Union in 1801. During the latter part of his reign George III.
became insane and the Prince of Wales was appointed Regent.
Almost as soon as George III. succeeded to the throne he began
collecting books, no doubt to a great extent induced to do so
because of the fact that George II. had practically denuded the
Royal Libraries of their treasures in 1757, but in many ways he
possessed the true collector's instinct. The Royal Librarian
was Sir Frederick Barnard, K.C.H., who travelled about the
Continent seeking early editions and desirable books generally,
under the advice of Dr. Samuel Johnson. Besides the books
collected abroad by Sir Frederick, large numbers were acquired
in England, among these the entire library of Joseph Smith,
British Consul at Venice. Sir Frederick Barnard did not neglect
the sale-room, and he acquired especially valuable additions to
the Royal Library at the sales of the important libraries of
James West, John Ratcliffe, and Richard Farmer, all of which
took place about the same time.
The library collected by George III. is now housed in the
beautiful room known as the "King's Library" in the British
Museum. All the books have one or other of the many book-stamps
used by the King impressed upon them, either on the sides or
on the back. The estimated number of volumes in the library at
the time of its acquisition by the British Museum was about
eighty-four thousand, as well as a very large collection of
charts, maps, and drawings, and several manuscripts. The books
in the King's Library are in splendid condition, and among them
are numbers of precious bindings, especially later English,
Scottish, and Irish. Several of the Royal books were bound by
Charles Kalthoeber, a German binder who copied the style and
stamps used by Roger Payne.
The coat-of-arms used by George III. in the early part of his
reign was the same as that used by his predecessor, viz. first
quarter, England and Scotland impaled; second quarter, France;
third quarter, Ireland; and fourth quarter, Brunswick impaling
Lunenburg, in the base point Saxony, and an escutcheon of
pretence bearing the crown of Charlemagne, as a badge of the
office of High Treasurer of the Holy Roman Empire. This coat
was used until 1801.
On the 1st of January 1801, a Proclamation was issued by the
King regarding the Legislative Union with Ireland, and certain
armorial changes are noted. The first is that in future the
title of the King is to be "of Great Britain and Ireland King,"
instead of as heretofore, "King of Great Britain, France, and
Ireland." Next the arms "shall be Quarterly: first and fourth
England; second Scotland; third Ireland; and it is our Will and
Pleasure that there shall be borne therewith on an escutcheon
of pretence, the arms of Our Dominions in Germany, ensigned
with the electoral Bonnet." So that now the fourth quarter, as
used by George I. and George II., is moved up, and shown on the
escutcheon of pretence in the centre of the shield.
It will be noticed that the Fleurs-de-lys of France are now
left out of the English coat-of-arms, as well as the title of
King of France. The arms of France had been used in the English
coat-of-arms since their adoption, with the motto "DIEU ET MON
DROIT," by Edward III. in 1341, when he claimed the throne of
France by right of his mother Isabella, only surviving child of
Philippe IV. From that time until 6th March 1706, when Queen
Anne changed the first quarter of the English coat, the French
Fleurs-de-lys had held the place of honour. Although the French
coat was discarded in 1801, the motto which alluded to the same
claim to the French throne has been retained and is still used.
The Fleurs-de-lys of France were at first semées, but Charles
VI. of France reduced them to three, and a corresponding change
was presently made in the English coat.
In 1816 the electorate of Hanover was given the rank of a
kingdom, so that the electoral bonnet no longer properly
represented the dignity. On 8th June 1816, a notice was given
in the London _Gazette_ that his Majesty was in future "King of
Hanover," and that a corresponding alteration is to be made in
the Royal arms, and it is ordered that, "instead of the arms of
His Majesty's Dominions in Germany, ensigned with the electoral
bonnet, as directed by His Majesty's Proclamation above
mentioned, there shall henceforth be used and borne with the
arms or ensigns armorial of His Majesty's said United Kingdom,
on an escutcheon of pretence, the arms of His Majesty's
Dominions in Germany, ensigned with the Hanoverian Royal Crown."
The Royal title _Britanniarum Rex_, "King of the United Kingdom
of Great Britain and Ireland," without the Ducal titles of the
Royal Dominions in Germany, which had been used by George I.
and George II., first appears on the Fifth Great Seal of George
III., used from 1st August 1815 to 17th September 1821.
[Illustration]
GEORGE IV., KING OF THE BRITAINS
The coat-of-arms of George IV. was the same as the last used by George
III., namely 1st and 4th, England; 2nd, Scotland; 3rd, Ireland;
with the arms of the Royal Dominions in Germany on an escutcheon of
pretence, ensigned with the Royal Crown of Hanover.
Several of the older book-stamps of George III. were, however,
frequently used by George IV.
[_Inventories of plate at Windsor, etc._]
[Illustration]
Used when Prince of Wales. A Prince of Wales' plume within a princely
coronet.
[_London and its Environs
described._ London, 1761.]
George IV. used the same coat-of-arms as the last one of George
III., that is to say, first and fourth grand quarters, England;
second grand quarter, Scotland; and third grand quarter,
Ireland; on an escutcheon of pretence the arms of the Dominions
of the Crown in Germany, ensigned with the Hanoverian Royal
Crown.
When George IV. inherited the large library made by his
father, he very soon found that it was a very costly and
troublesome legacy, and at one time he was inclined to sell it
to the Emperor, Alexander I. of Russia. This idea, however,
was very displeasing to English feeling, and the Premier,
Lord Liverpool, was able to convince the King that any such
sale would be highly unpopular. After considerable trouble
the matter was amicably arranged, and Ministers were able
to satisfy the King by means of a fund called "Droits of
Admiralty," which they could dispose of without troubling
Parliament. The King then wrote a letter, 15th January 1823, to
Lord Liverpool, in which he says:--
"The King, my late revered and excellent father, having formed
during a long series of years, a most valuable and extensive
Library, I have resolved to present this collection to the
British Nation."
The library was consequently removed from Buckingham House to
the British Museum in 1828, and arranged in the beautiful room
built for it. In this room the books are kept by themselves,
apart from the rest of the library. It is probable that some
idea of the ultimate destination of this library existed as
long ago as 1791, as in that year a German preacher, Frederick
Wendeborn, wrote that the books in the King's private library,
"it is said, will be one time or another joined to those of the
British Museum."
[Illustration]
GILBERT, JOHN, ARCHBISHOP OF YORK
_Arms._--Quarterly.
1st and 4th; erm., on a chevron sa., 3 roses arg. _Gilbert._
2nd and 3rd; arg., 2 bendlets sa. _Bradshaw._
_Note._-Used before 1726.
[TESAURO. _Patriarchae Genealogia._ Mediolani, 1645.]
John Gilbert (born circ. 1693, died 9th August 1761) was a
son of John Gilbert, Prebendary of Exeter. He was educated at
Oxford, and ordained about 1718.
In 1722 Gilbert succeeded to his father's Prebendal stall at
Exeter, and two years later he was made Dean. In 1726 Dr.
Gilbert was consecrated Bishop of Llandaff, and was afterwards
translated to Salisbury. In 1757 he became Archbishop of York.
Gilbert was not a man of much learning, and his preferment in
the Church is remarkable as being due more to influence than
character. He published several sermons.
[Illustration]
GOWER, GEORGE GRANVILLE LEVESON, DUKE OF SUTHERLAND
_Arms._--Within the Garter. Quartered.
1. Quarterly;
1st and 4th, barry of 8, arg. and gu., over all a cross patonce
sa. _Gower._
2nd and 3rd, az., 3 laurel leaves or. _Leveson._
2. Barry of 8, arg. and gu., over all a cross patonce sa.
_Gower._
3. Gu., 3 clarions or. _Granville._
4. Arg., a lion rampant gu., between 3 pheons, sa. _Egerton._
5. Arg., on a bend az., 3 bucks' heads cabossed or. _Stanley._
6. Gu., 2 lions passant arg. _Strange._
7. Barry of 10, arg. and gu., a lion rampant or, on a canton
sa., a fess arg. _Brandon._
8. Quarterly;
1st and 4th, France.
2nd and 3rd, England; being the arms of England, borne by right
of descent from the Princess Mary, daughter of Henry VII.
_Coronet._--That of a Duke.
[JEWEL. _Defense of the Apologie, etc._ London, 1576.]
George Granville Leveson-Gower (born 9th January 1758, died
19th July 1833) was the son of Granville, Marquis of Stafford.
Lord George was summoned to the House of Lords as Baron Gower
during his father's lifetime, and succeeded to the Marquisate
in 1803.
The Marquis was a Member of the Privy Council and a Knight of
the Garter, and in 1833 he was created Duke of Sutherland. The
Earldom of Sutherland came into the Gower family by right of
Elizabeth, Countess of Sutherland in her own right, who married
the Duke in 1785. It is said to be the most ancient Earldom
in North Britain, and to date back as far as 1057. The Duke's
successors all used a quartering on their coat-of-arms for this
ancient Earldom, namely, gu., 3 mullets or, within a bordure of
the last, charged with a double tressure, flory counterflory of
the field.
[Illustration]
GREEN, JOSEPH HENRY
_Arms._--Az., 3 bucks statant or. A crescent for difference. _Green._
_Motto._--NEC SPERO NEC DESPERO.
[BACON. _Of the Advancement and Proficience of Learning._
Oxford, 1640.]
Joseph Henry Green of Barnet (born 1st November 1791, died 13th
December 1863) was the second son of Joseph Green of London.
He was an eminent surgeon, and commenced his medical studies
in Germany. Returning to London, Green worked at St. Thomas's
Hospital, where he eventually held important office, becoming
chief surgeon in 1820. In 1824, Green was appointed Professor
of Anatomy at the College of Surgeons. He was Professor of
Surgery at King's College, a Fellow of the Royal Society, and
twice President of the College of Surgeons. Professor Green was
a friend and literary executor to S. T. Coleridge.
[Illustration]
GRENVILLE, RT. HON. THOMAS
_Arms._--Vert., on a cross arg., 5 torteaux. A crescent for difference.
_Grenville._
[_Tristan, Chlr. de la Table Ronde._ Paris.]
Thomas Grenville (born 31st December 1755, died 17th December
1846) was the second son of George Grenville of Wotton Hall,
Bucks, and was educated at Oxford. He served for a short time
in the army. In 1780 Grenville was Member of Parliament for
Buckinghamshire, and interested himself much in political
matters. In 1790 he was Member for Aldborough, and in 1794
he was Minister Extraordinary at Vienna. His younger brother
William, Baron Grenville, was Premier in 1806.
Grenville was a Member of the Privy Council, and in 1799
Ambassador to Berlin, and was the last person to hold the
office of Chief-Justice in Eyre south of Trent. He was for
a time First Lord of the Admiralty. In 1818 Grenville left
public life. He was always an eager collector of fine books,
and bequeathed his magnificent library to the nation. It is
now kept at the British Museum, of which Mr. Grenville was a
Trustee, in a room especially kept for it, and known as the
Grenville Room.
Among the Grenville books are still a few fine old bindings,
but the majority have been rebound by George Lewis, one of the
most eminent of the later English trade binders.
[Illustration]
GREY, HENRY, EARL OF STAMFORD
_Arms._--Quartered.
1. Barry of 6, arg. and az. A label for difference. _Grey._
2. Sa., 6 mullets or, 3, 2, and 1. _Bonvile._
3. Arg., a fret sa. _Tollemache._
4. A cross engrailed between 4 water bougets sa. _Bourchier._
_Coronet._--That of an Earl.
[_L'Histoire de France._ Paris, 1581.]
Henry Grey (born c. 1599, died 23rd August 1673) was the son
of Sir John Grey, and grandson of Henry, first Baron Grey of
Groby, to whom he succeeded in the barony in 1614. In 1628 Lord
Grey was created Earl of Stamford. He was a soldier, and held a
command in the Parliamentary Army, but proved a bad General. He
was Lord Lieutenant of Leicestershire, and served for a time as
Member of Parliament for that county. In 1645 he was impeached
in the House of Commons for an assault on Sir Arthur Haselrig.
Many of the books which had belonged to Lord Stamford
subsequently came into the possession of Robert Harley, Earl of
Oxford, and now form part of the Harleian Library.
[Illustration]
GULSTON, WILLIAM, BISHOP OF BRISTOL
_Crest._--An ostrich wing, the feathers alternately arg. and gu.,
charged with a bend sa., charged with 3 plates. _Gulston._
[BOCCACCIO. _Decamerone._ Firenze, 1516.]
[Illustration]
_Arms._--Arg., 3 bars nebuly gu., over all a bend sa., charged with 3
plates. _Gulston._
_Note._--Used by a lady of the Gulston family.
[COQVILLE. _Histoire du Pays et Duché de Nivernois._
Paris, 1612.]
[Illustration]
Variety of crest in smaller size.
[_Tirante il Bianco valorissimo Cavaliere._ Vinegia, 1538.]
William Gulston was Rector of Symondsbury in Dorsetshire. In
1679 he was consecrated Bishop of Bristol, a preferment he held
until his death in 1684.
The Gulston coat-of-arms is shown on the screen in Bristol
Cathedral. The coat shown on a lozenge is that of a lady of the
Gulston family, possibly a daughter of the Bishop. In most of
the books on which this coat occurs there is a book-plate of
"Elize Gulston," so the book-stamp was in all probability hers
also. Both the small coat and the small crest are usually added
on the backs of finely bound books, but the large crest occurs
on the side in the usual manner.
[Illustration]
HAMILTON, JOHN, ARCHBISHOP OF ST. ANDREWS
_Arms._--On an archiepiscopal cross. Quarterly.
1 and 4. Gu., 3 cinquefoils erm. _Hamilton._
2 and 3. Arg., a lymphad sa. _Arran._
[CELSUS. _De arte Medicina._ Basileae.]
John Hamilton (born c. 1510, died 1st April 1570) at an early
age became a Benedictine monk at Kilwinning, and in time went
to study at Paris. The Regent Arran was his half-brother, and
the priest had considerable influence with him. Hamilton's
preferment in the Church was rapid. In 1545 he was made Bishop
of Dunkeld, and in 1546 succeeded David Beaton as Archbishop of
St. Andrews and Primate of Scotland. He was also Keeper of the
Privy Seal and Lord Treasurer of Scotland.
The Archbishop was a strong adherent of Mary, Queen of
Scotland, and was a Member of her Privy Council; he actively
helped her escape from Loch Leven, as well as taking the field
on her behalf. He was accused of complicity in the murders of
Darnley and of the Regent Moray. Archbishop Hamilton wrote
several theological works. He was hanged at Stirling in 1570.
[Illustration]
HARBORNE, WILLIAM
_Arms._--Gu., a lion passant or, between 3 bezants. _Harborne._
_Motto._--DEVS INDVSTRIAM BEAT.
[PASSE. _Hortus Floridus._ Utrecht, 1615.]
William Harborne (born circ. 1550, died 9th September 1617)
was the son of William Harborne of Great Yarmouth. He was a
great traveller. In 1582 Harborne was appointed the Queen's
Ambassador to Turkey, and remained at Constantinople until
1588. His tenure of this office was beneficial to trade, and he
also procured several privileges from the Sultan as to English
travellers in the East. Mr. Harborne wrote an account of his
voyage to Constantinople, and other books about his stay there.
His manuscripts are mostly at the British Museum or at the
Bodleian Library at Oxford.
[Illustration]
HARLEY, ROBERT, EARL OF OXFORD AND EARL OF MORTIMER
_Arms._--Or, a bend cotised sa. _Harley._
_Coronet._--That of an Earl.
_Supporters._--Two angels ppr.
_Motto._--VIRTUTE ET FIDE.
[_Survey of Manors in various Counties._ Harl. MS. 2192.]
[Illustration]
_Arms._--Or, a bend cotised sa. _Harley._
_Motto._--VIRTVTE ET FIDE.
_Legend._--ROBERT HARLEY.
[_The Annals of King James and King Charles the First._
London, 1681.]
Robert Harley (born 5th December 1661, died 21st May 1724) was
the son of Sir Edward Harley of Brampton Bryan, Herefordshire.
Robert Harley was Member of Parliament for Tregony, and
afterwards for New Radnor, and was distinguished for his
knowledge of finance. In 1701 he became Speaker of the House of
Commons, and had a considerable share in the passing of the Act
for the Protestant succession to the Throne of England.
In 1704, Mr. Speaker Harley became a Member of the Privy
Council, and also was made one of the Principal Secretaries
of State. Owing to various jealousies and plots against him,
Harley resigned office in 1707. In 1710 he was made Chancellor
of the Exchequer; in 1711 he was nearly assassinated by Antoine
de Guiscard, a French adventurer, and his escape increased his
popularity, and he was created Earl of Oxford, and Lord High
Treasurer, an office he held until 1714.
In 1715 Lord Oxford was impeached for betrayal of duty and
other matters, twenty-two articles in all, and in 1717 he was
acquitted after a long trial.
Through all his many political troubles, Harley continued the
collection of manuscripts, which was his dearest hobby. He
brought together many of the most famous collections, among
them those of Sir Thomas Smith, Sir Symonds D'Ewes, and the
Earl of Stamford. In the Harleian Library were about six
thousand volumes of manuscripts, as well as about fifteen
thousand separate rolls and charters, and this collection was
largely added to by the second Earl. The entire collection was
purchased by Parliament in 1753, and is now in the British
Museum. The printed books were dispersed.
Many of the Harleian books were bound, generally in red
morocco, by Thomas Eliot and Christopher Chapman, with broad,
gold-tooled borderings, and this style is known as the
"Harleian." Several of Lord Oxford's favourite books have a
facsimile signature "Robert Harley," impressed inside on the
paper in gold. A member of the Harley family always holds one
of the six family trusteeships of the British Museum.
[Illustration]
HASTINGS, FERDINANDO, SIXTH EARL OF HUNTINGDON
_Crest._--A bull's head erased sa., armed and ducally gorged or.
_Hastings._
_Coronet._--That of an Earl.
_Motto._--HONORANTES ME HONORABO.
[CAMDEN. _Tomus alter Annalium Rerum Anglicarum ...
regnante Elizabetha._ Londini, 1627.]
[Illustration]
_Crest._--A bull's head erased sa., armed and ducally gorged or.
_Hastings._
_Coronet._--That of an Earl.
[REUSNER. ΒΑΣΙΛΙΚΩΝ _operis Genealogici Catholici Auctarium,
illustres Stirpes Comitum continens, etc._ Francofurti, 1592.]
Ferdinando Hastings (born 18th January 1608, died 13th February
1655) was the son of Henry, fifth Earl of Huntingdon, and his
wife Elizabeth, daughter of Ferdinando, Earl of Derby. He
succeeded his father in the Earldom in 1643. Lord Huntingdon
married Lucy, daughter of Sir John Davis of Englefield, Berks.
[Illustration]
HATTON, SIR CHRISTOPHER, KNIGHT
_Arms._--Quartered.
1. Az., a chevron between 3 garbs or. _Hatton._
2. Arg., a cross flory between 4 cornish choughs, ppr.
_Offley._
3. Arg., an eagle displayed sa. _Browne._
4. Arg., a bend lozengy gu. _Bradeston._
5. Az., a cross engrailed erm. _Stanton._
6. Gu., a saltire arg. _Nevill_ of Raby.
7. Az., a chevron between 3 garbs or; a crescent for
difference. _Hatton._
8. Arg., a fess sa., in chief a crescent of the last. _York._
9. Az., 5 cinquefoils in cross arg., 1, 3, and 1. _Holdenby._
10. Bendy, arg. and sa., on a canton of the second a castle of
the first. _Carrell._
11. Gu., on a chief or, 3 quatrefoils vert. _Wedson._
_Crest._--A hind passant or.
_Helmet._--That of an Esquire.
[_Bible._ London, 1588.]
Christopher Hatton (born c. 1540, died 20th November
1591) was the youngest son of William Hatton of Holdenby,
Northamptonshire. He was educated at Oxford and entered the
Middle Temple.
Queen Elizabeth noticed Hatton at a masque, and was struck by
his good looks and graceful dancing. He was shortly afterwards
attached to the Court, and became a Gentleman of the Privy
Chamber, Captain of the Guard, Vice-Chamberlain, and a Member
of the Privy Council. In 1587 he was made Lord Chancellor, and
also a Knight of the Garter. From 1588 until he died, Hatton
was Chancellor of the University of Oxford. He wrote a few
books on law or the drama, and had a considerable library.
[Illustration]
HEATH, BENJAMIN
_Arms._--Sa., 3 heathcocks arg., membered gu. _Heath._
[COLLE. _Medicina Practica._ Pisauri, 1617.]
Benjamin Heath (born 20th April 1704, died 13th September 1766)
was a son of Benjamin Heath, a merchant of Exeter. He inherited
a considerable fortune from his father, and as a young man
travelled much on the Continent.
Mr. Heath spent all his life in the pursuit of literature and
the collection of books. Among his writings is one of some
importance, "Notæ sive Lectiones ad Æschyli, quæ supersunt
dramata," published at Oxford in 1762. He was a D.C.L. of
Oxford. He also wrote some political pamphlets, and others
concerning Shakespeare. Dr. Heath left a large family, and one
of his sons became headmaster of Eton. His library was very
extensive, and he gave a large portion of it to his sons during
his lifetime, and the remainder was sold in 1810.
[Illustration]
HENRY VII., KING OF ENGLAND AND FRANCE, AND LORD OF IRELAND
_Arms._--Quarterly.
1st and 4th; az., 3 fleurs-de-lys or. _France._
2nd and 3rd; gu., 3 lions passant or, langued and unguled az.
_England._
_Crown._--Royal, but of a type used before the time of Henry VI. and
supported by two angels.
_Supporters._--Two lions sejant arg. _Mortimer, Earls of March._
_Note._--This stamp is sometimes said to have belonged to Edward IV.
The crown as shown here is that which appears on groats of Henry VII.;
but the crown which appears on his great seal, a higher authority,
has the crosses pattée and fleurs-de-lys alternately as now used. The
crosses pattée were first used as the seal for foreign affairs of Henry
VI.
[_Impressed in blind, upon a loose cover in the Library
of Westminster Abbey._ C., 1490.]
Henry Tudor (born 26th June 1456, died 1509) was the son of
Edmund Tudor, Earl of Richmond, and Margaret Beaufort. In
1486 the Earl of Richmond married Elizabeth of York, daughter
of Edward IV., the first King of the Yorkist line, and as
the Earl himself represented the Lancastrian line, by way of
Catherine Swinford, this marriage united the two houses of York
and Lancaster, and gave rise to the beautiful Tudor badge of
the Red and White Rose. The two colours are shown sometimes
per pale, sometimes quartered, or there may be simple rows
of alternate petals, or, as is most usual, the inner petals
are all white and the outer petals all red; the centre is
always gold, and the little leaves between the outer petals,
if showing at all, are green. The portcullis and gateway,
also commonly used as badges by our Sovereigns until the time
of Charles I., are both used as emblems of the De Beaufort
alliance. The portcullis is or, nailed az., chained and ringed
of the first.
The Earl of Richmond defeated Richard III. at the battle of
Bosworth Field in 1485, and the king was killed. Henry VII. was
crowned king on the battlefield. He possessed a considerable
number of manuscripts, and also a small library of printed
books, which, as far as is known, were bound in velvet. Judging
from the leather binding in Westminster Abbey Library, Henry
also had some commoner books stamped with his coat-of-arms.
Several bindings that were made for Henry VII. still exist;
they are either at the Record Office, the Library of
Westminster Abbey, or the British Museum, and are all bound in
the same way. The binding is of red velvet, beautifully bossed
with silver or other metal; the bosses are ornamented with
the Royal coat-of-arms, with the red dragon of Cadwallader as
a dexter supporter, and the white greyhound of the Nevills,
or, when used by Henry VII., of the De Beauforts, as sinister
supporter.
But before using the dragon and greyhound Henry VII. had used
two white lions. A white lion was the badge of the Earls of
March, who were distantly connected with the King.
The coat-of-arms used by Henry VII., _i.e._ France and England
quarterly, was the same as had been used by all the English
kings since Henry IV. in 1408, when the fleurs-de-lys semées,
which had been hitherto used, were reduced to three, in
accordance with the change made in the French coat by Charles
VI., King of France.
[Illustration]
HENRY VIII., KING OF ENGLAND AND FRANCE, AND LORD OF
IRELAND--AFTERWARDS KING OF ENGLAND, FRANCE, AND IRELAND.
_Arms._--Quarterly.