—$—$————— 
JAN. 19. 1850.] 
NOTES AND QUERIES. 
183 
What is the historic probability that the stone 
coffin, discovered in 1822, contained the remains of 
this remarkable man ? 
I have no doubt that much curious and valuable 
matter might be discovered, by pursuing into the 
remote receptacles of historical knowledge the 
lives and characters of persons who have become, 
in Catholic times, the unauthorised objects of 
popular religious reverence after death. 
Rice. Moncxton Miunss. 
26. Pall Mall, Jan. 12th. 
[To this interesting communication we may add that 
“ The Office of St. Thomas of Lancaster,” which begins, 
«“ Gaude Thoma, ducum deeus, lucerna Lancastriz,” 
is printed in the volume of “ Political Songs” edited by 
Mr. Wright for the Camden Society, from a Royal MS, 
in the British Museum. — MS. Reg. 12. ] 
SHIELD OF THE BLACK PRINCE—SWORD OF 
CHARLES I. 
In Bolton’s Elements of Armories, 1610, p. 67., 
is an engraving of a very interesting shield, of the 
kind called “ Pavoise,” which at that period hung 
over the tomb of Edward the Black Prince, at 
Canterbury, in addition to the shield still remain- 
ing there. Bolton says, “The sayd victorious 
Princes tombe is in the goodly Cathedral Church 
erected to the honor of Christ, in Canterburie ; 
there (beside his quilted coat-armour, with half- 
sleeves, Taberd fashion, and his triangular shield, 
both of them painted with the royall armories of 
our kings, and differenced with silver labels) 
hangs this kind of Pavis or Target, curiously (for 
those times) embost and painted, and the Scutcheon 
in the bosse being worne out, and the Armes 
(which, it seemes, were the same with his coate 
armour, and not any peculiar devise) defaced, and 
is altogether of the same kinde with that upon 
which (Froissard reports) the dead body of the 
Lord Robert of Dvras, and nephew to the Car- 
dinall of Pierregoort, was laid, and sent unto that 
Cardinale, from the Battell of Poictiers, where the 
Blacke Prince obtained a Victorie, the renowne 
whereof is immortale.” , 
Can any of your correspondents inform me 
when this most interesting relic disappeared ? 
Sandford, whose Genealogical History was pub- 
lished some sixty or seventy years later, says, “On 
an iron barr over the ‘tombe are placed the 
Healme and crest, Coat of Maile, and Gantlets, 
and, on a pillar near thereunto, his shield of 
Armes, richly diapred with gold, all which he is 
said to have used in Battel;” but he neither 
mentions the missing “ Pavoise,” engraved in Bol- 
ton, or the scabbard of the sword which yet re- 
mains, the sword itself having been taken away, 
according to report, by Oliver Cromwell. Did 
that unscrupulous Protector (?) take away the 
«“ Payoise” at the same time, or order his Iron- 
sides to “remove that bauble?” — and how came 
he to spare the helmet, jupon, gauntlets, shield, 
and scabbard 2? J have strong doubts of his being 
the purloiner of the sword. The late Mr. Stot- 
hard, who mentions the report, does not quote 
his authority. I will add another query, on a 
similar subject :— When did the real sword of 
Charles the First’s time, which, but a few years 
back, hung at the side of that monarch’s eques- 
trian figure at Charing Cross, disappear ? — and 
what has become of it? The question was put, 
at my suggestion, to the official authorities, by the 
secretary of the British Archzological Association ; 
but no information could be obtained on the sub- 
ject. That the sword was a real one of that 
period, I state upon the authority of my lamented 
friend, the late Sir Samuel Meyrick, who had 
ascertained the fact, and pointed out to me its 
loss. J. KR. Puancue. 
FRATERNITYE OF VAGABONDES — REV. MR. 
GENESSE — RED MAIDS. 
[ We have for some time past been obliged, by want 
of space, to omit all the kind expressions towards our- 
selves, in which friendly correspondents are apt to in- 
dulge; but there is something so unusual in the way 
in which the following letter begins, that we have done 
violence to our modesty, in order to admit the com- 
ments of our kind hearted correspondent. We have 
no doubt that all his questions will be answered in due 
course. } 
Never, during my life (more than half a cen- 
tury), do I remember hailing the appearance of 
any new publication with such unfeigned delight. 
I had hugged myself on having the friendship of 
a certain “ BookworM,” possessing a curious li- 
brary, of some three or four thousand volumes ; 
how much must I have rejoiced, therefore, at 
finding that, through the medium of your invalu- 
able journal, my literary friends were likely to 
be increased one hundred-fold ; and that, for the 
small sum of three pence weekly, I could command 
the cordial co-operation, when at a loss, of all the 
first scholars, antiquaries, and literary men of the | 
country ; that, without the trouble of attending 
meetings, &c., I could freely become a member of 
the “Society of Societies;” that the four thou- 
sand volumes, to which I had, previously, access, 
were increased more than ten thousand-fold. It 
is one of the peculiar advantages of literary accu- 
mulation, that it is only by diffusing the knowledge 
of the materials amassed, and the information 
gained, that their value is felt. Unlike the miser, 
the scholar and antiquary, by expending, add to 
the value of their riches. 
Permit me to avail myself of the “good the 
bounteous gods have sent me,” and make one or 
two inquiries through the medium of your columns. 
