At 22:31 08/04/00 +0100, you wrote:
>did you know that in commemoration of that event, Sir John Sinclair GCIE
>GCIS (later Lord Pentland) - Secretary of State for Scotland and Governor of
>Madras in India, both in the early 20th century - had two Scots *deerhounds*
>as his supporters in his coat of arms, the dexter (left) holding a standard
>'help' and the sinister (right) 'hold'?
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: <Natrossinc@aol.com>
>To: <sinclair@mids.org>
>Sent: Saturday, April 08, 2000 5:36 AM
>Subject: clan dogs
>
>
> > Speaking of dogs,I love the ballad that commemorates the day that The
>Bruce
> > and Sir William de St Clair of Rosslyn were out hunting.William had his
>two
> > hunting hounds called 'Help' and 'Hold' and they were in the Pentland
>Hills
> > hunting an elusive white hind.When they spotted the hind,the hounds set
>off
> > in pursuit and it was an even bet that the hind would escape by swimming a
> > burn or the hounds would bring it down.William wagered his life against
> > ownership of the land they were hunting on that his hounds would win.The
> > Bruce accepted this reckless wager and the ballad descibes how close a
>call
> > it was when the two hounds catch the deer in mid burn and drag it back to
>the
> > near shore.
> > The last two verses--
> > The bold St Clair he sleeps in Spain,
> > For with good Lord James he did part.
> > When they hewed a red path through the host of slain
> > To follow the Bruce's heart.
> >
> > But Help and Hold,as I've been told,
> > May be seen in St Katherine's chapelle:
> > And scion and heir of the house of St Clair
> > Still love a good hound well.
> >
> > I fondly think that the last line refers not to a love of hunting but more
>to
> > a love of dogs.It certainly applies to this Sinclair.
> > Cheers
> > Ross Sinclair
> > [ This is the Sinclair family discussion list, sinclair@mids.org
> > [ To get off or on the list, see http://www.mids.org/sinclair/list.html
> >
The Counts Sinclair of Sweden also have two hounds as "supporters".
I agree with Ross Sinclair - a Sinclair home is incomplete without a dog.
Niven Sinclair
>[ This is the Sinclair family discussion list, sinclair@mids.org
>[ To get off or on the list, see http://www.mids.org/sinclair/list.html
[ This is the Sinclair family discussion list, sinclair@mids.org
[ To get off or on the list, see http://www.mids.org/sinclair/list.html