

Wfyt Armorial 6n0tgns
of tljr
&opal ,Burgi) of &berTieen

WITH SOME OBSERVATIONS
ON THE LEGEND RELATING TO THE
CAPTURE AND DEMOLITION OF THE CASTLE

HY THE LATE
JOHN CRUICKSHANK

A BERDE E N
% anfc % p. CTimoriD anti S>padi
r88S

To
THE LORD PROVOST,
MAGISTRATES AND TOWN COUNCIL
OF
THE ROYAL BURGH OF ABERDEEN,
This Account of the Armorial Ensigns of the Burgh
is, with their permission, most respectfully inscribed by
their obedient servant,
JOHN CRUICKSHANK.

Aberdeen, j/st October, iSSj.

NOTE.
When, in 1883, the Lyon Office issued an official em
blazonment of the Aberdeen arms, a description of the
bearings was contributed to the local newspapers by the
late Mr. John Cruickshank. A few copies of that
description were reprinted privately ; but, at the suggestion
of some friends, Mr. Cruickshank undertook to expand the
sketch, and this volume is the outcome of his researches.
The investigation of the history of the arms became with
him latterly an all-engrossing pursuit. Hardly a week
passed without the addition of some item to his stock of
information, or the discovery of some blunder in earlier
accounts of the arms. Day by day — between his house
and his office in Belmont Street — the 'copy' was carried
to and fro in the black bag so familiar to all that knew
him. After Mr. Cruickshank's death, his manuscripts were
placed in the hands of the writer, to whom their preparation
for the press has been a labour of love. The account of
the Armorial Ensigns is printed substantially as left by its
compiler, such additions as seemed called for being indi
cated by square brackets.
For assistance in revising proof sheets, and for many
suggestions on points of heraldic nicety, the editor is
indebted to one early friend of Mr. Cruickshank ; to
another, for the graceful tribute to his memory. P. J. A.

3fn JHemortattt*
" To a good man of most dear memory
Is this page sacred."
TT may at first sight look somewhat presumptuous
-*- to venture to prefix these words to this memorial
tribute, but to those who knew the deceased John
Cruickshank, and who felt the pulse of his peculiar
vein of character, in habit and manner as he lived,
they will not seem lines either inappropriate or out
of place in such a relation.
They are, with a little adaptation, the words with
which the poet Wordsworth commences his tribute
to the virtues and memory of Charles Lamb, and
although there is no claim thus implied for any
approximation as to likeness in intellectual quality,
there is fair ground for affirming, regarding John
Cruickshank, that he does suggest, in not a few
aspects, the semblance of Elia on our Northern soil.
With his mild, hilarious humour, his unfailing good
nature, his almost life-long devotion to office-work
B

x. In Memoriam.
routine, his little foibles and peculiarities, and bachelor
ways of living, above all, the misfortunes with which
his later years were clouded, he may, we think, pass
for a distant image of a Scottish Charles Lamb, such
as the grey granite city of the north can be said
to have moulded and developed.
It must have been about the year 1852, or
thereby, that the writer of this notice first saw John
Cruickshank. He had then come north for a short
visit to Aberdeen, being at this period resident in
Glasgow, engaged on the staff of the ill-fated City of
Glasgow Bank, in the ruin of which he was afterwards
to be involved. But all looked then serene, and the
clouds of danger were nowhere in the horizon. A
mutual friend, who had known him longer, brought
us together, and we arranged a dinner for the
Glasgow guest. The manner of our forgathering at
this first meeting is still vivid in my remembrance,
how John Cruickshank came in, with round, be
nevolent face, broad, square bust, and altogether
somewhat portly person for his years and stature —
a jovial yet thoughtful man, of evidently " cheerful
yesterdays and confident to-morrows." Even then,
though still young comparatively, the irongrey was
beginning to overspread his temples, and the busy
crowfoot was commencing round the eyes, but his

In Memoriam. xi.
look was still that of bright, glowing youthfulness,
and the eye itself, with its busy twinkle, smiling with
humour and with friendly bonhomie for all man
kind, " beamed keen with honour." I took to the
man at once, predisposed thereto because of what I
had heard from our common friend as to his lovable
peculiarities, his somewhat uncommon combination of
devoted Free Churchism with the highest Lord-
Eldon kind of Toryism, and, specially, because of
his romantic, almost old-world, fondness for his
mother, on whom he doted with the devotion of
a knight-errant, and who seemed to supply all the
nurture he required of the heart affections. Be this
as it may, John Cruickshank, as to matters matri
monial, was never moved from the even tenor
of his bachelor ways, and, although he was most
chivalrous to the fair sex, and was even fond of
their society, they also being not unappreciative of
him, he remained to the end, as in his punning
moments he would have said, " unwod" though not
perhaps "unwooed." On the occasion to which I
refer, the character of the man came out in look and
talk attractively, expressing itself in the stories,
mostly broad Scotch, in which he delighted, and got
us and others to delight in as well — stories whereof
his stores were both rich and mellow.

xii. In Memoriam.
Of comparatively humble parentage, and enjoying,
I believe, when young, no great or special advan
tages, John Cruickshank was yet a born gentleman
in taste and feeling, and all his associations were
of a refined yet simple kind. In his profession as
a Banker he was scrupulously careful and exact,
and it was alleged of him that after he rose to be
the "agent," his sense of responsibility was apt to
make him restless, in the case of overdrawn accounts,
to an extent not always pleasant to his friends. Any
one or more of these friends indeed, happening to
transgress, were sure to be soon reminded, however
substantial they might be, by the supremely accurate
John Cruickshank, of the " heinous " liberty in which
they were extravagating, and wherein they must
indulge no more.
Hence, with the rigid accuracy which characterised
him, John Cruickshank recalls the office-clerk, im
mortalised by Charles Lamb, to whose heart " the
fractional farthing was as dear as the thousands
which stood before it." It will be felt, indeed, that
the peculiar qualities of his heart and mind are the
same that come out in so happy prominence in the
sketch of the other compeers of Elia generally, in
whose portraiture we recognise not a few touches
suggestive of our Aberdonian friend.

In Memoriam. xiii.
" They were mostly (for the establishment did not
admit of superfluous salaries) bachelors. Generally
(for they had not much to do) persons of a curious
and speculative turn of mind. Old fashioned, for a
reason mentioned before. Humourists, for they
were of all descriptions, and, placed in this house
in ripe or middle age, they necessarily carried into
it their separate habits and oddities, unqualified,
if I may so speak, as into a common stock. Yet
pleasant fellows, full of chat ; and not a few among
them had arrived at considerable proficiency on the
German flute ! "
Though a son of the Granite City, John Cruick
shank, we take it, would have grouped entirely well,
and harmonised completely, even in the item of the
music, with this society of Elia and his compeers.
From Glasgow, where he made his mark in his
profession, and acquired the confidence of his
superiors, he returned to Aberdeen, and, in con
junction with a colleague, was appointed Manager
of the Aberdeen branch of the City of Glasgow
Bank. The appointment was one that brought
him to reside, together with his much-loved mother,
within the precincts of his hardly less-loved Bon-
Accord. Ere long he had finished his period of
service, and the Bank, making new arrangements,

xiv. In Memoriam.
released him from the "desk's dull wood," sanctioned
his retirement from office, and gave him most
honourable manumission, with a pension, which
was intended to last for life.
These were the joyous days in the altogether
not unjoyful life of John Cruickshank, — the joyous
days when he was now released from daily duty,
and was master of his own leisure, which flowed in
such abundance, that he could feel the joy of the
superannuated, as if he had "passed from time
into eternity." Retiring too with unjaded powers,
and money in both pockets, he could indulge his
antiquarian and artistic tastes, dropping into a sale
of books or antiques, and carrying away some
treasure to delight his own eye, and to hang some
story upon, for delectation of his many friends. Or,
he might be found strolling about and lounging over
old inscriptions in St. Nicholas or St. Clement's
churches and churchyards, and criticising those
editions or travesties of the Royal Arms which
abound in Union Street — to him as favourite a
saunter as was the Strand to Charles Lamb ; and
nothing pleased him more than to get a listener,
sufficiently docile, who would follow him in his
meanderings (always at greatest leisure, for no one
ever saw John Cruickshank in a hurry), or who

In Memoriam. xv.
would indulge him with such a modicum of attention
as sufficed to keep alive the " causeries" always full
of good humour, as he went on "crooning" away in
those melanges in which he found his chief delight.
And, if we may glance at his evenings at his
own fireside, surrounded by his pretty and quaint
engravings, looking up, strong Tory as he was, to
his Woollett print of good honest George III. —
a marvel of the engraver's art, on which he set
great store — John Cruickshank looked and felt
supremely happy, poring over Nisbet or Guillim,
or laughing at or with some of the old humorous
Scotch poets, Allan Ramsay, or Robertson of
Strowan, or indulging in good-humoured sallies
at the mock heroics, or mirthful pathetics, of young
would-be local poets, who had the misfortune
to think themselves poetical, and published their
belief to an unbelieving world. To see him of an
evening, with his books within call around him,
hunting up some fact, or verifying some date in
old forgotten days, with all the zest of a modern
Monkbarns, was a sight to be remembered ; and
one can feel with Gibbon, that happiness derived
from such a source is " greater riches than the
treasures of India." Occasionally at a friend's
house, when asked to a Christmas dinner, and

xvi. In Memoriam.
surrounded with romping children, his vein flowed
out hilariously, not in jest and story only, but in
song, and I remember on one occasion, some ten
years ago, his singing, much to the delight of the
youngsters, a song having for its refrain, " That
wicked old man." As he twisted and twined his
genial countenance into the due contortions to
represent the imagined character, one felt that the
beauty of the song, as sung by him, consisted in
the utter remoteness of the singer from any resem
blance to the portrait he pretended to portray.
But, in 1878, like a bolt from the blue, the cruel
blow descended, which shattered his fortunes, and
the happy afternoon of life, on which he seemed to
have entered, became suddenly and grimly overcast.
He had been at an excursion to Norway in that year,
and on his return, just as he was stepping on shore
at London, he heard newspaper boys on the wharf
calling out " Stoppage of Scotch Bank," as the
startling incident of the day. John Cruickshank
bought a paper, and there read the tidings as to
the collapse of the City of Glasgow Bank, to him
a sentence most severe, extinguishing all his most
cherished hopes. At a glance he discovered that his
retiring allowance was gone, and what was worse,
that as a shareholder he should be involved in the

In Memoriam. xvii.
general Maelstrom that must swallow up all the
unfortunate victims having a share in the concern.
Nevertheless, he bore up bravely and manfully,
and though the stroke was sore, he possessed his
soul in patience. A less sweet nature, or a tempera
ment less religious and devout, might have become
jangled and been overthrown, but John Cruickshank
stood four square against the bitter blast. There
was one alleviation to his sorrow, that his mother
had been mercifully taken away some time before,
escaping a disaster which would have fallen on
both with double severity.
His never-failing good humour served him
always in good stead under the worst of times. On
the first occasion that I saw him after the catas
trophe, the due tribute of condolence being over,
I remember John Cruickshank in no long time
diverged into narrating stories of folks in similar
misfortunes, and in particular he referred to the story
of old Boynsmill, an Aberdeenshire laird and farmer,
who had speculated rather much, and who, pursued
by bankers and bailiffs, had retreated into the wilds
of Mar, about Lynturk, and was for a time in
hiding. Not liking particularly to show himself in
church, and yet disposed to pass the Sabbath day
religiously, Boynsmill had stayed at home, and

xviii. In Memoriam.
devoted himself to the study of the Old Testament.
When asked by his friends, now returned from
church, how he had managed to while away the
time — "Ow fine," said Boynsmill ; " ye see I was jist
busy tryin' to compare my case and my misfortun's
wi' the misfortun's in aul' time o' the patriarch Job."
" Aweel, an' did ye make out the comparison?"
" Weel I wyte, no; they were douce folk, the
pawtriarchs, in aul' time : they bulled none." *
Poor John Cruickshank told this with the glee of
a good soul that was determined to smile through
its tears.
The feeling for the genuine worth of the man
expressed itself in the sympathy of friends, who
exerted themselves in his behalf, and were able to
secure for him some little offices of light duties
and small emoluments. By no incident, however,
was that feeling shown more remarkably than by the
notable faithfulness of his domestic servant, in the
storm that overtook his household establishment.
Though told she could .expect no more wages, she
said she would remain on, and would not leave, so
giving devoted service, all for respect to her
master, and thinking nothing of reward.
And so the tenor of his life proceeded, varied
* Pronounced ' non.' ' Buller,' Aberdeenshire for ' Billed,' i.e., dealt in 'Bills.'

In Memoriam. xix.
by nothing more romantic than some chase after
a missing date, or rectification of some heraldic
blundering, with perhaps an excursion to Norway,
"To Norroway, To Norroway,
To Norroway, o'er the faem,"
such as he indulged in during the last summer
(1887) he was permitted to see. It is supposed that
the over exertion incident to that excursion was too
much for him ; and thus his second little pilgrimage to
Norway had accompaniments as sorrowful as the
first. He returned with enfeebled powers, and the
signs of shattered health showed themselves too
plainly in the livid hue of lips and cheek, so that
jaundice set in, with the fatal dropsy ultimately
supervening. Yet, on the last occasion on which I
saw him, though the eye was no longer beaming
with the old brightness and twinkle, his spirits were
still keen and lively, and he talked of his forth
coming book on the "Arms of Aberdeen," a
lucubration on which he had bestowed much filial
care. Alluding to the difficulty he had had in
putting the last touches to it, he said to me, as he
sat half up in bed, leaning on one elbow, striking his
breast at the same time with the free arm, " Ye see,
I'm a' richt here ;" which I took to mean that, with
feebler powers, the will and spirit were still strong

xx. In Memoriam.
and keen. Among the subjects of conversation,
reference was made to some correspondence which
he had had about the authorship of certain old
Scotch songs, " The Kail Brose of Auld Scotland,"
and another, the famous "Cauld Kail in Aberdeen."
In his feebleness of utterance it so happened that his
tongue was not equal to the duty of keeping these
titles asunder, and the two got mixed in such a way
that he felt it to be a ludicrous combination, and
he burst into a loud laugh at the idea of the
" Cauld Kail Brose," which had escaped him in
his narration. That was the last twinkle of humour
caught from the radiant, happy spirit, of John
Cruickshank. In any heraldic discussion or investigation, he
found himself entirely in his element. And his
advice was valued, and his opinion prized, in such
investigations : as, for example, in the settling of the
Arms of the Gordon College, of the Melvin Win
dow in King's College Library, and of the Bishops'
Window in St. Andrew's Church in King Street.
But the Palladium to his mind centred in the
heraldic honour of Aberdeen, both City and Uni
versity. Besides the literary work now published,
which he devoted to the Blazon of the former, he
bequeathed to the latter, out of his hard-earned

In Memoriam. xxi.
savings, the touching tribute of a legacy, such as
should be sufficient to obtain, from the proper
Court of Arms, the authorisation which he thought
desirable for recent changes, necessitated by the
Union of the Colleges, in the University Arms.
This authorisation will, it is hoped, in due time
be obtained, and effect will thus be given to the
last wishes of the good and pious testator.
So lived, and so passed away, to his last resting-
place, where he lies, in St. Peter's Churchyard, the
honest-hearted and genial John Cruickshank, leaving
behind him no worthier or more loyal son of
Bon-Accord. W. D. G.
University of Aberdeen,
June isth, iSSS.

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

Introduction
Chapter I. — The Earlier Common Seal
Chapter II. — The Later Common Seal
Chapter III.— The Seals ad Causas
Chapter IV.— The Armorial Bearings

PAGE I
4
16
3539

A. B.
C. D.
E.- F.-
G.
[H. L-
J-- K L.M.
N.O.P.Q.
[R. T.
[U.

APPENDICES.
— Sir Charles Erskine's Patent, 1674
— The Burning of the Lyon Records
—Act of Convention anent matriculating Arms of Burghs, 1673
— Commission from Town Council to Convention, 1673
— Leges Quatuor Burgorum. No. XLVIII.
—Extract from Inventory of Town's Writs, 1772
— Carta Adami Gley fratribus predicatoribus, 1271
-Cartse fratribus Carmelitanis, 1273-85]
Act of Parliament, 129^
Excerpts from Ragman Rolls, 1296

— Act of Parliament, 135^

136J

Act of Parliament,
— Carta? quadam, 1350
-Saint Nicholas ...
•Mr. Cosmo Innes on the Burgh Seals, 1842
"F.S.A. Scot.'' on the Armorial Bearings, 1883
•Mr. Cosmo Innes on the Burgh Seals, 1863
•Recovery of the Seals in 1846] ...
Mr. Joseph Robertson on the Castle Story, 1839
Hector Boece on the same, 1522
-Professor William Smith on the same, 1702]

49 50515"52525355 56
56 59
606162 65
6769 7075 7S79

IXX1V.

Contents.

V. — Sir George Mackenzie's Erroneous Copy of the Patent, 1680
W. — Bishop Leslie on the Castle Story, 1578
X. — The Castle and its Demolition
Y.— References to Seals in Council Register, 1447-1670
Z. — Factories and Commissions by Town Council, 1537-41
A A. — Ruddiman on Seals, Privy and Great, 1773
[B B.— Early Descriptions of Burgh Arms]
C C. — Parson Gordon's Description
DD.— Bailie Skene on the Arms, 1685
E E.— Nisbet on the same, 1718-22 ...
[FF. — ? on the same] ...
[GG. — Bishop Keith on the same, 1760]
H II. — Kennedy on the same, 1818 ...
1 1. — The Arms as shewn in Printer's Woodcuts
J J.— The Provost's Badge, 1760
K K.— The Heraldry of the Public Buildings, Aberdeen, 1873
L L. — Town House Heraldry, 1884 ...
M M.— Aberdeen Heraldry, 1885
NNj — Aberdeen Heraldic Devices
O O. — Correspondence with the Lyon, 1883

PAGE 79
8081889-9293
95 96
97
989S9999
101102
106109112
116

Contents.

xxv.

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

Armorial Ensigns of the Burgh from Emblazonment of 1883
Armorial Ensigns of the Burgh from Emblazonment of 1674
Seal of the Burgh in use till 1423-4 ...
Seal of the Burgh in use from 1430 ...
Seal of Henry Hervy, Archdean of Moray, 1438
Secret Seal of James I. , 1424
Secret Seals of the Burgh, 1440
Arms of James IV. from King's College, 1504
Arms of the Burgh from Ceiling of Cathedral, circa 1520
Arms of the Burgh from Oak Panel in East Church, 1606
Arms of the Burgh from Weaver's Stamp, 17th Cent. ...
Arms of the Burgh from Printer's Woodcuts, 1624-30 ...
Armorial Ensigns of the Wrights and Coopers from Emblazonment
of 1696 ... ... 
Arms of the University, and of the Grammar School

Frontispiece. PAGE

3
111718
29
35 4-
43
4445
100»3
"5

THE ARMORIAL ENSIGNS OF THE
ROYAL BURGH OF ABERDEEN.
INTRODUCTION.
THE armorial ensigns of Aberdeen are borne by
-*- authority of the patent granted in the year
1674 by Sir Charles Erskine, Lyon King-of-Arms,
which confirms the arms "of old appertaining to
the Royal Burgh of Aberdeen." This patent is
preserved in the archives of the city.*
In the year 1672 an Act of the Scots Parliament
was passed " chargeing all and sundry Prelates,
Noblemen, Barons, and Gentlemen, who make vse of
any Armes or Signes armoriall, within the space
of one year [after the publication of the act], to
bring or send ane account of what Armes or Signes
armoriall they are accustomed to vse . . . either to
the Clerk of the Jurisdiction where the persones
duells, or to the Lyon Clerk at his office in Edin
burgh, ... to the effect that the Lyon King-of-
* Appendix A.

2 The Armorial Ensigns
Armes may distinguish the sds with congruent
differences, and may matriculat the same in his
Bookes and Register."* Arnot, in the ' History of
Edinburgh,' says that this act was made on account
of the records of the Lyon office having been
destroyed by a fire, circa i670.t
The Convention of Royal Burghs held at Perth
in July, 1673, ordained that all the burghs of the
Kingdom should, before the next meeting of the
Convention, procure extracts of their coats of arms
from the Books of the Lord Lyon. \ The Council
Records of Aberdeen shew that one of the Com
missioners who were appointed to represent the
city had been present at the meeting, and had,
on his return, reported to the Council regarding
the affairs that had engaged the attention of the
Convention ; and, though no reference to the matter
of the arms appears in the Council Records, there
can be no doubt that the patent had been applied
for in conformity with the ordinance of the Con
vention^ Unfortunately, the emblazonment, or painting of
the arms, which accompanied the patent, and which
is signed by the Clerk of the Lyon Office and not
* Acts of Parliament, &c. (Charles IL), Sept. 10, 1672, Vol. vn., p. 95.
t Appendix B. J Appendix C. § Appendix D.

THE ARMORIAL ENSIGNS OF THE BURGH, as shown i.i the erroneous
drawing issued by the Lyon Office in 1674.

of the Royal Burgh of Aberdeen. 3
by the Lyon, was inaccurately drawn by the herald
painter of the day, and does not conform to the
wording given in the patent. The patent describes
the towers in the shield as triple-towered, and the
supporters simply as two leopards, making no
mention of any difference between them, and
thereby implying that both are in the same attitude,
with the face in profile : but the towers portrayed in
the emblazonment are not triple-towered ; and the
leopards are represented in different attitudes, the
one on the dexter side full-faced, and the one on the
sinister side with the face in profile. This has
led to much diversity and inaccuracy in the repre
sentation of the arms of the city.

The Armorial Ensigns

CHAPTER I.
THE EARLIER COMMON SEAL.
\ T what date a seal was first used by the burgh there
¦*¦ *- is no evidence forthcoming to shew. In the
' Book of Bon-Accord'* Mr. afterwards Dr. Joseph
Robertson, probably founding on the statement
made by Kennedy in a footnote in the ' Annals of
Aberdeen, 't says that the seal there described "is
said to have been used in the reign of David I."
(1124-1153). The seal may have been used in the
reign of that monarch, as xlviii. of the ' Leges
Burgorum ' makes express mention of the seals of
burghs ; \ but Kennedy when he made the statement
had been misled as to the date by an entry which
appears in an Inventory of the writs in the Town's
charter chest, drawn up in i772,§ in which the date
of the charter of 18th April, 1350, afterwards men-
* Book of Bon-Accord, 1839 — App., p. 349.
+ "The town's common seal, which was used in the time of David I.,
bore a temple, Saint Nicholas in the porch, mitred, with the legend— Sigillum
de Communi Abirdonensi." Annals of Aberdeen, 1818 — Second Issue 
Vol. I., p. 16.
t Appendix E. § Appendix F.

of the Royal Burgh of Aberdeen. 5
tioned, to which the seal is appended, is erroneously
given as 11 50. There can be no doubt that the
seal he referred to was the seal described in the
Inventory, although his description of it is inaccurate.
In the Inventory, there is no mention that St.
Nicholas is standing in the porch of a temple ; and
the legend Kennedy gives, appears not on the
obverse but on the reverse of the seal, encircling
the three-spired church, of which he makes no
mention. The earliest authentic notice of the use of a seal
by the burgh occurs in a charter by Adam Gley*
in favour of the Dominicans, or Black Friars, dated
in 1 27 1, which is in the Advocates' Library in Edin
burgh. In that charter it is stated that the seals of
the granters and the Common Seal of Aberdeen, at
their instance, were appended thereto. The seals
have disappeared, but the charter is in perfect
preservation. It is given at length in the Appendix.!
[It is not unusual to find the seal of a town
attached, "ad maiorem rei euidenciam," to a deed
executed within the precincts of the burgh. The
Aberdeen seal seems to have been so attached to
each of six grants to the Carmelites or White Friars,
* [Not ' Glep,' as given in Keith's ' Catalogue of Scotch Bishops,' p. 271,
and in ' Book of Bon-Accord,' p. 27.]
+ Appendix G.

6 The Armorial Ensigns
recited in a charter of confirmation by King David
II., which bears date 7th May, 1360, and is preserved
in the Marischal College charter chest.* The
names of the granters and the dates are as under: —
Laurence de Daleri, Friar of the order of the Holy
Trinity, 1273; Gilbert de Fincht, burgess, 1274;
William de Fyncht, burgess, 1285; John Crab,
burgess, 1349; Mathew Pinchath, burgess, 1350 ;t
Katherine, daughter of Walter de Welles, burgess,
1277. The first three deeds are interesting as
supplying the sole extant names of thirteenth century
civic rulers in Aberdeen. Their testing clauses are
given in the Appendix. \
The employment of the common seal of Aberdeen
as a means of strengthening the validity of a writ
was not, however, confined to purely local transac
tions.] In an Act passed by the Assembly held by King
John Balliol, at Dunfermline, in 129^, ratifying the
treaty between him and Philip, King of France,
for the marriage of his son, Edward, to the French
King's daughter, it is stated that the deed was
attested on the Scotch part by four bishops, four
abbots, four earls, and eleven barons ; and that the
seal of Aberdeen, together with the seals of five other
* Mass I., No. 3. t Cf. Appendix M. X Appendix H.

of the Royal Burgh of Aberdeen. 7
burghs (Perth, Stirling, Edinburgh, Roxburgh and
Berwick), was appended.*
The Deed of Homage extorted from the burgh
by King Edward I. of England in 1296, makes
express mention that it was sealed with the Common
Seal ; as appears from the Ragman Rolls, t King
Edward was at Aberdeen from the 14th to the 17th
July in that year. \
In the Council held at Perth on the 17th January,
135^, a Commission was given by Robert, Sene
schal of Scotland, in favour of William and Patrick,
Bishops of St. Andrews and of Brechin, and William
de Leuingston, and Robert de Erskyn, Knights,
constituting them ambassadors to Edward, King of
England, to treat for the liberation of King David
from his captivity ; and it is stated that the seal of
Aberdeen, named first, together with those of Dundee,
Perth, and Edinburgh, was appended thereto. §
After the ransom of King David II., the seal of
Aberdeen, together with those of Edinburgh, Perth,
and Dundee, was appended to the conditions of
peace agreed to between England and Scotland in
1 36! as appears by the Acts of Parliament. ||
* Appendix I.
t The Ragman Rolls. Instrumenta Publica sive Processus super fideli-
tatibus et homagiis Scotorum Domino Regi Anglise factis, 1291-1296. Edited
by Thomas Thomson, 1834. (Bannatyne Club.)
+ Appendices J and X. § Appendix K. || Appendix L.
E

8 The Armorial Ensigns
The earliest known extant examples of the use of
a seal by the burgh are found in the impressions
of the seal appended to charters dated in 1350.
One, bearing the date 31st March, 1350, is in the
charter chest of Marischal College ; and another,
bearing the date 18th April, 1350, is in the charter
chest of the city.* This last is the charter previously
mentioned, the date of which is given erroneously
by Kennedy, following the Inventory of 1772.
The next known example of the use of this seal is
that appended to the ' Procuratory,' dated 26th Sep
tember, 1357, which was given by the Scottish
Burghs, empowering certain burgesses of Edinburgh,
Perth, Aberdeen, and Dundee, to negotiate and
enter into obligation for the ransom of King David
the Second from his captivity in England. \ The
burgesses thus empowered, on the 5th October, gave
an ' Obligation ' for a hundred thousand merks to
the King of England, and affixed to it the seals of
their respective burghs. There are sixteen seals
attached to the 'Procuratory,' all of them more or
less decayed ; and of these that of Aberdeen is the
first ; but there are not above two-thirds of it left.
* Appendix M.
+ The names of the burgesses of Aberdeen were Laurencius de Garuok,
Willelmus de Leth, and Johannes Crab.

of the Royal Burgh of Aberdeen. 9
The seals attached to the ' Obligation ' have all
disappeared.* From the seal appended to the ' Obligation ' of
5th October, the engravings given by Astle in the
' Vetusta Monumenta ' were executed ; f and from
them were copied the engravings fronting the
title-page of Parson Gordon's ' Description of both
Touns of Aberdeen ' printed for the Spalding
Club, 1842. The 'Procuratory' and the 'Obli
gation' are in the Public Record Office in London. \
Two other examples of this seal are found
appended to charters in the charter chest of
Marischal College, one dated in 1382, § and one
dated in 1408. ||
From what Astle says it may be assumed that the
impression of the seal of Aberdeen appended to the
' Obligation ' for the ransom of King David had
been perfect when the drawings were made for the
* The text of the Procuratory and of the Obligation, with translations,
will be printed in ' Charters, &c. , of the Royal Burgh of Aberdeen ' — now
being edited for the Corporation.
t An account of the Seals of the Kings, Royal Boroughs, and Magnates
of Scotland. By Thomas Astle, Esq., F.R.S. and F.S.A., one of the Cura
tors of the British Museum, and Keeper of the Records in the Tower of
London [1792].
X Chapter House Scots Documents, Box ?, Nos. 25 and 98.
§ Carta Joannis Craib de decern mercis Sterlingis ex omnibus suis terris in
vico viridi, St. Bartholomew's Day, 1382. Mass 12. No. 54.
|| William Russ, Chaplain, his charter of the Croft of Craibstone, granted
by Patrick Sharpe, 22nd October, 1408. Mass 10. No. 18.

io The Armorial Ensigns
engravings of the seal given by him in 1 792 ; * but
all the seals appended to that document having now
disappeared, and all the other impressions mentioned
being fractured or frayed, and the legends on them
illegible or incomplete, the legends he gives cannot
be verified from them. But another, and a perfect
impression of the seal is extant, which completely
bears out the accuracy of the representations, and of
the legends he gives as those on the seal. This is the
seal appended to the ' Obligation ' given by the burgh
of Aberdeen together with like Obligations given
by the burghs of Edinburgh, Perth, and Dundee, to
King Henry VI. for the ransom of King James I.
from his captivity in England. This ' Obligation '
is also in the Public Record Office in London, t
and bears the date 16th February, 142^. J The full
title of the document is " Obligatio Civitatis Eden-
burgh (Dunde, Perth, or Abfden as the case may
be), de solutione monetae pro liberatione lac. Regis
* " No. V. [Plate II. ] is the Seal of Aberdeen appendant to an instrument
relative to the ransom of King David the Second, dated October 5, 1357,
when that King was a prisoner in England." — Account of the Seals, &c,
p. 14. t Chapter House Scots Documents, Box xxxviii., No. 12.
X The credit of discovering this example of the early seal is due to Mr.
John Forbes Robertson, London. Through the courtesy of Sir William Hardy,
Deputy Keeper of the Rolls, and the authorities of the Record Office, per
mission was obtained by Mr. Robertson to have the seal photographed ; and
the Deed to which it is appended was sent by them to Mr. Pretorius of the
British Museum, by whom the photographs were taken which are now in the
possession of the Corporation, and from which the illustrations herewith given
of the seal have been copied.

SEAL OF ABERDEEN in use till 1423-24.

of the Royal Bztrgh of Aberdeen. 1 1
Scotiae Henrico Sexto Regi Angliae."* The order
in which the towns are named in the documents
themselves is " Edenburgh, Perth, Dunde et
Abreden," but the four sheets of parchment are
stitched in this order — Dundee, Aberdeen, Perth,
Edinburgh. From the seal of Aberdeen, appended
to the ' Obligation ' given by the burgh, the legends
on the older imperfect impressions of the seal
can be completely substantiated.
On the obverse of the seal St. Nicholas is repre
sented standing mitred and vested, his right hand
uplifted in the act of benediction, and his left hand
holding a pastoral staff. To the right of the figure
is a crescent, and to the left a star of six points.
These undoubtedly are symbols of a ship, and a
guiding star, and indicate that he is the patron saint
of mariners, for which- reason he had been assumed
as the patron saint of Aberdeen, as he was of
numerous other sea-board towns, t
The legend around this side of the seal is : —
" SINGNUM : BEATI : NICOLAI : ABIR-
DONENSI:" ' Swgnum ' for ' Signum ' bears
* The text of the 'Obligation' with translation will be given in 'Charters,
&c, of the Royal Burgh of Aberdeen.'
t "As patron of seamen, St. Nicholas is especially popular in seaport
towns. About 376 Churches in England are dedicated in his honour."
Sacred and Legendary Art. By Mrs. Jameson, 1879, Vol. ii. (The Patron
Saints of Christendom), p. 457.

12 The Armorial Ensigns
witness to the mediaeval origin of the seal.*
On the reverse there is represented a wall of
dressed masonry, having a closed, two-leaved,
banded gate in the centre, and three spires rising
above the coping of the wall ; the one in the middle
rising higher than the others, and each spire having
a cross as a terminal.
The most obvious inference is that the representa
tion on the reverse indicates the wall of the burgh
and the great church within the wall, dedicated to
St. Nicholas, in which relics of the Saint were
believed to be enshrined. Such is the opinion
embodied in the Inventory of Writs drawn up in
1772, previously referred to.
The legend around this side of the seal is : —
"SIGILLUM: DE : COMMUNI : ABIRDON-
ENSI:" In the ' Vetusta Monumenta,' under "Addenda
and Corrigenda," Astle says — " The reverse of the
Seal of Aberdeen may be interpreted from the
following paragraph in the ' Ducatiana,' Vol. I.,
p. 197, Amst., 1738: 'Chasses des Saints are of
two sorts, one in the form of a coffer, the other
surmounted with pyramids, and bearing the re-
* [The counter seal of the burgh of Edinburgh, circa 1392, shews the
form ' Si/.gno.' — Laing, 1., p. 210, and Plate xxix., fig. 4.]

of the Royal Burgh of Aberdeen. 13
semblance of a castle, which last, as Furetiere
observes, were termed Mausolea.' " Astle says
also, that "according to some writers Nicholas was
bishop of Aberdeen in the twelfth century, and
might afterwards have been canonized."
As St. Nicholas, who according to tradition was
Bishop or Archbishop of Myra in Syria, died and
was buried at Myra, in the fourth century, and
as his remains were in the end of the eleventh
century carried off by some merchant adventurers
to Bari in Southern Italy, and interred there, the
conjecture of Astle that the representation on the
reverse of the seal indicates the Mausoleum of the
Saint, can only be considered fanciful ; as the Mau
soleum, if such it was, represented by the walls and
spires, could not have contained the remains of that
Saint. The statement relating to his having been
bishop of Aberdeen is devoid of any foundation.
This was the earliest form of seal used by burghs.
In the preface to the 'Supplemental Descriptive Cata
logue of Ancient Scottish Seals,' Mr. Henry Laing
says : — "All the burghs, royal or baronial, had, from
the earliest period of their erection, a common seal,
the design on which was generally the patron saint,
or the shield of the baron from whom its privileges
were held ; it is not, however, at all common to find

14 The Armorial Ensigns
any shields on the early burgh seals." * He further
says, in the 'Supplemental Catalogue,' that "the
style and workmanship of this seal [of Aberdeen]
conclusively prove it to have been executed much
earlier than the date of the document to which it is
appended "t i.e., the 'Procuratory' of 1357, which
is the document he cites. But that does not imply
that it is rude ; and the bands shewn on the gate,
and the tiling on the steeples, are well executed.
Mr. Laing gives lithographic drawings of the
seal,J and from what he says in the preface §
relating to the drawings which he gives of other
seals, it may be inferred that the representations of
this seal were executed from photographs. But as
the seal had been fractured, part of the legends he
gives must have been supplied from conjecture, as it
is obvious, judging both from Astle's representations
executed in 1792, and from the complete legends on
the seal of 142^, that the legend given by Mr. Laing,
as that on the obverse, is inaccurate, and that for
' Signum,' ' Swgnum ' should be read. ||
"'Supplemental Descriptive Catalogue of Ancient Scottish Seals.' By
Henry Laing, Edinburgh, 1866. Pref., p. xviii.
t Ibid, No. 1 198, p. 213.
X Ibid, Plate xiv., fig. 6, 8. § Ibid, Pref., p. xvi.
|| [Not merely does part of the legend seem to have been supplied by Mr.
Laing from conjecture, but his whole representation is of a most inaccurate
kind. The dimensions and the spacing of the letters have been altered, and

of the Royal Bttrgh of Aberdeen. 15
the right hand of the Saint is wrongly depicted. The inscriptions appear as —
SIGNUM BEATI NICOLAI ABIRDONENSIS
and
SIGILLVM DE COMMVNI ABIRDONENSIS.
To make matters worse, Mr. Laing in his text (p. 213) gives still another
reading— SIGNUM BEATI NICOLAI ABERDONENSIS
and
SIGILLUM DE COMMVNI ABERDONESIS.
The true rendering is that given above, and shown in the accompanying plate.
So the legend on the seal of Dundee is given by Laing (both in text and
plate) as ' Signum,' &c. ; but by Astle as ' Sircgnum,' &c]

1 6 The Armorial Ensigns

CHAPTER II.
THE LATER COMMON SEAL.
TV TO further example is found of the use of the
-"- ' early seal after the date of the Obligation for
the ransom of King James in 142^; and the first
representation of armorial bearings of the burgh is
found on the fine seal — the matrices of which are
in the possession of the Corporation, and which
continued to be appended to charters granted by the
Corporation as late as the year 1675, and probably
was used till the practice of impressing seals on the
documents themselves superseded the older method.
The matrices bear on the back of the seal, and of
the counter-seal, the following inscription in old
English letters :
^ pt Zev of 0mt ¦${&€€€???. 3Fon pe mm
toas aitietman anti pes gel mati.
In the chronological list of Provosts of the city
given by Skene in the 'Succinct Survey,'* and by
Kennedy in the 'Annals of Aberdeen,' t Joannes
* Succinct Survey of the famous City of Aberdeen, 1685, pp. 246-254.
t Annals of Aberdeen, 1818, Vol. II., pp. 230-233.

c
o

o
a.
t-o
O <u

o a
4)
X

OCO

¦a

UJQa.UJ CQ < u.O _1<UJ V)

of the Royal Burgh of Aberdeen. 1 7
Vaus appears as holding the office, then designated
"Alderman," in the years 1429 and 1430; as well
as in years before and after these dates.
On the obverse of this seal the arms appear on a
shield as one tower* (the upper portion rising out
of a battlemented under-structure), within the double
tressure of the Royal Arms of Scotland, counter-
flowered with sixteen fleurs-de-lis. The shield is
supported by two animals, presumably meant for

SBSP-.'&W; '¦  3S8B

Nr

leopards, but represented with leonine manes, and
with tufts on the tips of the tails, which pass down
behind their legs ; their faces are in profile, and a
scroll, the ends of which are held in their mouths,
contains the motto " BON ACCORD." t
' On the , reverse of the seal, within a masoned
wall, having an open gateway in the centre, and a
* [The building has the appearance of a triumphal arch, as in the
accompanying sketch, rather than of a tower. Regarding the typical heraldic
tower, see note on p. 25.]
+ See, regarding the motto, Michel's ' Civilisation in Scotland,' p. 416.

1 8 The Armorial Ensigns
suspended portcullis in the gateway, St. Nicholas is
represented standing under a triple-coned canopy,
mitred and vested, his right hand uplifted in the act
of benediction, and his left hand holding a pastoral
staff; behind him, on his right, appears his special
emblem, the three children in the tub, and they are
obviously introduced to indicate the Saint that is
represented.* The legend on the seal is the same on the obverse
and on the reverse :— " SIGILLUM : COMUNE :
DE : ABERDEN :"
The matrix of the obverse of the seal is appar
ently somewhat injured, as it does not represent the
central part of the tower in a complete form. This
defect appears on the earliest impressions of the
seal ; and there is evidence of a brass pin having
been inserted, the head of it being visible on the
back of the matrix. Probably this may have been
done with the view of remedying the defect, but,
if so, it had not been a successful expedient : and
the defect may possibly have been increased by the
pin thrusting out the front part of the centre of the
matrix, and leaving it as it now appears.
* Appendix N. [Mr. Joseph Robertson in his ' Municipal Statutes of
Aberdeen,' says — " The seal of the Bishops of Aberdeen anciently re
presented the same legend " ; but this statement is not borne out by
Mr. Henry Laing in his 'Catalogue of Scottish Seals.' Compare the
representation on the Seal of Henry Hervy, Archdean of Moray, shewn in
annexed plate.]

SEAL of Henry Hervy, Archdean of Murray, appended to Discharge by Giles of
Murray, Lady of Culbyne, to Gilbert Menzies, burgess of Aberdeen,
8th May, 1438.

of tlie Royal Burgh of Aberdeen. 19
In the 'Supplemental Descriptive Catalogue,'*
Mr. Laing says — "With respect to the armorial
ensigns of the burghs of Scotland, they are, in most
instances, merely a transference of the design of
the earlier common seal to a shield, thereby giving
the desired heraldic character. Aberdeen is the
earliest instance we have yet met of proper armorial
ensigns on a common seal. The date is 1430";
and, after giving a somewhat inaccurate description
of the seal, he adds — " Neither on the seals, nor in
the patent, is any crest given, and we believe the
burgh has never assumed any."
In the ' Book of Bon- Accord ' t it is stated that
the matrix of the city seal, which superseded the
older seal, was exhibited to a meeting of the Society
of Antiquaries of Scotland in the year 1839;! and
an opinion is advanced by Mr. Robertson as to the
date and the origin of the seal. After describing
the older seal, he says- "The city, seal which
replaced it does not appear of an older date than
the fifteenth century " ; and, with regard to the
origin, " The [older] seal perhaps betrays the origin
of the new arms, and of the heraldic fable which
*Suppl. Descr. Cat., Pref., pp. xvii., xviii.
t Book of Bon- Accord. App., p. 349.
X " 1839. Jan. 28. Remarks on the Ancient Seal of the City of Aberdeen.
By Joseph Robertson, Esq., Corr. Memb. S. A. Sc."— Transactions of the
Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, Vol. iv., App., p. 30.

20 The Armorial Ensigns
accompanies them " ; and, after citing Astle's con
jecture as to Chasses des Saints, he asks, as conclusive
on the subject, " Did not the triple-towered shrine,
or chdsse de saint, give to later heralds the hint of
the three castles ? "
Mr. Cosmo Innes, in the Preface to Parson
Gordon's 'Description of Both Touns of Aberdeen,'
adopts the statement of Mr. Robertson, and enlarges
upon it.* As to the date, he says that, from the
workmanship and the shape of the letters of its
legends, it is probably not earlier than the beginning
of the fifteenth century. He then occupies a page
with stating that although— from the appearance
on the seal of St. Nicholas, who was the tutelar
saint of scholars and clerks — it might be suspected,
in the absence of contrary evidence, that the seal is
of a date subsequent to the foundation of the
University, he feels constrained to admit that the
appearance and style of the seal are much against
that supposition.
After making some reflections on Kennedy, "the
City Annalist," and on Bishop Keith, and Hector
Boece, with reference to the origin of the arms, Mr.
Innes states his conclusion on the subject as follows :
"The intelligent antiquary will not fail to recognise
* Appendix O.

of the Royal Burgh of Aberdeen. 2 1
in the triple-towered shrine of St. Nicholas of the
more ancient seal, the type of the triple-towered
castle that figures on a shield, and within the Royal
tressure of Scotland, on the later one. By an easy
gradation from thence we have the three separate
towers, now the armorial bearing of the city." * In
a footnote he says that it is to the author of the
1 Book of Bon-Accord ' that he is indebted for the
theory of the origin of the city arms which he had
given. The description given by Mr. Innes is some
what confused, and the edifice he refers to is not
a castle, nor can it be described as triple-towered.
This is obvious, judging even from the engraving
of the seal facing the title-page of the 'Description.'
Regarding the origin of the representations on
the seal, notwithstanding the theory, put forth by
Mr. Robertson and Mr. Innes, the intelligent
herald will be slow to recognise that the tower
which appears on the seal, and which is called by
the Professor the triple-towered" castle, is any
development of the three-spired edifice which
appears on the older seal. The representations
on that seal are combined on the reverse of the
newer seal, where St. Nicholas is represented
* Descr. of Both Touns, Pref., p. xi.

22 The Armorial Ensigns
standing under a triple-coned canopy, obviously
within the wall of the burgh which is shown with
the gateway open, and a suspended portcullis in
place of the closed, banded gate which appears
on the older seal. St. Nicholas is not named
on the newer as he is on the older seal, and the
crescent and star which appear on it are not
reproduced, but the appearance of his special
emblem shows unmistakeably that he is the saint
represented. This bears out the inference that
the reverse of the older seal represents the wall
of the burgh, and the church dedicated to St.
Nicholas within the wall, and not a Chdsse de Saint
or mausoleum.*
The tower on the obverse indicates a distinct
origin, and the tressure of the Royal Arms of
Scotland which surrounds it is indisputable evidence
of a royal grant. Aberdeen and Perth are the only
burghs which display the Royal tressure, and this
distinction could not have been assumed, and
could have been conferred only for signal services.
Both these burghs, if all legendary accounts are
not to be disregarded, were subjected to much
* The absurdity of the supposition as to the date of the seal being after
the foundation of the University, and as to the development of the three-spired
edifice of the older seal into the tower shewn on the newer, was well set forth
in a letter by "F.S. A., Scotland," which appeared in the "Aberdeen Journal "
5th November, 1883. See Appendix P.

of the Royal Burgh of Aberdeen. 23
hardship, and there can be no doubt Aberdeen
was plundered and burned for the attachment
which its citizens displayed to the cause of King
Robert Bruce, and King David, his son. The
heraldic point relating to the Royal tressure has
been left out of account by the learned antiquaries,
and the theory that they propound cannot be upheld.
[Additional proof of a Royal grant is furnished by
the presence of the leopards. " Supporters," says
Mr. Seton,* are " an armorial distinction of the
highest order." It by no means follows that even
the Lyon King can, of his own authority, issue a
new grant of supporters. " Such a prerogative can
be exercised only by the Sovereign, as the Fountain
of Honour, from whom the Lord Lyon himself
receives his appointment." Few Corporations,
either in England or in Scotland, have had sup
porters granted them ; and the grants have always
been made in recognition of some special merit on
the part of the recipients. Of the sixty-six Royal
burghs of Scotland only six, besides Aberdeen,
have any claim to this honourable distinction.]!
* [The Law and Practice of Heraldry in Scotland. Edinburgh, 1863, p. 285]
t [These are Edinburgh (a maid richly attired, with her hair hanging over
her shoulders, and a doe, both proper) ; Glasgow (two salmon fishes proper) ;
Dundee (two dragons vert, their tails nowed together beneath the shield) ;
Perth (the shield is borne on the breast of a double-headed eagle displayed or) ;
Montrose (two mermaids arising from the sea proper) ; and Inverness (a camel
and an elephant, both proper). The five first-named burghs have rematriculated
arms subsequent to the Act of 1672.]

24 The Armorial Ensigns
Referring to Mr. Robertson's theory of the origin
of the arms, Mr. (now Sir) Charles Farquhar Shand,
Advocate, in his ' Biographical Memoir of Bishop
Patrick Forbes,'* says — "There is a point of some
antiquarian interest to which we take the liberty of
here adverting, .... we mean the origin of the
Armorial Bearings of the City of Aberdeen ....
It may, we fear, appear something like presumption
to throw any doubt on the origin of the arms of the
city of Aberdeen suggested by the accomplished
author of ' The Book of Bon- Accord,' and of which
the learned editor of the ' Description of Both Touns
of Aberdeen ' has approved. However, we think
the conjecture is at least a pardonable one that the
three castles in the arms of the city owe their
position there to the three eminences of local
topographers — the Castle Hill, the Port Hill, and
St. Catherine's Hill, on the slopes of which the
early settlers built their habitations, and the tops
of which were doubtless rudely fortified — the settle
ment thus presenting the appearance of three castles,
which it must have retained for centuries after its
first foundation."
This appears a much more likely theory as to
* The Funeral Sermons, Orations, and Epitaphs on Patrick Forbes,
Bishop of Aberdeen. From the original edition of 1635. Edited by C. F.
Shand, 1845. 8vn. (Spottiswonrle Society), Pref., p. xxiv.

of the Royal Burgh of Aberdeen. 25
the origin of the arms than that propounded by
Mr. Robertson and Mr. Innes ; but it cannot be
accepted as proving the origin of the representation
on the obverse of the seal of 1430. As previously
mentioned, that shews a single tower, and not a
castle, which in heraldry is represented differently
from a tower.*
As to the date of the seal, that point is set at rest
by the inscriptions on the matrices in possession of

the Corporation, which, as previously stated, bear
the date 1430. Mr. Robertson, in the appendix
cited, says that the matrix of the seal, which re
placed the older seal, was in the possession of
Mr. Walter Duthie, W.S., Edinburgh, and was
exhibited to the meeting of the Society of
* [A tower appears as an embattled structure, somewhat like the ordinary
chessrook, with a port and a window. jV castle shews two such towers, but
without ports, and connected by a curtain wall having a gateway in the centre.
According to Guillim, when a castle is represented, "the Architecture or
Masonry extendeth itself all over the Field from one side of the Escocheon to
the other," while a tower "is environed by the field " ; but when three towers
or castles enter into the blazon this distinction of necessity ceases. In the
accompanying sketch neither the tower nor the castle is " triple-towered."
Compare the armorial ensigns of Edinburgh, Dublin, and Newcastle.]

26 The Armorial Ensigns
Antiquaries in 1839, and that it did not appear to
be of older date than the beginning of the
fifteenth century.* As the date was the subject
of speculation on that occasion, it may be inferred
that the matrix, or matrices, exhibited were dupli
cates which did not bear the date. Mr. Duthie
was the Edinburgh agent of the Corporation of
Aberdeen, and may have had duplicates which
they had ceased to use. If the original matrices
had been exhibited there could have been no need
for any conjecture on the subject of the date.
Mr. Innes, in his preface to Parson Gordon's
' Description,' makes no mention of the matrix
being exhibited ; but says it was from impressions
of a brass seal and counter-seal in Mr. Duthie's
possession that had been used as the common seal
of the burgh in the fifteenth century, that the
upper seal figured in the plate prefixed to the
title-page of the ' Description ' was copied. He
also advances the conjecture that the seal was
not of earlier date than the beginning of the
fifteenth century.
Whether he formed his opinion from an examin
ation of the impressions, or adopted it as he did the
theory relating to the origin of the arms, he does
*Book of Bon-Accord, App,, pp. 349-350.

of the Royal Burgh of Aberdeen. 27
not say ; neither does he say that he had seen
the matrices which were exhibited in 1839. But
his describing those in Mr. Duthie's possession as
being of brass, while those in the possession of the
Corporation are of bronze, tends further to disprove
the supposition that the original matrices were those
in Mr. Duthie's possession.
However, he completely disposes of all conjectures
in the note he communicated to the Society of Anti
quaries in June, 1863,* when he reverted to the
subject. He there stated that since his observations
on the seal were made in 1842, other matrices had
been found bearing the date 1 430 ; and that they
were exhibited to the Society at that meeting.
As these — from the inscriptions upon them — afforded
the evidence of the date, there can be no doubt
that they were those belonging to the Corporation
which had been lent on the occasion.!'
The rendering given in that note of the inscription
on the backs of these matrices is not literally correct.
The inscription is not " The yer of gras M.CCCC.
XXX. jon the vaus was alderman and this sel mad " ;
but, as given previously when the seal was described :
* Appendix Q.
t [The explanation of the existence of two sets of matrices will be found
in certain communications which appeared in the 'Aberdeen Journal ' for 1846.
See Appendix R.]

28 The Armorial Ensigns
" Ye . yr . of. grac . M.CCCC.XXX. jon . ye . vaus .
was . alderman . and . yes . sel . mad."
The legends given in the note as those on the
older seal, to which he also adverted, are inaccurate.
By referring to the illustrations copied from the
photographs of the seal of 142^, executed in the
British Museum, it will be seen that on the obverse
" Singnum . Beati . Nicolai . Abirdonensi." should
be read for "Singnum . Beati . Nicolai . Aberdon-
ensis" ; and, on the reverse, " Sigillum . de . com-
muni . Abirdonensi" for " Sigillum . de . communi .
Aberdonensi." The legend so often advanced as to the origin of
the new arms on the obverse of the seal of 1430,
and so emphatically controverted in the ' Book of
Bon-Accord,'* and by Mr. Cosmo Innes, at second
hand, may now be considered, t
Neither of the learned antiquaries had been
aware of the older seal being appended to the
'Obligation' for the ransom of King James I.
in 142^ ; otherwise they could have made a much
stronger case against the legend of the grant
having been conferred by King Robert Bruce,
or by King David II.
* Appendix S.
+ See ' People's Journal ' for 22nd j\pril, 1882 ; ' Notes and Queries ' for
4th September, 1886, p. 18S ; and 'Aberdeen Evening Gazette' for iSth and
27th December, 1886.

PRIVY SEAL of King James I., appended to Obligation granted to the Burghs
of Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Perth, and Dundee, 26th March, 1424.

of the Royal Burgh of Aberdeen. 29
The last example known of the use of the older
seal being that appended to the 'Obligation' in 142^,
and the later seal bearing the date 1430, obviously
point to the conclusion that the arms on that seal
had been substituted for the bearing on the older
seal between 1424 and 1430. These facts seem
to dispose conclusively of the statements that this
grant of the arms was given by Robert Bruce, or
King David II. ; and the inference to be drawn
from them is that the grant of the tower, and the
Royal tressure, and the lion supporters, had been
conferred by King James I.
A comparison of the seal with the Privy Seal of
that monarch will tend to confirm this assumption.
His seal, from an impression among the Panmure
charters, is engraved in the ' Descriptive Catalogue,
in which Mr. Laing assigns to it the date of 1429.
But the representation here given is from a more
perfect example appended to the ' Letter of Obliga
tion,' given by King James to the four burghs for the
repayment of his ransom, which is in the possession
of the Corporation of Aberdeen.""" From the form of
the shield, the counter-flowering of the tressure, the
lions which support the shield, and the ornamentation
around it, being almost identically the same as on
* Inventory of Writs, A1, No. 25. To be printed with translation in
'Charters, &c, of Aberdeen.'

30 The Armorial Ensigns
the Privy Seal, it may almost certainly be concluded,
not only that the grant of the arms had been given
by him, but that the execution of both seals was
by the same artist. The King's Seal is the more
finely executed of the two ; but that need not be
held as disproving the inference.
As the ' Letter of Obligation ' is still in the
possession of the Corporation, it is not improbable
that the grant of the arms was all the citizens
received in return for their share of the ransom.
James' death soon after may have been the reason
why the ' Obligation ' was never implemented, as he
was a good and worthy King. But so the matter
stands. The Records of the Town Council from 1398 to
the present time are complete, with the exception
of the volume from 1414 to 1433, which unfortunately
is wanting. This volume would embrace the records
of the city during the greater part of the reign of
King James I. ; and there can be little doubt — as in
after years there are minute directions regarding the
city seals, as will be afterwards shewn — that the
grant of the arms by King James had been minuted.
Notwithstanding the vituperation bestowed on
Hector Boece in the ' Book of Bon-Accord,' which
is emphasised by Mr. Cosmo Innes in his "Preface"

of the Royal Burgh of Aberdeen. 31
before mentioned, and echoed by Mr. Hill Burton,*
Hector Boece is not responsible for the statement
that the grant of the armorial bearings was conferred
by either King Robert Bruce or King David. He
tells the story of an attack on the castle by the
citizens and the followers of Bruce, whether of
Robert or David he does not state ; but he says
not a word of the armorial bearings being conferred.!
His silence on the subject of the arms shews that
he was not so credulous as the two antiquarian
authorities represent him to have been.
By the time that Boece wrote his account of the
capture of the castle the new armorial seal had been
in use for about a hundred years ; and it seems
improbable that, in connection with such an account,
he would have omitted all reference to the legend
(if it had been current in the form in which it
appears a century later), attributing the grant of
the arms to either King Robert or King David
Bruce. That seems to be a seventeenth century
invention. * "See in the Book of Bon- Accord an examination bringing home the
whole story to Boece's inventive genius." — History of Scotland, 1867, Vol. II.,
footnote, p. 371.
Neither Mr. Cosmo Innes, nor Mr. Hill Burton, appears to have investi
gated for himself the accuracy of the statement attributed to Boece in the
Book of Bon- Accord. [ It is not improbable that the error may be traced to a
phrase, "ut refert Boetius" used in 1702 by Professor William Smith, when
accounting for the origin of the City Arms. See Appendix U. Mr. Robertson
quotes, inaccurately, the passage from Smith's book, in his ' Municipal
Statutes, &c, of Aberdeen,' p. 29.]
t Appendix T. H

32 The Armorial Ensigns
As Boece does not mention the armorial grant, it
may be assumed that the animadversions in the
' Book of Bon- Accord,' where he is designated as
" the father of lies," and his narration as being
"from beginning to end a clumsy and ill-devised
0
falsehood, . . . made by him alone," can have reference
only to his account relating to the capture and
demolition of the castle.*
There is nothing incredible involved in his
account of that event, whether it occurred in the
time of King Robert or of King David. The
names, Castlehill and Castlegate, — which are still
the designations of these localities in the ordinary
parlance of the inhabitants, although the latter
has been dubbed a street, which it is not, — are
conclusive as to the fact of a castle having
existed. That it was attacked, and the English
garrison expelled, is borne Out by King Edward II.'s
letter of io July, 1308; and that it had been de
molished in the time of the Bruces can hardly be
doubted, as no mention appears of its being in
existence when the English forces, in their en
deavour to recover their position, invaded the city
in the time of David Bruce, and were, according
to Boece's account, defeated by the citizens in
* Book of Bon-Accord, pp. 33-34.

of the Royal Burgh of Aberdeen. 33
the churchyard, and the bodies of the slain
buried at the back entrance of the Church of
St. Nicholas. Neither is there any mention of
the castle, when, in 1336, the forces of King
Edward III., which were sent to revenge the
losses sustained by the English, sacked the city,
and gave it to the flames for six days.
Whatever was the origin of the motto Bonaccord,
which for the first time appears on the seal of 1430,
Sir George Mackenzie is the first who attributed
the granting of it to King Robert Bruce. In the
erroneous copy which he sets forth as the patent of
the arms of the Burgh of Aberdeen, confirmed by
Sir Charles Erskine, Lyon King, in 1674, and as
an example of concessions of arms, he interpolates,
within brackets, the words, presumably his own —
"The Word Bon-Accord was given them by King
Robert Bruce, for killing all the English in one
night in their Town, their Word being that night
Bon-Accord." * There is nothing of this in the
patent of 1674, which is in the possession of the
Corporation of Aberdeen. That document contains
much more in the narrative than is given by Sir
George Mackenzie ; but not a word of Robert
* Science of Herauldry, ed. 1680, p. 9. Sir George calls the Saint that
appears on the reverse of the seal, Saint Michael. See Appendix V for this
erroneous document, which is there given, for comparison with Sir Charles
Erskine's patent in Appendix A.

34 The Armorial Ensigns
Bruce. Why the censure bestowed on Hector
Boece, and on Skene, Kennedy, and others, was
not extended to Sir George Mackenzie, if his
statement is an invention, would be best known to
Mr. Robertson and Mr. Innes.
The account of the capture of the castle does
not rest on Boece's authority alone. Bishop Lesley,*
who wrote in the same century as Boece, also makes
mention of its demolition, which he states to have
occurred in the time of King Robert Bruce ; but he
says nothing as to the grant of the armorial ensigns, t
The Council Records do not extend farther back
than the time of King Robert III., and there is no
mention of a castle found in them. As that monarch
granted a charter in 1394, empowering the burgesses
and community to build a pretorium, or Town Hall,
" faciendi construendi et edificandi vnam domum pro
pretorio,"J it may be concluded that the castle was
not in existence. §
* De Origine, Moribus, et Rebus Gestis Scotorum. Rome, 1578. See
Appendix W.
t[No reference to the destruction of the castle is to be found in Fordun's
Scotichronicon, Wyntoun's Orygynal Cronykil, Major's De Gestis Scotorum,
or Buchanan's Rerum Scoticarum Historia.]
X ' Charters, &c, of Aberdeen,' p. 21.
§In order to carry on more continuously the account relating to the seals
and armorial ensigns, King Edward's letter, and some of the questions raised
in relation to the attack on the castle, and its demolition, will be considered
in a separate Appendix X. [left unfinished by Mr. Cruickshank.]

SEAL, "ad causas," appended to Inquisition, held in the Castle of Aberdeen,
1440, from a Cast in the British Museum.

SEAL, "ad causas," appended to "Factory and Commission by the Baillies,
Council, and Community," 8cc, &c, of date 12th September, 1537 ; and to
"Factory and Commission," &c, of date 6th August, 1541, both in the
possession of the Corporation.

of the Royal Burgh of Aberdeen. 35

CHAPTER III. ¦
THE SEALS AD CAUSAS.
'T^HE tower of the 1430 seal appears, multiplied
-*- by three,* on another seal of almost contem
porary date.
Mr. Laing, in his 'Descriptive Catalogue,'! includes
a seal of causes, which he describes as "appended
to an Inquisition taken within the Castle of Aber
deen. A.D. 1440 — Marr Charters," and as showing
"the armorial bearings of the burgh, three towers
within a double tressure flowered and counter-
flowered," and the legend —
Sigillum Secretum Burgensin [sic] ville
Abierdanus [sic] ad Causas.
The present whereabouts of the deed cited has
not been ascertained, and so it has been impossible
to verify the date, which, with characteristic incon
sistency, Mr. Laing elsewhere J gives as 1444. But
* See Appendix P — Second Letter.
+ Descr. Cat. of Ancient Scottish Seals, 1850, p. 208, No. 1148.
+ Suppl. Descr. Cat. 1866. Pref., p. xix.

36 The Armorial Ensigns
a cast of the seal is preserved in the British Museum,
and from it the annexed illustration has been copied.
It will be seen that the true reading of the inscrip
tion is —
•i-igtllum g>ectttitm iBurgensta <Htlle ,3U)iertian=
ensfe a& Causas.
The shape of the shield and the lettering resemble
those of the seal of 1430, but the supporters are
now absent, and the bearings, though somewhat
defaced, are unmistakably represented as three
towers, whether triple-towered or not it is impossible
to say.
The signification of the phrase ' Castle of
Aberdeen ' in Mr. Laing's description is by no
means obvious. Probably the town hall is meant.
In his 'Earldom of Mar'* Lord Crawford gives
an account of an inquest in connection with the
Mar case, which was held in 1438 in the 'prae-
torium ' or town hall of Aberdeen.
We find several incidental references to this
secret seal in the pages of the Town Council
Register. In 1447 it is "seelit with the alderman's
seel in a purs." 1" In 1462 it is affixed to a bond
of manrent between the Earl of Huntly and the
* The Earldom of Mar in Sunshine and Shade, Vol. I., p. 283.
+ Appendix Y.

of the Royal Burgh of Aberdeen. 37
Magistrates and Community of Aberdeen.* In 1463
the Council ordain the two seals to remain in the
keeping of the Alderman for the time being.
But it seems to have had only a short lease of life,
for in 1537 a new seal of causes, not mentioned by
Mr. Laing, is found appended to a Factory and
Commission by the Bailies, Council and Community,
of date 1 2th September. A second example in
better preservation, from which the accompanying
illustration is copied, is attached to another Factory
and Commission of 5th August, 1541.!
The new seal is a debased copy of the older form,
the legend now being —
&fgOlum ji-ectetum 38urgi ^btrtionen ati causas.
A not very accurate representation is given on
the titlepage of the second volume of Kennedy's
' Annals,' but no reference to the seal occurs in the
body of that work.
Of neither seal ' ad causas ' is the matrix extant.
From an entry in the Council Register^ it would
appear that in 1670 a third privy seal was ordered
to be made " inlargeit with supporters in the best
forme," but of it no further mention has been found.
The 'authentic or common seal,' we learn from
Ruddiman's Introduction to Anderson's ' Diplomata
* See Council Register, v., 467. t Appendix Z. X Appendix Y.

38 The Armorial Ensigns
Scotiae,'* was used "in public matters .... but
the privy seal got its name from this, that it was
used in more secret affairs — for example in epistles.
Letters sealed with this last seal were for most part
shut ; and such as were sealed with the authentic
seal were open."* In the Council Register for 1593
it is stated that the privy seal was appended to
testimonials and borebrieves " that passis to uther
pairtis beyond sey.''t
* Appendij. A A. t Appendix Y.

of the Royal Burgh of Aberdeen. - 39

CHAPTER IV.
THE ARMORIAL BEARINGS.
HHHE earliest existing description of the Aberdeen
¦*¦ arms appears to be that given in Parson Gor
don's MS.,* and, as it makes no mention of the reverse
of the seal described in the patent of 1674, it may
be assumed that, although Parson Gordon was alive
till the 26th September 1686, the description he
gives of the arms had been drawn up at an earlier
date than that of the patent, and before Sir George
Mackenzie's heraldic work appeared. The blazon
given in the MS. accords with the usage followed
in the representations of the arms in the seventeenth
century before the patent was issued. The legend
of the grant being conferred by King David Bruce
is accepted; but there is no reference to St. Nicholas.!
The first to cite Sir George Mackenzie's erroneous
copy of the patent is Bailie Alexander Skene of
Newtyle, $IA0n0AITEI0Y2,J and upon the strength
* [Two metrical descriptions of seemingly prior date have escaped Mr.
Cruickshank's notice. They are given in Appendix B B.]
+ Appendix C C. J Appendix D D.

40 The Armorial Ensigns
of the statement made in it, which attributes the
motto to King Robert Bruce, he bases his statement
that the armorial ensigns, of which he gives
the full blazon, were conferred in honour of the
exploit of the citizens in cutting off the English
garrison, and levelling the castle with the ground.
He also assigns the date of the occurrence to the
time of King David ; but he does not say that the
arms were conferred by him, and he avoids the
error in the copy he was quoting, with respect to
the patron-saint, and names St. Nicholas, and not
St. Michael. His statement that the ensigns
armorial were conferred " in honour of that
resolute act," is not alone credible, but the only
probable reason that can be assigned ; and the
introduction of the castle, or tower, and the Royal
tressure on the new seal, indicate that the expulsion
of the English garrison, and the demolition of the
castle, had not been forgotten in 1430, when the
armorial ensigns were substituted for the represent
ations on the older seal, unquestionably by grant of
King James I.
The appearance of the Royal tressure, and of the
lion supporters, affords corroboration of the inference.
The Royal tressure, as has been previously stated,
could not have been assumed by the burgh ; and

?¥~Z7j1

•"" -JC »-'^-fS>-Jrk. 4-lWK^'

ARMS OF JAMES IV., dated 1504, as they appear on
a Buttress of King's College, Aberdeen.

of the Royal Burgh of Aberdeen. 41
the appearance of the lion supporters for the first
time on the Privy Seal of King James, and im
mediately afterwards on the burgh seal, still further
bears out the conclusion that King James granted
these to the burgh. Mr. Laing says that "the Privy
Seal of James I. is the earliest instance of the
National Arms having supporters, and these it will
be seen are lions." *
The patent of 1674 states distinctly that the arms
thereby confirmed were granted and confirmed to the
burgh by his then Majesty King Charles II.'s most
royal predecessors, for the loyal services performed
to them. No more loyal services could have been per
formed than those rendered by the citizens to King
Robert Bruce, and to his son, King David. None of
the other burghs — north of the Forth at least, save
Perth — had been so active in supporting the cause
of the Bruces ; and none suffered the like sacking
and burning. This may well account for these
* Descriptive Catalogue. Preface, p. xvi. Mr. Laing, however, is not
accurate in the further statement he goes on to make that "the unicorns
do not make their appearance before the reign of Mary, whose great seal
brings us acquainted with them." A single unicorn statant appears on the
gold coins of James III. supporting the royal shield (Ruddiman— 'Numismata
Aurea,' cliii.), and two unicorns, beautifully carved, and standing in the usual
manner, gorged and chained, on a compartment, appear on one of the buttresses
of Ring's College, Aberdeen, supporting the shield of arms of King James IV. ,
and the date carved in raised letters on the slab is: 'Anno Domini 1504.'
They also appeared, carved obviously by the same artistic hand, on a buttress
of Melrose Abbey in 1856, and the date on that slab was 1505. Possibly the
slab is still in existence ; but, in the account given of it in the ' Proceedings
of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland' (11. 171), when the paper relating
to it was read in 1856, it is stated that it was crumbling away. The carving on
the slab on the buttress of King's College is in perfect preservation.

42 The Armorial Ensigns
burghs being those alone that display the Royal
tressure : the distinguishing mark of Royal favour.
Nisbet, who in his heraldic works (1718-22)
gives two slightly different blazons of the Aberdeen
arms,* accepts Sir George Mackenzie's statements
in their entirety, attributing the grant of arms to
King Robert Bruce, and styling the patron saint
St. Michael ; and he also puts forward the legend
as accounting for the ' honourable additament ' of
the tressure.
The next writer t that cites the erroneous copy of
the patent is Kennedy, ' the Aberdeen Annalist,'
who relates at length the legend of the attack on
the castle and its demolition, and assigns the occur
rence to the time of King Robert Bruce. But it
may well be thought incredible that he should have
embodied in the 'Annals' the erroneous copy given
by Sir George Mackenzie, when the patent itself
was lying ready to his hand in the archives of the
city. He quotes the erroneous copy verbatim, with
the exception of substituting St. Nicholas for St.
Michael. J
* Appendix E E.
+ [A description of the arms is also given by the anonymous author of 'A
View of the Diocese of Aberdeen' (circa 1732), printed in the Spalding Club
'Collections'; and another is to be found in Keith's 'Catalogue of Scotch
Bishops,' 1760, p. 176. See Appendices F F, G G.]
X Appendix H II.

)Jinii^JiKtinntP.

ARMS OF THE BURGH, as shown on the Ceiling of the Cathedral of
Saint Machar, circa 1520.

of the Royal Burgh of Aberdeen. 43
The last appearance* of the erroneous copy pur
porting to be a veritable document, is in the Appendix
to the ' Law and Practice of Heraldry,' where
Mr. Seton reproduces it as an illustration of the
form of a concession of arms by the Lyon King, t
Mr. Laing, misled by this, and believing it to be a
correct copy of the patent, says, in the preface to
the ' Supplemental Catalogue of Ancient Scottish
Seals,', that " the patent is most unaccountably
erroneous, . . . representing St. Michael, . . . while
in truth it is St. Nicholas, the patron-saint of the
city, and," he adds, "such a mistake betrays either
lamentable ignorance, or gross negligence."| Had
he seen the patent itself, which is in the possession
of the Corporation of Aberdeen, his censure doubt
less would have alighted on Sir George Mackenzie,
and those that have followed his version, and not
on Sir Charles Erskine.
No example is extant to show whether the
mode of representation on the burgh seal of 1430
had been followed in any other case ; § but early
* [ Among other writers misled by the erroneous copy may be named
Edmonson, ' Complete Body of Heraldry,' 1780 ; Astle, 'Account of the Seals
of the Royal Burghs, &c, of Scotland,' 1792; Wilson, 'Delineation of
Aberdeen,' 1822; Robson, 'British Heraldry,' 1830.]
t Law and Practice, &c, p. 511. + Suppl. Cat., p. xix.
§ [This is true so far as concerns the supporters and motto ; but a shield
with the tressure (like an orle) and three towers is found in the heraldic orna
mentation of the ceiling of the Cathedral Church of St. Machar, circa 1520.
Cf. The New Spalding Club's 'Heraldic Ceiling of St. Machar's Cathedral.']

44 The Armorial Ensigns
in the seventeenth century examples are found
with three towers in the shield, and with the sup
porters as leopards represented full-faced and with
the tails passing down between the hind legs. In
that attitude they appear on a carving in St.
Mary's Chapel, bearing date 1606 ; and, on two
leaden plaques, taken from the roof of the old East
St. Nicholas Church when it was demolished in 1835,
one of which, dated 1635, is in the possession of
Mr. William Smith, Architect, and the other, dated
1639, in the possession of Mr. Alexander Walker,
Merchant. They are also so represented on the
books — " Imprinted by Edward Raban, dwelling
upon the Market Place, at the Townes Armes in
1624";* and on Parson Gordon of Rothiemay's
Map of the City, dated 1661, in the Town House.
The tressure is counter-flowered on the plaques
with fourteen fleurs-de-lis, and on the wood-block
and the map with twelve.
It would seem that the inaccuracy of the em
blazonment of 1674, in relation to the supporters,
had been understood, as after that date the last
mentioned usage was still followed. It was so in
1679, when Raban's wood-block was used by the
Town Council in printing regulations relating to
* Appendix I I.

ARMS OF THE BURGH, as Carved on Oak Panel from Old St. Nicholas
Church (East), now in Vestry of East Church.

THE ARMS OF THE BURGH, as shown on the Copper Stamp used to
Stamp the Linen Manufactured in Aberdeen till about the year 1748.

of the Royal Burgh of Aberdeen. 45
the Bell and Petty Customs; and, in 1685, by
Raban's successor, John Forbes, who used the same
block in printing Bailie Skene's ' Succinct Survey
of the Famous City of Aberdeen.' It was also
followed, in 1686, in the carving of the city arms
on the Cross ; in 1 707, when, in printing other
regulations, a new wood-block was used by the
Town Council; and, in 1755, when the present
West St. Nicholas Church was finished, and the
arms were carved on the canopy over the Magistrates'
gallery. The same usage appears on the gold badge
attached to the chain of office worn by the Lord
Provost, which the Council Records indicate was
procured in 1 760 ; * and on an old copper stamp
used for stamping the linen made in Aberdeen down
to the year 1720, or thereabout ; but whether it was
cut before or after 1674 is not known. In both
these representations the tressure has eight fleurs-
de-lis. From these examples it is evident that for more
than eighty years after the date of the patent the
mode of representation shown in the emblazonment
accompanying it had not set aside the older usage.
After that period the mode of representation
given in the emblazonment appears to have been
* Appendix J J.

46 The Armorial Ensigns
adopted ; one of the supporters being represented
full-faced, and the other with the face in profile ;
the tails disposed as in the older manner, with which,
in that respect, the emblazonment is in accord ; and
in that attitude they have usually been represented
down to the present time. One exception occurs
in the carving on the tower of the Municipal
Buildings ; but in that case the resemblance to
leopards is hardly recognisable.
Since the emblazonment has been accepted as the
authority, the representation there given of the
towers, which also accords with the older mode,
has been followed, no example appearing with
towers triple-towered. In the later as in the
older usage the tressure has been represented vari
ously counter-flowered ; the emblazonment which
gives fourteen not being adhered to ; but, as the
number of flerirs-de-lis on tressures has varied in
drawings by the best heralds, the diversity in that
respect has the merit of not being inaccurate.
These remarks relate to the usage that has been
followed by the city authorities in official forms, and
not to the numberless representations of the arms
that have been put forth by all and sundry who
have made use of them for their various purposes.
In the latter case every imaginable form has

of the Royal Burgh of Aberdeen. 47
appeared, each designer following whatever fancy
pleased him, even to inverting the position of the
towers in the shield, and discarding the tressure.
Instances of these misrepresentations are not rare,
and may be seen passing along the streets every day.*
On the occasion of the Town Council being asked
in the beginning of the year 1883 to present a
carving in stone of the arms, to be placed in the
new Town Hall of Lerwick, along with the arms
of Edinburgh, Glasgow, and other towns, the
question of what was really the proper represent
ation was once more raised. The Lyon King of
Arms, being consulted by the city authorities, ex
pressed his opinion, that in accordance alike with
the patent, and with the oldest known representation,
namely, that on the burgh seal, the leopard sup
porters ought to be in profile and not full-faced ; t
and a sketch was furnished by the Lyon Office,
from which the carving was made for the Town
Hall of Lerwick.
There has since been issued by the Lyon Office,
and signed by the Lyon King, a drawing of the
arms in conformity with the patent of 1674, which
is in the possession of the city authorities. A
* See Appendices K K, L L, M M, N N, on Heraldry in Aberdeen.
+ Appendix O O.
K

48 The Armorial Ensigns, &c.
reproduction of this emblazonment in the proper
colours, but reduced in size, forms the frontispiece
to this volume. It will be seen that in this drawing
the supporters are both represented with the face in
profile, and with the tail elevated in the manner of
rampant heraldic beasts ; the towers are triple-
towered ; and the tressure is given with eight
flezirs-de-lis, in accordance with what has long been
the established rule.
The various irregularities that have prevailed for
two hundred and fifty years being thus disposed of,
it is much to be desired "that no Painters, Maisons,
Goldsmiths, Wrights, Gravers or any other of that
nature, take vpon them to grave, cut, paint, or carve
any armes whatsoever, Bot such as are approven be
the Lyon King-of-armes." *
* Acts of Parliament, &c. (Charles IL), 1662, Vol. vn., p. 404.

APPENDICES. Appendix A.
Sir Charles Erskine's Patent, 16-74.
" To All and Sundrie Whom it effeers I Sir Charles
Araskine of Cambo knight Baronet Lyon King of
Armes Considering That Be Severall acts of Parliament
Especiallie Be the Tuentie one act of the third session of
the Second parliament of our dread Soveraigne Lord
Charles the Second be the Grace of God King of
Scotland England France and Ireland defender of the faith
I am Impowered to visit the wholl armes and Bearings
Within this kingdome And to distinguish them with con
gruent differences And to Matriculat the same in my books
and Registers and to Give Extracts of all armes Express
ing the blazoning therof vnder my hand and seall of office
Which Register is be the forecited act ordained to be
respected as the true and unrepealable rule of all armes
and Bearings in Scotland To Remaine with the Lyons
office as a publict register of the kingdome Therfore
Conforme to the power given to me be his sacred Majestie
And According to the tenor of the said act of parliament
I Testifie and make knowen That the armes and Bearings
of old apertaining to the ROYALL Burgh of Aberdein
And now confirmed be me to them Is matriculat in my
said publict Register vpon the day and dait of thir presents
and is thus blazoned Viz The said ROYALL BURGH of
Aberdein Gives for ensignes Armoriall Gules three
Towers Triple towred within A Double Tressure counter-
flowred Argent, Supported by two Leopards proper. The

50 Appendices.
motto in ane Escroll above BON-ACCORD And vpon the
reverse of the seall of the said burgh is Insculped In A
feild Azure A Temple Argent, Saint Nicolas standing in
the porch mitred and vested proper With his dexter hand
Lifted vp to Heaven praying over Three Children in A
Boyling Caldron of the first, and holding in the sinister A
Crosier Or Which Armes Above blazoned Being granted
and Confirmed to the said Royall Burgh Be Severall of his
Majesties Most Royall predecessores Kings of Scotland for
their Loyall services performed to them I declare to have
bein and to be the true armes of the said Burgh In Testi-
MONIE Wherof I have subscryved this Extract with my
hand and have caused append my seall of office therto
GIVEN at Edinburgh the Tuentie fyft day of februarij' and
of our said soveraigne Lords reigne the Tuentie Sexth
year. 1674. (Signed) Ch : ARASKINE Lyon."
The docquet annexed to the emblazonment is as follows —
"This is the true Bearing of the Royall Burgh of Aberdein
as it is now confirmed be the Lyons warrand and extract
of the dait of thir presents And collationed be me Master
Robert Innes Clerk to Sir Charles Areskine Lyon King of
Armes and Keeper of the Register of Armes At Edin
burgh the 25 February 1674 (Signed) ROBT. INNES."

Appendix B.
Burning of Lyon Records.
" Upwards of a hundred years ago, it happened the
records of the Lyon-office to be burned ; upon which an
act of parliament was made, ordaining all the nobility and
gentry of Scotland to register their armorial bearings in
the books of the Lord Lyon, under pain of confiscation of
all plate, carriages, &c, upon which arms not regularly

Appendices. 5 1
entered should be depicted." — Arnot's History of Edin
burgh, 1788, p. 493.
Appendix C.
Act anent arms of burghs.
"3rd July 1673. Burghs coats of arms. The Convention
considdering the contents of a missive direct to them be
the lord lyon anent the matriculating of the arms of the
royall burrows and of his lordshipps kynd expression to
them" therein wherof they are verrie sensible, and furder
conceaveing that it is most convenient for avoyding of
future truble, and that it tends much to the securitie and
preservation in all tyme coming of the particular coatts of
arms of eatch severall burgh that the arms of the whole
burrows of the kingdome be registratt and matriculat in
the said lord lyons books, to the effect extract may be
given furth therof, therefor the convention ordains the haill
burrowes of this kingdome to take furth extracts of their
respective coatts of arms out of the said lord lyons books,
and that betuixt and the next generall convention as they
will be ansuerable to the censure of the said convention." —
Records of the Convention of Royal Burghs of Scotland,
1615-1676. Edin., 1878, p. 635.
Appendix D.
Commission to Convention. ao Aug., 1673.
" Ye said day Gilbert Mollesone ane of the Baillies of ye
said Brughe Commissioner for this Brughe to ye generall
conventione of Burrows holdin at Pearth in July last and for
the other affairs of the said Brughe mentionat in [former
acts ?] having returneit made report of the affairs agitat in
said generall conventione wherof the Councell aproveit
and renderit him heartie thanks for the good services done
yrin." — Council Register, Vol. LV., p. 511.

52 Appendices.
Appendix E.
Leges Quatuor Burgorum.
" Thir ar the lawys of the Burghis of Scotland mayd and
ordanyt be the King David. . . .
XL VIII. Of mesurys and wechtys wythin burgh. like
burges may hafe in his hous a mesure to met his corne ane
elnewand a stane and punde wecht for til wey. And all
thir mesuris and wechtis sal be selyt wyith the seele.of the
burgh. And it is for to wyt that quhasa is fundyn with
fals mesure or wecht sal pay a ful amercyment." — Acts of
Parliament (David I.), Vol. I., re-issue, p. 342.

Appendix F.
Old Inventory of Tozvn's Writs.
" The oldest writing extant in the Towns Charter Chest
is an Charter of Annual rent of 20 shillings Sterling out of
a Tenement in the Chequer raw, granted by Alexander son
and heir of Isaac, in favours of John de Edynhime Burgess
of Aberdeen dated the 1 8th of April anno 1 1 50 [sic] and
sealed with the Granters Seal, and also (ad majorem hujus
rei evidentiam) with the common Seal of the Burgh of
Aberdeen, which is in green wax, having Saint Nicolas in
his Canonical habit, with his dexter [hand] lifted up, and a
half moon under it, and holding a Shepherd's crook in his
left hand, with a Starr by his left side. On the reverse of
the Seal is Saint Nicolas's Church with the three Steeples —
the inscription is somewhat defaced, but may be discovered
by the curious." — " Inventary of the Writes in the Town of
Aberdeens Charter Chest, taken up by order of the HonWe
The Magistrates and Council of Aberdeen, dated the 15th
day of Feby. 1772."

Appendices. 53
Appendix G.
Carta Adami Gley, 12J1.
" Omnibus Christi fidelibus has litteras visuris uel
audituris Adam filius quondam Duncani dicti Gley et
heres burgensis de Aberden salutem eternam in domino
Noueritis me ex consensu et assensu Ede sponse mee et
Johannis filii mei et heredis et omnium aliorum genitorum
meorum dedisse concessisse et hac presenti carta mea
confirmasse fratribus predicatoribus de Aberden quatuor
perticatas terre j'acentes juxta fossam Gothered que terra
nunc dicitur Madercroft cum tota longitudine sua et
latitudine inter domum dictorum fratrum que est ex parte
orientali et viam que ducit uersus molendinum venti-
larium* de Aberden que est ex parte occidentali pro
quadam summa pecunie quam predicti fratres mihi
dederunt premanibus in mea maxima paupertate et
necessitate et ad debita mea adquietanda in quibus penes
dominum Regem astans fui de arreragiis quequidem
debita alio modo non poterant adquietari Tenendam et
habendam predictis fratribus in perpetuum totam terram
predictam libere quiete solute plenarie et honorifice cum
omnibus pertinenciis libertatibus et aisiamentis dicte terre
pertinentibus uel in posterum pertinere valentibus Red
dendo inde annuatim domino Johanni Cumyn dicto ruffo
et heredibus suis uel suis assignatis vnum par calcarium
deauratorum et vnam libram cymini ad festum sancti
Michaelis archangeli pro omnibus secularibus seruiciis
exactionibus consuetudinibus et demandis inde contin-
gentibus uel contingere valentibus Et ad maiorcm huius
rei securitatem dictis fratribus faciendam ego predictus
Adam et Johannes filius meus et heres prenominatus
fide media prius interposita tactis^ eciam sacrosanctis
euangeliis corporale prestitimus sacramentum et omnia
* [This ancient structure was on the Port hill. The name of Gothered is
still preserved in Gutter's Croft.]

54 Appendices.
bona nostra mobilia et immobilia habita et habenda terras
nostras redditus et possessiones tarn infra villam de
Aberden quam extra ad dictam terram integre predictis
fratribus in . perpetuum warrantizandam obligauimus in
fideiussorem et in solidum subiciendo nos et heredes
nostras jurisdictioni episcopi Aberdonensis uel suorum
ordinariorum qui pro tempore fuerint quod possint
compellere nos per sentenciam excommunicacionis in
personas nostras de die in diem et per interdictum in
terras nostras redditus et possessiones ad dictam terram
predictis fratribus plenarie warrantizandam Renunciando
pro nobis et heredibus nostris omni excepcioni cauillacioni
priuilegio crucesignatorum et cuiuslibet juris remedio seu
beneficio tarn canonici quam ciuilis impetrandis uel impet-
ratis indultis seu indulgendis que nobis uel heredibus
nostris poterint competere ad defensionem uel dictis
fratribus quod absit obesse uel nocere In quorum
omnium testimonium et memoriam nos predicti Adam
et Johannes sigilla nostra vna cum sigillo communi de
Aberden ad instanciam nostram huic presenti carte nostre
fecimus apponi Datum apud Aberden die Sabbati proxima
ante festum beati Thome apostoli anno domini millesimo
ducentesimo septuagesimo primo mensis Decembris
Testibus Matheo Grossetechte Magistro Ricardo
Cementario * Rogero Scoyle Waltero de Maleuyle
Rogero de Rypun Johanne dicto Mariot Gilberto
dicto de Fyntreth Thoma Ernach tunc firmariis de
Aberden Henrico Coco Johanne dicto Sleth Johanne
dicto Chapelayn Martino filio Ade Rogero fratre suo
Johanne dicto Molendinario Thoma tunc clerico cora-
munitatis de Aberden et multis aliis."
Charter in Advocates' Library, Edinburgh, pressmark
15-1-18, No. 84. * Cf. first extract in Appendix X.

Appendices. 55
[Appendix H.
Laurencii de Daleri confirmatio, 12J3.
"... In cuius rei testimonium sigillum commune domus
nostre de Aberden vnacum sigillo communi dicte ville de
Aberden huic scripto apposuimus Hijs testibus magistro
Ricardo Cementario Waltero de Malemuk [sic'] *
Duncano de Lassel Thoma filio Alicie tunc prepositis
Matheo Grechewid [sic] * et Willelmo Marescallo Johanne
Ho [?] Gilberto de Fentre Thoma clerico et multis alijs."
Gilberti de Fincht literce patentes, 12-74-
". . . In cuius rei testimonium et securitatem sigillum
meum vnacum sigillo communi de Aberden hijs Uteris
patentibus est appositum Datum apud Aberden die lune
proxima ante festum sancti Valentinj martyris anno gracie
millesimo cc° septuagesimo quarto Hijs testibus Matheo
de Grecheued [sic] * Rogero de Ripun Thoma Erneach
Willelmo Spurnecurtoys tunc balliuis ville Abirden
Ricardo Cementario Waltero dicto de Maleuile Duncano
de Lasceles Thoma filio Alicie Thoma clerico et multis
alijs." Willelmi de Fyncht literce patentes, 1283.
". . . In cuius rei testimonium hijs literis patentibus
sigillum meum vnacum sigillo communi de Aberden ad
instanciam meam feci apponi Datum apud Aberden die
Jouis in ebdomada penthecostis anno gracie millesimo
ducentesimo octuagesimo quinto Testibus Malcolmo de
Pelgoueni tunc aldremanno de Abirden Johanne de
Annegos Willelmo Marescallo Thoma fratre Laurencij
Hugone Ruffo tunc prepositis eiusdem ville Matheo
Grossetechte Thoma filio Alicie Rogero de Ripun
Willelmo Spurnecurtays Galfrido de Gaytun Thoma
Erniach Willelmo Alket Andrea Sleth Jacobo Huploker
Thoma clerico et alijs."]
* [So in the Confirmation of 1360, but evidently corruptions of some forms
of ' Greathead ' and ' Malevile.']

56 Appendices.
Appendix I.
Act of Parliament, /2p|.
" Et quod Regni nostri prelati quantum eis de jure1 licet
ac comites barones et alii nobiles necnon villarum univer-
sitates ac comitates dictos tractatus conventiones pactiones
ac confederationes ut superius est expressum suo nomine
approbaverunt et se per presentes observaturos firmiter
promiserunt Sigilla venerabilium patrum Guillermi Sancti
Andree Roberti Glasguensis Mathei Dunkeldensis et
Henrici Abirdonensis episcoporum et de Abyrbrothok
Dunfermelyn Sancte Crucis de Edynburg de Kalkou et
Sancti Andree Monasteriorum necnon Johannis Comyn
comitis de Buchania Dovenaldi comitis de Marre Malisii
comitis de Stratheryn et Johannis comitis Atholie ac
Johannis Comyn Jacobi Senescali Scocie Alexandri de
Balliolo Gaufridi de Mubray Rycardi Syward Herberti
de Makyswell Patricii de Grahame Nicholai de Haya
Nicholai de Graham Alexandri Comyn de Bouchania
Alexandri de Bonekill baronum Insuper communitatum
villarum de Abyrdene Perthe Strivelin Edynburgen
Rokysburgh et de Bereuuick in signum sui consensus et
approbationis presentibus sunt appensa Datum apud
Dunfermelyn VII0 Kalendas march Anno domini millesimo
cc. nonagesimo quinto regni vero nostri quarto." — Acts of
the Parliaments of Scotland (John Balliol), Vol. I.,
re-issue, p. 453. 23 February 129JJ.
Appendix J.
Excerpts from the Ragman Rolls, 1296.
" Anno Domini et Indictione semper eisdem, mensis Julii
die decimo quarto, presentibus dominis proximo prenotatis
et me Notario, apud Aberdene, venit quidam Walterus de
Scherwinglawe nomine, ad fidem et uoluntatem dicti domini
Regis Anglie, et factis primo, confederacionum, contractuum,

Appendices. 5 7
et pactorum, si que unquam suo nomine cum domino Rege
Francorum inite extitissent contra dictum dominum regem
Anglie, quantum in ipso fuit et ipsum contingebant organo
uocis sue ut supra anullacione et renunciacione, expresse,
tactis sacrosanctis et osculatis Dei Euangeliis domino Regi
Anglie predicto fidelitatem fecit in subscripta forma, et
super fidelitate sua facta, suas patentes litteras suo sigillo
pendente consignatas, sub tenore qui sequitur. A touz
ceaus qui cestes lettres verront ou orront, Wautier de
Scherwinglawe, Chivaler, saluz. Pur ceo [&c] Donn6 a
Aberdene, le quatorgime jour de Juyl, [&c] " — Page 92.
Then follow, on the fifteenth July, Deeds of Homage
given by Norman de Lechelyn, Alisaundre de Lambretone,
Johan de Glenneske, Johan de Striuelin de Morref, Patrik
de Eggiluyne, Johan de Garuiaghe, William de Cluny,
Thomas le Vsser, William Comyn Provost of the Church
of Seint Andreu, Alisaundre de Stratton, Gilberte de Mar
and others ; and, on the sixteenth July, those given by
Gilbert de la Haye, Johan de Cambo, Johan de Kinros,
James de Maleuille, Giffrey de Venaly, and Roberte de
Elmeley. — Pages 93-95.
The Burgesses and Community of Aberdeen would seem
not to have come forward very readily, for it is not till
the seventeenth July that they gave their Deed of Homage,
as appears by the following excerpt : —
"Anno Domini, Indictione et loco proximo prenotatis,
mensis Julii die decimo septimo, presentibus nobilibus viris
dominis, Waltero de Bello Campo et Johanne Tregotz,
militibus, dominis Johanne de Drokenesford, et Johanne de
Benestede, Willelmo de Meltonia, Roberto de Cotingham,
Johanne de Wyntonia, et Galfrido de Stokes, clericis, testi
bus uocatis et rogatis, cum aliis quam pluribus, et me Notario
subscripto, Nobiles viri, domini Duncanus de Ferndraght,
Patricius de Berkelye, Hugo de la Haye, Reginaldus le
Cheen, Johannes Herberti de Makeswelle, Johannes domi-
nus de Makeswelle, et Willelmus de Mohaut, milites, domi-
nus Heruius de Crambathe decanus Dunkeldensis, Johannes

5 8 Appendices.
filius Randulphi de Petscotyn, Robertus de Walghope,
Robertus le Fauconer, Willelmus de Inays, et Burgenses
et communitas civitatis Abirdonensis, non vi nee metu
coacti ut dicebant, sed spontanei ad fidem et voluntatem
domini Regis Angliae memorati venientes, confederaciones,
contractus, convenciones et pacta quocunque nomine cen-
seantur, si que unquam suo nomine cum Rege Francorum
contra dictum dominum regem Angliae inite extitissent,
quatenus in eis fuit, et ipsos contingebant, penitus anullar-
unt et eisdem vi forme et effectui earundem cum omni com-
modo quod exinde sibi vel suis poterit provenire quomodo-
libet in futurum sponte pure et absolute expresse renunci-
arunt organo vive vocis, et tactis sacrosanctis et osculatis
Dei Evangeliis in subscripta forma fidelitatem fecerunt
domino Regi Angliae memorato, et super fidelitate sua sic
facta suas patentes fecerunt litteras separatas suis sigillis
pendentibus consignatas, tenores qui sequuntur continentes."
Pages 95-96.
The following is a copy of the Deed of Homage given
by the Burgesses and Community : —
"A touz ceaus qui cestes lettres verront ou orront, les
Burgoys 6 la Comunaute de la vile de Abreden, saluz.
Pur ceo qe nous sumes venuz a la foi e a la uolunte du
tresnoble Prince nfe chier Seigneur Edward par la grace
Dieu Roi Dengletre, Seigneur Dirland, e Dues Daquit-
aigne, nous promettoms pur nous, e pur nos heirs, sur
peine de cors e dauoir, 6 sur q-mt qe nous peussoms
encoure, qe nous li seruiroms, bien e leaument contre
totes gentz qui purront viure 6 morir, totes les foiz qe nous
serroms requis ou garniz de par nre Seigneur le Roi Den
gletre auantdit, ou par ses heirs, e qe nous leur damage
ne sauroms, qe nous nel destorbeoms a tot nre poer, e
le leur faceoms a sauoir. E a cestes choses tenir e garder
nous obligeoms nous e nos heirs, 6 touz nos biens, e outre
ceo auoms jurez sur seintes Euangeiles. En tesmoignance
de queu chose, nous auoms fait faire cestes lettres ouertes
sealers de nre c5mun seal. Donees [ut supra &c.]" —
Page 97.

Appendices. 59
The following is offered as a Translation of the Deed of
Homage : —
To all those who may see or hear these letters, the
Burgesses and Community of the city of Aberdeen,
greeting. Seeing that we have come in the faith and
by the will of the most noble Prince and our dear Lord
Edward by the grace of God King of England, Lord of
Ireland, and Duke of Aquitaine, we promise on our own
part, and on that of our heirs, under pain of person and
personalty, and of all else whatsoever we may possess, that
we will serve him well and loyally against all people who
may live or die, whenever we may be called on or sum
moned by our Lord aforesaid the King of England, or
by his heirs, and that we shall know no hurt to them, that
we will defend them with all our power, and we will let
them know this. And to hold and keep these conditions,
we bind ourselves and our heirs, and all our goods,
and in addition we have sworn on the Holy Gospels. In
witness whereof we have caused these open letters to be
sealed with our common seal. Given &c. as above.

Appendix K.
Act of Parliament, 135^.
" Omnibus has literas visuris vel audituris Robertus Sene-
schallus Scociae locum tenens Serenissimi Principis David
Dei gratia Regis Scociae Illustrissimi Salutem Nouerit
vniversitas vestra quod nos de vnanimi et expresso
consensu et assensu omnium prelatorum procerum ac
tocius communitatis regni Scociae constituimus et ordina-
uimus Reuerendos in Christo Patres Dominos Willelmum
et Patricium Sancti Andreae et Breheniae Episcopos ac
Dominos Willelmum de Leuingstone et Robertum de
Erskyne milites nuncios nostras speciales ambassadores et
deputatos ad tractandum et concordandum cum excel-
lentissimo principe Domino Edwardo dei gratia Rege
Angliae illustri seu deputatis suis super Liberacione Domini

60 Appendices,
Nostri Regis Scociae supradicti dantes eisdem et eorum
tribus potestatem specialem plenam liberam et generalem
ad tractandum pro nobis et tota communitate Regni Scociae
ac concordandum ut praemittitur super finali liberacione
dicti domini Regis per omnes vias et modos racionabiles
et congruos per quas et quos plena ipsius domini nostri
Regis liberacio et finalis concordia inter ipsos Reges et
eorum Regna fieri poterit et reformari Ratum et gratum
habentes et habituri pro nobis et dicta communitate Regnj
Scociae quicquid per predictos Nuncios nostras vel eorum
tres factum vel gestum fuerit in praemissis vel in aliquo
praemissorum promitentes eciam et fideliter manucapientes
pro nobis et dicta tota communitate ad omnia et singula quae
in praemissis et circa praemissa per predictos nuncios nostras
vel eorum tres tractata vel concordata fuerint plene ob-
servanda et complenda In cuius rei testimonium Sigillum
nostrum nomine et sigilla venerabilium in Christo patrum
dominorum Willelmi et Johannis Glasguensis et Dunkeld-
ensis ecclesiarum dei gratia episcoporum nomine et vice
tocius cleri Et sigilla nobilium virorum Domini Patricii
de Dunbar comitis Marchiae Thomse sen comitis danegos
et Willelmi de Keith Mareschali Scociae nomine et vice
procerum et baronum ac sigilla communia burgorum de
Abden Dunde Perth et Edinburgh nomine et vice omnium
burgensium et tocius communitatis presentibus sunt appen-
sa Datum in pleno consilio Regis tento apud villam sancti
Johannis de Perth decimo septimo die January anno
Domini Millesimo trecentesimo quinquagesimo sexto." —
Acts of the Parliament of Scotland (David II.), Vol. I.,
re-issue, Appendix 10, p. 515, 17th January, 135*.
Appendix L.
Act of Parliament, 136^.
"Apud Perth in domo fratrum predicatorum Die tercio
decimo mensis Januarij Anni domini Millesimi trecentesimi
Sexagesimi quarti ... In cuius Rei testimonium Sigilla

Appendices. 6 1
prenominatorum prelatorum et sigilla dicti domini senescalli
scocie comitis de Stratharne et domini patricii Comitis
marchie et moravie et domini Willelmi comitis de douglas
qui ad premissa omnia et singula suum consilium adhibuer-
unt et consensum in presencia domini nostri Regis apud
Edenburgh corporali prestito juramento licet personaliter
non interfuerit cum ordinarentur primitus apud perthe, vna
cum sigillis domini predicti Comitis de Rosse et aliorum
procerum predictorum necnon communibus sigillis Bur
gorum de Edinburgh abridene perth et Dunde presentibus
sunt appensa. Actum et datum Anno die et loco praedictis."
Acts of the Parliaments of Scotland (David II.), Vol. I.,
re-issue, p. 496, 13th January, 136*.
Appendix M.
Cartes qucedam, 1330.
Carta annui reditus de terra in burgo ab Alexandra
Ysaac data Johanni de Edynham. (Town's Ch. Ch., A1 19.)
". . . In cuius rei testimonium presenti Carte Sigillum
meum est appensum Et ad maiorem huius rei euidenciam
Sigillum commune burgi de Abirden gratia testimonii pre
sentibus apponi procuraui Datum apud Abirden Octodecimo
die mensis Aprilis anno domini millesimo trecentesimo quin-
quagesimo His testibus Roberto de Edynhame tunc Aldir-
manno de Abirden Rogero de Nesbit Andrea filio Walteri
Gregorio dicto Spalding et Alexandra dicto bryse tunc
balliuis euisdem burgi Dauid de foty Simone Silsath
Johanne Spring Malcolmo dicto Writh Willelmo filio
Dauid Willelmo de Leth et multis aliis."
Carta Mathaei Pynsath quinque mercarum Carmelitis de
terris de Futty. (Mar. Coll. Ch. Ch., VIII., 14.)
". . . In cuius rei testimonium presenti carte mee sigillum
meum est appensum Et ad maiorem huius rei euidenciam
sigillum commune burgi de Aberden vnacum sigillo Ade
de Gardropa tunc domini de Rubislaw presentibus apponi
procuraui Datum apud Aberden vltimo die mensis Marcij
anno gracie millesimo trecentesimo quinquagesimo."

62 Appendices.
Appendix N.
Saint Nicholas.
" Sanct Nicholas of the cite
Wes cytysane of Patere,
And cumyne wes of nobill kyne,
That ay besy ware hewine to wyne.
Ephyphanius his fadir was,
His modir Plamya but les ;
The quhilkis ine floure of youthede
Sanct Nicholas gat, as we rede,
And fra thine in chastyte
Led thai ay thar lif, bath scho and he.
The fyrst day that Nicholas
Of his modir borne was
And ine water to wesch lad syne,
He stud alane in the bassyne
One his fet but helpe of mane —
To wyrk miracle sa he begane.
And for to schaw that he suld be
Of abstinence, fra thane he
To suk bot anys one the day
His modir pape wont wes ay
Na one fryday bot anys wald he
The nowrys suk, for ocht mycht be.
Ine his credil, ore he euth crepe,
Thus he be-gane to god seke,
And held furth ay in that trace
Sa wes he ful of godis grace
Sone eftyre hapnyt for to de
The worthy byschope of Mirre
Thane al consentit thare-til
And mad hyme bischape of a wil

Appendices. 63
Syne hapnyt it eftirward
Quhene god hyme yeld wald mare reward
That he in siknes sa cane fal
That his strinthis falyet al.
The angelis thane his sawle in hast,
That thare aperyt, in handis has tane
And had til hewyne, or thai fane ;
Eftyre godis byrth, as trew we,
Thre hundir yere fourty and thre.
Thane eftir this thare come in hy
Knychtis of Barre wele fourty
And fand yet ine the gret cite
Foure aid monkis, that let thame se
The towme quhare-in sancte Nicholas
Wes lad the tyme he ded was ;
The Knychtis opnyt the towme and fand
The banys vare in oyle fletand ;
Thane gert thai thame with thame be
Borne to the towne of Barre :
In gret worschipe quhare they are
And hele and helpe gyfis til al sare.
And mad wes the translacione
Of Cristis incarnacione
A thousand auchty yere and sewine —
Fore-thi be Joy to god of hewyne."
— Barbour's [?] Legendensammlung. Pleilbronn, 1881, p. 229.
It is remarkable that neither in Barbour's Collection, nor
in his principal authority, the Legenda Aurea of Jacobus
de Voragine, is to be found the story that accounts for the
appearance of the three children in the tub. It is given
below from a different source —
The fame of St. Nicholas's virtues was so great, that an
Asiatic gentleman, sending his two sons to Athens for
education, ordered them to call on the Bishop for his bene
diction : but they, getting to Mira late in the day, thought
M

64 Appendices.
proper to defer their visit till the morrow, and took up
their lodgings at an inn, where the landlord, to secure their
baggage and effects to himself, murdered them in their
sleep, and then cut them into pieces, salting them and
putting them into a pickling tub with some pork which
was there already, meaning to sell the whole as such.
The Bishop, however, having had a vision of this impious
transaction, immediately resorted to the inn, and, calling
the host to him, reproached him for his horrid villainy.
The man, perceiving that he was discovered, confessed his
crime, and entreated the Bishop to intercede, on his behalf,
with the Almighty for his pardon ; who, being moved with
compassion at his contrite behaviour, confession, and
thorough repentance, besought Almighty God, not only
to pardon the murderer, but also, for the glory of his
name, to restore life to the poor innocents who had been
so inhumanly put to death. The Saint hardly finished his
prayer when the mangled and detached pieces of the
youths were, by divine power, reunited, and, perceiving
themselves alive, threw themselves at the feet of the holy
man to kiss and embrace them. But the Bishop, not
suffering their humiliation, raised them up, exhorting them
to return their thanks to God alone for this mark of his
mercy, and gave them good advice for the future conduct
of their lives : and then, giving them his blessing, he sent
them, with great joy, to prosecute their studies at Athens.
— Translated from Historia delta Vita dell'illustrissimo
S. Nicolo il Magno, Arcivescovo di Mira. Napoli, 1645.
" He is said to have wrung from Eustathius, governor of
Myra, the pardon of three men condemned to death and
imprisoned in a tower. He was afterwards represented
with this tower at his side, and three little men rising out
of it. By degrees the tower was cut down, and the men
converted into naked children ; and then a new legend was
composed to account for the transformed symbol. It was
said that an innkeeper, &c." — Baring Gould's Lives of the
Saints, 1877, Vol. XL, p. 67.

Appendices. 65
" Devotional figures of St. Nicholas exhibit him as
standing in the habit of a bishop. In the Greek pictures
he is dressed as a Greek bishop, without the mitre, bearing
the cross instead of the crosier, and on his cope embroidered
the three Persons of the Trinity : but in Western Art his
episcopal habit is that of the Western Church ; he wears
the mitre, the cope, in general gorgeously ornamented, the
jewelled gloves, and the crosier .... Another, and also a
very frequent attribute, alludes to the miracle of the three
children. They are represented in a tub or vase, looking
up to him with joined hands. I presume this story of the
children to have been, in its primitive form, one of these
religious allegories which express the conversion of sinners
or unbelievers. I am the more inclined to this opinion,
because I have seen pictures in which the wicked host is a
manifest demon with hoofs and claws ; and the tub, which
contains the three children, has the form of a baptismal
font." — Sacred and Legendary Art. By Mrs. Jameson,
1879, Vol. IL, p. 457-

Appendix O.
Mr. Cosmo Innes on the Burgh Seals, 184.2.
" The upper seal is from impressions of a brass seal and
counter-seal, now in the possession of Mr. Duthie, W.S.,
Edinburgh, used as the common seal of the Burgh in the
fifteenth century. From its workmanship, and the shape
of the letters of its legends, it is probably not earlier than
the beginning of that century. One circumstance might
lead as to assign it a later date. As in the more ancient
seal, we have the Patron Saint, but not as in the former, in
the act of benediction. Here, St. Nicholas is performing
his famous miracle of restoring to life three young scholars,
who had been killed, cut into pieces, and thrown into a
pickling tub, by a cannibal innkeeper of Myra, who
designed to sell their flesh as pork. Now, St. Nicholas

66 Appendices.
was in an especial manner the patron of sailors, and
it was in that capacity probably he was adopted as the
protector of the trading town of Aberdeen. But he was
considered also to extend his patronage to thieves, virgins,
and scholars ; and, as the act which is here figured is that
by which he came to be regarded as the tutelar saint of
scholars and clerks, it might be suspected (in the absence
of contrary evidence), that this seal is of a date subsequent
to the foundation of the University. Its appearance and
style, however, are much against this supposition ; and
after all, the saint might find objects of his care, in all
his capacities, within the City, even before it became
professedly a seat of learning.
Kennedy, the City Annalist, copying the zealous
Aberdonians, Bailie Skene, Bishop Keith and Hector
Boece, whose imagination required no excitement from
his affection for his native city, has connected the triple
castles of the city arms with the fabulous storming of
the castle with its English garrison by the brave in
habitants ; in reward of which exploit, King Robert or
King David granted permission to the city to change the
former armorial bearings, and to assume those still used —
' gules, three towers triple-towered, within a double tressure
flowered and counter-flowered, argent.'
The story, if ever it obtained credit, has been satisfactorily
exploded as fabulous in a recent work, which its author has
modestly called ' A Guide to the City of Aberdeen.' *
But, in truth, however much heraldry and its facts may
assist history, it must be admitted that it is a fertile source
of fables for writers who feel themselves bound to find a
legend for every Ordinary or Difference of coat-armour,
The intelligent antiquary will not fail to recognise in the
triple-coned shrine of St. Nicholas, of the more ancient
* " It is to the same author that the Editor is indebted for the theory of
the origin of the City arms here given. Mr. Robertson first drew attention to
the subject in an Essay read to the Society of Antiquaries in 1839, which
he has permitted the Editor to use. The clearing up of this point of its
antiquities is one among many benefits conferred by this accomplished writer
on the City of Bon-Accord.'1''

Appendices. 67
seal, the type of the triple-towered castle that figures on a
shield and within the Royal tressure of Scotland, on the
later one. By an easy gradation from thence, we have the
three separate towers now the armorial bearing of the City.
The seal is very curious, for its workmanship, its
supporters, — two leopards or lions, for these heraldic
-animals are not to be distinguished,— -and its preserving
probably the earliest occurrence of the crt de guerre of the
' Brave Toun ' ban accaiU"
— Preface to Abredoniae Vtrivsqve Descriptio (Spalding
Club), p. ix.
Appendix P.
" The Armorial Bearings of Aberdeen.
Sir, In the preface to the Spalding Club edition of
Gordon's 'Description of Aberdeen,' edited by Cosmo
Innes, the seal of the 15th century is stated to be in
possession of Mr. Duthie, W.S., Edinburgh. How he got
it is not stated. This was in 1842. Had it been restored
in 1850?
Cosmo Innes makes a curious mistake when he says in
p. x. of his preface that the figure of S. Nicholas is not
represented in the act of benediction. It is quite evident
the Saint is represented in both the seals referred to, as
doing the same thing, viz., giving his episcopal blessing,
and that the tub with the three children is introduced
behind the Saint, as his emblem, to show who is intended.
Moreover, Cosmo Innes does not seem to see that S.
Nicholas was Patron Saint of the once magnificent Parish
Church of Aberdeen long before there was a University,
and that it was through his connection with their Parish
Church that he was also figured on the city arms.
Again, Cosmo Innes makes a mistake in speaking of the
triple-coned shrine of S. Nicholas, which is simply an early

68 Appendices.
form of a city wall, and the church spires inside, or a triple-
towered castle, if that description is preferred. It is a
conventional form used at the earlier period, 1357, for a
town, a castle, or a church — here it may possibly mean
the Church of S. Nicholas, which the crosses on the spire
rather seem to favour. In these old days the citizens of
Aberdeen were proud of their great church, as well they
might be. Yours, &c, F.S.A., Scotland.
5th November, 1883.
P.S. — May I venture to suggest that the original city
arms were, as on the old seals, one tower, triple-towered,
and that the double tressure was the only Royal augment
ation. By whom and zvhen were the three towers given?" —
Aberdeen Journal, November 11, 1883.

" The Armorial Ensigns of Aberdeen.
Sir,
. . . . In a postscript to his interesting letter,
' F.S.A., Scotland ' asks ' by whom and when were the three
towers given ? ' In the absence of evidence on this point,
it may be observed that instances were not uncommon of
a single charge, originally borne, being afterwards multiplied
to three, as Nisbet says, ' for beauty's sake ' ; * and it may
also be noted that the patent of 1674 narrates that the
three towers, triple-towered, were the arms and bearings
of old appertaining to the burgh.
Yours, &c,
J[ohn] C[ruickshank] & P. D."
— Aberdeen Journal, November 11, 1883.
* System of Heraldry, 1722, p. 232.

Appendices. 69
Appendix Q.
Mr. Cosmo Innes on the Burgh Seals, 1863.
"The earliest common seal known of the burgh of
Aberdeen is that appended to the deed for the ransom of
King David in 1357. It bears on one side the figure of
St. Nicholas, the patron saint, and on the other a represent
ation of a common shape of fertir or shrine of the saint,
with three domes or pinnacles so commonly found as the
ornaments of such repositories in the Middle Ages. The
inscriptions round that seal and counter-seal are —
Singnum Beatt jfticolat abertionmsts.
Sigillum tie coinmunt 9Obet&0nen£Si.
The next seal used by the burgh of Aberdeen is slightly
different, but still preserves symbols of its dependence
upon its patron, St. Nicholas. The name of the Saint is
no longer given on the inscription, but he is represented in
person, readily recognised in performing one of his most
celebrated miracles— restoring to life the three clerks who
had been killed and pickled by a cannibal innkeeper of
Myra, who proposed to sell their flesh as pork. On the
reverse the fertir or shrine, with its triple dome, has under
gone a moderate change into a castle, with triple towers,
sufficiently war-like to give a foundation to the fable of
Boece, who pretends that these were arms granted to
Aberdeen to commemorate the bravery of the burghers
in storming the castle with its English garrison. The
herald sees with more interest in this seal an early instance
of the use of our royal double tressure fleurie-counterfleurie,
and of supporters to the shield, two lions or leopards. It
gives, too, the earliest occurrence of the pretty motto of
the city, ' Bon- Accord.' On both seal and counter-seal is
the inscription —
^tgillum commune ne aberDen.

70 Appendices.
When I had occasion twenty years ago to make some
remarks on this seal, I described it as a brass matrix-seal
and counter-seal in the possession of Mr. Walter Duthie,
and I tried to fix the date, assigning it, from reasonable
conjectures, to the early part of the fifteenth century.
Several years later there was found in Aberdeen another
matrix of the same seal, and its possessor— Mr. William
Smith, 106 Union Street, Aberdeen — with the greatest
politeness, communicated it to me : as I am now about to
restore it, I have thought it proper, with the approbation of
your Council, to secure for our Museum a facsimile of it,
done by the galvanic process, by our ingenious artist,
Mr. Henry Laing.
You observe that while this seal is in all other respects
identical with the stamps of Mr. Duthie, it has one inter
esting addition in an inscription on the back of each part,
fixing the date and the name of the Provost or Alderman
who ordered it to be made, in this manner —
The yer of gras m.ccccxxx. jon the vaus
was alderman, and this set mad."
— Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland,
Vol. v., p. 139. Meeting of 8th June, 1863.

[Appendix R.
"Recovery of a Valuable Antiquarian Relic.
We have much pleasure in recording the recovery, a few
days ago, of one of the ancient Seals of this city, under
circumstances the most unlooked-for and singular. It
appears that this curious relic of olden times had been
purchased some sixty years ago, at a sale of household
effects, by a gentleman in whose possession, until recently,
it remained, but who had never the good fortune to discover
what it really was, the devices and legends being to him
quite unintelligible. At the sale of this gentleman's effects,
it was purchased by a broker, by whom it was sold to its

Appendices. 7 1
present possessor, who at once saw that it was a veritable
ancient seal of the 'braif toun.' It is here proper to
remark that, in the excellent preface to the Spalding Club
edition of 'Gordon's Description of Both Touns of Aber
deen,' written by Mr. Sheriff Innes, it is mentioned that the
engraving, accompanying that volume, of the ancient seals
of the burgh, is from impressions of a brass seal and
counter-seal in the possession of Mr. Walter Duthie, W.S.
The date of that seal is not exhibited ; but Mr. Innes
reasonably infers from its workmanship, and the shape of
the letters of its legends, that it is probably not earlier than
the beginning of the 1 5th century. The seal just recovered,
which is similar to, although not quite identical with Mr.
Duthie's, tells its own date ; for on the back of one part of the
seal, around the circumference, is the following inscription in
black letter, as it is popularly called : —
3fon tie mm toas Sltiennan pe per of grace
mecccrrr. anti pfes sel man.
That is — ' John de Vaus was Alderman, the year of grace,
1430, and this seal made.' On the other part of the seal is
the same inscription, with this difference, that the words
'de' and 'was,' originally omitted, are interlined. Every
thing about the seal bespeaks it a genuine antique. Both
parts correspond in size, devices and legends with the
engravings of Mr. Duthie's, with this difference,, that in the
towered castle displayed in the former the joints of the
building are shewn, which is not the case in the latter.
A minute comparison of both seals would probably lead
to the discovery of which was the original ; but about the
date of the seal under notice, there can be no doubt. The
seal and counter-seal are both made apparently of copper, or
perhaps rather of bell metal ; are in excellent preservation ;
and bear indubitable marks of having been in frequent use.
On the seal are the triple-towered castle, the supporting
leopards, or rather lions, and the motto ' Bon-Accord.' On
the counter-seal is St. Nicholas, patron saint to the burgh,
praying over the three young scholars, whom fabling monks

72 Appendices.
represent him to have restored to life, after they had been
cut up and salted by a villianous innkeeper of Myrer, with
the intention of palming the abomination on his customers
for pickled pork. We understand that the gentleman, into
whose possession this curious piece of antiquity has
accidently fallen, intends to present it to the Corporation ;
and we doubt not, but this graceful and appropriate disposal
of it will be duly appreciated." — Aberdeen Journal, May 6,
1846. " The Aberdeen Seals.
To the Editor of the Aberdeen Journal.
SIR, Nearly sixty years since I became possessed of
these seals. I then rescued them from the crucible. There
was an old man of the name of Aberdour, a brassfounder,
famous for making brass weights. He had his workshop
in the Guestrow. At that time I often used his furnace
for experiments, and among his old brass, which he was to
consign to the crucible, I saw these seals, and gave him five
shillings for them, and put them aside among my other
curiosities. Some years afterwards I showed them to the
present Provost's father, an intimate acquaintance, who
admired them much, and begged me to allow him to take
an impression from them in tin. On giving them to him,
I expressed a wish that so great a piece of antiquity should
be shown to the Magistrates : he did so ; but at that time
it appeared they had not the taste they have at present,
for they carelessly returned them. After taking the casts,
Mr. Blaikie gave them back to me with a cast of tin, which
cast I also sold. I informed the Auctioneer of their anti
quity, and told him not to throw them away, but he sold
the seals to Mr. Smith for two shillings. This exhibits the
apathy of our citizens towards works of art and antiquity.
At my sale there were a number of greater curiosities than
the seals. There were five original paintings of Grecian
heads, said to be the work of Raphael, — I will not state at

Appendices. j$
present how I came to be in possession of them. Mr.
Anderson, late picture dealer in Edinburgh, purchased four
of them for four guineas ; and, after he had bought them,
said he would not take twenty-five guineas for each of
them, and that he expected fifty. They are in the same
style as the cartoons, and may be seen at Mr. Elmsly's
Mart, Upperkirkgate. I tried to copy them myself, but
failed in coming up to the spirit of the originals. They
are painted on a red ground the same as the cartoons.
Now, Sir, if there be any merit in the preservation of these
seals, it is due to me, who saved them from the crucible.
Yours truly, A. F."
— Aberdeen Journal, May 13, 1846.*
The "A. F," who failed to come up to the spirit of
Raphael, is believed to have been Andrew Ferguson, Esq.,
M.D., Aberdeen.
It would seem that the "graceful and appropriate dis
posal" of the seal suggested by the Journal had not
commended itself to Mr. Smith, for five years ago it fell to
the lot of the present editor to rediscover the matrices in
* In Notes and Queries for 9th November, 1867, occurs the following
reference to the same subject: — " Several of the older municipal seals of
England bear a date in their legends, but such is not the case with any seals
of a similar class and period in Scotland, so far as I am aware, and my
collection of these is a large one. The fine old double seal of Aberdeen,
however, which is not now in use, though the matrices are still preserved in
private hands, has the following inscription on the back of each matrix : —
'Ye Zer of Grac M.cccc.xxx. Jon Ye Vaus was Allderman,' 'and yes Sel
mad,' the former words being engraved in a circle, and the latter ones
occupying the half of an inner circle. This interesting matrix was picked up
by its present owner from a lot of old iron exposed for sale ! It is strange how
so many old matrices have gone astray, and have cast up from time to time in
odd ways. . . . The first suggestion which I wish to make is that our
town and city clerks should carefully examine their charter chests and long
unopened drawers, filled with official papers, as in all likelihood, in many
instances, such as occurred at Lanark, the matrices of interesting old seals
will be found amongst their contents. The second is, that any one who knows
of the existence of matrices of old municipal seals in private hands, as was the
case in those of Great Grimsby, should communicate the same through your
columns. The t/iird and last is, that all gatherings of old metals at the doors
or windows of brokers' shops should be carefully examined by your readers, in
case valuable, but uncared for, matrices should be among them, as in the
instances I have mentioned  E. C."

74 Appendices.
the hands of his representatives. The subjoined extract is
from the Daily Free Press of 8th January, 1884 : —
" Meeting of Town Council. The Ancient Seal of the City.
The Town Clerk read the following interesting Com
munication : — 152 Union Street,
Aberdeen, yth December, 1883.
Dear Sir,
By the direction of Mrs. Laurie, Dee Street,
and Miss Rachel Smith, Springbank, I send you herewith,
for behoof of the Corporation, the ancient city seal,
consisting of two matrices, and bearing date 1430. As
you will probably be interested to know how the seal
has made its appearance at this time, I may as well
explain the circumstances.
Mr. John Cruickshank and Mr. Peter Duguid have, as
you are aware, been engaged for some time past in making
investigations as to the history of the city armorial
bearings, in which they have been assisted by Mr. P. J.
Anderson of the Church of Scotland Training College.
The seal was believed to be lost, but Mr. Anderson
observed a statement in the preface to Mr. Henry Laing's
' Supplemental Descriptive Catalogue of Ancient Scottish
Seals ' to the following effect, in reference to the seal, ' The
date is 1430, and the original matrix — a fine specimen of
the art — is still preserved : it is fully described in the
' Descriptive Catalogue of Ancient Scottish Seals ' (No.
1 146-7), and is there said to be in the possession of the
Corporation of Aberdeen, but this is found to be an
erroneous statement which we gladly take the present
opportunity of correcting. It is in the possession of Mr.
William Smith of Springbank, Aberdeen, who accidently
met with it among a lot of old metal exposed for sale in a
broker's shop.' This information having been com
municated to Mr. Cruickshank, a search was instituted
at Springbank, with the gratifying result of finding the

, Appendices. 75
seal in, as you will see, very excellent preservation.
Mrs. Laurie and Miss Smith have very much pleasure
in restoring it to the city of Aberdeen.
Yours faithfully,
George Anderson.
The matrices of the seal were elegantly mounted on
velvet in a leather bound case, which was handed round
for the inspection of the members of the Council.
The Lord Provost moved that the thanks of the Council
be sent to Mr. Anderson, and to Mrs. Laurie and Miss
Rachel Smith for returning to the Council this interesting
relic — (applause). This was agreed to."]

Appendix S.
Mr. Joseph Robertson on the Castle Story, 1839.
" The next incident in the annals of the burgh is one on
which the citizens have long prided themselves 
They mainly assisted to the defeat of Comyn at Barra on
the 22nd of May, 1308, and 'no less inflamed with resent
ment against the English, than elated by the recent victory,
hastened to the town.' They stormed the Castle, put the
garrison to the sword, and, that there might not remain a
vestige of Southern oppression, razed the fortress to the
ground. In this assault their watchword was 'Bon-Accord.'
The English in the neighbourhood marched against the
burgh. On their approach they were met and defeated by
the citizens and partizans of Bruce, headed by John Fraser.
Few escaped, and the captives were hanged on a gibbet
without the town. The Canons in vain interceded for
mercy ; but they obtained liberty to have the slain interred
at the postern of St. Nicholas Church, where their bones,
with inscriptions in memory of their death, were to be seen
after the lapse of two centuries. The Canons, as a penance

76 Appendices.
on the citizens, enjoined them to repair every Sunday to
the Chapel within the Castle, there to pray for the souls of
their victims. During the prevalence of the Roman Catholic
faith this rite was strictly observed, and, says Mr. Kennedy,
' such is the effect of custom, that, at the present day, the
people, immediately on leaving the church after forenoon
service on Sunday, proceed directly to the terrace of the
Castlehill, without having any particular object in view.'
While the priests inflicted a penance, the Sovereign bestowed
a reward, ' In honour of that resolute Act,' says Bailie
Skene, 'they got their Ensignes- Armoriall, which to this
day they bear : . . ." [See Appendix D D.]
"Such is the story which has been narrated by the
annalists of Aberdeen. It is remarkable, that though no
two of them have told it alike — though some place it in
the reign of Robert I., and others in that of David II. —
they are all equally zealous in believing it. Yet there can
be no doubt that, from beginning to end, it is a clumsy
and ill devised falsehood. In the first place, it is not
recorded, nor, in the remotest degree, alluded to by any
one contemporary or nearly contemporary writer. Then
by whom is it first narrated ? By an author who wrote
more than two hundred years after, and who has been
called ' the father of lies.' In short, it is by Hector Boece,
and, be it particularly noted, by him alone, that this story is
chronicled. Unfortunately, this author has been declared
' infamous ' by the High Court of History, and his evidence
must be refused, even if tendered in corroboration. Are
we to take it then, when it is offered as the sole proof, when
it neither supports nor is supported by any other, but on
the contrary stands opposed to the declarations of un
impeachable witnesses ? Yet such is the case. Not a
syllable of the matter is mentioned by Barbour, who wrote
a most minute history of the affairs of the period, lived
within fifty years of the date assigned to the event, and
resided in Aberdeen. It is altogether impossible, therefore,
that he could have been ignorant of a transaction of such

Appendices. 77
moment ; yet, not only is he silent with regard to it, but
(which is a natural consideration) relates many details
absolutely inconsistent with it. Nor is this all, — it appears,
from an authentic document, within two months from this
razing of the castle, that fortress was in existence, unmuti-
lated, and in all its strength ! By a letter, dated Windsor,
10th July, 1308, Edward constituted William le Betour,
captain of his fleet from Hertlepool to Aberdeen, and
directed him to proceed 'in subsidium obsidionis castri
nostri de Aberdeen.'* Can it be credited that a citadel
which was ' razed to the ground ' in May could be besieged
in July ? It was needless, though sufficiently easy, to point
out other objections, but I may notice what appears an
instructive illustration of the progress of the fable. In
1580, certain proceedings took place before the King and
Council, in the course of which the Charter of King Robert
Bruce to the Burgh was recited, to the effect that the
monarch has been influenced in his liberality to the
burgesses by ' considering thair bauld manheid in the
recovering and destroying of the strong castell, biggit
and mantenit thair by the English sumtyme for danting
and suppressing of the burgh and cuntrie.'-f- On turning
to this Charter, however, not a syllable of all this is to be
found, — not a hint of this ' bauld manheid.' Nay, even the
'bonum servicium' — good service — specified in charters of
former Kings, is omitted. On the whole, therefore, I am
*"Rotuli Scotiae, Vol. I., p. 55.
Mr. Kennedy, it would appear, from his reference on the margin, had
consulted this document, and it is difficult to conceive how he could have over
looked the obvious result to which it leads. But this part of his work
exhibits an almost unparalleled specimen of carelessness and blundering.
At Vol. I., p. 24, he writes: —
1 The citizens of Aberdeen .... attacked with intrepidity the citadel,
which was still occupied by the enemy, and having stormed it, put the garrison
to the sword, and razed the fortifications.'' Exactly two pages after, we are in
formed that ' the citadel of Aberdeen being the only stronghold which Edward
had hitherto lost, he appointed William le Betour, captain of his fleet betwixt
Hartlepool and Aberdeen, with special orders to proceed with succour for re
taking it.'' The Spanish fleet, in the Play, could not be seen, because it was
not in sight ; but Mr. Kennedy sees no difficulty in retaking a castle which was
not built. This happy bull has been repeated with a still more Hibernian
aspect by Robert Wilson, A.M., Hist, and Del. of Aberdeen, pp. 6, 7."
t[' Charters, &c, of Aberdeen,' Pt. 11.]

7 8 Appendices.
afraid that my fellow-citizens must resign this romantic
tale, however dearly it may have been prized, to the fate
which has befallen so many of the pleasant stories of its
first narrator. There seems every reason to believe that it
is equally untrue, yet not so amusing, as his legend of the
monstrous goose-footed otter which struck down great
oaks with its tail, while the fishermen, we are assured,
found safety from its fury by climbing into trees.
It may be conjectured that the fiction took its origin
from the grants which King Robert made to the town. In
1 3 14, he bestowed on the burgh the office of Keeper of the
forest of the Stocket ; and, in 13 19, gave and granted to
the burgesses and community, the Royal Burgh of
Aberdeen, and the forest of the Stocket, to be held in free
burgage for an annual payment of £213 6s. 8d. Scots."*
— Book of Bon- Accord, pp. 3 1-36. f

Appendix T.
Hector Boece.
" Eo prope tempore Brusiani Aberdonensem arcem,
quam aliquot annis maximo cum Scotorum incommodo
Angli tenuerant, Aberdonensibus plurimum suppetiarum
afferentibus, expugnatam vi capiunt, caesis qui ejus
custodiae fuerant destinati ; ac paulo post ne Anglis
ullum Aberdoniae superesset refugium, omni supellectili
exhaustam solo aequarunt. Angli amissae arcis caesorum-
que contribulium tristi nuncio affecti, coactis copiis
Aberdoniam movent animo acceptam injuriam ulciscendi."
— Boetii Murtldacensium et Aberdonensium Episcoporum
Vitce. Paris, 1522. Reprint of 1825, p. 11.
* 'Charters, &c, of Aberdeen,' pp. 10, 12.
t Cf. Appendix No. I., ' Bon- Accord,' to Municipal Statutes, &c, in
Aberdeen, p. 29 [Robertson].

Appendices. 79
[Appendix U.
Professor William Smith.
" Et Eduardus III. (ut refert Boetius) Abredoniam urbem
regiam, per sex continu6 dies flammis vastavit, et solo
aequavit, quia BONA civium CONCORDIA, et unanimi impetu,
complures Angli qui Arcem illic munitam tenebant, et
ingenti tyrannide oppidum turn temporis opprimebant, a.
fautoribus Davidis Brussii cum ignominia ejecti fuerant :
Quod factum non minus inclytum quam opportunum,
Abredoniae titulum Bon-Accord, mutataque Armorum
insignia, meruit, de quibus Poeta : —
Arx triplex, &c."
Commemoratio Benefactorum Academice Marischallana
Abredonensis. Auctore Gulielmo Smith. Aberdeen, 1702,
p. 12.] Appendix V.
Erroneous copy of the patent of the arms as given by
Sir George Mackenzie : —
"To all and sundry whom it effeirs. — I, Sir Charles Areskine
of Cambo, Knight and Baronet, Lyon, King of Arms;
Considering That by several Acts of Parliament, as well
as of Our dread Soveraign Lord, Charles the Second,
by the Grace of God, Defender of the Faith, as of his
Majesties Royal Predecessors, especially by the twenty-one
Act of the Third Session of this Current Parliament, I
am impowered to visit the whole Arms and Bearings
within this Kingdom, and to distinguish them, and
matriculate the same in my Books and Registers, and
to give Extracts of all Arms, expressing the Blazoning
thereof, under my hand and seal of Office : And which
Register is, by the fore-cited Act, ordained to be respected
as the true and unrepealable Rule of all Arms and Bearings
in Scotland, to remain with the Lyons Office as a publick
O

80 Appendices.
Register of the Kingdom. Therefore, conform to the
power given me by His Sacred Majesty, and according
to the tenor of the said Acts of Parliament ; I testifie and
make known, that the Arms of old belonging to the Royal
Burgh of Aberdeen, and now confirmed by me, are
matriculated in my said publick Register, upon the day
and date of thir presents : And are thus blazoned, viz : —
The said royal burgh of Aberdene gives for Ensigns
Armorial, Gules, three Towers, triple towered within a
double Tressure Counter-flowered Argent : Supported by
two Leopards, propper : The Motto is an Escrol above,
' Bon-Accord,' (the word Bon-Accord was given them by
King Robert Bruce, for killing all the English, in one
night, in their Town, their word being that night Bon-
Accord). And upon the Reverse of the Seal of the said
Burgh is insculped, in a Field Azure, a Temple Argent,
Saint Michael standing in the Porch, mitered and vested
propper, with his Dexter hand lifted up to Heaven, praying
over three Children in a boyling Caldron of the first,
and holding in the Sinister a Crosier, Or. Which Arms,
above blazoned, I hereby declare to have been, and to be,
the true and unrepealable Signs Armorial of the Burgh
Royal above named. In testimony whereof I have
subscribed this Extract with my hand ; and have caused
append my Seal of Office thereto. Given at Edinburgh, the
twenty fifth day of February, and of Our said Soveraign
Lords Reign the twenty-sixth Year, 1674.
Charles Areskine, Lyon"
— The Science of Herauldry, 1680, p. 9.

Appendix W.
Bishop Leslie.
"Robertus Brusaeus, armis omnia ardere videns, in illis
extinguendis omncm commentationem figit. Primum

Appendices. 8 1
lectica (quod gravissimo morbo conflictareur) ad castra
delatus, Joannem Cumenum Comitatum Buquhaniae, ad
Innerourie fudit, Abredonensem arcem Capit et solo
aequat."— Leslie's De Origine, Moribus, et Rebus Gestis
Scotorum. Rome, 1578, p. 243.

Appendix X.
The Castle and its Demolition.
"Extracta e Rotulis Computorum Vicecomitum tempore Regis
Alexandri Ter Hi.
Ex computo Andree de Garuiach vicecomitis de Aberden,
anno mcclxiiii 
Item, capellano ministranti in capella castri de Aberden
de illo anno, V m areas 
Item, Magistro Ri. Cementario* ad operacionem castri,
XX marcas, de quibus respondebit.
Item, in cariagio decern doliorum vini de naui usque
castrum cum windagio X s." — The Exchequer Rolls of
Scotland, I., 11.

"Rex Edwardus mandat quod castra Scotia Johanni de
Balliolo tradantur.
Rex et superior dominus regni Scotie dilecto et fideli suo
Johanni de Gildeford custodi castrorum de Aberdeen et
Kyncardyn salutem Cum Johannes de Balliolo nuper in
parliamento nostro apud Berewik super Twedam venisset
coram nobis et petivisset predictum regnum Scotie sibi
per nos adjudicari et seisinam ipsius regni sibi ut proximiori
heredi Margarete filie regis Norwagie domine Scotie et
nepotis quondam Alexandri ultimi regis Scotie jure suc
cessions liberari Ac nos auditis et intellects petitionibus
et rationibus tam predicti Johannis de Balliolo quam
* See page 54.

82 Appendices.
aliorum petentium predictum regnum et eisdem petitionibus
et rationibus diligenter examinatis invenerimus prefatum
Johannem de Balliolo esse propinquiorem heredem predicte
Margarete quoad predictum regnum Scotie optinendum
propter quod idem regnum Scotie et seisinam ejusdem eidem
Johanni de Balliolo salvo jure nostro et heredum nostrorum
reddidimus Vobis mandamus quod seisinam predictorum
castrorum de Aberden et Kyncardyn cum omnibus per-
tinentiis suis una cum omnibus aliis rebus vobis per cyro-
grafum traditis et secundum quod in predictorum castrorum
vobis commissa custodia res hujusmodi recepistis sine
dilatione predicto Johanni de Balliolo vel attornatis suis
has literas deferentibus deliberari faciatis In cujus &c.
T. R. apud Berewik super Twedam xviij0 die Nov. 1292."
— Rotuli Scotiae (21 Edw. I.), I., 12*
" Diary of Edward the first [his] journey into Scotland in
the time of John Kinge of Scottis A0 Regni 24.
Le Samady [14 Jul. 1296] a la citee d' Aberden, bon chastel
et bone ville sur la meer ; et y demora v iours." — Bannatyne
Miscellany, I., 278.
"A son seygnor le roy D' engleterre.
Nous-)- avoms envee pur prendre mon sire Henri de Lazom
qui est en votre Chastel de Aperden e se fet iloques un
grant seignor mes si il est uncore pris ou non nous ne vous
savons mie uncore bien maunder que en portir de ceste
lettre nairons uncore nul respuns de tous qui le alerent
prendre mes se il est pris il sera honeure solom ce que il
affert. Escrites a Berwyk le primer jour de Augst [1297]." —
Chronicon de Lanercost, p. 502.
* Similar mandates were issued with respect to the Castles of Stirling,
Inverness, Dingwall, Invernarn (Nairn), Cromarty, Forres, Elgin, Banff,
Aboyne, Forfar, Dundee, Gedeworth (Jedburgh), Roxburgh, Cluny, Ayr,
Dumbarton, Dumfries, Wigton, Kirkcudbright, Edinburgh, and Berwick.
t John, Earl of Warren and Surrey.

Appendices. 83
" Notandum de libertate Regalitatis Monasterii de Aber-
brothoc.
Anno gracie m° cc° nonagesimo nono In festo Carnipriuij
coram Domino Johanne Cvmyn Comite de Buchan tunc
Justiciario scocie Ipso tenente placita sui officij iuxta
castrum de Aberden in loco qui dicitur Castelsyd et
calumpniante ibidem Adam dictum de festo et quatuor
homines tunc manentes in terra Abbatis de Abirbrothok
de Tulielt apud Tarvays viz de indictamento furti vaccarum
et bidentum Johannes de Pollok tunc senescallus Abbatis
et conuentus de Abirbrothok vouebat ipsos tamquam
homines dicti Abbatis et feuit eos ad curiam regalitatis de
Tarvays quia manebat in dicta terra de Tulielt tamquam
in forcerio illius regalitatis de Tarvays Hiis presentibus
dicto die viz Henrico le chen Episcopo Aberdonensi Domino
J comite Atholie tunc vicecomite de Abirden Dominis W.
de melgdrum Waltero de Berkelay Duncano de ferendr
Henrico fratre eius Johanne flemyng Thoma de monimusk
Patricio de Sancto Michaele Walrano de Normanuilla
Andrea de Raath militibus cristino Judice et multis aliis."
— Regis trum Vetus de Aberbrothoc, p. 164.

"De constitutione capitanei marinariorum et navium regis
de Hertelpole et aliorum portuum.
Rex dilecto sibi Willelmo le Betour salutem Quia pro
expeditione guerre nostre Scotie auxilio tarn marinariorum
quam aliorum plurimum indigemus nos de diligentia et
fidelitate vestra specialiter confidentes constituimus vos
capitaneum nostrum marinariorum navium de Hertelpol
de Novo Castro super Tynam de Berewico super Twedam
ac aliorum locorum inter Hertelpol et Aberden in subsidium
obsidionis castri nostri de Aberdene amovende et ad alia
que ad expeditionem nostram contra Scotos inimicos et
rebelles nostras in partibus illis attingunt viriliter faciendam
prout dilectus et fidelis noster Gilbertus Petche et . . .
camerarius noster Scotie vobis ex parte nostra plenius

84 Appendices.
injungent Et ideo vobis mandamus quod ad hoc omnibus
aliis pretermissis modis omnibus intendatis mandamus
autem omnibus et singulis magistris navium et marinariis
predictis quod ad proficiscendum vobiscum una cum
navibus suis et hominibus armis competentibus bene
munitis ad premissa potenter et viriliter facienda prout et
quotiens ipsos marinarios premuniendos duxeritis ex parte
nostra vobis pareant et intendant In cujus &c.
T. R. apud Wyndesor x die Julii 1308." — Rotuli Scotiae
(2 Edw. II.), L, 55.

"About this time, according to common report, the
citizens of Aberdeen, and other partisans of Bruce,
stormed the castle of Aberdeen, slew the English
garrison, raised the fortifications, and defeated the English,
who endeavoured to regain that castle." — Lord Hailes'
Annals of Scotland, Edin., 1779, p. 359.
" The army of the king now rapidly increased [after the
victory at Barra], as his character for success and military
talent became daily more conspicuous. His nephew, Sir
David de Brechin, having been pardoned and admitted to
favour, joined him about this time with his whole force ;
and, pursuing his advantage, he laid seige to the castle of
Aberdeen. Edward was now at Windsor, and, alarmed at
the progress of Bruce, he dispatched an expedition to raise
the siege of Aberdeen, and commanded the different sea
ports to fit out a fleet, which should co-operate with his
land forces. But these preparations were too late, for the
citizens of Aberdeen, who had early distinguished them
selves in the war of liberty, and were warmly attached
to the cause of Bruce, encouraged by the presence of his
army, and assisted by some of his most faithful partisans,
assaulted, and carried the castle by storm, expelled the
English, and levelled the fortifications with the ground." —
Tytler, Hist, of Scotland, Vol. I., p. 269-270, Edin., 1828.
* [Mr. Cruickshank's MS. is here unfinished.]

Appendices. 85
In relating, immediately after this, the capture of the
castle of Forfar, Tytler adds, . . . ' the king, according to
his usual policy, instantly commanded the fortifications to
be destroyed,' This statement is given on the authority of
Barbour, p. 175.
In the ' Notes and Illustrations ' to the volume, Letter Z,
referring to a statement made by Lord Hailes relating to
the siege of the castle of Rutherglen, Mr. Tytler cites the
orders issued by Edward, on the 12th of May, 1309, to
most parts of England and to Ireland also, to provide corn,
malt, peas, beans, and wine, for his various castles in
Scotland, and as, in the enumeration of these, Rutherglen
is not included, he infers that it had been captured by the
Scots. The castles mentioned are, Berwick, Roxburgh,
Stirling, Linlithgow, Edinburgh, Banff, Perth, Dundee,
Dumfries, Caerlaverock, and Ayr, (Rotuli Scotiae, Vol. I.,
p. 63). As the castle of Aberdeen is not mentioned it
may also be inferred that it was not in the possession of
the English.
To judge from the difficulty experienced in obtaining
exact information regarding traditional statements of events
that have happened more recently, and within a much
briefer space of time than two hundred years, it is not to be
wondered that the annalists vary in their accounts relating
to the attack and capture of the castle. Boece's narrative,
however, is entitled to more reasonable consideration than
to be set aside as ' a clumsy and ill devised falsehood.'
From the fact that Boece says nothing regarding the grant
of the arms, it may be assumed that this remark can have
reference only to his statement regarding the capture of the
castle. It is certain that a castle had existed ; and, whether
demolished or not, that it was taken from the English, as
the letter of King Edward II., dated at Windsor, 10 July,
1308, conclusively proves, by his giving directions for its
being retaken. The ridicule heaped on Kennedy for
saying that it was taken on 22nd May, and razed to the

86 Appendices.
ground, and that King Edward ordered the retaking of it,
on 10 July, is unwarranted. Kennedy says, that 'the
fortifications' were razed to the ground, and the citadel,
which may have been taken possession of by the citizens,
and could be of no advantage to the enemy who were
expelled, may have remained in the possession of the
citizens till they demolished it also.
The query propounded by the Editor of the ' Book of
Bon-Accord,' ' how can it be credited that a citadel which
was razed to the ground in May could be besieged in July,'
does not present an unsurmountable difficulty. King
Edward, no doubt, had heard of the capture of the castle,
and the expulsion of the English garrison ; but as
intelligence of any importance must have taken a con
siderable time in transmission, and the razing of the
fortress could not have been carried out in a day, he
might not have heard of the demolition of the fortification.
When King Edward III. invaded Scotland, and, accord
ing to tradition, gave Aberdeen to the flames, and laid it
in ashes* (Rotuli Scotiae), no mention is made of the castle.
The negative evidence thus afforded appears to support
the assumption that it had ceased to exist. Whether the
demolition was carried out in the time of King Robert,
or King David, cannot be determined.
 [MS. incomplete.]
* " Compota Prepositorum et Custumariorum reddita apud Dunbretan.
Compotum Nicholai de Lidell et Willelmi Chepman prepositorum burgi de
Abirden [Jan. 14, 1327-8] ...
Et per allocacionem factam burgensibus de Abirden de Viginti marcis
quolibet anno decern annorum proxime futurorum, de quibus unus annus cum
dimidio est elapsus, racione combustionum dicti burgi, de duobus terminis
huius compoti, xiij li. yj s. viij d." — Exchequer Rolls of Scotland, I, 60.
Similar entries occur in the accounts rendered in 1328 (p. 90), 1329
.P' 155)) 1330 (p. 308 "ex concessione regis Roberti.")
"Compota Prepositorum et Custumariorum reddita apud Dunde.
Compota prepositorum burgi de Abirden reddita Maij 12°, 1341. . . .
Memorandum Similiter, quod computantes recusarunt onerari de firmis
burgi predicti de termino Sancti Martini, anni 1336, causam assignantes, quod
dicta villa fuit combusta per inimicos, et quod de dicto termino nihil potuit
leuari, nee dictum burgnm inhabitare audebant ; et quotquot inhabitabant,
Anglicis adheserunt. Ad quam causam verificandam, obligarunt com-
munitatem sub pena mille librarum." — Exch. Rolls, I, 472.
Similar entries occur in 1342 (p. 484), and 1343 (p. 526). Cf. Chronicon
de Lanercost, p. 286.

Appendices. 87
A recent writer thus deals with the subject: — "After
relating this story [of the taking of the Castle] in
all its details the unavowed author of that most charming
but unmated first and only volume, ' The Book of Bon-
Accord,' becomes, as he perhaps a little too often becomes,
' L'homme qui rit ' — laughing heartily at the whole thing,
characterising that part of Mr. Kennedy's Annals as ' an
almost unparalleled specimen of carelessness and blunder
ing.' He also laughs at Mr. Wilson, author of the
1 History and Delineation of Aberdeen,' for giving ' a still
more Hibernian aspect' to 'this happy bull' It seems
presumption to criticise Dr. Joseph Robertson, who was a
prince among antiquaries for accuracy, but we frankly
confess that we do not see where the laugh comes in.
Kennedy narrates the story of the capture of the Castle by
the citizens as handed down by Hector Boece, and adds
that it was razed to the ground. The front of Kennedy's
offending, however, lies in this that two pages after, he
relates that the citadel of Aberdeen, being the only
stronghold which had been wrested from the English,
Edward sent an expedition to retake it. Robertson's
mirth is over the retaking of a razed castle. But does not
this look like hypercriticism on his part. The story may
or may not be credible on historical grounds, but we do not
see that Kennedy has in any sense exposed himself to
ridicule for his mode of recounting it. It is surely not the
first time in history that a heap of ruins has been the cause
of fierce contention, their very site giving to the victor the
key of the position. It is one thing, and a very good thing
too, in the midst of so much that is unveracious 'to be
troubled with a pride of accuracy,' but it is quite another
thing to ' wrest scripture.' In Kennedy's Annals, Aberdeen
possesses a work which, for an honest, painstaking effort to
embody historical truth, has not been surpassed, and may
not be impugned lightly." — Historic Scenes in Aberdeen
shire, by Mr. John Bulloch in the Weekly News, 5 th
May, 1883.

88 Appendices.
Appendix Y.
References to Seals in Town Council Register. 6 Oct., 1447.
" Item the samyn dai be avise of the said counsaile the
secrete seel was deliuerit in keping to John Gray to be
seelit with the aldermans seel in a purs." — Council Register,
vol. v2, p. 722. •24 Oct., 1447.
" The hale counsale Ripely avisit has fundin and
concludit that John of Fife for a quarter John the Vaus
for a quarter Gilbert Meignes for a quarter and John
Blyndseil and Thorn Blyndseil and Adam hill for a quarter
sal ansuer and Red the toune of the det aucht to Thomas
bernwale of londone,* and sal freith and bryng hame the
comoune seel and content the nyghboris of the toune that
thair gudes warr tane tharfor and allowit be bernwale and
the Alderman sal tak souertee of the said persounes that
thai sal content the thing that awying to the nyghboris of
the toune betwix this pasch next to cum and thai sal
deliuer the Remanant that is acht to bernwale to four lele
men to be chosin be the Alderman to be kepit to bernwall
availe, and that be the samyn tyme." — C. R., vol. V2, p. 723.
17 Feb., 147*.
" It is ordanit and decretit be the Alderman and the
counsel underwritten, that the commoune seil and the
secret seil salbe deliuerit frely to the Alderman that beis
chosin for the time and to the counsall yerly fra thine
furth, apon the Friday next after that the Alderman be
chosin, and to be deliuerit agane at thare wil in keping
to quhom that plesis thaim best, and that na letter salbe
selit fra thine furth with the common seil, bot at the sycht
of the Aldirman and the hail consel." — C. R., vol. vi., p. 345.
* Cf. ' Calendar of Documents relating to Scotland,' Vol. iv., pp. 226-7.

Appendices. 89
sg Oct., 1483.
" Ye counsale and communitie bean present for ye tyme
ordanit three or four persons of ye counsale to pass to
Alexander Marris wyf to ger hyr deliuer ye half common
sele to sele the baillies commission and gyf scho makis ony
excus sayand scho has it not na wate not quhar it is ye
hale counsale and communitie foresaid has ordanit to call
doune ye said half sele and to ger of new anc vyer." —
C. R., vol. vi., p. 936. 19 May, /jo/.
"The said day ye alderman counsal and communite
ordanit ye tane half of yair commone seile to be givin
to Alexr Menzes and Alexr Rede in keping and to be
vnder tua lokis ilkane of thame havand ane key And
ye toyer half of thair commone sele to be given to
Robert Blinsel and Jonhne Wormet in keping to be put
vnder tua lokis ilkane of thame havand ane key and
to sel na writis yrwt quhile yai be Red to ye haill tone."
— C. R., vol. vii., p. 1 09 1. 8 Nov., /jo/.
" The said day ye alderman in ye townis name ordainit
ale yt has commone seillis of ye said burght to bring and
present thame befor ye towne one mononday next to cum
yt yai myt awiss wl ye keping and observing of the samyn
according to resson." — C. R., vol. viii., p. 24. /o Jan., /j/\.
" The said day It was deliuerit and ordanit be ye bailzeis
consale and ane gret part of ye comunite yt ye kepairs of
yar commoun seill deliuer ye samyne to John of Mar
provest to haue to ye month to seill ye process of forfatour
of Alexr lord Hvme."— C. R., vol. IX., p. 542. 8 Oct., /j 4.6.
" The said day ye bailzeis and haill counsale decernit
and ordinlt Walter Cullane yr nybor and conburgess to

90 Appendices.
haue ye keyping of ye half of ye commoun seiil qlk
vmqll Andro Cullane his fader had abefor in keiping in
tym to cum and ye same not to be takin fra him wl out
ane notabill faill and fait maid be him yr wl and knawin to
ye haill toun And yr efter ye same beyng schavin and
proponit to ye communite ya affermit ye same." — C. R-,
vol. xix., p. 223. 27th Oct., /j6/.
"The said day, the prowest, baillies, and counsell,
decernit and ordanit Alexr. Cullane, thair nychtbour and
comburges, to haue the keiping of the half of thair
commound seall, quhilk Andro Cullan, his grandsir, and
Walter Cullan, his guidsir, had in keiping obefoir, to be
observit and keipit be him in tyme cumyng and vsit as the
counsell and communitie thinkis expedient, and nocht to be
takin fra him without ane notable fait be committit be him
in keiping tharof, and the same be knawin to the haill
toune, conforme to the last act maid be the counsell at the
deliuering of the said half seall to his said guidsyr, of the
dayt the aucht day of October, the yeir of God ane
thousand fyvve hundreyth fourty and sax yeiris ; and
that in respect it is considderit and knawin be the counsell
that the said Alexr is potent and strenzeabill in fyschingis,
landis, and guidis, to ansuir for the same, and qualifeit to
succeyd in offyce, cuyr, and dignytie in the place and
rowme of his saidis grandsir and gudsyr ; and decernit
this act and ordinans to be intimat to the haile communite
of this burght on Freday nixt cumis, or in the nixt court
quhen thai ar convenit for thair approbatioun thereof;
vpoun the quhilkis the said Alexr. askit act and instru-
mentis in presens of the haill consell." — C. R., vol. XXIV.,
p. 276. 26 Nov., /J03.
"The said day, it being wnderstand be the town, convenit
this day to thair publict rowping, that the common seall of
this burgh, quairwith the chartouris and preceptis of lesing

Appendices. 91
of the fischingis and land tackis haldin of the samin ar
seallit, as also the previe seall, callit the seall of caus,
quhairwith the testimoniallis and boirbrevis that passis to
uther pairtis beyond sey ar seallit, hes gevin na proffit nor
commoditie to the commoun use of the toun, in that at the
sealing of the saidis evidentis the persones having evidentis.
to be seallit, the said commoun seall hes bestowit expensiss
and chargis of geving of wyne to the subscryveris of the
saidis evidentis, quhilk thay have thocht guid to be convertit
for sealing wyne to the commoun use and proffit of the
toun, and thairfor ordanit that all persones that sail have
evidentis to be seallit with the said commoun seall, sail pay
to the keparis thairof fourtie s. for ilk seall, and that all
persones that sail have testimoniallis or boirbrevis to be
seallit with the said previe seall sal pay to the keparis
thairof, they being extranearis, fourtie s. for euerie seall,
and gif thay be burgessis of this burgh tuentie s., and that
the keparis of the saidis seallis sail be comptabill and
ansuirabill for the said seall syluer to the prouest, baillies,
consall, and auditouris of the comptis, and employit and
bestowit to the commoun guid of the toun, and this act to
indure quhill Michaelmes nixt, and Ianger as sal be thocht
expedient." — C. R., vol. xxxv., p. 163. /6th Feb., /670.
"The said day the Counsell ordaines the privie seall of
this brughe and small casket for letters to be rectified and
inlargeit with supporters in the best forme that sail be
found most convenient by advyce of the magrats." —
C. R., vol. LV., p. 201.

Appendix Z.
Factories and Commissions, 1537-41.
Factory and Commission by the Baillies, Council, and
Community, empowering John Collisoun, Elder, and Mr.

92 Appendices.
Henry Bonariss, as their Commissioners to appear before
the Auditors of Exchequer at Edinburgh, on the 16th day
of September, then instant, and there to produce the
Charter granted by the King's Royal Predecessors relieving
free Burgesses of the Burgh of all Custom upon their
..Salmon, and that for the Exoneration of the Town's
Customer, before the saids Auditors.
". . . In cuius rei testimonium sigillum nostrum causarum
siue contractuum presentibus est appensum apud Aberden
duodecimo die mensis Septembris anno domini MDXXXVII."
— Aberdeen Burgh Writs, A2, n.
Factory and Commission by the Baillies, Council and
Community in favour of Thomas Menzes therein Provost,
as their Commissioner, to meet in the town of Dundee, on
the ioth day of August then instant, with the Com
missioners of Dundee, Montrose, St Johns and St Andrews
for determining as to the public good of the Merchants of
these Burghs, in regard to the conventions & Staple at
Campfeir in Flanders, and to demand a Hotel there, for
Merchants, where they might reside free from Assizes &
Talliages, and for freeing the saids Merchants from being
bound to meet in one given place.
". . . In cuius rei testimonium sigillum secretum dicti
nostri burgi quo ad causas vtimur presentibus appendi
fecimus Apud Aberden quinto die mensis Augusti Anno
domini MDXLI." — A2. 12.

Appendix A A.
Kinds of Seals.
" What relates to the different kinds or divisions of seals,
as Hoppingius describes these at full length, it will be
sufficient for our purpose to remark, That there was a
greater and lesser seal ; the first was denominated the
authentic or common seal, the last the secret or privy seal.

Appendices. 93
The use of the authentic, which we now call the great seal,
was in public matters, such as diplomas, which we commonly
call charters, privileges, remissions, and the like ; but the
privy seal got its name from this, that it was used in more
secret affairs — for example, in epistles. Letters sealed with
this last seal were for most part shut ; and such as were
sealed with the authentic seal were open ; thence diplomas,
to which this last was affixed, were used to be called letters
patent. Nor was the privy seal used only in private business,
but it was likewise used in public transactions, being put on
the back of the great seal ; for which reason it was called
the counter seal, because it used to be put on the opposite
side of the great seal ; sometimes, as Dufresne remarks,
it is to be found hanging at the great seal ; but Mabillon
desires us to notice, That the counter seal, which is of equal
size with the great seal, must be distinguished from the
privy seal, as is the modern custom."— Ruddiman's Intro
duction to Anderson's Diplomata Scotiae, 177 1, p. 95.

[Appendix B B.
Early Descriptions of the Burgh Arms.

"Cromwell effected that which had baffled the Roman
Caesars and the English Edwards — the complete subju
gation of Scotland. His army, under the command of
General Monk, entered Aberdeen on Sunday, the 7th of
September, 165 1  The feelings of the citizens seem
to have been strongly excited by the presence of 'their
auld enemies of England,' and some worthy burgess gave
expression to his wounded pride in the following homely
verses, which are preserved in MS. : ' Copy of the lines
that was found in the north end of the laigh Council-house,
at the English incoming to Aberdeen : — ¦

94 Appendices.
Our antient forbearis of this burgh
Were of great courage and of manhood stout ;
Their lives, their lands, and all that they were worth,
They would not spare, but hazard all in doubt,
Their commonwealth and honours to get out ;
As proved well, be sure experience,
The winning of the Castle of defence,
Builded full strong upon the Castle Hill
By Englishmen, who, by the force of arms,
Then did subdue the country at their will :
Our good forbears, perceiving this distress,
With heardy hearts they did themselves address,
And man the fort by force withouten fear,
And slew the Captain and his men of war ;
Wherefore our King to this his town did yield
To bear unto their banners and their badge
Three strong towers within a bloody field,
Compassed about as it were in a hedge,
With double tressure in sign of good courage,
With two leopards holding all together,
In Bon-Accord and peace to live forever.
Finis — quod Thomsone.' "
— Book of Bon- Accord, pp. 79-81.

11.
"Arx triplex, arcem testatur ab hoste receptam,
Hostis utrinque doces, tu Leoparde genus.
Lillia cum Clypeo, voti Rex pignora jussit
Esse, color fusi signa cruoris habet.
Hac hostes sensere, Bona et Concordia (virttts
Qua res usque viget publica) culta domi.
In English thus : —
The threefold Towres, the Castle showes regain'd
From Enemies, who it by force maintain'd.

Appendices. 95
The Leopards, which on each hand ye view,
The cruell temper of these foes do shew.*
The Shield and Lillies, by the King's Command
As pledges of his great good-will do stand
The Collour, calls the Blood there shed to mind,
Which these proud Foes unto their cost did find.
And BON ACCORD, (by which doth safety come
To Common- Wealths) establisht was at home.
I[ohn] B[arclay]."
-Quoted in Skene's Succinct Survey, p. 234.]

Appendix C C.
Parson Gordon's Description of the Arms.
" Urbis insignia sunt tria castella argentea planitie
coccinea seu sanguinea descripta eaque duplici linea cir-
cumdata iridis floribus seu liliis candidis multis adinvicim
obversis intersecta duobus leopardis suffulta symbolo voce
Gallica [Bon accord] quod idem ac Pax inter Concives sonat.
Haec a Davide Brussio Scotorum rege usurpari jussa sub
id tempus quo Abredonenses arcem urbi praesidiariam
pulsis Anglis recuperaverant postquam Angli abusque
seculo Eduardi primi Anglorum regis (qui et arcis conditor)
tenuissent. Dux facti Kennedus de Kearmuick commarcha
cujus posteri titulo honorario constabulorum de Aberdeen
in perpetuam rei memoriam (quanquam hodie titulus
exoleverit) insigniti." — Abredoniae Utriusque Descriptio,
MS. in Advocates' Library, Edinburgh, pressmark 34-2-8.
Thus somewhat freely rendered by the contemporary
translator : —
" The armes of the citie are ane escutcheone or a feild
gules charged with thrie castells argent, 2 of thes in the
* [It is curious that in none of the legends professing to account for the
bearings and motto, is any attempt made to explain the appearance of the
supporters. The reference above suggests the query : Are the leopards simply
the lions liopardis (Cf. App. N N, letter 4) that would have appeared on the
standard of the English enemies ?]

g6 Appendices.
i and 3d cheffe the 3d in the 5th, enclosit with a
double tressor counter flowred with flower de luces argent,
supported with twa leopards tauny, the moto Bon accord,
a French word signifieing concord amongst the citizens.
Thes armes wer granted to Aberdeen by David Bruce,
King of Scotland, after that they hade regained the
Castell from the Englishes, which they hade constantlie
keept garrisoned from the tyme of Edward Longshanks,
quho is said to have builded it, or repaired it rather. Ther
leader in this attchievement wes one Kennedy of Kear-
mini [sic] ; for which service his posteritie wer honored with
the title and dignity of Constables of Aberdeen ; though
that title and dignity be now prescryved." MS. in same
volume. The words in italics are omitted in the Spalding
Club Edition, p. 20.

Appendix D D.
Bailie Skene.
"Under the Reign of King David Bruce, .... the
Englishes having continued their Rapine and Cruelty in
Aberdeen, by keeping a strong Garrison in the Castle,
the Citizens taking Counsell how they might free
themselves of that Yoke and Servitude, at last resolved
to fall upon the Garrison whom they cut off, and
thereafter levelled the Castle with the ground, whence
it was, that in honour of that resolute Act, they got
their Ensignes Armoriall, which to this day they bear :
witness that late Book of Heraldry, set forth by Sir
George McKenzie of Rosehaugh, Knight, His Majesties
Advocat, who hath blazoned the Arms of Aberdeen
particularly thus : —
The Arms or Ensigns Armoriall of the Burgh Royal of
Aberdeen, beareth Gules, three Towres triple, towered in a
double-Tressure counter flowered Argent, supported by

Appendices. 97
two Leopards propper, the Motto in an Escroll above,
BON-ACCORD, whence are these Verses : —
Arx triplex &c. [See Appendix B B.]
And upon the reverse of the Seal of the said Burgh
is insculped in a field Azure, a Temple Argent, St. Nicholas
standing in the Porch, Mytered and Vested propper, with
his Dexter hand lifted up to Heaven praying over three
Children in a Boyling Caldron of the first, and holding in
the Sinister a Crosier Ore : these were the Old-Arms of the
Burgh-Royall of Aberdeen as His Majesties Advocat, in
his book above-mentioned relates." — Succinct Survey of
the Famous City of Aberdeen. Aberdeen, 1685, p. 233.

Appendix E E.
Nisbet.
" The Town of Aberdeen got the double Tressure a Part
of the Royal Bearing added to their Arms, by the Order
of King Robert the Bruce, for their Fidelity and Loyalty to
him, being Gules three Towers embattled Argent, and
masoned Sable, within a double tressure of the Second."
— Essay on Armories. Edinb., 17 18, p. 134.
" The Towers born by the Town of Aberdeen .... in our
books are blazoned, Gules, Three Towers (not Castles),
triple tower'd within a Double Tressure, flower'd and
counterflower'd Argent, supported by two Leopards
proper, with the Motto, Bon Accord.
The Double Tressure being a part of the Royal Arms,
was granted as an honourable additament for the singular
Loyalty of the Citizens of Aberdeen, who cut off in one
Night the old Enemies the English, their word being
Bon-Accord ; which arms are on the surface of the Town
Seal, and on the Reverse, in a Field Azure, a Church
Argent, massoned Sable, St. Michael standing in the
Porch, Mitred and Vested proper, with his Right Hand

98 Appendices.
lifted up, praying over three Children in a boiling Cauldron
of the 1st, and in his left hand a Crosier Or." — System
of Heraldry. Edinb., 1722, p. 418.

[Appendix F F.
" This town has two coats of arms ; one which it used of
old, and another which it received more of late ; the one
being now born the one side, and the other on the other
side, of the town's seal.
Its old arms were the image of its patron saint, Nicholas,
thus : azure, a church argent, massoned sable, Saint Nicholas
standing in the porch, mitred and vested proper, with his
right hand lifted up, praying over three children in a boyling
caldron of the first, and in his left hand a crosier or.
Its late arms represent its castle, which the townsmen
recovered so remarkably from the English, thus : gules,
three towers triple-towr'd, within the tressure of Scotland,
argent ; supported by two leopards, proper : Motto, Bon-
Accord. ' Quid memorem ternos, tria propugnacula, colles,
Qualibus urbs surgit qua caput orbis erat ? '
'Tis situated on three hills : the Castlehill ; the Porthill
(or Gallowgate, so called from the chief port of the town,
and from the gallows, which once stood here) ; and Saint
Catherine's hill ; so that it is ascended to on all sides, which
gives some advantage to the prospect, and renders the air
so much better." — Collections on the Shires of Banff
(Spalding Club), 1843, p. 123. See also pp. 43, 45.]

[Appendix G G.
Bishop KeitJt.
Aberdeen " suffered greatly in the Time of the Civil
Wars betwixt Bruce and Baliol by an English Garrison

Appendices. 99
in the Castle, which the Citizens having with great
Unanimity and Boldness stormed, and put the Garrison
to the Sword ; in Memory of so brave an Action, it bears
for Arms three Castles in a bloody Shield, tressed round with
Flower de Lis, with two Leopards for Supporters, and the
Motto Bon Accord. But the English returning with a
Fleet about four Years after, in the Reign of King David
IL, anno 1333, and having landed in the Night time,
surprised and burnt the City, and killed most of the
Inhabitants ; the burning lasted for six Days." — Catalogue
of Scotch Bishops, 1760, p. 61.]

Appendix H H.
Kennedy.
"As an honourable testimony of the patriotism and
zealous services of the citizens on these momentous
occasions, and to perpetuate the memory of their signal
achievements at this important conjuncture, King Robert
granted to them his royal permission to change the ancient
armorial bearings of the town, and to assume their present
arms [here the erroneous copy of the Patent is given in a
footnote] with the motto ' Bon Accord,' being their watch
word on that memorable day." — Annals of Aberdeen, 181 8,
vol. I., re-issue, p. 25.

Appendix I I.
"The Armorial Bearings of Aberdeen as represented in
the Woodcuts of the Early Printers of the City.
Sir, The earliest woodcut representation of the armorial
bearings of Aberdeen which I have met with is on Andrew
Logie's 'Cum Bono Deo. Raine from the clouds upon a

ioo j4ppendices.
Choicke Angel. . . . Aberdene : Imprinted by Edward
Raban, dwelling upon the Market Place, at the Townes
Armes, 1624. Cum privilegio.' I have seen it mentioned
that in the almanac published by Raban for 1624 the arms
appear on the titlepage, but a copy of so early a date has
never come under my inspection. As this almanac must
have been ready for the chapmen in the first days of 1624,
we may safely infer that the wood-block was prepared in
1623. I may also mention that although Raban published
an almanac for 1623, I have no note of the woodcut
occurring in that print. Another circumstance which
leads me to believe that the arms appeared for the first
time on the almanac of 1624 is the fact that on no book
printed at Aberdeen by Raban in 1622 or 1623 is the
woodcut to be met with, but in subsequent years it very
frequently occurs. Very soon after its first appearance
the wood-block seems to have met with an accident, for I
have noted that in D. Gordon's ' Pharmaco-Pinax. . . .
Aberdene, imprinted by Edward Raban, Anno 1625,' the
arms are slightly cracked. This crack is sufficient to
identify the same wood-block which was used until
Raban vanishes from the scene in 1649, and by his
successors Brown and the Forbeses until the beginning of
1 8th century. In this wood-block the leopards are both
full-faced, and the tails pass down between the hind legs.
The next woodcut in date appears on a broad-sheet,
' The Burger's Oath.' It is not dated, but as the Sovereign
to whom allegiance is sworn is Queen Anne, the date must
be between 1702 and 17 14. It is a debased copy of
Raban's block, which, however, has been carefully followed
in the position of the leopards.
I have yet another example, and one to which I can
positively assign a later date. It occurs on a broad-sheet
advertisement in Latin, in which the Provost, Magistrates,
and Council of Aberdeen, announce a competition to be
held for the office of undermaster in the Grammar School.
It is dated the first of May, 1717. It is smaller than either

ARMS OF THE BURGH, as shown on Woodblock used by Raban, 1624.

ARMS OF THE BURGH, as shown on Woodblock used by Raban, 1630.

"W-f«i'°--"'

Appendices. 101
of the former representations, and measures only 54 milo-
metres square, but to a limited extent the spirit of the old
engraver of Raban's block has been reinfused into the
design. Both leopards are full-faced, and the tails hang
down between the hind legs, but the three towers on the
shield are triple towered and the tressure is given with eight
fleur-de-lis. This block, which was cut for James Nicol,
who printed from 1710-1736, was afterwards used by his
successor, James Chalmers. It appears on the first number
of the Aberdeen Journal in 1747, and continued to head
that paper for a considerable time.
In 'The Aberdeen Printers,' now in the press, I have
mentioned the occurrence in some of the scarcest of
Raban's books of a woodcut representation of the arms
of the city of Aberdeen in a form not hitherto noticed by
any writer on the subject. A unicorn rampant supports a
shield with three towers on the field. There is very little
indication of the tressure, and the towers are not triple
towered. There is no motto or scroll attached.
Yours, &c,
J. P. Edmond."
— Aberdeen Journal, 21st November, 1883.

Appendix J J.
The Provost's Badge. 24th September, /760.
"The said day The double Council taking under
their Consideration the frequent proposals formerly made,
that the Magistrates of this City should wear Some
proper Badge of Distinction, so that their office should
be known on all occasions. They therefore unanimously
Agreed that the Provost should wear a Gold Chain in

102 Appendices.
the Same form with that of the Lord Provost of Edin
burgh ; And Appointed the Dean of Guild to provide
the same ; And the double Council Statute and ordained
that the said Gold Chain shall be worn by all Succeeding
Provosts ; And the Council further ordain, that in case
its agreable to the other Magistrates that they be
provided with Gold Chains also, in the Same form with
those of the Magistrates of Edinburgh, For all which
these presents shall be warrand." — Council Register, Vol.
LXII., p. 292.

Appendix K K.
" The Heraldry of tlte Public Buildings.
Before bringing our observations upon the Fine Arts
Exhibition to a close, it may not be out of place to make a
few remarks upon some examples of another branch of art
which come prominently under the notice of visitors to
the Exhibition. We refer to the windows of the Grand
Staircase. These are admirable specimens of glass-staining ; but in
several instances there are errors in the design of some of
the more important heraldic atchievements, which, we think,
should not have appeared in a work of such importance.
To begin with the Royal Arms. Here the supporters
are represented standing upon the scroll containing the
motto, instead of upon a compartment having the scroll
suspended from it. The badges of the three kingdoms are
wanting : an unpardonable omission in a prominent public
place ; and the want of these, with the inelegant drawing
of the scroll and the weight of mantling above the shield,
makes the representation look weak and unbalanced. The
sinister supporter, the lion, and also the lion of the crest,
are represented proper instead of or. This is improper.
It may or may not be an error of the stainer, but, in any
case, it should have no place here. The garter and scroll

Appendices. 103
ought to have been azure; but, as the ground of the
window is blue, the change to argent vindicates itself, and
may be passed over.
On either side of the Royal Arms are those of the City
of Aberdeen. In this case we find the colour of the sup
porters inaccurately represented ; instead of proper, they,
in contradistinction to the lion supporter of the Royal
Arms, are represented as being or. They are also repre
sented in different attitudes, one guardant and the other
not ; and neither the aspect nor the spots are those of
leopards. The arms themselves are beautifully designed, the ' three
towers triple-towered ' being most exactly represented.
This is a rare occurrence, for in the prevailing treatment
of the city ensigns they are commonly represented as
single towers.
But what shall we say to the representation of the Royal
tressure in the shield as or instead of argent ? This is a
blunder with a vengeance ; completely altering the arms,
and rendering them not those of the City of Aberdeen.
The unsightliness here, apart from the heraldic inaccuracy,
is obvious at a glance, as it destroys the harmony of the
silver towers within the silver tressure.
The compartment for the supporters, which is wanting
in the Royal Arms, is here beautifully supplied ; and the
badge of Scotland, the thistle, is added, where it might
properly have been omitted.
The practice of representing the supporters of the City
Arms in different attitudes has been of late coming into
fashion about the Council Chamber, and some other places ;
but it is both unsightly and inaccurate. The patent of the
arms confirmed to the city in 1674 by the Lyon King of
Arms, which is given at length in ' Kennedy's Annals,'
vol. i., page 25, blazons the arms as 'three towers triple-
towered within a double-tressure counterflowered argent,'
and the supporters as 'two leopards proper,' making no
mention of the dexter being guardant. This patent is the

104 Appendices.
authority by which the arms are borne. No confirmation
is needed ; but Sir George Mackenzie and Nisbet give
these blazons in their Treatises on Heraldry.
There is a drawing in the Provost's Room in the City
Chambers, furnished recently, we believe, by the Lyon
office, in which the dexter supporter is represented guard
ant. This may be the work of the painter in the Lyon
office ; but in the face of the patent it is of no authority,
although it may have led to the adoption of the present
fashion by those who were ignorant of the blazon given in
the patent.
The occurrence of supporters of the same kind in differ
ent attitudes is so rare in heraldry that some good reason
and authority must be adduced for their being so borne.
No one could alter the terms of the original patent except
the Lyon King of Arms ; and assuredly no application
could ever have been made to him to make an alteration
on the ancient atchievement of the City. of Aberdeen.
Turning to the opposite side of the staircase, we find in
the middle division of the window the Royal Arms of
Scotland. These are well designed, but the omission of
the badge of the kingdom, and also of the compartment
on which the supporters should be placed, again occurs.
However, from the better design and greater length of the
scroll the defect is less obvious here than in the Royal
Arms opposite ; but the compartment and the badge ought
to have been represented.
An inaccuracy occurs in the design of the crowns with
which the unicorns are collared. These, which ought to be
antique crowns, that is, crowns with points, are represented
as open or ducal crowns. The lion of the crest also, instead
of being depicted in the beautiful tincture of the lion in
the shield, is of some indefinable colour like faded pink.
A very unworthy representation of him !
To the right and left of this atchievement are represented
the arms of the three ancient earldoms comprised in the
shire of Aberdeen ; the Earldom of Mar, the Earldom,

Appendices. 105
afterwards Lordship, of Garioch, and the Earldom of
Buchan. These are very beautifully designed ; but the arms given
for Garioch are not those of the earldom or lordship : they
are those borne by Alexander Stewart, son of the Earl
of Buchan, who married the Countess of Mar in the
fifteenth century, from whom he acquired the Lordship of
Garioch ; and by the sons of James II. and James III.
while they held it. The arms of the earldom and lordship
were three open crozvns only ; the fess chequee being added
for Stewart during the time the lordship was possessed by
the Stewarts.
With respect to the badge of the Thistle, which appears
no less than four times in the windows, we find it encircled
by a belt containing the motto. This is a blunder. It
ought to have been surrounded by a plain circle containing
the motto. No badge is ever encircled by a belt, or motto
placed upon one, saving only the badge and motto of the
Order of the Garter — ' Honi soit qui mal y pense.'
We presume it is 'to the want of a heraldic subject that
we owe the inscription on one of the spaces in the east
window, which tells us that something was ' 1867 com
menced ; finished 1873.' Whether this perishable record
refers to the window or the building, as begun and ended of
these dates, does not appear ; but any uncertainty on the
point will be removed on turning to the cast of the Royal
Arms, from the old Court-House, which has been thought
worthy of a place in the wall of the staircase. There we
find the Royal Arms as they have not been borne since the
death of William the Fourth, namely : with the Arms of
Hanover on an escutcheon of pretence ; and the archaeo
logist of the future will thus be led to fix the date of the
building as prior to 1837 !
Before passing from the windows, we must say that the
beauty of the diapering in the shields is marvellous. This
enhances the regret that the designs are not perfect.
Leaving the staircase, we will just glance at the other
heraldic decorations of the building.

1 06 Appendices.
The carvings of the City Arms on the front of the main
tower, and above the melancholy effigy clad in Provost
Davidson's apocryphal armour, in the vestibule, being cut
in stone, will last for all time. The greater the pity, there
fore, that the towers should be there represented as single,
instead of triple-towered. The intractable nature of the
material may be some excuse for this, and for the general
heaviness of the composition ; but surely the supporters
might have had more of the lithe grace of leopards. They
seem to be meant for lionesses, a bearing unknown in
heraldry. One good point there is about them, however,
they are both represented in the same attitude.
As to the adornments of the Council Chamber, we shall
say no more than that they are such gross misrepresenta
tions of the Arms of the City as serve only to show what
heraldic bearings become in the hands of decorators." —
Free Press, 23rd October, 1873.

Appendix L L.
" Town House Heraldry.
Sir, In a letter to you dated 28th September, 1883,
Mr. George Angus expressed his belief that in the
collection of shields on the ceiling of the Council
Chamber ' there is but one inaccuracy.' This was
subsequently denied by two correspondents, 'A Chevron,'
and ' D.' No case in point, however, was then instanced,
as, in criticising the erroneous descriptions of these shields
contained in a published account of the collection, the
much more serious errors in the shields themselves were
not prominently brought forward.
A very cursory inspection of the ceiling, however, is
enough to show one that gross errors are not far to
seek. If there be any arms which it might have been
expected would be shown with accuracy in accordance

j4ppendices. 107
with the recognised and easily accessible forms of
representation, surely such are the bearings of the two
ancient Universities of Aberdeen. What, then, do we find ?
They are very pretty, the shields on the ceilings there,
but their chief value lies in the fact that they illustrate,
within convenient limits, all the kinds of errors that can be
introduced into such heraldic collections. Thus : —
1. Arms are arbitrarily assigned to persons having no
right to such.
2. Where the right is unquestionable, the bearings are in
many cases represented incorrectly.
3. Throughout the series an attempt has been made
to unite, in a most curious manner, the representation
of bearings in high relief and in the tinctures used on
a flat surface.
4. While the crowns of sovereigns, the coronets of
nobles, the mitres of bishops, and the helms apfrontee
of knights are placed above their shields, the helms in
profile of esquires and of gentlemen are systematically
omitted, although, as heraldic accessories to escutcheons,
these are exactly on a level with the former.
5. The entrance to the rectangular room being in one
of the longer sides, the shields are presented sideways
to the entrant.
6. So far as any guiding principle can be traced in
the arrangement of the shields, it would seem that the
ceiling had been looked on as if it stood upright, with
the result that the more honoured coat — that of the
City of Aberdeen — being placed on the dexter side of
the Scottish arms, appears above the head of the person
who sits to the left of the Lord Provost's chair, while
the coat of Old Aberdeen has the place of honour on
the right hand.
7. But in reality, in the arrangement there is no
historical continuity whatsoever, blank shields being
scattered in an apparently promiscuous manner through
out the series.

108 Appendices.
It only remained that, taking the collection as it
stands, an utterly incorrect description should be pub
lished. This has been furnished by the work referred
to above — 'Aberdeen Townhall Armorial Bearings.'
Aberdeen : Printed at the Free Press Office. 1877.
I am, &c, P. J. A."
— Aberdeen Journal, March 12, 1884.
" The City Arms and Town House Heraldry.
Sir, In the letter which appeared in your paper
of the 12th inst, 'P. J. A.,' criticising the armorial
bearings represented on the ceiling of the Council
chamber, remarks that if any arms might have been ex
pected to be shown with accuracy they were those of
the ancient Universities of Aberdeen, and the errors in
their representation are specially noted.
Towards the conclusion of his letter he refers to the
shield of arms of the city of Aberdeen as being placed
in a less honourable position on the ceiling than it
ought to have occupied. The bearings on the shield,
however, did not come within the scope of his criticism.
But if there is one shield above all others, even those
of the Universities, in which error is inexcusable, surely
it is that which purports to bear the arms of the city.
Yet here, notwithstanding that the patent of the arms,
which is in the possession of the city authorities, was
accessible, the bearings are shown, not as towers triple-
towered, but as castles, a change which entirely alters
the character of the arms, making them more like those
of the city of Newcastle, or the city of Dublin, than
those of the city of Aberdeen.
I am, &c, Z [John Cruickshank]."
— Aberdeen Journal, March 19, 1884.

Appendices. 109
Appendix M M.
"Aberdeen Heraldry. Edinburgh, 2/st Sept., /88j.
Sir, I believe that a good deal of condemnatory criticism
has been directed against attempts that have been made of
recent years in Aberdeen in the way of heraldic decoration.
Not without justice, it must be confessed ; for it would
seem that many of those in authority know little and
care less about the exact details of their city's coat
of arms. Witness the Council Chamber and the Trinity
Hall. At the same time it may be urged in extenuation
that they are but following examples in high places.
Even the Lyon sometimes nods. The emblazonment of
the Aberdeen arms certified by him two years ago, and
recently exhibited at the meeting of the British Associ
ation, is not in accordance with the terms of the patent
of 1674 ; for, while the latter makes no reference to the
doors and windows of the three towers, in the former they
are depicted black, instead of red, the colour of the field.
Now, this is in direct contradiction to the principles laid
down by the recognised authorities. 'The Gate,' says
Guillim, ' must be conceived to be transparent, so as the
Field doth manifestly shew itself thorow the same.' So
Sir George Mackenzie : — ' But if the Blazon assign not the
Tincture of the Ports, then these are shewn open of the
Field.' And Nisbet : — ' When the Windows and Ports of
the Castles and other Buildings are of a different Tincture
from the Field, the Windows and Ports are supposed to be
shut, and must be so exprest in the Blazon.' More recent
writers follow these. *
" Nisbet," wrote the Lyon when his attention was directed to this criticism
(25th September), "is the highest authority on Scottish practice, and the
passage from that herald, if the author of the letter had quoted it in its
integrity, would not have sanctioned his inference. It is (Vol. I, p. 418, Ed.
1722) — 'when the windows and ports of the castle are of a different tincture
from the field and building, the windows and ports are supposed to be shut,

no Appendices.
Is any authentic example known of the appearance of
the three towers prior to 1624 ? Marischal College was
founded in 1593, and on the old seal of the College,
bearing the legend 'Insignia Academ Marischal. Abredon.',
there appears but one tower. What is the date of the seal
shown on the title page of the second volume of Kennedy's
' Annals,' bearing the inscription ' Sigillum secretum burgi
Abirdonen ad causas'? Can the three towers have any
connection with the ' tria propugnacula ' of Johnston's well-
known epigram?*
Then again — as to the story of the grant of arms by
Robert Bruce — can this legend really be traced to Hector
Boece, or does it appear for the first time in Sir Charles
Erskine's Patent? If I recollect aright, some defence of
the fable was recently attemped ; but it must be re
membered that Dr. Joseph Robertson's demolition of it
has been endorsed by -no less competent authorities than
Professor Cosmo Innes and Mr. John Hill Burton, The
oldest city seal, of the design on which the latter coat is
manifestly a transference (as is the case with many other
Scottish burghs), is of greater antiquity. It is known to
have been used in the reign of David I.
Yours, &c,
I. H. G."
— Aberdeen Journal, 23rd September, 1885.
and must be so expressed in the blazon ; if the windows and ports are of the
tincture of the field so that the field is seen through them, they are then
supposed to be open, which is to be expressed in the blazon, and for which the
French say ajoure, as of other figures that are voided of the field.' The verbal
blazon of the Arms of Aberdeen in the Lyon Register neither describes the
doors and windows as of a different tincture from the field nor as open ; and
therefore agreeably to our usage, which is substantially in accordance with
Nisbet's Canon, they are of the tincture of the totvers themselves, but shaded,
which no doubt may give an impression something like sable."
* " Quid meinorem ternos, tria propugnacula, colles
Qualibus Urbs surgit qua caput Orbis erat ? "
Arturi Jonstoni Poemata, Middelb., 1642, p. 440.
Englished thus : —
"What need I further the three Hills to name
Which as three Bulwarks fortifie the Same
Like these on which that City doth stand
Which once as Head did all the Earth command."
Skene's Succinct Survey, p. 259.

Appendices. 1 1 1
"Aberdeen Heraldry.
Sir, I wish to offer one or two observations on the
statements made by 'I. H. G.' in his letter to you of
2 1 st ult
I think the reference to the Trinity or Trades Hall is
hardly justifiable. With the exception of one represent
ation of the arms of the city, the heraldic decorations in
that hall consist of the armorial ensigns of the Seven
Incorporated Trades ; and they are, in the main, in
accordance with the patents granted to the several trades
by the Lyon King of Arms 1681-1696.
' I. H. G.'s ' animadversions on the emblazonment of the
arms of the city, certified by the Lyon King in 1883 as
being in accordance with the patent of 1674, are unwarrant
able. He asserts that ' while the patent makes no reference
to the doors and windows of the three towers in the
emblazonment, they are depicted black instead of red,
the colour of the field.' Now, it is not the case that they
are depicted black ; they are depicted of the colour of the
towers — viz., white, and the blackness which he ascribes to
them is only the usual shading, which is requisite in such
representations. What ' I. H. G.' would recognise when he asks whether
there is ' any authentic example known of the appearance
of the three towers before 1624,' I fail to apprehend, or
why what date is fixed upon. Perhaps it has reference to
the earliest examples of printers' book representations,
which appear in that year ; but an example carved in oak
is in the vestry of East St. Nicholas Church, amongst other
fine specimens of oak carving saved from the spoliation of
the old edifice, and it shows the three towers and bears the
date 1606.
' I. H. G.'s ' question, whether the ' three towers have any
connection with the tria propugnacula of Johnston's well-
known epigram,' is worthy of regard. It points to the
probability that the three hills on which the city then stood

1 1 2 Appendices.
— Castle Hill, St. Catherine's Hill, and the Gallowgate or
Windmill Hill, which the epigram implies were fortified,
did suggest the adoption in the arms of three towers in
place of one. Yours, &c, [John] C[ruickshank]."
r— Aberdeen Journal, 29th October, 1885.

Appendix N N.
Aberdeen Heraldic Devices*
The Aberdeen arms, or some portions thereof, have been
frequently introduced into heraldic compositions, authorita
tive or otherwise. The seven Trade Incorporations of the
City, at a time when these bodies were more influential
than they now are, received formal grants of arms from the
Lyon King. These are interesting as being, with the
curious exception of the like grants to the Trades of far
distant Stornoway,-|- the only instance, in Scotland, where
such Incorporations have been recognised by the heraldic
authorities. The blazons are given below, from the original
Record, with the dates of Registration. The cause is
unknown of the new Grant to the Wrights and Coopers,
embodying the full City Arms, instead of the single tower,
and with the addition of a crest. The emblazonment
accompanying this new grant is the only one that has
survived. It is reproduced in the accompanying illustra
tion. Trade Incorporations. %
I. Hammermen [15th May, 1682]. — Gules, a dexter
arm issuing from the sinister flank fessways, the
* See correspondence on the subject of Heraldic Representations in
Aberdeen, in the Aberdeen Journal for September 26, and October 1, 4, 5,
9. io, 1883.
t Dated 29th August, 1772.
+ See ' Inscriptions from the Shields or Panels of the Incorporated Trades.'
By Andrew Jervise. Aberdeen, 1863. And ' Coats Armorial of Scottish Trade
Incorporations.' [P. J. Anderson.] Aberdeen, 1886.

ARMS OF THE WRIGHTS AND COOPERS' INCORPORATION OF ABERDEEN,
from the Emblazonment supplied by the Lyon Office in 1696.

Appendices. . 113
hand bearing a smith's hammer proper hafted
argent, and over it a crown or ; in the dexter
nombril a smith's anvil of the second, and above
the same in chief a tower of Aberdeen. Motto :
Finis coronat opus.
II. Bakers [15th May, 1682]. — Or, two baker's peels in
saltire gules, each charged with three loaves in pale
argent, between a tower of Aberdeen in chief, and
a millrind in base of the third [!] Motto : Floreant
Pistores.
III. Wrights and Coopers [168 ?]. — Quarterly. First:
Gules, a tower of Aberdeen. Second : Gules, a
compass or. Third : Azure, a square or. Fourth :
Azure, a wright's axe argent, slassed or. Motto :
Our Redeemer liveth for ever.
Wrights & Coopers [6th April, 1696. New Grant].
— Quarterly. First : Gules, a wright's compass or.
Second : Azure, a cooper's axe argent. Third :
Azure, a square or. Fourth : Gules, a cooper's
compass or. Over all, on a escutcheon, the Coat
of the Royal Burgh of Aberdeen. Above the
shield, on a suitable helmet with a mantle gules
doubled argent, and wreath or, gules argent and
azure, is set for crest an adder in circle proper,
with this motto is an escroll above : Our Redeemer
liveth for ever.
IV. TAILORS [15th May, 1682]. — Quarterly. First: Gules,
a tower of Aberdeen. Second : Azure, a pair of
scissors or. Third : Argent, a smoothing iron azure.
Fourth : Gules, a tailor's bodkin proper, hafted or.
Motto : In God is our Trust.
V. Shoemakers [18th November, 1681]. — Gules, a shoe
maker's shaping knife fessways, with the edge
turned towards the chief, the blade proper and
hafted argent ; over the same a crown or ; and in
the dexter canton a tower of Aberdeen. Motto :
Lord crown us with Glory.

1 1 4 Appendices.
VI. Weavers [15th May, 1682].— Azure, three leopard's
heads erased argent, each having in its mouth a
weaver's shuttle or ; in the middle chief a tower of
Aberdeen. Motto : Spero in Deo et Ipse facit.
VII. FLESHERS [15th May, 1682].— Gules, three flesher's
knives fessways in pale, and on the dexter side an
axe paleways, the edge towards the sinister, all the
blades proper and hafted argent ; in the middle
chief a tower of Aberdeen. Motto : Virtute vivo.
The principal Academic Institutions of Aberdeen have
been in use to employ coats of arms indicating their con
nection with the city of Bon-Accord, but none of these
have obtained official sanction* So far, however, as
Marischal College and University was concerned, a pre
scriptive right can be claimed dating back to a period
anterior to the Act of 1672.
Marischal College and University. -f
Quarterly. First and fourth : Argent, a chief paly of six
or and gules (the ancient bearings of the name of Keith).
Second and third : Gules, a tower of Aberdeen. Crest :
The Sun in his splendour. Motto : Luceo.
The University of Aberdeen.%
Quarterly. First : Azure, a bough pot or, holding three
lilies of the garden stalked and leaved proper, flowered
argent, the dexter in bud, the sinister half-blown, the
centre full blown, the bough pot charged with as many
salmon fishes in fret proper ; issuant downwards from the
* [By Codicil, of date 25th February, 1888, Mr. Cruickshank bequeathed
" Fifty Pounds to the University of Aberdeen for the purpose of obtaining a
proper coat of arms for the said University from the Lyon Court, payable to
the Principal of said University for the time being."]
t See a short account of the Seals of Marischal College in Notes and
Queries for March 28, 1885 ; 6th S. xi. 250.
X See 'Records of the Arts Class, 1868-72.' By P. J. Anderson. Aberdeen,
1882, Appendix m., p. 103. And Alma Mater for February 2, 1887, Vol.
iv., p. no.

ARMS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF ABERDEEN.

ARMS OF THE GRAMMAR SCHOOL OF ABERDEEN.

• IBB > CO.LITHRf

Appendices. 1 1 5
centre chief amid rays of the sun a dexter hand holding a
book expanded all proper (the bearings of University and
King's College). Second : Keith, as in Marischal College
coat. Third : Argent, a chevron sable between three boars'
heads, erased gules (Elphinstone). Fourth : Gules, a tower
of Aberdeen. Motto : Initium Sapiential Timor Domini.
The Grammar School. *
Gules, a tower of Aberdeen ; impaling on the same field
a sword paleways proper, hilted and pommelled or, between
three padlocks argent (Dun) ; on a chief of the last a saltire
azure, charged with a book expanded fessways proper,
garnished or. Robert Gordon's College.^
Quarterly. First and fourth : Azure, three boars' heads
erased within a bordure or (Gordon of Pitlurg differenced).
Second : Argent, on a chief indented vert, three crescents of
the field (Simpson). Third : Gules, a tower of Aberdeen.
The two local Banking Companies have assumed
armorial bearings, which, it must be admitted, are not
altogether inappropriate. %
The Town and County Bank, Ld.
Gules, a besant between two towers of Aberdeen in
chief, and a garb in base.
The North of Scotland Bank, Ld,
Checquy or and azure, a saltire argent between three
towers of Aberdeen in chief and flanks.
* See a correspondence on the subject of "The So-called Grammar Schoo!
Coat of Arms" in the Free Press, May 17, 19, 20, 21, 1884.
tSee the Aberdeen Journal, May 15, 16, 17, 1882.
+ The Bank of Scotland was granted arms in 1701 ; and the National Bank
of Scotland in 1826.

1 1 6 Appendices.
The Harbour Commission employ a quartered coat,
equally without warrant. First and fourth : Or, a cable
bendways proper. Second: Aberdeen. Third: Argent,
a ship in full sail proper.
Even the Great North of Scotland Railway Compa?iy
have been known to use a shield shewing— Quarterly :
Scotland and Aberdeen ! But the subject becomes painful.*

Appendix O O.
Correspondence with the Lyon anent the Aberdeen
Armorial Ensigns.
I.
City Chamberlain's Office,
Aberdeen, /jth March, /883.
Sir, By the patent issued by Sir Charles Erskine,
Lyon King of Arms, of date 1674, the supporters of the
Arms of the City of Aberdeen are described as leopards
proper. In the emblazonment which accompanied it, certified
by Mr. Robert Innes, his clerk, the dexter supporter
is represented guardant and the sinister in profile. From
several existing examples of date prior to the issuing
of the emblazonment it would appear that the leopards
were usually borne both guardant.
* "The practice of corporations, whether for municipal or for trading
purposes, having armorial ensigns, has prevailed for a long period ; and, from
the present rapid increase of various trading companies (limited), seems likely
to prevail to an unlimited extent. In such cases the existence of the King-at-
Arms seems quite ignored, and every banking or other company appears to
feel justified in assuming any heraldic blazon it thinks proper. It should,
however, be known that the right of any corporate body to use armorial
ensigns rests entirely on the same grounds, and is given and protected by the
same constitutional authority, as that of private individuals and families ; and
no corporation — municipal, ecclesiastical, or commercial — can legally use them
without such authority." — Laing's Seals, Suppl. Vol., p. xx.

Appendices.

117

Will you be so good as inform me at your early
convenience whether the emblazonment is right, and
what is the correct bearing of the leopards?
I am, Sir,
Your obedient servant,
P. M. Cran,
City Chamberlain.
George Burnett, Esq.,
Lyon King of Arms,
Edinburgh. II. Lyon Office,
Edinburgh, /oth March, /883.
Dear Sir,
1 have your letter about the supporters
of the arms of the City of Aberdeen. They are
blazoned in our books as 'two leopards proper.' There
is no authority there for either being represented
gardant. The words quoted imply that both are in
profile ; but there is no drawing accompanying the
record of the Patent. I cannot account for the liberty
which the artist seems to have taken ; but, in a strict
question of armorial right, the words of the Patent
must regulate the matter. Yours faithfully,
George Burnett,
Lyon.
P. M. Cran, Esq.,
City Chamberlain,
Aberdeen.

III.
City Chamberlain's Office,
Aberdeen, 22nd March, /883.

Aberdeen City Arms.
Dear Sir,
I am much obliged by your letter of the
19th inst, with which I am personally quite satisfied.

1 1 8 Appendices.
I beg leave, however, to enclose copy Memorandum by
two gentlemen in Aberdeen who interest themselves in
these matters, and to whom I have shown your letter, but
who think I have not put the matter fully before you.
Will you kindly consider what they state in the Memor
andum, and let me know if it in any way alters the opinion
you have expressed that the leopards ought to be both in
profile. I am, Dear Sir,
Yours faithfully,
P. M. Cran,
George Burnett, Esq., City Chamberlain.
Lyon King,
Edinburgh. Aberdeen City Arms.
Notes respectfully submitted for the Lyon King of Arms.
By usage prior to the renewed patent of 1674 the supporters were borne
gardant. For example, they are so represented on two leaden plaques, dated
1635 an<^ '^39i which were saved from the destruction of the Church of St.
Nicholas in 1835, and on Gordon's plan of the City, 1661.
There is no reason to suppose that it was intended to change them in the
new patent, and it is suggested, with diffidence, that being leopards, the
practice in regard to which seems to have been at one time exceptional in
Scotland, the word gardant may have been thought unnecessary.
Nisbet seems to hold in his Essay on Armories, chap, xiv., pp. 162-3, that
the position of leopards should be gardant. In his Heraldry he blazons the
supporters of Montgomery of Lainshaw ' two leopards proper,' and shows
them in the engraving gardant.
If, then, the Lyon should see fit to sanction the use of the supporters
gardant, it seems desirable that he should do so, iri order that the original
usage may be maintained.
It may be noted that they have been represented gardant in good examples
since the date of the patent. The use of one in profile, indeed, seems only of
recent date. In the drawing issued with the patent the towers are not triple
towered, and the tressure is faulty in one part.
IV. Lyon Office,
Edinburgh, 26th March, 1883.
Dear Sir,
I have to thank you for your letter
mentioning the interesting fact, not before known to

Appendices. 119
me, about the representations of the arms of Aberdeen
taken from the church of St. Nicholas. I am well
acquainted with the passages in Nisbet bearing on the
subject of Leopards, including one in his Heraldry,
vol. ii., p* 2, p. 390. A Leopard in French heraldry
used to mean what we call a Lion PASSANT gardant
But both in England and in Scotland the Leopard has
always been considered to be the animal so called, with
the spots belonging to it, and without the mane.
Edmondson, in his 'Complete Body of Heraldry,' says,
' Leopards are borne in arms in the same positions as
Lions, and such positions are expressed in the like
terms as those of Lions.' I do not think it possible to
presume that in any Scottish official blazon a Leopard
can mean either a Lion passant gardant, or still less,
a Lion Rampant gardant.
A Lion as a supporter is presumed to be rampant, and
unless we adopt the French nomenclature, I think the
same principle must be applied to a Leopard.
What I have said, however, only applies to the strict
legal interpretation of the blazon in Sir Charles Erskine's
patent In an archaeological point of view the persistent
recurrence of the gardant attitude in representations of
date 1635 and 1639, is of very considerable moment,
and does certainly suggest that some confused idea
about the French 'lion leopard^' and 'leopard lionn£'
may have led to the existing blazon. I would attach no
weight however to the attitudes in the .drawing, which
must be considered a mere whim of the artist The
towers ought certainly to be 'triple towered.'
I am, Dear Sir,
Yours faithfully,
George Burnett,
Lyon.

1 20 Appendices.

v.
City Chamberlain's Office,
Aberdeen, 3/st March, /883-
The Arms of Aberdeen.
Dear Sir,
I have to thank you for your obliging letter
of the 26th inst.
The Town Council of Aberdeen have agreed to present
to the New Town Hall in Lerwick a carving in granite of
the Arms of the City. <
For this purpose, and on other grounds, the Council
should have a correct blazon of the ' Arms of old belonging
to the Burgh,' and if it were not expensive I would ask
you to have one executed and sent me. Will you kindly
let me know what the cost would be ?
I am, Dear Sir,
Yours faithfully,
P. M. Cran,
George Burnett, Esq., City Chamberlain.
Lyon King of Arms,
Edinburgh.
P.S. — I enclose an additional Memorandum which I have
just received as to the ancient usage in the matter of the
Arms — as to the value of which you are best able to judge.
Memoranda relating to some examples of the Arms of the
City of Aberdeen.
1. One with date from the roof of St. Nicholas Church is dated 1635.
Another from that Church is dated 1639. Size, \%\" x 16".
2. There is also a representation of the Arms in Edward Raban's ' Canons
and Constitutions Ecclesiasticall.' 'Published by authorite. Aberdene.
Imprinted by Eduard Raban, duelling upon the Market Place at the
Arms of the Citie, 1636. With royal privilege.' The wood-block
has a slight crack from top to bottom. In these examples the
leopards are all gardant.
3. The block used by Raban is used by his successor John Forbes in 1662
in printing ' Generall Demands concerning the late Covenant ' — and

Appendices. 1 2 1
in the same vol. before ' Duplyes of the Ministers and Professors of
Aberdene,' and in ' Succinct Survey of Aberdeen, 1685.' It is also-
used in a print of regulations about Bell and Petty Customs by the
Magistrates, dated 1679. In a print of regulations dated 1707 a new
block is used, and the Arms represented exactly as in Raban's block.
4. A stamp exists which appears by record to have been used by the Weaver
Incorporation in the 17th century and till 1722. Supporters gardant.
5. On the Cross erected 1688 the leopards are boldly carved. Gardant.
6. On the canopy over the Magistrates' Gallery in St. Nicholas (West)
Church, finished in 1755, the leopards are gardant — a fine carving.
7. On Mr. Gordon's 'map of the City, 1661, the supporters are gardant.
8. On an old drum which belonged to the Corporation the arms are em
bossed on copper — it is believed to be of the early years of the 17th
century — very well executed— supporters gardant.
No example of both in profile is known till 1867-73, where on the new
Municipal Buildings both supporters are represented in profile — except im
pressions of the City Seal, which are in existence, and used on deeds bearing
date 1588 and downwards. A drawing of the Seal is enclosed as engraved in
Kennedy's ' Annals of Aberdeen,' Vol. I. (frontispiece).
VI. Lyon Office,
Edinburgh, 6th April, /883.
Dear Sir, I have to thank you much for your
letter and its enclosures. It is quite clear that a usage
at one time prevailed of bearing the leopards full-faced ;
but, on the other hand, when the oldest historical evidence,
that of the seal of the burgh, bearing date as far back
as 1588 (and which of course possesses far more weight
than the other examples), coincides with the verbal blazon
of 1672, as I am bound to interpret it, I do not see
that I have any choice in the1 matter, and in an official
drawing executed here, I would be bound to direct that
the supporters should be represented in profile.
As the drawing suggested is for a granite carving, I
presume it is to be in black and white only, in which case
the cost would not exceed £1.
Yours faithfully,
George Burnett,
P. M. Cran, Esq., Lyon.
City Chamberlain,
Aberdeen.

printers :
milne and hutchison,
aberdeen.