14/Maryland Manual
MARYLAND'S OFFICIAL STATE SYMBOLS

The Great Seal of Maryland is used by the
Governor and the Secretary of State to authenti-
cate Acts of the General Assembly and for other
official purposes. The first Great Seal was sent
from England shortly after settlement of the
Colony. Except for the period of crown rule
(1692-1715) when different seals were used, the
first Great Seal remained in use, although slight-
ly altered, until the Revolution. The State of
Maryland then adopted a new seal similar in
form and spirit to those of other states. One
hundred years later, Maryland readopted its old
seal (Joint Resolution no. 5, Acts of 1876). Only
the reverse of this seal has ever been cut. The
obverse, however, is still considered part of the
seal and is used, among other things, to decorate
public buildings.

The reverse consists of an escutcheon, or
shield, bearing the Calvert and Crossland arms
quartered. Above is an earl's coronet and a full-
faced helmet. The escutcheon is supported on
one side by a farmer and on the other by a fish-
erman. It symbolizes Lord Baltimore's two es-
tates: Maryland, and Avalon in Newfoundland.
The Calvert motto on the scroll is "Fatti mas-
chii parole femine," usually translated "manly
deeds, womanly words." The Latin legend on
the border (the last verse of Psalms 5 from the
Vulgate) is translated "with favor wilt thou
compass us as with a shield." The date, 1632, re-
fers to the year the Maryland charter was grant-
ed to Cecilius Calvert, second Lord Baltimore,
by Charles I, king of England.

The obverse of the Seal shows Lord Baltimore
as a knight in full armor mounted on a charger.
The inscription translated is "Cecilius, Absolute
Lord of Maryland and Avalon, Baron of Balti-
more" (Chapter 79, Acts of 1969; State Govern-
ment Article, sees. 13-101 through 13-105).