The Curiosities of Heraldry Part 10

Sire Adam Martel, de sable, a iij _martels_ de argent.

Sire William Videlou, de argent, a iij testes de _lou_, de goules.

_Bokinghamschire_:

Sire Rauf de Cheyndut, de azure, a un _cheyne_ de or, a un label de goules.

Sire Johan LE LOU, de argent a ij barres de goules, en le chef iij testes de _lou_ de goules.

_Ests.e.x_:

Sire Johan Pa.s.seleu, bende de or e de azure, a un quarter de argent, e un _lu_pard _pa.s.s_-aunt de goules.

Sire Johan Heroun, de azure a iij _herouns_ de argent.

_Suthfolk_:

Sire Guy Ferre, de goules, a un _fer_-de-molin de argent, e un bastoun de azure.

Sire Richarde de c.o.kfeld, de azure, a une croix e iij _c.o.ks_ de or.

Sire Huge de Morieus, de azure, a iij foiles de _moures_ de or.

_Northfolk_:

Sire ---- Mounpynzon, de argent, a un lion de sable, a un _pinzon_[154] de or en le espandle.

_Cauntebrugescire_:

Sire Giles de Trompintoun, de azure, crusule de or, a ij _trompes_ de or.

_Derby et Notingham_:

Sire Johan le Fauconer, de argent a iij _faucouns_ de goules.

Sire Johan Bordoun, de goules a iij _bordons_ de argent.

_Huntingdonschire_:

Sire Johan de Swyneford, d'argent a iij testes de _cenglers_ de goulys.

_Norehaunton et Rotelonde_:

Sire Geffrey Rossel, de or, a un cheveron azure, e iij roses de goules.

_Leycestreschire_:

Sire William Bernak, de argent, a une fesse and iij _bernaks_ de sable.

_Herefordeschire_:

Sire Peres Corbet, de or a un _corbyn_ de sable.

Sire Thomas Corbet, de or a iij _corbyns_ de sable.

_Schropschire_:

Sire Walter Hakelut, de goules, a iij _hackes_ daneys de or, et un daunce de argent.

_Northumberland and Comberland_:

Sire Odynel Heron, de argent a iij herons de azure.

Sire Johan Malebis, de argent, a iij testes de _bis_ de goules.

In addition to these, I may adduce the following very antient families, whose arms are not traceable to any grant, but have been borne immemorially as antient arms. The Pelhams bear three _pel_icans, and their crest is a _pe_ac.o.c.k. The puns in both instances, it must be confessed, are very poor; still, few will doubt that puns were intended. The Arundels bear six swallows, in French _hirondelles_. The Barons D'Aquila, temp.

Henry III, bore _eagles_; the Bourgchiers, water-_bowgets_; the Heringauds, _herrings_; Lupus, Earl of Chester, a _wolf's_ head; Shouldham, Abbot of St. Saviour's, _shov_ellers; the Bacons, a _boar_; the Wingfelds, _wings_; the Rokewoods, chess-_rooks_; the Pigots, _pick_-axes; the Boleynes, _bulls'_ heads; the Sh.e.l.leys, _sh.e.l.ls_; and an infinity of others.

Dame Julyan Berners was no stranger to such arms, for she distinctly mentions the coat of Peter de Roches, bishop of Winchester, who "baar iij rochys (roaches) after his awne naam." The cross-_corded_, borne by the _roper_ who became a "n.o.bull man," spoken of by that lady, belongs to the other cla.s.s of allusive arms, as conveying a hint at his former menial occupation.

That this kind of charges became too common in the early part of the seventeenth century, Dallaway is, perhaps, correct in affirming; but those were punning days, and quaint conceits often took the place of true wit.

Camden, the correctness of whose heraldric taste none will presume to question, did not hold _arma cantantia_ in so contemptible a light as some of his successors in office have done; for among the arms granted by him, a list of which is given by Morgan,[155] the following, among others, occur:

DOBELL of Falmer, co. Suss.e.x, Sable, a _doe_ pa.s.sant between three _bells_ argent.[156]

BULLOCK of London. Bulls' heads.

FOSTER of London. Bugle-horns.

HAMPSON of Kent. Hemp-breaks.

FISHER of Staffordshire. A Kingfisher.

CONIE of Huntingdonshire. Coneys.

CROWCH.[157] Crosses formee.

LANGHORN. Bugle-horns.

CANNON of Pembrokeshire. Crest. A cannon.

TREHERNE. Three herns.

CROSS of Lincolnshire. A cross-crosslet.

KNIGHTLEY. A lance.[158]

There was a kind of Rebus much in vogue in the fourteenth and following centuries, which, although not regulated by the laws of blazon, possessed somewhat of the heraldric character. Many persons, even those of antient family, who bore regular coats of arms, adopted various figures for the purpose of expressing their names pictorially; for instance, one John Eagleshead gave as his seal an _eagle's head_, surrounded by the motto,