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FIP^YNOLOS HISTORICAL aiNiAUOOY COLLECTION
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3 1833 00858 3863
Heralbrj? of iPtg|u_
NOTICES OF THE PRINCIPAL ExmiLIES
BEARING FISH IN THEIR ARMS,
BY
THOMAS JIOULE.
" Inest sua gratia parvis.'
ILLUSTRATED BY ENGRAVINGS ON WOOD.
LONDON: JOHN VAN VOORST, PATERNOSTER ROW.
M.DCCC.XLir.
1716058
Cfje ^txmxp of Jfisf),
PREFACE.
Tibi res antiquae laudis et artis Aggredior. - Virgil.
The prevailing desire for information on Leraldry does not appear to have been encouraged by the pro- duction of books in proportion to the interest the subject excites, as, amidst the vast range of modern publications very few indeed are found to relate to heraldry. A sufficient reason may perhaps be found in the fear of encountering its boundlessness without the probability of incurring a serious charge of prolixity, by venturing to grasp at once the whole of this extensive subject ; an- other more obvious cause preventing the attemi)t from being rashly made, is the number of engravings required for its support and illustration, feAV publishers being will- ing to risk the great expense attending this very neces- sary part of the undertaking. It is not to be denied, that the research which unfolds the progress of heraldry in the days of chivalric enterprise, and supplies the means of tracing its history through the different periods of time, would prove a most attractive and entertaining employment of leisure ; but the knowledge of its origin, and of the importance it began to acquire at an early epoclu, its improvement, and its perfection, with all the
VI PREFACE.
circumstances to which heraldry owes its power of pleas- ing, is only to be found in books very rarely met with in modern libraries.
The present attempt was suggested by the author's de- sire to compress the opinions advanced into a reasonable compass, and bring within a single volume the various illustrations required.* Great facility has been afforded for its prosecution by the liberality of the publisher, and by the additional satisfaction of having all the drawings with which the work is embellished, made upon the wood under the author's own inspection, by his daugh- ter, Sophia Barbara iVIoule, an advantage which will be best appreciated by those who know the great difficulty of obtaining heraldic drawings correctly executed, in which the beauty, in a great measure, depends on the character of the different periods of art.
In the limited view of heraldry here taken, calculated rather to excite than gratify curiosity, it has not been considered merely with reference to the contents of the shield, or the simple coats of arms, as found on the ban- ners of the Paladins of Europe.f The custom of mar- shalling, in which the arms are blended by family alli- ances, has been the means of affording some illustrations. The modes of representing heraldry on the baronial, and municipal seals, exhibiting no want of invention, and differing from the arrangement on the ancient standards,
* In France, where Heraldry meets with great encouragement, two volumes have appeared on the fleur-de-lis alone, by M. Rey, in 1837.
t Those Rolls of Arms which have been printed, forming the best source of information on English Heraldry, are enumerated in the Rev. J. A. Montagu's excellent "Guiile to the Study <jf Heraldry ;" and since that elegant publication appeared, a MS, collection of the amis and quartcrings of the Council of the Marchers, chiefly of the time of Eli/.aheth, ha.s been [irinted, by the Hon. R. H. Clive, among the " Documeuts connected with the Hisfory of Ludlow," 1841.
PREFACE. Vii
are here sIiout). The lordly cognizance and the house- hold badge nave botli been noticed ; these were in con- stant use from the time of King Richard II. to that of King Henrj VII. when the number of the retainers in- dicated the gi-eatncs-3 of the family.
The most magnificent display of heraldry was afforded by the splendid ceremonial of the tournament,
Where throi'gs of knights and harons bold In weeds of peace high triumphs hold.
The irregular luxuriance of these gorgeous assemblages gave rise to the tenans, and supporters of arms, addi- tional appendages of rank requisite to be known ; almost equal splendour was shown in the rich ecclesiastial em- bellishments used by the higher orders of prelates, and not less interesting is the monkish rebus, rendered vene- rable by antiquity.
Another description of illustration is derived from coins and tokens, the devices on which have an interest in connexion with the subject. The badges of tenure, the badges of trade, and of merchants enriched by com- merce, the marks of printers, and even the signs of inns, have been found entitled to inquiry. The examples afforded by this variety of representation furnish models which may prove useful to the artist who wishes to cul- tivate, successfully, heraldic embellishments. In a j^ro- fessional point of view, the utility of heraldry will be readily admitted; its devices form evidence, in many cases, connected with property and honours, and fre- quently identify or separate persons of the same name when other means fail — a difficulty constantly occurring. Its use also, without overrating its claims, soon becomes apparent to all who wish to attain any proiiciency in
Vlll PREFACE.
history, where its Importcinco in fixing in the memory the series and connexion of events proves its value. The painter will do well to seek the assistance of he- raldry in his representations of historical subjects; he who feels its introduction as an accessary to pictorial effect, need not be told, that chronological accuracy in armorial design is equally requisite with fidelity of costume or the correct portraiture of the ' persons re- presented. To the architect heraldry affords an un- limited extent of enrichment in exterior sculpture; and the judgment of C. Barry, R. A., the architect of the House of Lords, has admitted it, as an important feature, in the principal facade of that splendid edifice. The introduction of arms in windows and pavements also renders it necessary that the architect should be acquainted, not only with the rules, but with the pecu- liar character of the heraldry of different periods. To the naturalist it is not entirely without interest : the late illustrious Cuvier added a knowledge of heraldry to his other pursuits; and the patient investigation of the swan-marks of antiquity by !Mr. Yarrell, in his " History of British Birds," shows considerable attention to the subject: some of those marks, as the key, the crozier, and the arrow, on the swans of the Lord Chamberlain, the Abbot of Swinstead, and of Eton College, bear a close affinity to the devices of heraldry.
It has been the custom, from the time that heraldry was first reduced to system, to arrange the variety of armorial bearings under the natural and artificial figures of which they are composed ; the division of natural his- tory relating to fish forms but a very small part of the principal books in use whenever h^^raldry is required.
PREFACE. IX
Guillira, in his celebrated Display, devotes oue chapter* to skinned and scaled fish, and in anotherj- he treats of crusted and shelled fish. Nisbet, the herald of Scot- land, also, in his System,i describes the heraldry of fish in general; but both writers are necessarily very brief. This part of the subject appeared capable of sustaining a more minute inquiry, \vithout descending into tedious- ness ; there is found to be no want of distinguished names to give attraction to the particular branch the author has chosen, in which he has endeavoured to explain the prin- ciples of early heraldry, which is shown to have been rather territorial than personal. A greater number of the various species of fish have been enumerated; the dolphin, the herring, and the fish of the sea, have afforded several engravings, but the salmon and trout, with the pike, barbel, and roach, and the other fish of the rivers, present the widest field for inquiry ; where the illustra- tions selected for this work are professedly taken from old examples, the copy has been rigidly followed, and in the original designs the peculiar characters of the difier- ent fish are given with the same attempt at accuracy which the ancient heralds would have practised with the same opportunities : this feature will not be overlooked by the angler, the naturalist, or the antiquary. Althougli military service was the principal tenure by which lands were anciently held, yet the different modes of taking fish by the spear, the net, or the hook, are shown to have been indicated in the armorial ensigns of the lords of manors deriving revenue from the produce of the fishery. The boats employed in the same service, whicli were
* Chiiptor xxii. of his third section. t Chapter xxiii.
X Chapter vi. of the second part.
X PREFACE.
at the command of the sovereign in time of war, and formed the original Navy of Britain, distinguish the en- signs of the maritime lords, and the corporate bodies to whom the jurisdiction of the ports was entrusted.
Heraldry partaking largely of allegory, it became ne- cessary to allude to the mythological and religious em- blems consisting of fish, as well as to notice the many compound animals, the fanciful creations of the classical poets ; these conceptions, which excite so much inquiry, rendered it more difficult to do justice within a small space to a subject which appeared to merit farther in-
Marcli, 1842.
M
ILLUSTRATIONS.^
Vignette, containing the arms of Rosengriin, Dornhcim, and Hanf-
stengel, described at page 129 Announcement of a Mermaid Pisces, from the Zodiac of Denderah . Pisces, from ^IS. in British jMuseum Pisces, from Pavement in Canterbury Cathedral Arms of Pfreimbt . . .
Medal of Vitellius
Dolphins, from the Loggie of the Vatican. Amphitrite, from an antique gem Arms of Admiral Lord Hawkc Oporinus's Mark
Vesica Piscis, on a paving-tile at Exeter . Example of fish hauriant Ditto naiant ....
Syracusan Coin
Medal of Brutus . . • . . .
Ditto, Vetjpasian
Byzantine Coin .... Courtenay Standard in the time of Henry VIII Arms of Courtenay Bishop of Winchester Aldus's Mark ....
Pickering's Mark, including the Arms of Walton and Cotton Banner of Daupliine Arms of the Dauphin
Arms of Franklin . . . •
Arms and Crest of Sir Thomas Frankland, Bart. Arms of Dolfin of Venice Ditto .
Crest of Lord Godolphin . Arms and Crest of Monv-pcnny Arms and Crest of Sir John Leman Arms of Vandcput Anns of Bishop Fyshar, from the Parliament Roll
Page
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" There being so few opportunities for the exercise of fera.ole talent, it Infomes a plea- sun; to mention that the engraviii<,'s in this work were, with two or three exception!*, executed by M.iRY and Elizauetii Clint ; a s;itisfattory pn>of of their risijij,' ability.
xu
ILLUSTRATIONS.
34. 35. 36. 37. 38. 39. 40. 41. 42. 43. 44. 45. 46. 47. 4S. 49. 50. 51. 62. 53. 54. 55. 56. 57. 68. 59. 60. 61. 62. 63. 64. 65. 66.
Arms of Fleet ....
Seal of the Dean of Bocking
Arms of Fryer ....
Arms of Bishop James, from stained glass at Oxford
Arms and Crest of Fitz Jamea
Ancient carved Oak Panel
Anns of the Watermen's Company, with Supporters
Arms and Supporters of Sir William Burnaby
Dolphins at sea ....
Arms of Whalley Abbey ....
Arms of Whalley ....
Arms of Vaughan . , . ,
Harpoon, from Rondelet
Arms of Lucy .....
Arms of the Dulce of Northumberland, K. G.
Anns and Quartcrings of the Earl of Sussex, from glass at Newhall
Arms of Calder Abbey
Vane at Charlecote
Arms of Lucy, from stained glass at Charlecote
Stained glass at Kingsdown Church
Arms of Brougham, from stained glass at St. Saviour's Church
Arms of Fontenay de Luc ....
Arms of Geddes
Arms of Gedney . . . .
William Pickering's Mark
Arms and Crest of Gascoigne
Arms of Fishacre
Arms of Bishop Robinson
Arms of Garmston
Banner of John de Bar
Seal of the Earl of Warren and Surrey
Seal of his Countess, Joan of Bar
Arms and Mantle of Lorraine
Stafford Badge . . • .
Arms of Count Gravillc, K.G.
Arms of Colston ....
Arms of Riviere
Arms and Crest of Karpfen
Arms of De Bloeg
Tlie Mahi of Mogul
Arms of Viscount Lake
Hindu Fish and Lotus . . • .
Amis of Gobyon
Arms of tlie Earl of Laneshorough
Arms of Goujon
Arms of Oiioltzbach
Arms of Tenclie
ILLUSTRATIONS.
81. Amis and Crest of Sir Fislier Tench, Bart.
h2. Amis of Breame .....
83. Arms of Abbot de la Mare
84. Arms of Chobb ......
So. Seal of Thomas Lord de la Roclie .
SG. Murder of St. Thomas a Becket, from Abp. ArmideFs seal
87. Arms of Tropenell, impaling Roche, from Chalfield Church
88. Amis of Roche ......
89. Arms of Huyshe .....
90. Crest of Beckford
91. Arms of Picton
92. Crest of Fisher of Stafford
93. Amis of Durneford .
94. Arms of Chabot, Count of Newblanch, K.G.
95. Crest of Gumey ......
96. Ar.ns of Tubbe, from stained glass at St. Neqt's Clnirch
97. Arms of Raoul .....
98. Crest of Edridge
99. Arms of Gradel
100. Arms of Von Praromon
101. Arms of Gloucester
102. Seal of Kingston
103. Seal of Lostwithiel
104. Seal of Coleraine
105. Arms of the Earl O'Neill .
106. Arms of Ord . ...
107. Arms and Crest of Lord Bolton
108. Arms and Crest of Sea .
109. Arras of Way
110. Arms and Crest of the Princes of Salni
111. Arms and Crest of Knight of Glo\icester
112. Arms of Sanibrooke
1 13. Arms of Sevington
114. Amis of the See of Glasgow- US. De%-ice of the Fish and the Ring
116. Arms and Crest of Die Proy von Findel
117. Amis of Gl\mn
118. Crest of Von Ebnet
119. The Pheon
1 20. Seal of the to«-n of Stafford
121. The Hungcrford Horn
122. Crest of Penrose
123. Arms and Crest of Troutbeck
124. Kiiiirhts mounted ; with their ammrial tabanls raid housinir^, from a
M.S. temp. Henrv VI. .
12.'). Arms of Everhard Duke of Wirtcmberg, from his monument at
Tubingen .......
137 1.39
XIV
ILLUSTRATIONS.
126. Banner of Pfirdt, from tlie Triumph of Maximilian
127. Crest of Jane ....
128. Arms of Rotcn ....
129. Arms of Mod villa ....
130. Arms of Smelt . . ■ . .
131. Arms of Cardinal Bentivenga
132. Arms of Umbrell . . .
133. Arms of Proude ....
134. Seal of the Borough of Yarmouth
135. Seal of Yarmouth Priory • .
136. Southwold Token .
137. Arms of Fleringham
138. Arms of Archbishop Herring
139. Arms and Crest of Harenc
140. Arms of Cobb ....
141. Arms of Harrington, from a print by Elstrackc
142. Arms of Militon . .
143. Seal of Truro ....
144. Looe Token ....
145. Arms of Bishop Sprat, from Westminster Abbey
146. Arms of Sartine
147. Arms of Maekerell .
148. Crest of Haddock
149. Arms of the Abbey of Petershausen
150. Crest of Von Eytzing
151. Arms of Beck
152. Capital in Canterbury Cathedral
153. Arms of the Saltfishmongers .
154. Arms of the Stocktishmongers .
155. Arms of the Fislunongers' Company
156. Arms of Iceland
157. Highland Fishing-boat, from a sculpture in lona
158. Seal of Campbell of Craiginch
159. Seal of the Barons of Dover
160. Arms of Habgood
161. Seal of Wexford .
162. Arms of Hackct
163. Arms of Whiting .
164. Arms of Caldwell
165. Arms of Bishop Cheney
166. Arms of Solc'^ . i67. Arms and Crest of Turbutt
168. Crest of Lawrence
169. Crest of BritwesiU .
170. Arms of JJukcns
171. Arms of Fi-ilicr of Scotland
172. Arms and Crest of Butts
ILLUSTRATIONS.
XV
173. Anns of Ellis of Ticvcarc
174. Credit of Sir John Styell
175. Anns of Cardinal G<izman 17G. Badge of Lord Williams of Thame
177. Arms of Folebome
178. Arms of Stratele .
179. Arms of Conghurst
1 80. Arms of the town of L\Tin .
181. Arms of Radford
182. Arms of Sturgeon
183. Arms of Gesse .
184. Arms and Crest of Sir Robert Harland, Bart.
185. Arms of Tucker
186. Arms of Usedom
187. Anns of Ley Earl of ]Marlbo rough
188. Crest of Die Rietter
189. Seal of Sir William Briwere
190. Badge of Sir John Wallop, K. G. .
191. Arms of Prestwich
192. Arms and Crest of Die Erstcnbcrgcf
193. Arms of Sir Isaac Heard, Garter King of Arms
194. Banner of Lord Scales
195. Badge of Goldinfjham ....
196. Saint James, from the banner in the Royal Armoury at Madrid
197. Badge of the Order of Saint James
198. Arms of Lord Dacre
199. Arms and Crest of Von Strachwitz 2<X). Arms of Shelley
201. Arms and Crest of Von Melem .
202. Arms of Bishop Attwatcr, from the Parliament Roll
203. Arms of Bridger ....
204. Arms of Alstanton ....
205. Vignette, containing the arms of Bawde,* and Jugerde,t and
crest of the Counts Von Windischgratz J
the
Pap- ll»5 196 197 198 198 199 200 201 202 204 205 206 208 209 210 213 214 215 216 217 218 220 221 2'2-2 223 224 226 227 228 230 231 232
233
• Mentioned at page 175.
t Page 199.
J Page 110.
C!)e Jleraltirj of fisl).
HERALDRY, in fts general application, is the symbol of a name ; and (7r7ni'S parla7ites, the admiration of the heralds, and of general use throughout Europe, were undoubtedly the earliest devices ; none are more ancient than the well-known ensigns of Castile and Leon. The banner of the feudal lord sometimes bore the particular produce of the domain, as the pomegranate, which gave at once the name and arms to the kingdom of Granada. The mode of tenure was shown by the cups adopted by the Ihitlers of Senlis in France, and allusions were made in the arms of the nobility to other sources of their power and jurisdiction ; the ancient Counts of Wernigerocle, Master Fishers of the empire of Germany, bore a fish as an ensign of dignity.*
Thest' marks of honour, admirably adapted to the difterent branches of tiie feudal system, include many forms then familiar which liave now become obsolete ; but these specimens of he- raldry. ev«-n in its state of rudeness, are not undeserving of in- vesti.L'^ition, as reflecting the manners of the times in which they were composed.
* Nisbet's HoralJrv.
2 THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
The language used in Englisli heraldry is derived from and partakes much of the old French, the same langTiage which generally prevailed in the court, the camp, and the convent during the dpiasty of the Norman Kings of England, and even down to the reign of Edward III. Without the aid of a glossary, in explanation of many terms now disused, the whole import of the subject can hardly be comprehended. Distingoiished names, also, naturally give rise to historical associations ; and the in- terest w^hich the allusion is capable of inspiring must conse- quently be proportionate to the previous knowledge possessed of more than the leading points of early history.
In the primitive ages learning was not easy of acquisition, and natural history was almost unknown : from works constructed upon the models of Pliny, Dioscorides, and Aristotle, the know- ledge of fish to be obtained Is perfectly valueless to the enquirer of the present day. The Roman author enumerates one hundred and seventy-six kinds of fish, but It is now well known that there are not less than two hundred and sixty species of British fish alone ; of these, one cabinet, that of Mr. Yarrell, a persever- ing naturalist, contains upwards of one hundred and sixty dis- tinct specimens. Such has been the rapid advance of inform- ation in recent times, that in his work on the subject he has been enabled to describe a greater number by one-fourth than had yet appeared In any British catalogue of fishes.
It is understood that nearly three-fourths of the eartFs surface is covered with water, and that the Pacific ocean alone is greater than the whole dry land of the globe put together.
In the British Museum are now preserved nearly one thousand five hundred different species of fish ; and in the Museum at Paris, which is considered to be extremely rich in specimens of the finny tribe, there are not less than five thousand, a number annually Increased by discovery from the vast resources now at the command of science.
Heralds are not Inattentive to natural history, the whole range of which Is employed by them ; but they use the variety of sub- jects afforded by that delightful study with reference only to • their own particular pursuit, and not always without Indulging in fables. Heraldry also partakes of much, in conmion with poetry, which delights in fiction, and both are found important assistants in the representation of early manners. . By this constant refer- ence to antiquity are the heralds guided in their appropriation
THE HERALDRY OF FISH. 3
of the different species of the animal kingdom, wliich is pro- ductive of an arrangement of snbjects widely diftering from that of the scientific naturalist, whose theory and classification i^^ purposely intended for practical use, and for the immediate beuffit of mankind.
Few points of natural history were formerly less known than fish ; the dolphin and the whale, belonging in modern science to a class which is yet but imperfectly investigated, were fishes to the earlier naturalists. The seal, or sea-calf of heraldry, was also considered a fish, and permitted by the monkish rules to be eaten on fish-days. The otter, it is true, had a like dis- tinction, which is noticed by Isafik Walton. The tritons^ and mermaids of classical mythology were purely emblematical ; but, upon not improbable grounds, have been derived from the amphibious habits of the seal. The last mermaid that engaged the attention of the naturalists is now known to have been skil- fully manufiictured by a Chinese from the upper parts of a monkey and the tail of a salmon, for the purpose of deception.
This singular creature was brought to Batavia from '^onie of tlie neighbouring islands in a perfect state of preservation. The lower part of the body, enveloped in its scaly covering, was lost in the natural form of a fish ; but its appearance was little cal- culated to realize the fanciful idea of an animal famed for its personal beauty. Bishop Cosins account of a whale, also, stated to have been taken on the coast of Durham in the reign «»f Charles II, an ingenious fiction, for a time deceived the Zoologists of the present day.
4 THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
Deeply occupied in the iidvancemont of his favourite science, the enlightened naturahst has not often either time or patience to investigate the quaint devices of antiquity, or to trace the heraldic hadge to its origin, which invariably attract the notice of the poet and the consideration of the antiquary : to them the herahlr)- of early ages is a sulject of inexhaustible interest.
The earhest known device of fish, the Zodiacal sign, is em- blematical of the fishery of the Nile, commencing in the month of February, about the time when the suu enters Pisces, which is the best season for fishing, according to Pliny ; and of the great abundance and delicacy of the fish in Egypt all authors ancient and modern are agreed.
Modern travellers relate that the walls of the temple of Den- derah are literally covered with magnificent sculpture and paint- ing. The figures representing the Zodiac are on the ceiling of the portico, and are engraved in the great work on Egypt pub- lished by order of the French government.
The signs of the Zodiac were trequently sculptured on the exterior of ancient churches, presenting a sort of rural calendar for the labours of tjie field each month in the vear, which was of practical use
When in the Zodiac the fish wheel round, They loose the lioods and irrigate the ground.
THE HERALDRY OF FISH. 5
lu his directions to the husbandman for the month of Februarv, old Tusser says,
To the coast, man, ride. Lent stuff to provide ;
with another couplet in encouragement of the fisherman,
The land doth will, the sea doth w-ish. Spare sometimes flesh, and feed off fish.
The Zodiacal signs also appear as an ornament on antitiuc vases, coins, pavements, &c. ; and are painted in bright colour- on the inside of several mummy cases noM" in the British Mu- seum. A manuscript in the Cottonian Library* ^shows tlie si'/n Pisces having a connecting line from the tail of each fish.
The most interesting portions of the sculpture on the j)orih of the Virgin, in the cathedral of Notre Dame at Paris, are the compartments representing the signs of the Zodiac, ami the labours of the different months, all which were originally puiutf.l and gilt. Another curious Zodiac on the porch of the chun li of Saint Nicholas, at CivTay, in Poitou, is engraved in Willemin'-* " Monumens Frangais." The Anglo-Nurm:m doorway of Saint Margaret's church in Walmgate, York, is enriched with f..ur mouldings, one of which is sculptured with the signs of the Zo- diac alternately with the agricultural labours of the months. They are also carved on one of the porches of ^lerton ColKge, Oxford ; and the sign Pisces appears uu the western doorway of Tffley church, one of the most beautiful specimens of Anglo- Norman architecture in the kingdom. ♦ MS. Tib. B. 5.
6 THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
At the fast end of the cathedral of Canterbury, in a chapel near Becket's crown, are consideraljle remahis of a pavement executed in an early stage of art ; the large stones, rudely inlaid, hear figures of the Zodiacal signs in circular compart- ments. That of the t,ign Pisces is here shown.
This pavement attracts the notice of the curious as the only indication of the once magnificent shrine of Saint Thomas a Becket, and was probably designed and executed in the reign of Edward I. during the prelacy of Archbishop Peckham, when many costly additions were made to this Cathedral under the (hrection of Henry Eastry, one of the Priors distinguished for his taste and liberaHty, and who is recorded to have enriched the choir with carvings. The revenues of the convent and church were then very considerable, and were increased by treasures which flowed in at the celebration of the festival of Saint Thomas, an anniversary of the highest splendour, and to which we are indebted for one of the earliest poems in the Englisii language, " The Canterbury Tales " of Chaucer. • A solitary modern instance of the application of these em- blems is at Penrhyn Castle, the seat of the late G. H. Dawkins Pennant, Esq., a mansion on the site of a palace of one of the Princes of Wales, erected in a castelhited style of architecture, near Bangor. Two large and beautiful windows in tho gnat hall contain the signs of the Zodiac, with vepresontati(uis of the labours of tlie corresponding months, all of the richi-.-t colours, painted l)y Willement in 1835.
THE HERALDRY OF FISH. 7
One of the signs, Sagittarius, assumed as the heraldic en«;I,rn of King Stephen, is said to be in aHusion to the Zodiacal po-iiion of the sun at the time he ascended the throne of England. A i?iniilar reference to the month of February may have influenced the assumption of arms resembling the sign Pisces, borne by the town of Pfreimbt in Germany. They are here copied frum Sibmacher"'s " Wapenbuch," 1 605 ; the fish and rays are white, in an azure field, with stars of gold.
The sign Pisces, according to some of the French heralds, is composed of dolphins, which Venus placed in the Zodiac : a dolphin is sculptured at her feet, in the most celebrated statue of this goddess at Florence, to indicate her origin from the sea : but the favourite of Venus, amongst fish, was the minnow, one of the most beautiful in its form and marks.
The dolphin, in the mythology, was sacred to Apollo, and i- rej)resented on a tripod in the reverse of a medal struck in tlit reign of ViteUius.*
* Aut. Augubliui Numism. Rom. 1654.
8 THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
As an emblem of the sea, the dolphins appear in brilliant colours in the Hose de Mer^ or large v.estern window of Amiens cathedral. The sixteen compartments ioto which this circular window is divided, arc filled with stained glass, representing dolphins and sea-shells of several kinds, together with the rebus and arms of Nicholas <le Cocjuerel, one of the canons of Amiens, who died in 1465. The dolphin is also introduced in the ara- besque ornaments of tlio beautiful stained glass windows of Mou- lins cathedral.
In allegory, the dolph-n was often employed ae an emblem of the sea : it is rudely sculptured on several of the Etruscan sar- cophagi forming part of the collection of antiques in the British Museum, and is found painted as an ornament in many apart- ments of the houses at Pompeii, with little resemblance to the dolphin of natural history. The same disregard of its true form is exhibited by the earlier painters, particularly in the celebrated Loggie of Eaphael. The walls of the Vatican, pauited by him, are designed upon the model of classical decorations which he had discovered in the baths of Titus, where the dolphins had been introduced, with propriety, as a marine emblem.
Without ascribing to heraldry any positive connection with classical allegory, it yet appears requisite to notice the badges of antiquity as the probable prototype of many existing bearings in coat armour. This view of the subject has not been entirely overlooked. " A discourse of the origin of heraldry, demonstrat- ing upon what rational foundation the science is established,'' was published in 167:2 by Thomas Philipot, a poet and anti- quary, the son of Somerset Herald. This work refers chiefly to antique coins and medals, and the symbols impressed upon them. It is of little use to the heraldic enquirer, as the author has omitted all allusion to the history of the middle ages, with which his subject was so closely connected. A few instances are here given of the dolphin eniployt-d as a poetical r«i.resentation i>f the sea, to show the reason of its frequent heraldic ajtplicatiou in the same manner.
THE HERALDRY OF FISH. 9
To obtain, favour of Amphitrlte, who had made a vow of eternal celibacy, Neptune assumed the form of a dolphin ; ami the nymph, as emblenuitical of her passion for the sea, is always represented in a car drawn by dolphins, as in the beautiful antique cornelian formerly in the Earl of Clanbrassirs cabinet, and etched bv Worlidge, in his Collection of Gems, in 17G8.
^"^^m^^^^^
The ocean was a deity, whose protection was invoked by the Romans on the occasion of any voyage : he is represented seuteil on waves with grapes in his hair and dolphins in his beard. 15y the goddess Tethys, whose name is familiar as a poetical expres- sion for the sea, he was the lather of the Oceanides, who ruliil the tempest. To his son Proteus, Oceanus confided the care ol'. the fish, or, as Virgil Siiys, translated by Drydeu, ''to keep Ins scaly flocks."
High o'er the main in waterj' pomp he rides. His azure car and finny coursers guides.
Neptune himself, with his classical attributes, or, as the heralds describe the figure, ijr(j})er, was made the subject of a grant ot arms, for eminent services at sea, to Admiral Lord Flawke ot Towton. whose signal victory over the French lleet under A«l- niiral C(MiHans, in November 1759, was obtained during one of the most violent storms ever \vituesse<i bv the oldest seaman.
10
THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
I3j the gallant comniander''s intrepid conduct a long prepared invasion of the enemy was broken and dispelled, in a manner that brought forcibly to mind the design and fate of the Spanish Armada ; the defeat of which was, at that time, the safety of England, and the lasting renown of the English navy.*
fcCSf.
An instance of Neptune employed in heraldry had been pre- viously given in the crest of the family of Monypenny, with the motto " Imperat sequor,"" he governs the sea ; in allusion probably to their estate on the coast of Fifeshire. An engraving of this device will be found in a subsequent page.
The dolphin of the ancients is more particularly famed in the story of Arion, the celebrated musician of Lesbos, the melotlious sweetness of whose lyre attracted a number of dolphins roiind his ship ; and when afterwards he threw himself into the sea, in fear of his life, one of them carried him safely on his back to shore.
* The arms of Lord Ilawke of Touton in Yorksliire, are, argent, a cherron enninois between three boatswains whistles erect, proper. Cre>t, on a wTeath a hawk rising proper, chanrod on the lifeast witli a lleiir-de-lis. buppor:er>, on the dexter side Xeptune crowned, standing' upon a dolpliiii, and bearing in his riuht hand the trident, all proper; on the sinister a sea-horse holding an union Hag in his dexter jxiw, propi-r. Motto, Strike.
THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
11
A cinque cento version of this classical fable, encircle<l with the heroic motto, " luvia virtuti nulla est via,*" implviuy that valour and virtue surmount everything, was adopted in 15G() a.s a mark by Oporinus, one of the famous German printers.
In this device, one amongst a number of grutesque and extra- ordinary ornaments of the early press,
A fiddler on a fisli through waves advanced ; He twang'd his catgut, and the dolphin danted.
y€f)%p^\
^i-~r
V
John Herbst of Basle, better known by the name of Oporinus, was highly esteemed in his profession; he printed none but the best manuscripts, and published no book which lie luul not him- self corrected. Having joined in partnership with Kobert Whi- ter, they both, agreeably to the practice of the learned men of that period, adopted classical names ; Herbst assuming that of Oporinus, a Greek word signifying autumn ; and Winter, f<ir the same reason, took that of Chimerinus, apparently to humour tiie lines of Martial's epigram :
Si daret Autumnub niihi nnmoii, Oporinus ci6<.in. Horridu si Bninuu sidcia, Chiniciuuis. — Ep. Lx.
12
THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
There are very few fishes named in the sacred Scriptures, the most interesting portion of ancient literature ; Dag, the Hebrew for fish, appears to be a general name of aquatic animals. As the Greek word for fish, Ictis, contained initials emblematical of Christ, a fish was a very favourite symbol of the early Chris- tians ; and the vesica piscis, a rough outline of a fish, formed of two curves meeting in a point at their extremities, was made to enclose the holy symbol.
This image was sculptured upon tombs and sepulchral, urns, as well as upon seals and rings, and its form is shoA\Ti on part of a pavement found near the conduit in South Street, Exeter, in September 1833. The same figure is also upon one of the tiles preserved at Caen in Normandy : both have been engraved in the Gentleman's Magazine.
The Virgin in a canopy, or Vesica piscis round which the four Evangelists are disposed, is not uncommon in the old churches. It is mentioned in Mr. Hope's " Historical Essay on Architecture," at Ravenna, where the fish also appears on the ancient convex marble ambones, or pulpits, which have been in- serted in the walls of the modern cathedral. On the origin of this custom the curious may consult Eucyclop^die M6thodique Antiq. tom. iii.
Of all classes of natural history, that of fishes is the most diffi- cult to divide into orders, as remarked by Cuvier, who devoted his hfe to the study of the science. There is, indeed, nothing more remarkable than the infinite variety and singularity of the figures and shape s of fishes : their forms are considered to be more extraordinary than those of any other department of the animal kingdom.
The attention of heralds was direeted hierely to the chief characteristic features of animals, and the most i^enerous and
THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
13
noblest qualities belonging to the species are usuallv <lesfribotl, Beasts of savage nature are represented in fierce a'^-encv : the lion rampant is a lion prepared for action ; the boar is shown with tuslvs, and the stag with his proper attire ; the horse is represented in lull speed, or courant ; the greyhound coursiuLT. and the deer tripping; but the wolf is described as passant, agreeably to his natural disposition, moving step by step.
As the SATnbol of a name, almost all fij^h have been used in heraldry ; and in many instances fish have been assumed in arms in reference to the produce of the estate, giving to the ([uaint device a twofold interest. They are borne upright and extended, and when feeding are termed devouring ; Allume, when tlu-ir eyes are bright, and Pame, when their mouths are open.
All the terms used in describing their positions are old French. Hauriant, a word now obsolete, means fish raised upright, in which manner, with their heads above water, fish refresh them- selves by sucking in the air ; Naiant, from the same ancient .source, denotes the swimming position.
The arrangement of subjects having but very slight reference to the classification of the naturalist, is adopted to ex[)!ain the heraldic application of the several species of Ht-h.
14 THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
I.— The DOLPHIN and the WHALE.
IL— The PIKE, LUCE, or GED, and FLYING-FISH.
III.— The BARBEL, CARP, GUDGEON, TENCH, BREAM, ROACH, 'dace, CHUB, MINNOW, and LOACH.
IV.— The CHABOT, GURNARD, MULLET, and PERCH.
v.- The SALMON, TROUT, SMELT, and GRAYLING, with their enemy the OTTER.
VI.— The HERRING, PILCHARD, and SPRAT.
VII.— The MACKAREL.
VIII.— Tlie HADDOCK, COD, HAKE, LING, WHITING, and BURBOT.
IX.— The SOLE, TURBOT, PLAICE, and FLOUNDER.
X.— The EEL, CONGER, and LAMPREY.
XL— The STURGEON.
XII.— The DOG-FISH, SEA LIONS, and other monsters.
XIII.— The SEAL, MERMAID, and TRITON.
XIV.— SHELLFISH.
THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
15
'Etz i3plp&ut antt tf}t WiWt*
The dolphin by heralus is considered the chief of fish, as the lion is of beasts aud the eagle of birds; so distinguished pro- bably from the beauty of its form, and from its being found more frequently depicted in heraldic bearings than any other particu- lar species : this arises from the dolphin being used as a general type of fish, as in the arms of the Fishmongers' Company, in which it is conspicuous, and also from its being sometimes as- sumed in relation to naval affairs.
The heraldic representations of the dolphin are supposed to be little consonant with truth ; but an apologist is found in one of the most able and accomplished naturalists of the present day. Mr. Bell, in his History of the Cetacea, gives a descrip- tion of its form and colour, which is blackish on the back, greyish on the sides, and glittering white beneath. Afler the fullest particulars of its organization, he says, " It requires some stretch of the imagination to identify the blunt round-headed creature, with its curved back and spiny fins, as it is pictured, with the straight sharp-beaked animal," of which a true repre- sentation is prefixed to his account. But even here, the learned author continueSj "there aie exceptions to this general censure, and there is no difficulty in at once recognising the common dolphin in the animal which is represented on the reverse of a Syracusan coin in the British Museum, of which this engraving is an accurate copy," *
BfU's Dritish (Quadrupeds P- •I''-"
16
THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
The naturali!?t very properly disregards those peculiarities of outward furni, the fins and the tail, so necessary to the dolphin as an inhahitant of the sea ; and, upon a firm principle of or- ganization, both the dolphin and the whale, fishes in heraldry^ now form under the head of Cetacea a peculiar class of mam- malia, Ray and Pennant being the lust naturalists who admitted them as fish.
Some difference has been attempted to be made between the dolphin of natural history and the dolphin of poetry, or that which is depicted in heraldry ; but there is no satisfactory reason to doubt that one and the same animal or fish is intended. In the tropical regions numbers will follow and surround a ship with the most eager delight, and hence has arisen their reputed attachment to mankind. They are described by mariners as ghstening most beautifully in the sun, and displaying the most extraordinary agility ; their gambols being accompanied by jets of water from their nostrils, and their brilliant coats sparkling and flashing in the sun quite splendidly.*
The dolphin is found on the shores of Great Britain, and occasionally in the rivers Ribble and Severn. It was employed on the early Greek coins of Sicily as an emblem of the sea ; and was subsequently used on the money of the Roman consul, Caius Marius, the son of a peasant of Arpinimi, as a rebus ou his name.
A dolphin surmounting an ancho'r, represented on one of the medals struck during the consulate of Lucius Junius Brutus, was intended to denote the dominion of the republic of Rome in the Mediterranean.-f-
• See Captain Basil Hall's Fragments of VovKires.
t Ant, Augiistiui Numisni. Regiim. Imp, Rom, 1»J34, tab. 5.
■■•*•->
THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
17
Imperial Rome affonls an instance of nearly the same ilt-viee, on a medal of Vespasian; a dolphin entwining an anchor was used to indicate the Emperor's naval superiority. The hirth of Vespasian was not noble, and it was in his advanced age that he was raised to the throne of the CVesars. In Paradin's " Ileroicai Devises," the dolphin and anchor is attributed to Vts[)asiaii, with the motto " Festina lente,"" afterwards used by the Shrop- shire family of Onslow, as a play upon their name.
Byzantium, from its advantageous position, appeared to have been formed for the centre and capital of a great monarchy ; the Propontis being renowned for an inexhaustible store of the m<)-«t exquisite fish, that were taken in their stated seasons without skill and almost without labour, and the profits of this fishery con- stituted the principal revenue of the city. The device on the more ancient coins is a dolphin entwined on the trident, or sceptre of Neptune.*
A dolphin, one of the ensigns of the Greek empire, is borne by the Courtenay family as representatives of a branch of that ilhis- trions house, which once bore the title of Angustn>, and >n.>taiiH-d the honours of the purple as Emperors of Constautinuph'.
* Gibbon's Rome, and Ball's Antiiiuitics of Consuuitini^plo.
C
18
THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
The Lords of Oounena}'- in Gatinois, vassals of the crown of France, were amongst the heroes of the first crusade : a daughter of Reginald Court enay formed an alliance with the Sang RoyaL Peter Courteuaj, their son, became Emperor of Constantinople in 1217; and his two sons, Robert and Baldwin, successively enjoyed the same dignity.
Reguuild, Lord of Okehampton, descended from the Courte- nays of France, was the patriarch of the Courtenays, Earls of Devonshire, who contracted alliances with the noblest families : their arms, denoting affinity with Godfrey of Bouillon, and the old Counts of BoiJogTie, or, three torteauxes, with a label azure, are heraldically described in the contemporary poem of the Siege of Carlaverock. The name of Courtenay is found conspicuous in the original list of the Knights of the Garter ; and in the wars of the Plantagenets the family were adherents of the house of Lancaster. One of the daughters of King Edward IV. married William Earl of L^evonshire ; and their son, Henry Courtenay, Marquess of Exeter, a favourite of King Henry the Eighth, broke a lance with the French monarch on the field of the cloth of gold.
Sir William Courtenay of Powderham Castle, a lineal de- scendant of Hugh, the first Earl of Devonshire, in the same reign bore on his emblazoned standard dolphins, the device of dominion, in reference to '■'■ the purple of three Emperors."
The standard, four yards in length, differed from a banner in form : the latter, nearly square, contained the arms, and iii this form the royal standard at Windsor Castle is now made ; but the ancient standard of a knight, long and narrow, and split at
THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
19
the end, bore tlie cross of Saint Gcorg-e, and was also chari;tMl with his badge or crest, and motto, but not with the arms.*
This noble and inustrious family also attained the highest honour in the church. William Courtenay, the son of Hugh Earl of Devonshire, by Margai-et Bohun, daughter of the Earl of Hereford, became successively Bishop of Hereford and London, and in 1381 Archbishop of Canterbury. The college he foundi'd at Maidstone is a proof of his munificent spirit. Another learn«'d and accomplished prelate, Peter Courtenay, son of Sir Pliilip Courtenay of Powderham, by Elizabeth, daughter of Lord Hun- gerford, was Bishop of Exeter in 1478, and Bi>hop of Winchester in 1487. His arms, environed by the dolphins of Constantinople, are represented on a compartment of one of the chimney-pieces in the episcopal palace at Exeter.
This piece of sculpture appears not to have been executed until after the bishop's removal to Winchester, as It bears the ann^ of that see, a sword between two keys, the united emblems of the apostles St. Peter and St. Paul, commemorative of the dedication of Winchester Cathedral.
The knowledge of the history of the house of Courtenay has l)een rendered more familiar than that of any other noble fanuly
• ExccrpUi Historica, IB.'^l, a work of much information n>sp.-cun^' the progress of the arts including heraldrv, and wliatcvor presents ch.-iractcristic foatun's of former age*.
c2
20 THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
by the eloquent narrative of Gibbon. The present nobleman is the tenth Earl of Devon ; but the title was dormant from the year 1556 till 1831, when it.was adjudged by the House of Lords to William Viscount Courtenay, cousin of the present Earl of Devon, to whom his lordship succeeded in 1835.*
As a well-known symbol of the principal seat of the Greek empire, the dolphin was adopted as a device by the celebrated Aldus, the best but not the earliest printer of Gi-eek, whose works are known to every scholar : as an original benefactor to the literature of the age in which he lived, he stood high ; and as an editor he was considered of the first rank. The state of the manuscripts he prepared for the press required the assistance of the most learned amongst his contemporaries.
By his son and grandson the business of a printer was continued till the death of the latter in 1 597 ; and ^nth him ended the glory of the Aldinc press, established in the fifteenth century, the productions of which are of the highest value both for accuracy and beauty.
The classical and tasteful device of Aldus, a dolphin entwined on an anchor, was adopted l»y Mr. Pickering for his Aldine edition of the British Poets ; with an eye probably to this pro- phetic distich.
Would you still be safely landed
On the ^Udine author ride : Never yet was vessel stranded
With the dolphin by its side.f
Mr. Pickering"'s device is also sho^Ti in an ornamental com-
• Report of Pnveedincs on the I'hiini to the Earldom, with nnte<! and an appendix, by Sir Harris Xicola.s, lf!3-2.
t Gentlinwn's Maijazine for 1J!;5G.
THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
partmeut between the mavk of houesf Izank Walton and tli.- urins oniis friend and contemporary Cliark'S Cotton, of lk'rej,t'oid in StutFords^hire, both distingiiii^hed uame^ in piscatory annals.
This is affixed to his very splendid edition of Walton and Cotton''s Complete Angler, an indispensable mannal, enibeliislu-d with illustrations by those eminent artists Stothard and In>kipp. The mark of Walton in this design appears on the dexter ^hirld, between the arms of his two wives Fludd and Kenn ; and tiie arms of Cotton on the sinister shield, between those of his wives Hutchinson and llussell. Ornaments of this description con- tribute greatly to the beauty of a book, and the complete device nuist be acknowledged to exhibit much spirit and heraldic ta^te in the composition.
Heraldry, it may be remarked, is essentially of military ori- jrin ; and the ensign under which the feudal vassals assembled round their lord became the distinctive mark of hereditary sove- reignty and honour : thus the well-known devices, the wivern of Milan, the black cross of Genoa, and the lion of St. Mark at ^'enice, were borne by the
: Banner'J host.
Under spread ensi^s miirching.
At the very dawn of heraldry the vassals of Dauphine ndli<-<l nneler a dolphin, a mark easily descried and one that all under- stood : the form was of course derived from the da—ical repre- M-ntations, and adopted as symbolical of the name •)f tlie pro- vince. A golden dolphin in an azure field was boniv l>y An<lre\v the Dauphin, Count <.f Viemit.is, contemporary with King Henry HI. of England, and patriarch of the Dauphins descended from
22
THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
the houses of T3iirguiKly and La Tour. It was also borne by the Dauphins, as they were subsequently styled, Lords of AuveroTie.
Humbert, Dauphin of Viennois, oppressed by continual war with his neighbour, Amadeus VL Count of Savoy, known as the Green Earl, granted his seignory to Philip of Valois, King of France, in the year 1349 ; stipulating that the King's son should be styled eldest son of France and Dauphin of Viennois, and always bear the arms of this extensive province.
The Emperor Charles IV. in 1379 visited Charles, the first who assumed the title of Dauphin ; and, waA-ing all pretensions to the fief, constituted him perpetual Vicar of the Empire in the Dauphinate.
In England the word dolphin was used for the French name of Dauphin, as in the old play of " King John,"" who, it may be remarked, died more than a hundred years before the title was in existence,
" Lewis the Dolphin and the heire of France."
Shakspeare's subsequent introduction of the Dauphin in the time of King John is amply atoned by his transcendent genius ; but in the recent pictorial ediiion of his plays, the readers are presented with a portrait of the Daujjhin taken irom the Archaologia ! a less pardonable error either of the editor or the antiquary.
After her marriage at Notre Da'me in 1558, ^Lary Queen of Scots saluted the Dauphin as King of Scotland ; and their mar- riage was declared by the titles also of '• Dolphin and Dolphincss of France." A rare gold coin boars the arms of the Dauphin impaled with the royal arms of Scotland.*.
* The coin, in the collection of Dr. William Hunter, was engraved in 1798.
THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
23
The arms of the Dauphin, son of Louis XIV, the most (]i>- tini^iished person who bore the title, are under his portrait l»v II, Rigaud, which is engraved by Drevet, and are placed on a car- touche shield environed by the collars of the orders of St, Mi- chael and the Holy Ghost, and surmounted by the Dauphin's coronet, the bows of which are formed by dolphins.
The frontispiece prefixed to the Delphin Classics ^hows Ariun in the act of springing out of the ship, with a dolphin ready to receive him ; and bears the motto used by the Dauphin of France,
TRAHITVR . DVLCEDINE . CANTVS . alludiug tO the rcputcd foIldia'>v'< ol
the dolphin for nmsic. The suggestion of a series of the classics "In usum Delphini," made by the Prince's governor, the Duke de Montausier, was carried into execution by his preceptors Huet and Bossuet ; and the device of Arion was not unaptly adopted, the name of Dauphin signifying equally the I'riiu-c and the* fish.
Arion's preservation was a favourite subject in the spectacles exhibited upon the water in the days of Queen Elizabeth : during the visit to Kenilworth, Arion rode U})on the back of a dolphin twenty-four feet in length, which contained in its boily
24 THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
a riule kind of harmonicon. In one of the plays of later date,* a cook, boa^sting of his skill in allegorical embellishment, says,
" For fish I '11 make you a standing lake of white broth. And pikes shall come ploughing up the plums before them, Arion on a dolphin playing Lachrj-mae."
An allusion to this classical subject is again made by the same dramatists,-f-
" May 't rain above all almanacks, till The carriers sail, and the King's fishmonger Rides, like Arion, upon a trout to London."
Azure, a man riding on a dolphin and playing on a harp, the arms of Walterton, or Walterstowu, of Scotland, shows the same subject treated heraldically.
The Dolphin inn, a large house formerly on the eastern side of Bishopsgate street, was enriched on its front with fleurs-de-lis and dolphins ; and is said, in some descriptions of London, to have been a residence of the Dauphin of France. More pro- bably it was prepared for some of the French ambassadors to England, in compliment to whom the Dolphin inn at South- ampton, one of the largest in the kingdom, might also have derived its sign.
When signs were of general use, the dolphin was by no means uncommon : the Spectator, projected by Addison, was published daily in 1711 at the Dol[)hin in Little Britain, then the shop of the learned bookseller Samuel Buckley, editor of Thuanus, and of the first daily newspaper, the " Daily Courant," in 1709, and who also published Sir Richard Steele's " Crisis," with other political works, in his zeal for the Hanover succession, for which he was eminently distinguished.
The dolphin is conspicuous in the arms borne by families of the name of Franklin, as well as the fleur-de-lis in those of the name of France, Argent, a clump of trees proper ; in the centre of the branches a fleur-de-lis or ; on a cliief wavy azure, three fleurs-de-lis of the third, are borne by the family of France of Bostock, on the banks of the river Dane in Cheshire; a grant of arms evidently intended to typify both the names of person and estate. Vert, a saltier argent ; on a chief or, three fleurs-de-lis azure, are the arms of the family of Franc«* of North Britain.
* Th<< " r.loody r.r.itliir," by IVaumont ;uid Fletcher. t Weber's edition, vul. ii. p. jj.
THE HERALDRY OF FISH. 2.'>
The recorded miracle of the transmis.'«ion of the lis from la-avcu to Clovis the first Christian King of France, may be traci-d let Louis VIL's reception of a consecrated flower from Pojjo AK-x- ander III. This King, who is sometimes called Ludovii-us Floras, bore on his signet a fleur-de-lis, but probably assunieil it in allusion to his name, then usually spelt Loys ; one of tlie earliest Instances of the punning device, and whence France was poetically termed VEmiiire ths Lis.
The Franklin is finely drawn by Chaucer as hospitable and not unaccomplished : the name implies a freeholder of consider- able property ; and Waterhouse, an heraldic author, siys, " There are many now grown into families called Franklin, who are men in the county of Middlesex and other parts." *
Argent, on a bend azure three dolphins of the field ; crest, a dolphin embowed proper, pierced through the sides witii two fishing spears in saltier or, were the armorial ensigns of Williaiii Franklin, Sherifli" of Hertfordshire in 161.3, and of Sir Ricliard Franklin of ^lore Park in the same county, created IJaroiict I'V King Charles II. in 1660.
Dolphins are also borne in the arms of the family of Frankbn of Mavems in Bedfordshire, one of whom was Slu'rifl* of I be county in 1600. In the church of Boluhur<t, among c»tluT memorials of this family, is a monument to Sir John Frankbn, one of the Masters in Chancery, who died In 1707. Tlii-y after- wards resided at Great Barford, and one of the branches of the family at Paveuham, both in the same county.
Argent, on a bend between two lions'' heads erased guU's, a «h)Iphin naiant between as many birds elose or : crest, a doljihin >
* CoinmouUirv on Fintiscui', KfliiJ.
26
THE HFRALDRY OF FISH.
head erect argent, lietv/een two branches vert, are the armorial bearings of another family of Franklin of Rainham in Norfolk.
The ancestral family of the celebrated American philosopher, Benjamin Franklin, were, it is well kno\\T3, industrious smiths at Ecton in Northamptonshire, which village his father Josias left for America m the year 1682,
Azure, a dolphin naiant or ; on a chief of the second, three saltiers gules : crest, an anchor erect sable, entwined by a dol- phin argent, are the armorial ensig-ns of the Fraukland familv, originally of Hertfordshire, but which was afterwards seated at Thirsk in Yorkshire. William Frankland, Esq. of Thirkleby, was the father of Sir Henry Frankland, whose son William was created Baronet by King Charles II. in 1660.
-<^
Sir Thomas Fraukland, Postmaster-General in the reign of Queen Anne, is thus mentioned in Mackay's "' Characters of the Courtiers:" "He. is chief of a very good family in Yorkshire, with a very good estate ; his being my Lord Fauconberg's nephew, arid marrying a grand-daughter of Oliver Cromwell, first recommended him to King William, who at the Revolution made him Cummissiuuer of the Excise, and hi some years after -Governor of the Post-othce. By abundance of application he understands that office better than anv man in Eu'j[land ; and,
THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
27
notwithstanding we had no intercourse with France last war, he improved that revenue to ten thousand pounds a vear more than it was in the most flourishing- years."" The hneal descendant of this family, Sir Robert Frankland Russell, Baronet, of Thirklcby ■ in Yorkshire, acquired Chequers in Buckinghamshire, as repre- sentative of the Russells of Chippenham in Cambridgeshire, who were allied to the Protectoral house of Cromwell by frequent intermarriages. At Chequers the dolphin of the Franklands is introduced in the armorial enrichments of modern additions from designs by Mr. E. B. Lamb, architect.
Azure, a bend or, between two dolphins embowed argent, are the arms of a ftmiily of French of Essex; but the noble family of Ffrench, who have resided at Castle French in the county of Gralway in Ireland for many generations, bear the dolphin only as a crest.
The arms, azure, three fleurs-de-lis or, with a dolphin em- bowed as a crest, were borne by Peter P. ^letge, Esq. of Ath- lumney in the county of JSIeath, who was related to John Metge, Esq. formerly M.P. for Dundalk, and Deputy Auditor-General in the Irish Treasury.
Simplicity is one of the principal characteristics of heraldry, and a dolphin is frequently borne in reference to the name. The English family claim Venetian origin, and in a list of the nobility of Venice the arms of Dolfin are found : per palo, azure and argent, a dolphin uaiaut or.
The Venetian nobility, among the most authentic in Europe, were once so jealous of their Libro d'Oro, the celebrated book of genealogy, that a proposal to open it tluring the Candlaii war, and admit twenty new members, was indignantly spurued by Michielli, one of the Elettorali, a descendant of one of the twelve original families, who exclaimed " Viiukr i Jinli, ma non iiiai
28
THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
vender la nohlHtd,^" that he woukl sell liis children, but never his nobility.
Some families of Brescia, Treviso, and other places, were how- ever subsecjuently inscribed In the Libro d'Oro, whose only claim to the honour was the zeal with which they prostrated their country at the feet of the republic. It is this historical truth which gives force to the poet's rebuke —
Thy oligarchy's Book of Gold
Shut against himible virtue's name. But opened wide for slaves who sold
Their native land to thee and sh;une.
Moore.
In the same list of the nobility of Venice* are the arms of another family of Dolfin, azure, three dolphins naiant or; the same arms were also borne by the English family of Dolphin.
Vert, three doli)hins naiant in pale or, are the family arms of Dolphinley ; and, sable, a d()l{)hin hauriant or, those of Dolfin- ton. A dolphin naiant proper, is borne as a crest by the family of Browne of Dolphinton in Lanarkshire, in allusion to the name of their estate.
As a crest, a dolphin embowed was borne by the Earl of Godolphin, K. G. a nobleman of distinguished abilities. Lord High Treasurer to Queen Anne, His immediate progenitors were distinguished in the cabinet and the field, and for their loyalty during the civil war : he himself sat in the first parlia- ment after the Restoration as M.P. for Helston in Cornwall, whence he rose rapidly into political consequence. The manor of Godolphin, or (jodtjiian, near Helston, was held by a faniily
* Ar.ma Oextilii lA, sive In>ii;iiia vir.i Ni.l.iliii omnium nia^niirttentissime Civiuitis Vcnetiaruiu vi\ entiuui. Anno Domini 1 M I ; a ciuious nuuiUitript io the libniry of Wobiiru Alil't'y.
THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
29
of the sarae name oven l;fforo i'ne Conrpie.st, and wliicli ori-n'nallv Lore for arms, aro^ent, three dolphins emhowed sable. Jo!,n Goflolphin was Sheriff of Cornwall in 1504, and at Pen^orsitk Castle, a seat of the ^iiliton family, erected in the rei'^ni (.f Henry VIII, is a chaniber painted with proverbs, one of which is a comparison of an affectionate sovereign to a dolphin, indicatinir the kindness received A-om the honse of Godolphin, whence the Lord of Pengersiek married his lady.*
On the death of Francis Lord Godolphin, the last male heir of this noble race, in 1758, che estates descended to the Duke of Leeds, grandson oi' the f rst Earl of Godolphin. The -ancient family device, a'doiphin embowed sable, finned or, is now Ixmie as a crest by Francis Godolphin Osborne, created Lord Godol- phin in 1832, the son of Francis Duke of Leeds, by Baroness Conyers, and brother to the present Duke.
^.
-iJ.
^^5)
A dolphin, as a marine emblem, is borne as a charge in the arras of some families, typical of certain jurisdiction over part of the sea or harbours held under the sovereign. A duli>hin naiant azure, is the crest of the :Marquess of Ailsa, a title derived from an island on the coast of Ayrshire. The nolde family of Ken- nedy possess»>d -large estates in Carrick as earlv as the reluai of Edward III, and the title of Earl of Cassilis in 1501). At the tournament held at Eglintoun Castle in 1830. the Earl of Cassilis bore his family cognisance on his helmet and housings, and when armed for the tilt was distiny-uished as the Kni-dit ..f the Dolphin.
• Ly.sons's Cornwall, fruiii Lulamrs Itiiu'iary, vol. iii.
so
THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
Argent, a dolphin enibowed azure, are the arms of the family of Monypeuny, who quarter the arm.s of Oathcart, and bear for a crest, Neptune bestriding a dolphin on the r.'aves, with his trident in his hand, and hoiHing tlie reins : over the crest the motto, Imperat aquor. DaWd Monypenny had a grant of Pitmilly, King's Barns, on the coast of Fifeshire, from the Prior of St. Andrews, who was contemporary with Henry III. King of England. Sir William Monypeony was created a Baron by King James II. in l4-'0 ; but his son Alexander was the last who held the title. A considerable branch of this family is now seated at Holvenden in the Weald of Kent ; and Captain Thomas Gybbon Monj-penny is M.P. for Rye.
Corporations of those towns which have arisen into importance, and where a snccessful fishery is established, bear a dolphin on their common seal. At Brighton, now the first of fashionable watering-places, the mackarel season is still of great interest, and a fish-market is held on the beach. The Steyne, a spacious lawn and promenade, was the spot formerly used by the fishermen for drying their nets. The common seal of the town bears two dolphins embowed within a shield.
THE HERALDRY OF FISH. 31
The trade of Poole, a sea-port of Dorsets^lnre, consists chiefly in the Newfoundland fishery. The arms of the corporation were probably assumed in reference to the Court of Admiralty, held there for a particular jurisdiction : barry wavy gnles and or, a dolphin embowed argent ; in chief, three escallops of the second : the crest, a mermaid holding in her right hand an anchor cabled, and in her left a mound, the emblem of sovereignty.
A dolphin also forms a charge in the arms of the town of Dun- kirk, on the North Sea, a place of considerable trade in fish ; and in the arms of Otranto, a port on the Adriatic, in the dominions of the King of Naples.
Arms were assumed at an early period by the merchants of the city of London. King Charles V. allowed arms to the burgesses of Paris in 1.371 ; but the helmet was for some time afterwards reserved as a distinction of the gentry of France.
The members of the Fishmongers' Company seem to have assumed the dolphin in their arms as an emblem of trade ; but the cod, hake, and ling were the stockfish for which the great demand existed, and were the principal source of their wealth and renown.
Sir William Askham, Lord ^layor of London in 1404, bore gules, a fess or, between three dolphins embowed argent.
Sir John Eainwell, citizen and fishmonger, Lord Mayor in 1426, bore for arms, a chevron between three dolphins em- bowed.
Sir William Rennington, citizen and fishmonger, the son of • Robert Rennington of Boston in Lincolnshire, and Lord Mayor in loOO, bore, gyronny of eight, ermine and azure, a dolphin embowed gules.
Sh- William Holleys, Lord ^Liyor in loo9, bore, sable, on a bend argent, between a talbot courant in chief, and a dolphin em- bowed in base of the second, three torteauxes. Other branches of the Holleys family have the bend charged with roses or an- nulets gules.
Sir Thomas Curteis, citizen and fishmouLrer, son of John Curteis of Enfield in Middlesex, and Lord Mayor in 1557, bore, barry wavy argent and sable, a chevron or, between three be- zants; on a chief of the third, two dolphins addorsed between as many anchors azure.
Sir John Cootes, son of Thomas Cootes of Bierton in Bucking- hamshire, Lord Mayor in 1542, bore, per pale or and azure, two
32 THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
dolpliins liauriant, addorscd and countcrclianged ; on a chief sable, a covered cup or, between two dovecotes argent.
Azure, a fess between three dolphins embowed argent ; crest, a lemon-tree ; were the armorial ensigns of Sir John Leman, a native of Beccles in Suffolk, where he founded a free school. He was Lord Mayor in 1G16, and on his death in 16-32 was buried in St. MichaePs church, Crooked Lane. This church, which was demolished in 1831 to form a better approach to London Bridge, had been rebuilt by John Lovken, a stockfish- monger, four times Lord Mayor of London in the reign of Richard IL Sir William Walworth, another renowned fish- monger, was also a lilx'ral benefactor to this church.
In Fishmongers'' Hall, among the archives is a roll represent- ing a grand pageant, which was prepared at the charge of that company to grace the inauguration of ^Vlderman John Leman to the dignity of Lord Mayor. In this procession-roll is represented 1*. The fishing buss. 2. The crowned d(il[)hin. 3. The King of the Moors. 4. A lemon-tree, the Lord Mayor's peculiar badge ; and 5. The bower of Sir William ^\'alworth. A description of this pageant, entitled " Chrysanaleia, tl»e golden fishing, or Honours of Fishmongers,"" &o. was written by Anthony Munday, and has been printed.
THE HERALDRY OF FISH. 33
Alderman Leman''s estates, situated in Goodman^s Fields, and in the counties of Hereford, Huntingdon, and Cambridge, de- scended to his nephew William Leraan Esq. of Northaw in Hertfordshire, whose son William was created a Baronet by Kiug Charles II. in 1664. He was Sheriff of the county in 1676; and at his death in 1701 was succeeded by his grandson Sir William Leman, the last Baronet, who died in 1741.
Sir John Leman, who died at Wakefield in 1839, assumed the title, but failed in establishing his claim to the estate.
The late Rev. Thomas Leman, of Bath, was of the same fomily, and in one of his manuscripts he has given a genealogical account of its several branches. His fondness for the name was shown in his own house, where one of the rooms was painted with a view of Lake Leman, This gentleman was best known by his careful investigation of the early roads and earth- works of Great Britain, the details of which, with his topographical collections, were left at his death in 1826 to the Bath Institution, of which he was one of the founders.
Or, three dolphins hauriant azure, are the arms of the family of Vandeput, formerly merchants of London, descended from Henry Vandeput of Antwerp, who in 1568 came to England in consequence of the persecution of the Duke of Alva.
A monument in memory of several members of this family was erected in the church of St. Margaret, Pattens, by Sir Peter Vandeput, in 1686. His son Peter was created a Baronet by King George I. in 1723, and was father of Sir George ^ an- deput, Bart, who contested the city of Westminster in 1748: he died in 1784; and another distinguished member of this family, Admiral Sir George Vandeput, died in 17iH).
The dolphin, the general emblem of fish, is used in heraldry as
D
34
THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
a play upon the names of Fislier and Fish. Azure, a fess wavy or, between two crescents in chief and a dolphin in base argent, were the arms of the late John Fish, Esq. of Kempton Park, Middlesex.
Gules, a dolphin or, and chief ermine, are the arms of the family of Fisher of Witlingham in Norfolk ; that of Fisher of Kent bears for arms, per fess gules and argent, in chief a dolphin of the second. Another family of Fisher of Warwickshire bears, gules, a fess vaire, between two falcons volant in chief, and a dolphin embowed in base, within a border engrailed argent.
Azure, a dolphin embowed between three ears of wheat or, were the personal arms of John Fyshar, Bishop of Rochester, who was the son of a merchant of Beverley in Yorkshire.
This prelate's arms are sometimes found quartered with an- other coat relative to fishing; argent, three eel-spears erect sable, on a chief azure, a lion passant guardant or :* but the above example is copied from a fac-simile of the Parliament Roll of 1515, pub- lished by Mr. Willement,-f- in which the arms are impaled with
• Roll of Parliament, 0th of Henrj- VIII. in the College of Arms. . + The original is in Mr. Wilk-raent's possession ; and is valuable as affording evidence of armorial bearings, and as a specimen of henildic drawing at the beginning of the six- teenth centun'. A Procession Roll, in the time of Henry VIII. before the dissolution of religious houses, is described in the Cientleman's Magazine for ITD-J JXS about a foot wide and twenty fet long, containing figures of all the Lords of Parliament on horseUick, coloured. This roll in 1774 was in the possession of the Rev. J. Allen, Rector of TariMirley.
THE HERALDRY OF FISH. 35
those of hi:3 see. Roeliester Cathednil is dedicated to St. An- drew, and the bearing has reference to the instrument of his mart\Tdom. Bishop Fyshar, a zealous champion of the churdi of Rome, was beheaded in 1535 : his death was not improbably hastened by his accepting- the title of Cardinal, when the King enraged said, " Let the Pope send him a hat when he will ; Mother of God, he shall wear it on his shoulders ! "''' As con- fessor to Margaret Countess of Richmond, Bishop Fyshar was mainly instrumental in the foundation of St. Juhn's and Christ's Colleges at Cambridge.
The rapidity of fish, which is remarkable, may have suggested the adoption of the dolphins in the arms of Fleet, granted in 1691 : azure, on a bend wavy or, between two dolphins em- bowed argent, three escallops g-ules.
The form of the generality of fish is particularly calculated for swift and easy motion; and they never seem exhausted by fatigue, or to require repose. It has been remarked, in opposition to the curved form of the dolphin, that it is not only the straightest fish that swims, but also the swiftest, and that for this last property it is indebted to the first.
1746058
Sir John Fleet was Lord Mayor in 1G02 ; and on his feast-day their Majesties dined at Guildhall. A drawing of the j)r(>ce»it>M on this occasion is preserved in the Pepysian library at MagdaKii College, Camljridge ; and the description of the pagtant, cntitltMl "The Triumphs of London," was printed by Elkanah St-ttle, the last of the City Poets.
Azure, three fishes naiant in pale argent, within a border ermine, are the arms of the family of Southfiete.
d2
36 THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
Party per pale gules and sable, six dolphins naiant argent, are the arms a.ssigned to Bartholomew Iscan, Bishop of Exeter, cue of the luminaries of the Engli.sh Church ; \yith the motto, Nil amatum, nisi cognitum. He died in 1184, and was buried' in his own cathedral, where amongst the archives his oJEcial seal is yet preserved. The authority for this very early mstance of bearing arms is weak,* and it is known that arms are sometimes attributed to ancestors which were in reahty first adopted by descendants. The original arms of the most ancient families can rarely now be ascertained before the commencement of the thirteenth century.
The seal of the Dean of Bocking, in the reign of Ehzabeth, furnishes an example of the heraldic dolphin ; but the decanal seals, important ecclesiastical instruments, are not inscribed with the names of the deans but the office, which, with few excep- tions, was temporary.
The seal of the Deanery of Hingham in Norfolk bears the emblem of the patron saint of the parish church, St. Andrew's cross raguly ; the seal of the Deanery of Sunning in Berkshire bears the royal arms in the time of Edward VI. ; that of the Dean of Bocking in Essex, is charged with a shield bearing a cross between four dolphins naiant, and inscribed sigillvm . de- cani . DECANATVS . DE . IJOCKIN'G . IN . COM . ESSEX . 1596. It is Cn-
graved one half the length of the original.
As the Cathedral Dean had authority over ten prebendaries, so had the Rural Dean over ten incumbents or parishes, under a commission from the Bishop of the* diocese ; but the particular jurisdiction of the rural deaneries has been amply illustrated in the " Horai Decanicai Rurales," by the Rev. W. Dansey, a work abounding iu solid ecclesiastical and anti«]uariau learning.
♦ Ibaakc's History of ExcUr.
THE HERALDRY OF FISH. 37
Fryer, an aiicieiit family of Clare in Essex, bore for armn, sable, a chevron between three clolj-liin.s oinboweJ argent ; possi- bly in reference to the fry or swarm of fishes.
The sounds and seas, ea-^h creek and bay
With fry ianunierablo swarm, and shoals Of fish, that with theil- fins and shining scales Glide under the green wave.
Francis Fryer of LonJou had a grant of the same arms, with a canton ermine, in 1572. His descendant, Sir Jolui Frver, who had been created a Baronet by King George 1. in 171 1, was Lord Mayor in 1721 .- the title is now extinct, bnt the arms are borne as a quartering by the family of Iremonger of W'licr- well in Hampshire.
Sable, on a chevron between three dolphins argent, tliroo castles triple-towered of the field, were the arms granted in 1602 by Camden as Clarencieux, to John Frear of London, M.l).
Sable, a chevron or, between three dolphins embowed argent, were the arms of Edmund Leversege of Vallis House, Frome, in Somersetshire, in the reign of Edward IV, The heiress of the family married Lionel Seaman, Es(j[.; and in 170G the estate
38 THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
-passed to the Seamans, and the anus v.ero afterwards quartered by their descendants.
Gules, a chevron between three dolphins embowed proper, were the arms of the family of Blenevhasset, anciently seated at a manor of that name on the banks of the Ellen, near Maryport in Cumberland, and afterwards at Flimby Hall in the same county. Branches of this family are settled in various parts of England and in Ireland : the Norfolk branch bears the name of Bleverhasset ; and in Frense church, amongst other monuments of the family, is an engraved brass of Sir Thomas Bleverhasset, who died in loSl, represented in a tabard of his-arms quartering those of the families of Lowdham, Orton, and Keldon.*
Azure, a chevron between three dolphins hauriant argent, ■were the arms of Sir George Wynne of Lees Wood in Flint- • shire, created a Baronet by King George II. 9th August 1731. His crest was a dolphin embowed argent.
In consequence of the assumed fondness of the dolphin for the society of man, it appears to have been adopted in the arms of the family of James, the several branches of which bear the dolphin as a principal charge on the shield, and generally with the punning motto, J'ayme a jamais, I love everlastingly.
Sable, a dolphin naiant between three cross crosslets or, were the arms confirmed by Camden to the family of James of Barrow- Court in Somersetshire, who also bore a dolphin for a crest.
The arms of Dr. William James, Bishop of Durham, here given from a compartment of a large window of the library of University College, Oxford, were executed by ^Ir. Willement^ and exhibit the excellence of the glass stainer, not only in the brilliancy of the colours, but in the facility with which that artist adapts his designs to the period intended to be illustrated.
"When painted glass is introduced, its effect is made to ap- proach nearer to the ancient specimens by no attempt to con- ceal the leads. The more ambitious but less effective system now generally followed, arises out of a mistaken notion of the native beauty and of the real capahilities of the art. There is science as well as art in the arrangement of a painted window ; and the science and the art are equally separate from other pro- vinces of the artist's dominion.f
• Engraved in Cotmaii's Sepulchral Brasses, 1019.
t This view of the subject is tiikcn by tlie Rev. G. A. Poole on the Structure and Decoration of Churches, l.'Ul.
THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
39
Dr. James was the son of .Jolm James of Little On in StnfFord- shire, and was a student of Cliristcliureh : he was elected Master' of University Colleo-e in 1572, and Bishop of Durham in 1606; a see which derived privile^^es from the grant to St. Cuthbert, the Apostle of the North, by Egfrid King of Northumberland!
In right of this see the Bishop, a Count Palatine, held the Earl- dom of Sadberg, and. in consequence of this combinatii.n of the ecclesiastical and military state, a sword was presented to the Bishop at his first entrance to the county by one of his vassals, who held their lands by military tenure. This peculiarity in the see of Durham occasioned the armorial bearings to be surmounted ^' a plumed . mitre : sometimes a helmet was placed under the mitre, as on the seal of Bishop Hatfield, in the reign of Edward HI., the same ecclesiastic who is represented in ^\^•st■s picture of the battle of Nevile's Cross, where the Bishop defeated the Scots. Bishops in earlier times often appeared in the field of battle : Odo, the martial Bishop of IJayeux,. was with his bro- tlier, William the Conqueror, at the battle of Hastings.
40
THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
The arms of the see of Diirhom, azure, a cross or, between four 'lions rampant argout, are those ot'King-O.swakl, the original founder of the bishopric, and in whose memory they have been retained. They are hnpaled with gules, a dolphin embowed argent, between three cross crosslets or, the paternal arms of Bishop James.
Azure, a dolphin eiubowcd argent, are the arms of the family of James of Wyke House near Gillingham in Dorsetshire.
Sir Walter James of Langley in Berkshire, created a Baronet by King George III. in 17iil, bore for arais, gules, a dolphin naiant or, with the motto, J'ayme a jamais. His family, lineally descended from that of Head, on succeeding to this estate, took the name of James.
Quarterly, vert and gules, a cross argent, charged with a ship in full sail proper, betv/een four anchors erect azure ; in- the first and fourth quarters a dolphin naiant of the third, between three cross crosslets or ; in the second and third a lion passant guard- ant of the last, between thi-ee trefoils slipped argent, are the arras of Sir John Kingston James of Killiney in Ireland, who was created a Baronet in 1823.
Azure, a dolphin embowed argent, finned or, between three mullets or, arc the arms of the family of Fitz-James of Dorset- shire and Si)mer.setshire ; with a singular .crest, which is here copied from a book of armorial drawings in the reign of Elizabeth.
THE HERALDRY OF FISH. 41
The same arms were borne by Dr. Richard Fitz-James, the son of John Fitz-James of Redlynch in Somersetshire, hy Alice Newhurgh heiress of the Barony of Poinz. He was Warden of Merton College, Oxford, and successively Bishop of Rochester, Chichester, and London. Ant. Wood says he died in a good old age in 1522, "after good deeds had trod on his heels even to Heaven''s gates.'''' His arms, impaled with those of the see of Rochester, are sculptured on the inner gatehouse of Merton College ; as Bishop of London, his arms, within an enriched border of vine leaves, are in one of the windows of Fulham Palace: and in the Parliament Roll of 1515,* the arms arc quartered with those of Draycot, with a remark that " the Bishop of London claimeth to have precedence in sitting before all other bishops of the province of Canterbury, as Chancellor episcopal."'^
Sable, a dolphin embowed devouring a fish proper, were the arms of Symonds of Norfolk ; the crest of the Ormsby branch is a dolphin embowed, and over it the motto, Rectus in Curvo.
A portrait of Ricliard Gwynne of Taliaris in Carmarthensjhire, President of the Society of Sea Sergeants in 1747, bears their device of a dolphin ; it was painted by R. Taylor, and en- graved by Faber.
Two dolphins hauriant, and entwined saltierwise or, finned azure, the crest of the family of Upton of Sussex, was granted in 1569.
One of the names given by the French to the dolphin is derived from the great projection of its nose, whence it is termed Bee (TOie. A dolphin forms part of the arms of Beck, a family of foreign extraction. Sir Justus Beck, created a Baronet by King George L in 1714, bore for arms, quarterly, 1st." or, a blackbird proper ; 2ud. and 3rd. sable, a mullet or ; 4th. azure, a dolphin liauriant or.
In a stained glass window of the parlour at Newnham Paddox in Warwickshire, are portraits of several ancestors of the noMe family of Fielding, descended from the house of Hapsburg. One of this genealogical series, the portrait of Dame Jellys Russeyl, lady of Sir Everard Fielding, who was created a Knight of the Bath at the marriage of Prince Arthur in 1501, presents an instance not very common of the armorial mantle worn by ladies of rank, and embroidered with her famil}' insignia :
* Noticed at page 34.
42
THE HEUALDRY OF FISH.
or, a (lolplihi nni^ut, oinl chief azure. In the same compart- ment of the window the knight i.s also shown.*
The follovvin^ specimen, taken from a carving on the oaken door of a cabinet, is in the possession of an heraklic collector. It is apparently of French workmanship about the time of Henry IV; and the arms are v. ell arranged, and executed with much spirit.
The only instance offish being used as heraldic supporters is afforded by the dolphin, and the earliest example may be found in the beginning of the sixteenth century. The origin of figures placed on each side of the shield, which they seem to support, is derived from the custom at tournaments, or military sports, of the middle ages. The knights challengers hung their shields of arms ou the barriers, or on tri-cs near the appointed place of jnst-
* EngniTcd in DugiLile's History of Warwickshire, and also ii» Nichols's History of Leicestechire.
THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
43
ing, to be watcherl by their henchmen or pa^es, disguised in the skins of lions, bears, &c. or attired as Saracens and wild men ; these gave notice who accepted the challenge by touching the shield. There are more ancient instances of figures standing and holding a banner of arms, which also probably originated in part of the pageantry of a tournament.
The Watermen's Company of London, whose business it is to row their boats on the river Thames, may be supposed very ancient ; but it was not incorporated until the reign of Queen Mary in 1556. The lightermen, who are employed amongst the shipping, were afterwards united to the 'company.
Their arms, barry wavy argent and azure, a boat or ; <»n a chief of the second, a pair of oars salticrways of the tliird. be- tween two cushions of the first, are supported by two dolphin^ proper : the crest is a hand holding an oar ; and their motto is, Jussu superiorum, being ever at the command of tlu-ir superiors.
The portrait of one of the distinguished members of this com- pany, John Taylor the water poet, is in the picture gallery at Oxford: he had served at the taking of Cadiz under the Earl of Essex in 1506, aiul was waterman to King James I. He alx) called himself the KIng^s water poet, and used as a motto,
Tlio' I deserve not, I desire
The biirel wreath, the poet's hire.
44
THE HEUALDRY OF FISH.
One of his vevy numerous 'Rorks is entitled, " The Dolphin's Danger and Deliverance ; a Sea-figlit in the Gulph of Persia famously fought bj the Dolphin of London against five of the Turks' Men-of-war and a Sattie, Jan. 12, 1G16." He wore the royal badge, and there is extant a whole-length portrait of him holding an oar. A silver oar is the badge of the maritime ju- risdiction of the Corporation of London, and is vrorn by the Water Bailiff as conservator of the rivers Thames and Medway.
Two dolphins are the supporters of the arms of the ancient family of Trevclyan of Cornwall, by whom a dolphin was also used as a badge. '
The arms of Admiral Sir William Burnaby, Bart, of Brough- ton Hall in Oxfordshire, show the dolphins as supporters, in re- ference, probably, to his professional services by sea.
Argent, two bars gules, in chief a lion passant guardant per pale of the second and vert : crest, out of a naval crown a demi- lion rampant guardant or ; in the dexter paw a flag gules : motto. Pro Rejje.
Sir William Burnaby, knighted in l75t, was Admiral and Commander-in-chief at Jamaica, and in the Gulf of Mexico assisted in settling the colony of Pen.sacola. He was Sheriff of
THE HERALDRY OF FISH. 45
Oxfordshire in l76-t, and was created a Baronet 31st October 1767.
The arms of the Baron de Vauer, azure, a stag's head cabossed or, are supported by two dolphins, each being- crested with three peacocks' feathers. The dolphin, from the variety and vividness of its tints, is called " The Peacock of the Sea."
The dolphin, when sporting on the surface of the water, de- ceives the eye and appears curved, as it is always pourtrayed on ancient coins and in sculpture; and from those acknowledged faulty representations the heralds adopted the curved form on sliields of arms. The dolphin, also, 'is destitute of scales, like all the cetacea ; but these are shown in heraldic painting, to give better effect to its naturally beautiful colours.
" And, as he darts, the waters blue Are streaked w-ith gleams of many a hue. Green, orange, purple, gold."
THE WHALE.
The natural history of the whale is a subject of difficult attain- ment to zoologists, and very Httle information is yet extant respecting
. — that sea-beast
Leviathan, which God of all his works Created hugest, that swim the ocean stream.
Although the atiuatic animals are not so varied in their species as the terrestrial, they surjjass them in size, and their \\(c is
46
THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
longer tliaa those of the earth or air. The elephant and ostrich are small in comparison with the wliale, which is the largest fish the sea contains ; it lives as long as an oak, and no land animafs life can be compared to it.* The whale is not classed in natural history as a fish, from which species it differs in its entire or- ganization ; but the terms fish and fishery are yet constantly used to designate the whales taken.
A late Garrer King of Arras granted to John Enderby, Esq. an enterprising merchant of London, who extended the whale fishery in the Pacific Ocean, a crest, described ■ as a whaling harpooner in the act of striking ^ fish, all in proper colours.
A mast of a ship, with its rigging, in a whale's mouth, is borne as a crest by the family of Swallow.
The term Fierte is used in French blazonry for the whale when its teeth, fins, and tail are depicted red. Azure, a whale argent fierte gides, are the arms of AVahlen, a German family.
Gules, three whales hauriant or, in each mouth a crosier of the last, were the arms of Whalley Abbey, on the banks of the Calder in Lancashire.
This monastery was founded in the year 1309 by Henry Lacy, Earl of Lincoln, for Cistercian monks, and, with the dis- trict of Blackburnshire, has received ample illustration from the pen of one of the vicars of Whalley, T. D. Whitaker, LL.D.
Argent, three whales'' heads erased sable, are the arms of the family of Whaley of Wluiley Abbey, in the county of Wicklow ; a seat erected on the site of IJallykine Abbey, in the Barony of Arklow, sjiid to have been originally founded by St. Palladius, the first bishop sent from Home to Ireland.
Argent, on a chevron between three whales"" heads erased sable, as many birds with wings expanded of the first, are the arms of the family of Whaley of Dalton in Yorkshire. * Sturm'b Reflcvtidiis,
THE HERALDRY OF FISH. 47
Almost all the early instances of bearing the whale in English heraldry are what are called canting arms, like that of Tranche- raer, party per fess gules, and wavy argent and azure, repre- senting the sea, with a knife or, plunged therein,*
Modern authors on heraldry are accustomed to treat too slightingly this species of armorial bearing. Menestrier of Lyons, who wrote the first rational and intelligible treatise on blazonry, states truly that " Armes parlantes" are as ancient as any other heraldic device. His " Methode de Blazon " was after his death published, with additions to the original work, in 1770.
Argent, three whales^ heads erased sable, with a whale''s head erased sable, for crest, are the armorial bearings of the family of Whalley of Lancashire and Nottinghamshire ; some branches of which bear the motto " ^Mirabile in Profundis," relative to the arms.
Sir James Whalley Smythe Gardiner, Bart, of Roche Court in Hampshire, is a descendant of the Lancashire family of Whalley, which is ancient. Bernard Whalley rebuilt the church of Billesley, near Stratford on Avon in Warwickshire. Others of the name are recorded in the heraldic visitations of Notting- hamshire, and in Thoroton^s History of that county, among which is the family of Colonel Edward Whalley, Lord Whalley, one of Oliver CromwelFs peers.
The Rev. Peter Wjiulley was of an ancient Northamptonshire family ; and, as historian of that county, prepared for the press the manuscripts of John Bridges, E^(i. of Barton Segrave, com- mcncetl about 171.').
* A ven,' curious collcctioa of Amies parlaiitos is s^ivori iii Piilliot's Sciences des Armoircs, page G4.
4$
THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
Argent, a clievroa between tlireo wliales' heads erased sable, and cresjt a whale'o head erect ai>d erased sable, are borne by- one of the branches of the Whalley fiuuily : another, ermine, on a bend sable three whoios"' ht^ads erased or.
Per chevron crenelle gnles and azure, three whales'* heads couped argent, are the arms of the family of Wallys or Waleys.
Per pale azure and purpure, three whrdes"' heads erased or, each ingulphant of a spear-head argent, were the arms borne by Sir Hugh Vaughan of Littleton in ]^.Iiddlesex, in the reign of Henry VUl ; an<l wore (quartered witli azure, a ftss or, between three horses' liea-ls argent, bridled gules, within a border gobony ardent and vert.
On his standard, which was borne in the field, and was striped gold and green, was a griflin passant double queued gules, fretty or, charged on the neciv, breast, and wings with plates, holding in the dexter fore-daw a sword argent ; three whales'" heads erased and erect or, each ingulphant of a spear-head argent ; and towards the extremity of the standard two similar whales'" heads.*
** Some fish with harpoons, some with darts are struck. Some drawn with nets, some hang upon the hook."
<^|«:
E.\tcrpta IIi!>torica,pagc 170*.
THE HERALDRY OF FISH. 49
II.
C8e IMtf or Euce, aittr d^lging f 06*
The Pike of the fisherman, the tyrant of the river, is the Luce of heraldry ; a name derived from the old French language Lus, or from the Latin Lucius : as a charge, it was very early used by heralds as a pun upon the name of Lucy. Pope Lucius was in this manner characterized by a comparison to ^the fish, by Puttenham,* a poet who lived when quaintness was admired :
Lucius est piscis, rex et tj-rannus aquarum, A quo discordat Lucius iste panun.
The play upon words was not confined to heraldry, but was used by the most eminent authors, and is to be found in the sermons of Bishop Andrews, and in the tragedies of Shakspeare. The immediate source of the heraldic conceit is ascribed to France, whence the armorial device, allusive to a name, is called a Rebus of Picardy.
There is no earlier example of fish borne in English heraldry, than is afforded by the pike, in the arms of the family of Lucy, which was of Norman extraction, and formerly spelt Lucie.
Richard de Lucie, who had defended the castle of Falaise against Gefifrey of Anjou, was Lord of Diss in Norfolk ; he was also SheriflPof Essex in the reign of Henry IL and built the castle of Ongar, some remains of which are to be seen on an artificial hill, one of the leading peculiarities of a Norman for- tress.
Sir Richard Lucy, Lord Chief Justice of England, founded Lesnes priory, near Erlth in Kent; and, dying in 1179, was buried within its walls. Weever, an antiquary, who had seen his tomb in 1630, states that upon the belt of the figure of the knight, the fleur-de-lis, the rebus, or name-device of the Lucvs, was sculp- tured in many places.-f-
The heraldic fleur-de-lis was here figuratively used for a pike or spear, to the head of which it bears some resemblance ; aud this is more particularly shown in the arms of the family of
• Arte of English Poesie, 1509. f Funeral Monuments.
50 THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
Cantelupe: gules, a fess vaire between three leopards*' heads jessant fleurs-de-lis. The uame seems to imply the didding or cutting in pieces of the wolf, or other animal ; and in the arms the pike, or fleur-de-lis, is shown thrust through the principal cantle, the head of the animal, in the manner it would be carried in triumph after a successful chase. Nicholas Upton, who wrote in Latin upon heraldry, terms the fleur-de-lis, flos gladioli. The Boke of St. Alban's in these very arms blazons "three floures in manner of swerdis," considering the fleur-de-lis in this instance as no other than the ornamental head of a spear or pike. It is this spirit of allegory which pervades heraldry, and which formed the very essence of Oriental poetry, the source of the romantic fictions embodied in sculpture and painting.
Godfrey, the son of Sir Richard Lucy the Chief Justice, was Bishop of Winchester, and rebuilt the east end of that cathe- dral, where, on his death in 1204, he was buried at the entrance of the Lady Chapel.
Gules, three luces. or, were the ancient arms of the baronial family of Lucy.
These are found recorded in one of the most valuable of heraldic authorities, a roll of arms of the reign of Henry II L " Geffrey de Lucie, de goules, a trois lucies d'or." This roll, compiled between the years 1240 and 1245, was printed in 1829 by Sir Harris Nicolas from a copy which had been presented to the Heralds"" College by Sir William Dngdale. Sir Geffrey Lucy died in 1283 : his son and heir, also named Geffrey, was sum- moned to parliament in the reign of Edward I, and his descend- ants in hereditary succession have continued to enjoy the ho- nours of the peerage.
A very ancient (shield of the anus of Lucy, in which the fish are
THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
51
white upon a red ground, yet remains within a quatrefuil in one of the windows of Selby Abbey church, which was formerly enriched with stained glass of tasteful execution.
Sir Reginald Lucy, by his marriage with the heiress of Fitz- Duncan, acquired the Honour of Egremont in Cumberland ; his two daughters married brothers of the Multon family. In 1300 Sir Thomas Lucy, having taken the name of his maternal grandfather, held the Barony of Egremont; and Thomas Lord Lucy, his grandson, held possession of Egremont Castle, the forest of Copeland, and the Honour of Cockermouth. "
Henry, first Earl of Northumberland, of the Percy family, married the heiress of Anthony Lord Lucy, who died in 13G!) ; and, her large inheritance devolving upon the house of Percy, the arms of Lucy continue to be borne quarterly by his descendants with those of Percy,
In a curioug roll of arms in the heraldic library of the late Rev. Canon Newling, compiled during the lifetime of the Earl ot Northumberland, towards the end of the reign of Richard II,* are the arms of " Le Conte de Northumberland S' de Lucy, quarterly, first and fourth or, a lion rampant azure, Percy ; second and third gules, three luces hauriant, t\vo and one, argent, Lucy. The present Duke of Northuiuberland, a Knight of tlie CJarter, 13 Earl Percy and Lord Warkworth by creation, and I'V descent is Lord Percy, Lucy, Poynings, Fitz-Payne, Bryan, and La- timer.
• Printed iu 1834 by Mr. WUlemenL
62 THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
The original amis of the Percy family, azure, five fusils in fess or, are still retained ; but the lion rampant, now placed in the first quarter, is the armorial bearing of the ancient Dukes of Brabant. When Lady Agnes, the heiress of Percy, married Josceline of Louvaine, the brother of Alice queen pf Henry I, he assumed the name of Percy, but retained the old arms of Brabant, which have been continued by his descendants.
His Grace's full achievement, in stained glass, is in the window of University College library, at Oxford.
Algernon Seymour, Duke of Somerset, having inlierited part of the Percy estate from his mother, the heiress of the Earl of Northumberland, was created in 1749 Earl of Egremont and Lord Cockermouth, with remainder to Sir Charles Wyndham, Bart, who, upon the Duke's death in 1750, became Earl of Y.gre- mont. Sic. George, the second Earl of that title, died in 1837, pos- sessed of the castles of Egremont and Cockermouth, the ancient estate of the Lucys : with the remains of these castles the anti- quary is well acquainted.
Families descended from the house of Lucy did not fail to retain the arms of that ancient family amongst the quarterings, thus forming an heraldic as well as a genealogical record of their alliance. This practice of marshalling, or disposal of several arms in one shield, has been used ever since the reign of Edward III, a monarch who deemed it right to quarter the arms of . France with those of England, in consequence of his hereditary claims to the sovereignty of that country. An instance is shown in the arms of Thomas Earl of Sussex, K.G. Lord Chamberlain to Queen Elizabeth, in stained glass at Xew Hall, in Essex, one of the few Tudor mansions which has escaped destruction. This nobleman of the Eatclitib family, to use the words of a contem- porary, was " of very ancient and noble lyneage, honoured through many descents with the tytle of Fitz-A\'alters," and through the Fit z- Walters was descended from the family of Lucy. The eight quarterings borne by the Earl include the arms of the heiress whom his ancestor married, and those arms conveyed to her posterity by her heii'ship, arranged according to priority of descent. In this kind of heraldic display, very com- mon in the large halls of the nobility, the lead-work mingling with the brilliant coluurs of the arms produces a fine eftect, such as few painters, perhaps with the exception of David Roberts, R.A. have been able to imitate.
TilE HESALDIIY 01 FISH.
53
Arms, 1, argent, a bend engrailed salile ; Ratcliffe. 2, or, a fe^^s between two chevrons gules; Fitz- Walter. These are a variation of the arms of the house of Clare, from whom the Fitz- Walters descended. 3, argent, a lion rampant sable, crowned or, witliiu a border azure ; Burnell, of Acton Burneil in Shropshire, 4, or, a saltier engrailed sable ; Botetourt, of St. Briavels in Glouces- tershire, 5, gules, three laces hauriant argent ; Lucy. 6, ar- gent, three bars gides; Multon of Egremont. 7, or, semee of fleurs-de-lis sable ; Mortimer, of Attleborough in Norfolk. 8, argent, an eagle sable, preying on an infant swaddled gules ; Cul- cheth, an ancient Lancashire family.
The RatclifFes were descended from William de EadclyftV, In the reign of Richard I, deriving his name from a cliff of red ;.tuue on his estate; who, after his marriage with Cecilia de Kirkiand, assumed her arms, argent, a bend engrailed sable.* Kadiliti tower, referred to in the old ballad " The Lady Is;ibella's Tra- gedy," was founded by James de Radchtf in the reiiru of Ilcury VL
The arms of the Earl of Sussex with the same ((uarterings are sculptured on the-monument of his countess in St. Paufs Cliapfl, Westminster Abbey ; and as founder of Sydney Susst-x C<)iK"«'e, in Cambridge L^niversitv, her arms were adopted by the Master and Fellows on their official seal.
The arms of Lucy are also amongst the quartorings borne by
Whitaker's History of Whalley, p. 401.
54
THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
the family of Lowtiier, one of Great anticmity in Westmoreland, the head of which is the Earl of Lon^-dale, K.G.
When arms were assumed by monastic institutions, they were generally those of the fii'st founders or principal benefactors. The arms assiu-ned to Calder Abbey in Cumberland are those of three great families who had contributed towards its aggrandise- ment. Argoit, three escutcheons : 1, or, a fess between two chev- rons gules, for Fitz-V/ alter. 2, gules, three luces hauriant argent, for Lucy. S, sable, a fret argent, for Fleming.
The only remains of the former grandeur of this abbey, on the banks of the river Calder. are the tower of the conventual church and the tomb of Sir John le Fleming : the tower stands in a deep secluded valley, the sides of which are adorned with hanging woods.
One of the most considerable branches of the Baronial house is that of the Lucys of Charlecote, in Warwickshire, where it has been seated ever since the reign of Richard I.
From Sir Walter de Charlecote descended William, who assumed the name of Lucy from his maternal ancestor, and bore on his seal in the reiirn of Heninr IIL three luces hauriant. His descendant. Sir William Lucy, in the reign of Edward IL bore arms the same as now used by the family. In the roll of arms
of that period^ appears "Sire de Lucy, de goules, crusule
de or, a iij luys de or."
Sir Thomas Lucy, knighted by Queen Elizabeth, rebuilt the manor house at Charlecote on the banks of the river Avon, which winds gracefully through the extensive park. This mansion, a
• Priuted by Sir Harris NicoLis in 182^.
THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
55
noble specimen of domestic architecture, derives interest from being the work of the reputed prosecutor of Shakspeare, for which he not only took the Hberty of lampooning the Lord of the Manor in a ballad, but in some scenes of his dramas has intro- duced much punning about the luces in the arms.
A prevailing feature of ancient architecture was the orna- mented vanes on standards surmounting the pinnacles of the gables ; on those at Charlecote the arms of Lucy are fancifully disposed, the three luces being interlaced, between cross crosslcts, and the outer edges pierced in the form of fleurs-de-lis.
The gilded vanes representing small banners bearing the family badge, when placed upon the chateau, were, according to French heralds, one of the distinguishing marks of nobility, and were termed banners, or panonceaux. In the arms of the family of Vieuxchastel of Brittany they are introduced and blazoned, azure, a chateau argent, girouette d'or.
Sir Thomas Lucy of Charlecote, in the roign of Elizabetli, married Constance the heiress of Sir Richard King^mill of High Clere in Hampshire ; and from their sicoud sou, Sir llichard Lucy, created a Baronet by King James in 1017, descended the Lucys of Broxbourue in Hertfordsliire.
56
THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
In the old stained glass windows of the hall at Charlecote is a series of arms in enriched compartments,
All garlanded witt carven imageries
Of fruits and flowers and bunches of knot-grass,
showing the various alliances of the Lucy family, with inscrip- tions beneath them.*
In the old church of Charlecote is an interesting series of monuments to the memory of different members of the family ; and in the adjoining parish of Hampton Lucy, in which the church has been rebuilt, is an altar window, presented by the rector, the Eev. John Lucy, containing the principal events in the history of the apostle Peter, the patron saint of fishermen,
* A description of the windows of the h:ill, library, and drawing-room, is printed in the Collectanea Topoj^raphica, 1837, p. 340', from which it appears that some compart- ments have been made to agree in style with the older glass, under the direction of Mr. Willement.
THE HEUALDBY OF FISH.
57
as well as of tlie parish : below these subjects are the arms of tlie .Lord of the Manor, and others of the Lucy family counected with the church, tastefully arranged from the designs of Mr. Willement.
Amongst the principal omanieDts of the ancient churches were the stained glass windows contributed by wealthy and pious benefactors ; the beautiful colours of the glass tempered the rays of the sun, and considerably improved the architectural effect of the structure. When the windows of churches were enlarged in their dimensions, they were able to contain richly-tinted gla<is, exhibiting the whole-length figures as well as the achievements of patrons and benefactors enshrined imder elaborately ornamented canopies ; these combinations of ancient art
" In mellotv gloom the speaking frame arrayed ;"
and historically traced the access of wealth and power to the church. More frequently the enrichment consisted simply of the armorial bearings with the monogram, or rebus on the name of the founder, as in a border of stained glass yet remaining in one of the wmdows of Kingsdown church, near Wrotham in Kent, to which the family of Lucy were benefactors, here given as a curious specimen of heraldic drawing ; the ground is red and the luce or pike white.
Arms of patronage, of feudal origin, were borne in order to show the dependence of vassals on their particular Lords, as in Cheshire, where the ancient Earls bore garbs on their shield, the vavasours of that county also bore garbs. The ancient Earls of Warwick bore a field chequy, and many gentleuu-n of Warwickshire retained the same. From the similarity of the arms of Brougham to that of Lucy, it is not improbable that
58 THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
they Tvere.assiuned in consequence of a connexion with that great baronial family. Brougham, in Westmoreland, is situated on the banks of the Lowther, a celebrated trout stream, also famous for their mortal enemy the pike. This manor was held by Lords of the same name from the earliest periods, and the Brougham family have been latterly in entire possession of the estate. There was a marriage in this family with that of Riclimond, heirs of the family of Vaux, of Catterlin in Cumberland, one of the branches of the baronial house of Vaux of Gillesland ; and the very first peerage conferred by King William IV. in 1830 was on their de- scendant, Henry Lord Brougham and Vaux, a nobleman equally distinguished by his literary and legal talents, and by his exer- tions as a statesman and orator : his achievement as Lord Chancellor is painted in Lincoln"'s Inn Hall.
The arms of William Brougham, Esq. M.P. are here given from one of the windows of the new Lady Chapel at St. Saviour"'s, Southwark, in stained glass by Mr. J. H. Nixon, the successful artist in the competition for the painted windows of the southern transept of Westminster Abbey church.
The restoration of the Lady Chapel, so highly creditable to all parties concerned, was commenced in 1832 as a Consistory Court for the Diocese of Winchester, and is erected in the early pointed style of architecture corresponding with the choir of the church, built in the thiitccuth century. All the details of the
THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
59
former building have been copied with accuracy, exhibitino" a specimen of flint work almost unique in a modem structure. In the long elegant triple lancet windows, the glazing is enclosed in frame work, designed by the architect G. G's^-ilt, F.S.A. in ac- cordance with existing examples of the same early period : here the aid of heraldry has been resorted to as an additional enrich- ment, and the arms of the principal supporters of the work have been executed in stained glass.
The same punning propensity which induced the application of the pike to the name of Lucy in England prevailed in France, The family of Luc en Vivarets bore for arms, or, a bend azure, charged with two luces argent ; and the arms of the family of Fontenay de Luc, in Vendome, according to the same authority, are blazoned, azure, a luce or pike naiant argent, in chief an etoile or,*
The etoile is a well-known sjTubol of the Epiphany ; and a fish was employed as a religious emblem by the first Christians. A single fish has been supposed to represent the empIo\Tuent of St, Peter ; but the fish, evidently intended for luces, in the ornamental pavement of the Chapterhouse at Westminster may possibly allude to the early tradition that St, Peter's church was first built by King Lucius,
The ged and the pike are synonjinous In North Britain, whence the Scottish family of Ged beai* for arms, azure, three geds, or pikes, hauriant argent. To this play upon the name Sir Walter Scott alludes with much pleasantry in '• Red Gauut- let." " The heralds," he says, ••' who make graven images of
* PiiUiot, Stienccs dcs .Vruioircs, p. 548.
60
THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
fish, fowls-, and beasts, assigned the ged for their device and escutcheon, and hewed it over their chimneys, and placed above their tombs the fish called a jack, pike, or luce, and in our tongue a ged.""
Of this family was William Ged, an ingenious printer of Edinburgh, who employed the stereotype as early as the year 1725: his Memoirs, published by Nichols in 1781, including an account of his progress in the art, were reprinted at Newcastle in 1819.
Geddes, a very ancient family of Tweeddale in North Britain, bears for arms, gules, an escutcheon between three luces' heads couped argent.
James Geddes, of Rachan, a gentleman deeply versed in classical literature, and author of an Essay on the Composition of the Ancients, died in 17-19.
Horsey Mere, on the coast of Norfolk, is mentioned by Camden as the source of a common expression denoting the best fish of this species,
Horsey pike, none like.
This lake is still remarkable for the quality as well as the quan- tity of its pike, which continue to haunt the long ranges of sedges and bulrushes on the banks ; but the pike in the rivers of Staffordshire are considered to be more beautifully marked than those taken elsewhere.
Ramsey Mere, in Huntingdonshire, produces a variety of fish, of which pike, perch, eels, and bream are most abundant. This fishery was one of the earliest benefactions to the abbey of Ram- sey, and not improbably the cause of its foundation by Ail win,
THE HEJlALDRy OF FISH. 61
at the interoessiou of SL Oswald, Archbishop of York, and Bishop of Worcester. A charter of the time of Kiug Edward III. recites that Ailwin, a kinsmau of King Edgar, founded here a rehgious house ai the instigation of his fisherman Vulsgeat, who, after an unsuccessful toil in Earaes jNIere, was warned by St. Benedict in a vision to catch a quantity of fish, called by the inhabitants of that part /lacaed, and then to found a monastery where his bull had torn up the gi'ound, in token of which com- mission the fisherman's finger was bent. The church was finished in five years afterwards, and consecrated A.D. 974 : among the grants of Ailwin, which were many, were the island on which the abbey stood, and all his fishery at Well.
Azure, two geds or luces in saltier argent, and for crest two luces as in the arms, are borne as an heraldic ensign by the family of Gedney of Hudderley, in Lincolnshire, with reference to the northern name of ged which is given to the pike. Gedney of Enderby, in the same county, bears argent, two luces in saltier azure. The arms of Gedney are among the quart erings of the family of Ashby in the window of the hall, and carved on the chimney-pieces of their ancient seat at Quenby in Leicester- shu'e.
Gules, three luces naiant, within a border engrailed argent, are the arms of Pike of London. A fiimily of the same name was seated at Pike's Ash, near Martock in Somcrset««hire, in the reign of Henry VIIL Pyke of Devonshire bears for arms, per pale argent and gules, on a chevron, between three trefoils slij)ped, a luce naiant, all counterchanged ; and, for crest, a luce naiant or.
The arms of Picke have also an allusion to the name of the
62 THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
fish, per chevron vraxj argent find vert, in chief two hiceg chevron- wise, respecting each other, propter ; and in base a hind statant of the first. Piketon bears, argent, three luces naiant in pale gules ; and Pikeworth, azure, three luces naiant within a border engrailed argent.
The play upon the name is more evident in the arms of the family of Pickering of Alconbury, in Huntingdonshire, gules, a luce naiant between three annulets argent ; and of the same punning quality is the ornamental device which is affixed to Mr. Montagu's " Guide to the Study of Heraldry," a most interesting introduction to the subject, published by William Pickering.
So prevailing is the opinion of the inferiority of canting arms, that it is necessary to repeat that the parody or pun exists not only in the monkish rebus, " Like Prior Bolton ^^-ith his bolt and tun," but that the noblest peers in the earliest times are found to have been equally characterized by simple objects depicted on their standards having reference to their liigh-sounding names. The broom plant was the well-kno^Mi device of the Plantagenets. The Lords ComjTi bore a garb or sheaf of cummin or barley : Corbet, a raven, corheau. The Arundt-lls were known by the swallows, hironddlcs^* and Heriz by the herison or hedgehog.
* The swallows borne by an ancestor of the fnmilv of ArundcU, and which his descend- ants display to this day, are mentii^ncJ by Gulirlmus Brito, or William the Breton, author of a Latin poem on the exploits of Philip Augustus:
Ilirundolx velocior alite, qu^B dat
Hoc agnomen ei, fert ciijiis in a-gide signum.
This is one of the earliest specimens of what ar»> called canting arms, or anncs parhmtes. Vide a notice of the rise and progress of English heraldry in the Pictorial History of England, 1837, vol L page C4l.
THE HERALDRY OF FISN.
63
The ancient faoiilies of Brooke and Grey assumed the hadger, an animal provineialiy known by tlie names of brock or gray, and with the fox equally regarded as an object of sport.
" To hunt by day the fox, by night the gray."
The mulberry, in the same spirit of parody, was the chosen device of the family of Mowbray, founders and benefactors of Byland Abbey in Yorkshire.
Argent, on a pale sable a demi-luce or ; crest, out of a ducal coronet, a demi-luce or, are the armorial ensigns of the. family of
Gascoigne of Gawthorp, a place interesting to every lover of genius and of virtue ; for while the long series of the Lords of Harewood Castle produced nothing but ordinary knights and baronS, who fought, and hunted, and died, Gawthorp was the patrimonial residence of Chief Justice Gascoigne, and the fa- vourite retreat of his illustrious descendant, Thomas Earl of Strafford.*
Sir William Gascoigne, born at Gawthorp Hall, near Leeds
* WTiitaker's History of Leeds, p. IGo.
64 THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
in Yorkshire, was Chief Justice of the King's Bench in the reign of Henry IV, and was celebrated no less for his abilities than his integrity. His monument, with his effigies and that of his lady, the heiress of Sir William :Mowbray of Kirklington, is. yet remaining in Harewood Church, which surpasses perhaps every parish church of the county of York in the number and perfect preservation of the tombs of its Lords. He was the ancestor of another Sir William Gascoigne of Gawthorp, in the reign of Henry VII, whose heiress married Thomas Wentworth, Esq. of Woodhouse, in Yorkshire, from whom descended the Earl of Strafford in the reign of Charles I, the second Earl of that title, the Marquess of Rockingham, the Earls Fitz William, and the Lord Strafford of Harmondsworth.
Another descendant of the same femily, Sir John Gascoigne of Parlington near Wetherby, was created a Baronet by King Charles I. in 1635. This title became extinct in 1810; but the estates devolved to Richard Oliver, Esq. who subsequently as- sumed the name of Gtiscoigne.
The present Marquess of Salisbury married the heiress of Bamber Gascoigne, Esq. of Barking in Essex, and of Childwall Hall in Lancashire, a descendant of this family through Sir Crispe Gascoigne, who was Lord Mayor in l7o3. His lordship, after his marriage, used the name of Gascoigne before that of Cecil and all his titles of honour.
George Gascoigne the poet, who served with honour in the Low Country wars, was of an Essex family. On his return he turned his attention to the study of letters, and is known by his *' Princely Pleasures of Kcnilworth," a masque written for the amusement of Queen Elizabeth, Avhom he accompanied in her stately progress in the summer of 1575.
Gascoigne Nightingale, Esq. of Enfield in Middlesex, 1749, changed his name from Gascoigne, pursuant to the will of Sir Robert Nightingale, Bart, of Newport Pond, in Essex, and bore the arms of Nightingale and Gascoigne quarterly.*
The Norfolk family of Lilliug bear for arms, grdes, three luces naiant in pale, within a border argent. The fomily of Oyry bear, azure, three luces hauriant argent, between as many frets or ; and that of Ostoft, sable, three luces'' heads erased argent.
Ermine, on a bend saMe, three luces' heads erased argent, are
• Warbiirtoirs Middlesex lUubtmted, p. 104.
THE HERALDRY OF FISH. 65
the arms of the family of Gillet, branches of which were seated at Broadfield in Norfolk, and at Ipswich in Suftblk. The head only of the fish was shown in the arms of Gillet, possibly as a play upon the name. The g-ills on each side of the head are remarkable in the structure of fish, as by them they perform their aquatic respiration. Water entering at their mouth is forced out again at the opening of the gills, and thus maintains almost a constant stream through them similar to the current of air in the respiration of animals.
Sable, three luces hauriant argent, are described as the arms of the family of Fishacre, seated at Combe Fishacre in the parish of Ipplepen, Devonshire, in the reign of Henry II.
Of this ancient house were several members of equestrian rank. Sir Peter Fishacre, who is said to have founded Morleigh church near Totnes, is commemorated by a monument in the chancel. Richard Fishacre, another of this family, acquired reputation by his study of theology, and was the friend of Robert, brother of Roger Bacon, the wonder of his age : he died in 124S, and was buried at Oxford. Martin Fishacre ■vi'as Sherift' of Devonshire in 1364.
The crest of the family of Garling, a fish's head erased, per fess proper, is perhaps intended as a play upon the name, and should be the Garfish, or sea-pike, found upon the coasts of Europe. Le Centropome, the Brochet de INIer of .Cuvier, which forms ;ui article of consumption in South America, is a kind of perch, but is called a sea-pike : the sea-luce of heraldry is the hake, the Merlucius of the naturalist.
66
THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
THE FLYING FISH.
All fish wliich shine with brilliant colour?, and the flying fish, to which air and water seem alike, are peculiar to the seas of the torrid zone.
As typical of his o^wti extraordinary elevation, Dr. E-obinson, who became Bishop of Carlisle in the reign, of Elizabeth, ap- pears to have assumed for his armorial distinction this remark- able fish, not painted according to its true form, but as it was then believed to be, a fish with wings.
Azure, a flying fish in bend argent, on a chief of the second, a rose between two torteaux : these are impaled with the arms of his bishopric, argent, a cross sable, charged in the centre with a mitre or.
Henry Robinson entered Queen's College, Oxford, in 1568 as a servitor. He was consecrated Bi^^hop of Carlisle in 1598, and died in 1G16. A brasis plate bearing liis portrait, with his arms and an inscription, was [tlactd on the wall of the chancel in his own cathedral when lie was buried, and aiiother near tlie altar of Queen's College chapel.
THE HJiRALDRY OF FISH.
67
This beautiful fish, at tlie time of Sir Francis Drake's success- ful voyage of discovery, for which ho \v'i>s knighted hy Quoen EKzabeth, was hut little known. " Nothing,"" says his biogra- pher,* " surprised the crew more than the flying fish, which is nearly the same size with a herring, and has fins of the length of his whole body, by the help of which, when he is pursued by the bonito, and finds himself on the point of being taken, he springs up into the air, and flies forward as long as his wings continue wet ; when they become dry and stiff, he falls down into the water and dips them again for a second flight. This unhappy animal is not only pursued by fishes in his natural element, but attacked in the air by the don or sparkite, a bird that preys upon fish."
Other early instances of this fish borne in heraldry are the Ger- man families of Von }3oltzig of Brunswick, gules, a flying fish in bend argent, winged or ; and Senitz in Silesia, gules, a flying fish in bend argent. -f Argent, three flying fishes naiant in pale azure, wings and fins gules, are the arms of the family of Bulamfeck.
Vert, three flying fishes in pale argent, were the arms granted in 1758 to John Garraston, Esq. of Lincoln.
Miss Stickney, in her very interesting Illustration of the Poetry of Life, found little to say on fish ; two kinds only, the flying fish, and the dolphin, being familiar in the language of poetry, and conducive to its figurative charm. The formor, in its transient and feeble flight, has been made the subject of some beautiful lines by Moore : while the dol[>hin, from the beauty of its form, and the gorgeous colours which arc s;iid to be produced by its last agonies, is celebrated in the poet's lay asj an emblem of the glory ^vhich shines most cons])icuou5ly in the hour of death.
• Doctor Johnson. t Sibmacher.
f2
68
THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
III.
antr 2Xoac5»
The Barbel is a large, strong, and very handsome river fish, so named from the barbs attached to its mouth, which enable it to search for food, tliat is obtained near the bottom and in the deepest parts of the stream. Their beauty and their abun- dance, particularly in the rivers Ehine, Elbe, and Weser, have caused these fish to be much used in foreign heraldry, in which they are always termed Bars, and are generally depicted em- bowed.
As a rebus on the name of their fief, barbel were assumed as a distinctive mark on the military banners of the ancient Counts of Bar, a demesne westward of Lorraine, now included in the department of the Meuse ; their arms are, azure, semee of crosses, two barbel endorsed or.
The same arms, but within a border as a mark of difference, are found amongst those of the English knights in " The Siege of Carlaveroek," an heraldic poem composed at the time of the event, by Walter of Exeter, presenting one of the most faithfid
THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
69
pictures of the mniiners of the age in which it was written, and containing minute details of the siege of a castle in Scotland by King Edward I. in July 1300. "John de Bar was likewise there, who in a blue banner crusilly bore two barbels of gold, with a red border engrailed," * This knight is supposed to have been one of the sons of Thibaut Count of Bar. As Henry Count of Bar, the eldest son, had a few years before married Eleanor the daughter of King Edward I. of England, it is highly probable that his brother John would be in the King's retinue ; and as his name in the poem follows that of John of Brittany, the King's nephew, and afterwards Earl of Richmond, it is likely that he was attached to the royal person in consequence of that alliance. In the church of Berwick St. John, in Wilt- shire, is a tomb with a figure of a knight in mail armour bearing a shield charged w*ith the arms, of Bar, and within a border; possibly the very same person, but the conjecture is unsup- ported by any other evidence than is presented by the armorial bearings. -f
John Earl of Surrey, one of the most powerful barons of Eng- land, and who stood high in the favour of King Edward III, married Joan, daughter of Henry Count of Bar.
His seal, impressed about 1310, bearing a shield chequy, the
• Translated by Sir Harrii Nicolas and printed in 182!].
t Nicobs's edition of the Siege of Carlaver(H.k, ]inge 174. The name of this knight also occurs in the household roll of the Lord Edward, tlie Kintj's 6on, among the Pell Records, printed by Fred. Devon, Esq. 1 037.
70
TRTS HERALDRY OF FISH.
arms of Warren, is ornamented on It? sides with tlie barbel and cross crosslets of the house of Bar ; and also, in allusion to his descent from Hameline Plantagenet, the son of Geffrey Earl of Anjou, the shield is surmounted by the lion passant guar- dant of the house of Plfuitagenet.*
The seal of Joan of Ear, the Countess of Warren and Sur- rey, shows, by the various arms upon it, her ancestral honours, the object of ail armorial arrangement. The Countess was the daughter of Henry Count of Bar and Eleanor daughter of King Edward I. The ^V'ar^eu arms are placed in a lozenge in the centre of the seal, and between the arms of Bar.
vS?.
The arms of her mother, a princess of England, are in chief and in base ; and in the smaller compartments into which the surface of the seal is tastefully divided, are the arms of her grandmother, Castile and Leon alternately, in direct allusion to her Spanish descent. -f- This seal, impressed in red wax about 1347, fully illustrates the method pursued by the heralds of dis- posing •'-arious arms, previously to the adoption of quarterings, or the arrangement of the whole in one shield according to modern practic'e.;^
The house of Bar merged into that of Lorraine in consequence
• Watson's Earls of Warren. f Sandford's Royal Genealogy, p. 139.
X On nionnments erected before the reign of Edward III. separate coats of anns, denoting the honourable alliances of the Cuiiily, are to be observed, as on the tombs of the Valences, Earli of Pembroke, in Wi-stminster Abbey, which were erected before the practice of quartering amia was adopted.
THE HERALDRY OF FISH. 71
of the marriage of Eleanor, daughter of Heury Count of Bar, vn'th Rudolph Duke of Lorraine, who was slain at the battle of Crecy in 1346, Isabel, Duchess of Lorraine and IJar, daughter of Charles the Brave, the grandson of Eudolph, married Reno d'Anjou, King of Naples and Sicily, whose arms, quartering Bar, are described in a contemporary poem by his King of Arms, Croissant d'or, the name also of an order of knighthood peculiar to Naples.
Se tvois pui^£i<in5 ropaumcsJ 5ou5 tymbrc roronne
3Portc m c})tl en iScs! armcS, le noble i\oi) t\tnt,
^ongti'e, ct ^fctlc, ?i){cruiJalcm au^^t,
^inii que boir poubc| ni ctt e^cvit id
9njou ct 33ar tn }?it1i^, ti\id)t\ 'Oe granti rntom,
et un vot'al ticu gur le tout i'^lrratjon.*
Rene d'Anjou, King of Naples, was the father of Marga- ret, the queen of Henry VL of England. Her arms in the windows of Ockwell House in Berkshire, with the motto, ?>umblf ft loiall, are engraved in Lysons's Berkshire, and in Wd- lement's Regal Heraldry. The same, surrounded by a border vert, are the arms of Queens College at Cambridge University, founded by the Queen.
The house of Lorraine came from the same ancestors as the house of Hapsburg, Gerard, descended from the Landgraves of Alsace, was created Duke of Lorraine in 1048 by the Emperor Henry IH. They bore for arms, quarterly, 1st, Hungary, as descendants of Charles Martel, the father of a line of kings, whose ■ epithet of Martel, tlie hammer, was expressive of his weighty and irresistible strokes when opposed to the Saracens ; the 2ud quartering Naples ; ord, Jerusalem ; 4th, Arragon ; 5th, Anjou ; 6th, Gueldres ; 7th, JuUers ; and Sth, Bar ; the whole surmounted by the arms of Lorraine, or, on a bend gules, three alerions argent. The alerion, an eagle without beak or feet, was assumed as an anagram on the name of Lorraine.
These arms are generally found surrounded by a mantle, bear-
♦ The three great realms under a crov^-ncd crest. Noble King Rene be;irs as chief and best, Hungarj", Sicily, and Jonisaleni, And here ymi b'-hdld the royal storu, Anjou and Bar, duchies of great reno^\Ti, And over all the shield of Arragon.
72
THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
ing the same quarterings, one of the earliest instances of the use of the m.intie in lieraldry, v/hich, according to Menestrier, was adopted about 1530.
\\
mmm
iT
Stephen, son of Leopold, succeeded his father as Duke of Lor- raine in 1729. He ceded that duchy to Stanislaus, King of Poland, and Lecame Grand Duke of Tuscany in 1739. In right of his wife, Maria Theresa, he had the crowns of Plungary and Bohemia, and in 1745 was elected Emperor of Germany.
The arms of the kingdoms of Bohemia and Hungary consist of twenty-four quarterings, now belonging to the house of Aus- tria. One of the quarterings containing fish, gules, two barbel addorsed or, are the anus of Pfyrt in Suntgau, a fief which accrued to the Archduke Albert in 1324, in right of his wife Jane, daughter and heiress of Ulric Count of Pfyrt: this was one of the six happy marriages of the house of Austria.* The arms are shoT\Ti on a banner carried in the splendid representa- tion of Maximilian's Triumph by Hans Burgmair,
Azure, two barbel addorsed, and between them a fleur-de-lis in chief, and another in base or, one of the heraldic badges of the Stafford family, appears to be composed from the charges in the arms of Aujou and those of Bar. The representative of a family assumes the right to use its badge, an appendage of rank, formerly worn by the retainers of emiuent personages on a con- spicuous part of their dre;?s.
* Anderson's Royal Genealogies, p. 46(;.
THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
73
The house of Stafford descends by ten different marrlag-es from the royal blood of England and France ; and the badge, one of eighteen, is stained on marble, with the well-known Stafford knot repeated many times, on the monument of John Paul Howard, Earl of Stafford, who died in 1762, which is in St. Edmund's Chapel, Westminster Abbey.
The knots of silk cord, heraldic ornaments of early use, are each distinguished by the names of families to which they indi- vidually belong, as the Stafford knot, the Bourchier knot, Wake's knot, and Dacre's knot.
Azure, two barbel addorsed or, are the arms of the family of Montbeliard of Bar ; their descendants, De Montfaucon, who took the name of Montbeliard, bore for arms, gules, two barbel addorsed or.* Montfaucon de Dampierre, in Franche Comte, bore gules, two barbel addorsed within a double tressure or. The family of the learned French antiquary, Bernard de Mont- faucon, was originally of Gascony, and descended from the Lords of Montfaucon le Vieux, first barons of the Comte de Comminges.
Azure, two barbel addorsed between four roses or, were the heraldic distinction of the ancient Counts of Barby, on the Elbe, the last of whom died in 1G59. These arms were atl:erwards quartered by the Electors of Saxony, the Grand Marshals of the Empire. Barl)y, after having formed part of .Jerome Bonai)arte's kingdom of Wtstphalia, was aimexed to Prussia iu 1815.
* Palliot, Science des Aiiuoirics, page 10.
74
TflS HEIiALDPvY OF FISH.
The barbel appears to be a very common bearing In the heral- dry of the Continent. A few early instances only will be men- tioned where this fish hits been adopted evidently as a play upon the name of the person ,
Azure, semee of cross crosslets fitchy, two barbel addorsed or, are the arms of the family of Bar de Buranlure ; that of Bartet de Bonncval bears, azure, three barbel in bend sinister or ; Bardin, azure, three barbel naiant in pale argent ; and Barfuse, gules, on a fess argent two barbel naiant azure.
As an example of the term mal-ordonnes, or false disposition of the charges in the shield, when one figure is placed above two, contrary to the usual mode of two in chief and one in base, Palliot gives the arms of Barbeau in Burgundy ; party per fess argent and gules, three roses, mal-ordonnees of the last, in chief, . and two barbel chevronwise or, in base.
This fish is very rarely borne singly in armorial ensigns ; an instance is afforded in the arms of Marchin, a Flemish family, one of whom was in the service of King Charles II. during his Majesty's residence in Holland ; argent, a barbel gules.
John Caspar Ferdinand de Marchin, Count of Graville, Mar- quis of Cluirmont d'Antraguc, Baron of Dunes, Marchin, Mezers, and Modane, Captain-General in the service of the King of Spain, and Lieutenant-Gcneral of the forces of King Charles II. of England, was elected Knight Companion of the Order of the Garter at Antwerp in 1658 : he was installed in 1661.
THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
75
Gules, two barbel addorsed or, were the arms of Abel Frangois Polsson, Marquis de Mari^y, brother of the celebrated Madame Pompadour.
Argent, two barbel respecting each other, sable, are the arms of the family of Colston, a name sometimes spelt Coulston and Coulson. The barbel in heraldry being generally represente<l embowed, as well as the dolphin, in careless transcription is called a dolphin, as in the instance of the benevolent merchant of Bristol, Edward Colston, in respect to whom the Dolphin tavern in that city is said to owe its sign ; and tradition asserts that his crest was assumed from the circumstance of a dolphin ha\'ing providentially forced itself into a hole and stopped the leak of one of his ships at sea. He is known to have been remarkably successful, having never insured a ship, and having lost but one. As a great benefactor of the city of Bristol, his portrait, by Richardson, is preserved in the Merchant Adven- turers*' Hall ; and after his death in 1721, a monument, by Eys- brach, with an inscription enumerating his public charities, was erected in All Saints' Church in the same city.
Argent, two barbel respecting each other, sable, conjoined with collars and chain pendtnt or, appear to have been the ori- ginal arms of the family of Colston, from wliich many branches have descended, bearing some variation in their armorial dis- tinctions.
Argent, three barbel hauriant within a border sable, are the arms of one of the branches of this family : and argent, a che\Ton engrailed gides, between three barbel embowed siible ; crest, an eagle with wings endorsed or, preying on a barbel, are the arms of the family of Cuidson of St. Ives in Huntingdonshire.
John Charlfs Wallop, Earl of Portsmouth, in 17G.3 married Urania, daughter of Coulsou Fellowes, Esq. of Hampstead in
76
THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
Middlesex. Their second son, the Hon. Newton Fellowes of Eggesford in Devonshire, on succeeding to the estates of his maternal uncle, assumed that name in 1794.
The arms of Coulson, as borne by Sir John Fellowes, created Baronet by King George I. in 1719, are quarterly, 1st and 4th, azure, a fess dancettee ermine between three lions' heads erased or, murally crowned argent, for Fellowes ; 2nd and Srd, argent, two barbel hauriant, respecting each other, sable, for Coulson.
Entravaille is a French term applied to fish when interlaced in the bars or bendlets crossing the shield. Gules, two bars wavy azure, with two barbel addorsed or, entravailles in the bars, are the arms of the family of Kiviere de St. Denis des Monts, in Normandy.*
The general colour of the barbel is a greenish brown on the head and body, which on the sides becomes a yellowish green, and the fins are tinged with red. There is some difficulty in appropriating the different species of fish in heraldic bearings; but in the following instances barbel appear to be intended, being a pun on the first syllable of the name of the family. '
Gules, a fess between three barbel naiant argent ; ]3am-ais. Vert, three barbel hauriant argent ; Bardin. Azure, two barbel hauriant or ; Bare. Gules, three barbel within a border indented argent ; Bernard of Essex. Azure, on a fess argent three barbel hauriant sable, within a border engrailed of the second ; Bar- nardes. Argent, on a bend sable, three barbel naiant or ; Bures.
Dictroiinaire Heraldique. Paris, 1774.
THE HERALDRY OF FTSH.
77
THE CARP.
Thebe are no ancient instances of this fish in English heraldry, but it was certainly known here, and is mentioned in " The Treatyse of Fysshynge wyth an Angle,*" the very earliest essay upon this suhject, supposed to have been written in the middle of the fifteenth century.* The golden carp were introduced about 1611 : the first of that species sent to France, is said to have been a present to IMadarne Pompadour.
Carp are found in most of the rivers and lakes of Europe, more particularly in Prussia and the Austrian empire, where fresh-water fish are held in much higher estimation for the table than in this country.
Azure, two carp addorsed argent, are the arms of the family of Karpfen of Swabia, agreeably to the pictorial manner in which the names of families were represented in their armorial ensigns.-|- Karpfen bears for crest, on a golden coronet, a carp erect argent, and supporting a buck's attire azure.
Colombi<>re, who wTote on the origin of heraldry, when treating of the arrasof Rohan, gules, nine macles or, first used about 1222, says, '• Opinions vary about the origin of the mack-s ; some writers
• Printed in 18-27, by Pickering, from Wynkyn de Worde's Boke of St, Allan's, 1496. t Sibmacher's Wapenbuch, 1605,
78 THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
call them masclos, or mashes, an<l in old manuscripts these figures are blazoned like the meshes of a net : but having observed that whatever is remarkable in some countries, has been represented in arms, I am of opinion that tlie ancient Lords of Rohan, al- though descended from tlie Princes of Brittany, took the macles because in the duchy of Eohan there are flints which, being cut in two, this very figure appears on the insides, and also that the carp in the fish-ponds of the duchy have the same remarkable mark upon their scales, r/hich, being peculiar to that part of the country, the Lords Rohan had reason to take those figures for their armorial distinction, giving them the name of macles or spots. Some of that house bear the motto, ' Sine macula macla,' a mascle without a spot." *
The carp is a very strong fish, beautiful in its form, and poeti- cally described as having " scales bedropt with gold." In colour the head is darkest, the body a golden olive, and the belly a yellowish white. Gules, three carp naiant in pale argent, are the arms of the family of Do Blocg.-f*
. There is a species of fish bearing a strong affinity to the carp of England, which is found in Benjral,
Where, by a thousand rivers fed, Swift Ganges fills his spacious bed-
This fish, the Cyprinus Rohita of the Lidian zoologists, is used as a badge of .dignity, under the name of Mahi ]\LaratIb, and, agreeably to eastern parade, is borne in ceremonials upon ele- phants before the officers of state. The image of the fish is made of copper gilt, and is partly enveloped in a mantle of green brocade.
Mahi is a Persian word meaning a fish generally, and 'Main gir • Diet. Herald. 1725, page 232. t Palliot.
THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
79
is a fisherman ; but the particular species represented on the banners of the King of Oudc is that of a true carp, the Cyprimis Rohita, considered as the most valuable fish which is found in the fresh-water rivers of the Gangetic provinces, and its beauty both in form and colour equals its value for the table.*
The Mahi maratib, or dignity of the fish, is said to have originated with the Mogul djTiasty founded by Zingis Khan, the conqueror of Asia, in 1206. The fish was selected as a badge from an Oriental legend recorded in the Koran, stating that Abraham, after sacrificing a goat instead of his son Isaac, threw the knife into the water, when, it struck a fish. A fish is therefore the only animal eaten by Mahometans without pre- viously having its throat cut.
This dignity or order was revived by one of the Emperors of Mogul, who was contemporary with Queen Elizabeth, and was at a recent period conferred upon General Gerard Lake, after his brilliant successes in the Mahratta war, during the administration of the ^larquess Wellesley. When the General visited Shah Aulum at the palace of Delhi in September 1803, he received from the Emperor a Persian title, which may be translated " the Victorious in War, the Saviour of the State, and the Hero of the Land.'' The next year he was created Lord Lake by King George III, and in 1S07 was advanced to the title of A'iscount Lake of Delhi and Laswaree, with an augmen- tation to his paternal arms indicative of his Asiatic honours.
• Hamilton's Fishes of the Ganges, 182-2.
80
THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
Sable, a bend between six cross crosslets fitchy argent, on a chief of the last the fish of Mogul, per pale or and vert, banded vert, and gules, surmounting the Goog and Ullum, honourable insignia, in saltier.
The creed in India appears to consider a fish as the saviour of the world.
" In the whole world of creation None were seen but these seven sages, Menu, and the Fish. Years on years, and still unwearied drew that Fish the bark along. Till at length it came where reared Himavan its loftiest peak. There at length they came, and smiling thus the Fish addressed the Sage : ' Bind thou now thy stately vessel to the peak of Himavan.'' At the Fish's mandate, quickly to the peak of Himavan Bound the Sage his bark ; and even to this day that loftiest peak Bears the name of Xaubandhana." *
The fish, in the Hindu example here sho'v\-n, are evidently carp, and are disposed with barbaric fancy in a manner not un- known to heraldry, a tricorporated fish meeting under one head,
and one eye only seen ; the flower Is intended for the celebrated Indian Lotus, the Nilumbium spcciosum ot*the botanist. * Translation of Sanscrit poetry in the Quarterly Review, 1839.
THE. HERALDRY OF FISH.
81
Azure, three fisK fonjoJnod in one hotid nt the fess point, one tail in dexter chief, another in sinister chief, and the third in base, argent, are the arms of the Silesian family of Kreckwitz.
Gules, three fish with one head argent, and disposed as the above, are the arms of Die Hilnder of Franconia.
Gules, three fish, their heads meeting at the fess point argent, are the arms of Dornheini of Silesia.*
Gules, three fish conjoined at their tails in triangle or, their heads sable, are the arms of Eernbach.
THE GUDGEON.
Gudgeons swim in shoals in the rivers Thames, Mersey, Colnc, Kennet, and Avon : the only instances in which these fish are used in heraldry are in reference to the name, and that from the Latin Gobio, or the French Goujon.
A Catalogue of the Nobility of England, compiled by Glover, Somerset Herald in the reign of Elizabeth, being the first printed, requires to be quoted with caution. The same may be said of many manuscript lists of early date, well known to the ad- mirers of heraldiy by the name of Barons'" Books. In several of this latter class is to be found the name of William Gobyon, Earl of Southampton, -v^hosc heirs-general were married to Sir
Stonor, and to Sir George Turpin, knights, in the time
of Edward I.
|
i£:^ €fe« ^E^ |
|||
|
<!C=^ |
|||
|
|
1^1 |
||
|
V |
^ |
L>7 |
v<:^
Quarterly, 1st and Uh or, 2nd and 3rd barry argent, and gules, all within a border .><abk-, charged with fight gudgeons fes^<wi<e argent are the arms of Gubyon.
• SibraaL-lier's Wapeiibiuli.
82
THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
Grobions, a marxor tit North Mirns, In Hertfordshire, was held by a family of the same name as early as the roigu of Stephen.
Gobious, in the pariah of Toppesfield in Essex, was named from a knightly wmily who had large possessions in other parts of that coimty. Sir Thomas Gobiou was Sheriff of Essex and Hertfordshire in lo2."> ; and John Gobion was in the list of the gentry of Essex in 1483.* The manor house of Black Notley is also called Gobious, from having been in possession of a family of that name at an early period.
Argent, three gudgeons hauriant, within a border engrailed sa- ble, are the arms of the ancient family of Gobion, of Waresley in Huntingdonshire, on the borders of Cambridgeshire. These arms are borne as one of the quarterings of the Earl of Lanes- borough, the lineal descendant of John Butler, and Isolda the • daughter and heiress of William Gobion, seated at Waresley, in the reign of Edward III.
Arms quarterly, 1st and -ith argent, three covered cups in bend between two bcudlets engi-ailed sable ; for Butler : 2nd, argent, three gmlgeous hauriant, within a border engrailed sable ; for Gobion : Srd, per pale or and sable, a chevron between three escallops, all counterchanged ; for Brinsley of Nottinghamshire. Mary, t)ie daughter and heiress of Gervase Brinsley in the reign of Charles I, married Sir Stephen Butler of Belturbet, in Ireland, the ancestor of the Earl of Lanesborough. • * Fullcr'a Worthies, page 34'2.
THE HERALDRY OF FISH. 83
Argent, three gudgeons within a border sabk% are the arms of the family of Gobaud. Azure, billetty two gudgeons addorsed or, are the arms of Gougeux, a family of Vendome, which as- sumed the surname of RouviHe, that of an ancient house of Normandy.*
Azure, two gudgeons in saltier argent, in base water, waved proper, are the arms of the French family of Goujon ; a name that ranks high in art. John Goujon was one of the most emi- nent sculptors of the reign of Francis I. ; his relievos have rarely been surpassed, and from the inimitable spirit and grace which pervade his w^orks he is termed the Correggio of sculpture.
Water, as shown in the arms of Goujon, is rarely introduced in English heraldry ; but an undulated line expressive of waves, and conveying the idea of water, is commonly used.
Rivers that move
In majesty, and the complaining brooks That make the mcaJowa green,
are equally depicted on the shields of feudal lords where pri- vilege or potency is necessary to be shown.
Barry wavy argent and azure, are the arms of the family of
" Palliot, Science de3 Armoiries.
84 THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
Sanclfortl, wliicli derived the name from lands near a passage of the Isis in Oxfordshire, and whose possessions subsequently fall- ing to the Veres, these arms were quartered by the Earls of Oxford of that name, and by their representatives.
Gules, two bars wavy or, are the arms of De la River, the name of a family which, as early as the reign of Edward I, was seated at Shetibrd, a passage of the Lambourn, one of the sources of the Keunet, and like that river abundant with trout, barbel, and pike. The family of llivers of River Hill, in Hamp- shire, bore for arms, azure, two bars indented or, in chief three bezants with the motto, Secus Rivos aquarum.
As a boundary, the river becomes of importance to an estate, and of this the heralds as well as the poets are not unmindful. Drayton notices
The furious Teme, that on the Cambrian side, Doth Shropshire as a meaie from Hereford divide.
Hotspur, it will be remembered, objects to the division of his country by the Trent,
See how this river comes me crankling in, And cuts me from the best of all my land.*
The passage of water has been so constant a source of dispute between states and inhabitants that the word river might thence have been the root of rivalry or contention of any kind.^f
Heralds refer the four silver stripes in the arms of Hungary to the principal rivers of the country, the Drave, the Nyss, the Save, and the Danube, all abounding with fish. The arms of Drummond, or, three bars wavy gules, show Hungarian de- scent, the family of the Viscount Strathallan deriving its origin from Maurice, an Hungarian who attended Edgar Atheling and his sister Margaret, afterwards Queen of Scotland, to Dum- fermlin, and was by King Malcolm HI. made Seneschal of Lennox.
Water,, having reference to some important boundary of the fief, appears to be indicated by the adoption of harry argent and azure, in the arms of the family of Grey, one of the most ancient, wide-spread, and illustrious in the English peerage, descended from that of De Croy, in Picardy, a name having the same deri-
• Shakespeare, Henry IV. t Forsyth's iLily.
THE HERALDRY OF FISH. 85
vatlon as cray and creek, whence also cray fish, and crayer a small ship for ascending rivers. Some branches of this family have varied the arms, and others have an anchor for a device with the word " Fast ;'"' but the Earls of Stamford, the Earls of Wilton, and the Earl De Grey, who is descended from the Earls and Dukes of Kent, retain the original arms.
A river is represented in foreign shields of arms, flowing as on the surface of the earth. Vert, three rivers fesswise, argent, are the arms of the German family of Gilse, of Hesse. Gules, a river in bend argent are the arms of Lauterbach of the same country.*
Gules, in a river in bend argent, three fish azure, are the arms of the imperial town of Onoltzbaeh.-f-
Gules, a river in fess argent, are the arms of the family of Von Buren of Saxony. :J: Argent on a pale wavy sable, three fish em- bowed or, are the arms of Swartzac in Switzerlaud.
The local site of their original barony is indicated in the arms of the Lords Stourton ; sable, a bend or, between six fountains, allusive of the six springs from which the river Stour has its source near Stourton, on the borders of Wiltshire and Somerset- shire. In the chancel of that church are several monuments of the Stourton family, of which Sir John, the first peer, was created Lord Stourton by King Henry VI. in 1448. A similar origin is assigned for the arms of the family of Home of Nine- wells, a branch of that of Home of Tyningham in Haddington- shire ; vert, a lion rampant argent, within u border or, charged with nine fountains or wells.
• Palliot. t SibmadicT. t Ibid.
86
'UlE HERALDRY OF FISH.
Azure, three foniitains, are tli- arms of the family of Wells of Hampshii-e. The arms of Twells, a pky upon the name, vert, on a fess azure, between six wells proper, a hezant, are sculptured on the tombstone of Matthias Twells in St. INIargaret's Church, Lynn, of whicli place he was alderman, and who died in 1676.
A curious ancient custom, illustrative of the importance of wells, is observed annually at Motcombe, Dorsetshire, where are four large wells, which supply the town of Shaftesbury with water. If a dance is not performed on the Sunday after Holy- rood day, and the baili(f of Gillingham have not his due, he stops the water of the wells of Enmore.
Lord Wells used as a badge a bucket with the chains, in allusion to the name, as water bougets were used by the Bour- chiers, Earls of Eu as well as of Essex.
The fountain of heraldry should be depicted by a circle, barry wavy argent and azure ; but some modern grants lose the an- tique character of the art, as in the arms blazoned, in a land- scape field a fountain, tliereout issuing a palm tree, which were granted to the family of Franco of St. Katherine Coleman, Lon- don, 1760.
A whirlpool, heraldlcaily termed a gurges, represents the rapid motion of water in a circular direction, taking up all the field, as in the arms of the baronial family of Gorges, assumed in allu- sion to the name; argent, a gurges azure. These are found among the qUarterings borne by the noble family of Russell, showing their descent from that of Gorges.* Longford Castle, in Wiltshire, presenting a singular specimen of architecture in its plan, was erected on the banks of the Avon by Sir Thomas Gorges in 1591; he died in 1610, and a monument to his memory is in Salisbury Cathetlral. Sir Edward Gorges, in 1620, was created Lord Dundalk by King James I.
The banks of rivers, and the heights which command them, almost exclusively monopolize the beauty and compose the cha- racteristic features of every country. Great cities are sehloni placed but on' a river ; the castle commanded the passes, and the abbey always depended on the contiguous stream. Argent, a fess wavy gules, cotti>ed of the last, are the arms of the family of Waterford ; that of I3rook.sby bears, barry wavy argent, and sable, a canton guk-s. Brooksbank of EUaud, in Yorkshire, bears
r * Wiffou'a Iliatoiiciil Mcmnirs of the IIouso of Russull, 1833.
THE HERALDRY OF FISH. 87
azure, two bars wavy argent, within a border or ; and, argent, a fess wavy azure, within a border sable, are the arms of Brook- bank.
The arms of the French family of De Viviers exhibit an in- stance of the amies parlantes. Vivier is a fish-pond, and their arms are, argent, three fish-wells vert, filled with water azure.
Gules, three fountains are the arms of Waterhouse of York- shire; and, sable, three bars wavy, between as many swans argent, are the arms of "Waters of Lenham in Kent.
THE TENCH.
The Tench, a beautiful fish, with small smooth scales tinged with golden colour, is rarely found in the rivers of England, but many of the ponds and ornamental waters in })loasure-grounds abound with tench. Bridges, in his History of Northampton- shire, says, " On Mr. Plowden's estate, who is lord of the manor of Aston, were two-and-fifty fish-ponds in the time of his an- cestor Francis Plowden, who used to boast that he had one weekly to drain throughout the year." Some still remain, and there are vestiges of others now disused.
In no other instance but as allusive to the name, is this fish used in heraldry : among the old German families who bear fish is that of Von Tanques, wliose arms are three tench. Or, three tench hauriant gules, are the arras of the French family of Tanche.
Azure, three tench naiant in pale or, were the arms of Teuche, a Marshal in Fkuiders, accordini,'- to Palliot.*
Science des Armoiiies.
THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
The tench, used in Enghsh heraldry as a play upon the name, forms part of the crest of Sir Fisher Tench of Low Leyton, in Essex, descended from a family of Shropshire, and created Baronet by King George I. in 1715. After his death the title became extinct ; but his sister and heiress Elizabeth, married Francis Asty, Esq. of Black Notley, whose daughter and heiress Henrietta, became the wife of Christopher Wyvil in 1739, and at his death the estates fell to Sir Marmaduke Asty Wyvil, Bart. Arms, argent, on a chevron, between three lions' heads erased gules, a cross crosslet or ; for Tench : quartering azure, a fess counter embattled between three dolphins embowed or ; for Fisher : crest, an arm vested gules, turned up argent, grasping a tench in the hand.
Heraldry affords modes of Illustration which are capable of infinite variety ; and by the French, our prototypes in the art, every incident, or singular tradition susceptible of poetical em- bellishment, or capable of picturesque representation, was adopted in their plan of armorial composition. The following instance may be taken as aftbrding some idea of the extent to which their admiration of annes i>aiiantcs Avas carried.
The word souci signifies equally marigold, and care or anxiety. Three marigolds are borne by the family of Lemaitre, azure^ trois soucis (Tor, arms assumed in allusion to the proverb, Si hs vahfs ont les peines, le onaiti-e a les soucis, if the Aassals have their la- bour, the lord ha* his anxiety. One of this ancient family,
THE HEEALDRY OF FISH. 89
Giles Lemaitre, was premier president of the parliament of Paris in 1551.
Punning in the spirit of the age was even introduced into epitaphs, as in the distich of Ai'iostoon tlie Marciiese di Peseara, who commanded the armies of Charles V, in Italy :
Piscator maximus file !
Nimquid et hie pisoes copit ? non : ergo quid ? Urbes.
The Marchese was husband of the eminently gifted Vittoria Colonna, and died soon after he had won the memorable battle of Pa via where Francis I. was taken prisoner.
THE BREAM.
Bream are found in almost all the lakes and rivers of Europe as far northward as Norway. The rivers Trent and Medway are noted for this particular fish, which is very broad in its form, and has large scales. The sprightly Waller notices it as
- "A broad bream to please some curious taste."
On the Continent this fish is in high request ; and " He that hath bream in his pond may bid his friend welcome," is a proverb quoted by Isaak Walton.
Azure, three bream or, are the punning arms of Breame, an Essex family of some antiquity in that county.
After the dissolution of the Cistercian Abbey at Stratford, King Ilt'iiry VIII. grauted the manor of East Ham, part of the niouastical estate, to Richard Breanic, Es«|. who died in 154G, leaving a sou Edward, %\hoso heir, on his decease in 1558, was
90
THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
his brother Arthur, whose son and successor, Giles Breame, Esq. on his ck^ath in 1G21, left part of his estate for the foundation and endowment of almshouses and other charitable purposes. A monument to his memory is in the chancel of East Ham church.
Gules, three bream hauriant argent, are the arms of De la Mare the name of an ancient family, which held Fisherton on the banks of the Avon in Wiltshire.
Geflfrey De la Mare, one of the early abbots of Peterborough, bore for arms, azm-e, three bream bend^ise or.
In Warburf on''s list of the arms of the gentry of Middlesex in 1749, are those of William Obreen, Esq. of Tottenham, of foreign extraction: per fess, azure and vert, in chief an armed knight on horseback in full career or, in base a fish naiant of the third, on waves of the first. The Somerset herald has not described the particular species of this fish, which doubtless was intended for a bream in allusion to the name. The Earl Mar- shal expressly commanded Warburton to prove satisfactorily the right of each person to the arms engraved on his map of Mid- dlesex, to the Garter King of Arms ; he then printed his autho- rities for all the arms, rather than submit entirely to the arbi- tration of one '• so notoriously remarkable for kno^\'ing nothing at all of the matter." * This severe rebulce referred to Anstis,
• Preface, page 2, of LouJou ajid MiJdlosex Illusa-atoJ,'ly Jobi Warburton, Somer- set Herald, F.R.S.
THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
91
the son of the ceieLrateU <>!irtcT King of Arms mentioned by Prior.
Coronets we owe to croiisma
And favour to a court's affection. By nature we are Adam's sons.
And EOU3 of Anstis by election.
• THE CHUB.
This fish is very plentiful in the Wye, and the rivers of Wales, and
The Chub, of all fish in the silver Trent, Invites the angler to the tournament.
is a remark of Captain Richard Franck in his " Northern Me- moirs." It is also found in the Thames and many of the great rivers of England. The chub derives its name from its form, and is called a skelly in the North on account of its large scales. The scales offish, composed of separate leaves placed above each other in successive layers, probably gave the idea of the scaled cuirass as defensive armour. Another name for the chub is chevin, derived from the French chef, the fish having a large head.
Vert, three chub fish hauriant sable, are the arms of Chobb ; and, gules, on a che-vrou between three chub fish argent, three shovellers sable. On a chief dancctte of the second three escallops of the first, are the arms of Chobbe, one of the quarterings borne by Lord Dormer of Wenge, and copied from a pedigree in his lordship''s possession.
The Dormer family, originally of Normandy, were seated at West Wycombe, in JJuckiughani.'^liirt', at a very early period. GeliVey Dormer, about liiO, married Eleanor, the daughter and
92 THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
lielre^^s of Thomas Chobbe, At the dissolution of the Abbey of St. Albans, the Dormers obtained the manor of Weuge or Wing, and held Ilmer, also in Buckinghamshire, by tenure of the ser- vice of Marshal of the King's Falcons ; whence are derived the supporters to their arms, two falcons ; and their crest, a hand gloved, bearing a falcon on the fist, in allusion to the office, formerly of considerable importance, when
Barons of old, and Princes high Lov'd hawking as their lives.
THE ROACH.
Roach are abundant in almost all the rivers of Europe. " Unwary roach the sandy bottoms choose,*"' is expressiv^e of the simplicity of this fish, which is termed the water-sheep. Swift
says,
If a gudgeon meet a roach
He dare not venture to approach.
This fish in old books of angling is named roche, and is of the highest antiquity as a charge in heraldry, where it is used by those families whose appellation De la Eoche arose from their rocky ten-itory. The phrase " sound as a roach,"" is derived from familiarity with the legend of St. Roche, whose media- tion was implored by persons afflicted with the plague, and a be- lief which existed that the miraculous intercession of St. Roche could make all who solicited his aid as " sound "'"' as himself The Italian proverb, " E sano com.e il pesce," connecting the idea of health with a fish, has been translated ''sound as a roach;"" but the naturalist, who is acquainted with the particular species, will not admit the truth of the po[)ular idea.
Impressions of seals used during the lifetime of the persons to whom they belonged, are among the best authorities for armorial bearings ; these evidences deserve 'an attentive inspection, and supply an accurate test for determining the particular ensigns borne at a certain period, when appended to early deeds and charters of acknowledged authenticity. An instance of the he- raldic ap[)licatioa of the roach is found ou the seal used by Thomas Lord Dc La lioche, and affixed to the Uarous Letter to
THE tiERALDRY OF FISH. 9S
Pope Boniface VIII. respecting the sovoreij^ty of Scotland in the year 1301, one of the records preserved in the Chapter- house at Westminster.*
Gules, three roach naiant in pale arg^ent, are the arms of the family of De La Roche, who derived their name from an estate situated on the verge of St. I>ride's Bay, on the coast of Pem- brokeshire. The remains of lioche Castle, founded by Adam De La Roche, about the year 1200, stand upon a very remark- able insulated rock of considerable hei,2fht, and exhibit evidences of its former strength. Adam De La lioche, also founder of the Benedictine Priory of Pwll, near Milford Haven, was buried in the church of Llangwm, on the banks of the Cleddy, where his monument yet remains.
The form of the shield, and the motto used upon seals, are both supposed to have depended upon the taste of the person to whom they belonged rather than upon any established principle. The motto used by the Roche family is one of those punning allusions to the name which at an early period were very com- mon, " Dieu est ma Roche ;" and the crest, having the same mtent, is a rock. The usage of crests upon helmets in the camp, may have been confined to persons of the highest rank ; but at a very early period it certainly was not unusual upon seals to place figures of animals on the top of the shield, in the manner of crests ; and supporters to the escutcheon were not
* A document well known to the antiquary by the excellent commentary on the seals prefixed to it by Sir Harris Nicoljia in the Archxologia, vol. xxi.
94
THE HERAI-DRY OF FISH.
improbaMy introduced on the seal^ vnth tho same intention, merely as an ornament, without being indicative of superior rank.
The great possessions of the Lords of Roche Castle, in the county of Pembroke, fell at length to coheiresses. Ellen, the eldest daughter of Sir Thomas De La Roche, married Edmund Lord Ferrers of Chartley, in the reign of Henry VI, whose lineal representative is the Marquess Tov/nshend,
Elizabeth, the Second daxighter, married Sir George Longue- ville of Little Billing, in Northamptonshire, the Ancestor of the Lords Grey De Ruthin and the discounts Longueville, whose representative is the Marchioness of Hastings, Lady Grey de Ru- thin by descent. The arms of Roche, formerly in one of the windows of St. David's Cathedral, are described by Browne. WiUis as those of an ancient and considerable family of Pem- brokeshire.*
Sir John Dyve of Broraham, in Bedfordshire, the father of Sir Lewis Dyve, a distinguished royalist, was descended from the Lords De La Roche, through the family of Longueville : he died in 1608, and the arms upon his monument in Bromham church show his alhances by the quarterings, 1, Dp-e ; 2, Bray; 3, Quinton ; 4, Seywell , 5, Longueville ; 6, Roche ; 7, Wylde ; 8, Ragon; 9, Widvile ; 10, Hastings; 11, Aprice.
The representation of the mm-der of St. Thomas a Becket, here copied from the official seal of Thomas Arundel Archbishop of Canterbury in the reign of Richard II, shov/s the knight about
to slay the mart}T, bearing a !<hield charged with three naiant fish, as bonie by the Roche family.f The names of the four
♦ Survey of the Cathedral of St. David's, 1715, p. 8G.
t The whole seal is engraved in the Archujoloiria, vol. xxvi.
THE HERALDRY OF FISH. 95
knights recorded in history as the murderers of Archbishop Becket, are Fitz-Urse, Tracy, Morvile, and Brito ; and al- though the subject has been often represented, no allusion to one of the Roche family as concerned in the Archbishop's death is known.
The eccentric Sir Boyle Roche was a scion of a family of the 'name of Roche, Lords of Fermoy in Ireland, who were ennobled in the reign of Edward II.
Gules, three roach naiant or, within a border engrailed ar* gent ; crest, on a rock a heron grasping a roach in its dexter claw, are the armorial ensigns of Sir David Roche of Carass, in the county of Limerick, and of Barnitick in the county of Clare, who was created Baronet 28 June 18.38, one of the titles incident to the coronation of her present Majesty.
Sable, three roach naiant in pale argent, are the arms of the family of De La Roche of Herefordshire.
Azure, three roach naiant argent, within a border or, were the arms of Walter Roche of Broniliam, in AV^iltshire, whose daugh- ter Edith married Harry Tropenell of Chalfield : these are sculptured on the stone screen of the Tropenell chapel in the parish church.
The arms of Tropenell, gules, a fess engrailed ermine, between three griffins"" heads erased argent, in several parts of the house at Chalfield, are accompanied by a yoke such as was used for oxen,' the family badge, and the motto "■ Le jougtyra bellemont," which may be rendered. The yoke drew well, or, The yoke sat lightly, expressive either of the tenure under which the estate was held, or of the lord of the manor's devotion to agricultural pursuits. There are few more interesting examples of domestic
96
THE HERALDRY OF FISIf.
architocture In tin; klng-dom than Oluilfiekl House, which was built by Thomas l^ropenell in llic reiq^i of Henry VI.*
Sable, three roach naiant argent, are the arms of De Roche in Cornwall, a fimily which may be traced from the twelfth cen- tury, and who derived tlicir name from the natural situation of their possessions at Koche, where a lofty group of craggy rocks, rising out of an open heath, forms a conspicuous and striking object to the surrounding country. Eva, the daughter and heiress of Sir Richaid De Roche, married Sir Ralph Arundel), who was Sheriff of Cornwall in 1268, and was the ancestor of the Lords AruudeU of Ti-erice, and the Lords Arundell of Wardour ; from him W. A. H. Arundell, Esq. of Lifton Park, Sheriff of Devonshire in 1841, is also descended.
Another heiress of the family of De Roche married Sir William Blundell about 13o7, who afterwards assumed the name and arms of Roche, His family continued in possession of the estate till the reign of Henry VIH, when it terminated in four co- heiresses, tliree of whom married into the families of Fortescue, Penkivil, and 13osca^v'en. Roche, with its picturesque crags, is now the property of the Earl of Falmouth, who quarters the arms of Roche with those of Boscawen as typical of this descent.
The family of Roach of Lezant, near Launceston, in Corn- wall, and of Wellcombe, in Devonshire, bears for arms, azure, three roach naiant in pale argent.
Or, a bull passant gades, between three roach hauriant proper, a chief chcquy or and azure, were the arms of Sir William
Roche, son of John Roche of Wickersley, near Rotherham in Yorkshire, and Lord Mavor of London in 1")4().
• An account of this ancient residence was printed by T. L. Walker in 18.17.
THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
97
Argent, on a bend sable three roach of the field, are the arms of the family of Huyshe of Sand, in Devonshire ; and were as- sumed in the reign of Edward III. by Oliver Huyshe of Doni- ford, in Somersetshire, after his marriage with the daughter and heiress of Simon Eoehe.
This family claim descent from the Wentworths of Buckin"-, n.i Essex, who through the Spencers were descended from Joan of Acres, the daughter of King Edivard I. llichard Huyshe, who lived in the reign of James I, and was distinguished for be- nevolence, founded the hosi)ital at Taunton, which bears his arms on the porch. Alexandt.-r Huyshe, eminent in literature, assisted Bishop Walton in the publication of the celebrated Po- lyglott Bible in 1657.
One of the circumstances incident to the revival of literature was the foundation of the Academy of Florence, which originated from a society fancifully termed " The Humides," each member being known in the community by the name of some particular fish, or by some appellation relative to water. Crazzini, a poet of some eminence, the projector of the society, called himself La Lasca, the roach ; other members were distinguished by the name of some piscatorial occupation.
98
THE HErcALDRY OF FISH.
A swan, in pride, devourinv:' p.. perch, i;^ the crest of Sparke, a Cheshire fmnily ; and a swan devoaring- a perch is also the crest borne by the fanii] j of Loch of Drylav.', in the county of Edin- burgh. The substitution of a roach wonkl better agree with the natural character of tlie swan, whose food consists chiefly of the various grasses, with the seeds and roots of plants, growing on the margin of the water. A swan has been known to seize a roach, but the prickly fins of the perch might possibly prove its destruction.
Gules, a che\T0U engrailed between three roach naiant argent, on a chief of the second, three herons sable, billed and mcmbored gules, are the arms of the family of Hobbs of Middlesex, which bears for crest a demi heron volant sable, billed gules, holding in the bill a fish argent. Herons were royal game in the days of falconry. The bill is strong and very sharp, and when seeking its food on the banks of rivers this bird seizes the fish with great dexterity. •
The crest of the family of Beckford, a herons head erased or, gorged with a collar flory gules, in the beak a fish argent, is one of those punning allusions to the name, Bee fort, shown to be frequent in heraldry.
This family is believed to derive its name from the passage of a beck or stream dividing the counties of \\^:>rce>,ter and Glou- cester near Tewkesbury. Horace William ]jeckfurd succeeded as third Lord Rivers in 1828 ; the present peer, his son, has assumed the name of Pitt Ivivers.
A stork, with a fish in its bill, is the crest of the family of Bat-
THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
99
tic of Wadsn-ortli, near Halifax in Yorkshire. The stork, abun- dant in Holland and France, is not common in England,
Dace and roach are very similar in a})pearanee, but the former is comparatively more local than the roach. Dace do not occur in heraldry, yet being also known by the name of Dare, it is possible they may be typified in the arms of Dare of Norfolk ; sable, a chevron argent between three «lolphins or, the general emblem of sea and river fish being here used.
THE MINNOW.
Most of the brooks and rivers of England produce minnows, beautiful little fish, swimming in shoals on the gravelly bottom of the stream : they are borne in arms by the family of Picton, Argent, three minnows, or pinks, in pale gules.
It may be supposed when a number of fish appear as a charge, those of a small size are intended, aS in the arms of Coupir : azure, a bend engrailed between six fishes liauriant argent. Minnows are so named in reference to their small size ; and on account of the bright red colour that pervades the under parts of the fish, they are called pinks, a name by which the salmon of the first year are also known.
The family of Fisher of Stafi"or<l. had a grant of arms in the reign of James I : or, a kingfisher j)roper ; the crest, a king- fishej with a fish in its beak.
This splendid little bird, which is found in almost every part of the globe, sits near the margin of a streamlet on the watch for the minnow, or the smaller species of HsIj, iluttering its wings, and exposing its brilliant plumage to the sun ; or, hovering in the air, darts unerringly on the fish, and sometimes remains for
100 THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
several seconds iinrlcr the water before it has gaineil the ohject of its pursuit. The quantity of minnows that a brood of young- kingfishers will consume is quite extraordinary,* and this fish is, without doubt, intended in the crest of Fisher.
It is to the brilliancy of its colours that this little bird is in- debted for the means of alluring its prey ; the fish, attracted by the brightness and splendour of its appearance, are detained whilst the wily bird darts upon them. From the similarity of the means used, it has been suggested that the mode of taking fish by torchlight may have originated from the practice of the kingfisher.
Poets cherish the idea of perfect safety which the mariner attaches to the halcyon days : it is expressed in one of Cowper's similes :
As calm as the flood
WTien the peace-loving halcyon deposits her brood.
"When the kingfisher is engaged in hatching her young, the sea is believed to remain so calm that the sailor ventures his bark on the main with the happy certainty of not being exposed to a storm. Thus an interest is attached to
Halcyons, of all the birds that haiuit the main. Most lov'd and honored by the Nereid train.t
THE LOACH.
This fish, nearly the colour of the gudgeon, is wattled like the barbel, and is to be found in many rivulets; but the upper Avon,
* YarrcU's History of Diitish Birds.
+ Fawkcs's TransLitiuu of Thcovritus, seveutlx IdyL
THE HERALDRY OF FISH. 101
which waters the plrtins of Wiltshire, is more celebrated for its loach than other strearas. On the hanks of this river, a Httle below Amesbury, is Durneford ; and it appears most probable that the particular produce of the river was alluded to in the arms of Walter de Durneford, in the reign of Edward III, azure, three fish naiant in pale argent.
A family of the name of Dernford bear, azure, two fish hauri- ant or ; and another Dernford, azure, three fish, the tails of two in chief, and the head of one in base or, all meeting in the centre of the shield or nombril point.
The introduction of surnames into France and England was nearly coeval ; that is, aljout the tenth or eleventh century. The assumption was at first confined to the higher orders of society ; as a distinction
It was not framed for village churls. But for high dames and mighty earls.
The most customary source whence names were derived seems to have been from manors, the lords of which having originally inserted the preposition de between their christian name and local denomination, by degrees sunk it, thus forming the surnames of the present day. The prevalence of this class of names is accounted for from the vassals and dependants following the example of their lords, and styling themselves of the castle, town, or village wherein they resided. Thus arbitrarily assumed, surnames were changed and altered at the pleasure of the bearer; and they can scarcely be said to have been pernKincntly settled in this country mitil the era of the Keforniatiou.*
• Remarks ou the Auii<iuity of Suriiaiuts, hy J. II. MarkLiud, E5>i. F.;?.A. iii Archa;- ologia, voL xviiL lu the UoU of Ikiltlc Abbey, the ;ulJitiuii to tlic (.hristiiia name is Used.
102
THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
IV.
'Ett (EiaWf (BmmxH, iBuUet, antr ©crcj*
The Chabot of heraldry is a species of billhead found in almost all the fresh-water streams of Europe from Italy to Sweden. The fish is remarkable for the large size of its head, and is also known by the name of the miller s thumb, which being used as the gauge of the produce of the mill and to test the quality of the flour, incessant action produces a form resembhng the flattened head of this fish. The chabot is always borne in pale, the head being in chief, and the back of the fish sho'?\Ti.
Or, three chabots gules, are the arms of the ancient house of Chabot.
r^.
Philip Chabot, Count of Newblanch, and Lord Admiral of France, was elected a Knight of the Garter at Calais, where a chapter was held during a second interview between King Henry VIII. and Francis I. in loG2. Henry, accumpauied by the Lady Anne Boleyn, who had been created Marchioness of Pembroke, landed at Calais on the 11th of Octobtr, where he was honour-
THE HERALDRY OF FISH. 103
ably received with a pvoces«iioQ ; and on the 20th of the same month the two kings met in a valley near Sandyfield, between Calais and Boulogne. The ostensible design of this interview was to concert measures for a joint expedition against the Turks ; but the real intention was, by alarming tlie Pope and the Em- peror, to accelerate King Henry's divorce.*
Philip, Count of Newblanch, was afterwards installed, 18 May 1533, by proxy, in the stall formerly occupied by Sir Henry Guldeford, whose collar was. by the King's coinmaud, given to the Earl of Suffolk, in exchange for that borrowed by the King from the Earl at Calais, which was delivered to Sir Philip Cha- bot, the Admiral of France, j"
Lady Isabella Charlotte Fitz-Gerald, the daughter of William Robert Duke of Leinster, married in 1»09 Major-General Louis William Viscount de Chabot, K.C.H. the son of the Count de Jarnac, who bears the same arms : or, three chabots gides.
Azure, tliree chabots or, scaled and shaded of the Held, with a crescent in cliief of the second, are the arms of the family of Chabot au Maine ; ^ and that of llouxel of Britany bears, azure, three chabots argent.
THE GURNARD.
This fish, common on the English coast. Is borne in heraldry by an ancient family of the name of Gornay : azure, a bend or, between three gurnards naiant argent.
There are several species, grey, red, and the [)iper, Avhich last is dlstingm'shed by the large size of the head, and on this account the species is named bull-head. The peculiar quaintness of heraldic composition is not m any instance more forcibly shown than in the arms of Gorney, where, in extension of the pun, a . bulFs head is used as a charge, in accordance with the common name of the gurnard. This figurative delineation of the name exhibits a whimsical turn of thought perfectly in unison with the literary liablts of the Elizabethan period, where the conceit is often difficult to discover through the veil that is cast over it.
• Original Letters, lC-24, vol. ii. p. •2-2. The notes l-y Sir Ilcnrj- Ellis, as well .is the Letters themselves, are f>>und to throw new li;,'ht on various passjigos of English historj'.
t Aubtla's Rc'-ister of the Oalcr of the Gaiter. t PuUiot.
104 THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
Although the heraldic devices are perfectly snsceptible of alle- gorical illustnition, yet, by too miuute inquiry into the details, the deficiency of correct taste sometimes found, will dissolve the charm which captivates ; and it nmst he admitted that the more^ fanciful conceptions are not of a nature to be closely scrutinized.
Some branches of the family of Gorney bear for arms, sable, three bulls' heads erased argent, a play upon the common name of the fish, which is varied in other branches of the same family, who bear, sable, a chevron between three bulls'' heads cabossed or, the heads in this instance being full-faced without any part of the neck being visible. Bull is commonly used to express the large comparative size of any species, as the bull-trout of Northumberland are said by Walton to be larger than any found in the southern parts of the kingdom.
The family of Gurney of Norwich bears for arms, argent, a cross engrailed gules ; but their crest exhibits the usual play upon the name, a gurnard erect upon a chapeau.
John Gurucy of that city, in the reign of Charles 11, was the intimate friend and ^^^ppurter' of George Fox, the founder of the society of Quakers. His descendant, Hud;;on Gurney, Esq. F.E.S. Vice-President of the Society of Antitjuaries, is author of a poetical translation of Apuleius's Fable of Cupid and Psyche : his observations on the Bayeux Tapestry are also printed in the Archteologia.
In Cornwall the gxirnard is known as the tub fish, and is borne in heraldry by the family of Tubbe of Trengofte, in the parish of "Warleggan, near IJudniin : argent, a chevron sable, between three tub fish hauriunt gules : ore?t, an otter passant, in his mouth a tub (isih ; granted iu 1 ')71. These arms are painted iu one of the chambers of Court, a mansion at Lameatii,
THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
105
near Fowej, formrrly tie seat of the family of Grylls ; they are also displayed amongst the benefactors of St. JVeot's church, celebrated for the profusion and beauty of its stained glass.
1 l'l/,\I
\3ySMsi\"
The w-iudows of this church underwent a complete restoration at the expence of the Rev. Gervase T. Grylls, of Helston, in 1829. One contains the histor}^ of St. Neot, the pious sacristan of Glas- tonbury Abbey, in twelve compartments ; perhaps the only in- stance of the legend of a local saint so represented, and one of the most splendid specimens of stained glass in the kingdom.
The hermifs fish-pond, now remaining in the valley near his cell, afforded materials for one of the legendary talcs represented in the window. In this pool there were three fishes, of Avliich Neot had Divine permission to take one, and only one, every day, with an assurance that the supply should never be diminished. Being afflicted with a severe indispositi(jn, his disciple Barius one . day caught two fishes, and having builed one and broiled the other, placed them before him : " What hast thou done V ex- claimed xTeot ; '• lo, the favour of God deserts us; go instantly and' restore these fishes to the water." While Barius was absent Neot prostrated liimself in earnest prayer, till he returned with the intelligence that the fishes were disporting in the pool. Barius again went and took only one fish, of which Neot had no sooner tasted, than he was restored to perfect health.*
lliatory of Si. Noot's, iu liuiiliiiydoiialuiv, by llic Rev. (J. C. GurLajii, p. 3"2.
106
THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
THE 3IULLET.
The Mullet of English lieraklry is not the far-famed fish so called, but a bearinof in form of the rowel of a spur, which is of very ancient and general adaptation.*
In France, the red mullet, a fish which is coSimou in the Mediterranean, formed a charge in the arms of the family of Roujou ; argent, a rouget, or red mullet, in pale. The arms of the family of Eaoul, also an example of this fish, are, azure, a mullet, with four annulets, three in chief and one in base, argent.
It is evident that the grey mullet is the fish intended to be represented in some British crests described as a hawk or eagle preying on a fish. The osprcy, or sea-eagle, said to have been formerly trained for hawking fish, is termed the mullet hawk, and on this account the bird is represented with a ofrev mullet in its claw in Mr. Yarrell's History of British Birds.
In the title-page of Mr. L. W. Dillwyn's valuable contri- butions towards a History of Swansea, 1840, is an engraving of the ancient seal of the corporation, which is described as a castle double towered, on each tower a banner, above on a shield an eagle rising with a fi>h, the tail end in its mouth. It is, how- ever, suspected that the bird on the seal is not an osprey, but a swan, borne in allusion to the name of the town, Swansea, pun- ning heraldry being common on town seals and in the arms granted to corporate bodies.
* See the iiriiis of Fitz-J;ime6, p. 10.
THE HERALDRY OF FISK, 107
The crest of Moult, a fish Daiant azure, spotted or, may be intended for the mullet, or perhaps the smolt, a young salmon.
Crest, on a fish a sparrow-hawk, borne by Levesque, would have been better designated by the osprey.
A hawk perching on a fish is the crest of Grandford ; and that of Edridge is a hawk on its prey.
The numerous species of the falcon tribe are found in almost every part of the world, from the frigid to the torrid zone. The larger birds feed on fish, and seldom devour the whole, but, like the lions, leave the fragments to other animals.
The family of Hanbowe bears for crest an eagle with wings expanded and inverted, on a dolphin.
The heraldic mullet has occasioned much disquisition on the origin of the word, supposed to be derived from molette, and French heralds admit six points to the star so denomi- nated. In the earliest rolls of arms it is called a mole, and a molet, whether pierced or not ; and in some of the seals * at- tached to the Barons' Letter, the bearing is represented with six points. On a seal of William Clinton Earl of Huntingdon in 1387, the mullet in the arms has the same number. A change in the form from six to five points seems to have taken place in England in the beginning of the fifteenth century ; and it is known that the spur-rowel, to which the mullet is compared, was never of five points before the time of King Charles I, nor indeed of six points before that of King Henry VI. Previously the spur was furnished with a roudle, or little wheel, sometimes ser- rated ; facts which can be proved by reference to the collection
* Souls attacliL'tl to the lottor from the Bamns of En^'liiml to Popv IJoiiifacc VIII. in the year 13t)l, engraved by order of the Society of Anti.iuaries iii 17-'^.
108 THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
of ancient armour at Goodrich Court, In Herefordsliire, the seat of Sir Samuel Meyrick.*
The Boke of St. Alban'sf calls this bearlug macula, whence it has been supposed to represent a meteor rather than a spur- rowel. Guillim gives another derivation, and says, "others think that heralds have borrowed this word mullet from a kind of fish so called, not that which is usually known by that name, but another, not unlike in shape to the figure used in armoury, found upon the sands at the ebbing of the sea, and called a five- finger, but anciently known by the name of mullet."
The sea-star here alluded to, is mentioned in Bishop Sprat's History of the Royal Society.:|: It is said that the Admiralty Court laid a penalty on those engaged in the oyster fishery " who do not tread under their feet, or throw upon the shore, a fish called five-finger, resembling a spur-rOwel, because that fish gets into the oyster when they gape and sucks them out."
Without admitting that the heraldic charge is derived from the starfish, which it appears once bore the name of mullet, it may not be Improper to mention that its form is shown in the arms of the noble families of Douglas, Vere, St. Jolm, Ash- burnham, Bonvile, Sutherland, and in the arms of the episcopal see of Bangor.
A work on Starfishes was published by John Henry Link, F.R.S. a naturalist of Leipsic, in 173.3; but this class of fish remained little known in England : recently a History of British Starfishes, by Mr. E. Forbes, has proved of extraordinary in- terest by his mode of treating the subject. In this valuable addition to Natural History, the figure of the Butthoru, of the genus Asterias, is found to resemble closely the uiidlet of English heraldry.
* Plate LXXX. of the engraved illustrations published by J. Skelton in 1830. t Printed in \4li6. * Printed in 1667.
THE HERALDRY OF FISH. 109
THE PERCH.
The Perch, among fish, presents the greatest perfection of form : its colours arc brilHant and striking, and it is second only to the pike in boldness and voracity.
There is scarcely a river or lake of any extent in Great Britain where "the bright eyed perch with fins of TvTian dye," is not abundant. In heraldry the perch very rarely is used. One of the famihes of the nam^- of Oldfield bears three perches as an armorial distinction.
The crest representing a swan devouring a perch has been shown to be contrary to the known habits of that bird : * heralds are generally careful enough to avoid an anomaly in their de- signs, but in transcribing the blazon from a painted shield the particular description of fish might easily be mistaken.
The best artists have not always been employed, but it is well known that, both in execution and design, considerable ability has been occasionally exerted in the composition of heraldic subjects. The arms, carved about the EHzabethan period, in one of the rooms of Rockingham Castle, in North- amptonshire, are perhaps the finest specimens extant of masterly skill in armorial embellishment. In ancient sculpture, accord- ing to the poets, the representation of fish was most perfect. Martial has paid an elegant little comphment to the chief of sculptors : —
Mark Phidias' fish, group'd by yon stony brim. Add but a drop of water, and they swim.
The river Yare, in Norfolk, abounds with the rufte, a beau- tiful little fish, which is peculiar to it,-f- of the same class and closely allied to the perch. A fountain charged with a fish in the crest of Yarrell, is, on account of the name, presumed to be intended for a type of the Yare, and its peculiar produce, the rufte.
The credit of the discovery of the ruffe or pope, with which Cuvier commences his division of the " Percoid fishes," is assigned to the learned Dr. Caius, or Kayc, pjiysician to Queen Eliza- beth, who found it first in the river Yare, near Norwich. The col«)i;r.s of the ruffe are goMon green, inclining to olive brown on the back, and silvery tow arils the belly.
* Vide p. 1)8. f History of Yarmouth, 1770",
110 THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
In form fisli are the most varied beincrs iu the creation; and fancy can scarcely depict a shape to which a resemblance will not be found : they are of enormous bulk, or of the most graceful appearance, but among all, the characteristic shape of the fish may be traced. It is also remarked by naturalists that the bony structure of fish is best exhibited in the skeleton of the perch ; the characters of the different genera are in some measure taken from the form of the bones in the head, but the lowest rank in our systems is allotted to fish in the scale of vertebrated animals.
In the vast range of heraldry the skeletons of fish are assumed as armorial bearings by famihes of Germany and Switzerland. Gules, two skeletons of fish, in saltier argent ; ^-ith the very appropriate crest, an otter sejant, are borne by the family of Gradel, of Borden, in Bavaria.*
The Counts of Windischgratz, of the Bench of Franconia, quartered with their own paternal arms those of Graduer : joules, the back-bone of a fish in bend sinister or. The old nobifity of Germany, constituting the Benches, or Colleges of the Counts-, were petty sovereigns, had numerous vassals, and differed little from the ancient Barons of England.
At an early period architects, as well as heralds, availed them- selves of the fi^,h skeleton as an ornament : a kind of ano^ilar masonry, called herring-bone work, is one of the discriminat- ing features of a particular date. In the erection of Castleton, Colchester, Guildford, and other ancient castles, the Norman masons showed great increnuity in laying their materials upon their edges hi such a way as to otler combinations resembling
* Sibmacher's Waponbuch, Iti'Oo.
THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
Ill
the spinous bones of a fi.sli, termed berrini^-bone work, like the opus reticulatnm of the Romans, and the zigzag meshes of a fishing-net. In consequence of tlie productiveness of the Dutch fishery it is proverbially said that the city of Amsterdam is founded on hening-bones.
Sable, a skeleton of a fish embowed argent, are the arms of Von Praromon, a Swiss family. There is something in the assumption of a skeleton for an ensign that suggests the idea of oppression to which the less powerful were subjected. In Swit- zerland every vanety of feudal right was early found and long preserved : and it is the remark of an elegant historian, that although the atFairs of the Swiss occupy a very small space in the great chart of European history, in some respects tliev are more interesting than the revolutions of mighty kingdoms.*
At the beginning of the seventeenth century an instance of the spirit and temper with which feudal claims were pursued is found in France. Peter dc Bourdeilles (better known by the name of Brantome, of which he was Abbot), Lord and Baron of Riche- mont, Chevalier, Gentleman of the Chamber to King Charles IX. and Henry III, and Chamherlain to the Duke of Alencon, hav- ing instituted a; law-suit against a citizen for refusing to swear fealty and homage to him as seigneur ; and foreseeino- that he could not live to the end of the suit, bequeathed his wrath by will to his heirs, ordering them to pursue " ce jutit oalant, sprung from a mean family, and whoso grandfather had been a notarv ;" thus overwhelming the citizen with his nubility, and leavino- him to be dealt with bv his successors.
Hallam's Middle Ages.
112
THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
Zf)t Salmon, Crout, ^melt, antr iGrai)ling, Mtf) tbtix encmg tfie Otter*
In no country of the world are the salmon fisheries so exten- sive, or their value of so much importance as in Great Britain. The fislieries in the rivers Severn and Wye are noticed in the Domesday Survey. In the Severn the salmon are of the finest quality; the river from Shropshire proceeds in its course to Worcester, thence to Gloucester, below which the estuary as- sumes the name of the Bristol Channel.
The earliest salmon that comes in season to London is brought from the Severn. Gules, three salmon hauriant argent, allusive to the produce of this river, are borne for arms by a family of the name of Gloucester.
Another family of the name of Gloucester bears, azure, a fess argent, in chief two leopards' faces or, and in base a salmon hauriant of the second.
The manor of Berkeley, one of the largest in the kingdom, includes the fishery of the Severn ; and the Lords Berkeley had the sole right of salmon fishing. A fi-<hery of considerable extent belonged to the Abbot of St. Augustine's at Bristol, a monastery which was founded In' the Lord of Berkeley in the reign of Stephen.*
* Alkyns's Historj' of Gloutcblorslure.
THE HERALDHY OF FISH.
113
The seal of the Lord of Borkt'ley, iu the rei<^ of Edward III, bears his arms with a merman and mermaid supporting the shield. On the monument, at Wooton-nnder-edge, of Thomas Lord Berkeley, who died in 1417, he is represented in armour, with a collar of mermaids, denoting his maritime jurisdiction.*
The high value and importance of nsheries was acknowledged in the earliest periods : in Egypt, those of the river Nile were free to the public, but the fisheries on the canals connected with the Nile and the lake Mceris formed part of the hereditary domains of the crown. These fisheries, it appears, daily paid a large tribute to' the royal treasury during the six months in which the water flowed through the canal into the lake ; and during the other six months a smaller sum, forming a branch of revenue appropriated to the queens of Egypt as pin-money.-f*
Kingston-upon-Thames, a residence and place of coronation of several Anglo-Saxon monarchs of England, bears a type of pri- vilege of fishery upon the town seal.
By charter of Philip and Mary, a fishing weir is held by the corporation of Kingston in consideration of repairing the bridge, which was formerly of wood, but has been lately rebuilt with stone, and the emblems of their privilege, three salmon, are sculptured over the centre arch.
The river Fowey traverses some of the pleasant parts of Corn- wall, forming a vaUey above the towj). of Lostwithiel, in which the remains of Restormel Castle are finely sun-ounded with wood.
* Engraved in IlnUis's Moiiumintal Etnt,MCs.
t Athenccum, Iti^iT, on the aits of the Egyptians.
114
THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
The riglit of fishery in the Fowey belonged to the manor of the ancient Earls of Cornwall, whose seat was Restormel Castle, and whose stannary court for the tin mines was in the town. The seal of Lostwithiel, about the time of King Hemy IV, shows the castle and the fish, indicative of the feudal rights of the earldom.
In reference to the noted produce of the Tweed, the royal burgh of Peebles bears for anns, vert, three salmon counter naiant in pale argent, with the motto, Contra nando incremen- tmn, in allusion to the benefit derived to the town from the pro- gress of the salmon up the streain to deposit their spa^ii.
Lanark, a royal burgh on the Clyde, one of the finest rivers of Scotland, bears two salmon naiant, with other charges, in the arms of the corporation.
The principal salmon rivers in Scotland are, the Tay, the Don, the Spey, the Brora, and the Awe ; the quantity of fish killed is immense, no less than fifty thousand salmon are said to have been taken in the river Tay in the course of one year. A very productive salmon fishery at Helmsdale in Sutherlandshire, is one of the ancient privileges of that earldom ; and on the banks of this rapid stream are the remains of a tower built by Margaret Countess of Sutherland in the fifteenth century, one of those marks of regality of which time has left so ie^v in Great Britain, even to the most powerful families.
THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
llj
The Lords of xhe Isles, highland chieftains, descendants of Somerled, bear arms indicative of the produce of the bays and creeks in their domain : quarterly, 1st, argent, a lion rampant gules; 2nd, or, a hand in armour, holding a cross crosslet fitchy gules ; Srd, or, a IvTnphad, or fishing vessel, with sails' fnrled sable ; 4th, vert, a salmon naiant argent. The ancient Lords of the Isles are now represented by the Lord Macdonald, whose chief seat is at Arniidale in the Isle of Skye, one of the largest of the Hebrides, in which are several rivers containing abundance of salmon and trout.
Most of the Irish rivers and lakes abound in salmon; the royal piscary of Banne, in the county of Londonderry, is re- markably productive. In the year 1776 the salmon fishery on the river Banne proved extraordinarily successful, the take of one net at one drag was in that season one thousand four hundred and fifty-two fish, the largest hawl on record.*
The town seal of Coleraine, situated upon the eastern bank of the lower Banne, shows tlio fish as an object of importance.
•The famous salmon leap on the Banne, at Castle Roe mill, is a fall of about seven feet, but at low stream only five feet.
The O'Xeills, claiming descent from Milesius, are among the most ancient of the original families of Ireland. Conn O'Xeill the chief, on disclaiming the title of Prince, and submitting to the English crown, was created Earl of T}Tono, at Greenwich,
" Notes on Nets, a very curious .-uiJ insti-uctive work upon the subject, by the Hon, and Rev. Charles Bathurst, LL.D.
i2
-■iii'^^^
116 THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
by King Henry VIII, in 1543. His son, Matthew O^Neill, in the same year v\ as created Lord Dungannou, a title derived from the name of the ancient castle and residence of the lords of Ulster, the most northerly division of Ireland. It stood on the banks of one of the tributaries to the Blackwater, a river of the county of Antrim, fomed for its salmon equally with the Erne and the Banne : the latter river flows into Lough Neagh, the largest lake in Ireland, and stored with salmon. On its banks is Shane's Castle, the seat of General Earl O'Neill, Vice-Admiral of the coast of Ulster. The arms of this family are, per fess wavy, the chief argent, charged with a sinister hand gules, the base water, therein a salmon naiant.
The red hand of Ireland, the dence of the ancient Lords of Ulster, was granted to baronets, on the institution of the order, as a symbol of the assistance afforded to King James in sub- duing the clan O'Neill, and in the reduction of that province.
Gules, three salmon naiant or, are the arms of Sir Richard Keane, Baronet, of Capi)0(iuin in the county of Waterford ; the same arms, surmounted Ijy a chief, on which is a ^-iew of a for- tress, are borne by General the Right Honourable Lord Keane of Ghusnu, in Affghaiiistan, G.C.B. and G.C.H.
Ord is a name implying edge or border, of which the Ord of Caithness, on the border of Sutherlaudshire, is a prominent in- stance. There are several manors called Ord on the banks of the Tweed, a boundary stream celebrated fur salmon ; its pro- duce is typified in the arms of the Old family of Northumbel-- land, from which are descended several considerable branches besides that of Ord of Feuham.
THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
117
Sable, ihreo salmon haiirfa/it argent, are the arms of tlie family of Orel of Fishburn, in the bishopric of Durham, ancestors of the late Craven Ord, Esq. of Greenstoad Hall in Essex, F.R.S.
The same annS; sable, three salmon hauriant argent, are borne by Sir John Powlett Orde, Baronet : of this family was Thomas Orde, Esq. Secretary to the Treasury, who married Jane Mary, the daughter of Charles Duke of Bolton, and assumed the name of Powlett on succeeding to the ducal estate. In 1797 he was created Lord Bolton.
The present nobleman bears the original arms of Powlett : sable, three swords in pile argent, hilted or, with the additiou
118
THE HERALDRY OF FISH.
of a canton to show his paternal descent ; argent, charged with a shield sable, bearing a salmon liauriant. Crest, a falcon rising or, the breast and each wing charged with an estoile gules, and gorged with a ducal coronet azure, in the beak a salmon.
The Seigneur Du Bartas, in his Commentary of the Week of Creation, notices the ascent of various fish to the rivers in spring.*
So dainty salmons, chevins thunder-scar'd. Feast-famous sturgeons, lampreys speckle-starr'd. In the spring season the rough seas forsake. And in the rivers thousand pleasures take.
The arms of the family of Sea of Underdown, near Canter- bury, seem to be derived from the known habits of the salmon : argent, a salmon hauriant between two flanches azure, each charged with three bars wavy of the field. Crest, two lobsters' claws erect gules, each holding a fish argent.
i
Salmon pass the summer in the sea, or near the mouth of an estuary, and in ^^•^nte^ inhabit fresh water : many provincial couplets relate the time when the descent of the fish to the sea takes place ; late in June the fry are rarely observed in the rivers.
The last spring-floods tliat happen in May, Carry the salmon fry down to the sea.
Translated by Sylvt-ster.
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119
In the months of July and August these very fry, or smolts, come up as grilses to the same rirers