The motto stands thus:--

"sco toot × vinic [or umic]

× poncs."

Adopting T.C.'s suggestion that the initial and final _s_ are mere

flourishes (though that makes little difference), and also his

supposition that _c_ may have been used for _s_, and as I fancy, not

unreasonably conjecturing that the × is intended for _dis_, which

is something like the pronunciation of the numeral X, we may then

take the _entire_ motto, without garbling it, and have sounds

representing _que toute disunis dispenses_; which, grammatically and

orthographically corrected, would read literally "all disunions cost,"

or "destroy," the equivalent of our "Union is strength." The motto,

with the arms, three dove-cotes, is admirably suggestive of family

union.

Notes and Queries, Number 32, June 8, 1850 · 第 87 / 126 题