One of the most commonly asked questions at Cowane’s Hospital is what does the reversed four symbol represent? There is no definitive answer to this, but the reversed four can trace itself back many centuries. However, in summary, the reversed four of the Merchant class was a sign or guarantee of quality and integrity and like the trademarks of today, would be easily recognised anywhere.
Origins:
The Chi Rho monogram was displayed on the standard of the Emperor Constantine and occurs frequently in the Catacombs in Rome. The Reversed four can also represent the line made by a person making a cross on their body, or pen on paper making a cross without the pen being raised.
Old Town Cemetery:
Subsidiary crosses were frequently portrayed on the legs of the four which can be seen on our symbol and on a variety of tombstones in the Old Town Stirling Churchyard where there are over twenty stones bearing the reversed four symbol, including that of our benefactor, John Cowane, who died in 1633.
Mark of Quality:
As stated earlier, the symbol has many uses, with merchants using the sign on their goods to ward off the Devil when their goods were in transit, over land or by sea. Also, at a time when codes of law and the regulation of contracts were few, a merchant would mark his goods to show the genuineness and quality of his merchandise and accepting God as his witness. In its universal use the reversed four would be recognised by Jews, Turk, heretic or Christian alike.
Throughout Europe the reversed four can be seen as masons’ marks and found on tombstones, barrels, woolsacks , stained glass, brass, stone, heraldry, pottery, fishing boats, lead and wax seals, carved cupboards, watermarks, printers marks, animals, Tarot cards, rings, cutlery etc. In most cases it represents a merchant and the quality of his goods. In 1600 when the East India Company was chartered by Elizabeth 1 it adopted the reversed four as its “trademark”.
Stirling:
It can now be seen that the reversed four would not be a strange symbol to the citizens of Stirling either literate or not, with the mark being used by its merchants from at least the 16th century. In 1908 J. Gaff Gillespie used the reverse four on part of the Municipal Buildings and is used in conjunction with a reference to John Cowane.
Guildry of Stirling:
The emblem, or symbol, used by the merchant Guildry of Stirling is recognised now as the reversed four in a floral design with crosses to the legs as distinct to the normal straight-line format generally used elsewhere.
Although it is in use from at least 16th century by merchants in Stirling the earliest indication to its use by the Guildry was its appearance on the small pennons attached to the white rods carried by Guild Bretheren in the procession from the Old Bridge to Stirling Castle during the visit of Queen Victoria & Prince Albert in 1842. Eight years later, on 25th September 1850 it is minuted “the Treasurer was authorised to provide the Guild Officer with a suit of clothes and charge the same to the Guildry and on the suggestion of Dean Alexander Murdoch and Council were authorised to procure a handsome button to the coat and vest containing the Arms of the Guildry”. The Guildry stained glass window can be found in the Church of the Holy Rude.
Cowane’s Hospital:
Shortly after 1850 the symbol was incorporated in the decorations of the Cowane’s Hospital and in 1852 the Patrons of Cowane’s Hospital Trust carried out extensive alterations to the interior of the building with the removal of the upper floor being replaced with a stepped public gallery and a small music chamber.
A plaque containing the reversed four symbol was placed in the front middle panel of the public gallery and it was also incorporated into the Ballantyne stained glass window also erected that year to commemorate John Cowane, the founder of the hospital.
Again, in the same year it can be seen on the chairs made for the Guild Hall and is still in use today.
It should be noted that these notes are just a rough explanation of the use of the reversed four symbol which meant many things to many people, however, if there are any historians out there who can throw more light on this subject the Trust would be very happy to hear from them.
Information provided by Stuart Campbell, Patron of the Cowane’s Hospital Trust, and Deacon Convenor, The Seven Incorporated Trades of Stirling and from the Cowane’s Trust archives.