1892-93.] 509 



enemies (also typified by the armorial bearings) is finely intro- 

 duced in Lord Macaulay's " Armada " — 



" Look how the lion of the sea lifts up his ancient crown, 



And underneath his deadly paws treads the gay lilies down ; 



So stalked he when he turned to flight on that famed Picard field, 



Bohemia's plume, Genoa's bow, and Caesar's eagle shield ; 



So glared he when at Agincourt in wrath he turned to bay, 



And crushed and torn beneath his claws the princely hunters lay." 



The introduction of the French lilies on the English shield 

 by Edward III. in 1340, when prosecuting his claim to the 

 French throne, and the various changes in form and position 

 until finally expunged in 1801 were dwelt on in detail. The 

 successive changes in the different reigns were illustrated by a 

 series of heraldic shields cleverly sketched out in diagram form. 



THE SUPPORTERS OF THE ROYAL SHIELD. 



Until the reign of King James I. there was no settled under- 

 standing concerning the use of supporters, each sovereign 

 adopting what pleased him best. We find angels, antelopes, 

 white harts, white lions, &c. Richard III. had a lion and a 

 boar ; Henry VII., a lion and a greyhound ; his son, Henry 

 VIIL, first of the Tudor sovereigns, a golden lion and a red 

 dragon, the latter as indicating his descent from Owen Tudor 

 and the Princes of Wales ; Edward VI., Mary, and Elizabeth 

 had the same. On legislative union with Scotland in 1603, 

 one of the Scottish supporters, the Unicorn, was substituted 

 for the Welsh dragon. From this time to the present, the Lion 

 and Unicorn have remained as sovereign emblems of power and 

 majesty. 



The legendary history of the mythical unicorn must be 

 passed over in a few words. The oldest author who describes 

 it is Etesias (b.c. 400). Aristotle, Pliny, and other ancient 

 writers also speak of it. It is several times referred to in Scrip- 

 ture. During the middle ages it was a favourite emblem of 

 Christ. Its horn was considered a certain test for poison, and 

 rendered a poisoned chalice harmless. The one horn symbolizes 

 the great Gospel doctrine that Christ is one with God. 



