Why do we love a good Coat of Arms seal?
Because they tell a story that sometimes is historical, sometimes cheeky, but almost always interesting! Case in point, the seal of Scottish poet, Robert Burns. While most men of his time were awarded a coat arms after serving the Crown, often in battle, Robert Burns decided to create his own (which makes us like him all the more!). So why did a humble farmer-poet who was a believer in love rather than war want a coat of arms? By creating his own coat of arms, Burns was making a public declaration that he considered himself equal to any noblemen and this would have given a clear signal to any that would have seen it, it was rather rebellious at the time! In addition, this was an important token of personal and familial identity for Burns, which he would have sealed his letters with.
Burns decided to incorporate two mottoes within his seal. "Wood Notes Wild" is inscribed across the top, signaling how Nature was an important inspiration in his life visually, and musically he often said his wife Jean had the sweetest wood notes wild singing voice. In the second motto, "Better a wee bush than a nae bield (shelter)", Burns could be highlighting his fears of homelessness that frequently haunted him towards the end of his life. This reminds us to respect Mother Nature as she can be a refuge for a wee mouse as well as all mankind. In the center of these two mottoes, Burns has placed a shepherd's Crook & Pipe, signaling his life long connection to Nature through his farming background.
A holly tree sits at the bottom of the seal, signaling that perhaps Burns wanted to display his love of nature prominently or perhaps there's another layer of meaning to consider. In Celtic mythology a holly tree was a guardian in the dark winter months, seen by the people as a symbol of peace and goodwill. Furthermore, the Druids believe that holly possessed protective qualities that could guard against bad luck and evil spirits. Therefore, this could be Burns recalling his time as a child when he heard stories of folklore and superstition from his mother. His crest - a wood lark - symbolizes cheerfulness and joy even in the worst of times, something Burns would have related to with his own life's ups and downs. In addition, the wood lark mimics other birds songs. Interestingly, Burns was a great lover of traditional music and collected an anthology of Scottish folk music known as "Scots Musical Museum".
Burns decided to incorporate two mottoes within his seal. "Wood Notes Wild" is inscribed across the top, signaling how Nature was an important inspiration in his life visually, and musically he often said his wife Jean had the sweetest wood notes wild singing voice. In the second motto, "Better a wee bush than a nae bield (shelter)", Burns could be highlighting his fears of homelessness that frequently haunted him towards the end of his life. This reminds us to respect Mother Nature as she can be a refuge for a wee mouse as well as all mankind. In the center of these two mottoes, Burns has placed a shepherd's Crook & Pipe, signaling his life long connection to Nature through his farming background.
A holly tree sits at the bottom of the seal, signaling that perhaps Burns wanted to display his love of nature prominently or perhaps there's another layer of meaning to consider. In Celtic mythology a holly tree was a guardian in the dark winter months, seen by the people as a symbol of peace and goodwill. Furthermore, the Druids believe that holly possessed protective qualities that could guard against bad luck and evil spirits. Therefore, this could be Burns recalling his time as a child when he heard stories of folklore and superstition from his mother. His crest - a wood lark - symbolizes cheerfulness and joy even in the worst of times, something Burns would have related to with his own life's ups and downs. In addition, the wood lark mimics other birds songs. Interestingly, Burns was a great lover of traditional music and collected an anthology of Scottish folk music known as "Scots Musical Museum".
So what does it all really mean? In the late 18th century, discussion on republicanism and inequality were politically rife questions. Robert Burns did not meet the requirements to vote, so he used his pen and voice to challenge political authority of the time. In his seal matrix, Burns has placed a wood lark upon a branch of bay leaves. In Roman mythology Bay leaves were treasured by the gods as their crowns of bay leaves connoted their high status and glory. By placing a wood lark - a songbird like himself - on top of the branch, Burns could be trying to say his voice has greater potency than the established 'Authority'. It could also be interpreted as a form of mockery, as a single songbird could undermine the glory of those in power with his voice alone.
Lastly, did Burns choose the symbols as a way of showing the world how he saw himself, or how others saw him? Whether you believe these symbols have multiple meanings or not, it still provides an insight into how Burns wanted to be portrayed and remembered. He was a lover of Nature and song and even in his height of popularity he never forgot his farming roots. Nevertheless, Robert Burns was a man not afraid to aspire beyond his supposed class, and this small seal is evidence of that, packed with the life story of a man who refused to bend to society's status quo!
I am moved to tears
Thank you for this inspirational Blog post
Strength to believe in ourselves, and humanity as a whole, has always been the most important task at hand , to my mind