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BUCKINGHAM PALACE RESPONDS TO BLACK ABOLITIONIST'S OPEN LETTER TO THE QUEEN OF ENGLAND
Nationwide (BlackNews.com) -- Buckingham Palace has responded to Venita Benitez's controversial open letter to the Queen of England. Benitez, a self-proclaimed abolitionist and genealogist, comments, "I humbly appreciate hearing back from Buckingham Palace about the Coat of Arms and Crest that had been granted to John Hawkins, an English slave trader, dealer and trafficker of human flesh - which we still have going on in the world today." Her Majesty's Buckingham Palace was thoughtful enough to respond to her letter to set straight history records, and in the letter it was indicated that it was not Queen Elizabeth I, but William Hervey that granted John Hawkins his Coat of Arms and Crest in 1565.
This was a special Coat of Arms and Crest (first of these coats, in token of a remarkable victory over the Moors) - Crest A demi Moor proper bound and captive, with annulets on his arms and ears. The bound African slave on the crest reflects the trade that Hawkins pioneered. Benitez continues, "I can therefore appreciate the Palace for expressing that the delegation of power to grant new arms was to the senior Heralds or Kings of Arms, William Hervey, Clarenceux King of Arms for the College of Arms an office which he held from 1557 until his death in 1567."
And in 1568, three years afterward, John Hawkins Coat of Arms was augmented by Robert Cooke, Clarenceux. The sketch for arms and crest granted to John Hawkins, in addition was granted. 'Canton or an escallop between two palmers' staves was by Robert Cooke, Clarenceux King of Arms, an office that he held from 1567 until his death in 1592. "When does the negative unwarranted behavior of man ever realize that it is a habitual offense that triggers erroneous sites of violent acts of discrimination based on someone’s perception of another person’s right to live a quality life?" she continues.
