Page:Notes and Queries - Series 10 - Volume 3.djvu/299

 in. APRIL i, woo.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

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God to amplifie and extend our dominionis ouer all Greit Britane, France, and Ireland," it was necessary that some changes should be made on the seal, and gave orders that "oure greate seale and signett of Scotland " should be renewed and handed over to the custody of the Chancellor. He was ordained to " have and carry it befoir him to all Councill and other honourable and publict meittings, as aspeciall mark of the King's favour to him, and in respect quhairof the 1st place in all sick meittings nixt to the King, or sic as represents his persone, is due to him be reason of the authoritie of the said greate seale quilk euer sould be befoir him."

In the early years of the seventeenth cen- tury a rather singular case occurred. There was a scheme promulgated for the plantation of forfeited lands in Ulster, and a number of applications came from Scotland. In 1610 the Scottish portion of the business was withdrawn from the Scottish Privy Council, and taken to London, so that all the allot- ments to Scottish applicants were passed under the Great Seal of England.

In the following year the king was at Greenwich, and while there he approved of the Book of Rates for Scotland, which had been drawn up by the officials, and " whiche Book for the bettir authoritie thairof we have signet with our hand, and have thought fitting that our Grite Seale salbe appendit and hung thairto."

When the son of James, Prince Charles, was made Prince of Scotland, it was neces- sary that the requisite signets should be provided. Accordingly, with the "advyse and consent of our darrest Lord and Fader, the Kingis Majestic," Charles issued orders to " Charlis Dikesone, sinker of the ironis of his Majesteis coyne in Scotland," to prepare designs for a seal. These were in due time submitted for approval, and after some alterations were accepted. The aforesaid engraver was to

" mak, grave and sink in dew and comelie forme ane greit seale, haveing of the ane syde the Scottische and Inglische armes within a sheild, the Scottische armes being in the first plaice, with ane lambell and oppin croun abone the sheild, and on the ane syde of the armes ane unicorne and on the uther syde ane lyoun, ather of them haveing ane lambell aboute thair craig hingand dounwairt, with this circomescriptioun MAGXUM SKJILLUM CAROLI SCOTIAE ET WALLIAE PRINCIPIS ROTHESAIAE Ducis, ETC., and at the bigining of the circomescriptioun ane thrissill and on the uther syde of the said seale oure portrat upoun horsbak armed with a sword in oure right hand reatcheing abone our heade and with plumasche upoun oure heade, and that upoun the counter of our horsse thair be a thressill and upoun the comparisoun of our horsse a lyoun within a scheild haveing ane lambell at the heade of the sheild, and that the horse heade be armed with a litill plumasche upoune his heade."

From later information we learn that foir his workmanship on the Great Seal, two signets, and " tua casshettis," the engrave? was paid some four hundred and sixty pounds, which sum included the furnishing, of the silver.

In the days of the Protector a letter was- written from the Council in Whitehall to- Scotland asking for particulars as to the use- of the Great Seal in Scotland, so that there- might be uniformity of procedure between the two countries. A reply was sent stating the occasions on which it was required, and that in the meantime the trust of it was put in commission in a member of the Council. By an ordinance passed 24 July, 1655, it was- decreed "that a Great Seale and otheF usuall and necessary Scales for Scotland be provided," and Samuel Disbrow was appointed Keeper of the Great Seal, and for his services and those of his under officer the sum of 200?. was apportioned. It was fixed that, according to precedent, he should attend at the hearing of all Exchequer cases with the emblem of his office.

When, in the reign of Anne, the question of a union between England and Scotland arose, it was decided that the Commissioners- from Scotland for its consideration should be appointed under the Great Seal of Scot- land. On the consummation of that union in 1707, one of the clauses agreed to decreed that in future there should be one Great Seal for the United Kingdom, differing from, the one hitherto used in either country. But this proviso was inserted :

" And that a seal in Scotland after the Union be- alwayes kept and made use of in all things relating- to private Rights or Grants, and which only con- cern Offices, Grants, Commissions, and private rights within that Kingdom."

This was the seal of which the Marquis of Linlithgow accepted the custody, and from. its history it can be seen that the rights of its possession and use in Scotland should be- jealously guarded. J. LINDSAY HILSON.

Jedburgh Public Library.

BIBLIOGRAPHIES.

THERE appears to be more need than ever before for the preparation of a bibliography of bibliographies and of the general subject of bibliography. This task, if newly at- tempted, should be performed in a co-opera- tive manner and executed with due regard to its international aspect. It would b& desirable to have the notices given (severally complete by themselves) partially classified*. or so expressed as readily to admit of sub-