ON ARMORIES, No. II.
(See Part I. p. 230.)

"ABOUT this time did many Gentle men begin to bare armes, by borrowing from their Lord's armes of whom they held in fee, or to whom they were most devoted. So whereas the Earle of Chester bare Garbes, or wheat-sheafes, many Gentlemen of that country tooke wheatSheafes. Wheras the old Earles of Warwieke bare Chequy Or, and Azure a Cheveron Ermin, many thereabouts tooke Ermin and Chequy, In Leicestershire and the countrey confining, divers bare Cinquefoyles, for that the ancient Earles of Leicester bare Gueles and a Lion passant Or in a Canton of the second; many Gentlemen thereabout took the same in different colours and charges in the Canton.

"Hubert de Burgo, Earle of Kent, who bare for his armes in a shield, Gules seven Lozenges vaire, 3, 3, granted Hands to Anselme de Guise, in the counties of Buckingham and Gloucester. (Plate II fig. 1.)

The said Anselmus de

Game Coate with a Canton se bare the

Or, charged with a Mullet of sixe poynts pierced Sable.

"The ancient family of Hardres, in Kent, beares. Gules, a Lyon rampant, Ermine, debrused with a Cheveron Or, (fig. 2) denoting that they held their said Man'or of Hardres by Knight's service of the Castle of Tunbridge in Kent, which was the ancient Seigniory of the Clares, Farles of Gloucester, who did their armes in a Field Or, 3 Gules, (fig. 3.) and the bare Or a Cheveron Gules, Lord of the same place.

for

Stafford

was after

"This great family of the Clares being resident, for the most part, at the Castle of Tunbridge in Kent, to which they had a Liberty called Lowy, containing three miles every way froin the centre, answerable to that which belonged to the Seigniory of Bryony in Normandy, which they exchanged for this here (as writeth Gemeticensis), gave occasion to many of the auncientest families in Kent, to take up. Coates, alluding to the Lords of Tunbridge. (fig. 3)

"And Robert de Hougham, who was his next-door neighbour, bare, in allusion to him, the same charge, but differing in colours, viz. in a Field Argent, 5 Cheverons Sables.

"Ralph de Curva Spina, or Creythorne, descended from an ancestor well landed in Kent, in the 20 of William the Conquerour, bare, in imitation of the former charge, Azure, 5 Cheverons Or, a Labell of 5 poynts Gules.

Then Cryoll or Keryell, the great landed man of Kent, he bare Or, 2 Cheverons, and a Canton Gules. (fig. 5.) And in imitation of him, Sir Robert of Rumney, (fig.6). Sir Kobert Orlanston, of Orlanston, (fig. 7). And Howdlow of Bellerikey, (fig. 8). The said Bertram of Cryoll was Lord of Ostenhanger; and those that know that country, know that all these before-mentioned, inhabited in the same Lath of Shepwey.

"At the other side of Kent, the Lord Leybourne, of Leybourne Castle, was a at man. Sir Roger Leybourne was a agent in the Barons' warres, and William was a Parliamentarie Baron in the time of King Edward the First.

Sir Robert de Sherland, of Sherland, in Shepey, Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, the female heire of which family being married to Cheyney, which is the Coate of Sherland, they many ages bore this Coate in the first place, (fig. 10).

"Sin Richard Rockisley, of Rockisley, in Kent, from whose heire generall the Lord Marquesse of Winchester is descended, bare the Lord Leybourne's Coate with a Fesse Gules.

"William Kirkby, of Horton Kirkby, in Kent, not many miles from Leybourne Castle, bare the same Coate with a Canton and Mullet, and is quartered by the Stonards, Stonard, in Oxfordshire, who married the heire generall of Kirkby.

of

"The Family of the Culepepers,of Kent, as it is one of the most numerous families, for I have noted, at one time, there were twelve Knights and Baronets alive of this house together, so certainly it is reckoned of as much antiquity and good allyance as any Family in that

ges

for by all these names he is writin records) Lord of Folkstone, and of those eight Barons, to each hom many Knights' fees were ashed in defence of Dover Castle, and oh of them to maintaine a Tower there, Cheverons Gules. gave Or (fig. 4.) Hee was imitated by Euering or Evering, that held a Knight's fee of him, by changing the Cheverons into Azure.

GENT, MAG. Suppl. LXXXII, PART IL

66

gent a Bend ingreyled Gules. (fig. 11.) Halden, of Halden, in the parish of Rolvinden, in Kent, whose heire generall was marryed into the Guildfares Family, bare the same Coate, with a Cheif Sables,

"And one of the name of Malmanis, in Kent, bare Argent a Bend ingreyled Purple.

The Lord Sey was a Baron of ample possessions at Birlinge, in Kent, and very many other places from thence to Dept

ford

ford, where Say's Court that came from the Lord Magminet by his heire generall, gave Quarterly Or and Gules. "Peckham, of Peckham and Yaldham, - bare it in Chief. (fig. 12.)

"Parrock, of Parrock, neere Gravesend, bare it as in fig. 13.

"And Saint Nicholas, of Saint Nicholas, in Thanet, came as neere as could be to that of Peckham (fig. 12), so that wee conceive they were at first all one family, else some question would in so many ages have beene raised for bearing the blazon, as in divers other Families upon the like ground hath been observed.

"Touching the granting of armes from some great Earles, and passing of Coates from one private person to another, some presidents non-impertinent to this subject are here inserted, which were all before the reduction of the Heralds under one regulation,"

Humfry Count de Staff et de Perche seiggr de Tunbrigg et de Caux à tous ceux qui cestes presentes lettres verront ou orront Salutes. Saches que nous considerans les merites que deyvent estre attribues a toutes personnes issues de bone lieu et excersantez bones meures et vertues, eux conduisantes termis d'oneur et gentilise ycelle, a consideration a nous amove d'augmenter en honneur et noblesse noble home Robert Whitgreve et Tuy avoir donne et donons per icestes presentes pour memory d'onneur perpetuell au portre ses Armes ensign de Noblesse un esive de Azure a quatre points d'Or quatre Cheveron de Gules, et luy de partire as autres persones nobles de son linage en descent avecques les differences de descent au dit blazon et pour de tout armoyer et revestire son dit blazon et en honneur le reparer anous avecque celuy ordeine et attribuz helme et timbre, cest asscavoyr le helme en mantle de bloy furrey d'ermines au unnes coronne un demy Antaloppe d'Or; et pour ceste nostre lettre patente de dit donne verifier, en tesmoigne la nous fait seeler du seele de nos properes armes, le xiij. jour d'August l'an du reigne le Roy H. Sisme puis le conquest vicesme.' (fig. 14).

A tous ceux que ceste presente lettre verrent ou orront Thomas Grendale de Fenton cosyn et heir a Johan Beaumeys ladys de Santre Salutz en Dieu. Come les Aarmes d'ancestrye du dit Johan apres le jour de son moriant soient par loy et droit deritage a moy eschaietz com a son proschien heir du son linage, Sachetz moy lavant dit Thomas avoir donnee et grantee par ycestes, les entiers, avantdites armes, oue leur tenantz a William Moigne Chivaler,

appur

quelles armes cestascavoir sont dargent oue une crois dasure oue cinque garbes d'or en le crois, A avoir et tenir touz les avantdites armes oue leur appurtenantz au dit Monsieur William a ces heires et assignes a tous jours. En tesmoignance de quelle chose a cestez presentes lettres j'ay mis mon saelx. Donn. a Santre le vintseconde jour de Novembre lan du regne le Roy Richard Seconde quinzisme." (fig. 15.)

'A touz ceux que ces lettres verront et orront Roberte deMorlé mariscall d'Irlande Salut en Dieu. Saches moi avoir don'ee et grante a mon bon amee Robert de Corby et a ces heires les Armes que me sont descenduz per vere de Heritage apres les deces Monsir Baldwine de Manoires, cestascavoir d'argent oue une Saltier engraile de Sable, avoir et porter entirement les armes susdits au dit Robert de Corby et ses heires a tout jours sans impechment ou challenge du moy ou de mes heires au dit Robert de Corby et a ces heires les armes avant dites en quan:que en nous est enuers toutz homes a touzioures garranterons; en tesmoig nance de quel chose a cestes mes lettres overtees ais mis mon seale. Donn. au Chasteau de Rismige le jour de la Tiffa nit le sisme jour de January lan du raigne Edward tres tiers puis le Conq d'Engleterre 22. et de France neoffisme." (fig. 16.)

Noverint universi per præsentes m Joannam nuper uxorem Willielmi Le de Nightley dominam et rectam hære dem de Knightley dedisse, concessisse e hâc præsenti cartâ meâ confirmasse Ra cardo Peshale filio Humfridi Peshal Scutum Armorum meorum habend. e tenend. ac portand. et utend. ubicunqu voluerit sibi et hæred. suis imperpetuum Ita quod nec ego nec aliquis alius nomin meo aliquod jus vel clameum seu calump niam in prædicto scuto habere potuer mus, sed per præsentes sumus exclu imperpetuum. In cujus rei testimoniu sigillum meum apposui. Dat. apu Knightley die Mercurii prox. post fes Paschæ, Anno regni regis Henri Sexti post conquestum quarto decimo.'

Jehan Fitz, frere et uncle au Roy Duc de Bedford, Conte de Richmond de Kendall, et Connestable d'Angleterr a nostre trescher cousin Jehan Duc Northfolk Mareschall d'Angleterre Salu Nous vous mandons et chargeons qu vous facez arrestre et venir devant no ou nostre Lieutenant, a Westminster, a quinshime du Saint Hillari. procha venant, William Clopton de Conte Suff. Esquier, pour adonques respond devant nous ou nostre Lieutenant en

Courte de Chivalree, Robert Elar

Esquier du Counte de Nicholl, de ce que le dit Robert adonques luy surmettra par voie darmes, tochant ce quil fauxment et encontre honeste et gentilesse darmes, ad mis et appose le seel de ses armes a un faux et forgé fait, as dommages du dit Robert de c. 7. et plus, a ce quil did. Remandantz par devers nous a dit jour, oue icest nostre mandement, tout ceque vous en aurez faitz. Don. soulz le seal de nostre office le xxiij. jour de Novembre l'an du regne nostre Seigneur le Roy Henry Sisme puis le conquest d'Angleterre cetisme."

Sciant præsentes et futuri quod ego Thomas de Clanvowe chl'r dedi concessi et hâc præsenti carta mea confir mavi Willielmo Criktot consanguineo meo Arma mea, et jus eadem gerendi quæ mihi jure hæreditario descenderunt, habend. et tenend. prædicta Arma mea et jus eadem gerendi præfato Willielmo hæredibus et assignatis suis, absque reclamatione mei vel hæredum meorum imperpetuum. Et ego prædictus Thomas et hæredes mei prædicti Arma et jus eadem gerendi præfato Willielmo hæredibus et assignatis suis contra omnes gentes warrantizabimus imperpetuum. In cujus rei testimonium præsenti cartæ meæ sigillum meum apposui. Dat. apud Hergast in festo corporis Christi, Anno regni regis Henrici Quarti post conquestum undecimo.'

Yours, &c.

P. R. M. P. V. 1. The preamble of the Act states the necessity of amending the manner and form of keeping and of preserving Registers of Baptisms, Marriages, and Burials of his Majesty's subjects in the several parishes and places in England, &c.; and it then enacts, that these Registers shall be kept in books of parchment, or of good and durable paper. Now it has always been my opinion, that parchment is of a more durable nature than paper even of the best kind. I believe that was the opinion of our ancestors; as I have never seen an old register-book (and I have seen many in my time) that was not made of parchment. Why do lawyers use parchment in their deeds, except on account of its durability? Now the Register-books which have been sent by the King's Printer to the

Clergy are all made of paper, which will certainly perish much sooner than parchment.

2. The second clause directs the King's Printer to transmit the books to the Ministers of the different parishes. I have no observation to make on this clause, except to express my surprize at the latter part of it, where it is said that the books shall be of paper, unless required to be of parchment by the Churchwardens whereas all former Register-books were of parchment.

3. In the third clause it is enacted, that every Baptism, whether public of private, is to be entered in the Registerbook.-Now by Private BaptismIhave always understood to be meant, private baptism as directed by the Rubrick to the baptismal office to be administered to infauts, in cases of sickness, when it would be dangerous to theirhealth to take them to the Church. This, I think, is likely to give encouragement to parents to abstain from carrying their children to the Church to be publicly baptized at the font in the face of the congregation, "I know many Clergymen who never enter the names of children in the Register till they have been brought to the

Church.

4. The fourth clause I do not understand. I have never known the

Burial Service to be performed by any Clergyman in any other place than in the Parish Church, or Church-yard. As to the Certificate to be given by the Curate of some other parish, who may perform the ceremony for his friend who probably may be called, by unavoidable business, to a distant part of the kingdom-how, in that case, can the Certificate be sent to him the same, or even the next day? and bow can he enter it in the Register within the seven days specified in the foregoing clause.

The provision made for the preservation of the Registers in an iron chest, is certainly an excellent one. It can be kept in no place so well as in the Clergyman's house, where resident (and there ought to be a resident minister in every parish.) Many Churches are extremely damp; writing would soon be erased, and the books would fall to pieces.

the

To the sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth clauses there appears to be no objection.

The