Item 24a: A Satirical Print, by Unknown, entitled “ARMS granted to JOHN WILKES, Assertor of British Freedom", [ca. 1768-1770]

Item — Box: 6, Folder: 24a

Staff Only

A Satirical Print, by Unknown, entitled “ARMS granted to JOHN WILKES, Assertor of British Freedom", [ca. 1768-1770]

Dates

[ca. 1768-1770]

Access:

All series and subseries within this collection are open for research, with the exception of a few files within the Academia series that are restricted. The Academia series contains financial and sensitive institutional records from Wilkes College, and financial report records from Princeton University that will remain restricted for 80 years upon creation.

Extent

1 items

Language of Materials

From the Collection: English

Additional Description

Type of Material:

Print/ Heraldry

Condition Note:

Fair. Torn slightly

Title:

“ARMS guaranteed to JOHN WILKES, ESQ; THE ASSERTOR OF BRITISH FREEDOM At the United Request of the PEOPLE OF ENGLAND BY LIBERTY KING AT ARMS”

Description:

A satirical coat of arms created for John Wilkes (1725-1797). In 1764, John Wilkes was a member of parliament representing Aylesburg until he wrote a provocative satirical work called “An Essay on Women”, which was read to parliament by John Montagu, 4th Earl of Sandwich (1718-1792), an opponent of his (for having pranked him). This work was declared libel and blasphemous so he was expelled from parliament and made an outlaw after he fled to Paris. After hiding in Paris for 4 years, in 1768 he returned to England and was sentenced to 2 years imprisonment. In this context this piece is likely a satirical take on John Wilkes’ situation with such inclusions as the Tower of London and the set of keys. It is suggested here, on Wikimedia, that this piece was created between 1768 and 1770. The information on that page was sourced from a digitized piece at the British Museum. The curator, Stephens “suggests that the print was published to mark the revocation of the outlawry of Wilkes on 8 June 1768, but it seems more likely that it appeared at the time of his release from King's Bench Prison in April 1770; it was referred to in the Public Advertiser, 22 June 1770” (The British Museum). The letter “f” in the transcription is to denote the long “s” found in bulk through literature of the 8th to early 19th centuries.

Transcription:

ARMS guaranteed to JOHN WILKES, ESQ; THE ASSERTOR OF BRITISH FREEDOM At the United Request of the PEOPLE OF ENGLAND BY LIBERTY KING AT ARMS

(Coat of arms illustration here)

PRO REGE LEGE ET GREGE [For the King, the Law, and the People]

EXPLANATION.

1.A General Warrant torn to rags; and, 2, A Bunch of broken Keys, denoting the ruin of arbitrary Power.

3. The Tower of London, the Gates wide open, with a Flag, bearing the white horse (the Arms of the illustrious House of Hannover and MAGNA CARTA denoting Freedom to all loyal subjects and Friends to the Constitution; the words HABEAS CORPUS, under the open Gates, imply, that no British subject can be imprisoned contrary to the Law.

4, 5. Two Messengers in Mourning, with a Handkerchief in one Hand, lamenting their lost Places; and in the other Hand, a Staff with a Greyhound on it denoting their Offices.

SUPPORTERS. 6. An English Mastiff expressive of Fidelity, Constancy, and Watchfulness; the regal Crown in his Paws, denotes Loyalty. 7. An English Game-Cock, an Emblem of British Courage, never to be subdued but by Death.

CREST. 8. An Esquires Helmet. 9. The Cap of Liberty, the indisputable Right of every Englishman, from the Prince to the Peasant.

VIVANT REX ET REGINA [Long live the King and Queen]