NOVA SCOTIA (Province of Dominion of Canada).

NOVA SCOTIA (Province of Dominion of Canada). Or, on a fesse wavy azure, between three thistles proper, a salmon naiant argent.

[Assigned by Royal Warrant, 1869.]

These are the arms which are now made use of, both alone as above for the Province and as a quartering therefor on the shield of the Dominion, but there is a much older coat of equal authenticity. No record exists of the grant, but it is recited in all the patents of Nova Scotian baronets issued by King Charles I. prior to the year 1629, that "the baronets and their heirs male should as an addition of honour to their armorial ensigns, bear, either on a canton, or inescutcheon, at their option, the ensign of Nova Scotia, being "argent, a cross of St Andrew azure, charged with an inescocheon of the royal arms of Scotland ; supported on the dexter by the Royal Unicorn and on the sinister by a savage or wild man proper, and for the crest, a branch of laurel and a thistle, issuing from two hands conjoined, the one being armed and the other naked ; with this Motto " Munit hcEC et altera vincit." Between the years 1805- 10 (the actual entry is undated) the arms were matriculated in Lyon Register as follows : " Argent, on a saltire azure, an escutcheon of the Royal Arms of Scotland, supported on the dexter by the Royal Unicorn and on the sinister by a savage proper."

In this the supporters would appear to be attached to the shield for Scotland and superimposed upon the outer shield itself I fancy this is due to a misreading of the description of the arms in the Baronetcy patents, but at the same time the arms of Gordon-Cumming afford another instance of supporters to an inner shield appearing as a charge on a larger shield. Why these arms were overlooked and other arms assigned in 1869 is incomprehensible, and much to be regretted.

The province of Ontario has recently obtained a further warrant assigning a crest and supporters to the arms as assigned in 1869, and I suggest that Nova Scotia should also take steps to procure a further warrant, which should add the old crest and supporters to the shield and conjoin the new and the old arms of the province.

Original Source bookofpublicarms00foxd_djvu.txt near line 19044.