Page:Devon & Cornwall Notes & Queries.djvu/31

 14 Devon NoUs and Queries, prescriptive right by ancient usage. Yet in this very case of Pole, whose right to the arms is admitted, can the heralds show any other authority for that right but the prescriptive right of ancient use ? On what other grounds are the arms of Courtenay, Carew, or Fortescue borne ? And I might quote a hundred more without nearly exhausting the list ; in fact arms were constantly allowed at the Visitations on such grounds. Harl. MS. 7000, f. 29. Worthy Sir At yo' herauld and pursuivants beinge att Exeter there was warned to come unto them amongst others a gent (whose daughter I have marryed) he being asked what coate he gave made aunsere that he had matched one of his daughters unto a gent in Cornwall (w<^ was myselve) who had his coate, and for himself e (so litle was his skill in heraldrye) that he could not blazon it, and for his pedigree he .had it not w**^ hint, heere uppon (as I have been advertised) yo' commissioners wrote his name iu their booke of Record w^ this addition igtiobilis. Now I become an emest sutor unto you to redresse the wronge done heerin w^ you may the better doe, I send you by this bearer (my father's servant) one scutcheon of hi» Armes (there l>eing divers of this sort) and a copy of his pedegree both w<^ he found amongst his deeds, left by his father, I think you shall scarse finde any mention of his name in the last surveye (this excepted) that was made by the heraulds (w<^ as I have learned was xlvij yeeres since or there al>outs) by reason that he was then a young youth and his father was dead who left unto him XXX;^ rents or neere thereabouts besides his demeanes he and his ancestors have dwelled att ffurlonge (w^ is the name of his mansion house) in the pish of Drewstainton himself e knoweth not how longe, and before they came to dwell at ffurlonge they dwelt at Bovye tracye wheare he hath betweene xi and ilj£ rents, he hath divers very ancient deeds to show how he holdeth his lands and he and hfs ancestors have allwayes lived in the reputation of gent. Thus not duubtinge of yo' courteous favour and assistance herein I shall desire God to graunt you all happy contentment and eternall happinesi so I rest at yo* service and commande JOHN CAREW. From Antony this 6th day of November 1620. Harl. MS. 7,000, f. 47. M' Clareniaux I know your worth to bee such, that yo« will right whear yo" finde wronge offered. I am enforced to appeale to y» iudgement betwixt yo' deputies in their laste Visitation of Devonshire and myselfe. They in their first letters written unto mee from Honiton questioned mee for publisheinge a letter of M' Yorkes for giving of the Armes of Cheshire and other thinges of much bittemes. ffor the firste I answedred thern^ and now yo« that it is most false. I never published that letter, ffor it was not in my handss two dayes before S'- Thomas Prideaux tooke it from mee and kept it untill I sent for hitt to show it unto them. And I never gave any man (themselves excepted) a coppie theirof and yett they pressed mee in their third letter that they are able to prove hitt by gentle- men of worth, wc*» thing I know they ar not able to doe. Secondiie, that I was discended of the family of Cheshire I sent unto them divers deeds whearin my ancestors, five discents, have sealed w^