GREAT SEALS OF NEW NETHERLAND AND NEW-YORK

No. I.

SEAL OF NEW NETHERLAND.

This is the first public seal of the Province, and is thus described: Argent, a Beaver, proper; Crest, a Coronet; Legend, SIGILLVM. NOVI. BELGII. In a paper by Van der Donck entitled, "Further observations on the Petition of the Commonalty of New Netherland," it is stated, that New Netherland was called a Province, because it was invested by their High Mightinesses with the arms of an Earl. The engraving is copied from an impression of the seal in the office of the Secretary of State. 2 It was in use until 1664, and afterwards, we presume, under Gov. Colve in 1673, 4.

II.

SEAL OF THE DUKE OF YORK.

This is a copy of the Royal arms of the House of STUART which Burke thus describes-Quarterly, first and fourth, FRANCE and ENGLAND quarterly; second, or, a lion rampant, within a double tressure, flory counter flory, gu. SCOTLAND; third, az. a harp, or, stringed, ar. IRELAND.3 Motto, "HONI. SOIT. QUI. MAL. Y PENSE." Legend, SIGILL. PROVINE NOVI. EBORAC. Crest, a Coronet composed of crosses and fleur de lis, with one arch ; which Burke adds, the Duke of York was directed to use, by a Roya Warrant dated 9th Feb. 1662. There are several impressions of this seal in the first Vol. of Land Papers, in the Sec'ys office They are incumbent, but those to the Patent of Renselaerwyck (1685,) and to the charter of the city of Albany (1686,) ar pendant. The earliest impression in the Sec'ys office is to 2 Land Papers, I.

1 Hol. Doc. IV. 39.

3 Burke's Encyc. of Heraldry. Royal Armory.

patent dated 20th August, 1670, and from the fact that the patents issued by Governor Nicolls are sealed only with his signet, it is inferred that the Great Seal now reproduced was received in October, 1669, at the same time as the seal presented by Gov. Lovelace to the city of New-York. It was in use until 1687, with the exception of Colve's brief administration in 1674.

III.

SEAL OF JAMES II.

1

We have not been able to find an impression of this seal, the Warrant for which bears date 14th August, 1687. It is described therein as having "on the one side our Royal effigies on Horseback in Arms over a Landskip of Land and Sea, with a Rising Sun, and a Scrole containing this motto, ALIUSQ: ET IDEM. And our Titles round the circumference of the said Seal; There being also engraven on the other side Our Royal Arms with the Garter, Crown, Supporters and Motto, with this Inscription round ye Circumference SIGILLUM PROVINCIA NOSTRA Novi EBORACI ETC., IN AMERICA." Despatches of the above date were received in New York on the 21st November following;3 the seal was in use, it is supposed, until Leisler's usurpation in June 1689.

IV

SEAL OF KING WILLIAM AND QUEEN MARY.

The warrant for this seal, which was brought over by Gov. Sloughter, bears date 31st May, 1690.4 It served as the model for all the Great Seals of New-York subsequently received from England, and has, on one side, the effigies of the King and Queen, and two Indians kneeling offering as presents-the one, a roll of Wampum, the other a Beaver skin. Around the circumference are their Majesties titles-GVLIELMVS III. ET MARIA. II. DEI. GRA. MAG. BRIT. FRAN. HIB. REX ET REGINA. FID. DEF. On the reverse are the Royal Arms with the Garter, Crown, Supporters and Motto, and this inscription-SIGILLVM PROVINC. NOSTR. Nov

1 Valentine's Manual of the Com. Counc. of N. Y. for 1849. 343.

2 Lond Doc. V. 139.

3 Counc. Min. V. 213.

4 Book of Commissions, Sec'ys Off. II. 16.

EBOR. ETC. IN AMERICA. These arms are, it will be remarked, the same as those on the Stuart seal, with the addition, however, of an escutcheon of pretence, containing a Lion rampant, for the arms of Nassau, of which house King William was a member. It has some other peculiarities worthy of attention. Much importance has been attached to this seal from the fact that it was affixed to several patents in this country after the King's death. But the objections made to the validity of those patents, on that account, must disappear when the fact is understood, that this seal was not superseded until Sept., 1765-three years and a half after the King's demise. The engraving is from the Seal attached to the original Charter of Trinity Church, N. Y., 1697, in the State Lib., and to the Commission of Johannis Abeel, Mayor of Albany, 1694, in the Albany Institute.

3

V

SEAL OF QUEEN ANNE.

2

There were two Great Seals for the Province in this reign. 1. The first, the warrant for which bears date the 3d May, 1705,' was brought out by Col. Nott, of Virginia, and was received on 6th September following when that of William and Mary was defaced, and sent back to England broken. On the one side are the Queen's effigy and the Indians offering their tokens of submission, as before, with the Royal titles ANNA. DEI. GRA. MAG. BRIT. FRAN. ET. HIB. REGINA. FID. DEFEN. On the reverse, the STUART arms as already described, (see II.)—the escutcheon of Nassau having been removed on the death of the King-with Crown, Garter, Supporters and Motto, and this Inscription, SIGILLVM. PROVINCIA. NOSTRE. NOVI. EBORACI. IN. AMERICA. Motto-Semper Eadem. The Engraving is copied from the Seal in the State Library to a Patent of Anne Bridges and others for a tract in Westchester Co., dated 25th Sept., 1708.

2. The Union between England and Scotland, in 1706, rendering a new Seal requisite, a second one was ordered on 29th October, 1709, and received on the arrival of Gov. Hunter, 14th

1 Lond. Doc. XVI. 183.

3 Counc. Min. IX. 563.

2 Ibid XVI. 275.

4 Lond. Doc. XVI. 311.

June, 1710, when that of 1705 was broken.' The Queen's effigy, the Indians with the Royal titles, are the same as on the first seal; on the reverse, the Royal arms, now changed in consequence of the Union; on the first and fourth quarters, England empales Scotland; on the second are the lilies of France; on the third the Harp for Ireland, and the former Motto, Semper Eadem. Around the circumference is the inscription SIGILLVM. PROVINCIA. NOSTRE. NOVI. EBORACI. IN. AMERICA. This seal was not superseded until July 1718, four years after the Queen's death.

VI.

SEAL OF GEORGE I.

This seal was ordered 8th Octob. 1717, and received "by Hopkins" on 1st July, 1718, when that of Queen Anne was broken, and returned to the Board of Trade. On the one side are, the effigy of his Majesty, two Indians offering presents; and around the circumference the royal titles-GEORGIVS. D. G. MAG. BRIT. FRAN. ET. HIB. REX. BRVN. ET. LVN. Dvx. SA. Ro. IM. ARC. THES. ET. PRIN. ELEC. On the reverse, the royal arms, Garter, Crown, Supporters and Motto, and this inscription. SIGILLVM. PROVINCIA. NOSTRA. NOVI. EBORACI IN. AMERICA. The "Semper Eadem" of the last seal is replaced by Dieu et Mon Droit; and on the escutcheon we have, first, the arms of England empaling those of Scotland; second France; third Ireland fourth gu. two lions passant guard. in pale or, for Brunswick impaling, or, semée of hearts gu. a lion ramp. az. for Lunen burgh, on a point in point gu. a horse courant ar. for Saxony on the centre of the fourth quarter an escutcheon gu. charged with the Crown of Charlemagne, or, as Arch-treasurer of the Holy Roman Empire. 4

VII.

SEAL OF GEORGE II.

This Seal is a finer specimen of the arts than the last, an exhibits a progressive change in the dress and drapery of th principal figure. The kneeling Squaw is introduced here for th

1 Counc. Min. X. 519.

3 Lond. Doc. XXI. 44.

2 Ibid. XI. 495, 497, 498.

4 Burke's Encyclop. of Heraldry.

first time nude, and great care is bestowed in delineating the skin she offers, in which we can almost trace the perfect outline of the animal to which it belonged. There is another improvement worthy of remark-the inscriptions on this and the next seal are on the sides opposite to those they heretofore occupied. The words "SIGILLVM. PROVINCIAE. NOSTRE. NOVI. EBORACI. IN. AMERICA," are appropriately on the side representing American gifts; whilst the Royal titles-"GEORGIUS. II. D. G. MAG. Bri. FR. ET. HIB. REX. F. D. BRUN. ET. LUN. Dux. S. R. I. ARC. TH. ET. PR. EL." surround the Royal arms on the reverse side. These arms are the same as those last described, but their design and finish are immensely Superior. This engraving is, also, from an impression in the State Library.

VIII.

SEAL OF GEORGE III.

The warrant for this seal bears date 9th July, 1767; it was received on the following 3d October1 (seven years after the death of Geo. II.,) and the preceding seal was returned to the Colonial office. The principal side, where the Indians are offering their gifts to the King, is surrounded by the inscription. "SIGILLUM. PROVINCIE. NOSTRE. NOVI. EBORACI. IN AMERICA;" on the reverse are the Royal arms (as last described,) with the royal titles-GEORGIUS III. D. G. MAG. BRI. FR. ET HIB. Rex. F. D. BRUN. ET. LUN. Dux. S. R. I. AR. THES. ET EL This was the Great Seal of the Province of New-York down to the REVOLUTION.

1 Counc. Min. XXVI. 105.