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Maryland Manual, 1977-78
Volume 178, Page 13   View pdf image (33K)
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MARYLAND'S OFFICIAL STATE SYMBOLS
GREAT SEAL OF MARYLAND
The Great Seal of Maryland is used
by the Governor and the Secretary of
State to authenticate the Acts of the
Legislature and for other official pur-
poses. The first Great Seal was brought
over during the early days of the
Colony. It remained in use, although
slightly altered, until the Revolution.
The State of Maryland adopted a new
sea) similar in form and spirit to those
of the other States. After the passage
of a hundred years, Maryland re-
adopted its old seal (Joint Resolution
No. 5, Legislative Session of 1876).
Only the Reverse of this seal has ever
been cut. The Obverse is, however.
still considered as part of the seal and
is used, among other things for deco-
rating public buildings.
The Reverse consists of an es-
cutcheon 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 fisherman, symbolizing
Lord Baltimore's two estates of Mary-
land and Avalon. The Calvert motto
on the scroll is "Fatti maschii parole
femine" usually translated "manly
deeds, womanly words." The Latin
legend on the border is translated
"with favor wilt thou compass us as
with a shield," the last verse of Psalms
5 as it appears in the Vulgate. The
date, 1632, refers to the year the
charter was granted to Lord Balti-
more.
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
Baltimore." Avalon was the name of
Lord Baltimore's grant in Newfound-
land (Chapter 79, Act of 1969; Code
1957, 1971 Repl, Vol., Art. 41, sec.
74A).

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Maryland Manual, 1977-78
Volume 178, Page 13   View pdf image (33K)
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