in his little book, intituled Iter Plantarum
Investigationis ergo susceptum, tells us that he saw there a noble
large Dining-room or Hall, round the top of which were placed the Arms
of Nobility and Gentry of Kent; and, in the middle, those of Queen
Elizabeth, with the following Latin verses under, in great letters:
1Lilia
virgineum pectus regale leonis
Significant; vivas virgo, regasque leo;
Umbra placet vultus, vultus quia mentis
imago;
Mentis imago placet, mens quia plena Deo:
Virgo Deum vita, regina imitata regendo,
Viva mihi vivi fiat imago Dei.
Qui leo de Juda est, et Flos de Jesse,
leones
Protegat et flores, ELIZABETHA, tuos.
A.D. 1593
These arms start the Peniston volume, and including the
Queen's number 45. On the opposite page is written by Ed. Woods,
"Arms of the Nobility and Gentry (Mr. Johnston's phraseology is
curiously akin) of Kent liveinge in the yeare of our Lord, 1593: as they
are depicted in the Castle of Quinborough." No one represented is
less than a Knight. As the alphabetical armoury which follows contains
308 shields, I cannot feel it was part of the mural decorations. The
Knights are listed in order of creation. |
|
At the time of their erection, Sir Edward Hoby was Constable of
Queenborough, and had the same year been made Knight of the Shire and
received the lease of Shurland in Kent. One wonders if they were placed
merely patriotically or rather in preparation for a visit by the Queen.
In conclusion, I would record my appreciation of Mr. Hemp's
courtesy in allowing me the use of the manuscript, and Mr. Councer's for
a transcript of Dr. Cock's Philipot MS.
1. Vivat Regina Elizabetha.
New
France & England quarterly, surmounted by a
royal crown or, lined gules.
2. Whytgyfte Lorde Archbyshoppe.
Argent
on a cross formy flurty sable 5 bezants.
3. Puckering Lord Keeper.
Sable
a bend lozengy cotised argent.
Sir
John Puckering was appointed Lord Keeper and
Knighted, 1592; died, 1596; married Jane, d. of Nicholas
Chowne of Fairlane (now Fairlawn) in Wrotham. As
Queen's Serjeant, the Assizes were held before him at
Sevenoaks in 1590.
1. To those who in these
degenerate days have no Latin, I commend the translation in the Invicta
Magazine. |