The College Charter

Download the College Charter

The College motto

Quaerere Verum (seek the truth)

The College arms

Barry of eight argent and vert, a griffin segreant or within a bordure azure charged with eight roses of the first seeded and barbed proper.

Granted in 1801 by Sir Isaac Heard, Garter King of Arms; Thomas Lock, Clarenceux; and George Harrison, Norroy.

  • Barry: Divided by horizontal lines into an even number of pieces.
  • Argent: Silver or white.
  • Vert: Green.
  • Griffin: An heraldic monster having the head with ears, foreclaws and wings of an eagle, and the body, hind legs and tail of a lion.
  • Segreant: Applied to a griffin when rearing on its hind legs with foreclaws raised and wings spread.
  • Or: Gold or yellow.
  • Bordure: Border.
  • Azure: Blue.
  • Charge: Any object upon the shield or on another object or on a division of the shield.
  • Of the first: Of the same tincture as the first one mentioned in the description of the arms.
  • Seeded: Description of the centre of a rose.
  • Barbed: Applied to the heraldic rose, refers to the leaf-like sepals appearing between the petals.
  • Proper: In its natural colours.

College Grace

Before dinner

Benedic Domine nos et dona tua,

quae de tua largitate sumus sumpturi,

et concede ut illis salubriter nutriti

tibi debitum obsequium praestare valeamus. Amen.

Bless, O Lord, us and your gifts,

which from your bounty we are about to receive,

and grant that, healthily nourished by them,

we may render you due obedience. Amen.

After dinner

Laus Deo. Praise be to God

Deo gratias. Thanks be to God