PORTO RICO, Island of.

PORTO RICO, Island of. Issuant from the sea in base the sun rising fronn behind mountains (? all proper), on a chief per fesse (? azure) and (? or), the latter charged with six pallets gules, the staff of Mercury erect (? proper) between, on the dexter side a branch of olive and on the sinister a branch of (?) all within a bordure also or. Crest — On waves of the sea a three-masted ship in full sail. Motto — "Prospera lux oritur."

[These arms (without any verbal blazon) were declared by proclamation by William N. Hunt, Governor, 23th December 1901, pursuant to an Act of the Legislative Assembly, dated 31st January 1901.]

The Porto Rican Legislature in 1905, however, discarded the above arms and reverted to its former device, granted by King Ferdinand V. of Spain in 151 1 which may be blazoned somewhat as follows : — ,

... an Agnus Dei statant on a Bible resting on a rock issuant from waves of the sea, in chief a sheaf of five arrows in saltire, points upwards, surmounted by a bow fesseways between the letters F and Y, each crowned, the whole of the foregoing device within a circle inscribed " Johannes est nomen ejus," the circle within an orle of castles, towers, and flags of Spain alternately and a bordure gules.

Original Source bookofpublicarms00foxd_djvu.txt near line 20643.