Merchants mark

Merchant's Mark

Merchant's Mark: since those engaged in trade were not formerly allowed to bear arms, the merchants adopted 'marks,' often composed of their initials or other special letters intertwined, and sometimes other devices intermingled; and, though contrary to rule, they placed them in shields and sometimes marshalled them, with arms. The subject of merchants' marks, found as they are frequently in stained glass, on brasses and carved in wood and tone, is too wide a subject to treat in a short article; besides which they scarcely come under the head of heraldry. One example is given, which is characteristic of vary many others. It is from stained glass in S.Michael's Church, Oxford. The letters may possibly signify Thomas R ... Merchant of Oxford. From the white roses(barbed and seeded or) we may infer that he was attached to the House of York.