Flags and Colours Part 2b: Evidence (Irish Confederacy)
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 (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.
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| 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).
- 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.
Are you sure the two sides of the flag are different colours? As I read it the field associated with the cross refers to the field in the canton or the circle depending which side is being referred to. The overall ‘field’ of the flag would then be ensign colour.
ReplyDeleteYes the two sides are different colours.
DeleteI'd made a mistake with one of my notes (referring to the cross of St Patrick in the canton etc). I've amended it, hopefully it reads clearer now. Thank you for highlighting the problem.
The reverse description is elsewhere in the original document and I paraphrase at the start of the post
Apologies, my earlier comment above was not intended to be anonymous. I would still like to see the original text as having one side green and the other yellow is unusual to say the least. One would have to use two layers of material, one for each side, or completely paint one entire side in a different colour.
DeleteAlso, why does the list of flags refer to each ensign by colour. Surely this colour is the field on both sides, if not where does this colour, that gives the ensign its principal distinguishing / descriptive feature, appear?
No worries Rob. The original text is practically the same as I mentioned at the start of my post (can't access it at the moment).
DeleteHow they created these flags is not mentioned, double layers of taffeta or painted? We don't know. What we do know, from the description is that one side was green and the other had a unique design.
There are other C17th military flags with very different designs/colours on each side.
Hayes-McCoy in his "A History of Irish Flags From Earliest Times" concurs with 'double-sided' flags.
This is fascinating stuff and I’d like to fond out more. I found the Wadding papers and Bagwell’s Ireland Under The Stuarts which talks of an Irish Cross on a green field but no mention of a circle. Where does the definition of an Irish cross come from. What is the source for the yellow field with a yellow canton (unusual) with a Red Cross of St Patrick come from? Your quote simply says a Red Cross with no mention of St Patrick and surely would call it a saltire otherwise. Couldn’t this be describing the red cross on a yellow of Ulster? Also, a circle in heraldry means a disc not a ring, are the rules for flags different?
DeleteSpicilegium Ossoriense is available online, just make sure that you specify vol 2. It's page 17 iirc. It's in Latin though.
DeleteThe source of the yellow/red cross is listed above. It is described as the cross of Ireland in canton on a field of "or", "or" being heraldic gold, which is yellow.
As already mentioned I don't have access to TNA 11.3 to hand at the moment. It does specify a red circle.
I'll stop appearing as anonymous one of these days.
DeleteI have a copy of the Wadding Papers, Spicilegium Ossoriense and have now also searched through the Auldearn 1645 site but still can't find where it says one side is green and the other yellow. The Auldearn site seems to show the field on both sides of the brigade ensigns as that applied to the ensign at the beginning of the entry. Maybe we're talking at cross purposes here but I am seeking the source that describes one side as green and the other as yellow (or a.n.other brigade colour).
I also note that the Auldearn site says the nature of Irish cross if debatable as the evidence is not clear so that one has to just make a choice in the absence of a clear description.
TNA E11.3
DeleteGood work Mike.
ReplyDeleteThanks Dex
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