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MAGGS, 159, Church-street, Paddington-green, London, W. DANEMARK. Par Viggo Petersen. LONDON, SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 19, 1887. CONTENTS.-N° 99. NOTES:-Bend Sinister, 401-Dr. Johnson and Lichfield, 402 London,' 407. REPLIES:-St. George's, Bloomsbury 410-Calumet, 411- NOTES ON BOOKS: -Jeaffreson's Lady Hamilton and Notices to Correspondents, &c. In Guillim's called the bend sinister a "bar," and, says Planché, "a diminution of it is in this country commonly called the bastard's bar'"; but Menestrier was a French writer on blazon at the close of the eighteenth century, when the practice and nomenclature of the two countries were in some respects widely different. QUERIES:-James II. at Tunbridge Wells-Samphire, 407-The late Somerset Herald was, however, "inclined Shaking Hands-Hendre Family-French Emigration to to believe" the bar as 66 but a diminution of the America-Toward-Blackberries-De la Pole Abbey-' Diary of a Nun'-"To sleep the sleep of the just "-Court of fess, if indeed it be not identical with it," in which Trailbaston-Characters in Cuthbert Bede's Mattins and case, as above said, it is idle to speak of a bar Muttons-Gadroon - Carnac, 408-Heraldry-Iron Persinister. In Canon Jenkins's 'Heraldry, English forated by Hailstones-First Oxford Library-Hallet's Cove -Capt. George Farmer-Montrose-Hacket's Life of Wil- and Foreign,' the bar or barre is described as the liams'-Old Clock, 409. reversed form of the bende, and as being "in reality the same figure" and having "the same rank in heraldic devices." The fact is that bar in Christabel, 412-Author of 'John Halifax-Old Arms- the sense of "bend sinister " is a word of essentially The Descendants of Shakspeare's Sister, 413-The ChessRook of Heraldry-" Ri fol de rol," 414-Theft from Want foreign growth, and was never recognized by -General Hodgson-Gibson-Gooseberry-Confirmation a English heralds in that sense. In foreign heraldry Cure for Rheumatism-Hair turning White-George Barnard, 415-Wordsworth- Biographical Dictionary of the it would appear to have arisen from the singular Stage-Lease of 999 Years- Unto this Last-Ram-Hunt-practice of arbitrarily reversing the bearings of a ing, 416-Children as Mediators-Magna Charta Barons-shield for the sake of symmetry. De Bohun-Error concerning Mary Stuart-Gleaning Bell, 417-Cooke's "Topographical Library"-Butler's Hudibras 'Display of Heraldry' there is no sort of indica-Keep your Temper-Thornbury's 'Old and New London,' tion that the bend sinister was, in the time of the 418-Gattin, 419. author, regarded as a mark of illegitimacy; on the contrary, we may be certain inferentially that no such stigma attached to this honourable ordinary; for while he says of the "batoon" that "this is the proper and most usual note of illegitimation," he affirms of the scarpe (i. e., a ribbon sinister) that "notwithstanding this Charge hath some Resemblance of the common Note of Illegitimation; Yet, is it not the same." Again, in Edmondson's 'Body of Heraldry' it is stated that " we may fairly conclude, that the Batton is not to be deemed as any part diminutive of the Bend, but as a mark of illegitimacy." It is here perfectly clear that Edmondson intends us to regard the bend sinister and all its diminutives, as well as the bend, as honourable ordinaries, and the baton sinister as something distinct and apart from them all. Lower, in his Curiosities,' asserts that "it is a prevailing error that the bend sinister is a mark of dishonour, as betokening illegitimacy; this seems to have arisen from its having been confounded with the baton, which bearing differs from it both in being much narrower, and in being cut off from the borders of the escocheon." Perhaps Mark Antony Lower was not a great tated so definite a dictum as this. The definitions of more modern heralds are less precise, but there would appear to be no competent authority for the statement that the bend sinister, formerly called a fissure, was ever regarded as a mark of illegitimacy. Burke (1878) describes it as "the same as the bend, except that the lines are drawn from the sinister chief to the dexter base." Boutell does not think it necessary even to refer to the popular error of a bend sinister having a dishonourable significance. Barrington, again, makes no such Notes. THE BEND SINISTER. In the New English Dictionary,' under the word "Bend," bend sinister is defined as one of the marks of bastardy." For explanation of this definition the able editor relied upon the quotations under "Bend" and the definitions of "Baton" and "Bar." The quotations under " Bend" give no explanation, for Sir Walter Scott was as far from being a herald as a historian. Referring first to "Baton," we find that this ordinary (?) is used "in English coats of arms only in the form of the baton sinister, the badge of bastardy (popularly called bar sinister)." This does not, however, explain why the bend sinister is described as "one of the marks of bastardy." Turning next to "Bar," this is described as "an honourable ordinary, formed (like the fess) by two parallel lines drawn horizon-authority, but he was hardly likely to have excogitally across the shield, and including not more than its fifth part. Bar sinister: in popular, but erroneous phrase, the heraldic sign of illegitimacy." Here again we are not told why the bend sinister is described as 66 one of the marks of bastardy." We might at once dismiss from consideration the bar sinister, which in English heraldry is an impossibility, as no bearing can be at once horizontal and diagonal, and moreover the bar is never borne single. But Planché gives some warrant for the use of the term bar sinister, Menestrier having 66 reference, though he does indeed make the baston or baton a diminutive of the bend sinister, wherein probably he is in error. Clark describes the bend sinister as the same ordinary" as the bend," but drawn......from left to right." He does not connect it with the baton, which he says signifies "a staff or truncheon, generally used as a rebatement ......to denote illegitimacy," though "frequently adopted as a crest, without any reference to illegitimacy." In Newton's 'Display of Heraldry' the bend sinister is stated to represent "a scarf or ribbon suspended from the left shoulder......The French denominate it a Barre." Newton quotes Nisbet's statement," that of old the bend sinister prevailed much in Scotland, but that latterly they have been mostly turned in the other direction, from a vulgar notion that it resembled a mark of illegitimacy." After describing the baton (batoon or baston) as a mark of illegitimacy, he goes on to say that "this device must not be confounded with the honourable ordinary, a bend sinister...... In later times the mark of illegitimacy has always been the battoon......in the direction of a sinister bend." Here, surely, is sufficient evidence that there is no authority for describing the bend sinister as one of the marks of bastardy." Perhaps it is only fair to quote the following from Mr. John E. Cussans's Handbook of Heraldry,' "The diminutives of the bend sinister are the Scarpe, which is one-half its width, and the Bâton, which is one-fourth. The latter, like the ribbon, is couped at the extremities, and both are generally considered as marks of Illegitimacy," by Mr. Cussans, but apparently by no one else. There can be no question that the bend sinister was not a mark of illegitimacy. Unfortunately, authorities so differ that it is impossible to affirm with equal certainty that the baton is not a diminutive of the bend sinister, though this would appear to be the case. It would seem, from a careful consideration of the facts, that heralds have never in reality agreed upon any one badge as a special and undoubted mark of illegitimacy, nor, indeed, does it appear probable that they should do so. It has been remarked by a modern writer that no person is bound to use arms, and that therefore no person would willingly bear a coat which should mark him out amongst his fellows as of base origin. Hence probably arises the fact that all, or nearly all, arms indicating illegitimacy by means of the baton sinister are borne, at least in England, by persons descended from the illegitimate offspring of the royal family, such as the Scotts, Fitzroys, Beauclercs, and Fitz-Clarences, the honour of descent from royalty, however derived, being apparently regarded as of an importance countervailing the degradation of bastardy. In the 'Book of St. Albans we do, however, find a law on the subject which it is desirable to quote, "All the bastardes of all cort amuris shall bear a fesse, sum call it a baston, of oon of the iiij dignities of colouris, except the bastard of the fixialis, and the bastarde of the brethyrne of the chene blode," the term fixialis implying "the third degree by the right line, from the right heir, by line male," whatever that may mean. These excepted persons are to bear their fathers' arms "countertruis," that is, with the tinctures of the bearings altered. No rule, however, seems ever to have been followed. In Glover's 'Roll '(1216-1272, transcribed by Glover in 1586) Richard le FitzMarmaduke is described as bearing "de goules ung fesce et troys papegeyes [popinjays] d'argent, a ung baston d'azure sur tout," but this is not described as sinister; it is, however, clearly a difference of illegitimacy adopted by an illegitimate son of Marmaduke of Twenge. Any deductions from this use of the "baston" are, however, at once overthrown by the fact that in a roll of the time of Edward II. legiti mate sons appear to difference their paternal bearings by the addition of batons and bends, while "Sir Johan Lovel le bastard" differences with "un label de azure," now so distinctly a badge of legiti macy. One practice of the heralds appears to have been to assign to bastards their fathers' arms on a bend or bend wise, as in the case of Sir Roger de Clarendon, a natural son of the Black Prince, who bore, Or, on a bend sable, three ostrich-feathers argent. John de Beaufort, eldest son of John of Gaunt by Catherine Swynford, similarly bore a coat made up of the arms of the Lancastrian Plantagenets, namely, Per pale, argent and azure, on a bend gules the arms of England with a label of three points azure, each charged with as many fleurs de lis or. But it is to be remarked that these bends are not sinister. Instances might be multiplied, but enough has been said to prove that the bend sinister is not one of the marks of bastardy," and that no hard and fast rule for the indication of illegitimacy has ever been adopted by English heralds. JAMES DALLAS, DR. JOHNSON AND LICHFIELD. On October 20, 1887, Messrs. Winterton, Beale & Co. offered for sale, and sold by public auction at the "Three Crowns Hotel," Lichfield, a freehold property, described in the particulars as "the large, substantially built, and commodious dwelling-house, with draper's shop, situate in the Market-place, as occupied now and for many years by Mr. Thomas Clarke." The auctioneers particularly pointed out that this property was well worthy the attention of "admirers of historical buildings and capitalists generally," for it was "famous as the birthplace of Dr. Samuel Johnson," and the house contained "ample dry cellarage, entrance-hall, double-fronted shop, sitting-room, excellent kitchen, and small yard. The upper stories are approached by an antique oak staircase, and in addition to a spacious drawing-room there are nine rooms. The floors are principally fine old oak." "The property is freehold, except a small encroachment on the street, granted by the Corporation by leases from time to time to the Johnson family and to Mr. Clarke at the annual rent of two shillings." The sale was truly Johnsonian. It was held at the old "Three Crowns," where Dr. Johnson put up whenever he visited his native city; the auctioneer seated himself in "the doctor's chair" while he discoursed on the antiquarian interest and value of the house; and finally, to complete the story of the sale, the purchaser was none other than Mr. G. H. Johnson, of Southport, who, although no relation or descendant of the doctor, bought the property for 8001. "to save it from the hands of spoilers." A full account of the house and its descent will be found in the Lichfield Mercury of Oct. 21, 1887, in which the interesting letters on the title deeds to the property printed in the Times are reproduced. and the curious error in the spelling of the name of the father is noteworthy. The gravestone which formerly covered the remains of the Johnsons in St. Michael's having long since disappeared during some so-called restoration (and probably in the same manner as the gravestone of Edward Alleyn, the founder of Dulwich College, as pointed out by me in 'N. & Q.,' July 11, 1885), my worthy and much-lamented friend the late rector (the Rev. J. J. Sergeantson), after an exhaustive and fruitless search for the missing stone, about three years before his untimely death, laid down a new stone in his church with a copy on it of the old inscription. The statue of Dr. Johnson, by T. C. Lucas, in the Market-place, opposite the house, was erected in August, 1838, and the original model of it is now in the museum at Lichfield, where also is to be seen the original vote of thanks awarded to the donor (the Rev. J. T. Law, Chancellor of the diocese) by the Town Council of the city. A plaster cast of the subject of the penance on one side of the pedestal was taken in September, 1878 for reproduction on the Uttoxeter monument. Having detailed the most recent of Johnsonian events, I will now give a few interesting facts re- There are many interesting relics of the doctor lating to the doctor, which I think ought to find and the Johnson family to be found in the Lichfield a permanent place in the pages of 'N. & Q.' They Museum cases, and I would refer any one to notes have been collected after some diligent research for on some of these printed by me in the Builder, a new edition of my history of the Fleet Street dis- Jan. 4, 1879, and March 25, 1882, in two articles trict ('Memorials of Temple Bar'), in which neigh-on Lichfield and its associations. I may. howbourhood Dr. Johnson so long lived, and where, in one of its then quiet aristocratic courts (Bolt Court), he died Dec. 13, 1784. Messrs. Barnes, of Lichfield, possess the original documents relating to Dr. Johnson's house for 200 years, and among these the marriage settlement, dated June 11, 1706, between Michael Johnson, of Lichfield, bookseller (and others as trustees), and Sarah Ford, spinster, daughter of Cornelius Ford, of Packwood, co. Warwick, gent. In March, 1707, the house called "in Saddler's Street, alias Markett Street......in the corner over against the Markett Crosse," was conveyed to Michael Johnson by Nathaniel Barton, silkman of the City of London, to whom it was bequeathed by his mother, Sarah Barton, of Coventry, widow. In the baptismal register of St. Mary's Church, Lichfield, which church faces the Johnson house, are the following entries: 14. 1709, Sept. Bapt. Sam', son of Mich' Johnson, gent. 7. 1712, Oct. Bap Nathaniel, son of Mr Mich' Johnson. These were the doctor and his brother. Next, in the burial register of St. Michael's, Lichfield, are these entries : 1731. Dec. 7. Buried Mr Michael Jonson, a Magistrate of y' City. 1736/7. Mar. 5. Buried Nathaniel Johnson. 1759, Jan 23. Burd Mr Johnson, Widow, aged 89. These refer to the burial of the parents and brother, ever, add that at the sign of the "Johnson Head" in Bird Street (and at the corner of Market Street which leads to the Market-place) the present mayor of the city (Mr. A. C. Lomax) and his father before him (mayor fifty years ago) have carried on the business of booksellers and stationers since the good old days when George III. was king. The present representative of the city when I was in Lichfield exhibited before me with well-merited pride a very interesting collection of Johnsonian relics, among which may be mentioned the doctor's walking-stick, Prayer Book, table, the bust by Nollekens, Mrs. Johnson's wedding-ring (which I had the curiosity to put on my own finger), ivory tablets, &c., all of which were purchased of Barber, so well known by readers of Boswell. Michael Johnson, of "the City and County of Lichfield, Bookseller," was associated with one John Adderley in the bond, inventory, and administration of the goods, &c., of Thomas Adderley, Vicar of Eccleshall, Feb. 7, 1690/1, and signed the papers "Mich. Johnson. Richard Wakefield, of Lichfield, gent., by will proved in February, 1733/4, bequeathed "to my Godsons Mr. Richard Bayley and Mr. Samuel Johnson 5l. each." It would be interesting to know whether this Samuel was our doctor. The last fact of interest to note is at the present time not the least in value. In the William Salt Library at Stafford the courteous librarian, Dr. |