Arms

Arms. The arms of the Masons Company of London (q.v.) granted in 1472 by the Clarenceaux King-at-arms are described as azure (blue) on a Chevron between three castles argent (silver); a pair of compasses somewhat extended, of the first. Crest, a castle of the second. These were substantially, if not exactly, those adopted by the premier or Modern Grand Lodge of England.

The Ancient Grand Lodge of England adopted arms described as follows: Quarterly per squares, counterchanged vert (green). In the first quarter, azure (blue), a lion rampant, or (gold). In the second quarter, or (gold), an ox passant, sable (black). In the third quarter, or (gold), a man with hands erect proper, robed crimson and ermine. In the fourth quarter, azure (blue), an eagle displayed or (gold). Crest the Holy Ark of the Covenant proper, supported by cherubim. Motto: Kodes la Adonai, that is, Holiness to the Lord.

The United Grand Lodge of England in 1813 adopted arms and a seal which combined the arms of the Moderns and the Ancients but contained more of the elements of the latter. All that survived of the Modern arms were the triple towers and chevron which formed the left half of the central shield. The right half contained the four quarters bearing the Lion, the Ox, the Man, and the Eagle, really symbols in the Royal Arch Degree, and being the chief devices in the arms of the Ancients. The central shield with a border of lions passant (walking) is supported by two ox-hoofed cherubim (Ancient), and the crest is the Ark of the Covenant with two cherubim, both Ancient. The motto was new to both elements: Audi, Vidi, Tace (Hear, See, and Remain Silent).

For colored plates of the arms of Moderns and Ancients before 1813, see Gould, History of Freemasonry; for those of the United Grand Lodge, see Jones, Freemasons’ Guide and Compendium, Macoy, New York, 1950, Plate XXXI and description p. 551.

Macoy Collector's Note: The evolution of Masonic heraldry beautifully tracks the history of English Freemasonry, with the 1813 United Grand Lodge arms physically representing the compromise between the Ancients and Moderns.