Devizes Seals. 237 
xxi of the “Archzologia,” and also in the “Antiquities of Bristow,” 
1834, has the following remarks relative to the device of a castle, 
as borne on each of the Devizes Seals. 
‘‘Upon an inspection of the more ancient Borough Seals, I believe it will be 
found that the device of a Castle is peculiar, in a great degree, to those which 
were under the jurisdiction of a feudal lord, from whom they derived all their 
municipal privileges, and that the representation of a Castle was retained upon 
those seals, as evidence of their original dependance, long after their liberties 
were confirmed.” 
The device thus borne by the early Burgesses of Devizes on 
their common seal, (in reference to the fortress of that place, erected, 
or rather re-edified, by Roger, Bishop of Salisbury, temp. Henry I.), 
was afterwards adopted as the armorial bearing of the town, and 
confirmed to the Mayor and Burgesses by the Heralds at their 
several Visitations of the County. 
The following memorandum, copied from the Wilts Visitation of 
1565 in the Library of the British Museum, (MS. Harl. No. 1443), 
accompanies a sketch of the arms of Devizes. 
‘* These Armes are apperteining and belonging to the Mayor, Aldermen, and 
Burgesses of the Towne and Borough of the Deuises, in the County of Wilts. 
Which Armes I Clarenceux, King of Armes, haue not oneley Ratified and Con- 
firmed to the said Mayor, Aldermen, and Burgisses, and their successors, but 
also recorded the same in thisVisitacon, made in the Countie of Wilton. At which 
tyme Edward Haynes was Mayor; Thomas Hull, Coroner; Richard Bayle, 
Robert Lewyn, John Blanford, Henry Morrys, Anthony Cley, John Burd, and 
JohnWytts, Aldermen; Henry Grubb and Nicholas Alleyne, Constables; Richard 
Gifford and Henry Smith, Bayleiffs; John Hodnett, Recorder and Townclark ; 
Christopher Jones and William Smith, Vnder Aldermen of the said Towne and 
Borough.” 
Another memorandum which follows, is taken from the Wilts 
Visitation of 1623, (MS. Harl. No. 1165). 
‘These are the Armes and comon Seale of the Towne and Borough of the 
Devises in the Countie of Wilts, which hath bene incorporated by the auncient 
Kings of this Land, as, namely, by Maude the Empresse, and confirmed by the 
succeedinge Kings, as Hen. 2, Kinge John, Hen. 3, Edw. 3, Richard 2, Henr. 
5, Hen. 6, Hen. 8, Edw. 6, Queene Elizabeth, with divers Privilidges and greate 
Imunities, by the name of Major and Burgesses of the Borough of the Deyises, 
all which privilidges and Imunities were ratified and confirmed by our Soveraigne 
Lord King James, the 10 day of Julie, in the 3 yeare of his Highness Raigne, 
And at this present Visitacon the 4 daye of October, 1623, was John Allen, 
1A drawing and description of the Seal of 1608, with this memorandum 
annexed, will be found in the British Museum, Additional MS§,, No, 5832, p.171. 
