Flags and Colours Part 2b: Evidence (Irish Confederacy)

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Irish flags... a conundrum. I knew that a number of flags were recorded, but without any reference to allocation to particular regiments. I also remember reading one internet reference that stated that each flag had two different sides. But I'd never come across the source material supporting this claim, or even a secondary source that described/illustrated the flags thus. Until now...

But first a little bit of flag nomenclature (which if you want to impress people you can call vexillology). If you cut a flag down its middle and spread it out on a table, positioning the pole sleeve in the middle, the left hand side is the 'reverse' and the right hand side is the front of the flag, or 'obverse'.

Regular readers, hello all twenty of you, will have realised that clothing issue 'floats my boat', I'm not really very good on flags. Most of my flag knowledge is gleaned from secondary sources, and the handful of more readily accessible primary sources. 

The source material reference for this is "The Standards of the Irish Confederate Army, 1643" from the Wadding Papers. Father Luke Wadding was a Franciscan Friar, who the Irish Church hoped to elevate to high office, however the Pope blocked him from becoming a Cardinal. 

His letter describing the flags to the Pope was later published in "Spicilegium Ossoriense: Being a Collection of Original Letters and Papers Illustrative of the History of the Irish Church From the Reformation to the Year 1800", volume 2; which I transcribe for you, and compare to the original Latin (see, O-level Latin did have a point!) I must point out that I also checked my translations with online translators, as I believe that there are some errors in the contemporary (C17th) historical translation (True Informer (28 Sept to 5 Oct 1644), various shelf marks TNA E11/3).

All of these obverse images are illustrated in the normally excellent Fahnen Und Standarten; unfortunately it has a couple of errors, both of the purple ensigns (described below) are illustrated with a red field rather than the described purple.

The reverse side of all the Irish flags recorded should be an Irish Cross within a red circle on a green field. Below this should appear Vivat Rex Carolus (Long live King Charles) and above that C.R. and the imperial crown. The majority of Wars of the Three Kingdoms flag books omit this little detail, and as a result the majority of commercially available flags do too.

How the ensigns should look, alas my computer graphics skills are hopeless, so I have shamelessly 'borrowed' the images from Wikipedia, and Project Auldearn 1645 (Charles's cipher is incorrect on the yellow side of the illustration, the crown should be above the C R)

There are twelve colours described, transcription below. My notes in bold.

"Note that in the point dexter of every Ensigne there is the Crosse of Ireland, in Canton, the Crosse Gules in the field Or, and under every Crosse, Vivat Carolus Rex, and the imperiall Crowne over these letters C.R. In plain English, this translates as on each of the unique obverse designs (listed below) there should be an a red cross of St Patrick on a yellow field in the canton, Vivat Carolus Rex underneath the canton, then below that King Charles's cipher (a crown above the initials CR).

There is a little confusion about what the cross of St Patrick is/was (see comments below). A vertical/horizontal affair or a saltaire. Some argue that the saltaire is a later manipulation by one Irish family, and that it should really be a vertical/horizontal cross. There are at least two contemporary C17th references to the Irish flags carrying a red saltaire on a yellow field in canton.

  • In an Ensigne White, Gules de Sang a Crucifix, with this motto Aequum est Christo Mori So a white ensign with drops of blood as the field
  • In an Ensigne Vert (green), the figure of our Saviour carrying his Crosse upon his shoulders, with this Motto Patior ut vincam
  • In an Ensigne Or (yellow/gold), the resurrection of our Saviour, with this Motto, Exurgat Deus dissipentur inimici
  • In an Ensigne Sanguine (blood red), the name of  Jesus (IHS), with this motto, In nomine Jesus omne genu flectitur
  • In an Ensigne Azure (blue) the picture of our blessed Lady, holding the infant Jesus in her armes, and with her her heele trampling on the Serpents head, with this Motto Cunctas haereses intermisti
  • In an Ensigne Azure , an Angell Argent (silver, or white), holding a sword pummel'd Or (gold, or yellow) cutting the chains from St Peter, with this Motto, Solvit vincula Deus.
  • In an Ensigne Sanguine, two armes issuing out of the clouds, the one supporting a Chalice with an Host over it, the other holding a sword to defend them, with this Motto Pro Deo, Rege, & Patria
  • In an Ensigne a Rundle Sable (black), environed with a cloud, wherein the Sun begins to appeare, with this Motto, Post nubila Phoebus
  • In an Ensigne purple, the figure of our Saviour, delivering the Tathers out of Limbo Patrum, with this Motto, Victor redit de barathro. I think this the translator/typesetter got a bit confused here: I translate it as ‘the Saviour freeing the fathers from the grave/limbo’.
  • In an Ensigne Crimson, or Scarlet, and armed arme, Argent, issuing out of a cloud, holding a lamp of the same colour, with this Motto; Fortitudo mea desuper. This is mistranslated from the original Latin - it should read, in slightly more modern language "a silver armoured arm protruding from the cloud, holding a LANCE of the same colour"; nor does the original Latin say scarlet, it just mentions 'crimson'.
  • In an Ensigne Argent, a Knight armed at all points, giving fire to Calvins Institutions, with this Motto, Sic pereunt haereses
  • In an Ensigne Purple, the picture of Judith, holding an hilted sword inamel'd Or, charged with an head cut off, with this Motto, Sominus vindicat populum suam." This is supposed to be Judith with the head of Holfernes, that she has just cut off.
So, now that I've seen this, I've got to completely redo my Irish Brigade and Irish Confederate colours. My apologies Stuart at Maverick Models, you've got a bit of fettling to do...

Thank you Stuart

Update: all done!

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