Page:Lancashire Legends, Traditions, Pageants, Sports, Etc., with an Appendix Containing a Rare Tract.djvu/65

 the parallel with the Lancashire tradition, as given by Baines in his history of the county.

Mr Roby, who expands this tradition into an interesting little romance, states that Sir Oskatel, the Earl of Derby's illegitimate child, palmed upon the Countess, and for a time adopted as heir to the Stanleys, had reserved to him and his descendants the manors of IslamIrlam [sic] and Urmston near Manchester, with other valuable estates. At the same time was given to him the signet of his arms, with the crest assumed for his sake, "an eagle regardant, proper." It was only subsequent to the supplanting of Sir Oskatel (continues our author) that his rivals took the present crest of the eagle and child, where the eagle is represented as having secured his prey, in token of their triumph over the foundling, whom he is preparing to devour. This crest the descendants of Sir John Stanley, the present Earls of Derby, continue to hold.—See Appendix.

"OLD MADAM" OF EGERTON HALL , in the township of Turton, was a quaint old residence some two centuries ago; but most of it has been pulled down, and the rest converted into a plain modern cottage. There was a curious legend connected with the old house, which still clings to the site, respecting the occasional appearance of the form of an old lady, dressed in white silk, and who is known by the name of the "Old Madam" to the residents in the district. This tradition is a very common one in most parts of Lancashire, as well as in other counties, and answers to the "Lady in White," who has become the common property of the folk-lore of nearly every country in Europe.