Page:Notes and Queries - Series 10 - Volume 5.djvu/188

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NOTES AND QUERIES. [io- s. v. FEB. 2*. i9o&

Henry VII. on his visit here 7th Oct., 1497 (the king was atTaunton on the 4th, arrived at Tiverton on the 6th, and at Exeter on the 7th, where he remained till Nov. 3rd, when he went to Ottery S. Mary) he gave his sword also, with a cap of maintenance, for the vigorous resistance the citi- zens made to Perkin Warbeck's army. A new scabbard was provided for Henry VIL's sword in 1634. Izacke (a well-credited authority) seems to intimate that a new cap of maintenance was also made at the same time ; but, as a matter of fact, the former was merely covered with new em- broidered velvet. The Act Book (May 13, 1624) contains an order to provide a new hat for the sword-bearer, either at London or elsewhere, of a comely fashion, as it was then used in London or Bristow.* On July 6, 1843, Sir Samuel Meyrick saw these swords, in company with other authori- ties, and expresses his opinion they were the only swords of our early English kings in existence. The present mounting of Edward IV.'s was made in the time of King Charles II., when the sword was put in mourning, to be carried on the anniversary of his royal father's martyrdom. The other was altered in King James I.'s reign, as is evident from one of his gold coins appearing on the pommel. The list of Sword-bearers is as follows : 1498. Francis Gilbert.

1509. William Downe.

1510. William Somaster. 1536. William Beamont. 1546. Richard Prous. 1553. John May.

1567. Richard Bartlett. 1586. Lobert Harrison. 1592. Robert Northecot.

1611. Thomas Token

1612. John Clarke.

1613. Leonard Cranebury. 1618. William Byrdall. 1641. Robert Bletchinden. 1646. John Cogan.

1666. Thomas Willinge. 1685. Richard Rous.

1687. Joseph Bradshaw.

1688. Richard Rous. 1703. Isreal Stafford. 1710. Philip Westcott. 1724. Matthew Pear. 1765. Simon Gandy. 1772. William Marler. 1786. James Grant. 1808. Richard Strong. 1830. Hugh dimming.

Mr. Gumming ceased to perform the duties of the office on being appointed Superintendent of the Police (25 May, 1836). No person was made bword-bearer in his place, but the Sword has since been borne before the Mayor on all civic occasions, and the cap of maintenance worn by the Senior Sergeant of Mace."

Oliver records that there was much alter- cation in days gone by, between the Dean and Chapter and the Mayor, as to how the

is a misprint for Bristol. [Bristow is an old spell- ing. See the paper by Mr. W. H. Stevenson on Old- French influence on English local names, Athenccum, 17Feb,p. 203.]
 * I know of no place of this name : probably it

sword was to be carried during state visits to the Cathedral. At length, on 1C July, 1708, it was agreed

" that if divine service should have commenced before the arrival of the Mayor, then the royal sword was to be dropped at the entrance to the choir, and the cap of maintenance be taken off; but otherwise the sword was to be carried erect r and the cap of maintenance be worn before the Mayor on entering into, and coming out of the choir, as had been in times past ; and that con- venient places be appointed and made for placing the sword and cap of maintenance before the Mayor and his successors, or near their right side, during divine service."

The present sword-bearer is Senior Sergeant John Salter, who succeeded to the post on the resignation of his predecessor last year. The cap of maintenance was always worn by the sword-bearer himself until about fifteen years ago. Since then it has been the custom for one of the sergeants of mace to carry it upon a velvet cushion. The order of pro- cession is as follows : A posse of constables ; the sword-bearer ; four sergeants of mace, wearing their ancient silver collars, and shouldering the handsome silver gilt maces of George II.'s time ; the cap of maintenance, carried by a sergeant of mace, the Mayor immediately behind him. followed by his Deputy Mayor, the Sheriff, Town Clerk, City Marshal, aldermen, councillors, and other civic officials. HARRY HEMS.

Fair Park, Exeter.

King Richard II. presented a sword of state to the City of Chester in September, 1394, when on his way to Ireland ; and also on 6 April, 1506, King Henry VII. authorized the Mayor and citizens of Chester to have the sword he had presented to them carried in all processions with the point upright, &c. GEO. W. HASWELL.

Chester.

THE WATERLOO CAMPAIGN (10 th S. v. 107). The writer of the letter, Major Talbot Ashley Pattison Cox, has long been dead, but his widow and several daughters are alive. Major Cox married in 1864 Miss Agnes Bla- grave, daughter of John Blagrave, Esq., of Calcot Park, near Reading, the head of a very old Berks family, now represented by a brother of Mrs. Ashley Cox.

CONSTANCE RUSSELL.

Swallowfield Park, Reading.

''SMITH" IN LATIN (10 th S. iv. 409, 457; v. 13, 73). A Huguenot emigrant family named Lefevre took the name of Smith on settling as merchants in London. Two members of this family entered the service of the Hon. East India Company about 1750,