"_Yon lion placed two unicorns between
That rampant with a silver sword is seen
Is for the king of Scotland's banner known._"
ARIOSTO (Hoole's translation).
"_The lion and the unicorn fighting for the crown._"
Old Nursery Rhyme.
The unicorn is represented by heraldic usage as having the head and body
of a horse, with the tail of a lion, and the limbs and hoofs of a stag; a
twisted horn grows out from the centre of its forehead. It is rarely met
with as a coat-of-arms. As a crest or supporter it is of more frequent
occurrence. A unicorn's head is a favourite bearing, either _erased_, or
_couped_, at the shoulder, and always represented in profile.
[Illustration: Crest: A Unicorn's head, couped.]
The unicorn was a famous device all over Europe, and symbolised the virtue
of the mind and the strength of the body. It is well known as a supporter
of the Royal Arms of England, a position it has occupied since the
accession of James VI. of Scotland to the English throne as James I. _Two
silver unicorns_ were the supporters to the arms of that kingdom. On the
legislative union with England, the _red dragon of Wales_, introduced by
Henry VII., gave place to the unicorn as the sinister supporter.
James III. of Scotland had it figured on coins which were thence called
"unicorns." James V. first used it with the national arms as supporters.
Although the silver unicorn came into England with James I., Queen Jane
Seymour had already adopted it.
"_Unicorn_" was the pursuivant of Lord Lyon King-at-Arms, the Royal
Scottish Herald.
As a supporter to the Royal arms it is thus blazoned: _A unicorn argent,
armed, unguled, crined and gorged or, with a royal coronet_ (_i.e._,
composed of crosses patée and fleurs-de-lis), _having a chain affixed
thereto, and reflexed over his back of the last_. The term "_armed_" has
reference to his horn, "_unguled_" to his hoofs, and "_crined_" to his
flowing mane. "_Gorged_" implies that the coronet encircles his "gorge" or
throat. The term "_or_" (that is, the metal gold or the tincture of it)
being only mentioned after the several parts implies that they are all
alike to be gold. "_Of the last_" means of the last colour mentioned.
In "The History of Caricature and Grotesque in Literature and Art," by
Thomas Wright, M.A., F.S.A. (p. 8), appears a curious illustration from an
Egyptian papyrus of the Roman period, in the British Museum. It represents
a lion and a unicorn playing a game resembling draughts, perhaps the
earliest instance of the two animals depicted in conjunction. As the
author says: "The lion has evidently gained the victory and is fingering
the money; his bold air of swaggering superiority as well as the look of
surprise and disappointment of his vanquished opponent are by no means
ill-pictured."
The animosity which existed between the lion and unicorn is referred to by
Spenser, and is allegorical of the animosity which once existed between
England and Scotland:
"Like as a lyon whose imperiall powre
A proud rebellious unicorne defyes."
_Faerie Queen_, ii. 5.