SCOTLAND, ROYAL ARMS OF. The arms of Scotland are—Or, a lion rampant gulcs, armed and langued azure, within a double tressure Rory eounterflory of fleur-de-lis of the second. Supporters—Two unicorns argent armed maned and unguled or, gorged open crowns, with chains affixed thereto, and reflexed over the back of the ;fist.
Crest—A lion sejant af fronte gales crowned or, holding in the dexter paw a sword, and in the sin's , ter a scepter, both erect proper.
The lion is first seen on the seal of Alexander II., and the tressure on that of Alexander III. , The unicorn supporters do not appear on any of the royal seals of Scotland till the time of queen Mary. on whose first great seal (1550) they are represent ed a.s chained and gorged with crowns. They were, however, on Melrose abbey as early as 1505.
In 1603, in consequence of the union of the crowns of England and Scot land. the Scottish arms came to be tered with those of land and Ireland, while one of the En lisle lions was adopted is a porter. Precedence wits, however, given within. Scotland to the Scottish ensigns, which occupied the first and fourth quarters, and the unicorn also obtained the place of honor, being dexter supporter. From about the time of Charles I. to 1707, it is Came the practice to represent the unicorn as not merely
gorged with an open crown. but crowned with an imperial crown. The treaty of union of 1707 decianql (art. 1) that the ensi:ms of the United Kingdom should be in future such as her majesty should appoint '• on all flags. banners, standards, and ensigns. both on sea and load;' the same mode of marshaling hieing adopted in England and Scotland. But art. 24 has been sometimes supposed to leave room for a different mode of shaling on the seals in use in twitters relating exclusively to Scotland. and on the great and other seals of Scotland. Since, as well as before die amen, precedence has been given to Scotland. The question of the proper marshaling of the royal arms within Scotland was raised in It.53 by a petition to the queen by the magistrates of Breathitt; a reference was made by the home office in the first instance to Garter king-at-arms, and Garter's report was transmitted to the office of the lord Lyon, where it was returned with observations by the Lyon depute. yvIto considered 8colland entitled to precedence on the judicial seals of the country; and his views have since continued to be acted on.•