Mottoes of the Pringles
By James M. A. Pringle
It is the custom in Scottish Heraldry for the Motto of a cadet branch of a clan to ‘answer’ the Motto of the chief of the clan.
“Mottoes probably arose from the cri de guerre… They are part of heritable armorial rights in Scotland… By custom the cadet or junior branches choose mottoes or slogans which relate to that of the head of the family or ‘answer it’. Thus the Scott Dukes of Buccleuch proclaim broadly ‘Amo’ (I love – an undoubted battle cry), while Scott of Thirlstane advertises ‘Ready, aye ready!’ and Scott of Harden grounds things again with ‘Pacem amo’ (I love peace).” – Quote from ‘Scotland’s Heraldic Heritage: The Lion Rejoicing’, Charles Burnett (Ross Herald) and Mark Dennis (Ormond Pursuivant), page 33.
It is also the custom of Scottish Heraldry for the Motto to appear on a Scroll above the Crest badge and not below the shield as in the English style. A Motto is an integral part of a Scottish Coat of Arms and cannot be changed once matriculated, unlike in England where a Motto is not an integral part and can be changed at the whim of the Armiger.
This is how the Pringles answer their chief:
The chiefs of the Clan Pringle, the Hoppringles of that Ilk and Torsonce:
Crest: An escallop or.
Motto: Amicitia reddit honores.
The motto is translated as “Friendship reflects honors” by Debrett’s Illustrated Baronetage, “Friendship gives honours” by Fairbairn’s Book of Crests and “Friendship confers honors” by The Book of Family Crests. Others have translated it as “Friendship returns honours” and “Friendship renders honours”. (There is a tradition in the Pringle of Stichill family that “Friendship reflects honours” is the preferred translation.)
The secondary Motto of the Pringles of that Ilk is: Pressa est insignis gloria facti, which has been translated as: ‘Suppressed or kept secret is the glory of the remarkable deed or feat’ or as ‘The fame of that high deed lay locked from sight’ and also ‘The glorious pride in it was kept concealed.’
Our CPA chairman, Dr Derek Pringle contacted a lady called Beverly Foote, who has taught and tutored Latin to students at the Norfolk Academy in Norfolk, Virginia. She translates it as: “The outstanding glory of what he accomplished has been recorded.”
This second motto is actually a quote from Vergil’s Aeneid, book 12, verse 322.
It was long assumed, incorrectly, that the surname Pringle was a corruption of Pilgrim (reference the book: Mackenzie’s Science of Heraldry, published in 1680). So, did the Pringles of that Ilk quote Vergil’s Aeneid believing it to be one of the oldest ancient classical tales of pilgrimage or a warrior or knights’ quest?
Whilst there are no historic records of any Pringles going on a crusade or a pilgrimage, it’s believed that some early Pringles would have accompanied the Good Sir James Douglas (the friend and lieutenant of King Robert the Bruce) as squires and armour-bearers on his mission to bury Bruce’s heart in Jerusalem. Sir James Douglas is known to have died fighting the Moors in southern Spain at the Battle of Teba. However, to get there they went via the well-known pilgrimage site of Saint James of Compostela in northern Spain, along the famous Camino de Santiago. However, only the knights were named, so it is impossible to be sure. Ever since this time all Pringles have used the badge of St James (a scallop shell) as their principal heraldic device. Prior to this Elias de Hoppringill attached his seal to the Ragman Rolls in 1296, and it was described as “Oval, a hunting horn. S. [Sigillum] Helias de Hoppri’gkill.”
Was that the deed that has been hidden mentioned in the second motto? Does this chivalrous quest for honour relate to going on a crusade or a pilgrimage with the Black Douglas? I suggest that these two mottos and the crest badge both relate to this pilgrimage.
Our neighbours to the north-west, the Drummonds of Hawthornden had the very similar motto “His gloria reddit honores” and Fairbairn’s Book of Crests translates this as “Glory renders honours to them”. The Milne of Balwylo family used: Clarum reddit industria (Industry renders illustrious) and the Millar of Temple family used: Felicem reddit religio (Religion makes happy or Religion will render happy).
Pringle, baronet of Stichill:
Crest: A saltire argent within a garland of bay leaves proper.
Motto: Coronat fides
Burke’s Peerage & Baronetage and Debrett’s Illustrated Baronetage both translate this motto as “Faith crowns”, whilst Fairbairn’s Book of Crests translates it as “Fidelity crowns”. However, the Stichill family tradition translates it as “Faith crowns all”.
I suggest that this is answering the clan chief’s motto and asserts that: Faith, not friendship is the way to obtain an honour or a coronet. The crest badge has the Saltire cross, symbolising faith, surrounded by a crown of laurels, representing being honoured.
A neighbouring family the Hume, Earls of Marchmont (now represented by Lord Polwarth) have “Fides Probata Coronat” (variously translated as: ‘Approved faith ennobles’, ‘Approved faith crowns’ or ‘Faith approved confers a crown‘) as their motto.
Pringle of Greenknowe:
Crest: An anchor within a garland of bay leaves proper.
Motto: Semper Spero Meliora “I always hope for better things” or “I constantly hope for better things”.
I suggest that Greenknowe is answering his chief asserting that to ‘always hope’, not friendship, is the way to obtain ‘better things’ i. e. an honour. Greenknowe has an Anchor, the symbol of hope, surrounded by a crown of laurels, representing being honoured, instead of an escallop the symbol of a pilgrim.
Pringle of Muirhouse:
Whilst James Pringle of Muirhouse wasn’t honoured with a coat of arms, the lintel above the door of his tower house at Muirhouse was carved with a Scottish thistle and the date 1626 and the initials of James Pringill of Mitchelson, later of Muirhouse and his wife Margaret Pringill:
“I. P. M. P. In Te Domine Speravi 1626” (“In Thee, Lord, I have hoped” or “In thee, O Lord, have I put my trust” – Psalm xxxi. ver.1.).
Was he replying to his clan chief, saying that he had hoped for an honour also?
Pringle of Clifton:
Crest: An escallop within two branches of palm in orle proper.
Motto: Spero et progredior (I hope and proceed) was matriculated in the Lyon Register on 4th July 1693. However, Nisbet’s System of Heraldry has, Prompte et consulto (Quickly and advisedly), and is missing an escallop in the picture. Fairbairn’s Book of Crests ascribes both mottoes to them, Spero et progredior (I hope and advance) and Prompte et consel (Quickly and advisedly).
I suggest that Clifton was asserting that to ‘hope and to proceed’ is the way to obtain the honour of going on a pilgrimage. The crest is an escallop, the badge of a pilgrim, within two palm branches. A pilgrim hopes and proceeds and the palm branches which are also the symbol of a ‘Palmer’ (another word for a pilgrim) are arranged in the form of a crown of laurels or wreath represent an honour.
Mark Pringle of Crichton:
Mark Pringle of Crichton, 3rd son of Andrew Pringle of Clifton and younger brother of Lord Haining.
Crest: An St Andrews cross.
Motto: Spero et Progredior.
Mark agreed with his father and proceeded with hope, as a pilgrim would.
Pringle of Haining:
John Pringle, Lord Haining, 2nd son of Andrew Pringle of Clifton:
Crest: An escallop demi expanded, and therein a pearl proper.
Motto: Præmium Virtutis (The reward of virtue).
John Pringle became a Lord of Session in 1729 and matriculated his Arms in 1731. Lord Haining was answering his chief by saying that he was honoured with a life-peerage as a reward of his virtue. So, virtue is the way to an honour. His crest badge is an escallop opening to show the reward of a pearl.
Pringle of Torwoodlee:
Crest: A serpent nowed proper.
Motto: Nosce te ipsum (Know thyself).
This motto is said to be that of Socrates and can be traced back to the ancient pilgrimage site of Delphi. ‘Nosce to ipsum’ is the Latin translation of ‘Gnothi Seauton’ which is the first of the three ancient Greek ‘Delphic Maxims’ that were inscribed in the forecourt of the Temple of Apollo at Delphi. The Greeks considered Delphi to be the centre of the world and had a navel shaped ‘Omphalos’ stone there that was guarded by a python. Pytho was the original name of Delphi and the priestess of the oracle at Delphi was known as Pythia. The origin of a
serpent guarding the navel of the world is obviously the Constellation Draco (Draco (constellation) – Wikipedia) guarding or surrounding the north pole, it was referred to as a serpent in some cultures. So, the serpent (or Python) in the Torwoodlee crest badge clearly also has its origin from the ancient pilgrimage site of Delphi as well as the motto.
I suggest that the Laird of Torwoodlee who matriculated these arms, also believed that the name Pringle had derived from the word ‘Pilgrim’ and looked to the ancient pilgrimage site of Delphi in order to have the most classical badge and motto of a pilgrim. ‘Knowing thyself’ can be seen as Torwoodlee’s suggested way of a pilgrim obtaining honour.
Pringle of Smailholm and Gala:
The Arms of Sir James Pringle of Smailholm and Gala and his wife, Jean Ker of Linton, on an old fireplace lintel in Old Gala House, dated 1611.
Arms: Argent, on a saltire engrailed Sable five escallops Or.
Crest: A unicorns head, couped proper.
Mottos on the lintel:
- Nisi Dominvs Frvstra(from Psalm 127 – ‘Unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labour in vain.’ [Also the motto of the city of Edinburgh]).
- Virtvs Svb Vmbra(Virtue in the shadow)
- Devs Facit Omnia(God made all)
- Spes Vitae Altera(hope of another life)
Sir James Pringle of Gala, Member of Parliament for Selkirkshire and Sheriff-principal of Selkirkshire, was at the time the most influential Pringle in his day. The mottos that he used on the lintel seem to relate to his new extension to his house and do not appear to answer that of the Pringles of that Ilk or relate to pilgrimage.
Pringles in Charleston, South Carolina:
Pringles in Charleston, South Carolina – descended from the Pringles of Symington, who were a branch off the chiefly line:
Crest: An escallop or.
Motto: Amicitia (friendship).
These American Pringles however agree with their chief, that friendship is the way.
Pringles in South Africa:
The Pringles in South Africa (the family of the poet Thomas Pringle):
Crest: An escallop per bend sinister or and argent.
Motto: Amicitia reddidit honores.
These Pringles agree with their chief, but use a different spelling.
Pringles in England:
In 1986, Robert Pringle and Roger Anthony Pringle in England registered arms in the Lyon Register:
Crest: an escallop Azure fluted Or.
Motto: Fide vincit (Faith conquers).
They answer their chief by saying that faith not friendship is the way. But emulate the crusaders rather than the pilgrims.
Craster Pringle and sons:
The thespian family of Craster Pringle (son of the actor Bryan Pringle Bryan Pringle – Wikipedia, grandson of the Reverend Craster Pringle) all registered arms in the Lyon Register between 2002-2008.
Craster Pringle, Roger Stuart Pringle and Anthony Howard Pringle:
Crest: a Chillingham Wild White Bull’s head couped Proper.
Motto: Hodie felix cras ter.
Richard Simon Pringle, Hugh Pringle and John Craster Pringle:
Crest: a Chillingham Wild White Bull’s head couped Proper collared Azure.
Motto: Hodie beatus cras ter.
This motto does not relate to other Pringle mottoes and is a pun on Craster’s name. According to the internet, Hodie translates: today, Beatus: always and forever, Felix: I am very happy, Cras: in time to come, Ter: thrice.
Pringle of Whytbank and Yair:
Crest: A man’s heart proper, winged or.
Motto: Sursum (Upwards).
It appears from their motto, that the Pringles of Whytbank didn’t accept the Pringles of that Ilk as their clan chiefs. Their motto doesn’t answer the Pringles of that Ilk, it answers instead the Douglas, Dukes of Queensberry who were the nearest kin of the Black Douglas’s. Queensberry, cries “Forward” and the Whytbank Pringles replied, and “Upwards”. The Whytbank Pringles also took their crest badge from the Queensberry Douglas’s, who’s crest badge was the crowned and winged heart of Bruce. The Whytbank Pringles just removed the crown and used the winged heart alone.
Conclusion:
It is not known if the Pringles were aware of the heraldic rule when adopting their mottoes, however, most do relate to pilgrimage and do answer the statement made by the Pringles of that ilk. So, is friendship the way to obtain an honour? Clearly, whilst friendship, hoping, proceeding and knowing yourself may not get you honoured, faith may get you a baronetcy, and virtue can even obtain you a life peerage!
Warcry/Slogan:
Recently Sir Murray Pringle went to the office of the Lord Lyon to matriculate his coat of arms and was asked what his ‘slogan’ was for his ‘pinsel’ (a type of heraldic flag), and Sir Murray chose “Hoppryngill” (the original spelling of the surname) as the official slogan or war-cry of the Pringle clan. Not knowing that “Meigle” may have been the Pringle’s ancient Warcry or gathering cry and rendezvous place.
The book ‘Our Journall into Scotland, Anno Domini 1629’ by Sir Christopher Lowther, Page 18, states:
“Beside him is the Meageld hill, which word Meageld was a watch word to gather those of a company when they were dispersed in war.
EDITORS NOTE: Meigle hill – locally called Maigelt. Although it is not known that the Pringles had a war-cry, yet the name of this hill may have been the gathering-cry of the Pringles as Bellenden was of the Scotts.”
Although our warcry is now officially “Hoppryngill” I’m sure that Sir Murray won’t mind if you want to shout “Meigle” as well.