The cover image was created by the transcriber and is placed in the public domain.
ENGLISH HERALDIC BOOK-STAMPS
THIS FRONTISPIECE
SHOWING
THE BOOK-STAMP OF
HIS MAJESTY THE KING
IS REPRODUCED
BY HIS MAJESTY'S
GRACIOUS PERMISSION.
[FOR DESCRIPTION
See p. [155]]
ENGLISH HERALDIC
BOOK-STAMPS
FIGURED AND DESCRIBED
BY
CYRIL DAVENPORT V.D. F.S.A.
AUTHOR OF 'THE BOOK,' ETC.
LONDON
ARCHIBALD CONSTABLE & CO Ltd
1909
CONTENTS
| PAGE | |
|---|---|
| Introduction | [1] |
| Coats-of-Arms | [41] |
| Bibliography | [413] |
| INDICES— | |
| Index to the Introduction | [417] |
| Index to the Coats-of-Arms, etc. | [421] |
Introduction
The coats-of-arms and crests which are figured and described in the following pages do not exhaust the number of stamps of this kind that must exist on bookbindings throughout England, Scotland, and Ireland. Perhaps some day I shall go on my travels and search for unrecorded coats, but the present collection, even if it should prove to have been only a first instalment, will not easily be equalled in interest.
Little attention has been hitherto paid to English coats-of-arms outside books. For French coats of the same kind an excellent and comprehensive handbook has been compiled by M. J. Guigard, Nouvel Armorial du Bibliophile, Paris, 1890.
Two short papers have already been written about my present subject, and both of these are illustrated with drawings by myself. The earlier paper is by Mr. W. Y. Fletcher, and appeared in vol. iii. of Bibliographica in 1897; it is called "English Armorial Book-Stamps and their Owners." The second paper is by Mr. A. W. Pollard, and appeared in The Library of April 1902; it is called "The Franks Collection of Armorial Book-Stamps." The drawings I made for these two papers were carefully drawn exactly as the stamps were cut, and consequently look very black; in my newer drawings, however, I have in many cases only given the outlines of supporters, crests, helmets, and accessories generally, the effect of which is less heavy and equally useful for identification.
Armorial devices stamped on the outsides of books occur in England from the end of the fifteenth century onwards, and very fine examples are found of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries particularly. Towards the end of the seventeenth century the popularity of the book-stamp was diminished by the growth of the use of adhesive book-plates. It may be mentioned that, especially during the reign of Elizabeth, many fine armorial woodcuts are found in English books, the arms being generally those of the patron to whom the book was dedicated.
The succession of English Royal coats-of-arms on books is complete from the time of Henry VII. to that of Edward VII., and they will all be found in this book. The usual authorities for Royal armorials are great seals and coins, but the books which belonged to our sovereigns supply an equally fine and equally accurate collection. Every change of bearings, supporters, mottoes or badges is duly represented, and there are very few old private libraries in England which have not some Royal books upon their shelves. These books have either been given away by the sovereigns themselves, or acquired as official perquisites.
With regard to the identification of coats-of-arms or crests on books, this is a process of exhaustion, and it will be found easiest to begin with accessories, if there are any. These accessories are found either as augmentations on the shield or additions outside it, and by their help it is often easy to narrow down the limits within which the owner must come. By the help of coronets it is possible to fix the exact rank of the owner, and this alone, together with the date of the book, ought to make the identification easy, by help of a Peerage of the same date.
The decorations which surround a shield are often of great use; the coat-of-arms and coronet of an Earl, for instance, may be easily identified, but there may nevertheless be three or four persons who succeeded each other rapidly, and bore the same coat, to whom the book may have belonged. But round such a coat perhaps there is the Garter, or the collar of the Bath, or the insignia of some other order, and this will very likely decide which Earl was the actual owner.
The date of the printing of a book is of some use, if everything else fails, but it must be understood that as a rule it only means that the binding belonged to somebody at a later date. Even that is not quite certain, because old stamped bindings have too often been transferred to newer books. Such a transfer would be evident to a binder, but it may well deceive any one else.
The large majority of the stamps illustrated herewith are in the British Museum, but I have included a few in private ownership, and to these owners my sincere thanks are due for their kindness in allowing me to copy the various coats. I have in every case mentioned this private ownership, and where such mention is not found the book from which the drawing has been made is in the British Museum, either in the Department of Printed Books or in the Department of Manuscripts.
Heraldry is of military origin, but its decorative side, and the various exact rules which govern it, were probably brought into use during the Middle Ages, in connection with the frequent Tournaments which were governed by strict rules. The ceremonies to be followed at the Tournaments were very closely laid down; heralds as well as their assistants of all sorts came into much prominence, and personal insignia acquired an importance they have never had since. Even now there are a few signs of ancient personal heraldry existing in our army; crests and tartans of private families may be found among the Highland regiments, but the modern tendency, especially since the late war in South Africa, has been to abolish such peculiarities.
To Blazon is to describe the different divisions and bearings on a coat-of-arms in proper sequence and in heraldic language, so that an heraldic artist can, from the description, draw and colour the coat correctly.
The colours of shields and bearings ought to be given in every case, either of blazon or illustration; but as this is not always convenient, two methods of indicating colours have been adopted. The first is known as Trick, and in this manner colours were marked until the seventeenth century.
In Trick the colours or tinctures are indicated by letters, and they are described in Gerard Legh's Accedens of Armory, London, 1562, as follows:—
- O. Or. Yelowe. A. Argent. Whyghte.
- G. Geules, betweene Red and Tenne.
- B. Azure, bright Blewe. V. Vert. Grene.
- P. Purpure. Purple. E. Ermyn. White poudred w^t Black.
- Es. Ermines. Black powdred whight. T. Tenne. Orynge coloure.
- M. Sangwyne. Murreye. Pr. Proper coloure. Naturall.
- BB. Blewe. Sad Blewe.
The letters are put either in the spaces or on the charges to which they refer, or they may be found in the margin with a directing line drawn to the proper place.
Several other methods of indicating colour by means of black and white lines laid in certain directions have been tried, but they have all failed to stand the test of time except that invented by an Italian Jesuit Father, Silvestro Petra Sancta, who lived in the seventeenth century. His method is figured and described in a book he wrote and illustrated on Italian coats-of-arms. It is a very useful book, because the coats are arranged according to the devices upon them. It is in fact an illustrated ordinary of Italian arms, Tesserae Gentilitiae, Romae, 1638.
The colours and lines given by Father Petra Sancta are as follows:—
Aurum (Or)
Argentum (Argent)
Puniceum (Gueulles)
Cyaneum (Azur)
Prasinum Viridem (Sinople)
Violaceum (Pourpre)
Nigrum
These are still the commonest colours, but a few more have been added since; they are, however, rarely used.
Besides the metals and the colours a few furs are used in heraldry; the two most usual of these are Ermine and Vair. Ermine is white and shows little conventional spots on it, which represent the black tips of the tails of the same animal.
Vair is supposed to represent little grey squirrel skins spread out and arranged touching each other. It is coloured blue and white.
The others, rarely found, are variations on one or other of these two.
Ermines shows white tails on a black ground.
Erminois shows black tails on a gold ground.
Erminites is the same as Ermine, but each black tail has one outer red hair on each side.
Pean shows gold tails on a black ground.
Counter Vair has the skins differently arranged.
Potent is like Vair, but the skins are differently shaped, like thick T's.
Counter Potent has the Potent skins differently arranged.
The heraldic lines, dots, and furs should be learnt, as they must be understood and are continually met with in heraldic works of late date. The tincture lines do not show on English Royal book-stamps until the time of George II., and on earlier book-stamps the want of any indication of colour is a great element of doubt in the attribution of coats-of-arms to particular persons, in the absence of assistance from marks outside the shields, coronets, helmets, crests, and the like.
An heraldic heiress is a lady whose father is armigerous but leaves no son. In such a case the lady's coat, if she married, would be shown on an escutcheon of Pretence placed in the centre of her husband's coat, and may be shown as a quartering on the coats-of-arms of her children.
Marshalling is the manner and method of conjoining divers arms upon one shield according to heraldic precedent and usage; it is an exact process.
The marshalling of the many family coats which may be inherited through marriages with heraldic heiresses is often a very elaborate and difficult matter. The rules, however, for such marshalling are well known and logical. A very good summary of this important part of a herald's duty can be found in Mr. A. C. Fox Davies's Art of Heraldry, in the chapter on Marshalling. A coat-of-arms is, however, sometimes found with many quarterings which only show the successive alliances, but in such a case the facts should always be stated. In default of such explanation the existence of the proper heraldic heiress rights must always be presumed.
When a man quarters the coat-of-arms of an ancestral heiress, he has also the right to use the crest belonging to it. The right of bearing a crest, although not allowed to ladies, seems to be latent in them, as it can be inherited through them, if heiresses, by their male descendants. But in ordinary English usage it is usual only to use one crest, except in the case of an assumption by Royal Licence of an additional surname, coat-of-arms, and crest. In German heraldry such quartered coats are usually accompanied by all their respective crests, which are placed along the top of the coat in an arched line, each on its proper helmet, and all facing inwards.
Distinctive personal marks on English shields are few; the commonest is the Ulster hand which is used as an augmentation by Baronets. The rank of Baronet, which is hereditary, was instituted by James I. in 1611. By the original Statutes of the Order, Baronets in order to qualify for the rank had to maintain "thirty soldiers three years at eightpence a day in the Province of Ulster in Ireland." A Baronet had to prove that he was a gentleman by birth and to possess property to the value of £1000 per annum.
The arms of Ulster are a red left hand appaumé on a silver ground, and the origin of this curious coat is said to be that on an Irish expedition for the acquisition of new territory in ancient days, the ancestor of the O'Neiles, finding that an adversary was reaching the coveted shore more quickly than he was, cut off his left hand, and threw it ashore, thereby establishing a "first landing" claim to the new territory. The claim was allowed, and so the successful chieftain became the first king of Ulster and the ancestor of the succeeding kings.
The Ulster hand, either with or without its silver shield, usually shows either on the honour point in the centre of a shield, in the dexter chief, or in the centre chief, but there is no definite rule as to its position.
In 1625 a similar hereditary rank was instituted for Nova Scotia in North America, but since 1801 all Baronets have been "of the United Kingdom." The Baronets of Ulster and of the United Kingdom both use the Ulster hand as their symbol, borne upon their shield, but the Baronets of Nova Scotia indicate their rank in another way. The badge of a Baronet of Nova Scotia hangs from the base of his shield, suspended by a tawny ribbon; the badge is oval, and shows "argent, a saltire azure, thereon an inescutcheon of the arms of Scotland ensigned with an Imperial Crown, the whole encircled by a fillet on which are the words 'FAX MENTIS HONESTAE GLORIA.'"
Concerning the Knights of the English Langue of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem, Guillim says that they may wear "their Paternal coat armour insigned with this cross on the chief of their Paternal Coat." The cross he speaks of is, he says, that of Amadeus, Earl of Savoy (Gu., a cross argent), who fought in company with the Knights of St. John at the Siege of Acre in the thirteenth century, and, the Grand Master being slain, put on his dress and demeaned himself so gallantly that he was asked to allow the Order to adopt his coat-of-arms.
In the Charter of Incorporation of this Order granted by Queen Victoria in 1888, it is ordained that "Knights of Justice may bear the Arms of the Order, viz. Gules, a cross argent embellished alternately in each of the principal angles with a Lion guardant and a Unicorn, both passant or," as a chief on their coat-of-arms. The lion and the unicorn were added to the then existing arms of the English Langue of the Order by George IV.
Knights of other Orders and Knights Bachelors do not, as such, use any augmentations on their shields.
Several forms of marks of cadency are given in the Book of St. Albans, printed in the fifteenth century, and many more had been used in mediæval times, but the manner of indicating cadency which has lasted until the present day is the only one that it is necessary to describe here.
In an old window at St. Mary's Church, Warwick, the six sons of the Earl of Warwick, who died in the thirty-fourth year of Edward III., are marked by the six following devices on their shields:—
1st, a Label
2nd, a Crescent
3rd, a Mullet or spur rowel, sometimes pierced
4th, a Martlet
5th, an Annulet
6th, a Fleur-de-lys
Gerard Legh in his Accedens of Armory mentions three more such marks:—
7th, a Rose. 8th, a Cross moline. 9th, a double Quatrefoil.
The first six are often met with, but the last three very rarely.
The Royal Family all use labels as cadency marks, distinguished by charges upon them, or by the number of points, differences which are all specially granted, the eldest son always wearing a plain silver label of three points.
English coronets seem to have followed a definite line of development, but they were not actually settled as to their respective designs until the time of Charles II., at whose coronation all the ranks of the Peerage carried their respective coronets exactly in their present form.
At first coronets of rank were only circlets of metal, then on this circlet were put balls or "pearls" (as in the portrait of King Alfred on the Dowgate Hill brooch, or the coronet of a Baron or Viscount), then the pearls were ornamentally tripled, and this trefoil soon turned into a leaf form (e.g. the coronet of an Earl or Marquis, alternately pearls and leaves), and finally leaves alone figure as the mark of the highest peerage rank of a subject (e.g. the coronet of a Duke, leaves only).
The Royal Crown has gone through a similar line of development, but in this case the trefoil has evolved into two different forms, that of the cross pattée, and that of the fleur-de-lys. These forms became fixed in the time of Henry VII., the existing crown of England being essentially of the same pattern as that then finally adopted, arches and all.
While fully appreciating the fact that the forms of modern coronets only date from the time of Charles II., it is still interesting to inquire by what methods peers of earlier date marked their dignity pictorially, and it seems that this was done by means of the use of a crest-chapeau, and the use of a helmet under it. But in sculpture certain forms of coronets also appear. Crowns and coronets are placed immediately upon the top of the shield. Over the crown or coronet comes the helmet, and over the helmet the crest.
The Royal Crown of England has followed a definite line of development, and, as mentioned above, it reached its present form in the time of Henry VII., but, curiously enough, on the only known book-stamp that is attributed to this king the crown is shown in a more ancient form, that of a circlet ornamented with fleurs-de-lys of different sizes. The centre cross pattée on the English crown was not used before it was invented by Henry VI., and it first shows on his seal for foreign affairs.
The Royal Crown of England now has upon the circlet four crosses pattée and four fleurs-de-lys, and from the tops of the crosses rise two complete arches, bearing a mound and cross at their point of junction. The Stuart crowns often show two more arches, rising from the tops of the fleurs-de-lys, and this peculiarity was lately shown on the diamond crown made for the coronation of Queen Alexandra. The Royal crowns are richly jewelled.
The coronet of the Prince of Wales is the same as the crown of the Sovereign, except that it has only one arch and no jewels. The single arch was granted, for the future, by Charles II.; before that the princely coronet had no arch. The older form of this coronet can still be seen on the Prince of Wales's badge of three ostrich feathers, which are held together by a coronet of the old shape. The three feathers are said to have been the badge of John, King of Bohemia, who was killed by the Black Prince at Crécy in 1346. The motto "Ich Dien" also belonged to the King of Bohemia.
The coronets of younger children of the Sovereign are the same as that of the Prince of Wales, but without the arch.
The coronets of Princes, grandchildren of the Sovereign, are the same as those of the younger children of the Sovereign, except that the two outer crosses pattée are replaced by strawberry leaves.
Charles II. settled all these matters as they now are, and also ordained that Princes, grandchildren or nephews of the Sovereign, being also Dukes, should wear on their coronets four crosses pattée alternately with four strawberry leaves.
The Black Prince was the first English Duke. The title derives from Dux, a leader, and was, and still is, a sovereign title in many instances. The Black Prince was created a Duke in 1337 by his father Edward III. On the Prince's tomb at Canterbury he wears over his helmet a coronet which shows ten or more leaves on short pyramidal points rising from the circlet. The present ducal coronet is probably a survival of this form. The Black Prince's helmet with chapeau and crest is also preserved at Canterbury. On the tomb of John Beaufort, Duke of Somerset (1444), at Wimborne Minster, he is shown wearing a coronet set with several trefoils or leaves rising from the circlet. The same design shows in Prince Arthur's Book (1501-2) at the College of Arms, where the banner of Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, is ensigned with a coronet bearing several leaves resembling strawberry leaves.
At the coronation of Edward VII., the official description of a Duke's coronet is "of silver gilt, and on the circle eight strawberry leaves." Pictorially five of these leaves are shown.
The first English Marquis was Robert de Vere, created Marquis of Dublin by Richard II. in 1387. A Lord Marcher was a Governor or Ruler of the Marches, or Frontiers, but the dignity did not become hereditary until the fourteenth century. It was a position of much importance and responsibility. The coronet of a Marquis is nearly the same as that of a Duke, but each alternate leaf is turned into a silver ball or pearl.
At the coronation of Edward VII., the official description of a Marquis's coronet is "of silver gilt, and on the circle four gold strawberry leaves and four silver balls alternately, the latter a little raised on points above the rim." Pictorially three strawberry leaves and two pearls are shown.
The title of Earl, or Eorl, is one of Anglo-Saxon origin, and probably derived from the Danish Jarl. Eorls were warriors and had charge of shires, but by the Normans they were called Counts. It is the oldest English title of nobility.
The Saxon form of name has, however, in this case, proved the most lasting, but the remains of the Norman nomenclature exist in the title of Countess, and also in the name County. The Earl or Shire man had his deputy, the Sheriff, and he became the Vice-count or "Viscount." Hugh Lupus, created Earl of Chester by the Conqueror, is said to have been the first properly constituted English hereditary Earl. The coronet worn by Henry Lacy, Earl of Lincoln, in the early fourteenth century, and which is said by Sandford to have been shown on the Earl's tomb in St. Paul's Cathedral, was a simple circlet; and so is that worn by William de Valence, Earl of Pembroke, who died in the thirteenth century, on his tomb at Westminster.
Margaret, Countess of Richmond, the mother of Henry VII., wears, on her tomb at Westminster, a coronet with eight leaves and eight pearls on points; essentially the same form of a Countess's coronet as used now. But on her seal she uses a circlet from which rise alternately roses and fleurs-de-lys, five roses and four fleurs-de-lys, each on a short pyramidal point. This shows that at that time there was no definite pattern.
On the tomb, at Windsor, of Charles Somerset, Earl of Worcester, who died about the middle of the sixteenth century, is a coronet with nine trefoils, or leaves, of equal size, and his son Henry, Earl of Worcester (d. 1549), on his tomb in the Parish Church at Chepstow, shows a coronet of leaves and pearls, all on short pyramidal stems, rising from the circlet. Except for the proportion of the stems this coronet is the same as that now used. At a little later date, in Elizabeth's reign, I think the Earl's coronet took definite shape, and, among others, it shows both on the seals of Dudley, Earl of Leicester, and Charles Howard, Earl of Nottingham, essentially in its present form.
At the coronation of Edward VII. the official description of an Earl's coronet is "of silver gilt, and on the circle eight silver balls raised upon points, with gold strawberry leaves between the points." Pictorially five points with pearls and four strawberry leaves are shown.
A Viscount is a Vicecomes, or deputy for a Count or Earl. The Earls have retained their Saxon name, but the Viscount has kept the Norman equivalent of their rank as Sheriffs. Both the Earl and his Viscount were originally county officials. Since 1441 the title has been one of hereditary rank. The first English Viscount was John, Viscount Beaumont, so created by Henry VI. The first English Viscount to wear a coronet was Robert, Lord Cecil of Effingdon, who was created Viscount Cranbourn by James I. in 1605, and his coronet was essentially the same as is now used.
At the coronation of Edward VII., the official description of a Viscount's coronet is "of silver gilt and on the circle sixteen silver balls." Pictorially nine of these silver balls are shown.
The Barons are probably the modern representatives of the ancient Saxon Thanes. It is an old Norman name for the Thane, and it is found often enough in ancient documents. Guillim says that citizens of London were called "Barons Londonni," and in Domesday there is mention of Barons of Warwick. There were Barons of the Exchequer, and there are still the Barons of the Cinque Ports. But none of these were hereditary titles.
Edward III., however, created William de la Pole an hereditary Baron, and since that time the dignity has been generally hereditary. Baronies were at first held by Tenure, that is by reason of the existence of adequate territorial possessions, and Guillim says that this essential was forgone by Henry III., who created Barons by Writ. In later times, when the rank became hereditary, Baronies by Writ have been heritable through the female line, and because of this, Baronial titles have in many instances been held by several allied families, with different family names.
The coronet of a Baron was originally a plain circlet, but Charles II. ordained that in future there should be six balls upon it, and the Barons at his coronation wore such additional ornamentation. In Ireland, however, this form of Barons' coronets had already been fixed by James I.
At the coronation of Edward VII., the official description of a Baron's coronet is "of silver gilt and on the circle six silver balls at equal distances." Pictorially four silver balls are shown.
The coronet of a King-of-Arms is of silver gilt, and on the circlet is inscribed the words "MISERERE MEI DEUS SECUNDUM MAGNAM MISERICORDIAM TUAM," taken from the 51st Psalm. From the circlet rise alternately long and short oak leaves.
The Kings-of-Arms, Heralds, and Pursuivants were incorporated as a College by Richard III. in 1483, and Derby House in the city, now the College of Arms, was given to them as their headquarters in 1555. Kings-of-Arms wore coronets from the beginning; a portrait of William Bruges, the first Garter King-of-Arms, in 1420, in an illuminated manuscript, shows him wearing a coronet on which are four trefoils, or leaves, upon short pyramidal stems. On the grant of arms of the Tallow Chandlers' Company, John Smert, Garter King-of-Arms in 1456, is shown wearing a coronet on which are three leaves and two pearls or balls. Sir William Dugdale, Garter King-of-Arms during the latter half of the seventeenth century, wore a coronet with twelve oak leaves of equal height on the circlet, on which there was no inscription. The coronet as now used was probably first decided upon early in the eighteenth century.
Heralds and Kings-of-Arms are entitled to surround their arms with the ancient collar of SS. The same honour is allowed to the Serjeants-at-Arms and several of the Judges.
Imitation jewels are repoussé upon the circlets of all these coronets, except those of Barons and Heralds. No English crowns or coronets, except those worn by the Sovereign or the Queen Consort, have any real jewels upon them.
Crowns and coronets are only officially worn in England on the occasion of the coronation, and then with the ordered coronation dress. They are put on when the crown is put upon the head of the Sovereign. But if they are held over the head of the owner it appears to be sufficient, as in Sir George Hayter's beautiful picture of the coronation of Queen Victoria, the Duchess of Cambridge is shown with a Lady-in-Waiting holding her coronet over her head. The Duchess was wearing a very handsome diamond tiara which, no doubt, she considered more becoming than her coronet.
Crowns and coronets are properly depicted without any cap within them, but when they are worn it is always over the Peer's cap, known variously as a Cap of Estate, of Maintenance, or of Dignity. The same cap is also used in many early instances as a crest-chapeau. The cap is the same for all ranks, from the Sovereign to the King-of-Arms; it consists of a red velvet cap lined with white silk and turned up with miniver, which is white ermine fur having small dots or tufts of black horsehair sewn into it at intervals. At the top is an ornamental gold button, with fringes of gold thread.
The earliest figure of a cap of this sort can be seen on the Black Prince's helmet over his tomb at Canterbury; it has been painted red and miniver, but is now in a very bad condition. The crest stands upon it.
The Cap of Estate, without any crown or coronet over it, is worn by the Sovereign on the way to the coronation, and it is also generally borne on a cushion by one of the great officers of State when the Sovereign is present in State or Semi-State. It is carried by the Marquis of Winchester or his representative. Peers used such caps pictorially before they showed coronets, and on fifteenth and sixteenth century seals the Cap of Estate marks a high rank. It commonly shows on the seals of Dukes and Earls in conjunction with a helmet. The chapeau in early times seems to end in two swallow-tails, but now it is worn round. As a crest support in modern times it is rarely granted, but there still remain a few instances of its use.
Although it is correct to depict coronets without the Cap of Estate, it is also correct to show them with it. In the latter case the miniver turn-up comes just below the lower rim of the circlet. It is a common mistake to show the miniver turn-up without the velvet Cap above it, which is obviously absurd.
In the absence of a crown or coronet the Helmet rests directly on the upper part of a shield. In fifteenth and sixteenth century seals it shows very large in comparison with the coat-of-arms, and so does the crest; the helmet often shows the guige or shield belt, and the shield often hangs couchée or sideways. The Helmet, so says Guillim, is the true mark of English nobility, and it certainly shows as such on seals dating from the fourteenth until about the end of the sixteenth century, when rank coronets began to be used instead of, or together with, a corresponding form of helmet.
From the early seventeenth century the shapes and metals of the helmets denoting rank have been clearly laid down, and they are as follows:—
Royal.—A Helmet of Gold, with six bars, set affrontée.
Peers.—A Helmet of Silver, barred, with five bars, and garnished gold, usually set in profile, but Dukes sometimes used it affrontée.
Baronets and Knights.—A Helmet of Steel, garnished with silver, without bars, the visor open, and set affrontée.
Esquires.—A Helmet of Steel, the visor closed, and set in profile.
On the Helmet, between it and the crest support, comes the mantling, the survival of the helmet cover torn in war, and showing in strips, now ornamentally treated. The main metals and colours of the coat-of-arms should be repeated in the mantling.
To wear a crest at a Tournament implied more social status than the possession of a shield, and in the latter part of the fourteenth century all great nobles were very careful to display their crests, but lesser gentry had to be content with their shields only. In early visitations coats-of-arms were frequently granted without crest at all.
Later, in Jacobean times, crests were sometimes given to persons already bearing arms, and they became commoner. Whenever ancestral coats-of-arms are quartered with a given coat, the corresponding crests may also be worn, but in English usage this is rarely done. In the event, however, of an additional surname being adopted by Royal Licence, with the corresponding coat-of-arms and crest, the second crest is commonly used; but it is very rare in English Heraldry to show more than two crests.
Crests are undoubtedly derived from the fact that in the days of Armour, Knights were completely covered up and required some evident mark by which they could be recognised. To meet this difficulty a coloured device set on the top of a man's helmet offered an obvious and ornamental solution. Such a crest was strictly personal; the retainers of a Knight wore his badge and his colours, but never his crest. The modern use of livery colours and badges can be well seen in the case of the Beefeaters at the Tower. Very ancient helmets were sometimes ornamentally coloured.
The crest "Crista," a cockscomb, was often of a fan or cockscomb shape on the top of a helmet, but gradually it assumed more distinguishing peculiarities. On the Great Seal of Richard I., on the equestrian side, a cockscomb crest shows on the King's helmet, with a lion of England on the flat base of it. The whole coat-of-arms sometimes shows on the Fan crest, as it does in the crest of the City of London. The original Fan, however, in this instance, has become curiously modified into the shape of a dragon's wing.
Crests are carried on some sort of support; those usually found are one or other of the following:—
On a crest-chapeau, the old cap of maintenance, dignity, or of estate. It was, and is, usually used by persons of high rank. The earliest remaining example of the use of the crest-chapeau is in Canterbury Cathedral, and a model of one is there on the helmet of the Black Prince, over his tomb. The cap is of red velvet turned up with miniver; it is not a round cap like its modern representative, but is of an elongated shape, ending in two swallow-tails.
Issuing from an heraldic coronet showing three strawberry leaves, the colour of the coronet being exemplified in the official grant. This coronet does not appear to have any meaning.
Issuing from a Mural coronet, sometimes granted to Army officers.
Issuing from a Naval coronet, sometimes granted to Naval officers.
On a fillet or twisted torse of the chief metal and chief colour of the coat-of-arms with which it is used. This fillet is the commonest crest support, and the others, chapeau or coronet, are themselves sometimes set upon a torse. It should be stated in the grant.
Crests carry the same cadency marks as occur on the coat-of-arms.
Crests are of very ancient use; marks of dignity worn upon the head are among the earliest signs of chieftainship used by mankind. A savage chief would readily wear a rare bird's feather in his head as a mark of dignity, or even his own hair matted into particular forms, as the Zulus still do. As for feathers, we still wear them on our heads as indications of rank; they can be found on the ceremonial hats of all the great Orders of Knighthood, on the hats of the Staff of our army as well as on several Regimental head-dresses, and on the hats of our Civil Servants.
Knights and Companions, or Esquires, of Orders of Knighthood show the badge or badges of the Order or Orders to which they belong suspended from the proper ribbon from the base of their shields. Medals are seldom so shown. Knights Commanders of Orders of Knighthood usually, in addition, surround their coats-of-arms with the ribbon and motto of their senior Order. From this ribbon may depend the badges of all the Orders to which the Knight belongs. Knights Grand Cross may further surround their coats-of-arms with the collars of any or all the Orders having collars to which they belong, the badge of each depending from its proper collar. When several collars are shown they are sometimes halved, each badge always being so arranged as to hang from a link of its own collar.
Many officials besides those already mentioned are entitled to show emblems of their office outside their shields, but few of these show on book-stamps. An instance, however, may be seen on one of the stamps used by Samuel Pepys, where he shows two anchors behind his shield as a mark of his position as Secretary to the Admiralty. In the same way Field-Marshals are entitled to place crossed batons behind their shields.
Clergymen of high rank sometimes ensign their coats-of-arms with a Mitre, but as non-combatants they use no crests. Archbishops and Bishops impale the Arms of their See with their own paternal coats, the official coat taking the dexter position. Deans also and lesser ecclesiastical dignitaries in many cases impale their family coats with an official one, in the same way.
The origin of Supporters to coats-of-arms is a matter upon which there is much difference of opinion. It is probable that as now used they are partly of utilitarian and partly of decorative origin. Badges and charges on coats-of-arms have often developed into Supporters. Henry VIII., in 1528, borrowed one of the lions of England from his coat-of-arms and adopted him as a Dexter Supporter, a dignity he has retained ever since.
At Tournaments, before the combatants entered the Lists their banners and shields were displayed and held by retainers or pages. These serving-men were dressed in their Lord's livery or in some fancy dress. So that a Knight's shield would be recognised not only by the devices upon it, but also by the colours and appearance of its Supporter.
Many foreign shields, and ancient English ones also, show only one Supporter, and it is likely enough that when pictorial heraldry began generally to show Supporters, a second Supporter was often added for the sake of uniformity alone. In King Arthur's Book at the College of Arms, illuminated quite early in the sixteenth century, banners are shown with only one Supporter holding them up.
Supporters were regularly used by persons of high rank from early in the fifteenth century; they carry on them any marks of cadency which may be on the shield to which they belong. The right to use Supporters depends upon the wording of the grant of Arms concerned. Practically they are now seldom granted except to Peers. In the past, however, many commoners have been granted Supporters for their coats-of-arms, by Royal Warrant, and some of these are hereditary. This is a point which would be specified in the grant, and without such specification the Supporters would not be hereditary.
In Scotland ancient usage is allowed to be a good cause for using Supporters.
Supporters have at present no defined status, they indicate no rank; but the tendency now is to restrict their use, and it is quite probable that some day they will become actual evidences of Peerage rank, as they probably originally were. No list of English Heraldic Supporters has yet been published.
Mottoes largely derive from War-cries. In England they are not mentioned in grants of arms, and very rarely in visitation books. Mottoes are not hereditary, but can be changed at the will of any armigerous person. Officers of arms will record mottoes by request, provided they do not infringe any existing rights.
In Scotland, however, mottoes are recognised officially; they are subject to grant, and their position with regard to the coat-of-arms or crest to which they belong is specified. Heraldic mottoes appear to have been used in England in the sixteenth century; they show on some of the Garter Plates at Windsor. Mottoes often accompanied badges, and in many cases they may have been transferred from them to the coat-of-arms or to the crest.
The motto "Dieu et Mon Droit" was adopted by Edward III., in allusion to his claim to the Throne of France. In 1801, on the Legislative union of Great Britain and Ireland, the title of King of France, as well as the coat-of-arms of France which had appeared on the English coat-of-arms ever since the time of Edward III., was discontinued, but the motto has been retained and is still used. Useful lists of English mottoes are given in several editions of Burke's Peerage, and in the 1905 edition of Fairbairn's Crests.
Some elementary knowledge of heraldic terms and bearings must be acquired before it is possible to use any of the ordinaries, or lists of coats-of-arms, arranged according to the divisions of shields and the bearings upon them.
Fortunately the primary and, at the same time, the most important divisions of a shield are few and easily learnt. They had originally a structural origin, and although I begin with a line in my analysis, it is likely that the charges were originally first; for instance, a red scarf tied across the top of a shield would develop heraldically into "a chief gu." In the same way a red scarf tied from top to bottom of an iron shield would become heraldically "sa., a pale gu." and so on. There are now proper proportions for all these charges, but in practice they are not strictly adhered to.
A large number of coats are not divided up at all, but are simply charged with bearings that may be easily identified if the colours are known; such coats have frequently animal forms upon them, a Lion rampant or an Eagle displayed, or more than one animal arranged in a certain order. Such coats can generally be easily found in an Ordinary, but the colour in old seals and on old books is seldom given, and this often makes any unsupported identification very doubtful.
The shield may be divided by a centre perpendicular line from top to bottom; this is called division per Pale, and when the dividing line is thickened it becomes a charge, and is described "a Pale." A husband impales his wife's coat with his own, on the sinister side, except when the lady is an heraldic heiress, when her coat will be found on an escutcheon of Pretence in the centre of her husband's shield. Children of such a marriage are entitled to quarter their mother's coat with their paternal coat. They can also use any ancestral quarterings to which their mother was entitled.
When a shield is divided by a central horizontal line it is said to be divided per Fess, and when the dividing line is thickened it becomes a charge and is called "a Fess." Several small fesses are called bars, or the shield may be described as "Barry."
If the perpendicular pale and the horizontal fess lines are combined, a shield becomes "Quartered" or "Quarterly," and if these lines are thickened we get the Cross, of which there are several varieties, e.g. cross pattée, with the ends flattened out like feet; cross crosslet with each end crossed by a little bar; cross moline with double-pointed ends; cross fleury with triple-pointed ends, and so on. If a shield is covered all over with reduplications of the quartering lines, so as to be divided into a number of little squares, or quarterings, it is said to be chequy or compony.
When a shield is divided diagonally, either from right to left, or from left to right, which must be specified, it is said to be per Bend, dexter or sinister, as the case may be. If either of these lines is thickened so as to become a charge it is called "a Bend" (dexter or sinister). If the dexter and sinister dividing Bend lines are combined, a division per Saltire is the result, and if these lines are thickened so as to become a charge, it is called "a Saltire." If the upper triangle in the Saltire is drawn down into a narrow point and forms a charge, it is called "a Pile." There may be several of these, and their number, position, and colour are always stated. If the Saltire lines are repeated so as to cover the entire shield with diamond-shaped spaces, it is said to be Lozengy, and if these lines are thickened so as to become charges, it is called Fretty, and the little bars are interlaced.
If now the dividing lines of a quartered coat and those of a coat divided per Saltire be combined, we get a division known as Gyronny, common in Scottish heraldry.
If a shield is divided by an angular line in a gable form, the two lowest lines of a division per Saltire, it is called per Chevron, and if this line is thickened so as to become a charge, it is called a Chevron.
When a third part of the top of a shield is marked off by a horizontal line it forms what is called a Chief, and when the top left-hand corner is marked off as a small square, measuring about a third of the chief, it is called a Canton, and is often an honourable augmentation to a coat-of-arms, granted for some distinguished service.
When a shield has a narrow border all round it, it is called a Bordure, and this is also often an honourable augmentation, difference, or mark of cadency on a family coat-of-arms.
The boundary lines of all these charges are normally straight, but they may also be either
Engrailed
Embattled
Indented
Dancetty
Wavy
Raguly
Nebuly
and a few more which are rarely met with.
Charges are usually placed on shields in certain positions which follow one or other of the main lines of division which have just been enumerated.
For instance, the three lions of England are arranged one under the other, on an imaginary line running from the top to the bottom of the shield. If such a broad line existed it would be called a Pale, so the lions are said to be "In, or Per Pale." Similarly, they might be arranged "In Fess" or "In Bend," and so on.
All charges and bearings on shields should be shown flat except
The Fret, which is interlaced.
Fretty, a small fret repeated, also interlaced.
Roundels in colour, which should be shown as hemispherical. They doubtless represent the bosses on a shield. The metal roundels, however, the Bezant of gold, and the Plate of silver, no doubt represent coins, and are shown flat; and that Cadency marks may correctly be represented, as in relief on a shield.
Heraldic charges are numerous, and if any prolonged investigation is likely to be required their names and forms will have to be learnt. But a few of the commoner charges may well be explained here, as such explanation may possibly in many cases save a long search.
A Dragon is a monster with scales all over him; he has four legs ending in eagle's talons and a spear-head at the end of his tail, his wings are like the wings of a bat, with a claw at the end of each rib.
A Griffin has the head, front legs, and wings of an eagle, and the hind-quarters of a lion.
A Wyvern has a dragon's head and wings, with two eagle's legs, his tail is curled round itself and ends in a spear-point. He is scaly all over.
A Cockatrice is a Wyvern with a cock's head.
A Basilisk is a cockatrice with its tail ending in a dragon's head.
A Lion shows one eye, one ear, and stands upon one foot, rampant. He has a mane, and his tail has a tuft at the end, and he shows no spots. If a lion is otherwise depicted it must be mentioned in the blazon. A lion showing two eyes and two ears is a lion "Leopardé."
A Leopard shows two eyes and two ears; he has no mane and his tail is not tufted. He should show spots and be "nowhere shaggy." If he only shows one eye and one ear he is a leopard "Lionné."
Most of the other animals explain themselves, but there are a few curious charges, no doubt survivals of common forms, which also retain their ancient heraldic names, and these forms and names are useful to remember; among them the following occur perhaps most frequently:—
A Caltrap.
A Chess-rook.
A Clarion.
A Fer-de-Moline.
A Fermail.
A Fountain.
A Fret.
A Fusil.
A Mascle.
A Maunch or Sleeve.
A Pheon.
A Rustre.
A Water Bouget.
Heraldic Shields changed their forms at different periods, but it is not necessary to trouble much about that here, as coats-of-arms on books are always simple in shape. But it may be noted that unmarried ladies or widows show their arms in the form of a Lozenge. Guillim says, "This form is derived from the fusil, or spindle for yarn, single women being called spinsters." The lozenge is an inconvenient form, and it is broadened out whenever possible. When a wife's coat is shown on an escutcheon of Pretence in the centre of her husband's shield, it loses its lozenge form.
In view of a possible second volume in continuation of the present, I should feel most grateful if any librarians or owners of libraries will send me rubbings of any more coats-of-arms on books that they know of. To make a rubbing, from which I can make a drawing, is quite easy. A piece of soft paper should be used, and kept from slipping by a weight. Put the paper carefully over the stamped part of the book, and then with the finger gently press the paper down into the stamped leather. When the design can just be distinguished, rub over the paper, without letting it slip, with an H.B. pencil cut to a broad round point, and it will be found that in this way, with a little practice, every line and dot in a stamp will show quite clearly. The impressed lines on the leather will show as white on the rubbing. From such a rubbing a drawing can be made. Besides the rubbing, I should also like a copy of the title of the book, and the name of the owner or library to which it belongs.
I am aware that many of my attributions of coats in the following pages are open to criticism, and I shall be very grateful if any of my readers can correct any of them with authority. At the end of the book I have given a short list of the books of reference, heraldic and biographical, which I have found of most service in the compilation of this book, and I gratefully record my indebtedness to them all.
I have taken the Royal Titles from the respective Great Seals.
C. D.
Burlington Fine Arts Club,
September 1908.
Coats-of-Arms
ABBOT, GEORGE, ARCHBISHOP OF CANTERBURY
Arms.—Impaled.
Dexter: Arg., an archiepiscopal staff, headed with a cross pattée or, surmounted by a pall arg., charged with four crosses pattée fitchée sable, fringed and edged or. The See of Canterbury.
Sinister: Gules, a chevron between three pears pendent or. Abbot.
[Several volumes in the Library at Lambeth Palace.]
George Abbot, Archbishop of Canterbury (born 29th October 1562, died 4th August 1633), was a native of Guildford, and took orders in 1585, afterwards becoming a tutor at Oxford, where he was also a Fellow of Balliol. He was a strong Puritan and a popular preacher at St. Mary's.
In 1597, Abbot was elected Master of University College, and in 1599 he became Dean of Winchester and also Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford. He wrote several treatises on the religious questions of his time, and enjoyed the personal esteem of James I., who thought very highly of him as a theologian and as a politician.
The King's favour showed in the rapid promotion of Dr. Abbot. In 1609 he was consecrated Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield, and later in the same year he was translated to London. In the next year, on the death of Archbishop Bancroft, Abbot was made Archbishop of Canterbury. Dr. Abbot had no sinecure in his Archbishopric, and his many enemies and the troubled state of theological matters generally left him but little peace. In 1621, when shooting with a crossbow at a buck, he accidentally killed a gamekeeper, and this not only preyed much upon his mind, but it also offered a handle for his detractors, especially those among the clergy, many of whom held that homicide rendered him unfit for his high position.
On the death of James I. Royal favour deserted the Archbishop, as Charles I. never appears to have thought well of him. In 1627, on more or less unjust pretexts, he suffered sequestration of his office, and a commission was appointed to exercise the Archiepiscopal functions, and Abbot retired to his native town, Guildford, where he died in 1633. Many of his books remain in the Library at Lambeth Palace.
ABROL
Arms.—Per pale or and gu., three roundels interchanged, a crescent for difference.
Motto.—Teres atque rotundus.
Probably belonged to the Library of a member of the Worcestershire family of Abrol.
[Tusser. Five hundred pointes of good Husbandrie. 1593.]
ALBERT OF SAXE-COBURG-GOTHA, PRINCE CONSORT OF QUEEN VICTORIA
The initial "A" within the garter and ensigned with the Ducal Crown of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.
[Raphael. Works at Windsor Castle, 1876.]
Prince Albert (born 26th August 1819, died 14th December 1861) was the second son of Ernest, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. He married Queen Victoria at St. James's, 16th February 1840, and was all his life a Patron of the Arts and of Literature, and the International Exhibition of 1851 is said to have been originally thought of by him.
Prince Albert's books were kept at one or other of the Royal Palaces, and few of them are anywhere else.
ANNE (BULLEN), QUEEN CONSORT OF HENRY VIII.
Arms.—Impaled.
Dexter: Quarterly.
| 1 and 4. France | All as used by Henry VIII. (q.v.). |
| 2 and 3. England |
Sinister: Quartered.
1. Gu., 3 lions passant guardant or, a label of three points az., each charged with three Fleur-de-lys or. Earls of Lancaster.
2. Az., semée de Fleur-de-lys or, a label of five points gu. Angoulême.
3. Gu., a lion passant guardant or. Guyenne.
4. Quarterly, first and fourth, per fess indented az. and or. Butler. Second and third arg., a lion rampant sa., crowned or. Rochford.
5. Gu., 3 lions passant guardant or, a label of three points arg. Brotherton, Earl of Norfolk.
6. Chequy, or and az. Warren, Earl of Warren and Surrey.
The first three of these coats were granted to Anne Bullen by Henry VIII., when he created her Marchioness of Pembroke. The paternal coat of Bullen, "Arg., a chevron gules, between three bulls' heads sa.," is omitted.
The shield is ensigned with the Royal Crown of England, and supported by two angels.
[Whittington. De octo partibus orationis. Londini [1521], and other Sixteenth-Century Tracts.]
Anne Bullen, or Boleyn (born 1507, died 19th May 1536), was the daughter of Sir Thomas Boleyn, Earl of Wiltshire and Ormonde, of Hever Castle in Kent. She was maid of honour to Catherine of Aragon, Queen of Henry VIII., and while acting in this capacity she attracted the attention of the king, who decided that he would marry her if he could get rid of Queen Catherine.
Consequently, after many difficulties, a divorce was arranged, and Henry married Anne Bullen in 1532, and she was crowned Queen in 1533. Queen Elizabeth was her only child.
In 1536 the Queen was indicted of high treason, and on 19th May of the same year she was beheaded. Some of the books bearing Queen Anne Bullen's arms form part of the old Royal library in the British Museum; the stamp is impressed in blind, without gold, and with it is often associated one or other of the panel stamps having the coat-of-arms of Henry VIII.
ANNE OF DENMARK, QUEEN CONSORT OF JAMES I.
Arms.—A cross gu., surmounted of another arg. Frederick II., King of Denmark and Norway.
Dexter canton: Or, semé of hearts ppr., 3 lions passant guardant az., crowned or. Denmark.
Sinister canton: Gu., a lion rampant, crowned or, holding in his paws a battle-axe arg. Norway.
Dexter base: Az., 3 crowns ppr. Sweden.
Sinister base: Or, 9 hearts, 4, 3, and 2, gu., in chief a lion passant guardant az. Gothes.
In base: Gu., a wyvern, wings expanded and tail nowed or. The Vandals.
An escutcheon of Pretence, quarterly;
1. Or, 2 lions passant guardant az. Sleswick.
2. Gu., an inescutcheon having a nail fixed in every point thereof in triangle, between as many holly leaves, all arg. Holstein.
3. Gu., a swan, wings close arg. Stormer.
4. Az., a chevalier armed at all points, brandishing his sword, his helmet plumed, upon a courser arg., trapped or. Ditzmers.
Over the whole an inescutcheon per pale—
Dexter: Az., a cross formée fitchée or. Dalmenhurst.
Sinister: Or, 2 bars gu. Oldenburg.
Motto.—La mia Grandezza viene dal Eccelso.
[Plutarch. Les Œuvres morales de Plutarque. Paris, 1588.]
Anne of Denmark (born 12th December 1574, died 1619), Queen Consort of James I., King of England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, was the daughter of Frederick II., King of Denmark and Norway. The alliance between the Danish Princess and James VI. of Scotland was not agreeable to Queen Elizabeth, but in spite of her opposition the marriage took place in 1589 at Upslo. In 1590 the king and queen returned to Scotland, and in 1603, on the death of Queen Elizabeth, they came to England.
Queen Anne was a great patron of Progresses, Pageants, and Masques, and is said to have been a beautiful dancer. She was very extravagant, and incurred much censure for running into debt, although her allowances were very liberal. At one period Queen Anne was suspected of leanings towards the Roman Catholic religion. She objected to the marriage, ultimately of the greatest importance, of her daughter Elizabeth to Frederick V., Elector Palatine of the Rhine, on the ground that his position was not high enough, but she attended the marriage in 1612.
Several of her books are among the old Royal collection presented to the British Museum in 1757.
ANNE, QUEEN OF GREAT BRITAIN, FRANCE, AND IRELAND
First Coat-of-Arms
1. Arms.—Within the Garter. Quarterly.
1st and 4th grand quarters; quarterly; France and England.
2nd grand quarter; Scotland.
3rd grand quarter; Ireland.
As used by James I. (q.v.).
Used from 8th March 1702 until 6th March 1706.
[Bianchini. De Kalendario et Cyclo Cæsaris. Romae, 1703.]
Second Coat-of-Arms
2. Arms.—Within the Garter. Quarterly.
1st and 4th grand quarters, impaled.
Dexter: England.
Sinister: Scotland.
2nd grand quarter; France.
3rd grand quarter; Ireland.
Colours as used by James I. (q.v.).
Used from 6th March 1706 until 1st August 1714.
Crest.—A Royal Crown ppr., thereon a lion statant guardant or, crowned ppr.
Supporters.—Lion and unicorn.
Motto.—Semper eadem.
Badges.—Tudor rose and Thistle.
[England. Laws. 1702.]
The Royal name ensigned with a Royal Crown, and the motto "Vivat Regina" upheld by two cherubs.
[Euclid. Elements. Oxford, 1703.]
The Royal Monogram ensigned with a Royal Crown.
[Overbeck. Reliq. Ant. Romae. Amst., 1708.]
Queen Anne (born 10th May 1655, died 1st August 1714) was the second daughter of James II. and Anne Hyde, daughter of Edward Hyde, first Earl of Clarendon. She succeeded her cousin, William III., on the throne of England in 1702. Queen Anne was the last of the Stuart line to occupy the throne of England.
The first coat-of-arms used by Queen Anne was the same as that generally used by her predecessor, but without the arms of Nassau, that is to say, first and fourth grand quarters, France and England quarterly; second grand quarter, Scotland; and third grand quarter, Ireland. In 1702 a notice was published in the London Gazette to the effect that "wheresoever there shall be occasion to embroider, depict, grave, carve, or paint Her Majesty's Royal Arms with a motto, this Motto following, viz. Semper eadem, is to be used" (23rd December). It will be remembered that this motto had been previously used by Queen Elizabeth.
The Legislative Union of the kingdoms of England and Scotland took place on Thursday, 6th March 1706, when the royal assent was given to the Act. A change in the Royal coat-of-arms took place in consequence of this Act, and for the remainder of the reign of Queen Anne (1706-1714) the first and fourth grand quarters contained the coats of England and Scotland impaled, in the manner used to denote husband and wife; the second grand quarter, France; and the third grand quarter, Ireland. Besides the coat-of-arms, the crowned initials and name of Queen Anne were frequently stamped upon her books, and some of her book-stamps appear to have been designed by foreigners.
Queen Anne's books came to the British Museum with the rest of the old Royal Library of England in 1757.
ASTLE, THOMAS
Arms.—Az., a cinquefoil erm., a bordure engrailed of the second. Astle.
Crest.—On a chapeau, a plume of five feathers in a case arg. banded gu., and environed with a ducal coronet or.
[Collection of miscellaneous MSS. Stowe, 516.]
Thomas Astle (born 22nd December 1735, died 1st December 1803) was a book collector and antiquary, and a native of Yoxall in Staffordshire. In 1783 he was appointed Keeper of the Records in the Tower of London, where his literary tastes stood him in good stead, and he edited and indexed the treasures which were under his care with energy and success; he was also a Trustee of the British Museum.
Astle wrote several important works; perhaps the most useful of them are the Catalogue of the MSS. in the Cottonian Library, and a treatise on the Origin and Progress of Writing. His printed books now belong to the library of the Royal Institution, and his collection of Manuscripts is kept at the British Museum. This important collection belonged successively to the Marquis of Buckingham at Stowe, and then to the Earl of Ashburnham, who sold it in 1883 to the Trustees of the British Museum.
Mr. Astle was a Fellow of the Royal Society and of the Society of Antiquaries.
AYLMER, MATTHEW, 1st BARON AYLMER
Arms.—Arg., a cross sa., between four Cornish Choughs of the second. Aylmer.
Coronet.—That of a Baron.
Motto.—Steady.
[Burnet. History of the Reformation. London, 1681.]
Matthew Aylmer (born 1660 (?), died 18th August 1720) was a sailor who took part in the Battle of La Hogue. He subsequently became Rear-Admiral of Great Britain and Governor of Chelsea Hospital. In 1718 he was created Baron Aylmer of Balrath in Meath.
BACON, FRANCIS, BARON VERULAM AND VISCOUNT ST. ALBANS
Crest.—A boar passant erm., armed and hoofed or, a crescent for difference. Bacon.
[Bacon. Novum Organum. Londini, 1620.]
[University Library, Cambridge.]
Francis Bacon (born 22nd January 1561, died 9th April 1626) was a son of Sir Nicolas Bacon, Lord Keeper of the Seals to Queen Elizabeth. He went to Cambridge at the age of thirteen and studied law.
In 1595 he was elected Member of Parliament for Middlesex, but presently fell upon evil times and, among other troubles, managed to offend the Queen by some of his writings. James I., however, restored him to Royal favour. In 1619 he became Lord Chancellor, and shortly afterwards was created Baron Verulam and Viscount St. Albans. Bacon's enemies presently prevailed against him again, and his own malpractices with regard to various judicial matters gave them the opportunity of ruining him. In spite of the king's favour and efforts in his behalf, in 1621 Bacon was ordered to pay a fine of £40,000 for his misdeeds; he was adjudged to be incapable of sitting in Parliament or to accept any public office under the Crown, neither was he to be permitted to live in any place where the Royal Court might be. He was, moreover, condemned to be kept a prisoner in the Tower of London during the king's pleasure.
In 1625, when Charles I. came to the throne of England, all these judgments were reversed and Bacon was rehabilitated, but did not live much longer to enjoy his honours.
BAGOT, RT. HON. SIR CHARLES, KNIGHT
Arms.—Erm., two chevrons az. Bagot.
Crest.—Out of an heraldic coronet, a goat's head ar., attired or.
Helmet.—That of a Knight.
Decoration.—The collar and badge of a Knight Grand Cross (civil) of the Order of the Bath, with the motto "Tria juncta in uno."
Legend.—The Right Honourable Sir Charles Bagot.
[Cary. Memoirs. Edinburgh, 1808.]
Sir Charles Bagot (born 23rd September 1781, died 19th May 1843) was the second son of William, first Baron Bagot, who for many years represented Stafford in the House of Commons.
Sir Charles had an important political and diplomatic career; he was a Privy Councillor and a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath. In 1807 he was Under-Secretary of State for Foreign affairs, and acted as Minister Plenipotentiary both to France and to the United States of America.
In 1841 Sir Charles Bagot was governor of Canada, and at different times he held the posts of Ambassador to Russia, the Netherlands, and to Austria.
BATEMAN, WILLIAM, VISCOUNT BATEMAN
Arms.—On a fess sa., between three muscovy ducks ppr., a rose of the field. Bateman. All within a fillet bearing the legend "Tria juncta in uno," being the motto of the Order of the Bath; dependent from the fillet is the badge of the same Order.
Coronet.—That of a Viscount.
Supporters.—Two lions rampant reguardant ppr., collared and chained or.
Motto.—Nec prece nec pretio.
[Mondonville. Sonates.]
William Bateman (born circ. 1680, died December 1744) was the son of Sir James Bateman, Lord Mayor of London in 1717.
Mr. Bateman was twice Member of Parliament for Leominster, and in 1725 was created Viscount Bateman in the Peerage of Ireland. In 1731 he was made a Knight of the Order of the Bath.
BAYNTUN, WILLIAM
Arms.—Impaled.
Dexter: Sa., a bend lozengy arg. Bayntun.
Sinister: Gu., a fess dancetty between three cross crosslets fitchée or. Gore.
Crest.—A griffin's head erased sa., beaked or.
Legend.—Sigil gul Bayntun.
[England. Statuta in Parlameto, etc. London, 1504.]
Probably the arms of William Bayntun, who was Consul-General at Algiers in the latter half of the eighteenth century. His son Henry became an Admiral and a Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath in 1839.
BEATON, JAMES, ARCHBISHOP OF GLASGOW
Arms.—On a Bishop's cross. Quarterly, first and fourth, arg., a fess between three mascles or; second and third arg., a chevron sa., charged with an otter's head erased of the first. Beaton. At the base of the shield, the fish of Glasgow holding a ring in its mouth.
Legend.—Iacobvs a betovn archiepiscopvs glasgvensis 1576.
[Hours of the Diocese of Salisbury. 1526.]
James Beaton (born 1517, died 1603) was a son of John Beaton of Balfour, Fife. He was a man of high character and much esteemed both in Scotland and in France, where circumstances caused him to spend a considerable portion of his life. Beaton acted as Ambassador from Scotland at the French Court, and lived in Paris at the Scots College, an Institution of which he was very proud, and to which he bequeathed the greater part of his fortune.
Beaton also took a leading part in the politics of his time, and was a staunch friend to Mary Queen of Scots. In 1552 he was, in Paris, consecrated Archbishop of Glasgow, and he also held several important ecclesiastical preferments in France.
BENNET, HENRY, EARL OF ARLINGTON
Arms.—Within the Garter. Gu., a bezant between three demi lions rampant arg. Bennet.
Coronet.—That of an Earl.
[Hist. del Ministerio del Card. Guilio Mazarino. Colonia, 1669.]
Henry Bennet (born 1618, died 20th July 1685) was the second son of Sir John Bennet of Dawley in Middlesex. He was an excellent scholar and linguist, and a skilled diplomatist, especially in foreign affairs, but his standard of political morality does not appear to have been a very high one.
Bennet was a favourite of Charles II. for a long time, and the king honoured him highly. He was made Keeper of the Privy Purse, and Secretary of State in 1662; next year he was created Baron Arlington. In 1672 he was made a Knight of the Garter and Earl of Arlington, in 1674 Lord Chamberlain of the Household, and in 1675 a Lord of the Admiralty.
Arlington was a member of the Cabal Ministry; in 1674 he was impeached for his promotion of popery, breach of trust, and other misdeeds, but the vote of censure was lost. In 1674 he sold his secretaryship to Sir Joseph Williamson, and retired, more or less in disgrace, to his estate at Euston in Suffolk, where he had built a splendid house. Here he died in 1685.
BERKELEY, ROBERT
Arms.—Quarterly.
1st and 4th; gu., a chevron between 10 cinquefoils ar. Berkeley.
2nd and 3rd; gu., a lion rampant arg., ducally crowned or. Hayward.
Crest.—A bear's head couped arg., muzzled gu.
Helmet.—That of an Esquire.
[Polano. The Historie of the Council of Trent. London, 1620.]
Robert Berkeley (born 1713, died 20th December 1804) was a son of Thomas Berkeley of Spetchley in Worcestershire. He wrote several anonymous treatises, both political and theological, on questions of his time. He married three times but left no issue. Thomas Phillips wrote his Life of Cardinal Pole while he was chaplain at Spetchley.
BLUNDELL, HENRY
Crest.—A squirrel sejant gu., collared and holding a nut or. Blundell.
Motto.—Age quod agis.
Initials.—H. B. (Henry Blundell).
[Engravings and etchings of the Principal Statues, etc., in the collection of Henry Blundell, Esq., at Nice. 1809.]
Henry Blundell (born 1723, died 1810), of Nice-Blundell in Lancashire, was the son of Robert Blundell of Nice. He was a noted collector of works of art and an antiquary of some repute. His contributions to literature are accounts of his own collections, and are illustrated with fine engravings.
Blundell was a friend of the antiquary and collector Charles Towneley of Towneley Hall, also in Lancashire, and it is probable that his archæological tastes were largely fostered by this friendship. Towneley certainly suggested the production of Blundell's catalogues.
BOOTHBY, SIR BROOKE, BART.
Arms.—Ar., on a canton sa., a lion's gamb erased erect or. Boothby. In the centre of the shield an inescutcheon arg., bearing the Ulster hand gu.
Crest.—A lion's gamb erased erect or.
Helmet.—That of an Esquire.
[Williams. Antichrist. London, 1660.]
Crest.—A lion's gamb erased erect or. On an escutcheon arg., pendent from a branch, the Ulster hand gu., the badge of a Baronet.
[Campanella. A discourse touching the Spanish Monarchy. London.]
Sir Brooke Boothby, 7th Baronet (born 1743, died 1824), was the eldest son of Sir Brooke Boothby, 6th Baronet, of Ashbourne Hall, Derbyshire.
Sir Brooke was the author of several political treatises and miscellaneous works, many of which are in verse. He belonged to the literary circles of his time, and spent some time in France, where he is said to have enjoyed the friendship of Rousseau.
BOSCAWEN, HUGH, VISCOUNT FALMOUTH
Arms.—Erm., a rose gu., barbed and seeded ppr. Boscawen.
[Settle. Rebellion display'd. London, 1715.]
Hugh Boscawen of Tregothnen, Cornwall (born 1680 (?), died 25th October 1734), was a noted whig politician. He represented successively, Tregony, Cornwall, Truro, and Penryn, following in the footsteps of his father, Edward Boscawen, who had also been a member of Parliament for a long time.
In 1720 Boscawen was created Viscount Falmouth, and he held the appointments of Comptroller of the Household, Vice-Treasurer of Ireland, and Warden of the Stanneries, besides others of lesser note. He was also a member of the Privy Council.
BOURCHIER, RACHEL, COUNTESS OF BATH
Arms.—Impaled.
Dexter: Arg., a cross engrailed gu., between four water bougets sa. Bourchier.
Sinister: Arg., three dexter gauntlets, backs affrontées or. Fane.
Coronet.—That of an Earl.
Mottoes.—Bon temps viendra.
Ne vile fano.
Non est mortale qvod opto.
Semper eadem.
Legend.—Ex dono rachael comitissæ bathon dotare an. dom. mdclxx.
[Symbolarum in Matthaeum Tom. I., etc. Tolosae, 1646.]
Rachael Fane (born 1613, died 11th November 1680) was the daughter of Francis Fane, first Earl of Westmorland. In 1638 she married (1) Henry Bourchier, 6th Earl of Bath, and (2) Lionel Cranfield, 3rd Earl of Middlesex, retaining, however, her precedency as Countess of Bath by Royal Warrant.
The earliest English lady's armorial book-plate belonged to Lady Bath, and was similar to the book-stamp illustrated herewith.
BRIDGMAN, SIR ORLANDO, BART.
Arms.—Sa., ten plates, four, three, two, and one; on a chief arg., a lion passant erm. Bridgman.
Crest.—A demi lion rampant arg., holding between the paws a garland of laurel ppr.
[Lauri. Antiquae urbis Splendor. Romae, 1612.]
Sir Orlando Bridgman (born 1606 (?), died 1674) was a distinguished lawyer and legal author. He was the son of John Bridgman, Bishop of Chester, and a Fellow of Magdalene College, Cambridge.
In 1640 Bridgman was elected Member of Parliament for Wigan and was Knighted. By submitting to Cromwell he escaped the penalties of being a Royalist, and made himself of much importance as a lawyer during the Commonwealth. At the Restoration Sir Orlando was received into Royal favour in consideration of his former loyalty, and was given a Baronetcy and made Chief Baron of the Exchequer. In 1660 he was made Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, and in 1667 Lord Keeper of the Great Seal. On occasions he acted as Speaker in the House of Lords. Towards the end of his life he fell into some sort of disfavour, and lived in retirement at Teddington.
BROWNLOW, JOHN, VISCOUNT TYRCONNEL
Arms.—Quarterly.
1st and 4th; or, an inescutcheon within an orle of martlets sa. Brownlow.
2nd and 3rd; arg., a lion rampant az. Mason.
Crest.—On a chapeau gules, turned up with ermine, a greyhound passant or, collared of the first.
Supporters.—Two talbots ppr., collared gu.
Coronet.—That of a Viscount.
Helmet.—That of a Peer.
Motto.—Esse quam videre.
[Savage. The Wanderer. London, 1729.]
[Edward Almack, Esq., F.S.A., Brighton.]
Sir John Brownlow (born 1692 (?), died 27th February 1754) was the eldest son of Sir William Brownlow of Belton in Lincolnshire. He was Member of Parliament for Grantham and for Lincolnshire, and in 1718 was created Viscount Tyrconnel. In 1725 he was made a Knight of the Order of the Bath. Lord Tyrconnel died at his country seat of Belton, and left no heir.
BRUDENELL OF STANTON WYVILE
Crest.—A dexter arm embowed, covered with leaves vert, grasping a spiked club, in bend sinister or, slung to the arm with a chain of the last. Brudenell.
[Le Mire. Geographia Ecclesiastica. Lugd., 1620.]
Books bearing this crest probably belonged to a member of the family of Brudenell, of Stanton Wyvile in Leicestershire.
BULLINGHAM
Arms.—Az., an eagle displayed arg., in the beak a sprig vert, on a chief or, a rose between two crosses crosslet gu. Bullingham.
[Hardwick Papers, Vol. 766.]
The book belonged to a member of the Lincolnshire family of Bullingham, in the seventeenth century.
BURRELL, SIR WILLIAM, BART.
Arms.—Vert, 3 shields arg., 2 and 1, each charged with a bordure engrailed or. In the chief point on an escutcheon arg., the Ulster hand gu.
Crest.—A naked arm embowed holding a branch of laurel, all ppr.
Motto.—Svb libertate qvietem.
[Collinson. The History and Antiquities of the County of Summerset. Bath, 1791.]
William Burrell (born 10th October 1732, died 20th January 1796) was the son of Peter Burrell of Beckenham, Kent, and was educated at St. John's College, Cambridge, where he graduated LL.D.
In 1789 Burrell succeeded, by special remainder, to the Baronetcy of his father-in-law, Sir Charles Raymond. Sir William Burrell was Member of Parliament for Haslemere; a Commissioner of Excise; a Fellow of the Royal Society and of the Society of Antiquaries. He was especially interested in the antiquities of Sussex, both architectural and genealogical. He made a large collection of prints, drawings, and manuscripts relating to Sussex, which he bequeathed to the British Museum, and which are now in the Department of Manuscripts. He died at Deepdene in Surrey.
BYNG
Crest.—An heraldic antelope statant erm., armed, crined, and unguled or. Byng.
[Rhodes. Book of Nurture. 1577.]
Mr. Byng's Library, largely composed of Shakespeare literature, was mostly bound in a straight-grain green morocco. He was probably a member of the family of the Earl of Strafford.
CAMPBELL, HUGH, THIRD EARL OF LOUDOUN
Arms.—Gyronny of eight, erm. and gu. Campbell of Auchmannoch.
Crest.—A double-headed eagle, on the dexter side a sun in glory ppr.
Coronet.—That of an Earl.
Helmet.—That of a Peer.
Motto.—Nemo me impvne lacessit, being the motto of the Order of the Thistle.
[Settle. Irene Triumphaus. London, 1713.]
Hugh Campbell (born c. 1666, died 20th November 1731) was the eldest son of James, 2nd Earl of Loudoun. He succeeded to the title in 1684. Lord Loudoun held several important official posts in Scotland; he was a Lord of Session, a member of the Scottish Privy Council, and a Commissioner of the Treasury. In 1704 he was a joint Secretary of State for Scotland, and a Commissioner for the Union. In 1707 Lord Loudoun was made a Knight of the Order of the Thistle, and shortly afterwards Keeper of the Great Seal of Scotland and a member of the English Privy Council.
Lord Loudoun fought at Sheriffmuir in 1715. He was one of the Scottish representative peers in the House of Lords, and Lord Lieutenant of Ayrshire. The Earldom of Loudoun descends through the female line and has consequently belonged to various families; it has been held by representatives, among others, of the families of Rawdon, Campbell, and Hastings.
CAMPBELL, JOHN FREDERICK, EARL CAWDOR
Arms.—Impaled.
Dexter: Quarterly.
1. Or, a hart's head caboshed sa., attired gu. Calder.
2. Gyronny of eight, or and sa. Campbell.
3. Arg., a lymphad sa. Lorn.
4. Per fess, az. and gu., a cross or. Lort. Sinister: Quarterly.
1 and 4. Barry of 10, or and sa. Botevile.
2 and 3. Arg., a lion rampant, tail nowed and erected gu. Thynne.
Crest.—A swan ppr., crowned or.
Coronet.—That of a Baron.
Helmet.—That of a Peer.
Supporters.—Dexter, a lion rampant guardant gu. Sinister, a hart ppr.
Motto.—Be mindfull.
[Caxton. Chronicles of England. Westminster, 1482.]
John Frederick Campbell (born 8th November 1790, died 7th November 1860) was the eldest son of John Campbell of Stackpole Court, Pembrokeshire, first Baron Cawdor. In 1821 John Frederick succeeded to his father's Barony, and in 1816 he married Elizabeth Thynne, daughter of the Marquis of Bath. In 1827 he was created Earl Cawdor of Castlemartin. He was a Fellow of the Royal Society, and Lord Lieutenant of Carmarthen.
The coat-of-arms of Calder, which is given the place of honour in Lord Cawdor's coat, is borne by right of Muriel, heiress of John Calder, or Cawdor, of Nairn. She married Sir John Campbell, son of Archibald, Earl of Argyll, about 1510, and was the ancestress of the present family.
CAPELL, WILLIAM, EARL OF ESSEX
Arms.—Gu., a lion rampant between 3 crosses crosslet fitchée or. Capell.
Coronet.—That of an Earl.
Supporters.—Two lions rampant arg., ducally crowned gu.
Motto.—Fide et fortitudine.
[Basnage. History of the Jews. London, 1708.]
William Capell (born 1697, died 17th January 1742) was the son of Algernon, Earl of Essex, and succeeded his father in the Earldom in 1710.
Lord Essex held several important offices, among them those of Keeper of Hyde Park, Ambassador to Sardinia in 1735, Captain of the Yeomen of the Guard, Ranger of St. James's Park, and Lord Lieutenant of Hertfordshire. In 1725 he was made a Knight of the Order of the Thistle, and in 1738 a Knight of the Garter.
CAREW, GEORGE, EARL OF TOTNESS
Arms.—Or, 3 lioncels passant sa. Carew.
[Prateolus. Elenchus Haereticorum. Coloniae, 1605.]
George Carew (born 29th May 1555, died 22nd March 1629) was the son of George Carew, Dean of Windsor, and educated at Oxford. In 1583 he was Sheriff of Carlow in Ireland, and was Knighted in 1585. Sir George Carew held several important military appointments in Ireland, and became Master of the Ordnance and commander of expeditions to Cadiz and other places, and in 1598 he was Ambassador to France. In 1600 he was President of Munster, and shortly afterwards Vice-Chamberlain to Anne, Queen Consort, and Member of Parliament for Hastings.
In 1605 he was created Baron Carew, and he became Master of the Ordnance in England and Governor of Guernsey, and in 1625 he was created Earl of Totness, and afterwards became Treasurer-General to Queen Henrietta Maria.
Lord Totness was an excellent antiquary and a friend of Sir Robert Cotton. He collected manuscripts, especially those concerning Ireland, and his collections are now scattered, but are chiefly to be found in the British Museum, at Lambeth, in the Bodleian Library at Oxford, at Hatfield, or in the State Paper Office.
CARTERET, GEORGE, BARON CARTERET
Arms.—Gu., four fusils in fess arg., with the Ulster hand gu., in an escutcheon arg., in the dexter chief. Carteret.
Crest.—On a mount vert, a squirrel sejant, cracking a nut ppr.
Helmet.—That of a Peer, but wrongly shown, as it should be in three-quarters position.
Supporters.—Two winged stags.
Motto.—Loyal devoir.
[Churchill. Divi Britannici. London, 1675.]
George Carteret (born 1669, died 1695) was the grandson of Sir George Carteret, Governor of Jersey, who had been created a Baronet by Charles I. in 1645. In 1681 Sir George was created Baron Carteret of Hawnes, and married Grace, daughter of John Granville, Earl of Bath, in 1674. In 1714 she was created Countess Granville, and at her death her son John succeeded to the Earldom.
CARTERET, JOHN, SECOND BARON CARTERET—AFTERWARDS SECOND EARL GRANVILLE.
Arms.—Gu., four fusils in fess arg. Carteret.
Crest.—On a mount vert, a squirrel sejant, cracking a nut ppr.
Coronet.—That of a Baron.
Supporters.—Two winged stags.
Motto.—Loyal devoir.
[Thucydides. De Bello Peloponnesiaco. Oxonii, 1696.]
[Sir William Worsley, Bart., Hovingham Hall, York.]
John Carteret (born 12th April 1690, died 2nd January 1763) succeeded his father as second Baron Carteret in 1695, and in 1744 became Earl Granville on the death of his mother, Countess Granville, whose Earldom was created January 1, 1714. Lord Granville was a Lord of the Bedchamber to George I., and in 1716 Lord Lieutenant and Curtos Rotulorum of Devonshire. In 1719 he was Ambassador to Sweden.
In 1721 Lord Granville was Secretary of State, and three years later Lord Lieutenant of Ireland. He was also a Knight of the Garter. In 1710 he married Frances, daughter of Sir Robert Worsley, Bart., of Appledurcombe, in the Isle of Wight.
CATHERINE OF ARAGON, QUEEN CONSORT OF HENRY VIII.
Arms.—Impaled.
Dexter: Quarterly.
1st and 4th, France. 2nd and 3rd, England. All as used by Henry VIII. (q.v.).
Sinister: Quartered.
1st and 4th grand quarters, quarterly.
1 and 4. Gu., a castle or. Castile.
2 and 3. Arg., a lion rampant gu. Leon.
2nd and 3rd grand quarters, per pale.
Dexter: Or, paly of 4 gu. Aragon.
Sinister: Per saltire arg., 2 eagles displayed sa. and or, paly of 4 gu. Sicily.
In the base point, arg., a pomegranate or. Grenada.
Ensigned with a Royal Crown and supported by two angels.
[Holkot. Opus revera insignissimum in librum Sapietie Salomonis editum. Parisius, 1518.]
Catherine of Aragon (born 15th December 1485, died 6th January 1536) was the youngest daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain, and in 1501 she married Arthur, Prince of Wales, who died in 1502.
In 1509, Catherine married Henry VIII., and they had several children, of whom only Mary, afterwards Queen, survived her infancy. Henry VIII. divorced Queen Catherine in 1533, on the plea that the marriage was illegal as she was his brother's widow, and in the same year he married Anne Bullen, who was one of the Queen's Maids of Honour.
Queen Catherine died at Kimbolton Castle, Huntingdonshire, in 1536, and was buried at Peterborough. A few of her books came with the old Royal Library to the British Museum in 1757. She was fond of literature and a patron to learning of all sorts, and a friend of Erasmus. She appointed Ludovicus Vives, a well-known Spanish savant and author, to be tutor to her daughter Mary.
CATHERINE OF BRAGANZA, QUEEN CONSORT OF CHARLES II.
Arms.—Arg., 5 shields az., 1, 3, and 1, each charged with 5 plates, 2, 1, and 2; a bordure of Castile, gu., 7 towers or, 3, 2, and 2. Portugal.
Crown.—The Royal Crown of England.
[Jesus Maria Joseph; or, The devout Pilgrim of the Virgin Mary. Amsterdam, 1663.]
[Edward Almack, Esq., F.S.A., Brighton.]
Catherine of Braganza (born 15th November 1638, died 31st December 1705) was the daughter of John, Duke of Braganza, who in 1640 became Juan IV., King of Portugal. In 1662 the Princess Catherine married Charles II., King of England, and as part of her very large dowry, the King received Tangier, commanding the Straits of Gibraltar, and Bombay.
After Charles's death Queen Catherine retired to Portugal, where in 1704-5 she acted ably as Regent for her brother, Pedro II.
CAVENDISH, WILLIAM GEORGE SPENCER, SIXTH DUKE OF DEVONSHIRE
Arms.—Sa., 3 bucks' heads, caboshed arg. Cavendish.
Crest.—A serpent nowed ppr.
Coronet.—That of a Duke.
Supporters.—Two bucks ppr.
Motto.—Cavendo tutus.
[Theodocritus. Δ. Χαλκονδυλου ἐρωτηματα συνοπτικα των ὀκτω του λογου μερων μετα τινων χρησμων κανονων. Milan, 1493.]
William George Spencer Cavendish (born 21st May 1790, died 17th January 1858) was the son of William, fifth Duke of Devonshire, and succeeded to the family honours in 1811.
The Library at Chatsworth was already one of much importance, but the sixth Duke of Devonshire added to it so extensively that he is generally considered as its founder. He purchased rare books at all the great sales of his time, and removed the books which had accumulated at his other residences to Chatsworth. His collection has been further added to by successive owners.
The Duke was a Knight of the Garter, a Member of the Privy Council, Lord Lieutenant and Custos Rotulorum of Derbyshire, and High Steward of Derby. In 1821 he carried the orb at the Coronation of George IV. In 1826 he was Ambassador Extraordinary to Russia, and twice held the office of Lord Chamberlain of the Household. At the Coronation of Queen Victoria His Grace carried the Sword "Curtana," the square-tipped Sword of Mercy.
CECIL, WILLIAM, FIRST BARON BURGHLEY
Arms.—Quartered.
1 and 6. Barry of 10, arg. and az.; over all six escutcheons sa., 3, 2, and 1, each charged with a lion rampant of the first. Cecil.
2. Per pale, gu. and az. a lion rampant arg., supporting a tree eradicated vert. Wynstone.
3. Sa., a plate between 3 castles arg. Etchington.
4. Gu., on a bend cotised arg., 3 cinquefoils sa. Berondon.
5. Arg., a chevron erm., between 3 chess-rooks. Pinchbeck.
Crest.—Six arrows in saltire or, barbed and feathered arg., girt together with a belt gu., buckled and garnished or, over the arrows a morion cap ppr.
Helmet.—That of a Peer.
Supporters.—Two lions rampant erm.
Motto.—Cor · vnv · via · vna.
[Hebrew Bible. Antverpiae, 1582.]
Variety.—Within the Garter, the crest is shown without the morion cap, and the two Supporters are moved up from the side of the shield, the usual place for Supporters, and used as Supporters for the crest.
[Ariosto. Orlando Furioso in English Heroical Verse, by John Harington. London, 1591.]
William Cecil (born 13th September 1520, died 4th August 1598) was the son of Richard Cecil, Master of the Robes to Henry VIII. He was educated at Cambridge, and soon showed a remarkable ability. After Cambridge Cecil went to Gray's Inn and studied Law, and presently came under the personal notice of Henry VIII., who at once took a strong liking to him. At Court Cecil rapidly gained place and power, and under the Protector Somerset he became Secretary of State. He steered his way with some difficulty through the troubles accruing through the claim of Lady Jane Grey to the throne, but managed to escape serious misfortune, and was elected Member of Parliament for Lincolnshire.
At this time he also made himself useful to the Princess Elizabeth, then holding a difficult political position, and when she became Queen in 1558 she at once made Cecil a member of her Privy Council and Secretary of State. In 1563 he was Speaker of the House of Commons. Although not on friendly terms with the Earl of Leicester, and in a position which gave cause to much envy, Cecil was able to retain the confidence of Queen Elizabeth, who, in 1571, created him Baron Burghley, and shortly afterwards a Knight of the Garter.
Lord Burghley seems to have had a considerable library, and most of his books have upon them one or other of his beautiful stamps, sometimes in gold and sometimes in blind.
CHALLESTON, FAMILY OF
Arms.—Arg., a chevron vairé between 3 eagles displayed vert. Challeston.
Crest.—A demi eagle vert, wings displayed vairé.
Helmet.—That of an Esquire.
[Stow. Survey of London. 1618.]
The family of Challeston does not appear to have distinguished itself in any of the ordinary ways, but the arms are described in Burke's General Armory, and also in Papworth's Dictionary of Coats-of-Arms.
CHARLES I., KING OF GREAT BRITAIN, FRANCE, AND IRELAND
Arms.—Within the Garter. Quarterly.
1st and 4th grand quarters; France and England quarterly.
2nd grand quarter; Scotland.
3rd grand quarter; Ireland. All as used by James I. (q.v.).
Crest.—A Royal Crown ppr., thereon a lion statant guardant or, crowned ppr.
Helmet.—Royal.
Supporters.—A lion and a unicorn, as used by James I. (q.v.).
Motto.—Diev et mon droit.
[Cespedes y Meneses. Historia de Don Felipe III., Rey de las Españas. Barcelona, 1634.]
Prince Charles (born 29th November 1600, died 30th January 1649) was the second son of James I., and on the death of his brother Henry became heir to the Crown. He was created Prince of Wales on 3rd November 1616, and while holding this rank he often used some of his brother's book-stamps, differentiating them, however, by the addition of his initials "C. P.," and also by the substitution of gold for silver in places where the latter metal had been used by Prince Henry, as, for instance, in the case of the label of the eldest son and the feathers in the Prince of Wales' plumes.
As Prince, Charles had a few small books bound for him in red leather, the first instance of its use for English Royal bindings, and towards the end of his reign again he had several fine bindings made for him in the fine red morocco which was so largely used by Samuel Mearne for Charles II. Whether Charles I.'s red bindings were made by Mearne is doubtful, but it is possible that they were. They are quite plain except for the fine coat-of-arms in the centre, and for delicate gold tooling, of Mearne style, in the panels of the back. Charles I. was a patron of the Arts and a man of cultured and literary tastes. The style of binding that is generally associated with his name is of a better order than the semis and heavy corners which marked the bindings made for James I.
Many of James I.'s stamps were, however, used by King Charles I., and in a majority of cases it is only by the date of the printing of the book that it is possible to say to which king the volume belonged. There is a tendency for the corner-pieces to become less, and also a tendency to substitute a more distinguished manner with regard to small gold toolings than that of the formal symmetrical repetition so prevalent in the previous reign.
CHARLES II., KING OF GREAT BRITAIN, FRANCE, AND IRELAND
Arms.—Within the Garter. Quarterly.
1st and 4th grand quarters; France and England quarterly.
2nd grand quarter; Scotland.
3rd grand quarter; Ireland. All as used by James I. (q.v.).
Crest.—A Royal Crown ppr., thereon a lion statant guardant or, crowned ppr.
Helmet.—Royal.
Supporters.—A lion and a unicorn, as used by James I. (q.v.).
Motto.—Diev et mon droit.
Initials.—C. R. (Carolus Rex).
[Reynold's Works, 1658.]
Variety.—Without Supporters.
[Common Prayer. London, 1660.]
Variety.—Within the Garter and without Supporters.
[Paraphrasis in Psalmos Davidis. Salmurii, 1662.]
The Royal name and title abbreviated. "Car. Rex" (Carolus Rex) ensigned with a Royal Crown, and with the motto "Diev et mon droit."
[Sanderson. Complete History of the Life and Raigne of King Charles. London, 1658.]
Crowned initials "C.C." adossés, within palm branches, commonly found on books bound for Charles II. by Samuel Mearne, the Royal Bookbinder.
[Cranzius. Vandaliae and Saxoniae Alberti Cranzii Continuatio. Wittebergae, 1586.]
Charles II. (born May 1630, died 6th February 1685) was the elder son of Charles I. In 1660 Charles ascended the throne of England, although his accession is sometimes counted from the date of the death of Charles I., 30th January 1649. In Scotland it is always so dated.
Samuel Mearne was appointed Royal Bookbinder to Charles II. in June 1660, and he bound the greater number of the King's books in a beautiful red morocco. On most of these bindings the King's initials within a palm spray appear, and sometimes the edges of the leaves of the books have designs painted upon them, only showing when the book is open. Charles II. also used several of the book-stamps that had been made for Charles I.
Mearne was one of the greatest bookbinders of any time, and apart from the splendid work he did for Charles II., he executed numbers of other bindings, many of which are inlaid and have the leather stained and painted. He invented what is known as the "Cottage" design, and his style and detail is often copied even at the present time.
CHARLOTTE OF MECKLENBURG, QUEEN CONSORT OF GEORGE III.
Arms.—On two separate shields, side by side.
Dexter shield: Quarterly.
1st and 4th, France and England, quarterly.
2nd, Scotland.
3rd, Ireland. All as used by James I. (q.v.).
Sinister shield, the arms of Charlotte of Mecklenburg. Quartered.
1. Arg., a bull's head in pale sa. (crowned gu.), armed and ringed arg. Mecklenburg.
2. Az., a griffin segreant or. Wenden.
3. Vert, in chief az., a griffin segreant or. Principality of Schwerin.
4. Gu., a cross pattée arg. Ratzeburg.
5. Gu., an arm armoured ppr., holding a ring or, issuing from a cloud. County of Schwerin.
6. Or, a bull's head sa., in bend sinister (crowned gu.), armed and ringed arg. Rostock.
Over all, on an escutcheon of pretence, the arms of Stargard, per fess, gu. and or.
The two shields are ensigned with the Royal Crown of England.
This stamp is probably of foreign design, as it will be noted that the Royal coat-of-arms of England is as that used by Queen Anne before 1706, and not that used by George III., for whom it is intended.
[Ceffalonie. Monument élevé à la gloire de Pierre-le-Grand. Paris, 1777.]
Charlotte Sophia (born 16th May 1744, died 17th November 1818) was the youngest daughter of Charles Louis, Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Strelitz.
In 1761 the Princess married George III., King of England, and her married life was uneventful. As Queen she devoted herself entirely to domestic matters.
CHETWYND, WALTER
Arms.—Quartered.
1. Az., a chevron between 3 mullets or. Chetwynd.
2. Arg., 2 chevrons az. Bagot.
3. Quarterly, arg. and az., on a bend gu., 3 fleurs-de-lys or. Garshall.
4. Arg., 3 bars sa. Raymond.
5. Gu., 10 billets or. Salter.
6. Sa., 3 fishes naiant in pale or. Verney.
7. Gu., a lion rampant erm. Meriford.
8. Gu., 5 piles issuing from the sinister. Henderson (?).
9. Sa., 3 pheons arg. Egerton of Shropshire.
10. Paly wavy of 6, arg. and gu. Gurnon.
11. Arg., a chevron between 3 oak leaves vert. Haslerigg.
12. Az., a lion rampant or. Hetherfield.
[Democritus. Anatomy of Melancholy. Oxford, 1628.]
Walter Chetwynd (born circ. 1620, died 1693) was a son of Walter Chetwynd of Ingestre, in Staffordshire. He was Member of Parliament for Stafford, and for Staffordshire, and Sheriff in 1680.
Chetwynd was a Fellow of the Royal Society, and an Antiquary, particularly as concerned the County of Staffordshire. He was a friend of Dr. Robert Plot, who wrote The Natural History of Staffordshire in 1686, and assisted him in many ways. His collections of drawings and manuscripts were nearly all lost in a fire at Ingestre in 1882.
CHITTING, HENRY
Arms.—Quarterly; arg. and az., on a bend gu., 3 quatrefoils of the first. Chitting.
Crest.—A talbot's head erased arg.
Helmet.—That of an Esquire.
Motto.—Fidelitate et sagacitate.
Initials.—H. C. (Henry Chitting).
[Collection of rolls of the reigns of many kings. Stowe, 601.]
Henry Chitting (born 1580 (?), died 1638) was a herald and genealogist. In 1618 he became Chester Herald, and conducted several of the heraldic visitations of English counties. Chitting wrote a valuable work on the Extinct Baronage of England, and others of less general importance.
CHOLMONDELEY, GEORGE, THIRD EARL CHOLMONDELEY
Arms.—Gu., in chief 2 helmets in profile arg., and in base a garb or. Cholmondeley.
Coronet.—That of an Earl.
[Faerni. Fabulae. London, 1743.]
George Cholmondeley (born 2nd January 1702, died 10th June 1770) was the son of George, second Earl Cholmondeley, and succeeded his father in the Earldom in 1733. He was Member of Parliament for East Looe, and afterwards for Windsor, and Governor of Chester Castle. In 1725 Viscount Malpas, the courtesy title used by George Cholmondeley, was made a Knight of the Order of the Bath, and he subsequently held the offices of Master of the Robes, Master of the Horse, and was Lord Lieutenant of North Wales and of Montgomery. In 1736 he became Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, and in 1743 Lord Privy Seal. He held the rank of Lieutenant-General in the army.
CHURCHILL, GEORGE SPENCER, FIFTH DUKE OF MARLBOROUGH
Arms.—Impaled.
Dexter: Quarterly.
1st and 4th sa., a lion rampant arg., on a canton of the last a cross gu. Churchill.
2nd and 3rd quarterly, arg. and gu., in the second and third quarters a fret or; over all on a bend sa., 3 escallops of the first. Spencer.
Sinister: Or, a bend sa.; over all a lion rampant gu. Abernethy (?).
Coronet.—That of a Duke.
Motto.—Fiel pero desdichado.
The whole arms are borne upon an Imperial eagle, the heraldic indication of the rank of a Prince of the Holy Roman Empire, a dignity given to John Churchill, Duke of Marlborough. The eagle is ensigned with a closed crown, the circlet of which bears the strawberry leaves and pearls of an English Marquis.
[Ferrarotto. Della preeminenza dell' officio di Stradicò della nobile città di Messina. Venetiis, 1593.]
Variety.—Used as Marquis of Blandford before 1817. Spencer.
Arms.—Quarterly.
1st and 4th quarterly, arg. and gu., on the second and third quarters a fret or; over all on a bend sa., 3 escallops of the first. Spencer.
2nd and 3rd sa., a lion rampant arg., on a canton of the last a cross gu. Churchill.
Coronet.—That of a Marquis.
Motto.—Dieu defend le droit.
The whole arms are borne upon an Imperial eagle as before, but in this case the whole is ensigned with a Royal orb between the two horns of a crescent arg., issuing from a Marquis's coronet.
[Colonna. Discours du Songe de Poliphile. Paris, 1654.]
George Spencer, afterwards Spencer-Churchill (born 6th March 1766, died 5th March 1840), was the son of George, fourth Duke of Marlborough. He was educated at Eton and Oxford, and served as Member of Parliament for Oxfordshire and for Tregony, and was a Lord of the Treasury. He married Susan, daughter of the Earl of Galloway.
In 1817, on the death of his father, he succeeded to the Dukedom of Marlborough, and in the same year he assumed by Royal Licence the surname and arms of Churchill in addition to his patronymic of Spencer. This was done in memory of the first Duke of Marlborough, who left no male heir, but whose second daughter Anne had married Charles Spencer, third Earl of Sunderland, and their son Charles, fifth Earl of Sunderland, succeeded his aunt Henrietta, suo jure Duchess of Marlborough, in the Dukedom in 1733. While Marquis of Blandford the Duke collected a magnificent library at his house, White Knights, near Reading, but extravagance in living compelled him to part with it by auction in 1819.
COCHRANE, JOHN, FOURTH EARL OF DUNDONALD
Arms.—Impaled.
Dexter: Arg., a chevron gu., between 3 boars' heads erased arg. Cochrane.
Sinister: Az., 3 mullets arg., within a double tressure flory counterflory or. Murray.
Coronet.—That of an Earl.
[Settle. Virtute Sacellum. London, 1720.]
John Cochrane (born 1660 (?), died 5th June 1720) was the second son of John, second Earl of Dundonald, and succeeded his brother William in the Earldom in 1705. In 1706 he married Anne, daughter of Charles Murray, Earl of Dunmore. Lord Dundonald was a Representative Peer of Scotland and Colonel of the 4th Regiment of Horse Guards.
COCKS, JOHN, BARON SOMERS
Crest.—On a mount vert, a stag lodged reguardant arg., attired sa., and gorged with a chaplet of laurel leaves vert. Cocks.
Coronet.—That of a Baron.
[Common Prayer. London, 1669.]
John Somers Cocks (born 6th May 1760, died circ. 1841) was the son of Charles Cocks, Baron Somers, and was educated at Oxford. He was successively Member of Parliament for West Looe, for Grampound, and for Reigate. In 1806 he succeeded to his father's barony, and in 1821 was created Earl Somers. Lord Somers married as his second wife, Jane, daughter of his Uncle James, and widow of the Rev. George Waddington.
COKE, THOMAS, FIRST EARL OF LEICESTER
Arms.—Impaled.
Dexter: Per pale, gu. and az., 3 eagles displayed or. Coke.
Sinister: Sa., an eagle displayed erm. Tufton.
Crest.—On a chapeau az., turned up erm., an ostrich arg., holding in its mouth a horseshoe or.
Helmet.—That of an Esquire.
[Morgues. Diverses Pièces pour la Defense de la Royne Mère du Roy Louys XIII. Paris, 1637.]
Thomas Coke (born circ. 1699, died 20th April 1759) was the eldest son of Edward Coke of Holkham in Norfolk. In 1725 Mr. Coke was made a Knight of the Order of the Bath, and in 1728 he was created Baron Lovel. In 1733 Lord Lovel was Postmaster-General, and in 1744 he was given a step in the Peerage and created Viscount Coke and Earl of Leicester. In 1718 Lord Leicester married Lady Mary Tufton, daughter of Thomas, Earl of Thanet. He left no heir, but the Earldom of Leicester was revived in 1837 in the person of one of his collateral descendants.
THE COMMONWEALTH OF ENGLAND
Arms.—On two separate shields side by side.
Dexter shield: Arg., a cross gu., being the arms of St. George of England.
Sinister shield: Az., a harp or, stringed arg., being the Harp of Ireland.
Motto.—God with vs.
Legend.—The Commonwealth of England.
[Proclamations of the Lord Protector, G. 5194.]
The Commonwealth was established in England in 1649, and Oliver Cromwell made Protector. In 1649 Charles, Prince of Wales, was crowned King at Scone, and in the next year at Carlisle. In 1658, on the death of Cromwell, the people of England felt that the Commonwealth had lasted long enough, and in 1660 Charles II. returned among general rejoicings. From a bookbinding point of view the period of the Commonwealth was one of little interest, but on the Restoration, Samuel Mearne raised the standard of English bookbinding to a very high level.
COOTE, CHARLES
Arms.—Arg., a chevron between 3 coots sa. Coote.
Crest.—A coot ppr.
Motto.—Vincit veritas.
[Boulainvilliers. Parliaments of France. London, 1739.]
Charles Coote (born circ. 1761, died 19th November 1835) was the son of a London bookseller, John Coote, and was educated at St. Paul's School and at Oxford, where he distinguished himself by his diligence and literary tastes. He took his D.C.L. degree in 1789. Dr. Coote wrote several historical works of much importance, and in 1789 he was admitted to the College of Advocates, but he never appears to have taken much to law. His son H. C. Coote was an author of much note and a high authority on the subject of the Romans in Britain.
COTTON, SIR ROBERT, BART.
Arms.—Quartered.
1. Az., an eagle displayed arg. Cotton.
2. Sa., a fess dancetté between 3 mullets arg. Wesenham.
3. Or, a saltire gu., a chief of the first. Bruce.
4. Three piles gu., meeting in point. Wishart; over all on an escutcheon or, a lion rampant sa., within a double tressure flory counterflory of the second. Buchanan.
5. Or, a lion rampant sa., a chief gu. Beauchamp (?).
6. Az., a cross flory between 4 martlets or. King Edward the Confessor.
[Breviary of the Diocese of Salisbury. Parisiis, 1499.]
Variety, with four quarterings only.
[Papeburg. Comment. Basileae, 1551.]
[Sir W. Worsley, Hovingham Hall, York.]
Robert Bruce Cotton (born 22nd January 1570, died 6th May 1631) was the eldest son of Thomas Cotton of Connington, Huntingdon. At an early age he began to collect manuscripts, especially English ones, and the dissolution of the monasteries in the earlier half of the sixteenth century afforded him excellent opportunity of acquiring invaluable examples. So valuable was Cotton's collections, much of it containing official documents, that twice it was sequestrated by the Government; some of it, however, was restored to him. He was made a Baronet in 1611, having previously received the honour of Knighthood. The part of the collection of manuscripts which had been retained by the Government of the day was eventually restored to his son Sir Thomas Cotton.
A grandson of Sir Robert, Sir John Cotton, desired to present the collection to the Nation, together with Cotton House, with various conditions as to name and safe custody, and after tedious negotiations the collection became National property and was deposited in Essex House, Strand; in 1730 it was moved to Ashburnham House, in Little Dean's Yard, Westminster, then the property of the Government, where also the old Royal manuscripts were kept. In 1731 a fire occurred at Ashburnham House, and a large number of manuscripts were burnt and many others badly injured. The remainder were then stored in a dormitory at Westminster School, and here they remained until they were transferred to the British Museum in 1757.
The Cottonian collection of manuscripts is now kept in the Manuscript Department at the British Museum; but there are numbers of printed books as well that are widely distributed. A member of the Cotton Family is always a Family Trustee of the British Museum. Sir Robert Cotton wrote a large number of tracts, mainly political. The Cottonian MSS. are curiously arranged under the names of the Roman Emperors.
COVENTRY, WILLIAM, FIFTH EARL OF COVENTRY
Arms.—Sa., a fess erm., between 3 crescents sa.
Crest.—A garb or, lying fesswise, thereon a cock gu., comb, wattles, and legs of the first.
Coronet.—That of an Earl.
Helmet.—That of a Peer.
[Settle. Honori Sacellum. London, 1712.]
William Coventry (born c. 1688, died 18th March 1750) was the son of Walter Coventry of London, the lineal representative of Walter Coventry, brother of the first Earl of Coventry, in which line, by special limitation, the Earldom was allowed to rest. Mr. Coventry was Member of Parliament for Bridport, and succeeded to the Earldom of Coventry in 1719. He was Lord Lieutenant and Custos Rotulorum of the county of Worcester, a Member of the Privy Council, and Clerk Comptroller of the Green Cloth.
COVERT, WILLIAM
Arms.—Quartered.
1. Gu., a fess ermine between 3 martlets or. Covert.
2. Erm., 2 bars and a canton gu. Boyes.
3. Gu., a fess between 3 lions' heads couped or. St. Clair.
4. Arg., a chevron between 3 garbs gu. Sheffield.
5. Or, 2 crescents, 1 and 1, gu., a canton erm. Symonds.
6. Lozengy, arg. and gu., a fess sa. Rockly.
7. Arg., a cross sa., with 2 crosses crosslet fitchée of the last in the upper cantons. Balderstone.
8. Arg., on a chief gu., 3 lions rampant arg. Yonge.
9. Or, a cross gu. Bourke.
10. Arg., 5 fusils in bend, gu. Bradeston.
11. Arg., on a chief gu., 3 crosses pattée fitchée of the first. Dyall.
12. Arg., 3 garbs gu. Comyn.
13. Lozengy, arg. and sa., each lozenge sa., charged with a martlet or. Croft (?).
[Babington's Works. London, 1615.]
William Covert of Kent belonged to an old family, members of which were settled in Kent, Surrey, and Sussex since the sixteenth century.
John Covert, a member of the same family, had a command at the Siege of Boulogne in 1558.
COWPER, WILLIAM, FIRST EARL COWPER
Arms.—Arg., 3 martlets gu., 2 and 1, on a chief engrailed of the last, as many annulets or. Cowper.
Note.—The annulets are wrongly shown on this stamp.
[Settle. Fears and Dangers. London, 1706.]
William Cowper (born c. 1655, died 10th October 1723) was the son of Sir William Cowper, Bart., M.P. for Hertford, and succeeded to his father's Baronetcy in 1706. He was educated at St. Albans, and entered the Middle Temple in 1681, and became a great lawyer and politician. In 1706 he was made Lord Keeper of the Great Seal and created Baron Cowper of Wingham. In 1707 he was Lord High Chancellor, and in 1718 was created Earl Cowper. Lord Cowper was a Fellow of the Royal Society, a Governor of the Charterhouse, and Lord Lieutenant of Hertfordshire.
CRACHERODE, CLAYTON MORDAUNT
Arms.—Or, a saltire erm., between 4 lions' heads erased sa. Cracherode.
Crest.—A demi boar saliant reguardant or, wounded in the shoulder with an arrow ppr., which he holds in his mouth.
Note.—Probably designed and the stamp cut by Roger Payne.
[Suetonius. Opera. Leovardiae, 1715.]
Clayton Mordaunt Cracherode (born 23rd June 1730, died 5th April 1799) was a son of an officer of Marines, Colonel Mordaunt Cracherode.
Clayton Cracherode was educated at Westminster and Christchurch, Oxford, and was a Fellow of the Royal Society, and of the Society of Antiquaries, and a Trustee of the British Museum. He was ordained shortly after leaving Oxford. On the death of his father, Mr. Cracherode became a rich man, and spent his fortune freely in collecting choice books, bindings, drawings, prints, coins, and gems, always getting the finest examples procurable.
Mr. Cracherode was an eccentric and shy recluse; he hardly ever left London, and his life is said to have been embittered by the fact that he was liable to act as King's Cup-bearer at a coronation, his manor at Great Wymondley being held on that Tenure. The collections made by Mr. Cracherode were all bequeathed to the British Museum except two books, a Bible left to the Bishop of Durham, and a Homer to Cyril Jackson, Dean of Christchurch, but both of these eventually were given to the Museum Library. Several of Mr. Cracherode's books were bound for him by Roger Payne, one of the greatest English bookbinders.
DERING, SIR EDWARD, BARONET
Arms.—Or, a saltire sa. Dering.
Crest.—Out of an heraldic coronet a plume of 9 ostrich feathers, 4 and 5, arg.
Legend.—Edoardvs dering miles et baronettvs.
[The Catholike Moderator. London, 1623.]
Edward Dering (born 28th January 1598, died 22nd June 1644) was the son of Sir Anthony Dering of Surrenden. He was educated at Cambridge, and soon became a collector and lover of antiquities.
In 1619 Dering received the honour of Knighthood, and in 1627 became a Baronet. He represented Kent in the House of Commons, and interested himself much in religious matters. He eventually got into trouble with Parliament about some of his writings, and was imprisoned for a time in the Tower. He raised a regiment for the King at the commencement of the Civil War, and in consequence he suffered sequestration of his estates. He does not appear to have succeeded well as a soldier. Dering never recovered from the troubles incident upon his advocacy of the Royalist cause, and he died in comparative poverty. He has left several works and pamphlets, chiefly political or theological.
D'EWES, SIR SYMONDS, BARONET
Arms.—Or, 3 quatrefoils pierced gu. D'Ewes.
Crest.—A wolf's head erased or, about the neck a collar vairé.
[D'Ewes. Journals of Parliaments temp. Eliz. Harl. MS. 73.]
Symonds D'Ewes (born 18th December 1602, died 8th April 1650) was the son of Paul D'Ewes of Milden in Suffolk. He went to Cambridge, and was called to the Bar in 1623. His tastes were always of a literary and antiquarian character, and he was a friend of Sir Robert Cotton. In 1626 he received the honour of Knighthood, and on his father's death in 1631 he inherited considerable property.
D'Ewes was High Sheriff of Suffolk and Member of Parliament for Sudbury, and in 1641 he became a Baronet. He wrote many valuable historical and antiquarian works; his "Diaries" are now in the British Museum, as are several others of his manuscripts, forming part of the Harleian Collection.
DIGBY, SIR KENELM, KNIGHT
Arms.—Quarterly.
1. Az., a fleur-de-lys arg. Digby.
2. Arg., a chevron between 3 crosses crosslet fitchée. Davenport.
3. Erm., on a bend sa., 3 goats' heads erased arg., armed or. Mulsho.
4. Gu., semé of crosses crosslet arg., 3 leopards' heads jessant-de-lys, arg. Neville.
On an escutcheon of pretence, the arms of Venetia Stanley.
Quarterly.
1st and 4th grand quarters arg., on a bend az., 3 bucks' heads cabossed or, a crescent for difference. Stanley.
2nd grand quarter, quarterly.
1st and 4th or, a lion rampant az. The Duke of Brabant.
2nd and 3rd gu., 3 lucies hauriant arg. Lucy.
3rd grand quarter az., 5 fusils conjoined in fess or. Percy.
Crest.—An ostrich arg., with a horseshoe in his mouth ppr.
Helmet.—That of an Esquire.
[Aristotle. Opera. Lut. Parisiorum, 1619.]
Variety.—Impaled.