Of the Cap of State.
44. This cap is of crimson velvet, faced with ermine, with two points turned to the back.
Of old, by the practice both of England and Scotland, this cap was borne by princes or dukes only, as an ensign of dignity, whether on the helmet itself, or timbring the whole achievement. Mr Sandford, in his Genealogical History of the Kings of England, informs us " that King Edward 111. and his successors, as low down as Edward VI. had on their seals of arms this cap of state. For on one side is always to be seen the figure of the monarch on horseback and in armour, with this cap of state on his head, and the crest of England set thereon." The cap was originally therefore granted to certain no bles on account of pre-cminent dignity or merit, as we find in the case of Flcnry 11. Duke of Lancaster in England, and Archibald Earl of Douglas, Duke of Torraine, and Great Constable of h ranceovhose seal, affixed to several charters still extant in Scotland, always represents the hel met as adorned with this cap. But now the cap of state bath lost all its former eminent dignity by the evil usage of certain heralds, and is now borne not only by all degrees of nobility, but by many of the inferior gentry, and indeed by sonic of the lowest extraction. See Fig. 8.
Of Ensigns belonging to Ecclesiastical Dignities.
45. The Pope carries his arms in an oval shield or car touche, which form has become common in Italy, in con sequence of other ecclesiastics imitating their chief. This shield is adorned externally with the ensigns of his dignity, which are, I st, The Tiara. This is an high cap, or mitre, of silk, environed with three crowns of gold, and topped with a mound and cross like the imperial crown. This triple crown (or as it is called by the Italians the regno) is the sign of his supremacy, and placed over the cartouche. See Fig. 9.
2dly. The keys, one of gold, and one of silver, (symbols of the Pope's power of opening and shutting the gates of Paradise) are placed in saltier behind the cartouche.
idly The staves. The two angels which support the proper arms are placed in a sitting posture, one on each side of the cartouche ; each with one hand upholding the regno, and with the other grasping a long staff, having three traverses near the top ; which traverses end in trefoils, and are of the same metal with the keys.
The cardinal's external armorial mark of dignity is the red hat, with which they timbre their shields, having red strappings, with fifteen tassels hanging down at each side of the shield. Innocent Ill. charged the cardinals to dis continue all symbols of secular dignities ; but this was ne ver complied with except by the Italians.
Archbishops of the Roman church, primates, and le gates, place a cross staff with two traverses in pale behind the shield, and above the same a green hat with ten tassels hanging down on each side.
Our modern archbishops in England place a mitre af frontee on the top of the shield, (Fig. II.) issuing from a ducal coronet, and having two labels or pendants hanging from it, and behind the shield two crosiers in saltier. Bi shops use their mitre alone, proceeding from a plain circlet of gold, without any other exterior ornaments.
Abbots of the Roman church use a mitre in profile, and a crosier in pale behind the shield; above both a black hat with a knotted cord, and six tassels on each side, as may be seen in many of our Scottish abbeys, such as Holyrood house, Paisley, Ste. Priors, provosts, deans, and chanters of the church of Rome, are all distinguished by similar marks, such as palm-branches, pastoral staves, Ste.
Ensigns of Civil and Military offices.
46. In France and Germany, it has always been the cus tom of the great civil officers to denote by some exterior ornament of the shield their station and dignity. In Scot land likewise this practice was common before the 1101011; but in spite of the unceasing endeavours of the heralds of England, the great officers of that kingdom have never complied with the customs of their brethren in the other European states. The only established civil officer -in England who is distinguished by any armorial ensign of his official dignity, is the E u I Mirshall, who carries behind the shield of his arms two batons in saltier sable. the ends gold. NVIlen there i, a deput marshall, he is per mitted to carry one baton in bend dexter, exactly as was used in Scotland.