1444

LAWS OF MARYLAND

Ch. 284

Subsection (b) of this section is revised to state
expressly that the reverse of the State seal is the
official part.

The second sentence of former Art. 41, § 74A(a), which
stated that the heraldic description appeared in
former Art. 41, § 74A(b) and (c), is deleted as
surplusage.

As to criminal penalties for counterfeiting the State
seal, see Art. 27, § 46 of the Code.

13-102. DESCRIPTION OF GREAT SEAL.

(A)  OBVERSE.

ON THE OBVERSE OF THE GREAT SEAL OF MARYLAND IS AN
EQUESTRIAN FIGURE OF THE LORD PROPRIETARY, ARRAYED IN COMPLETE
ARMOUR AND BEARING A DRAWN SWORD IN HIS HAND. THE CAPARISONS OF
THE HORSE ARE ADORNED WITH THE FAMILY COAT OF ARMS. ON THE
GROUND BELOW IS REPRESENTED A SPARSE GROWTH OF GRASS ON SANDY
SOIL, WITH A FEW SMALL BLUE AND YELLOW FLOWERS. ON THE CIRCLE,
SURROUNDING THE OBVERSE OF THE SEAL, IS THE LATIN INSCRIPTION
"CAECILIUS ABSOLUTUS DOMINUS TERRAE MARIAE ET AVALONIAE BARO DE
BALTEMORE", MEANING "CECIL ABSOLUTE LORD OF MARYLAND AND AVALON
BARON OF BALTIMORE" (AVALON REFERS TO LORD BALTIMORE'S FIRST
SETTLEMENT IN THE NEW WORLD, IN NEWFOUNDLAND).

(B)  REVERSE.

ON THE REVERSE OF THE GREAT SEAL OF MARYLAND IS LORD
BALTIMORE'S HEREDITARY COAT OF ARMS. THE 1ST AND 4TH QUARTERS
REPRESENT THE ARMS OF THE CALVERT FAMILY DESCRIBED IN HERALDIC
LANGUAGE AS A PALY OF 6 PIECES, OR (GOLD) AND SABLE (BLACK) A
BEND COUNTERCHANGED. THE 1ST AND 4TH QUARTERS ARE THE LEFT-HAND
TOP QUARTER AND THE RIGHT-HAND BOTTOM QUARTER. THE 2ND AND 3RD
QUARTERS SHOW THE ARMS OF THE CROSSLAND FAMILY, WHICH CECIL
INHERITED FROM HIS GRANDMOTHER, ALICIA, WIFE OF LEONARD CALVERT,
THE FATHER OF GEORGE, 1ST LORD BALTIMORE. THIS COAT OF ARMS IS
IN QUARTERS ALSO, ARGENT (SILVER) AND GULES (RED) A CROSS BOTTONY
(BOUTONNE, WITH A BUTTON OR A THREE-LEAF CLOVER AT THE END OF
EACH RADIUS OF THE CROSS) COUNTERCHANGED. ABOVE THE SHIELD IS
PLACED AN EARL'S CORONET (INDICATING THAT THOUGH ONLY A BARON IN
ENGLAND, CALVERT WAS AN EARL OR COUNT PALATINE IN MARYLAND).
ABOVE THAT, A HELMET SET FULL FACED AND OVER THAT THE CALVERT
CREST, (2 PENNONS, THE DEXTER OR THE RIGHT ONE OR (GOLD), THE
OTHER SABLE (BLACK) STAFFS GULES (RED) ISSUING FROM THE DUCAL
CORONET). THE SUPPORTERS OF THE SHIELD ARE A PLOWMAN AND A
FISHERMAN WITH THEIR HANDS ON THE SHIELD, DESIGNATED RESPECTIVELY
BY A SPADE HELD IN THE RIGHT HAND OF THE PLOWMAN AND A FISH HELD
IN THE LEFT HAND OF THE FISHERMAN (THE FISH IS HERALDIC AND
CANNOT, THEREFORE, BE IDENTIFIED AS TO ANY SPECIES). THE PLOWMAN
WEARS A HIGH-CROWNED, BROAD-BRIMMED BEAVER HAT; THE FISHERMAN
WEARS A KNITTED CAP (SOMEWHAT RESEMBLING A STOCKING CAP). THE