The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-05-26

ipationb OF captain Jonn Dmltns mlRnt 10
injustice to Mr.. Deane's ingenious argument,
(Which, understand, will soon be published
IN volume OF the proceedings OF the Massa-
chusetts Historical Society, should attempt
10 exhibit 1t. 1t will be found TO have great
force. IGP
Cambridge. Massachusetts,; 1866 July 81"
This adver tisement was inspired by the fol-
lowing letter from Charles Deane, LII. d., the
eminent photographers whose contributions
to New England History are Invaluable:
CAMBRIDGE, 10th June, 1865.
Dear Dr. P0Jfey :-You have made inquiry,
curing the last few years. concerning the Seal
OF the Council for New England" which was
Incorporated Sd November, 1620,-whether any
impression Of 1t In wax, or any representation
my search for such an impression OF 1t has
hitherto been familiar: but venture the opin-
ION, that have now discovered or identified
". MY attention, few weeks since, was called
anew TO the arms impressed on the reverse of
the title page OF Captain Smiths Advertise
ments for The inexperienced Planters Of NeW
England, or anywhere, London, 163i;' the
same arms being also displayed in the body OF
smith s map OF New England, In the too lat
est editions OF IL. Copies OF the former of
THESE two editions OF the map had probably
neen first issued in the Advertisements in
iu5l. knew that these arms were not the
arms OF Smith, or OF any one to whom he had
dedicated his book; and was curious 20 ascer-
lam Tor what reason they were here placed in
such intimate connection with the memorials
OF New England. / then examined with fresh
interest, what had seen hundred times be-
lore, lhe beautifully engraved title page OF
nmith's "Generall Historic Of Virginia, New
England and the Summer lies, London, 1924 ;
and there observed these same arms repre-
sented, along with those Of Virginia, which
bear the motto En- dat Virginia quintum,'
and also with the arms OF Bermuda Tor Sum-
mer iles') Company, bearing the motto. Quo
falie lerunt' The inference is, therefore. ire
sstibiy forced upon me, that the arms referred
70 are those of the seal OF the Council for New
England. will add, that, after the fashion
OF tue Time, there IL delineated, on the en-
graved title page of the General Historic,
an abridged map OF Virginia and New Eng
isnd. Near the part representing Virginia are
placed the arms OF Virginia; and near the
coast OF New England are placed the arms,
which now venture 10 call the arms Of the
Council for New England, an impression OF
which now send you In one OF Smiths books.
supposed this seal 4as affixed 10 the prin-
cipai grants OF the Council; but the original
parehments OF most OF those grants are not
known 70 be in existence; and those which |
nave examined are deficient In the wax inn
pressions Of the seal The Patent OF New
flymontn, Of l5th January, l629-5O, has the
seal; but II Is SO broken and defaced that un-
dersland the impression cannot be made out.
with great regard, am, dear sir,
Very truly yours.
CHARLES pEANE.
Hon. j. G. Palfrey."
In communication TO the Massachusetts,
Historical society in March, 1867, DIR. Deane,
calling attention TO the seal ON Smiths map,
said, that, Since addressing the above letter
10 Dr. ralfrey, have inspected the impress
sion OF the seal OF the Patent at Plymouth
IL had been broken IN pieces; and, some years
slnee, an attempt was made to restore the
fragments to their original position, but with
little success. ! will add. that the present ap-
pearanoe Of the wax exhibits but little resem-
blance 10 the device above referred to, or in
deed to any other heraldic figure.
made enquiry at the Herald's College 10
London, last year, and other places in that
city where thought there was probability
OF getting Information on tho subject of this
seal, but without success.
Mr.. John Bruce distinguished antiauary.
and member OF the Society OF Antiquarians
kindly interested himself in my subject, and
suggested some sources of inquiry. In note
10 me be says, In Edmondson's Heraldry,
London, 1850, folio, Vol. l, which you have
probably consulted, amongst the arms Of socie.
ties and bodies corporate established in Lon
don, occur the arms OF the Virginia Company
and the Bermudas Company, but, strangely
enough, not those of the New England COM
pany. The two former agree, | believe, with
the representations on Smiths titlepage In
that case, Your inferences as TO the last be-
ing the subj ct of the third coat given by him.
seems almost conclusive"
Since the time that DR. Deane made this
communication TO the Massachusetts, Histori-
cal Society, the seal focnd on Smiths man has
been adopted by writers gg) as the veritabIe
seal Of the Council for New England. A few
months since, IN preparing the Trelawney pa
pers Tor publication, my attention was drawn
TO several fragments of the seal appended TO
the patent granted by the Council December
lsil 1851, 20 Robert Trelawney and Moses
Goodyear, and careful comparison OF these
fragments with the arms on Smiths map, con.
vinced me that the latter was not the seal OF
the Council, and in February, 1888, / called at
tention 10 the subject IN the Magazine Of Amer
ican History.
The reasons there given for my opinion, were,
that on one OF the fragments the letters AGN
appeared In juxtaposition, aud that, in the
Smith arms such letters did not so appear. A
ngure on another fragment appeared with legs
GRO sed, and in neither OF the figures on the
Smith arms so appeared, nor was there on
these arms the figure OF a ship, which one OF
my fragments bore. After instituting a care
iul search through correspondent in London
for information respecting the seal OF the
Council. II determined to visit Plymouth. and
inspect the seal which was said to be undec-
pberable, and, much to my satisfaction, /
found that the figures upon my fragments were
without doubt, borne by the seal at Plymouth
Ia fact by the aid of these fragments. was
enabled TO make out large portion OF the de-
sign on the Plymoath seal, which consists OF a
ship at the bottom, and two figures, an Indian
on the left, and probably a European on the
right, both with legs crossed. These figures
are undoubtedly, supporters 10 a shield Over
their hea's there appears to be a scroll, and
about them fragments OF what appear to have
been msntlings 20 a shield, while the whole is
surrounded by bordnre, which bore a legend,
now, unfortunately, not decipherable. From
q critical exa nination OF the Plymouth sral,
have no doube that the dexter supporter is
misplaced, being too near the sinister and
placed too high. believe that it should occu-
pY pt sition near the bordure
as the sinister supporter occupies, and stand on
the same level. The mantliugs which are
broken OF and mixed in confusion about the
supporters, should be placed above them, and
the scroll beneath the shield, as 1t was usual
to place the scroll bearing the motto thus
The question Of course will arise what then
are the arms on Smiths map which have hith-
erto been supposed to be those of New Eng
land. The map found in the "Adveit tsements
for tho inexperienced Planters" on which it
appears, bears in the upper left hand corner a
portrait OF Smith at the age of 81 years and il
dated 1916. The scale OF leagues at the bottom
Is dated 16l4, but this date evidently refers to
the date when they were observed and de-
scribed by Captayn John Smith" Smith him
self says that he spent the sum mer of 1916 in
distributing books and maps OF New England,
perhaps this same map, Bancroft saysf that
Smith In 1916 Having published map and
ushVIlptpn OF new CuRlauu, ne spent many
months In visiting the merchants and gentry
OF the west OF England to excite their zeal for
enterprise in America IL this map therefore
was published at this date, 1916, 1t was four
wears before the existence of the Council for
New England, which was formed in 1920. Sew
eral years before this date the southern and
northern colonies OF Virginia were formed
Hubbard saysl THAT vast country being found
upon experience aud trial too large TO be
moulded into one entire governmental was
thought II should be divided into first and
second colony, TO which ends patents we're
granted to sundry honorable persons OF the fa-
nous cities OF London, Bristol, Exeter, and
town OF Plymouth, about the year 1905; soon
after which time the name Of New England
began to be appropriated to the north colony
by the renowned Prince OF Wales, after Cap
tain Smith discovered the bounds thereof, az
some say, about the year 1914, the other still
retaining the first name Virginia." May not
the suggestion that the arms found on Smiths
map are those OF the northern colony OF Vir-
glnia be worthy Of consideration? BE this as IL
may, The accompanying designs will, believe,
show as nearly as possible from the materials
we at present possess, what the seal for the
council for New England really was.
A vote of thanks was extended to Mr.. Bax-
ter.
Mr.. Edwin p. Burpham Of Saco read
short paper on David Sewall OF York, the first
judge OF the Distrct Court, and an original
member Of this Society. Thanks were re-