The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1883-05-12

rest; for the civil war broke ont abou
the same time 09GO}, and the interest o
the American people was absorbed il
fighting Ny friend, the clerk, after
ward Informed me that the ArchseolOg
zeal Society of England had visiteC
Brington Church in September, 1873
and that there was an account of that il
7Hc Graphic newspaper of October
1873.
lprocured copy and was glad to fine
an engraving of the brass plate anC
shield. After describing them it goes OF
to say: In the red and white bars, anG
the stars of his shield, and the eagle is
suant of his crest, borne later by Gener
al Washington, the trainers of the Con.
stitution, too, got the idea of the Stars
and Stripes, and the spread eagle of the
national embiem.' This is the opinion
of the Archaeological Society of England
the highest authority in the world.
find, too, an article very similar in Udr-
pcr'$ .Vonthly Ntga:ine for March, 1879
The engravings here are better and clear
er than i'll the GraPhic. The tombstone
of Laurence Washington is admirably
represented; so is the brass shield
Brlngton Church, too, is faithful sketch.
The writer concludes with language sim
liar to the Graphtc. This was a variety
used by General Washington, and is still
to be seen attached to the commission OF
some of the officers of the Army of In
dependence. Can any one reasonably
doubt that this insignia suggested the
Stars and Stripes, and the spread eagle
OF the national emblem. and that those
on whom it devOlved to choose the ma
tional emblem, paid well merited com
pliment to the father of their country,
by adopting the arms and crest of his
family?'
| have only Just discovered another &C
count of this same visit in the Ner York
Hcrdld of November 4. 1873. After Civ
ing an account of the Washington family
story, it continues: Laurence Wash
ington, after the sale of his estate, retir-
ed to Brington, where he died, and his
second son (John) emigrated to Amer
lea y still further account of the Stars
and Stripes is given in recent number
of the Uea1id-on July IL last-which
concludes thus: There is sufficient evil
dence to prove the origin of the Star
Spansled Banner and pedigree of General
Washington TO any jury in the world, not
composed of Bob Ingersolls."
With copy of the Graphic in my hand,
some two years ago, | repaired to the
English College of lIeraldry, situated in
Queen Victoria street, one of the finest
streets in the city of London, double the
width of Broadway. The college forms
a quadrangle and two flights of steps
lead to the porch. On entering the hall
one is struck with the tattered silk flags
and banners, the ancient armor and rare
old portraits of the mighty dead. Pro-
ceeding to the office, | was received by a
venerable gentleman of remarkable APP
pearance. His 'ong white hair was thick
and parted in the center; his head was
massive (of the DR.. Johnson Shape). and
his face clean shaven. He seemed part
and parcel of the college. As he APP
preached through the open doorway, he
looked like one of kneler's life size Dor
traits, stepping out of its frame to in
quire my business for intruding on re-
cords of the past. | opened my Graphic
and, pointing to the sketch of the WASH
ington BrasseS, asked whether they had
the family arms in the college. He in
quircd the country and century. | told
him Northamtonshire, and the beginning
Of the seventeenth century: but |
continued, :" want part cularly to know
the color of the bars. In this sketch
there are two apparently shaded stripes. ~
He replied: If you knew more of her
aldry you would not have asked that
question. can see from the sketch that
the bars are red | pleaded my igno-
rance. He continued Those perpen-
dicular, shaded lines, indicate red Had
it been blue, the shading would have
been lengthways. Diagonal lines indi-
cate green and purple, from right to left
and left to right respectively | after
ward turned to my encyclopedia, read
the article on heraldry, and found his
words confirmed. SO argent signifies sill
yer, and or gold. The bars gules means
blood Cor red). and alludes to the talons
Of animals. So saJle is black, azure blue,
cert green, etc The book containing
the Washington arms, was soon laid open
before me, and the Latin words ex.
planned:
AKMs.-iigeht, two bars gules; il
chief three mulletts of the second
CREsT.-A raven with wings endorsed
proper, issuing out of ducal coronet
Or,
may remark for the benefit of those
of my readers unacquainted with her
aldry, that in chit' signifies the top par
of the shield, and that mullcts are moth
ing more or less than the rowels of spur.
pieced mulets are drilled for the rivits
SO to suppose the stars in the flags to b,
stars of heaven is a misnomer; they art
o. the earth earthly, and have more to d.
with the spurs of knights than stars o
the evening.
ARMS AND CRESTS.
Nost people, even those frequently VIII,
sport heraldc bearings, confound arm
with creSts. They are totally distinct
AIMS is the shield-protection in battl
the shield. The crest in this case is TIN
bird issuant, which bird doubtless sug
gested the snead eagle of the nationa
emblem.
MARMION OMITTED.
| am unable to explain why the duca
corunet is there-but there must be du
cal connection somehow throw it GU
as suggestion that it may com
through the marriage of Sir William
Washington with the sister of Nilliers
Duke of Buckingham. My gentleman
friend at the college further informed M
that there was very curious pedigree
of the family deposited in the building
arranged by the very Robert Washing
ton, who has the brass to his memory
and lived with his wife many years Low
ingly together at Brighton. He wa
good enough to show it to me- | com
pared my line of descent with it