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"In
35 THE HERALDRY OF YORK MINSTER.
should also add the lion of Aquitaine, the device of his wife Eleanor,
daughter and heir of William ninth Duke of Aquitaine.
We cannot say for certain that Henry II. did so, because we cannot
see the device on his shield ;
and the fact that both Richard and John in
their early seals carried only two lions, may
seem rather to indicate that
it was not until Richard returned from the Crusade, where he probably
became imbued with the spirit of heraldry then rapidly coming into
vogue, that he fully expressed in the arms of his seal that which his
father had already expressed in the legend round " Dux it Normannor et
"Aqitannor et Comes Andegavor," and, adopting one uniform attitude and
tincture for the several lions, composed the cognizance of his family as
it has remained to this day. All this is, of course, only another conjecture
on my part; but I venture to think that its probability is very strongly
supported by its harmony with the legend round the seal.
Richard, the second son of King John, seems never to have borne
the Plantagenet arms but ;
having been created by his brother Henry III.
Earl of Poictou and Cornwall, adopted for his cognizance a shield bearing
the arms of Poictou, viz. argent a lion rampant :
gules, crowned or, within
a bordure sable bezante'e of the ancient Earls of Cornwall. According
to Torre this shield existed in the second window west on the north
side of the nave ;
but it is not there now. On page 70, however, an
illustration of this coat will be found dimidiated with Clare, being the shield
of Richard's fifth son, Edmond, who married Margaret, daughter of Richard
de Clare, and died at Ashridge, in Bucks, where he had built an abbey
of the order " Bon hommes," leaving no issue. Sandford says
:
" I cannot
" find as yet that arms of women were joyned in one escocheon with those
"of their husbands of
a more ancient date."
With that single exception all the Plantagenets down to the reign
of Edward III. bore, gules three lions passant guardant or. When the
Emperor Frederick married Isabella, sister of Henry III., he sent, amongst
many other precious gifts, three leopards, significant of the royal arms of
England.* The author of the Metrical Chronicle of the Siege of Caerlaverock,
gives an animated description of the banner of Edward I. on that occasion :
i
"En sa baniere trois luparte his banner three leopards
De or fin estoint mis en rouge Of fine gold set on red,
Courant felloun fier et harouge
Courant, haughty, fierce, and cruel.
Par tel signifiance mis
Thus placed to signify
Ke ausi est vers ses enemis
That also towards his enemies
Li Rois fiers felouns et hastans
The King is fierce, haughty, impetuous,
Car sa morsure n'est tastans
For his bite is not slight
Nuls ki nen soit erivenimez
To those who inflame him ;
Non porqant tot est ralumez
Nevertheless, soon is rekindled
De douce debonairete
His sweet graciousness
Quant il requerent se amiste
El a sa pais veullent venir."
When they seek his friendship,
And are willing to submit to his power."
*
M. Paris, vol. ii., p. 416.