The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-11-12

self had exercised the prerogative of max
ing personal appointments. So far as
now appears. wherever the names OF
Bennett Clayborne and CUsus are louho
IN official acts n separate seal s'"nos
opI oslte each. No description Of any one
OF these has yet been found.
One would suppose. therefore WIN SUI
m upturnine OF the government "oulo
follow important changes IN the sedI 81
the Colony Not so, however. We mn" uPo'
a warrant issued March r. liOl, ~ GOV
/ crnor Francis Nicholson. an impFessio4
OF the seal Of 1886. with only sucn dleei-
atoms as seemed appropriate 10 the ~
! conditions. This impression Is precIseiS
/ similar TO that seen on the writ OF eisC-
lion issued by Enrgham. except thal Ihe
ROYAL initials wv" "R.." take the pace
OF &C" "R" Ranking the crown, rlshe
and left respt cdvely; and that upon 'he
"Tress-point Of the shield is displayed an
escutcheon of Pretence" bearing the arms
/ Of Nassau. enclosed by the ORDER OF lhs
/ Garter with its motto "Honi soit qh MAJ
/ ", DeneeV while I'm the eXergue appear the
words "En dat Virginia Quintum.' inns
/ document requires one Cornelius--- 20
/ attend tIpon Honble Colo william Byid
/ I'm busitess Of great Importance 10 ms
! Mafesty's service; authorizing and requlr-
J ING him to impress horses or any o1ier
thing he may have occasion 10 heeu. L4'is
was issued from Williamsburg Anothef
warrant Of the same kind issued to john
Bentlv 10 attend for the same purposes
mon the Honble Colo. John Lightfoot
hears seal Of the same characters and
notices.
Next in order appears land patent,
Granting TO Messrs. Craddock, Care,
Echolls and Glover certain properties by
Oueer Anne. IN October, 1903, under her
'band and the seal Of the Colony" The
Same impression displays here the
arns Of England, France. Scot
land and LELAND and the arms
~ Nassau. enclosed by the Or
der Of the Garter. the words surmounted
bv the crown. fanked by the initials
oV." Or" and in the exergue is again
6isplaved the motto "En dat Virginia
guiutum."
m December, 17Oi, by command Of the
Queen Governor Nicholson issued n pro-
cIamation from William and Mary Col
iege ordering "a solemn Thanksgiving
day" I'm honor Of the late victory at Blen-
helm The impression on this interesting
document, although very imperfect in It's
other features. displays scroll bearing
the words EN- dat Virginia Quintum'
The Only Alteration.
II thus appears beyond a doubt that
even as late as Queen Anues time, and
all through the reign of William TINS reno
Of the Stuart dynasty continued to be
the seal Of the Colony. The only atera-
ton made. was when William came INTO
power. the royal initials were changed
from &C" ar" to "W." "R"
About the year 1705 the word "Guintum"
seems TO have been superseded by that
Of qulntam on some Of the colonial seats
In October Of this year William Robert
son, Esquire, was commissioned CLERK OF
the General Assembly" a phrase used
here for the first time in describing that
branch Of the government instead OF the
time-honored blouse Of Burgesses." The
document comforting this honor. bears
the autograph Of Governor Mott, and an
impression OF the colonial seal Identical
with those already described, excepting
that at the bake Of the escutcheon appears
on a scroll the words "Semper Ead9m."
The motto in the exergue is imperfectly
preserved thus; EN- dat Nirgjn-----.
Whether this ancient legend terminates
I'm like manner with those on the impress
sions heretofore described cannot be de-
/ ternined.
| There is reason for believing that a
\ change had been made in the colonial
| seal about this time; for we find upon
/ the specimen coming next under inspec-
| zion: not only the scroll bearing the
]
4 Of "auintum." the word "quintam" APP
/ pears on the exergue. This was evidently
! an unimportant change, inasmuch as II
was intended that Virginia should still
be dignifed as the fifth Of the realm;
whether the feminine "partem" or zorro
ram" understood, should be employed 10
express that idea.
From the examination Of the official
porers thus far submitted TO inspection,
IL will be seen that IN a majority Of these
the relation borne by Virginia TO the Brit
ish realm from the earliest times seems to
be clearly indicated in the habitual use
Of the word "quintum signisying there
by fifth kingdom or dominion. This inter-
! probation Is further verified by the
phraseology invariably employed when
ever the reigning prince. having affixed
/ his royal seal and added his 'ign-manual,
always used the words this own colony
and dominion"
Early in the reign Of Queen Anne other
! changes were made in the colonial seal
| The word "quartam" now took the places
| Of "Quintum' and 'quintam," In the leg
/ end so long depicted i'm the exergue Of the
| old seal. This occurred Immediately after
| the union of Scotland with England In
| f10G-thereby leaving the colony as the
| fourth estate i'm the realm. in token OF
/ this union the royal arms now bore the
| device Of the rose and thistle, with the
other ouarterings; and In the eNergue eX-
| pressed in brief the legend Anne by the
| grace OF God ruler Of Great Britain,
| France and Ireland. and defender Of the
! faith" Thus begun the use OF the phrase
| "Great Britain" When the zeal having
relation to colonial affairs was used the
| word "ouartam" then appeared, in place
/ Of the ancient motto of the Stuarts We
| have never seen a specimen Of this i'm
preston among the records of the State.
! At a sull later date, and III Governor
| Spotswood's time, further changes must
have been made in the colonial seal. We
| find him writing to the Lords Commits
| sioners OF Plantations" that on the lst
june 17i4, he had received "the great new
seal appointed for the colony" together
| with her majesty's warrant for using It;
and informs them that he had caused
the former one 10 be destroyed.
The changes were not TO end here. The
new seal lately received by Spotswood
had been in use but a short time, when
Anne died, TO be succeeded by the first
George. II Is not necessary TO state In
detail here what followed this important
event. Suffice II 10 say that in III Gov
ornor Spotswood, in communicating oilici-
ally with the Lords Commissioners, &C
knowledges receiving warrant empower
ing him to use "the new seal"
The Other seals.
The readers Of this account will notice
that no historical references has been
made 10 other seals In use by the govern
ment-those OF the Privy Council. which
were frequently altered; those OF the Ad
miralty Boards OF Trade. and others
They could have no connection with the
gubjtct immediately under consideration
| fnl.. d, In, INT "a