The Earl of Orkney (and from thence the Earl of Caithness) bears a Ship of a more modern form, with three Masts; but it has the honour of being within a double Tressure, counter-fleured, to shew its connexion with Royalty.
Drummond
carries, "Or, Three Bars wavy Gules." This simple Bearing, we are told, involves a Piece of History; for that an Hungarian Gentleman, of the name of Maurice, in the Reign of Malcolm III. had the command of a Ship in which Edgar Atheline, his Mother Agatha, and his Sisters Margaret and Christian, were embarked, in their return from England to Hungary. A Storm arose, and drove them on the Coast of Scotland, where they were landed in the Frith of Forth, and entertained by the King, who afterwards married Margaret. This Maurice so ingratiated himself with King Malcolm, that he was solicited by the King to settle in Scotland, which he did, and had grants of many Lands; and particularly those at Drymen or Drummond, of which last he took the name. Drummond, as we must now call him, was afterwards appointed Seneschal of Lenox; and the King assigned him the above Arms, alluding to his original Profession of a Naval Officer, and in memory of his having conducted the then Queen safe through the Storm into the Port in Scotland[287].
Seton Earl of Winton.
The Paternal Arms of Seton, afterwards Earls of Winton, were Crescents, for which no particular reason appears: but the Lords of Seton have for some hundreds of years carried, "Or, a Sword erected in pale, supporting an Imperial Crown Proper, betwixt Three Crescents within a Double Tressure, counter-fleured, Gules." This honourable Augmentation was granted by Robert the Bruce to his Nephew Sir Alexander Seton, of that Ilk, for the special and seasonable services performed by him and his Father Sir Christopher to that Monarch during the time of his troubles. Sir Christopher Seton, it seems, had lost two Estates of great value, one in Scotland, the other in England, together with his Life, in the Service of his King and Country; upon which account King Robert (whose Sister, Christian Bruce, Sir Christopher had married), when he had overcome his Enemies, restored his Nephew, Sir Alexander Seton, to the Lands in Scotland which his Father had lost, though he could not re-possess him of the English Estate; granted the Augmentation of the Sword and Crown to his Paternal Coat-Armour, to perpetuate their gallant Actions; and added the Double Tressure, which at that time was given to none but such as had married, or were descended from, Daughters of the Blood-Royal[288]. One branch of the Family, viz. Sir Alexander Seton of Pitwedden (at one time a Lord of Session), upon the event of the death of his Father, who, in the Reign of King Charles I. (during the Civil Commotions) was killed by a Shot from the King's Enemies, with a Banner in his hand, assumed the Armorial Bearing of "An Heart distilling Drops of Blood[289]."
These, my Lord, I offer in the line of Nobility, as Historical Bearings; but many may likewise be found among the Gentry, who have Armorial Devices allusive to gallant actions, high employments, or other honourable circumstances.
Of those, the few that follow, most easily occur, from the works of that laborious Herald, Mr. Alexander Nisbet.
Graham