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The new
Lord Lyon David Sellar, appointed in March 2008, has begun to institute
changes in the Letters Patent (legal document) for new grants of arms in
Scotland. One change that would be less obvious is that he has revised
the preamble of Letters Patent relative to the authority of the Lyon
Court to reflect the legislation of the original Scottish Parliament in
1592 and 1672 that established the role of the Lord Lyon King of Arms in
Scotland to “exercise His (Her) Majesty’s heraldic prerogative in
Scotland”. That authority remains in effect today, but is now more
clearly stated in modern English.
Another
major change made by Lyon Sellar is to eliminate the “nobiliary” clause
that often confused people, especially those who assumed that a grant of
Scots arms created “noble” status for an armiger, unlike English and
Canadian grants of arms.
Much
has been written about the intended meaning of the term “a noble in the
noblesse of Scotland” that has been included in prior Letters Patent
since the time of Lyon Sir Thomas Innes of Learney. Such discussions
are far too complex to recite here, but it is generally agreed that a
grant of Scottish arms does not confer any special “noble” status. It
merely confirms that the grantee is a worthy and respected individual
deserving of recognition by a grant of arms in Scotland. Those with
titles of nobility from the Crown have the right to personal arms
reflecting their noble status, and grants of arms merely confirm their
noble status, with appropriate additaments such as supporters and
appropriate mantling.
The
change will no doubt disappoint some who thought that a grant of arms in
Scotland allowed them to suddenly become “noble,” even in countries like
the U.S. and Canada where the nobility was abolished many years ago.
Vanity has no limits, other than the cost and, if nothing else, has
contributed to the coffers of the Lyon Office in Edinburgh and Her
Majesty’s Treasury.
Unlike
the heraldic authorities at The College of Arms and Garter King of Arms
in England, and The Chief Herald of Canada, the Lord Lyon King of Arms
in Scotland still deals directly with Her Majesty on heraldic matters as
well as being a Judge of the Court of The Lord Lyon and Minister of the
Crown. |
