City of London, as used in thè reign of Elizabeth. T hete
two companies' have long enjoyed the privilege of preserving
Swans on the Thames, from London to a ‘considerable distance,
some miles above .Windsor* and they continue the
ancient custom of proceeding with their friends and visiters,
with the royal swanherd’s man, and their own swanherds
and assistants, on the first Monday of August in every., year,
from Lambeth, on their Swan voyage, for the purpose of
catching and marking all the cygnets of the year, and renewing
any marks in old birds that may by time have become
partially obliterated. Mr. Kempe says, “ the struggles of
the Swans when caught by their pursuers, and the duckings
which the latter received in the contest, made this a diversion
with our ancestors of no ordinary-interest.’’
The forming circles or annulets on the beak as -observed in
these two ancient marks, being considered-as .inflicting more
severe pain upon the bird than straight lines, these rings are
now omitted, and the lines doubled, as shown in the marks
numbered 14 and 15, which are those of the -Dyers and
Vintners’ Companies as used at ihis time. Nos. 12 and 14
being thé ancient and modern mark o f the Dyers’ Company :
Nos. IS and 15, the ancient and modem mark of the Vintners’
Company.
The two nicks in the swan mark of the Vintners’ Company,
which have So. often been the subject of notice, are
probably intended for two half lozenges, or a demi-lozeiige,
on each side ; the V.is perhaps a chevron reversed ; the arms
of the company being—Sable, a chevron between three tons,
argent. I think it probable that the V is only the chevron
reversed, for the true chevron could scarcely be cut on the
beak of the bird without each lateral branch crossing its elongated
and tender nostril, and this, from a feeling of humanity,
the marker would also be disposed to avoid. The chevron
reversed, for .many óf these swan marks are evidently heraldic,
had the additional adaptation of representing the initial letter
of the word Vintner, and forming, also, the Roman numeral
jSdj%I!is further borne in mind, and perhaps intended to be
•referredjo, at their hospitable entertainments, where one of
the regular stand-up toasts of the day is, the W orshipful
Company of Vintners, withjütue—.
Mr. Kempe appears to discountenance'the popular notion
that the" sign of the Swan with two necks has any reference to
the two(nicks in the swan mark of this company; but the sign
has been considered a fair heraldic personification of the term ;
united, as it is, with the following j considerations: that the
Swan has been for some hundreds of years identified with the
Vintners’ Company and its privileges ;• that the principal governing
officers "pf the company for the time being are, a
Master and three Wardens, the junior Warden of the year
being called the Swan Warden ; that models of Swans form
,.conspicuous ornaments in their Hall ; arid that the first proprietor
of the well-known inn, the Swan with Two Necks,
was a member of the Vintners'* Company.
No. 16 is the Royal swari mark of our Most Gracious
Queen, Victoria, This mark has been used- through the
reigns of George thé Third, George -the Fourth, and William
the Fourth, to the present time.
By the kindness of a friend I have been -favoured with an
, account-of the wholenumber of old and young Swans belongin
g % Her Majesty, and the two Companies,., at the last
- Swan voyage, in August 1841.
Old Swans“« ! 'C ygnets. - T ogether, -j
Her Majesty' 185. 47 232
The Vintners’ Company W ,( ' ^ ^ ^ Sf- ,100 ,
The Dyers’ Company 91 44 >1 i’Qfr'
355,. . .. 8 2 4 3 7 -
But the numbers formerly were much greater; at one
VOL. III. K