Uncle George reflects on the history of the crown worn by Garter King of Arms.
“The crown of a King of Arms is, in modern parlance, a coronet, because it has no arch over the top; but it is and always has been officially called a crown, presumably because a king cannot very well wear anything so humble as a coronet! It consists of a gilded circlet or rim on which are mounted sixteen upright golden oak-leaves and on the circlet are inscribed the words (from Psalm 51) Miserere me deus secundum magnam misericordiam tuam, one translation of which is, “Have mercy on me, O God, according to thy great mercy”. This crown, like most of the other crowns and coronets worn at a coronation, has a red velvet, silk-lined cap within it, which is edged with ermine, and has a large gold tassel on the top. It looks magnificent. But why the oak-leaves, and why the words of supplication? When I contemplated my crown, as I did sometimes during the coronation preparations to concentrate my mind, an uneasy feeling of guilt would steal over me. What had I done, or my predecessors before me, what heinous crime had we committed, to make us for ever after beg for mercy and forgiveness? If you read Psalm 51 you will find it is one long cry for mercy and forgiveness from a guilty but contrite heart.
I think the answer may come from three hundred or so years ago, when King Charles II regained his throne after Cromwell’s usurpation, during which lamentable episode several of the heralds of the College of Arms had allowed their heads to rule their hearts, and had carried on as usual. Such hideous disloyalty could not have gone unnoticed and when the King returned there must have been some red, and even ashen-grey, faces at the College as the turncoat heralds there tried to rehabilitate themselves in the eyes of their rightful monarch. King Charles, however, as is well known, was magnanimous in victory, and ignored many of the misdemeanours of his lesser subjects – providing of course they did something suitable in expiation of their sins. What could be better in this case than that the principal heralds should proclaim, on behalf of all the heralds and for ever after, their contrition in this way? I think it probable that the supplicating words appeared for the first time on the crowns of the Kings of Arms at the second coronation of King Charles in 1661.
And the oak-leaves too. Were they just oak-leaves perhaps from Windsor Castle Park? Or did they allude to King Charles’s fortunate escape from capture when he hid in the Royal Oak at Boscobel? It is well known that nothing, however trivial or recondite, was overlooked in order to commemorate the King’s happy and glorious return.
Garter himself (my predecessor, Sir Edward Walker) went loyally into exile with his Sovereign, I am glad to say, and so did not blot his escutcheon. His motto was Loyaute mon honneur and he was said, probably by those who did not much like him, to have had an extraordinary faiblesse for the King.”
(To be continued)
The Hon, Sir George Bellew, KCB, KCVO, KStJ, FSA.
Psalm 51, King James Bible.
- Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy loving kindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions.
- Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin.
- For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me.
- Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest.
- Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.
- Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom.
- Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
- Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice.
- Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities.
- Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.
- Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me.
- Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit.
- Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.
- Deliver me from bloodguiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness.
- O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise.
- For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering.
- The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.
- Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem.
- Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar.