River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1878-01-10
The Arms OF Great Britain.

NV Young readers have doubtless ofte
observed upon familiar objects, such a
books, china and steelNate, etc, the de-
vice of q lion and horse sometimes rep
resented as aunicorn) Supporting between
them shield. surmounted by crown
On the shield are certain divisions called
quartcrings,n in cAe of which you will
observe two lionh and horse Attached
to the whole is the motto, Dieu ct mon
droit- French words, whose meaning is
"God and my ri ht.'
- Ii you inquire, you will be told that
this device is the" coat-of-afins of Great
Britain,-as the eagle, shield and olive
branch is that of the United States, and
that all articles thus marked are of Brit
ish manufacture.
In old times the national symbol of
England was the rose, of Scotland the
thistle, of Ireland the shamrock, or clover.
when England claimed Ireland and
Scotland, these three were united on the
British royal shield, as we find them IN
the time of Queen Elizabeth. On VIC
tory over France q unicorn, was also added.
the unicorn wearing chain, to denote,
the subsection of France to England.
When new sovereign SiaaoDods 10 the
crown, he has a right to place his own
family coat of-arms on the royal shield of
Great Britain. George the First did this.
The two lions and the white horse, which
you see on one Of the quarterings, IS the
coat of arms of the Guelsslls, VINO were
dukes of Brunswick and Hanover in Ger
many. 1t is therefore called the arms of
the House of Brunswick, and it is about
this that / now design to tell you.
We read in history that when the great
Charle-magne conquered the northern
countries, one of the Saxon leaders, named
Wittikind, refused 10 submit to him, and
that, in consequence, many bloody bat.
ties were fought, wherein the Saxons bore
in their van a tall pole surmounted by a
wooden horses head This was their en-
sign; and when they afterward became
more civilized, thcT retained they same
emblem,-a white horse painted upon a
black ground, which remains to this
day the standard or banner ct Tie little
kingdom of SaSonv.
Ia the year o01,-just about one thous-
and years ago,-Bruno, the son Of Saxon
king, founded city in SaXony which he
called after himself Brunoins Vicus, now
known as Brunswick He retaiaea rs
the standard of Brunswick, the white
horse of Saxony, and thus it remained
until the end OF the three succeeding
centuries. About that time the reigning
prince of Brunswick was certain Henry
Guelph, leader in the Crusades, noted
for his strength and daring, which nc
quired for him the title of Henry the
Lion. This prince refused 10 Own ale.
glance to the great Emperor of Germany
Frederick Barbarossa. He declared him
self independent, and as token of def
ance set up great stone lion in Bruins
wick, and had the same symbol placed
upon his standard, two lions supporting a
shield beneath the white horse.
Thus YOU know the origin Of the Bruins
wick coat of arms. But how came the ban
ner Of small Gefman country to be adopt
ed on the arms of Great Britain. This
will now explain.
About the year 1850, the then reigning
Duke of Brunswick, afterward elss LIec-
tor of Hanover, married Inc granddaugh-
ter of King James the First of England
Their eldest son was named George Louis
w HSH, Ou tilC dtSttu Vi QOCSu AhA1lC, INK
English were in want of successor, they
looked about those nearest of kin TO the
royal family, and decided to choose this
great grandson of King james I. Thu,
it was that George Louis Guelph--s
Saxon German-came to be King George
the First of England, and this was how
the g lionzand- horse arms of Brunswick
and Hanover came to DO also part of th'
arms of GreadBritain. His successors were
George the Second, George the Third
against whose rule the American colonies
rebclled), George the Fourth, William
and lastly Victoria, the present queen
who is the granddaughter to George The
Third. Thus you understand how Queer
Victoria is descended from the princes
of Brunswick, -houp she happens to be Of
German instead of English blood, and
why her name is Guelph.-lSusan Arehe'
Weiss, 81. Nicholas for JG3tuGrg