The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1885-12-24
SIGNATURES OF ENGLISH
MONARCiiS.
How Those Who Coaldn't Write Made
Their Mark In the World.


The signature of Richard H., who
reigncd in tho latter part of the four,
teonth century, is tho earliest auto,
graph OF an English king extant.
Most OF the others simply made theiI
mark Richard Ceur do Leon,
though he made verses could not sci
them down in writing,
On tho l5lh OF June, 1915. John
Plantaganet, successor to Richard
C0ur dc Leon, being sorely beset by
his barons at a place still called Run
nymede, granted and executed the
document known as "Magna Charta, +"
which was tho basis of English liber-
ties. This document, though profess
sing to have been given under tho
"hand and scalp of King John, was
merely "sealed and delivered" by him
as tho "act and decd" The reason
why it was not signed is that King
John could not write his name. Magma
Charta has been preserved, and is to
be seen in the British Museum. Its
preservation was in this wise: An au-
| tiquarian, who had business with a
tailor in London, went into his shop
at the moment when he was about cut
ting up large sheet of parchment in
to measures OF his trade. Seeing that
the writing was antique, he gave a
small sum for it, and on examination
found it ono OF the duplicates of Magma
! Chafta.
William the Couqucror used cross
as Ibis mark, instead of n signature.
One of his sons who could read and
write, had the title Beau Clerc, to de-
note what good clerk he was.
The signature OF Richard H., as also
the royal signatures down to that OF
Henry VI, in the middle of the fiji
teenth century, are very rude.
Henry vi. wrote an exceedingly
clear, bold and good hand. The let
tiers are upright and well formed,
partly in tho Saxon, partly in what is
well known as tho old English style.
Edward w. merely signed RI E."
(tho initial letters of Rex. Edvardus),
which arc hieroglyphics not at all I'M
dcrstood in the present day.
Richard Ill, the felon hero of ono
of Shakspeare's best-known plays. was
an educated man, an encourager oil
letters and patron of the then new
art OF printing, which William Caxton
had introduced into England. Rich.
ards signature is well cut and very
lcgible.
Henry VII, the Richmond Of
Shakespeare play, merely signed the
initials III. R., which were both done
in dashing style, without taking the
pen Oft AT that time, some four GEN.
turtles ago, very few could read or write.
Some OF the mobiles gave large sums for
instruction in these accomplishments,
and professional scribes who could
| give that instruction were much made
of. Many OF them were churchmcn or
monks, to whom, us scholars, the
greatest respect was paid, by royalty
itself.
Each scribe had his own peculiar
and unique style Of writing, which
the pupils were all taught to initiate,
so that no difference could be detected
on the manuscript that had taken two
or three hands TO complete. Queen
Eljzabcth's signature was embeilished,
or garuished, by two great and COM
pick tlourishes over the top and three
underneath. Catherine of Aragon,
Anue Boleyn (E.izabcth's motheD.
Mary l., Mary OF Scotland. Mary H.,
(wite OF William Ill. }, and Anne wrote
very legibly. The signature OF Vic
toria is graceful, even beautiful. Near.
ly all of the royal family of England,
since the accession OF George l., have