Not a Cloth or Bag Seal, Boyd Family Coat of Arms, CONFIDO Seal
Modified Kilmarnock Coat of Arms Seal, Image by StuE, Found by Demmy.
Found in Sutherland.
Both sides the same. Two squirrels, either side of shield chequy with hand above, one finger down. Curved across the top is written CON[F]IDO.
Another of these seals but in a much poorer state was found in the Southampton area by Jenxy.
Information from Ray on Roger's Relics - "I think that seal has a connection to one of the Boyd families, they have Coats of Arms with the two squirrels, also with the hand, and the Motto, "CONFIDO", I Trust."
The closest match to the coat-of-arms shown on the seal is found in the book The history of Kilmarnock (1864) by Archibald M'Kay. "In the Peerage of Scotland the Arms of the Kilmarnock family are thus described: 'Azure, a fess cheque, argent and gules; Crest, a dexter hand, couped at the wrist, erect, pointing with the thumb and two next fingers, the others turning down; Supporters two squirrels proper; Motto, CONFIDO, I trust.' On the lower scroll the word Goldberry usually appears ... the word in question may have been adopted in commemoration of the bravery of Sir Thomas Boyd, who according to tradition, when engaged at the battle at Largs, attacked and defeated, with a little band of fearless followers, a strong detachment of Norwegians at a place called Goldberry, or Goldberry Hill, a few miles south of the main scene of action."
A history of Clan Boyd can be found on Wikipedia. "Origins of the clan:- The origin of the Boyd family name may be either from the Gaelic language or from the Normans, but in both cases translates as 'fair', 'blonde', 'yellow or fair,' etcetera. If the origin be Gaelic, historians argue the family name "Boyd" may have originated from the Gaelic 'buidhe', meaning 'fair' or 'blonde'. The 'fair' man in question is said to have been Robert, whose descendant is Stephen, nephew of Walter Fitzalan, 1st High Steward of Scotland. In Gaelic, 'boid' means 'yellow or fair'. The fess-chequey (see Heraldry) supports this theory. If the origin be Normadic, the name may have originated from de Morville, from their lands in Largs and Irvine. Walter Fitzalan, 1st High Steward of Scotland was the third son of Alan fitzFlaad of Brittany, and was described as "a Norman by culture and by blood a Breton." The earliest occurrence of the name is found in an Inquisition formed by King David I of Scotland into the lands of the bishopric of Glasgow. The Boyds were vassals of the de Morville family, who received lands from King David. The family name Boyd has roots in nobility rather than as a clan, however, the Lord Lyon Court recognizes the Boyds as a Clan. ... 18th century and Jacobite Uprisings. During the 1714 Jacobite Rising Lord Boyd supported the British government and commanded a regiment in the service of King George I. His son, William Boyd, however, did not share his father's loyalties and fought on the side of Charles Edward Stuart in the 1744 rebellion. He was a member of the Charles's Privy council with the rank of general. He fought, and was captured, at the Battle of Culloden. In August 1745 he was beheaded at Tower Hill and the titles of the Boyd family were forfeit. Boyd's second son, however, retained the lands and succeeded as Earl of Erroll in 1758 through his mother and assumed the name of Hay.
19th century - The eighteenth Earl of Erroll was created Baron of Kilmarnock in the Peerage of the United Kingdom in 1831. In 1941 the twenty-second Earl died in Kenya leaving a daughter who, although entitled to the Scottish earldom of Erroll and the chiefship of the Clan Hay, was unable to succeed the barony of Kilmarnock which, as a United Kingdom title, could only pass to male heirs. Therefore the brother of the twenty-second Earl resumed the name Boyd and succeeded to the barony."
Thanks to Paul Cannon we now know that an amended arms of Kilmarnock is used by Johnny Walker on their whisky bottles - PAS LIN-05F723 although the WS on the shield shown on the Jonny Walker website and the other PAS example with a clear picture (KENT-561BA6) quoted by Paul does not appear on this shield.
