Massachusetts State Motto: Ense Petit Placidam Sub Libertate Quietem
Fact-checked • Updated December 2, 2025
OFFICIAL STATE SEAL
"Ense Petit Placidam Sub Libertate Quietem"
By the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty
About This Motto
Massachusetts adopted Ense Petit Placidam Sub Libertate Quietem on July 28, 1775. Latin phrase translates to By the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty. Written by English republican Algernon Sidney around 1659. Provincial Congress chose motto during Revolutionary War. Paul Revere engraved first seal showing motto.
What the Motto Means
Ense Petit Placidam Sub Libertate Quietem translates to By the sword we seek peace, but peace only under liberty. Literal translation differs slightly. She seeks with the sword peaceful repose under liberty gives exact word meaning. English versions smooth Latin grammar into modern phrasing.
Why this phrase? Massachusetts broke from British authority in 1775. Royal Governor General Thomas Gage held custody of provincial seal. Colony refused to recognize his power. New seal needed new motto. Latin words expressed colonial determination to fight for independence while seeking lasting peace under freedom.
Algernon Sidney wrote complete phrase in Copenhagen around 1659. Full line reads: Manus haec inimica tyrannis ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem. Translation: This hand, an enemy to tyrants, seeks with the sword peaceful repose under liberty. Massachusetts Provincial Congress adopted only the second half for its seal.
General Court passed order July 28, 1775. Committee appointed to design colony seal. Design chosen featured man holding Magna Carta. Paul Revere engraved seal. Motto appeared around edge. Five years later Massachusetts needed new seal as independent state. December 13, 1780 brought different design. Native American figure replaced Magna Carta holder. Motto disappeared from seal for 100 years.
Historical Background
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Revolutionary War Context
Revolutionary War began April 19, 1775 with Battles of Lexington and Concord. Massachusetts led colonial resistance. Provincial Congress governed the colony instead of royal authority. General Thomas Gage, the royal governor, possessed official provincial seal. Why did the colony need a new seal? British authority was no longer recognized.
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Committee Appointed July 28, 1775
General Court passed order July 28, 1775. Text specified committee should consider what is necessary to be done relative to a Colony Seal. Committee members included Major James Otis, Dr. John Winthrop, Major Joseph Hawley, Major John Bliss, and Dr. Whiting. They reported design August 5, 1775. Original suggestion featured Indian holding tomahawk and cap of liberty. Committee amended this. Final design showed English-American holding sword in right hand, Magna Carta in left.
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Paul Revere Engraved First Seal
Paul Revere received the commission to engrave the seal, famous by then for his midnight ride three months earlier. Working as silversmith and engraver, he created copper plates showing a patriot figure with tricorn hat. The man held a broadsword raised high, the other hand grasping Magna Carta scroll. Motto curved around edge. His original signed bill exists in Massachusetts Archives.
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Motto Source Attribution
Provincial Congress chose words from Algernon Sidney, the English republican political theorist executed for treason in 1683. Sidney had opposed absolute monarchy under Charles II. His writings influenced American colonial thinking, particularly Discourses Concerning Government, published 1698 fifteen years after his death. Thomas Jefferson and James Madison later praised Sidney's work, calling it a cornerstone of liberty alongside John Locke.
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Sidney's Copenhagen Inscription
Algernon Sidney traveled to Copenhagen 1659-1660 as part of diplomatic delegation negotiating peace between Denmark and Sweden. The University of Copenhagen maintained an album for distinguished visitors. Sidney wrote two lines in the Book of Mottoes, an inscription his father later mentioned in a letter. Complete phrase read: Manus haec inimica tyrannis ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem. Massachusetts adopted only the second line for its motto.
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1780 Seal Redesign
Massachusetts Constitution ratified 1780. New state government needed official seal. General Court appointed committee to consider and determine upon a Seal for this Commonwealth. Nathan Cushing designed new version. Design returned to Native American figure from original 1629 Massachusetts Bay Colony seal. Cushing placed bow in left hand, arrow pointing downward in right hand. Downward arrow signified peace. Star appeared in upper corner.
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Paul Revere Engraved Second Seal
Governor John Hancock and Council approved Cushing design December 13, 1780. Paul Revere again commissioned to engrave seal. Revere presented bill December 23, 1780. Original signed invoice stored at Massachusetts Archives. Council provided casual description of seal appearance. Subsequent engravers varied design details over following decades. No strict standardization existed until 1885.
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Motto Disappeared 1780-1885
New 1780 seal omitted motto entirely. For 105 years the Latin phrase vanished from official use. State conducted business without it on seal. Legislators made no recorded explanation for the removal. Design focused on Native American figure, star, bow, and arrow. Crest showed arm holding broadsword. Blue ribbon surrounded shield without text.
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Seal Standardized June 4, 1885
Legislature passed law June 4, 1885 describing seal in detail. Statute prescribed exact design elements. Blue shield background. Native American dressed in shirt, leggings, moccasins. Bow in right hand, arrow pointing down in left hand. Five-pointed silver star in upper right corner. Crest featured bent arm holding broadsword. Motto returned: Ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem. Words appeared in gold on blue ribbon.
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Edmund Garrett Designed Current Version
Starting 1894, Secretary of Commonwealth William M. Olin consulted ethnologists. Goal was accurate portrayal of Native American figure. Edmund H. Garrett drew official design 1898. Legislature adopted Garrett's rendition 1900. Garrett worked as Boston illustrator and artist. Born 1853, died 1929. Studied at Académie Julian in Paris. Known for illustrations of King Arthur legends. His Massachusetts seal design has remained the state's official version since adoption.
Meaning & Significance Today
Motto appears on state seal, flag, official documents. Massachusetts flag adopted 1971 uses seal at center. Blue field carries coat of arms. Words curve along blue ribbon beneath shield. State police cars display seal. Government buildings show design. Driver licenses include motto. Court documents bear seal impression.
Revolutionary War connection gives historical weight. Massachusetts played central role in colonial resistance. Lexington and Concord sparked armed conflict. Bunker Hill demonstrated colonial determination. Provincial Congress adopted motto during war's first summer. Words expressed colonial mindset about fighting for freedom. Phrase captured resolve to establish independent government protecting liberty.
Motto faces current controversy. Governor Charlie Baker signed bill January 11, 2021 establishing commission to study seal and motto. Commission included six Indigenous leaders from Wampanoag, Nipmuc, and Massachusett nations. Commission voted unanimously May 17, 2022 to recommend changing state seal and motto. Concerns focused on imagery showing colonial sword above Native American figure. Commission completed report November 15, 2023.
New advisory commission established 2024 under Massachusetts Secretary of Commonwealth. Panel received over 1,150 public design ideas. August 2025 unveiled three finalist proposals for new seal, flag, and motto. Public hearings scheduled for September and October 2025. Proposed mottos include Latin and English options focused on commonwealth unity and public good. Legislature holds final authority to adopt changes.
Cultural Context in Massachusetts
Revolutionary Massachusetts 1775
Massachusetts led colonial opposition to British policies. Boston Tea Party happened December 16, 1773. British closed Boston port as punishment. Troops occupied city. Colonists organized resistance. Provincial Congress governed without royal approval. Patriot leaders Samuel Adams and John Hancock operated from Massachusetts. Minute companies prepared for armed conflict. Tensions exploded April 19, 1775 at Lexington.
Algernon Sidney's Influence
Sidney's political writings spread through American colonies. Discourses Concerning Government challenged divine right monarchy. Execution for treason made him martyr for republican ideals. Colonial leaders read his work alongside John Locke. Thomas Jefferson owned copies. Sidney argued people could resist tyrannical government. These ideas shaped American Revolution. Massachusetts motto connected colony to this intellectual tradition.
Classical Education Context
Latin formed core of colonial education. Grammar schools taught Latin composition. College students read Virgil, Cicero, Horace. Massachusetts leaders knew classical references. Latin motto carried prestige. Provincial Congress chose words educated colonists would recognize. Common people might not translate exact words. They understood general meaning from context. Latin signified serious formal purpose.
Paul Revere's Multiple Roles
Revere served Massachusetts in various capacities. Engraved both 1775 and 1780 seals. Printed colonial currency with patriot imagery. Created copper plates for paper money. Rode express missions for Committee of Public Safety. Participated in Boston Tea Party. Worked as silversmith, dentist, military officer. His involvement in motto adoption connected him to state's foundational identity beyond his famous midnight ride.
Seal Evolution and Controversy
Original 1629 Massachusetts Bay seal showed Native American with phrase Come over and help us. Missionary appeal from Acts 16:9. During King Philip's War 1676, seal changed to hostile message about war with heathen natives. After Revolution, design returned to Native American figure but added colonial sword in crest above. Modern critics view sword placement as depicting violence against Indigenous peoples. Debate continues about whether imagery honors or demeans Native Americans.
Motto Versus Seal Distinction
Motto existed independently from 1775 to 1780 on first seal. Then disappeared for 105 years. Returned 1885 as element of standardized seal design. Never adopted separately by standalone statute. Massachusetts law describes coat of arms with motto as integrated element. Different from states with separate motto legislation. Motto cannot change without changing entire seal description in state statute.
Current Law
State statute governs coat of arms in Massachusetts General Laws. Statute adopted original form June 4, 1885. Text describes blue shield with Native American figure. Indian dressed in shirt, leggings, moccasins. Right hand holds bow. Left hand holds arrow pointing downward. Five-pointed silver star appears in upper right corner of field.
Crest consists of wreath of gold and blue. Right arm bends at elbow. Arm clothed and ruffled. Hand grasps broadsword. All elements gold. Motto appears in gold letters on blue ribbon. Text reads: Ense petit placidam sub libertate quietem. Great Seal of Commonwealth encircles coat of arms. Latin text around edge states: Sigillum Reipublicae Massachusettensis. Translation: Seal of the Republic of Massachusetts.
Legislature revised statute twice after 1885. Updates came 1898 and 1971. Changes refined description without altering basic design. Edmund H. Garrett's 1898 design became the official version. All official uses must conform strictly to this standard. Secretary of Commonwealth maintains custody of Great Seal. Constitution requires Secretary to affix seal impression to all commissions issued in Commonwealth name.
Interesting Facts About the Motto
Fact 1 of 16
Algernon Sidney wrote the phrase in Copenhagen around 1659 while negotiating peace between Denmark and Sweden.
Sources & References
This article has been researched using authoritative sources to ensure accuracy and reliability. All information has been fact-checked and verified against official government records.
Comprehensive history of the motto's origins, translation, and adoption by Massachusetts. • Accessed: December 31, 2025
Official documentation of seal evolution from colonial period through modern era. • Accessed: December 31, 2025
Detailed history of seal designs, Paul Revere's engravings, and current controversy. • Accessed: December 31, 2025
Official commission website documenting current process to redesign state symbols. • Accessed: December 31, 2025
Biography of Algernon Sidney, his political writings, Copenhagen inscription, and 1683 execution. • Accessed: December 31, 2025
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