Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-01-14
SIGNATURES OF ENGLISH
MONARCHS.
HOW Those Who Couldn't Write Made
Their Mark In tho World.

Their Mark In tho World.
The signature of Richard H., who
roigncd in the latter part of the four
teenth century. is the earliest auto
graph of an English king extant.
Most of the others simply made their
mark. !" Richard Cnur dc Leon,
though he made verses could not set
| them down in writing.
On the 18th of June, 1915. John
| Plantaganct, successor to Richard
C@ur de Leon, being sorcly beset by
his barons at place still called Run
nymede, granted and executed the
document known as "Magna Charta,"
which was tho basis of English lber-
ties. This document. though profess
| sing to have been given under the
"hand and sealh of King John, was
merely ''sealcd and delivered by him
as the ''act and deed. " 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 an
tiquarian. who had business with
tailor in London, went into his shop
at the moment when he was about cut
ting up largo sheet OF parchment in
to measures of his trade. Seeing that
the writing was antique, he gave q
small sum for it, and on examination
found it one OF the duplicates of Magma
| Charta.
William the Conqueror used cross
as Ibis mark" instead of 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 IL, as also
the royal signatures down to that of
Henry VI, in the middle of the if
teenth century. are very rude.
Henry vi. wrote an exceedingly
clear, bold and good hand. The let
tiers are upright and we'll formed,
partly in the Saxon, partly In what is
well known as the old English style.
Edward Nv. merely signed .R- f."
| (the initial letters of Rex. Edvardus),
which arc hieroglyphics not at all I'M
derstood in the present day.
Richard ILL.,. the felon hero of one
OF Shakspeare's best-known plays, was
an educated man, an encourager OF
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
legible.
Horny VII. the Richmond of
Shakspeare's play. merely signed the
initials N. r." which were both done
in dashing style, without taking the
pen of. 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 accomplishment,
| and professional scribcs who could
give that instruction were much made
OF. Many of them were churchmen or
monks, to whom, as 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
| Elizabeths signature was embellished,
or garnished. by two great and CON-
| pick flonrishes over the top and three
| underneath. Catherine Of Aragon,
Anne Boleyn (Elizabeth's moiher),
Mary l., Mary of Scotland. Mary H..
| (wife of William llI.), 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
written very leglbly.