Arms ov thk Rovai. BrR(;H ok Sanqihar. 87 



different, for the shield in the one case is blue and in the 

 other it is white. I'he Crichtons of Sanquhar, too, diirini,'- 

 their connection with our district appear to ha\e al\va\s 

 quartereci the Ross arms, viz., or tiiree water budgets sahlc, 

 along' with their own. Such appear on the seal of Robert, 

 Lord Crichton of vSanquhar, 1509, as well as on the seals 

 of other members of the family. One would be inclined to 

 think, therefore, that had the coat of arms of the Lord of 

 the >Linor been used as a model for that of the burgh that 

 the colours of the older of the two families, the Rosses, 

 would have found a place thereon, especially as the first 

 burghal privileges must have been granted in their time. 



I am inclined to think, therefore, that the colours upon 

 our burgh coat are simply the old national colours, and 

 were suggested by the old blue banner of Scotland, the St. 

 Andrews white cross on a blue field. When this flag 

 was adopted as the national banner of Scotland we can- 

 not tell definitely. Hector Boece in 1520 tells us that it 

 was adopted by King Hungus or Angus in the eighth 

 century, who had a vision of St Andrew, who promised him 

 victory. " Ane shinand croce was seen in the lift," says 

 Bellenden, the translator of Boece, " straucht above the 

 army of the Pichtis not unlike to the samin croce that the 

 apostle died on. This croce vanist never out of the lift 

 quhil the victory succeedit to the Pichtis." After this, says 

 the old chronicler, " the crose of St. Andro " was taken as 

 the Picts ensign. The colours of the flag were, of course, 

 suggested bv the white shining cross against the blue sky. 

 We find this legend duly recorded as early as 1165, and it 

 mav be taken, I think, that from that time the old blue 

 banner would be more or less used by our Scottish fore- 

 fathers, and, as I have said, I think that it is from here that 

 our burgh colours are taken. 



The burgh colours are worn in uniform by the burgh 

 and cornet's officers in Sanquhar, their uniforms being blue 

 with white facings. The uniform worn by the late respected 

 burgh officer, James Stoddart, was of blue with black 

 facings. These colours may have been suggested by the 

 blue field and sable markings of the burgh ensign. From 



