Supporters, Crests, and Cognizances, of the Kings of England
Richard II
Was the first who bore his Escocheon supported; viz. by Two Angels.
Cognizances.—A White Hart couchant, gorged with a Gold Chain and Coronet, under a Tree; derived from the Princess Joan his Mother.
Also a Peascod Branch, with the Pods open, but the Peas out.
Henry IV
Dexter, a Swan. Sinister, an Antelope.
Cognizance.—A Fox’s Tail dependant.
Henry V.
Two Swans, when Prince of Wales, holding in their beaks an Ostrich-feather and a Scroll; when King, a Lion and an Antelope.
N. B. He first bore three Fleurs de Lis, instead of the Semée; and wrote himself King of England and France, whereas those before him wrote France and England.
Henry VI
Two Antelopes, Argent, attired, accolled with Coronets, and chained Or.
Cognizance.—Two Feathers in Saltire.
Edward IV
A Lion for Marche; and a Bull for Clare.
Two Lions, Argent.
The Lion and the White Hart of Richard II.
Cognizances.—The White Rose.
The Fetter-Lock.
The Sun after the Battle of Mortimer’s Cross, when three Suns were seen, which immediately conjoined.
The Rose is in the centre.
Edward V.
The Lion and a Hinde, Argent.
Cognizance.—The Rose and the Falcon in a Fetter-Lock.
Richard III
Two Boars.
A White Boar.
“The Cat, the Rat, and Lovel the Dog,
Rule all England under the Hog.”
i. e. Sir William Catesby, Sir Richard Ratcliff, and Lord Lovel, creatures of King Richard. One Collingborne was executed for this poetry173.
Cognizance.—The Rose.
Henry VII
Red Dragon (for Cadwallader), Dexter.
A Greyhound, Argent, accolled Gules, Sinister, for Nevile.
Cognizances.—The White Rose united to the Red.
A Portcullis for Beaufort.
A Hawthorn Bush with the Crown in it.
Richard’s Crown was found in a Hawthorn Bush after the Battle of Bosworth174.
Henry VIII
The Red Dragon and Greyhound.
Afterwards, the Lion Dexter; the Dragon Sinister.
Cognizances.—A Red Rose.
A Fleur de Lis.
A Portcullis.
An Archer (Green) drawing his Arrow to the Head; with “Cui adhæreo præest.” taken at the interview between him and Francis I.
Edward VI
The Lion and Red Dragon.
Cognizance.—He bore the device of Prince of Wales, though never created.
Queen Mary
An Eagle and Lion.—These are the Supporters in the Coat of Philip and Mary, impaled, over the chimney in the Hall of Trinity College, Oxford, as of the year 1554, put up 1772, when Lord North, afterwards Earl of Guilford, became Chancellor175.
Cognizance.—When Princess, the White and Red Rose for York and Lancaster, with a Pomegranate for Spain.—When Queen, Time winged, drawing Truth out of a Pit; with “Veritas Temporis Filia.”
Queen Elizabeth
A Lion and Red Dragon.
Cognizance.—A Sieve, without a motto.
The words Video; Taceo. Semper Eadem176.
James I.
The Lion (for England), and the Unicorn (for Scotland).
Cognizances.—A Rose; a Fleur de Lis; a Harp (for Ireland); a Greyhound current.