CHARLES II., KING OF GREAT BRITAIN, FRANCE, AND IRELAND
Arms.—Within the Garter. Quarterly.
1st and 4th grand quarters; France and England quarterly.
2nd grand quarter; Scotland.
3rd grand quarter; Ireland. All as used by James I. (q.v.).
Crest.—A Royal Crown ppr., thereon a lion statant guardant or, crowned ppr.
Helmet.—Royal.
Supporters.—A lion and a unicorn, as used by James I. (q.v.).
Motto.—Diev et mon droit.
Initials.—C. R. (Carolus Rex).
[Reynold's Works, 1658.]
Variety.—Without Supporters.
[Common Prayer. London, 1660.]
Variety.—Within the Garter and without Supporters.
[Paraphrasis in Psalmos Davidis. Salmurii, 1662.]
The Royal name and title abbreviated. "Car. Rex" (Carolus Rex) ensigned with a Royal Crown, and with the motto "Diev et mon droit."
[Sanderson. Complete History of the Life and Raigne of King Charles. London, 1658.]
Crowned initials "C.C." adossés, within palm branches, commonly found on books bound for Charles II. by Samuel Mearne, the Royal Bookbinder.
[Cranzius. Vandaliae and Saxoniae Alberti Cranzii Continuatio. Wittebergae, 1586.]
Charles II. (born May 1630, died 6th February 1685) was the elder son of Charles I. In 1660 Charles ascended the throne of England, although his accession is sometimes counted from the date of the death of Charles I., 30th January 1649. In Scotland it is always so dated.
Samuel Mearne was appointed Royal Bookbinder to Charles II. in June 1660, and he bound the greater number of the King's books in a beautiful red morocco. On most of these bindings the King's initials within a palm spray appear, and sometimes the edges of the leaves of the books have designs painted upon them, only showing when the book is open. Charles II. also used several of the book-stamps that had been made for Charles I.
Mearne was one of the greatest bookbinders of any time, and apart from the splendid work he did for Charles II., he executed numbers of other bindings, many of which are inlaid and have the leather stained and painted. He invented what is known as the "Cottage" design, and his style and detail is often copied even at the present time.
