After a while, such wreaths were frequently introduced in the outer edge surrounding official and also personal round seals, and so arranged that they more resemble bell-shaped flowers of three leaves (like the side view of blue bells), and without any dividing ribbands. The annexed wood-cut of the Statute Merchants' seal of Carlisle, 1670, will show this. This seal was in two halves to be kept in separate custody, and when used, these were screwed together into a handle to make it complete before affixing to any deed. The seal and handle are here shown from the engraving in the Proceedings of the Society of Antiquaries, 16th May, 1889. Throughout the eighteenth century, the blue bell ornament appears in corporate seals, and book-plates about 1800 are found surrounded by such oval bell-flowered wreaths.
Palm Branches.
Menestrier [Origine des Ornemens, published 1680] writes:—"Now [aujourd'hui] persons of quality, particularly married ladies [femmes], place two palms together on the escutcheon of their arms, which makes an agreeable ornament, and is, at the same time, the symbol of conjugal love, which the ancients have represented by the palms, male and female." The earliest instance I have noted in England is on the cups of Sir E. B. Godfrey, who died in 1678 [engraved in Gentleman's Magazine, 1848, and in Topographer and Genealogist, vol. ii, p. 467]. They occur beneath a shield of Bridgeman, Bart. (the plain arms not impaled), in Sandford's Genealogical History, 1677, p. 228; also on a monumental slab, 1671, engraved in Miscell. Genealogica et Heraldica, 1884, vol. i, p. 151. About 1765 we see two palms extensively used as decorations below Georgian shields (see the plates in Dugdale's Warwickshire, 1765; Hasted's Kent, 1778; Rudder's Gloucestershire, 1779; and Hutchin's Dorsetshire, 1774). Such are extensively seen throughout the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, and were frequently painted, as a pleasing decoration, below the arms on carriage panels, almost to our own times. But they must have lost the original symbolism, for they occur constantly on ledger tombs [see Miscell. Genealogica et Heraldica, Mar., 1885, p. 233; dated 1696], and must then refer to the resurrection life. They are found in book-plates in the middle of the eighteenth century, and continue down to 1800 or later. The ledger tomb to Ashley Palmer and his wife at Hawstead, dated 1792, shows a pleasing example. This engraving is from Miscell. Genealogica et Heraldica, 1885, p. 307.
Supporters.
It is hard to say when we may so name the grotesque animals, which first appeared to fill up the fields in seals even earlier than the fourteenth century—see that of Ralph de Monthermer, Earl of Gloucester and Hertford, 1299 [engraved, Nicholas Upton, edition 1654, p. 63], and several of those attached to the Baron's letter, 1301 (Monumenta Vetusta, vol. i). These gradually, as the fourteenth century progresses, assume an appearance on seals exactly corresponding with our modern supporters. We have "S' Fratris Thome Archer," 1325 (Nicholas Upton, p. 73), supported by two lions rampant counter-regardant (see No. 75); "Sigillum Petri de Veel," 1361 (on the same page) supported by two helmets with panaches, very similar to those of Edmund de Arundel still earlier 1301, given on p. 23, and Edmund Mortimer, 1372, engraved on p. 26; and we have two griffins supporting the helmet in the seal of Richard, Earl of Arundel, 1330-75, see p. 27. In the next century, supporting animals appear on many of the large and beautiful seals: two greyhounds in that of John, Lord Clinton de Say, 1438 (see No. 54); two horses in that of John, Earl of Arundel, 1415-21 (see Herald and Genealogist, vol. ii, p. 55); two heraldic antelopes support the crest of Humfrey, Earl of Stafford and Perche, 1438 (Archæologia, vol. xxxviii, p. 273); and many others might be quoted. It is quite impossible to say when we may begin to call such decorative adjuncts "supporters." Planché (Pursuivant, p. 177) says that at the close of the fourteenth century, in one instance, Richard II. (1377) used two white harts, his favourite badge, as supporters; but that those of Henry VI. (1422) are considered to begin the Royal series. In France, one supporter is frequently seen and is then called a "tenant." In Scotland, where French influence is in many ways visible, we frequently meet with seals where a single tree, man, bird, fabulous beast, &c., &c., supports the shield of arms. Menestrier [Origine des Ornemens, p. 93] traces many of these grotesque animals to the attendants at tournaments who paraded in such disguises, carrying the shields and weapons of the knights.
Supporters also occur in illuminations and carvings, and not being then confined within the narrow sphere of a seal, they stand much as in modern drawings—see the arms of Edward IV., 1460, in Willement's Regal Heraldry; also the carving on the Founder's pew in North Witham Church, co. Lincoln, being the arms and supporters of Sir Thomas de la Laund, 1470 (Archæological Journal, vol. ii, p. 87).
From the above remarks it will be seen that no datings, at any rate in the earlier centuries, can be deduced from the presence of supporters; indeed, there are instances of stone carvings on dwellings, in which it seems to me that the cutter, as in early seals, has added supporters merely to beautify his design and balance his shield, without any heraldic intention or authority whatever. Heraldry was a "mystery" as well as a science, and if the cutter had placed supporters, when decorating the mansion of a neighbouring lord, he might, in the same way, balance his design on the house of some obscure gentleman.