But to return to the arms of France, which are the “Fleurs-de-Lis,” and to the small representative creature (sublime enough, as the farthest-off symbol which they are imagined in their greatness to indicate). A Bible presented to Charles the Second, A.D. 869, has a miniature of this monarch and his court. His throne is terminated with three flowers of the form of “fleurs-de-lis sans pied.” On his head is a crown “fermée à fleurons d’or, relevez et recourbez d’une maniere singulière.” Another miniature in the Book of Prayers shows him on a throne surmounted by a sort of “fleurs-de-lis sans pied.” His crown is of “fleurs comme de lis,” and the robe is fastened with a rose, “d’où sortent trois pistils en forme de fleurs-de-lis.” His sceptre terminates in a fleur-de-lis.—Notes and Queries.
Sylvanus Morgan, an old-fashioned herald abounding in suggestive disclosures, has the following: “Sir William Wise having lent to the king, Henry VIII., his signet to seal a letter, who having powdered” (sembed, or spotted) “eremites” (they were emmets—ants) engray'd in the seale, the king paused and lookit thereat, considering.” We may here query whether the field of the coat of arms of Sir William Wise was not “ermine;” for several of the families of Wise bear this fur, and it is not unlikely that he did so also. “ ‘Why, how now, Wise!’ quoth the king. ‘What!— hast thou lice here?’ ‘An’, if it like your majestie.’ quoth Sir William, ‘a louse is a rich coat; for by giving the louse I part arms with the French king, in that he giveth the fleur-de-lice.’ Whereat the king heartily laugh’d, to hear how prettily so byting a taunt (namely, proceeding from a prince) was so suddenly turned to so pleasaunte a conceit.” —Stanihurst’s History of Ireland, in Holinshed’s Chron. Nares thinks that Shakespeare, who is known to have been a reader of Holinshed, took his conceit of the “white lowses which do become an old coat well,” in the Merry Wives of Windsor, from this anecdote. See Heraldic Anomalies, vol. i., p. 204; also, Lower’s Curiosities of Heraldry, p. 82 (1845). It may here be mentioned, that the mark signifying the royal property (as it is used in France), similarly to the token, or symbol, or “brand,” denoting the royal domain, the property, or the sign upon royal chattels (the “broad arrow”), as used in England, is the “Lis,” or the “Fleur-de-Lis.” The mark by which criminals are “branded” in France is called the “Lis—Fleur-de-Lis.” The English “broad arrow” the mark or sign of the royal property, is variously depicted, similarly to the following marks:
These are the Three Nails of the Passion. In figs, 1 and 2 they are unmistakably so, with the points downwards. Figs. 3 and 4 have the significant horizontal mark which, in the first centuries of Christianity, stood for the Second (with feminine meanings) Person of the Trinity; but the points of the spikes (spicce, or thorns) are gathered upwards in the centre. In fig. 5 there are still the three nails; but a suggestive similarity to be remarked in this figure is a disposition resembling the crux-ansata—an incessant symbol, always reappearing in Egyptian sculptures and hieroglyphics. There is also a likeness to the mysterious letter “Tau.” The whole first chapter of Genesis is said to be contained in this latter emblem—this magnificent, all-including “Tau.”
Three bent spikes, or nails, are unmistakably the same symbol that Belus often holds in his extended hand on the Babylonian cylinders, afterwards discovered by the Jewish cabalists in the points of the letter “Shin,” and by the mediaeval mystics in the “Three Nails of the Cross.”—The Gnostics and their Remains, Ancient and Mediæval, p. 208.
This figure, which is clearly a nail, has also characteristics, which will be remarked in its upper portion, which suggest a likeness to the obelisk, pin, spike, upright, or phallus.
The Hebrew letter “Shin,” or “Sin,” counts for 300 in the Hebraic numeration. Each spica, or spike, may be taken to signify 100, or ten tens. We have strong hints here of the origin of the decimal system, which reigns through the universal laws of computation as a natural substratum, basis, or principle. This powerful symbol, also, is full of secret important meanings. It will be remarked as the symbol or figure assigned in the formal zodiacs of all countries, whether original zodiacs, or whether produced in figure-imitations by recognising tradition. The marks or symbols of the zodiacal signs, “Virgo-Scorpio,” are closely similar to each other, with certain differences, which we
recommend to the judicious consideration of close and experienced observers.
Fig. 8 is the symbol, or hook, of Saturn, the colour of whom, in the heraldic configuration, is sab., sable, or black, divided, party per pale, with the opening light of the first crescent moon of the post-diluvian world.* Fig. 9 is the same
* The Shining Star as the Harbinger in the Moon's Embrace. Meaning the Divine Post-diluvian Remission and Reconciliation. Thus the sublime Mahometan mythic device or cognisance—the Crescent of the New Moon (lying on her back), and the shining Star in this display:
grandly mystic banner, denominated Beauséant (“Beau- Séant"), revealing a whole occult theosophy to the initiate, which the leaders of the Templars undoubtedly were. The difference between these two figures, fig. 8 and fig. 9, is, that the “fly” of the ensign marked fig. 9 is bifurcated (or cloven) in the “lighted” part. We subjoin the representation of the wondrous banner of the “Poor Soldiers of the Temple,” as depicted abundantly on the spandrels of the arches of the Temple Church, London.
Von Hammer’s Mystery of Baphomet Revealed contains much suggestive matter relative to these mysterious supposed dreadful Templars. The Parisian “Templiers” assert that there is a connection between the recent Niskhi letter and the “Cufic” characters, and that the origin of the secrets of the order of the Temple is contemporary with the prevalence of the latter alphabet. We here refer to the work entitled, Mysterium Baphometis Revelatnm ; seu, Fratres Militia Templi, qua Gnostid et quidem Ophiani, apostasiæ, idololatriæ, et quidem impuritatis convicti per ipsa eorum monumenta, published in the Mines de l’Orient, vol. vi. This treatise is illustrated with numerous admirably executed copperplates of magical statuettes, architectural ornaments, mystical inscriptions, vases, and coins. Amidst these there is a bearded, yet female, figure, “Mete” (magna, or maxima) whom Von Hammer, following Theodosius and others, makes the same as the “Sophia” of the Ophites. Some particulars referring to these subjects are contained in The Gnostics and their Remains, Ancient and Mediaeval; although there is an evident betraying total ignorance on the part of the author, throughout his book, as to the purpose, meaning, and reality of the whole of these remote and mysterious subjects : to which he is, however, blindly constantly referring, without the merit of even feeling his way. It is well known that the preservation of Gnostic symbols by Freemasons was, and remains so to this day, exceedingly sedulous.
We will terminate this part of our long dissertation, which commenced with the explanation of the descent, or the genealogy, or the generation, of the famous “fleursde- lis” of France,—the noblest and sublimest symbol, in its occult or mysterious meaning, which the “monarch sun” ever saw displayed to it, inexpressibly mean and repellant as the “Lis” seems : we will finish, we say, thus far, by commenting in a very original and unexpected, but strictly corroborative, manner upon some words of Shakspeare which have hitherto been passed wholly without remark or explanation.
We may premise by recalling that the luce is a pike (pic), or Jack: Jac, Iacc (B and I are complementary in this mythic sense), Bacc, Bacche, Bacchus. Shakspeare’s wellknown lampoon, or satirical ballad, upon the name of “Lucy” may be cited as illustrative proof on this side of the subject:
“Lucy is lowsie, as some volke miscalle it.” The Zodiacal sign for February is the “fishes.” Now, the observances of St. Valentine's Day, which point to courtship and to sexual love, or to loving invitation, bear direct reference to the “fishes,” in a certain sense. The arms of the Lucys—as they are at present to be seen, and where we not long since saw them, beautifully restored upon the great entrance-gates of Charlecote Hall, or Place, near Stratfordsuper- Avon—are “three luces or pikes, hauriant, argent.” “The dozen white luces” are observed upon withn intense family pride by Shallow (Lucy), in the Merry Wives of Windsor :
“Shallow. It is an old coat “Evans. The dozen white louses do become an old coat well.” The significant part of the passage follows to this effect, though deeply hidden in the sly art of our knowing, but reticent, Shakspeare : “It agrees well passant” (we would here read passim, “every where,” which makes clear sense). “It is a familiar beast to Man, and signifies— love” (the generative act).—Merry Wives of Windsor; act i. sc. i.
We.commend the above history of the “Fleur-de-Lis” to the thoughtful attention of our reader, because he will find under it the whole explanation of the arms of France. And yet, although the above is all-essentially “feminine,” this is the country that imported amidst its Frankish or Saxon progenitors (Clodio, the “long-haired,” to the example, who first passed the Rhine and brought his female “ultramarine” to supersede and replace, in blazon, the martial, manly “carmine” or “gules” of the Gauls)—this is the country that adopted and maintains “la Loi Salique.”
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