The Arms in heraldry not only demonstrated a lineage, but stated a creed or belief which positioned oneself or family politically.  The Arms of the House of Seton are amongst the oldest known Arms.  They have been recorded in France, Spain, Rome, England, Sweden, Germany, Canada, America, and or course, Scotland.

Alexander de Setun witnessed a charter by Gillemur, son of Gilleconel, to the Church of Lesmahagow in 1144.

The earliest Seton seal is that of Sir Alexander, c. 1216, bearing three crescents and a label of three points. On the later seal of another Alexander Seton, attached to the celebrated letter of the Scottish barons to the Pope in 1320, the three crescents are placed on a bend.

The son and successor of Sir Christopher Seton, ninth of the family on record (who married Christian Bruce, sister of Robert I.), placed the double tressure round his paternal crescents on account of his royal descent, as on his seal in 1337 ; and Nisbet specially refers to the presence of the tressure in the Seton achievement on the double ground of "maternal descent and merit."  It is said that he also obtained from the king a coat of augmentation, viz. : — gules, a sword in pale proper, pomelled and hilted or, supporting an imperial crown within a double tressure of the last, to perpetuate the services rendered to his country by himself and his progenitors.

* Sir Christopher Seton's two-handed sword, figured in Dr Wilson's " Archseology of Scotland," is in the possession of the writer of this statement.

This coat, however, is not to be found on any seal used by the successive representatives of the family, nor does it appear in any known heraldic MS. Sir George Mackenzie mentions that it was borne in his time (before 1680) ; and Nisbet, who had the best opportunities of knowing, from personal observation, and because his father had been agent of the Earl of Winton, says that it was to be seen cut in stone on the old house of Seton.

George, third Lord Seton, married Lady Margaret (called also Janet) Stewart, daughter and heir of John, Earl of Buchan, Constable of France, grandson of Robert II, in whose right he claimed the earldom ; and on that account his descendants have always quartered the feudal arms of Buchan, azure, three garbs or. This assumption is thus referred to in the MS. History of the Cumings of Ernsyde, compiled in 1622 ; and although the alleged motive is erroneous, the statement forms a curious corroboration of the fact :

" Being also requisitt to understand ye reasone why ye Lord Seattoune, now E. of Wintone, weareth in ye six Bear sheawes — thrie in everie cross of his bagge — I being in the Palace of Seattoune, ffamiliar with my old Lord, demandat at his Lo: for what cause the Hous of Seattoune weare ye Cumings' armes in ye maner ? My Lord answered me ye his predicessors gatt the lands and lordship of Troup in Buchan, fra ye  Earle of Buchane, Cuming ; soe, as ane tockin of perpetuall band of freindship, ye Lo: Seattoune, att ye time, adioyned ye six sheawes to his own armes, quhat remaines wi ye Hous, as memorie of auld kyndnes, and not y' y lands wes gevin be allienaine to tack any pairt of ye Cumings' armes ; and soe, if auld love and kyndnes should be respected, it is ane great motive and occasione to profes a good will and frindship to remaine betwixt the said Surnames." (Quoted in Sir Richard Maitland's " House of Seytoun," p. 96.).

    Scottish SETON Mottos:

     Lord Seton and Earl of Winton - Hazard yet forward - Hazard yet forward
     George 7th Lord Seton - Un Dieu, Un Roy, Un Loy, Un Foy - One God, one King, one law, one loyalty,
     The Traditional Seton War Cry - Set on - Set on

     Seton Earl of Winton - Invia virtuti via nulla - No road is inaccessible to virtue
     Seton Earl of Winton - Intaminatis fulget honoribus - He shines with unstained honours

     Seton Earl of Dunfermline - Semper - Always
     Seton Viscount Kingston - Habet et suam - He hath also his own    

     Seton-Gordon, Lord Gordon and Earl of Huntly - Bydand, Animo non astutia - Remaining, By Courage not by craft
     Seton-Montgomerie Earl of Eglinton - Garde Bien - Watch well

     Seton Lord Barnes -
     Seton Lord Kilcreuch - Hazard warily - Hazard warily
     Seton Lord Pitmedden - Sustento sanguine signa, Merces haec certa laborum - I support the standard with my blood, This is the sure reward of industry

     Seton Baronet of Abercorn - Hazard warily - Hazard warily
     Seton Baronet of Garleton - Habet et suam - He hath also his own
     Seton Baronet of Pitmedden - Sustento sanguine signa - I support the standard with my blood
     Seton Baronet of Olivestob - Invia virtuti pervia (from Hamilton) - The road to virtue prevails
     Seton Baronet of Windygoul -
     Seton-Steuart Baronet of Allanton on Touch - Inclytus perditœ recuperator coronœ - The famous recoverer of a lost crown

     Seton of Parbroath - Hazard zet forward - Hazard push forward
     Seton of Meldrum - Hazard yet forward; Mean, speak and doe well - Hazard yet forward; Mean, speak and do well
     Seton of Touch - Forward ours - Forward ours
     Seton of Cariston - Hazard zet forward - Hazard push forward
     Seton of Lathrisk - Hazard zit forward
     Seton of Kyllesmuir - 
     Seton of St. Germains -
     Seton of Northrig - Cum progressus cautus -
     Seton of Gargunnock - Hazard warily - Hazard warily
     Seton of Tullibody - Forward ours - Forward ours
     Seton Provost of Haddington - Cum progressus cautus -

     Seton of Preston and Ekolsund - Hazard warily - Hazard warily
     Seton of Powderhall - Hazard et Forward
     Seton of Mounie - Sustento sanguine signa - I support the standard with my blood

     Seton of London (Barnes) -
     Seton, Col. James Seton (Barnes) -

     Seton - Inclytus perditœ recuperator coronœ - The famous recoverer of a lost crown
     Seton - Virtus durat avorum - The virtue of my ancestors remains

     Seaton - Dieu defend le droit - God defends the right
     Seaton - Sperat infestis - He hopes in adversity

    English SETON Arms:

     Jan de Seton
     Or, a saltire gules and on a chief gules three garbs, or.

     Seaton
     Gules, a bend argent between six martlets, Or.

     Seaton
     Azure, a bend between six mullets, Argent.