So much for the first book of the two. The second—Baron Tessin’s Catalogue—has two ex libris. The first is that of John Fiott before he took the name of Lee. It is the plate of “John Fiott, B.A. / St. John’s College, Cambridge, / 1806 /.” The plate shows a globe floating in the air, with the Fiott arms engraved on it, and the crest, a horse coupé, over it. Of course, as a wrangler he could not help being an astronomer; but this indicates his early taste for studying the heavens.
Of this crest Guillim tells us:—
“A horse erected boult vpright may bee termed enraged, but his noblest action is expressed in a saliant forme. This of all beasts for mans vses, is the most noble and behoofefull either in Peace or Warre. And sith his service and courage in the Field is so eminent, it may bee maruelled why the Lion should be esteemed a more honourable bearing. But the reason is because the horse’s seruice and strength is principally by helpe of his Rider, whereas the Lion’s is his owne: and if the Horse be not mounted, he fights auerse turning his heeles to his aduersary, but the Lion encounters affront, which is more manly.”
The Duke of Sussex used two plates amongst
THE DUKE OF SUSSEX
his books in Kensington Palace, one “Perkins and Heath. Patent Hardened steel plate.” The main feature of this plate is a Knight of the Garter’s chain forming a circle enclosing a lion on a coronet at the base of the plate, a helmet on one side, and an owl on the other. The other plate is here reproduced.
A pretty armorial plate of about this time, the shield resting on flowers, and a palm branch at each side, is the ex libris of “Charles Gordon Esqʳ of Beldorny and Wardhouse.” Below the shield is engraved a ribbon, but without any inscription. The motto—“in hoc spes mea”—is fittingly over the crest, which is described as a cross crosslet fitchée. The arms of Gordon of Beldorny are quarterly, first and fourth, azure, a lion rampant argent between three boars’ heads erased of the second; second and third, azure, three boars’ heads within a bordure engrailed argent.