36 THE ECCLESIASTICAL SEALS OE CORNWALL. 



TJie fleur-de-hjs^ is the emblem of the Blessed Virgin, and 

 marks the selection of St. Mary's Church, Truro, as the new 

 Cathedral site. 



The hordure is derived from the arms of the county of Corn- 

 wall which the Diocese includes. 



The mitre, in place of crest, as in similar instances, needs no 

 explanation. 



SEAL OF THE FIRST BISHOP, (1877). 

 In form an Ichthys, or vesica piscis. It is about three and a 

 quarter inches in length by two and a quarter in breadth. It 

 displays, as its border legend : — 



^ S : EDUAEDI • WHITE • BENSON- P : I) : 



EPISCOPI • TEVEONENSIS • PEIMI. 



In the centre, beneath the mitre with its infulse, is a shield 



charged with the arms of the See, described above, impaling, 



for Benson: — "Argent, a quatrefoil between two trefoils 



slipped in bend sable, between double cottises gules." {See Plate.) 



SEAL OF THE SECOND BISHOP, (1883). 

 Now in use. Similar to the foregoing in size and form. Its 

 legend is : — 



>h S.' GEOEG.' HOWAED : WILKINSON: 

 TEVEONENSIS : EPISCOPI. 

 The shield exhibits the episcopal arms, as above, impaling, 

 for Wilkinson, "A fesse erm : between three unicorns passant." 

 (Of the tinctures and form of fesse, see below*") 



It is to be noted that instead of all the fifteen bezants appear- 

 ing, as in the first seal, upon the part of the bordure in view, 

 only seven and a half are shewn, an arrangement recommended 



* Burke in his " General Armory " gives a list of many families of Wilkin- 

 son, with their Arms, and the Bishop informs me that the reference, therein, to 

 " Wilkinson of Coxhoe, Co. Durham, descended from ancestoi's at Crossgate and 

 Newcastle " relates to his family. The Arms of that branch are described by 

 Burke thus : — " Gules a fesse wavy between three unicorns argent." It will be 

 seen that the Arms on his Lordship's Seal are different. The fesse is not wavy. 

 The charges resemble inform those which Burke h^s given under the reference 

 " Wilkinson of Harpley and Kyo, Co. Durham" and "Wilkinson of Harperly 

 Park formerly of Stockton " viz : — "' Azure, a fesse erminois between three 

 unicorns passant argent." The explanation of this has not reached me in time 

 for insertion here, in consequence of the Bishop's absence on duty and the iUness 

 of one of the Heralds. 



