among some old watch-keys. The inscription is: s' IOH'IS BLAKET.

The arins, Argent, a chevron Gules between three trefoils, are totally dissimilar from seven different coats of Blacket mentioned by Edmonson.

Fig. 8 is from an elegant little seal found, above 60 years ago, in ploughing at Mileham in Norfolk; and now possessed by one of the family of the Rev. J. H. Barnwell, of Bury St. Edmund's. The legend is

SIGILLVM THOME DE oxwyk.

Of this family, who lived near Mileham, mention is made in 1317, and not subsequently to 1334. Their arms are not in Glover, nor any other collection; but those of Oxcliffe were very similar, Argent, three oxen's

heads cabossed Sable.

Fig. 9, communicated by Mr. Thos. Pope, of Cleobury, Salop, is from a scal found about fifty years ago in the churchyard at that place. His friend, in whose possession it is, "says he had it of his father, who, as far as he can remember, told him that it was found at a considerable depth, in digging a grave, and that there were ashes, and bricks, and a broken urn with it." From the rudeness of the letters and the workmanship, it is doubtless of very early date. It is a small private seal, representing St. Peter, with a book in his right hand, and his keys in his left; surrounded by the supplication:

SAVNCTE PETRI ORA.

Fig. 10, from a brass seal in the possession of the Rev. T. D. Fosbroke, F.S. A. is of the same age and character. It represents a crucifix, with two figures in the act of prayer, and bears the inscription:

IESVS NAZERENVS.

Fig. 11 is from a matrix found at Winchcombe near Cheltenham. The inscription is,

S'COLLECTARVM xv de se'c'DO ANNO. which probably means, the Seal of the Collectors of the Fifteenth in the second year of some King's reign. The arms, if appropriated, may assist in its explanation.

pos

Fig. 12 is from a matrix in the session of William Hamper, esq. of Birmingham, F. S. A. It is of about the age of Henry VI.; and represents the crest of the Fitz Eustace family, which was adopted from the Popish legend

[Dec.

of St. Eustace being converted by the appearance of a cross between the horns of a stag. The squirrel in the tree is only introduced to denote the forest in which this wonderful story is placed, and to fill up the spare corner. The engraver's great care to occupy the whole surface of the seal by his various ornaments of leaves, crescent, and stars, is, indeed, very remarkable. The motto is,

IESVS EST AMOR MEVS.

the impression of an ancient ring, dug Fig. 13, communicated by A. D. is up at Maidstone in 1821. It is of pure silver, and the circumference considerably larger than a man's thumb. The design is apparently a rebus for the name of If-cock, which may have been the original of Hiccocks.

Fig. 14 is the impression of a gold ring, probably of Italian workmanship, Banks, of Welwyn, Herts. now in the possession of the Rev. J.S. It was purchased several years ago, in Cambridge, of a Jew, who said he bought it of a man that had dug it up in a field on the West side of the town. It is of pure gold, weighing 3 dr. 1 sc. (B). From the design, which appears and 24 gr. It has on the back a stamp to represent a death's head passing over the sun, we think it may have been intended for a mourning ring; and we should imagine it to be about two centuries old. It may be one of the many mementos invented to preserve in secret the memory of Charles the First.

Fig. 15, communicated by the Rev. Chas. Walters, of Bishop's Waltham, is from a seal found at Rumsey. The animal is probably a squirrel, and the inscription (which is accurately copied by the engraver) we can only fancy to be

IGNARE NOTIS.

Fig. 16 forms a singular companion to the last. The brass matrix was dug up in the churchyard of Seaton, in the county of Rutland, by labourers employed in removing soil from the walls of the chancel. The creature represented is certainly nothing more thau a fly; and the inscription IESVSELevsel, says the communicant_ H. M. "bears vol. xcIII. ii. p. 305, and interpreted some resemblance to that engraved in by Mr. Hamper (ibid. p. 386) to be

IE SVY SEL D AMVR LEL,
I am the seal of true love."

BRAD

1925.] BRADNINCH, AND ITS ANTIQUITIES. (Extract from the Diary of an Antiquarian Tour in Devon, during the Autumn of 1823.)

Sept. A made my friend W******

GREEABLY to the promise

20.

to pay him a visit on my tour, I left Exeter for Bradninch, and was hospitably and agreeably entertained by this talented and accomplished gentleman. His residence is at the extremity of the town; the grounds are not extensive, but laid out with great taste, and command some pleasing views.

Bradninch is in the hundred of Hayridge, and in the deanery of Plymtree; lies nine miles from Exeter, and two and a half from Cullumpton, which is the post town, that from Bradninch being only a cross post.

At the time of taking the Domesday survey, Wm. Chievre or Capra held the manor of Bradenesse or Braines in demesne. It was afterwards held as an honour, or barony, with the earldom of Cornwall, by Reginald natural son of King Henry I. by King John, and his son Richard. It was eventually made, and still continues to be, part of the Dutchy.

King John, A. D. 1208, granted to the Burgesses of Bradninch or Braneis, all the liberties of free Customs which the city of Exeter enjoyed. King James incorporated the Borough; and King James II. granted a new Charter in 1685.

This Borough sent Members to one Parliament of Edward II.

In the Harleian MSS. No. 2410, is this notice: "Bradninch, once Braines. Brithwold before the Conquest, and Wm. Chiem in the Conqueror's time, was seized of lands here. This is a Barony, and was always a p'cel of the Dukedom of Cornwall, the Dukes whereof were once named Barons of Braines. This town consisteth of 3

499

parts; the Fee, the Manor, and the Borough."

We visited Mr. Bowden, a gentleman who has devoted much time and attention to the history and antiquities of Bradninch. It is much to be wished he would employ his pen on the subject. He has the custody of the Deeds and Records of the Borough, many of which he had the politeness to submit to us. Among others, an award on the subject of tithes, between Peter Sainthill, esq. the impropriator, and the inhabitants, A. D. 1556; a Court Roll of Bradninch about the same time, signed by the above Mr.S.; and a MS collection of various subjects connected with the Borough, and its Court Rolls, by John Hooker, Steward of the Manor, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth.

At the Vicar's (the Rev. Thos. Tanner), we saw the Church Registers, which commence A. D. 1558, and come down uninterruptedly; but from the similarity of the early entries, I am of opinion they have been copied from more ancient originals. These are of vellum: possibly the first were only paper, and may have suffered.

Among the baptisms I noticed twins bearing both the same name, John and John, the sons of John and Maryhis wife. What is equally singular, they died on the same day, at 18 months old.

The Church of Bradninch* is dedicated to St. Denys. It was formerly a Rectory, and valued at 531. It is now impropriate to the Dean and Chapter of Windsor; and the tithes have been held under them by the Sainthill family (now represented by George Pearse, esq.) since 1547. The impropriator is also patron of the living.

The Church has a fine tower. The interior appears to have been built at different times. There is a magnificent screen across it, erected A. D.

-2825.]

501

pant, holding shields in their paws; and at the top of the staircase is a unicorn of modern workmanship, probably placed there on Charles the First's visit, whose bed-room is in the same style with the others. The King is said to have cut his initials on the door, but we were unable to discover them. Possibly the door has been changed. Mr. Pearse has a consider able share of Antiquarian spirit and research, and proposes restoring the house on the original plan. In the library we were favoured with the sight of many curious MSS.; inter alia, a pedigree of the Yardes, from the time of Henry III. to Charles II.; and the grant of the present Sainthill arms, which is on vellum, beautifully emblazoned, amid the tracery of which, in Roman characters, are the words, "Tout fin fait;" and beneath, in old English, as follows:

"To all true Christen people these present letters herenge or seeing, Christofer Barker, esquier, als' Garter Principal King at Armes of Englesshemen, sendithe due and humble recomendacion and greteng. Equitie willethe, and reason ordeineth, that men vertuous and of noble courage be by theire merytes and good renoume rewarded, and had in perpetuall memory for theire good name, and to be in all places of hon ner and woursshipp, amonges other noble parsonnes accepted and reputed by shewinge of certein ensignes and tokens of vertue, honner, and gentelness, to the entente that by theire insample other shuld the more perseuerauntly enforce themselfes to use theire tyme in honnorable wourkes and vertuous dedes, whereby they might allso purchase and gette the renoume of auncient noblesse in theire ligne and posteritee: And, therefore, I the foresaide Garter Principal King of Armes as abouesaide, which not alonely by the comen vulgar fame, but allso by myn owen knowlege, and by the reporte of diuers auncient gentelmen and other credable parsonnes, am truly informed and aduertised, that Peter Sainthill of Deuonshere hathe louge contynued in vertue, and in all his actes and other his demeanings hathe discretely and woursshippfully guyded and gouerned hym selfe, so that he hathe desurued and ys well wourthy from henseforthe to be in all places of honner and woursshipp amonges other noble parsonnes accepted and reputed by shewinge ensignes and tokens as aforerehersed, and for the remembraunce and consideration of the same, his vertue,

habbilitee, and gentélness, and also by vertue, power, and authoritee to myn office of Principal King of Armes annexed and atI have deuised, ordeined, and assigned unto and for the syde Peter Seinthill, the armes lowenge, that ys to wytt: Golde, a fesse and crest, wt thappurten'nces hereafter folengrayled Azure, betw'ne II lyopartes heads Goules, upon the fesse III besants, on eu'y besante a flowerdelice of ye fesse cheffe gusset, of the 2nd semed flowerdèlice of ye furste. Upon his crest II amphibanys heddes rased in countrant Vert, lang'ed Goules, a crounall aboute theire neekes Golde, sette upon a wrethe Gold and Azure, mantells Goules, lyned Silver, bottonet Golde, as more plainely apperethe depicted in this margent. To have and to holde unto the sayde Peter Seinthill and his posteritee, wt theire due difference therein, to be reuested to his honner for euermore. In witness whereof I have subscribed this presents wt myn owen hande, and thereunto have sett the Seale of myn office, and also the Seale of myn armes, geven at London the xviiith day of July, in the yere of our Lorde God MVCXLVI. and of the reigne of our Souuerain lorde King Henry the VIIIth, by the Grace of God, King of Englande, Fraunce, and Irelande, Defender of the Faythe, and in earthe of the Churche of Englande and Irelande, supreme hedde, the xxviiith yere.

C. BAL'S Gartier."

There can be no doubt that the grant was obtained by Mr. Sainthill, in accordance with the fashion at the Court of Henry VIII. of deriving every thing from the present Monarch; and in the preceding year Mr. S. had received from Henry a grant of lands in Devonshire and Dorsetshire (Jones's Index to Records). The Sainthills were a Norman family, and their armorial bearings appear to have gradually been increased (as it strikes me) in the following order:

Armorial bearings of Sainthill of Devon.-Or, a fesse between 3 fleurde-lis Azure, on a chief of the 2nd an orle of demi fleur-de-lis of the 1st.Edmonson.

Or, on a fesse between 3 fleur-de-lis Azure, 3 besants, on a chief of the £nd eight fleur-de-lis of the 1st.-A Seal at Bradninch.

Or, on a fesse between 3 fleur-delis Azure as many besants, on a chief Gules, fretty of the 1st, three fleur-de

lis of the last.-Edmonson.

Or, on a fesse between 3 fleur-delis Blue 3 besants. A pierced pile in chief.-Harleian MSS. 1091, and He ralds' College MSS.

Or,