Page:Notes and Queries - Series 9 - Volume 1.djvu/435

 9 th S. I. MAY 28, '98.]

NOTES AND QUERIES.

427

of the previous year, and acquitted by direc tion of the judge on the ground that there was no proof that the child was born alive There was a touching element of romance in the case, which the curious may learn from the report of the trial in the 'Annual Re gister.' It would perhaps be more interesting to know what was this unfortunate young woman's relation to Suzanne, who had been
 * neai'y twenty-six years. F. ADAMS.

WE must request correspondents desiring infor

lation on family matters of only private interest

to affix their names and addresses to their queries,

in order that the answers may be addressed to

them direct.

HONEST: HONESTLY. We want for the ' Dictionary ' instances of the phrase " To turn an honest penny," and the like, before the present century, and especially to trace the first use of such ; also early examples (in English) of the adage " Get money, honestly if you can ; but get money," or any variant thereof in which " honestly " occurs.

J. A. H. MURRAY.

Oxford.

ARMS OF THE SEE OF WORCESTER. Can any one throw light on the origin of these arms, which are Argent, ten torteaux 1 There are two possible theories. First, it has been sug- gested that the torteaux representing the eucharistic wafers were adopted as the arms, of the see by reason of the fact that from very early times the Bishop of Worcester was the chaplain of the Primate, and always celebrated when he was present. If this theory be correct, Bishop Godfrey Giffard

nust have adopted the arms of the see, as we find them ever afterwards used by the great Hampshire branch of the Giffards, descended from his brother William Giffard, whose son inherited the estates of the bishop

n Wilts, Gloucester, and Hants, i. e., Boyton, Weston-under-Edge, and Itchell.

The Giffords of Ballysop, in the county Wexford, claim to represent this family, and so loose did orthography become that the

jorrupt and inaccurate form practically un-

mown in any one of the four great branches of the Giffards before the days of printing in which they now spell their name is no proof to the contrary.

Secondly, it has been suggested that the arms in question were adopted for the see from the fact that they were Bishop Giffard's arms.

On the whole, perhaps, the first theory seems preferable. Bishop Giffard, his brother

the Archbishop of York, Sir Alexander Gif- fard, the survivor of Mansoura, and William Giffard, who continued the line, were all sons of Sir Hugh Giffard, of Boyton, Constable of the Tower and guardian of the king's children. It is practically certain that Sir Hugh was of the same family as the Giffards, Barons of Brimpsfield, for the following reasons :

1. The fact that Boyton was Brimpsfield Giffard property, and passed to Sir Hugh's family on or soon after the death of an Elias Giffard, of Brimpsfield, who was probably Sir Hugh's brother.

2. The fact that Bishop Giffard referred in his will to Maud Giffard, wife of Sir John Giffard, of Brimpsfield, by a term indicating affinity or consanguinity.

3. The fact that the effigy in Boyton Church which is supposed to represent Sir Alexander Giffard, the bishop's brother, has displayed thereon the arms of the Brimpsfield Giffards.

It would appear not improbable, therefore, that the bishop adopted the arms of the see. At the same time it must be remembered that even if the bishop bore arms before he was bishop different from his Brimpsfield cousins', that fact would not prove that he was not of their family, as heraldry did not become hereditary, as of course, till the latter end of the thirteenth century. It should also be remembered that the bishop's adoption of the arms of the see, if a fact, would scarcely justify his nephew's adoption of those arms ; and, lastly, it is certainly stated somewhere that Sir Alexander bore the " ten torteaux," which would not be the necessary or even probable consequence of bis brother's adoption of that coat.

H. F. G.

ALDRIDGE, co. STAFFORD. I shall be much obliged to any one who will tell me where I can see a copy of ' Notes and Collections relating to the Parish of Aldridge,' by J. F. Smith, privately printed in 1884.

GEORGE W. MARSHALL.

Heralds' College, E.C.

POWNALLS. Having nearly completed an account and pedigree of the Pownall family of Cheshire, I should be very glad of any nformation, other than afforded by Witton registers, Chester wills, or Ormerod's and Sarwaker's works, concerning the following : George Pownall (of Lostock Gralam ?), born 1634, son of George Pownall, born 1597 churchwarden of Witton, married to Eliza- >eth, daughter of Richard Hewitt), son of Humphrey Pownall, of Witton and North- vich, who married (1586) Joan Tue or Tewe.