HERALDRY RAMBLINGS

The Mysterious Hedgehog

It collects its stores for the winter with its prickles and is symbolic of a provident provider. In ancient Egypt, hedgehog amulets were worn to ward off snakebite. If approached by a snake, a hedgehog will bristle and roll up, fending off the reptile's striking fangs with its longer spines. When the snake is fatigued or wounded, the hedgehog attacks, biting along the backbone toward the head until the snake is dead. So it is said.....

THE OWL-A-CHANGING

The heraldic owl is generally shown close and guardant, and occasionally rampant with various wing positions. However with modern heraldry the owl is starting to show up with the head Reguardant.

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THE ANNULET-

is a Ring, commonly called in Latin, Annulus, but by Cambden, Annellm, which perhaps he took from the French, Annelet, for so they call them. And Colomliere speaks of them thus: " The Hiero^ glyphick of the Ring is very various; some of the " Ancients made it to denote Servitude, alleging, " that the Bridegroom uses to give it to his Bride, " to denote to her that she is to be subject to him, which Pythagoras seem'd to confirm, when he prohibited wearing a Ring, that is, not to (' submit to over rigid Servitude). Many believe the Rings do rather denote the Truth and Fidelity they owe to one another, than that they import any Servitude.

The Romans by the Ring represented Liberty and Nobility, and none among them were allow'd to wear it, but such as were of their Knightly Degree, and Soldiers of Renown. A Ring may also signify Secrecy, especially if it have a Seal cut on it : And it may be the Emblem of Love, if the Face, the Cypher, or the Arms of the Person belov'd are engrav'd on it.

The Ring also denotes Strength, by reason of its circular Figure ; so that this Figure is graceful and of great Signification.

ANNUNCIADA (Knights of the Order of the) in Savoy, first instituted by Amadeus the First, Duke of Savoy, at what time he defended Rhodes from the Turks, Anno 1409. Their Collar is of fifteen Links, to express the fifteen Mysteries of the Blessed Virgin.

it rose to high honour and dignity

In the olden time, in England, the love of Heraldry, which was prevalent amongst all classes, was based upon an intelligent appreciation of its worthiness.

A part of the feudal system of the Middle Ages, and at once derived from the prevailing form of thought and feeling, and imparting to it a brilliant colouring peculiar to itself, Heraldry exercised a powerful influence upon the manners and habits of the people amongst whom it was in use.

By our early ancestors, accordingly, as Mr. Montagu has so happily written, "little given to study of any kind, a knowledge of Heraldry was considered indispensable:" to them it was the " outward sign of the spirit of chivalry, the index, also, to a lengthened chronicle of doughty deeds." And this Heraldry grew up, spontaneously and naturally, out of the circumstances and requirements of those times.

It was invented and introduced, because it was needed for practical use; it was accepted and cherished, because it did much more than fulfil its

avowed purpose.

At first, simply useful to distinguish particular individuals, especially in war and at the tournament, English Heraldry soon became popular; and then, with no less rapidity, it rose to high honour and dignity.

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The Noble lord is wearing his clan tartan, the Sutherland. Although he was a supporter of the 1707 Union with England, Lord Duffus defected to the Jacobites in 1715. He fled to Sweden but returned to Britain and was imprisoned in the Tower of London. Released in 1717, he joined the Imperial Russian navy, and rose to the rank of Admiral.

The title Lord Duffus was created by Charles II in the Peerage of Scotland on 8 December 1650 for Alexander Sutherland. He was a descendant of the 4th Earl of Sutherland, who fell in battle in 1333. The title is now extinct, although there may be male-line Sutherlands descended from earlier lairds of Duffus. In 1734, the 3rd Lord was attainted and the lordship was forfeited. His son Eric tried but failed to get a reverse of the attainder. His son James Sutherland of Duffus got the attainder reversed, and was restored to the lordship as 4th (titular 5th) Lord Duffus on 25 May 1826. The last two Lords Duffus were also Baronets, of Hempriggs in the County of Caithness (3rd and 4th). The lordship became extinct on the death of the 6th (titular 7th) Lord Duffus on 28 August 1875.