Page:Life of Thomas Hardy - Brennecke.pdf/51

 escallops, or, a crescent for difference, for Dumaresq: and Gules, three escallops, or, a fleur-de-lis, for difference, for Dumaresq. Impaling: Argent, three leaves, vert, for Irving.

Crest: A dexter arm, embowed, in armour, gauntlet, ppr., garnished, or, holding a griffin's head, as in the arms.

Mottoes: Sic Donec. (Above the crest), Le hardy ne querre pas querelle.

John's descendants on the English mainland were many. One line consisted of a long succession of naval heroes. A monument to Sir Thomas Hardy, Kt., Rear-Admiral of the Blue, was erected on the south side of the great entrance in Westminster Abbey by the Rev. Clement Le Hardy, M. A., Rector of St. Peter's. Its inscription reads, in part, as follows:

Near the West door of the Choir, lieth interr'd the body of Sir Thomas Hardy, Kt., who died the 16th of August, 1732, in the 67th year of his age; and, according to the directions of his will, was buried in the same grave with his wife, who died the 28th of April, 1720. . ..

He was bred in the Royal Navy from his youth, and was made a Captain in 1693. In the expedition to Cadiz, under Sir George Rook, he commanded the "Pembrook," and when the Fleet left the Coast of Spain to return to England, he was order'd to Lagos Bay where he got Intelligence of the Spanish Galleons being arrived in the Harbour of Vigo, under convoy of 17 French Men-of-War, commanded by Mons. Chateau Renaud, upon which he sail'd immediately in quest of the English Fleet, and notwithstanding he had been several days separated from it, by his great Diligence and judgment he joyn'd it, and gave the Admiral that intelligence which engag'd him to make the best of his way to Vigo, where all the forementioned Galleons and Men-of-War, were either taken or destroyed. After the success of that Action, the Admiral sent him with an account of it to the