Early Kentish Armory

3J^4ft»jtfljffjjia djatrtiatt& EAELT KENTISH ARMORY. BY WILLIAM SMITH ELLIS, ESQ. I PROPOSE in this paper-to bring together various early Kentish coats of Arms that I have met with in my researches, and to trace their relationship and origin, as far as practicable. To embrace the whole field of Kentish heraldry, and to collect the armorial bearings of the whole county from Rolls of Arms, seals, stainedglass windows, and the Visitations, would occupy a volume, and require interminable research. I shall first, as a fitting introduction, select the coats of Arms of families connected with Kent, from some early Rolls, making concurrent remarks thereon, and then produce other instances of armorial bearings which I shall hope to elucidate. The earliest known Roll of Arms is that called " Glover's Roll," temp. Henry III.,* 1245-50. This contains the following list of persons connected with Kent who bore coat-armour:— 21. Le Comte de Kent: Masculee verrey et de goules.f * I make use of the edition by Mr. Armytage, 1868. t Mr. Planche, in his paper on the Earls of Kent {Journal of Arch. Ass., vol. ix.), gives an engraving of a seal which Hubert de Burgh used, containing 3 lions passant. But this seal seems to have been an official one, the charges being the Royal Arms. Another of his seals bears 7 lozenges vair, which was also used by his grandson John de Burgh, who confirmed a grant made by his father John de Burgh, 1272, to Edwardl., and sealed with 7 lozenges vaire and a label of 3 points {Hist, of Norfolk, vi., 256). This would seem to have been the family bearing; but, before the practice of quartering VOIi. XV. B 2 GLOVER'S ROLL OE ARMS, A.D. 1245-50. 34. Eoger de Leyborne: D'azur 6 lioncels d'argent.* 61. Hamon Crevecceur: D'or ung faulx crois de goules. 108. Geffrey de Lucy : De goules a trois lucies d'or. 127. Eoger de Huntingfleld: D'or alafesse de goules ettrois torteux d'argent en la f esse. 147. Bertram de Crioll: D'or a deux cheverons et ung quartier de goules. 148. William Peyuer: D'argent a ung cheveron de goules floretty d'or en le cheveron.f 168. Eichard Foliott: De goulez ung bende d'argent. " Charles' Roll" is a collection of Arms borne temp. Hen. I I I . and Edw. I., and contains 677 shields. The following coats are of Kentish families :— was introduced, different seals were used by the same person in respect of alliances and properties accruing with them. Hubert de Burgh, Earl of Kent, granted lands to Anselm de Guise in Bucks and Glouc, who bore the same coat with a canton or (Guillim's Heraldry, Introduc, p. 7). In the Roll of Arms of the 13th century, edited by Mr. Walford, in the Archceologia, vol. xxxix., John de Burgh is said to bear masculee de veir et de gulez.—Art. " On the Origin of the Family of De Burgh," by the present writer, Herald and Genealogist, iv., 339. * See my Antiquities of Heraldry, p. 185, where is a tabular pedigree of Leyborne, in which these 6 lions are derived, by a match, from Fitzgerald, Earls of Salisbury, who bore 6 lions. See also pedigree of Leybume, Arch. Oantiana, V., 193. f The family of Peyforer was early eminent in Kent. Osborn Peyforer was a Domesday tenant, and the family afterwards had possessions in Buckland, Bocton-Malherbe, Wichling, Midley, Palestre in Wittersham, Lullingstone, etc. In the Parliamentary Roll of Arms Sir Wm. Peyforer bore argent fleurette sable, and Sir Fulke P. the same with a label gules. In Bedfordshire Sir John Peyfre bore argent a chevron gules and 3 fleurs-de-lis or, presumably the latter on the chevron, and Sir Roger Peyre the same except the chevron was mure. In the same Roll Sir John de Leeham (? Lenham) of Berks bore sable .6 flures d'or. John de Lenham, junior, of Bokland, co. Berks, who died 1324, mar. Matilda, dau. of Sir John Maltravers (Col. Top. and Gen., vi., 274). The arms of Peyforer arg. 6 fl.-de-lis 2,2, and 2 sable were formerly in Lenham Church. Fulke de P. was Lord of the manor of Syndall in Lenham, 23 Edward III. (Top. and Gen., iii., 185). On the brass of Sir John Giffard, who married the heiress of Lenham, at Bures-Giffard in Essex, are 6 fleurs-de-lis (Boutell's Monumental Brasses). THE CHARLES ROLL OE ARMS, A.D. 1250-1300. 3 8. Comte d'AthoU.: Paly of 6 or and sable.* 21. Comte de Kent : Lozengy gules andvaire. 59. Eicbard Foliot: Gules a bend argent. 86. William de Leyburne: Azure 6 lions rampant argent, 3, 2, and 1. 95. William de Huntingfleld : Or on a fess gules 3 plates. 98. Joan Lisley: Or on a chief azure 3 lions rampant of the first, f 107. Simon de Creye: Gules a cross engrailed or. 109. Gefrai de Lucy: Gules 3 luces baurient. 178. Henri de Luncbamp: Or 3 crescents gules each charged with a mullet of 6 points pierced argent. J 179. Henri Aucher: Ermine on a chief azure 3 lions rampant or. 184. Joan d'Estengreve : Ermine a lion rampant gules.§ 188. Steven de Pencestre : Gules a cross argent. || * Paly of 6 are on the brass memorial to Phillipa, wife of John Halsham, Esq., dau. and coh. of David de Strabolgy, Earl of AthoU, who died 1 Nov. .1395 (figured in Oartwright's Rape of Bramber). (See Sussex Arch. Coll., xxiv., 33.) The same coat also occurs on the monument in Ashford Church. (See Arch. Oantiana, Vol. I.) f This coat is that of the family of De l'lsle, in the Isle of Wight. In Topographer and Genealogist, iii., 179, is a pedigree of Isley of Sundrish; and in the same work, vol. i., p. 516, a fuller pedigree of nine descents, with pedigrees of the connected families of Pimpe and Ferningham. Two other coats of Isley are there given. A seal of Sir John de Isili, 25 Edw. III. , is engraved in Arch. Cant. (III., 143), having a field ermine and a fess apparently vaire or lozengy. % On the same plate (ut ante) is engraved the seal of Sir Henry Lungchamp, 15 Edw. III. , being ermine 3 crescents pierced. A precisely similar coat, the crescents gules pierced or, is in Jenyns' Roll, temp. Rich. II. , attributed to "Thomas Cobham." § Philipot (Vill. Cant.,-p. 210) says, "Tutsham of Tutsham Hall, in West Farleigh, and Eastengrave of E., in Edenbridge, bear both alike;" the coat of the former being, as we learn from the Visitation of 1619, a cross between 20 billets. Of this, family, Philipot says (p. 136), Sir Robert de Stangrave was with Edward I. at the siege of Caerlaverock. Add. MS., Brit. Mus., 5481, f ol. 36, gives a deed of Tottesham dated 1342, the seal being a cross between 12 billets within a bordure. || The necessary comment upon this coat and the bearer is best given in the form of tabular pedigrees, taken from an article B 2 4 EARLY KENTISH ARMORY. 218. Saunsuin Folliott: Argent 2 lions passant guardant gules. 270. Bertram d'Criel: [Or, 2 chevrons and a canton gules. {Sari. MS. 6137.)] on the family of De Burgh, in Nichols' Herald and Genealogist (iv., 339), by the present writer:— The Liber Niger says, A.D. 1166, Hubert de Burgh holds Rameli of Roger de Curcell. Hubert de Burgh is said to have been born in Norfolk. In this county the parish of Burgh St. Margaret's, in the hundred of East and West Flegg, appears to have given name to a family. Sir Reyner de Burgh was owner of the manor early in Hen. I I I . ; and if not earlier, yet subsequently several members of his family are recorded as having interest in land (Collect. Top. and Gen., vii., 197). No arms of this family are known. Sir Reyner married Joan, coheiress of Pouchard. Sir Robert Nereford married Alice the other coheiress. This Sir Robert was Constable of Dover Castle under Hubert de Burgh, and built a chapel with the consent of Alice his wife, which was dedicated 1221 by Jeffry de Burgh, Bishop of Ely, nephew of Alice and brother of Hubert, the deed of foundation being witnessed by John de Burgh, Raymond de Burgh, etc. (Blomfield and Parkins' Hist, of Norfolk, vii., 75). Raymund was probably nephew of Hubert of that name (Journ. of Arch. Ass., vol. ix.: Art. " On Earls of Kent," by Mr. Planche). Of the family of De Burgh or Burc much respecting the early generations is to be found in the Cartulary of Castle-Acre Priory, the second Karl of Surrey confirming gifts by them. Hubert de Burgh, Earl of Kent, ob. 1243. John de Burgh, 1263. John de Burgh, ob. 1279. Margery, dau. and coh., ux, Sir Stephen de Penchester, who bore Gules a 0EOSS argent. Joan, dau. and coh., ux. Sir Henry de Cobham " le uncle," who bore (Jules a OEOSS argent between 12 fleurs-de-lis or ; but temp. Edw. II., Gules a CROSS argent only. Sir Stephen de Cobham, bore Gules a CROSS argent and a label azuie (Boll of Aims, t. Edw. II.). William fltz Adelm, 1177, Governor of Ireland ; ob. 1204-6. Mr. Planche {ut ante) mentions a charter of Will. fll. Aldelini Eegis Dapiferis, witnessed by his son Radulphus and Radulphus Alius Aldelini. Ralph fitz Aldelm, in 1165, witnessed a charter of his brother William, called " De Burgo." I Richard de Burgo, Lord Lieut, of Ireland; ob. 1243. THE CHARLES ROLL OE ARMS. 5 299. Richard de Valoines: Barruly argent and azure, on a bend gules 3 mullets of 6 points or.* William de Burg, bore Walter de Burg, ob. 1271, bore Escartille d'argent Quarterly or and azure et gules un CROIS passant gulez (Roll of Arms, (Charles' Roll) ; a quo Harl. MS. 6589, and Archceologia, vol.xxxix.); a quo the Earls of Clanri- Earls of Ulster, who bore Or a CROSS gules. In the carde, who bore Or a seal of Lady Elizabeth Clare, figured in the CROSS gules, a lion Topographer and Genealogist (L, 222), whose rampant in the first husband's wife Elizabeth was daughter of Elizabeth quarter. de Burgo, the CROSS occurs. Probably this cross has a common origin with " or a cross gules" borne by Bigod, as in the early Norman times similar bearings almost invariably denote relationship, which is shewn by numerous examples in the genealogical tables of my Antiquities of Heraldry; and this community of arms (with varied tinctures) is of vast significance in tracing the relationship of families—a significance which is not sufficiently appreciated by genealogists. * This is an entirely different coat from that borne by most persons of the name (viz. paly wavy), but was probably adopted on marrying a family who bore barry. It receives elucidation from, and in turn gives it to, a coat which occurs as a fifth quartering in the shield of Finch (Harl. MS. 3917), which seems to be brought in (but that is doubtful) by Pepplesham. It is paly wavy of 6 (evidently founded on Valoignes) with 3 mullets on a fess, and the latter have doubtless a common origin with the 3 mullets on a bend. In the Reliquary, vol. xvi., pp. 97-102, Mr. Greenstreet gives a genealogical account of the Valoigns family, with a list at the end of the arms different branches bore ; except in two instances, these were the paly wavy coat; but there is one essentially different that is not included. In Hasted's MSS., Add. 5481, p. 38 (Brit. Mus.), is a deed dated 1409 of Guy de Valoignes of Godmersham to Thomas Elys of Kennington (the Sheriff), conveying one rood of land in Wyvelsbergh, the seal being quarterly, in the second quarter a lion rampant. The origin of this coat is obtained from a note which Mr. Greenstreet gives to the effect that Dugdale says (Bar., i., 512) that Joane, daughter of Geoffry de Say, who died 33 Edw. I l l , married secondly Stephen de Valoines, who, Mr. Greenstreet thinks, was son of Waresius de Valoines of the Otham line. The above Guy would therefore be a descendant. Thomas Elys had a son named Guy, whose heiress married Harlackeden. And I am inclined to think there was kinship between Elys and Valoignes, not only because Elys was owner of Stoneacre in Otham, but it is remarkable that in the Subsidy Rolls of 21, 22, and 25 Edw. III. (Hund. of Worth) Nicholas Elys is the highest rated in the hundred, and in the year 46 Edw. I I I . no Elys appears, but Sir Stephen de Valoignes is rated high, as if he had married the heiress of Elys. 6 EARLY KENTISH ARMOR*. 347. Eauf le fitz Barnard: Vair on a chief gules a cross patee argent.* 378. Thomas de Brokehole: Or semee of cross crosslets, a chevron gules.f 395. Nicol Ablin: Or on a cross sable 5 eagles displayed argent. 426. Joan le . . . . Brut: Gules a saltire or. (Note : Harl. MSS. 6137, Pers Dering " Or a saltire sable.") 465. Henri deCobbeham: Gules, semee-de-lis or a cross argent. 467. Robert de Cobbeham: Gules a cross ermine. 476. Goselin de Badelesmare: Argent a fess between 2 bars gemelles gules. 480. Eauf d' Badelesmare: Ermine a fess between 2 bars gemelles gules. 496. Roger de Leyburne: Or 6 lions rampant sable 3, 2, and 1. 524. Seer de Huntingfleld: Semee of cross crosslets a bend argent. J 529. Roger Sirlonde: Azure 6 lions rampant argent, a canton ermine. 569. Laurence de Broc: Gules on a chief argent a lion passant of the field. § * The family of Fitz Bernard had property in West Sussex, as well as considerable possessions in Kent. Several of the name are mentioned in Mr. Blaauw's paper on " The Preceptories at Sadlescombe and Shipley" (Sussex Arch. Coll., vol. ix.). He says, p. 257, that Roger fitz Bernard gave lands in Pddewarth with the assent of Margaret his wife and his son TJdard, which were held in capite of Walter fitz Richard. In the Collectanea Top. and Gen. (vol. vi.) are a series of ancient charters of the family of Burnard. On p. 199 is a charter of Roger, son of Burnard, which is confirmed by Walter, son of Richard (de Tunbridge) : another of Roger Burnard and Margaret his wife, and Odo their son; another by which Roger gave the Church of Pddeworth, so there can be no doubt of the identity of the Sussex and this family, and probably of the Kentish family. A seal is given, p. 211, of Odo Burnard, the shield being charged with 3 leaves. f The arms of Brockhull, as given in the Visitation, are a cross between cross crosslets—evidently a " difference." % This name, it will be seen hereafter, in the Dering Roll is spelt " Cael De II.," an evident clerical error, but the arms are the same. In that Roll we shall meet with another coat of this family entirely different, as in Charles' Roll was another. § In Nichols' Herald and Genealogist, v., 510, is an article THE CHARLES ROLL, AND THE DERING ROLL. 1 593. Thomas de Marines : Or a cross engrailed gules. 662. Nicol Malmeins: Azure 3 sinister hands couped ermine. The most important Roll of Arms for Kentish names is that called the "Dering Roll of Arms." This has been published in the Reliquary by Messrs. Greenstreet and Russell, and elaborately and critically edited. Its proximate date is given as temp. Edw. I. It is a miscellaneous collection, though a considerable portion of the names are Kentish, and a great many belong to the county of Sussex. A selection of those only belonging to Kent is here given, as many belong also to Sussex, and others we have just produced, and they need not be here repeated. Steven de Penchester: Gules a cross argent. Robert de Setvans: Azure 3 corn fans or (aim, azure). Roger de Northwood : Ermine a cross engrailed [gules]. John de Cobebam: Gules a chevron or on dexter side of which a lion rampant [alii, 3 fleurs-de-lis azure on the chevron and 3 lions rampant on the chevron]. John de Sandwiz: Argent a chief indented of 5 indents azure.* Henri de Cobeham: Gules a cross between 12 fleurs-de-lis argent (alii, the latter or). by the present writer on this family. Two other coats from seals are therein given : a hawk's lure on a bend, and quarterly over all a bendlet, the latter engraved in Arch. Cant., III., 143, both of Hugh de Broc. ' * There is a great deal about this family in Planche's Corner of Kent. The indented chief was evidently got by the match with Auberville, who got it from a match with Glanville. Mr. Planche says (p. 296) Thos. Crumpthorne and Eliz. ux., who founded St. Bartholomew's Hospital in Sandwich 1190, were of the family of Sandwich. He gives as the arms of Crauthorne, lords of Crauthorne in Langport hundred—a chief indented, and in the field a label gules. The name was the same as Crookthorne and Curbespine, ancestor of the Maminots. The arms of Bocton, Perot, and Gosehalle, treated hereafter, have all a chief indented, and have evidently a common origin with that of Sandwich. 8 EARLY KENTISH ARMORY. Thomas de Eldeham (Aldham) : Azure the sun in his glory or 16 rays.* Walt' (alii, William) de Berblinge (Barming) : Argent 3 fleurs-de-lis sable.f Rauf de Sein Leger: Azure a fret argent, a chief or. Roger de Sireland: Azure 5 (or 6) lions rampant argent and a quarter ermine. Nicole Abelin: Or on a cross sable 5 eagles displayed argent. Rauf de Eslinge: Azure a bend gules between 2 cotises and 6 boar's heads couped in bend or (alii, the heads not in bend). Robert de Champaine : Argent 3 bars wavy gules. Warois de Valoignes : Gules f rettee of 6 pieces [alii, or, but the Camden Roll has ermine).J Will' de Valoignes : Or 3 pales wavy gules. Steven de Cosingtone: [Azure] crusilly and 3 cinquefoils pierced (alii, the cinquefoils or, but no crosslets) .§ * In Arch. Cant., Vol. VII., p. 278, is a charter of Robert de Eldham, circa 1220, witnessed by Tho. de Eldeham and Wm. de Eldeham. Mr. Planchc (p. 313) mentions Elias de Aldon, who married Christiana Heringode, and had a son, Sir Thomas, who married Eliz., daughter of Geoffrey de Say, and a daughter, wife of Sir Robt. Septvans. The name is frequently met with in Kent, and is said to be derived from Aldham in Wrotham. f This name occurs in the list of Fees, 38 Hen. I I I . , printed in Arch. Oantiana, and in the Fines. In the Book of Aid, 20 Edw. I I I . , Thomas de Barmling, in East Barmling (Barming), holds of the Earl of Gloucester. The family of Peyforer also held lands in Barming (Hasted, vi., 424). Now Mr. Streatfeild, in his Pxcerpta Cantiana, engraves a seal (equestrian) of Robert de Orevequer attached to a deed prior to 10 Rich. I., containing three fleursde- lis. This coat is probably the source of the arms of Barmeling, and perhaps of Peyforer and Lenham. Isolda, coheiress of Hamo de Crevecoeur, married Nich. de Lenham, who had a son John est. 12. (Arch. Cant., I I I . , 264.) It might even be an earlier bearing than the cross voided of Crevequer. There is an Inquis. p.m., 53 Hen. I I I . , of Walter de Berblinge, leaving William, his son and heir, set. 30 and upwards, and 22 Edw. I., of Wm. de Barmling, leaving Robert his son and heir, set. 30. Lora Peyforer was mother of Tho. de Barmling. X This frettee coat, of the De Valoignes, is emblazoned on the original Camden Roll, still extant in the British Museum. § Sir Stephen de Cosington, 7 Edw. III., obtained a charter of free warren for his lands in Oosyngton (in Aylesford), Acrise, and THE DERING ROLL OE ARMS. 9 Rauf de Otringdene: Ermine a cross voided (gules). Will, de Orlanstone: Or 2 chevrons gules, and on a quarter of second a lion rampant of the field (alii, lion argent). Symon de Crey: Gules a cross engrailed or, and in dexter chief an eagle displayed (alii, no eagle). Will' de Eaukeham: Argent a fess between 3 annulets gules.* Nicole de Haulo [Hadlow] : Or 2 chevrons gules, and on a quarter of second a crescent argent, f South Berton, held of the Barony of Ros, as of the manor of Horton Kirby. Anschitillus de Ros, at the Domesday Survey, owned the manors of Mount and Bladbean, afterwards belonging to Cosington, and also Acrise. The arms would denote a descent from Ros, who doubtless bore originally the canting coat of roses or cinqf oils. It is true the coat of De Ros, of Yorkshire, was 3 water-bougets, but this canting coat was got by Everard de Ros before 31 Hen. II., on marrying Rose, daughter and coheir of William Trusbut. * A Sir Wm. de Fawkeham is mentioned 1278 in Thorpe's Registrum Roffense, p. 355. These arms are, or were, in Fawkham Church (Philipot's Church Notes, Harl. MS. 3917), as also a fess with 2 annulets in chief, and a fess with 3 annulets in chief within a bordure, probably the arms of cadets. A number of Kentish families bore annulets: Auberville—Party per fesse indented between 3 annulets, as appearing in a deed, dated 29 Hen. III., of Sir Wm. de Auberville, witnessed by his brother Sir Robert de Auberville, Sir Simon de Sandwich, Knt., and Sir Simon de Hauthc, Knt. (PHawte), Add. MSB., B. Mus., 5481, p. 18 (Hasted's MSS.); ns also Goshall, Peckham, and Folliott, as in the Rolls—Argent, on a cross azure 5 annulets or (for " Sellinge of Shurland"), impaling Billety a griffin segreant arg., in the south chancel of Pluckley Church according to Philipot (Church Notes). In Arch. Oantiana (XII., 383), in St. Peter's Church, Thanet, the coat of Northwood occurs, impaling, A fess ermine between 6 annulets; and another of Northwood, impaling, Three garbs within a bordure semee of annulets, for Kempe. The earliest known coat containing annulets is that of Hasculfus Musard (3 on a shield), who was dead 31 Hen. I I . (Lausdowne MS., Brit. Mus., 207 F, p. 76) ; and another of the same, of his son Ralph Musard (p. 93). t In the Parliamentary Roll Sir John de Haudloo bears Gules 3 crescents arg., wrhich was probably the earlier coat; and on the assumption of the coat with the chevrons and the canton, through some connection with the Criolls, or derivative arms, placed the crescent on the canton as a relic of the original or parent coat, to denote relationship, of which practice numerous examples occur, two of which will be noticed in the ease of Huntingfleld and Peckham. 10 EARLY KENTISH ARMORY. Will' de Heure : Gules a cross argent, and label of 5 points azure. John de Borne: Ermine on a bend azure 3 lions rampant or. Will, de Detling: Sable 6 lions rampant argent. Henry de Apulderfield: Ermine a bend gales.* Rauf Perot: Per pale azure and or, a chief dancette of 3 indents counterchanged (alii, quarterly per fesse dancette or and azure; and quarterly per fesse indented or and azure) .f Henry le fiz Apulderfield: Ermine a bend vaire gules and or (alii, the vair or and gules). [" The vaire throughout this Roll is of the ancient and authentic form known as vair nebuly."~] Robert de Hardres : Ermine a lion rampant gules debruised by a chevron or. Stephen de Bocton: Azure on a chief indented dancettee of 4 indents or, 3 torteaux. Will, de Apledrefeuld: Argent (alii, or) on a fess gules 3 lozenges conjoined vair. Wat' de Gosehale: Or on a hurt a cinquefoil pierced [of the field] and on a chief indented dancettee per long, of 4 indents azure, 2 roundles (alii, bezants and bezants each charged with a cinquef oil pierced azure). J Peres de Huntingfleld : Quarterly or and gules, a label of 5 points sable, each point charged with 3 plates.§ * An exhaustive account of this family in all its branches will be found in Topographer and Genealogist, vol. iii., by the late Mr. Steinman, one of the best genealogists of the last generation, and who pursued his work thoroughly, according to the materials accessible in his time. Henry de A. and his brothers William and John, all Knights, are witnesses to a deed in the Cartulary of Hyde Abbey, co. Suth., fol. 141. . t Hasted says (x;, 121), temp. Edw. I., Sir Ralph Perot held lauds in Sandwich, and his family bore, temp. Ric. II., on a seal, 3 escallops in chief and a crescent in base. Ralph Perot, in the Book of Fees, 38 Hen. III., occurs as holding lands in Knolton, as also Alan Perot; and in the Book of Aid, 20 Edw. III., Ralph Perot is met with as holding lands in Knolton and Ringleston. X Much information about this family is to be seen in Planche's Corner of Kent. §_Philipot, in his Villare Oantianum, p. 147, says, "Huntingfield in Estling gave name to the illustrious family of HuntingTHE DERING ROLL OE ARMS. 11 Bertram Tancre: Azure 2 bends argent.* Bertelmeu de Wateringberi: Arg. 6 lions rampant sable. Roger de Tilmanston: [Gules] 6 lions rampant ermine. Stefne Sodan: Azure 3 (alii, 2) bends argent.f Ancel de Gise: Lozengy vaire and gules, a quarter or. John de Bikenore: Or [arg.] on a chief azure 3 lions rampant arg. crowned of the field [alii, crowns not mentioned] . Alisander de Chene: Quarterly or and gules, a label of 5 points azure. John de Pecham : Azure 6 annulets or4 field;" but the capital seat of this family was at West Wickham on the skirts of Surrey, and they had other parcels of land which lay scattered in the several parishes of Northfieet, Mepham, Ludsdown, Cobham, and other places, and it is probable had an estate in Somersetshire (for reasons he gives). Walter de Huntingfleld is mentioned in the Testa de Nevill, 20 Hen. III. In the Book of Aid, 20 Edw. III., Sir John de Huntingfleld is frequently mentioned as holding lands which Peter de Huntingfleld held. The quarterly coat of Piers de Huntingfleld is remarkable as containing the charge of 3 plates on each of the points of the label; this is evidently a distinctive relic of the older coat borne by Wm. de Huntingfleld in Charles' Roll, viz., 3 plates on a fess. * John de Tancre held a knight's fee in Betshanger (Testa de Nevill). Before 20 Edw. III. , John de Tenacre or Tancre sold the manor of Great Betshanger, formerly held by the family of De Marines, of whom Sir Alberic dc Marines was living 1219 (Arch. Cunt.). 18 Edw. I., Bertram de Tancre was a Commissioner of Sewers (Dugdale on Embanking). A family of Tenacre lived at Boughton Blean in the sixteenth century, ending in an heiress, married to Wm. Brooke of Hartlip, Esq., living 1619. t According to the Book of Fees, 38 Hen. III. (Arch. Qant., XIII., 203), Stephen Soldankeheld 2 knights' fees of the Abbot of St. Augustine, in the hundred of Ringslo and elsewhere. | Mr. Planche (Comer of Kent, plate 13, p. 254) gives a drawing of the coat, a field ermine, a chief quarterly, in the first quarter an annulet, which as 2 seals engraved in Arch. Qant. (III., 143), without the annulet, shew were the arms of James de Peckham, 49 Edw. III. and 13 Ric. II. This coat with the annulet is depicted on the tabard of a man in Ash Church next Sandwich. Another figure on a tabard gives the same coat without the annulet. But the coat with the annulet is either meant for a cadet of Peckham, retaining a vestige of the earlier coat of 6 annulets (as in the case of Huntingfleld and many others), or of St. Nicholas, to denote a connection with Peckham. Mr. Planche says (p, 361), " The arms of St. Nicholas, ermine, a chief 12 EARLY KENTISH ARMORY. Will, de Mer [worth] : Arg. a chevron gules between 10 crosses potent sable (alii, the crusilly simple). Eymeri de Lucy: Azure crusilly and 3 lueies haur iant 2 and 1 or. Richard fitz Dering: Or a saltire sable.* Thomas de Marines : Or a cross engrailed gules. Henry de Malmains: Gules 3 dexter (alii, sinister) hands erected arg. (or) 2 and 1. Will. Peyfrer: Argent 6 fleurs-de-lis sable (alii, azure). Roger de Romenal (Romney): Or 2 chevrons gules on a quarter of the second 3 leopard's heads couped at the neck or, 2 and l.f Aleyn de Tuitham (Twitham): Argent 3 cinquefoils pierced sable. X quarterly or and gules, deserve an essay to themselves. Camden, in his Remains, has pointed out the similarity of them to those of the families of Peckham and Parrock, and given them as an example of the bearing of coat-armour [as he supposed] derived from that of a feudal lord; that portion of the shield called ' t he chief in Heraldry being in this instance the coat of the great family of Say. The origin of the three families, St. Nicholas, Peckham, and Parrock, is generally considered to have been a common one." * Mr. Greenstreet has a long note on this bearing (Reliquary, vol. xvi., p. 239) discrediting it as spurious, observing " the name and coat are manifest impositions; they have undoubtedly been inserted over the coat and name of Criol;" and subsequently describes it as " a wilful falsification." t On this name and coat Mr. Greenstreet has this note (Reliquary, vol. xviii., p. 172) : " Note that the Oxford version has Ralph Romenalle or Romevalle. It is possible that neither Christian names are correct, and that the Roll originally had Robert, i.e., the son and heir (of full age) of Alan de Romney, whose Inquis. p.m. was taken in co. Northampton, 54 Hen. III. The arms were according to Papworth (p. 544) granted, but query rather confirmed, to Romney of Milton, Kent, 1615. James Greenstreet impaled them with his own (Barry of 8 argent and azure on a canton of the second a martlet or) on his marriage with Frances Romney in 1644." X Mr. Planche thinks this a branch of the family of Helles (p. 92), as temp. John the names occur of Alan and Theobald de Twitham, which names are found in the Helles family. But I would go a step beyond this, and suggest that, about the middle of the twelfth century, the two families of Helles and Twitham married two coheirs of the Domesday family of Ros, and that the latter married the elder coheir, and took her arms, the coat of Twitham THE DERING ROLL OE ARMS. 13 Ivon de Sillingheld: Azure 6 leopard's heads, couped at the neck 3, 2, and 1 * Robert de Hougham: Argent (or) 5 chevronels sable. Ralph Sauvage: Ermine on a chief azure 3 lions rampant argent. Bartholomew de Morston: Argent on a chief gules 3 birds (martlets) or.f Hamon de Gatton : Chequy of 6 by 5 azure and argent (alii, argent and azure)4 Will. Heringod: Azure crusilly and 6 (3) herrings hauriant or (alii, crosslets argent, and another no crosslets). Will, de Hastinge : Argent a fess between 3 lozenges azure.§ being 3 cinquefoils, and that of Ros the allusive charge of 3 roses. Certainly the Helles family derived Darent at least at some period, from the Ros family, who held it at the Conquest, and the Twitham and Helles family were both liberal benefactors to the Knights Hospitallers. Twitham-Hells, a manor in Ash, not far from Goshall (formerly belonging to the family of Helles), belonged to Theobald de Twitham who died seised of it 4 Ric. II., leaving a daughter and heiress Maud, who was wife of Simpkin Septvans, but who (Theobald) bore apparently 3 bars, on a bend 3 crescents, as in the windows of Molland, and on the brasses of Christopher Septvans and Walter Septvans (figured in Planche, p. 225), and on the monument of Sir Thomas Harfleet (also figured p. 229). * Hasted says (vii., 283) the manor of Shillingheld is in Selling juxta Graveney, and was held, t. John, by John de Shillingheld of the Barony of Chilham. Elias de Shillingheld is mentioned in the Liber Niger 1166. Sir John de Shillingheld, Knt., was a Crusader temp. Ric. I. (Abbreviatio Plac, p. 99). Sir Ivo or Eudo de Shillingheld, Knt., is mentioned, f ol. 308, in the Cartulary of St. Augustine (Claudius D x., Cott. MSS., Brit. Mus.). t This name occurs in the Fines of Edw. II. , and in the Fees of Hen. III. , and is noticed in the Apulderfield pedigree before referred to. In the Liber Niger 1166, Thomas de Moriston and Stephen de Moriston each held a knight's fee of the Abbot of St. Augustine. X A pedigree of this family is found in the 5th volume of Arch. Cantiana with the chequy coat on seals. § In a paper on " Early Sussex Armory," in Sussex Arch. Coll., vol. xxx., I have collected notices of the knightly family of Hastings of Hastings, which is said (but I think without foundation) to have had no connection with the celebrated and ennobled family of Hastings, who are traced to "Walter the Deacon," a, Domesday tenant in chief in Essex, Gloucester, and Suffolk. In Philipot's Church Notes, these precise arms of Hastings are said to be in 14 EARLY KENTISH ARMORY. Nicole Malmeyns: Gules 3 dexter hands erected argent 2 and 1. Wm. St. Leger : Azure a fret argent and a chief gules. Thomas de Kent: Argent a fess gules.* Cael de Huntingfleld: Gules crusilly and a bend arg. (alii, crosslet, fitchy). [The whole Roll comprises 324 shields.] Mr. Greenstreet, in Notes and Queries, May 1, 1875, published a brief but important Roll of purely Kentish Arms about 1317-27. It is, however, he Gillingham Church, co. Kent, wherein is a figure with these arms on a tabard (engraved in the Sussex volume, p. 141). In a Note I have shewn the connection between this family and Helles, and a notice of a suit concerning land in Gillingham. I suspect a relationship between the two families, as one of the coats of Helles is Prmine, 3 lozenges gules; and David, Earl of AthoU, 7 Edw. III'., settled on his kinsman, Sir Henry de Helles, Eggarton in Kent, which the Earl inherited, in right of his wife, Joan Comyn, from her first cousin John de Hastings. In Notices of the Pllises, vols, i. and ii., I have given copious particulars of the family of Helles, who possessed the manor of that name in Darent. Another coat the family bore was Sable, a bend argent, which was the coat of Antingham of Antingham in Norfolk, and probably derived from them who held under the Criolls. Another, and I believe an earlier, coat was a chevron between 3 fleurs-de-lis. A very early notice of the family is given in Furley's Weald of Kent. * A.D. 1166, Nicholas de Kent held one and a half knight's fee of Daniel Crevequer. Nicholas de Kenet in a charter styles Emma Crevequer "mater mea" (Planche, p. 292). Barming East— Fulke Peyforer and Roger de Kent held this manor in moieties of the Honor of Clare. Wm. de Kent was his son and heir. 20 Edw. I I I . , John, son of James, and Thos. and John de Kent held jointly one knight's fee. Elias de Kent held lands in Hinton, co. Camb., of the heirs of Nicholas de Cryell (Hundred Rolls, ii., 440). Kent's chantry in Hedcorne was founded by John Kent, 6 Edw. IV. Walter de Kancia died seised of Beracre before 20 Edw. III. Mr. Greenstreet furnishes me with several notices of the family of Kenet. 12 Hen. III., Nicholas de Kenet occurs in a fine of lands in Lamberhurst. Nicholas de Kenet held half a knight's fee in Lamberhurst of Hamo de Creveceur (Testa de Nevill). 43 Hen. III. , Nicholas de Kenet and Peter his brother occur, both having a son Peter. Peter, the son of Peter, was deforciant of the manor of Lamberhurst. A N. de Kenet occurs in Matthew Paris' Collection of Arms, bearing Or, 3 talbots passant 2 and 3 gules. It is remarkable that both families held of the Orevecceurs. A KENTISH ROLL OE ARMS, A.D. 1317-27- 15 says, " wanting in tinctures throughout, and in many instances even the charges are absent." There are about sixty shields, but I select only those which have not been noticed before. Cobeham de Sterborough : On a chevron 3 estoiles.* Sir Tho. Cobeham: On a chevron 3 fleurs-de-lis.* Sir Wm. Barrey : A fess inter 6 fleurs-de-lis.f Sir Tho. Colepepper: A bend engrailed. Erogenhall: 2 bars and a chief. J Heigham: Barry nebulee of 6. * In Collectanea Gen. and Top. (vii., 320-54) is given a series of deeds of the Cobham family with the seals attached. Sir Reginald de Cobham, who died 1257, bore 3 estoiles or mullets on a chevron, as did his nephew, Sir Reginald of Sterborough. Sir John Cobham, Sheriff of Kent, who died 1300, bore on a chevron 3 fleursde- lis. His grandson, Sir Thomas of Beluncle, died before 1352. Sir Thomas de Cobham of Chafford, nephew of Sir John, sealed with a remarkable coat, a chevron between a mullet pierced in chief and a fleur-de-lis, and in base a cross erosslet, thus combining charges derived from different sources. The Cobham armory as illustrated by the deeds referred to is most instructive, indicating as it does the numerous different coats borne by the various members of one family, variations common to most eminent families at early periods, and not arbitrarily assumed, but derived generally from alliances, or partially adopted from ancestral matches, and this to denote as well relationship as a " difference " from the head of the family. In the Appendix to Mr. Lower's Curiosities of Heraldry, the different arms borne by the family are assigned to certain sources, but whether truly or not is a matter for investigation. Thus Win. de Pluckley bears a fleur-de-lis, and his " brother," John de Cobham, 3 fleurs-de-lis, and the chevron is derived from a match with Buckland. An early deed of the family (p. 345), styled " a notable instrument " of John, son of Henry de Cobham, son of Serb, has the legend " Sigillum Johannis Cobbeham " surrounding a fleur-de-lis. t There is a pedigree of this family in Harl. MS. 1548, where the field of this coat is given as argent, the fess gules, and the fleurde- lis sable. One of the family married the heiress of Sevington of Sevington, whose arms were Argent, on a fess wavy sable 3 escallops or between 3 trefoils slipped sable, as quartered by Elys, and others through that family, from the match of Thomas Elys, Sheriff of Kent 1426, with Katherine, dau. and h. of John Barry, son of Sir Humphry Barry of Sevington. Several of their sepulchral memorials are given by Weever, and in Arch. Cant., Vol. IV. % Copious particulars of the family of Frogenhall are given in Nichols' Topographer and Genealogist, iii., 206. 16 EARLY KENTISH ARMORY. John Culpepper: Ermine a bend engrailed* . Chich : 3 lions rampant and a bordure engrailed.f John Diggs : On a cross 5 eagles. J * No genealogist has yet explained the origin of the name of Culpepper. No such local name has been met with either in England or Normandy ; nor does the name in the existing form denote any office or calling, or appear to have been personal. The earliest known account of the family is given by Hasted in his History of Kent, 8vo ed. (v., 265), under "Pembury," the first of the name known being Thomas de C, who was one of the Recognitores Magnce Assise, temp. King John. If the name be a local name, as appears by the prefix de, it must be a corruption which cannot be easily traced. " Culspore " in East Sussex might have given name to the family. In the Catalogue of the Dering Collection of Deeds is one, No. 235, by which, temp. Henry III. , Ralph, son of Algar de Culspore, confirms the sale of an acre in Culspore. And in the Muster Roll of the Rape of Hastings, published in the Collectanea Gen. and Top. (vii., 123), Walter Colspore occurs in the list for the hundred of Colspor; and in Add. Charters, B. Mus., is one, No. 20001, in which Marcha and Gyrama, daughters and heirs of Henry de Colspore, occur A.D. 12—, a witness being Thomas de Colspore. • As a clue to the origin of the family, their arms, the "bloody bend engrailed," might be traced to kindred coats. Robert Walrand, in the Roll of 1240-5, bore an identical coat in tinctures and charge; and the Kentish families of Malmains, Chitcroft, and Halden bore a bend engrailed. The probability seems to be that the Culpepers rose to their high position by a wealthy alliance, and in that way, like the Sussex family of Dallingridge, acquired their coat-armour with their property, but through what channel is at present unknown. T The origin of this name has often puzzled me. As Birsty is a crasis of Birchensty and Chumley of Cholmondeley, so I think Chiche to be a contraction of Chicheley. For (Harl. MS. 1094) the pedigree of Chicheley contains a match of Wm. O, Alderman of London, temp. Henry VI., with Cath., dau. of Wm. Chiche of Chicheley, gent., and Isabel his niece marries Alan, son of Valentine Chiche of the Dungeon. We meet with Ernaldus de Chich, temp. Henry II. (Philipot). Perhaps the last of the name in Kent was Catharine Chiche, widow, of Canterbury, whose will, dated 1525, is met with at Somerset House in Porch 6. The arms, 3 lions rampant, are on the tomb of Thomas Elys, Mayor of Sandwich, temp. Ric. I I . Genealogists say Alice his dau. and coh. was wife of Sir Tho. Chiche. 1311, Roger Elys was manucaptor of Tho. Chiche, M.P. for Canterbury (Pari. Writs). Azure, 3 lions rampant argent within a bordure of the same, are quartered by the three families of Norton, Finch, and Tattesham in respect of matches with the three coh. of John Elys of Otham, who died 1467, and who must have married an heiress of Chiche (Notices of the Pllises, ii., 293). % The family of Digges in the Visitations bore Gules, on a cross THE PARLIAMENTARY ROLL OE ARMS. 17 Thorneham : 3 boar's beads. John Gower [the poet] : On a chevron 3 leopard's heads.* St. Leger: A fret and a chief within a bordure. Sir Tho. Shelley: A fess engrailed inter 3 escallops.f Eolyott: 6 annulets. $ One of the most valuable Rolls of Arms is the "Parliamentary Roll," probably of knights eligible to be called to the Council of the Nation, published in his Parliamentary Writs, by Sir E. Palgrave. The date is supposed to be of the time of Edward I., and the coats are about 1100 in number. One of its chief values is that the Bearers are arranged in counties, and are all of knightly rank. The knights therein enumerated are only some (it may be the chief) of those who held that rank in each county. The following are of the county of Kent : — Sir Simon de Leyburne: Azure 6 lioncels arg. a bordure indented or. Sir Henry de Leyburne: the same with a label gobony or and gules.§ argent 5 eagles displayed sable. This coat, except in tinctures, is exactly the same as that of Abelyn, to whom it is said Diggcs was a feudal tenant. * A similar coat was borne by Loverick of Sandwich. See Planche's Corner of Kent, p. 95. t The Shelley family, according to Hasted, are met with in the county as early as Edw. I. May married an heiress of Shelley, who bore Gules 3 unicorn's heads couped or. For in the Arms found in " Mr. Ellis his house " (? Burton in Kennington), apparently taken at the Visitation of 1574 (Harl. MS. 4031, p. 162), there is a shield of Elys quartering May (Gules, a fess between 6 billets or) ; and over the coat of Shelley is written "this joyned to May." There is a pedigree of Schellay of Schellay in Yorkshire of several descents. Henry de S., aire. 1230, gave' lands to Roche Abbey. X In Glover's Ordinary Sir John Foliott is said to bear 6 annulets. § In the same Roll, under " Warwickshire," two others of this family are mentioned : Sir Richard de L., Gules, six lioncels arg. ; Sir Nicholas de L., the same arms with a label azure. Immediately following these names is that of Sir Thomas de Heselarton, who bore Gules, six lioncels arg., coronez d'or. He had evidently married a Leybourne, or was a Leybourne who had changed his name. VOL. xv. c 18 EARLY KENTISH ARMORY. Sir Eobert de Scirlande : the same with a canton ermine. Sir Robert de Rokesley: the same with a fess gules. Sir John de Bikenor: Argent on a chief azure 3 lioncels argent. Sir Thomas de Bicknor: the same with a baston gules. Sir John Savage : Ermine on a chief azure 3 lioncels arg. Sir Roger Savage : Argent 6 lioncels sable. Sir John de Welle: Gules 6 crescents argent, a bend gobony or and azure. Sir Henry de Cobham: Gules a chevron or 3 fleurs-de-lis argent. Sir Renaud de Cobham: the same, 3 molets azure on the chevron. Sir Henry de Cobham, le oncle: Gules a cross argent. Sir Stephen de Cobham: the same with a label azure. Sir John de Handlou: Gules 3 crescents argent. Sir William de Echingham: Azure fretty argent. Sir Robert de Echingham: the same with a bordure indented or. Sir Ralph de St. Leger: the same with a chief or. Sir John de St. Leger: the same, a chief gules. Sir Robert de Estangrave : Azure billetee and a cross argent. Sir William Peyforer : Argent fleuretty de sable. Sir Eulke Peyforer : the same arms, a label gules. Sir Bartholomew de Burwash: Gules lion rampant or, tail forked. Sir Simon de Creie : Gules cross engrailed or. Sir Wm. de Creie: the same and a bend azure. Sir John de Norwoode : Ermine a cross engrailed gules. Sir John (son) filz : the same, a label azure. Sir Wm. de Valoynes : Hndee de long argent and gules. Sir John de Champayne: Argent 3 undes gules. Sir Moris le Brun: Azure fer de moulin d'or. Sir Piers de Huntingfleld: Quartile or and gules bordure sable. Sir E steven de Gravesende: Or les egles sable a canton ermine. Sir Robert de Septvans : Azure 3 vannes d'or. Sir John Abel: Argent saltire engrailed gules. THE PARLIAMENTARY ROLL OE ARMS. 19 Sir Nicholas Malmains : Argent bend engrailed de pourpre. Sir John le fitz Bernard: Or chief gules, 2 mullets of the field. Sir Wm. de Basinges : Azure a cross recercelee and voided d'or un baston de goules. Sir Nicholas de Kyriel: Or 2 chevrons and a quarter gules. Sir Robert le Creuker : Gules cross or. Sir de Lucy: Gules crusilly d'or, 3 luces d'or. Sir Amery de Lucy : the same, the field azure. Sir Thomas de Lucy: Azure crusilly d'argent 3 luces d'argent. Sir Thomas de St. Leger : Azure fretty d'argent on a chief or a mullet gules. The collection of arms in the Cloisters of Canterbury Cathedral is a Kentish Armory by itself for the time of their sculpture." Having been printed by Mr. Willement, 1826, in a distinct publication, they are not here reproduced. Copies also exist in Add. MS., Brit. Museum, 5479, Lansdowne MS. 878, and Harleian MS. 1366. Mr. Greenstreet, in the Genealogist (v., 169), has some critical remarks on these copies ; of Mr. Willement's he says : " His book must not be taken to be an accurate description of what is to be seen in the cloisters now, for he has neglected to give an account of several very important coats, an omission not to be excused, as they are in a state of high preservation, and many of the shields he has described twice over, to say nothing of other minor inaccuracies and omissions. His blazon of the charges is moreover in many places very faulty." I now proceed to discuss and consider several ancient Kentish coats, both armorially and genealogically. There is a coat which occurs twice in the preceding Rolls, viz., that of Nicol Ablin, who bore o 2 20 EARLY KENTISH ARMORY. Or, on a cross sable 5 eagles argent. In the Charles Roll, a kindred coat with a resembling name is met with, viz., that of Gilbert de St. Aubin, who bore Or, on a cross sable 5 plates argent, the colours of the field, ordinary, and charges being the same. In the " Pari. Roll" Sir John Rossell bears another kindred coat, viz., Or, on a cross sable 5 mullets argent; and in a MS. version of that Roll (Harl. MS. 4033) Sir Henry Elys, of Yorkshire, bore another, viz., Or,- on a cross sable 5 crescents argent (the precise coat' of arms borne by Elys, of Stoneacre, in Otham, co. Kent, as far back at least as Thomas Elys, Sheriff of Kent, A.D. 1426), whilst in Willement's Roll of Arms, t. Rich. II., Sir John Elys is said to have borne the same, with the difference of escallops instead of crescents, he being doubtless the Sir John Elys of Kiddall Hall, near Leeds, living at that time.* Another kindred coat is that of Aton, who bore Or, on a cross sable 5 bull's heads caboshed argent. Here we get at the basis of all these coats, viz., the baronial family of Vescy, who bore Or, a cross sable; for Wm. de Aton was son of Gilbert de Aton, who married Margaret, daughter and heiress of Warin Vescy, second son of Wm. fitz John, son of Eustace. (Vis. Yorks., Harleian Soc. vol. xvi., pp. 10 and 369). Here we have instances, as in the case of the Cobham family, of a number of kindred coats, in which the same tenacity of tinctures was preserved, and which indicate a common origin by * This is more probably an heraldic misnomer than a " difference." There is a MS. in the British Museum (Harl. MS. 337), temp. Edw. I., which gives illuminated arms of many families, and it is there shewn that crescents and escallops were drawn nearly alike; the arms of Rither being represented as 3 escallops, whilst it is well known their coat was 3 crescents, ABELYN. 21 descent or marriage. This argument is brought forward to shew that Ablin is a misreading for Albin or St. Aubin, on armorial grounds. As we shall presently see, there was no family of Ablin. If it could be shewn that there was a family of Ablin, going back a century or two, who bore this coat, cadit qucestio. But in all these cases it is much more likely that a succession of ignorant transcribers should misread names, or by ear misunderstand them, than that the pictorial language of Heraldry should be mistaken. No one could mistake a lion rampant for a fess, or a saltire for an eagle. The name of Ablin (or anything like it) does not occur in Domesday, nor in any of the Record publications (except with reference to the Kentish family), and as far as I have seen it is confined to the persons in this pedigree :*— Sir Thomas Abelyn, Knt., witness to a deed {Areh.=j=laol&a,, remarried Henry Cant., VIII., 290) of Rose de Dovor in her widow- de Apulderfield ; ob. hood. (She married thirdly, 35 Hen. III., then set. 1295-6 {Topograplwr eirc. 46.) Ob. 4 E. I. Inq. p.m. 38 Hen. III., had and Gen., iii, 179). 1 knight's fee in hundred of Middleton. Nicholas Abelyn, Mary, heir of her brother, sat 25,6 Edw. I.; ux. John Savage, set. 30, 1276 ; ob. In Hasted's MSS. 5481 occurs a deed, dated 12D2, of John 6 Edw. I. (Inq. Savage, with the arms of Abelyn on an escutcheon of p.m.) pretence. In the same MS. a deed of Roger Digge and Albina his wife, dated 41 Edw. III., with, on a seal, 5 eagles on a cross, the arms of Digges. * There is a place called Ablon in the canton of Honfleur (Lower). 1455, Wm. Abelin occurs at Rouen. A John Abelin occurs 1300 as Mayor of Windsor. In Glover's Index of Heirs the Kentish name is spelt Avelyn, and perhaps the name of Evelyn is identical. But these instances, and a dozen more, are nothing against the armorial argument. In the Book of Aid for Kent Tho. de Aldon is called in one place Tho. Aldelyn, an analogous instance to that before us. Hugh Aveline, of New Windsor, occurs 27 Edw. I I I. (M. and Bray's Surrey). Contemporary with Sir Tho. Abelyn lived Nicol de St. Albano, who is mentioned in Eines 25, 27, 32, and 35 Hen. I I I . for lands in Lillington and Earlegh, co. Kent (Lansd. MSS. 267-8). In 48 Edw. I I I . Thomas de St. Alban's was seised in fee of the manor of Apulderfield: in 1375 Robert de St. Alban's was its owner 22 EARLY KENTISH ARMORY. But I have excellent authority for presuming the Kentish name of Abelyn to mean St. Albin. In some Rolls of Arms, published in the Arohceologia (vol. xxxix., p. 417), and edited by Mr. Perceval, E.S. A., the following names occur, with his comment:— No. 473. Orkablin (quaere St. Aubin): Or P on a cross sable 5 escallops arg.* No. 325. Gilbert de Wolt Aubin : Or? on a cross sable 5 bezants (qucere St. Aubin, and the charges plates). No. 395. Nicol Ablin: Or on a cross sable 5 eagles displayed arg. I t is not only that names are misread in these Rolls, but the blazonry also, as a comparison of different Rolls clearly shews. In the names just preceding it is obvious that some very careless transcriber had written ""Wolt" for Saint, but what " Orkablin" means, prima facie,it is difficult to tell. I will, however, make a suggestion that I think is well founded. In the Heraldic Dictionaries Argent, 3 fleurs-de-lis sable are attributed to Abelyn. This coat with colours reversed is found in Ratby Church, co. Leicester, for Areas. In the Parliamentary Roll Sir Alexander Areas occurs for Leicestershire as bearing sable 3 fleurs-de-lis argent. There is a place called Sahdford-Orcas in Somersetshire, which, says Collinson, the historian of the county (ii., 377), got its distinctive name from Orcas, which is a corruption of Orescuilz, an ancient Norman family. Surnames as Christian names in early times were rare, but (Topographer and Genealogist, iii., 11). In 15 Edw. II. Adam, son of Katharine de St. Albano, and Nicholas, brother of the said Adam, occur in a fine of lands in Woolwich (Arch. Cant., XIV., 278). In 19 Rich. II. Radulphus Albyn and Sarah his wife occur in a fine of lands in Yalding. * The name and blazon are exactly the same in a copy in Harl. MS. 6137, except that sable is rendered vert. HATJT. 23 occasionally are met with, as Bigot de Loges and Buci de Sullitone, and " Orkablin " in the case before us may mean Orcas Ablin or Albin. I have dwelt at some length on this Kentish name of Abelyn because it is an instructive case, as shewing how this and similar problems may be solved by a sceptical departure from the habit of strict adherence to a literal and pedantic interpretation. The name of HATJT is often met with in Kentish genealogies. There is an elaborate pedigree of this family in Harl. MS. 1432, being a copy of the Visitation of 1619, but it is untrustworthy in many of its affiliations, and before Sir Simon de Haut probably mythical. This person we have seen (ante, p. 9) occurs as Simon de Hauthe,* miles, in a charter dated 29 Hen. III. One of the earliest coats borne by this family, if we may trust the date and authenticity of a charter mentioned by Mr. Willement in his book of the Arms in the Cloisters of Canterbury Cathedral (p. 106), is a fess and in chief 3 roundels. He describes it thus :—" A grant of lands to the prior and convent of Christ Ohurch, Canterbury, dated 19 Hen. III., to which the original seal is attached, contains on a heater-shaped shield the same arms as in the cloister (viz., No. 351: Arg., a fess azure, in chief 3 torteaux),f surrounded by the following inscription,' Sigill' Ricardi fil. Deringi deHaut;' penes auctorem." The date of his book is 1827. A kindred coat to this is that of Huntingfleld, viz., Or, on a fess * Hoath is in the Lathe of St. Augustine, near Chislet. f The arms of Devereux, a fess, in chief 3 roundels, are also in the cloisters. Sir John Devereux was Constable of Dover Castle. A similar coat is quartered by Langley, viz., Argent, a fess and 3 roundels in chief sable, as seen on a tabard in Knowlton Church (Philipot's Church Notes). 24 EARLY KENTISH ARMORY. gules 3 plates, which might have originated that of Haut. The above is not. the only instance of Dering being used as a Christian name: we meet with Dering de Northwood 1203 (Arch. Cant., IV., 280); and it occurs twice in Domesday—in Deal as Dering son of Sired, and in Parningham as Dering simply; afterwards it occurs as a surname, as in the case of Richard Dering, 5 Edw. II., who is party to a fine of lands in Minster and Thanet (Arch. Cant., XL, 346), whilst in the Nonse Rolls, temp. Edw. III. , John Dering occurs as a parishioner of Hythe, the probable ancestor of the Derings living in that neighbourhood whose wills are given in the 10th Vol. of Arch. Qant.* Another well-known coat of Haut is the cross engrailed, which was got from the match with Marines. Another, obtained subsequent to this alliance, seems to have been a saltire, if we may trust a deed of Haut and seal in Hasted's MSS., Add. MS. 5481, fo. 33, dated 5 Hen. VL, where the saltire impales the cross engrailed, both being dimidiated. In confirmation of this bearing of the saltire by Haut, we have, according to Burke's Armory, a grant by the Heralds, 23 Nov. 1584, to Hault of Wye and Maidstone, of the bearings Or, on a saltire sable 5 mullets of the first, being at that date an evident recognition of the saltire bearing by Haut. Lastly, we have another coat borne by Haut of Haut's Bourne, acquired by descent from Bourne, viz., Argent, on a bend azure 3 lions passant or, which is attributed to Monsieur Nicolas Hawte in Harl. MS. 6137. Philipot, in his Church Notes, before quoted, says that the coat Or, a saltire sable, is that of PLXJCKLEY, * 9 Richard II., John Dering is quer. in a fine, and Stephen Tomlyn and Idonea his wife defore'of tenements in Lyd and Middelee. TLUCKLEY. 25 and is on the pillars of Pluckley Ohurch; but I have never seen any seal or authority for this attribution. I t is the precise coat of the ancient family of Clervaux of Yorkshire; and by the list of holders of fees in Kent 38 Hen. III. (Arch. Cant., XII., 205), it appears that Hugo de Clervaus held the third part of a knight's fee in Blean of the honour of Gloucester. This may have occasioned the introduction of their saltire into Kent. The next instance I have met with of the occurrence of the sable saltire on a gold field is on a brass of Isabella, the wife of Sir Wm. Barry, at Sevington, where Barry impales it (figured in Arch. Cant., IV., 119). Who she was we are left to conjecture. The following pedigree of Pluckley is in Add. MS. 5534, and, as it is brief, and useful to refer to, may as well be given here; but it must be taken quantum valeat. John, to whom Abp. Lanfranc gave Pluckley. Osbert de Pluckley.=j=Eugeni a. John de Pluckley. Osbert de Pluckley. I I John de Pluckley. Gerald de Fresne. Sir Wm. de Pluckley, Robert de Pluckley, Hugh de Fresne* of 32 Hen. III. 3, 10, 14 Ed. I. Calehill. I * * By the Liber Niger, 1166, it appears that Hugo de Eresne held half a knight's fee of Daniel de Crevequer, perhaps the manor of Calehill m Little Chart. The same record states that Walter de Eresne held three knights' fees of Adam de Port in Herefordshire, and Alured de Eresne one-third knight's fee of Hugh de Lacy. This was an eminent Norman family, and is mentioned by Ordericus Vitalis, who says that Richard Eresnel was a vassal of the Earl of Breteuil, that he had eight sons, and was owner of the Castle of Eerte-Eresnel in Perche, which was held by the service of five knights completely armed. In the Collection des Cartulaires de France, in 3 vols., edited by M. G-uerard, many of the name occur. 26 EARLY KENTISH ARMORY. u Robert de Pluckley. John de Pluckley, Lord of=pMargery, dau. of Bertyn Pluckley ; ob. 10 Ed. II. Malmains. Wm. de Pluckley ; 7 Ed. II.,=pIsabel, dau. and heiress of Wm. de 6 Ed. III. Toniford, son of John de Toniford. Agnes, dau. and coheiress.=pJohn de Surrenden. T John de Surrenden,=T=Marg., dau. of Edmund Theobald de 44 Ed. III. de Sellinge. Smrenden, Joan, dau. and heiress.^John Haut, 17 Ric. II. Christiana, dau. and coheiress.=j=Jomi Dering of Westbrooke ; ob. 1425. Amongst the Harleian Charters is a Deed of Release of Robert SORYNLEN, Thomas. Elys of Kenington, and Roger Rye, to John Haute of Plokelei, Turold, son of Osbern de Ereschenes, was a witness at the beginning of the eleventh century. In the twelfth century Raoul de Eresnay sealed with a fleur-de-lis (Danisy, Recueil des Sceaux). Hasted says the arms of Presne were Or, a fleur-de-lis sable within a bordure of the same, and we shall see presently that the family of Pluckley sealed with a fleur-de-lis. By the Book of Aid, 20 Ed. III. (Arch. Cant., X., 131), it appears that in the hundred of Calehill Richard de Frene and others then held one knight's fee which John de Pluckley and others had held in Pluckley. In Add. MS., Brit. Mus., 5481, before quoted, are abstracts of several deeds of Pluckley. In 1286, a charter of John de Pluckley, son of Sir Wm. de Pluckley, is sealed with a fleur-de-lis, and witnessed by Osbert de Pluckley. There is a deed dated "apud Toniford," 11 Edw. I., of John de_ Pluckley to Wm. de Pluckley his brother, sealed with a fleur-de-lis and the legend " Sig. Johis de Plucklei milit. j " the witnesses being Rob. de Surendene tunc ballivus de Westgate, Tho. de Toniford and Richard his brother. Another, dated 1292, of John, son of Will. Pluckley, Knt., to Robert his brother, is sealed with a fleur-de-lis. In 1308, a deed of Wm., son of John de Pluckley, gives to John Malmains land adjoining the lands of John de Selling, apothecary of London. In 6 Edw. III., William, son of John de Toniford, grants to Wm., son of John Pluckley and Isabella his wife, a messuage in • Pluckley, the witnesses being John de Sellyng, John and Robert his sons, Robert de Pluklee and John his son. SURRENDEN.—SHELVING-SELLING-. 27 dated 7 Henry V., the witnesses being John Darell, Edward Hardres, John Dygges, Wm. Barry, Wm. Scot, and others. There are three seals, two being devices, and the third, on a shield a bend cotized indented, with the legend " Sigillum Rob "I n Add. MS. 5481 is an earlier Deed of Surrenden, dated 1378, with the same arms. The following pedigree from the De Banco Rolls, 24 Hen. VI., kindly furnished by Mr. Greenstreet, gives other members of the family :— Simon Sorynden. Alice " one daughter." Joan " one dau."=j=. . . Elys. Margaret" the other dau."=Tho. Colyn. Wm. Elys, Rich. Elys, sons and heirs in gavelkind of lands in Benynden. I now proceed to notice the knightly families of SELLING and SHELVING, and to consider their armorial bearings. Pour coats are attributed to these names, viz.:— 1. Sir John de Shelving, who, according to a Kentish Roll in the handwriting of Philipot, Somerset Herald, bore Azure, a fess ermine, in chief 3 cinquefoils or. Mr. G-reenstreet thinks the fess here came from Waleys. 2. In Pluckley Church, in the east window of the south chancel, is an impaled coat: the dexter Argent, on a cross azure 5 annulets or, which, Philipot says (Church Notes, Harl. MS. 3917), is for " Sellinge of Shurland;" the sinister being Billety, a griffin segreant argent. In Add. MS. 5481 is a deed, dated 37 Edw. III., sealed with the 5 annulets on a cross, (the legend being " Sigill. Johis de Sellinge,") of John filius Elyse de villa de Chilton, whereby he gives to Agnes, widow of John de Surrenden, and to John her son, all his 28 EARLY KENTISH ARMORY. land in Pluckley and Parva Chart, which descended to him from Tho. de Pluckley and Isabella, mother of the said Thomas. According to a pedigree in Add. MS. 16279, this Isabella was daughter of Wm. de Pluckley, and married, first, Stephen Stace, of Chart Parva, and secondly, Elias de Chilton, and Thomas de Pluckley was her brother, not her son; he died without issue. 3. In the Vis. of Kent 1619 (Harl. MS. 1548), in the notes to the pedigree of Ellis, of Otham and Kennington, a trick is made of a coat of Shelving, viz., Party per pale, a lion rampant, impaling Ellis, with this remark underwritten: " These armes remayne thus impaled in Woodchurch ; the seat of this Shelving was at Bourne, where now Sir Anthony Aucher dwelleth; the female heir of that family was married to Hawte, and from the heiress of Hawte the Wyatts and the Culpeppers are descended."* And in the pedigree this Shelving is made the husband of a daughter of Tho. Elys, the Sheriff, Towne marrying another daughter, and his arms impaling Elys are said to " remayne yett in a window of Kenyngton Church." 4. Another coat attributed to Shelving, or Shel- * Philipot in his Church Notes has (in pencil) Gedding and Ellis, after Ellis and Walkesley (i.e. for Guy Ellys, son of the Sheriff, who married a daughter of Wm. Walkesley). But such a match has no confirmation. Eew notices and no pedigree of Gedding are to be met with; Sir John de Gedding, according to the Parliamentary Roll, bore—Chequy argent and sable, on a fess azure 3 buckles or. Gedding might easily have been misread for an undecipherable note of Shelving. Besides, as the family of Towne was connected with that of Shelving, relationship would indicate the latter name to be the one intended. The Shelving coat— Per pale azure and vert, a lion rampant ermine—is quartered by Culpeper after Hawte, who married the daughter and heiress. This coat may in some way have been got from Cawne (vide Arch. Qant., IV., 223, and V., 324). SHELVING. 29 vynk, is Azure, a chevron engrailed between 3 martlets arg., as quartered by Watton (Arch. Qant., IV., 258). The order of the marshalled coats with which this is connected is—3 Towne, 4 Detling, 5 Shelvynk, 6 Dene, 7 Gratton. The following pedigree, founded on Inquisitions, etc., given in Top. and Gen., iii., 202, will shew how this coat is brought in :— Johnde Shelving, of Shelving, in Woodnesborough, dead 1412. John Detling #Z«w=f=Joanna, dau.: Brampton, of Detling, 1st. and coheir. Dead 1412. =Henry de Apulder- Benefield, living 1365, dicta. s.p. Elizabeth. Benedicta.=Stephen de Bettenham,: jure ux. owner of Throwley, B. Malherbe, and Wormesall.* fist, Thomas at Towne, of Towne Place, in Throwley. His son left three coheiresses, who married Sondes, Watton, and Lewknor. Sondes quarters the same coat as Watton for Shelving. * In 15 Edw. III. there was a fine levied between Thomas de Dene and Martha his wife, quer., and Benedicta de Shelving, deforc, of the manors of Bocton-Malherbe, Wormesall, and Throwley. If Thomas die without heirs, to remain to James Shelving. 13 Edw. III. there was a fine between John de Gosehale and Elizabeth his wife, quer., and Benedicta que fuit uxor [widow] of John de Shelving, one of the deforciants, of the manor of Goldstanton. If the said John die without heirs, the said manor, after the death of the said John and Elizabeth, to go to James de Shelving and his heirs, and if he die without heirs, then to Henry, son of Henry de Gosehall, and his heirs. Another fine, 18 Edw. III., is between John de Goshall, chivaler, and Elizabeth his wife, quer., and Osbert de Wynbrok, capellan, and John . . . ., deforc, of the manor of Gosehall, to go after the death of said John and Elizabeth, to Elizabeth, daughter of John . . . ., chivaler, and if the last Elizabeth die without heirs, then to go to Walter de Gosehale, and if he die without heirs, then to Waresius de Valoyns, chivaler, and if he die without heirs to Henry de Gosehale, remainder to James de Shelving. Eor these three Pines I am indebted to Mr. Greenstreet. By the Book of Aid, 20 Edw. III., it appears that Benedicta de Shelving [widow] and Thomas de St. Leger were then assessed for f knight's fee, which John de Shelving and Edmund de St. Leger had formerly held in Woodnesboro'. John de Shelving had died seised of part thereof, 4 Edw. III. (Inq. p.m.). As it would be a hopeless task to endeavour to bring all the members of the Shelving family into a 3 0 EARLY KENTISH ARMORY. To conclude,—Mr. Greenstreet's numerous and valuable contributions to the Archceologia Qantiana, the various Bolls of Arms that have been so critically edited by him, all evidencing such an extensive knowledge of Kentish heraldry and genealogy, and the invaluable lists of extant Rolls in the Genealogist, have eminently qualified him for the performance of the task here imperfectly attempted, and I should have been glad to have seen it in his hands; but non omnia possumus omnes. pedigree, and to reconcile the conflicting accounts of their relations to the families of Hougham, Valoigns, and Bourne, I will simply give a few more notices of the name which I have met with. In 50 Hen. I I I . there was a fine between John de Dene, quer., and Alan, son of John de Shelving and Emma his wife, of lands in Wymingeswold. In .16 Edw. I. there was a fine between Thomas de Shelling and Will., son of John de Shelling and Joanne his wife, of lands in St. Nicholas, Thanet. Thomas de Shelving, of Sandwich, occurs 1288. The Aid Roll of 20 Edw. III . states that John de Sellyng, Thomas de Shelving, and five others had formerly held one knight's fee in Pluckley, which was then held by Joanne de Sellyng and six other persons. Other scattered notices of the family of Selling are met with which cannot be connected in a pedigree. The Cartulary of St. Augustine's mentions several members, inter alios Sir John de Sellinge. Many occur in Pines temp. Edw. II. (vide Arch} Oant., Vol. XL, 312, 331). Sir Ralph de Selling is mentioned 1216-19 (Arch. Cant., II., 315, and IV., 308), and Nicolas de Selling in the Testa de Nevill.