ON THE TUTBURY HORN. 1 3 



the conjecturally reversed arms of a daughter of John of Gaunt, 

 who married Robert, Lord Ferrers of Tam worth, have been fully 

 established in the Archczological Journal. 



The truest conjecture, nay, it seems to us almost a certainty, is 

 undoubtedly this, that the sinister coat of the escutcheon is that 

 of the house of Ferrers, Earl of Derby, and is used here not to be- 

 token any matrimonial alliance, but as a perpetual reminder of the 

 origin of these privileges attached to the Honour of Tutbury, and 

 annexed since 1266 to the Duchy of Lancaster. Viewed in this 

 light, the escutcheon becomes more of the nature of a badge, or 

 arms of the Honour of Tutbury, rather than of any specific indivi- 

 dual. This particular ornament being engraved, as we take it, 

 towards the end of the lifetime of John of Gaunt, naturally bore 

 on the dexter side the arms of the then Duke of Lancaster. It 

 betokens, in this Honour of Tutbury, the union of the Duchy of 

 Lancaster with the Earldom of Derby. The referring of arms to 

 dignities or property, and especially their impalement, is rare in 

 English heraldry though not unknown, but it was at one time com- 

 paratively common in Scotland, Italy, Spain, and, we believe, in 

 France. 



In connection with this identification of the Tutbury horn in 

 its present setting and condition with John of Gaunt, it is interes- 

 ting to note that the right of fishery at Hungerford, in Berkshire, 

 was granted by the giving of a bugle horn by John of Gaunt. 

 Lysons mentions that a second horn of more modern date (1634), 

 but of the same size and shape, having an inscription recording 

 John of Gaunt's gift to the town and its extent, is blown every 

 year to call the tenants of the manor together.* Probably the 

 Tutbury horn had more the character of a horn of summons than 

 a mere hunting horn, and may have been sounded at the summon- 

 ing of Courts of Ward and Coroner's Courts, or at the opening of 

 markets throughout the Honour. Dr. Pegge relates that, in his 

 time, a horn was still used at Canterbury for assembling the 

 Burgmote Court. 



* Lysons' Berkshire, p. 296. 



