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A System of Heraldry - Clan Strachan Society

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33 S<br />

OF FOWLS AND BIRDS.<br />

both the eagles together, with their heads separate, to show the sovereignties <strong>of</strong><br />

the two empires conjoined in his person ; which practice was continued by his<br />

successors : And this is the most feasible reason for the Imperial Eagle with two<br />

heads, which heralds havo always been in use to blazon, a double eagle displayed,<br />

when '.ts wings are e> pand* u, and its bieast fully seen.<br />

Meaestrier, in his Aireje Methodique des Armories, blazons the arms <strong>of</strong> the empire<br />

thus, d'or a Taigle cp'oye a deux teies, becquee, lampassee, membree y diadematee<br />

de gneules, chargee en coeur de I'ecussion des arms de safamille.<br />

When eagles or other birds <strong>of</strong> prey have their beaks, legs and talons, <strong>of</strong> different,<br />

colour from their bodies, they are then said to be beaked, membred, and armed, <strong>of</strong><br />

such tinctures ; and the French say, becque, membre ; and the Latins rostratus,<br />

fc? armatus.<br />

cruriatus,<br />

The two heads <strong>of</strong> the Imperial Eagle are surrounded with an annulet or circle<br />

(rules, for which it is said to be diadematee ; which is peculiar to the Imperial<br />

Eagle, and a more sovereign sign than to be crowned as the eagles <strong>of</strong> other princes<br />

are. Thus, Sylvester Petra Sancta, cap. 57, " De aquila tesseraria, diadema illi ex<br />

" vitta sen lasciniola coloris punicei circumponitur regulariter, aquike aliae corona<br />

" ordinaria solent redimiri ; ilia peculiariter etiam Gallice a fecialibus diademata<br />

nuncupatur<br />

; aquilae vero aliae dicuntur in eo idiomate coronatas :" So that diadematee<br />

is a peculiar mark <strong>of</strong> dignity <strong>of</strong> the Imperial Eagle ; but other princes'<br />

eagles may be crowned with open or close crowns, and said to be couronnee, and not<br />

diadematee.<br />

The imperial ensign <strong>of</strong> the Roman Empire is blazoned or, a double eagle with<br />

f wo heads displayed .rable, diadematee, beaked, membred, and armed gules. Sylvester<br />

Petra Sancta blazons them thus, " Aquila &- biceps furva, ostra diade-<br />

' mata ro-.i:rata & cruriata, in parmula auro conspersa, tessera est semper augusta<br />

" Rmnani Imperil," fig. 12. Plate XI. Yet Charles the Great <strong>of</strong> France, and the<br />

successors <strong>of</strong> his body, as Emperors <strong>of</strong> Germany, carried the Imperial Eagle <strong>of</strong> a<br />

different tincture, and in a field <strong>of</strong> another colour as Marcus ;<br />

Gilbert as D-ivarren-<br />

nius tells us, azure, an eagle with two heads displayed or, dindeinaiee, beaked,<br />

membred, and armed gules, with the escutcheon <strong>of</strong> France on its breast ; but when<br />

the German Emperors came in, after the extinction <strong>of</strong> the French Emperors, they<br />

carried the arms <strong>of</strong> the empire, as before, with the escutcheon <strong>of</strong> the<br />

proper arms<br />

<strong>of</strong> the families they came from, as do now those <strong>of</strong> the House <strong>of</strong> Austria.<br />

The Imperial Eagle on seals, coins and paintings, has been sometimes represented,<br />

not in a shield, but by way <strong>of</strong> a supporter, having on its breast the shield <strong>of</strong><br />

arms <strong>of</strong> the family <strong>of</strong> the present emperor, and its two heads always diad^matee ;<br />

and above them in the middle is placed an imperial crown with pendants, and the<br />

eagle's right foot holds a sword, and the left a sceptre pale-ways, proper.<br />

The eagle with two heads is not only frequent in the arms <strong>of</strong> the Germans, but<br />

in those <strong>of</strong> other nations ; and with us, MAXWELL Earl <strong>of</strong> NITHSDALE, argent, an<br />

eagle with two heads displayed sable, beaked, membred, and armed gules; <strong>of</strong> which<br />

before, Chap. 16.<br />

The MACDONALDS Lords <strong>of</strong> the ISLES, carried, as in our old books, or. a double<br />

eagle displayed gules, surmounted <strong>of</strong> a lymphad sable, and, in the dexter chief<br />

point, a right hand couped gules ; supporters, two bears, with arrows<br />

sticking<br />

in their bodies, all proper ; crest, a raven sable, standing on a rock azun- ; so<br />

illuminated in W. MS. Other books give the eagle with one head.<br />

DONALD MACDONALD <strong>of</strong> Moydert, Captain <strong>of</strong> <strong>Clan</strong>-Ranald, carries<br />

quarterlv,<br />

first argent, a lion rampant gules, armed or ; second or, a dexter hand couped in<br />

fesse, holding a cross croslet fitched gules ; third or, a lymphad or galley with her<br />

oars saltier-ways and in base a salmon naiunt in a ; sea v?rt ; fouth argent, an<br />

oak tree vert, surmounted <strong>of</strong> an eagle or ; crest, a : castle, proper motto, My hope<br />

is constant in tbee. L. R.<br />

The DONALDSONS, being Macdonalds, originally carry the figures <strong>of</strong> Mucdonakl,<br />

viz. or, a double eagle with wings displayed, surmounted by a galley or lymphad<br />

sable, armed or langued gules in the ; dexter chief canton a left hand couped <strong>of</strong> the<br />

last, by Alexander Donaldson <strong>of</strong> Hilton, with a mullet for his difference ; in the<br />

Lyon Register, anno 1668.

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