Page:Notes and Queries - Series 11 - Volume 10.djvu/57

 n s.x. JULY is. i9u.] NOTES AND QUERIES.

51

last-named authors give an illustration. The carving represents Adam and Eve, with date 1669, and initials, at the top of the stone, "I. S." Eve is shown handing an apple to A lam, and a tree occupies the centre, round the stem of which the Serpent is winding. The year 1868 is not a very remote date, and some of your readers may recollect seeing the stone, and possibly know what became of it when the house was pulled down. I have made inquiries at the Guildhall and British Museums.

ARTHUR W. GOULD. Staverton, Briar Walk, Putney, S.W.

ARMY SCOUTS AND THE FLEUR-DE-LIS. -Could any reader of ' N. & Q.' oblige me with information as to the reason for the adoption of the fleur-de-lis as the badge of the trained scouts of the British Army ?

R, K.

SIR GREGORY NORTON, THE REGI- CIDE, AND HIS SON SIR HENRY.

(1 S. ii. 216, 251 ; 6 S. xii. 187 ; 7 S. viii. 324, 394 ; 10 S. vii. 168, 330, 376, 416 ; 11 S. x. 12.)

IN the State Papers (Chas. I., 1638) we find Sir Gregory refusing to pay over certain moneys to a Valentine Saunders.

It appears, from a petition addressed by Valentine Saunders to the Council, that the late Corporation of Soapmakers of West- minster granted one share of 40 parts, con- taining 125 tons of soap, to Sir Henry Poore, Viscount Valentia. Lord Valentia by indenture sold to petitioner (Valentine Saunders) one-fourth or quarter part of the said share, for which petitioner paid 3001. Petitioner, at the request of the Corporation, sent the indenture to be submitted to the Lords of the Council, but for .some reason or other he was unable to recover it. Subse- quently to the dispatch of the indenture the King had given for the use of the Corporation 40.000Z., to be paid by the soapboilers of London at the rate of 41. a ton for all soap made by them. Lord Valentia, who was living in Ireland, appointed Sir Gregory Norton to receive the whole of his (Lord Valentia's) share. Valentine Saunders applied to Sir Gregory for his part of the share, but was refused because the indenture could not be found. Saunders therefore appealed to the Lords in Council, asking that

Sir Gregory Norton be ordered to attend and pay the fourth part of what he had received to the petitioner, pointing out that he could not take any course of recovery owing to the indenture being kept back. After con- siderable delay, it was ordered that Sir Gregory pay Valentine Saunders his part of the share, and be acquitted as against Lord Valentia for the same, and that Saunders give bond to repay the same in case the Lords within one year order the same.

About this time Sir Gregory was wavering in his fidelity to the Royal cause. Early in the year 1639 Charles I. set forth on his way to Scotland on the expedition which came to be known as the First Bishops' War, and we find the Council writing to Sir Gregory from Whitehall on 26 April, 1639, as follows : " The Council to Sir Gregory Norton.

" The King has gone in person to resist the dangerous rebellion in Scotland which threatens the peace and safety of this kingdom. All the nobility and many other persons of quality do readily assist him, some in their persons, others with considerable sums of money, whereof we do hereby give you notice, that you may also lay hold on this occasion to express your fidelity and good affection, and you will do very well to signify forthwith your resolution to this board, from whence his Majesty shall understand the same."

By 1642 Sir Gregory had unmistakably gone over to the Parliamentary side ; for on 3 Sept. of that year he received a message from the Commons appointing him receiver for Midhurst and Chichester. It will be remembered that it was on 22 Aug., 1642, that Charles set up his standard at Notting- ham as a sign of war.

In July of 1644 we find Sir Gregory petitioning the House of Lords for recom- pense for the loss of his place at Court, taken from him for adhering to the Parlia- ment. He asks that he may be

" settled in some constant way for receiving his pay for the future out of His Majesty's Revenue, ind for his present subsistence, a year's pension, "o repay his losses hitherto sustained."

The petition was sent to the House of

Commons with certain recommendations to

be referred to the Committee for the Revenue.

It appears that the petition was successful, ! or, from the beginning of the year 1645 onwards, Sir Gregory's appointments under Parliament were numerous and important. Vfost of them were to special Commissions or "'ommittees for the carrying out of various Acts and Ordinances, such as

" For raising and maintaining of forces for the defence of the Kingdom under the command of Sir Thomas Fairfax, knight, 17th Feb., 1G44 5."

" For appointing the sale of bishops' lands for th.' us.> ,,f Hi.' CMininomvralth, 30th Nov., 1646."