JAMES II., KING OF GREAT BRITAIN, FRANCE, AND IRELAND
Arms.—Within the Garter. Quartered.
1st and 4th grand quarters, quarterly, France and England.
2nd grand quarter, Scotland.
3rd grand quarter, Ireland.
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.
Used from 1685 until 1689, when James II. was deposed.
[Ordnance Rules. 1683-1685. Stowe MS. 442.]
Variety.—Used in France from 1689 until 1701.
Arms.—Quarterly.
1st and 4th, England.
2nd, Scotland.
3rd, Ireland.
Colours as used by James I. (q.v.). Ensigned with the Royal Crown, and between two palm branches.
In this coat James has left out the coat of France, probably out of courtesy to the French King, Louis XIV., who had given him asylum at St. Germains. It is remarkable that this coat-of-arms subsequently became that used by Queen Victoria in 1837.
[La Renommée qui publie le Bonheur de l'Europe sous le regne de Jacques ... Roy de la Grande Bretagne. 1688.]
[E. Almack, Esq., F.S.A., Brighton.]
Variety.—Within the Garter. Used in France from 1689 until 1701. The same curious coat-of-arms as in the preceding plate.
[Traité des obligations des Chrétiens. Paris, 1699.]
[E. Almack, Esq., F.S.A., Brighton.]
Used as Duke of York.
Initials.—J. D. (Jacobus Dux). Ensigned with a princely coronet, and within two palm branches.
This cypher occurs in corners of books, and it appears to have been designed so that either the D or the J is always properly visible. It is found in conjunction with the two C's of Charles II., which also show clearly either way up.
[Ser. Jacobi Stuarti et Mariae Beatricis Estiae ... epithalamium. Londini, 1673.]
James, Duke of York (born 14th October 1633, died 16th September 1701), was the second son of Charles I. He succeeded his brother Charles II. in 1685. James II. had a short and troubled reign, chiefly because he had Roman Catholic tendencies, and ultimately joined that faith. The feeling in favour of Protestantism in England was very determined, and the nation ultimately invited William, Prince of Orange, who had married James's elder daughter Mary and was a strong Protestant, to come and accept the throne. This he did, and in 1689 James was deposed and William became King in his stead.
James fled to France where he lived for the rest of his life, and the book-stamps that he had made at this time do not include the French coat. He was known as the Duke of York, but nevertheless his book-stamps show a Royal Crown. James's second wife, Mary of Modena, was a Roman Catholic and strongly influenced his views. He died at St. Germains, Paris, at the age of seventy.
