282 On the cognizance of the " Fetter --lock. ; " 



nor of the arched recess within which it is contained, is there the 

 least trace of the badge of the " fetter-lock." Neither, as far as 

 my observation has gone, is it to be found on any of the more 

 ancient portions of the church or tower. Then again there are, in 

 the chancel, brasses of Sir Edward Cerne (c. 1393), and of his 

 daughter Philippa ; but on neither have we this badge, said to be 

 emblematical of the tenure under which Draycote was held. Is it 

 likely that it would have been missing, if the opinion, the correctness 

 of which we are discussing, were founded in truth ? 



After the Long family were owners of Draycote we find plenty 

 of examples of the use of this badge. On the tomb of Sir Thomas 

 Long, who died in 1508, it is found, and also on Draycote Mill ; 

 but there it is in connection with the coat of Long impaling Darell, 

 which fixes its date at a period subsequent to 1490. 



The badge was seen in Aubrey's time on a large monument, now 

 destroyed, in the church of Box, to the memory of Anthony Long 

 (fourth son of Sir Henry Long, of Wraxall and Draycote), who 

 was buried there in 1578. The use of it on such a monument would 

 seem to show that they regarded it now rather as a family badge 

 than as indicative of the tenure of Draycote. In fact it was at Box 

 accompanied with the motto " Envi will lye/'' which is found only 

 at Wraxall. (See Jackson's Aubrey, pp. 29, 56.) 



The conclusion to which we come is this — that there is no evidence 

 either that the Cernes used this badge of the "fetter-lock/' or 

 that the Longs first adopted it, when they became their successors 

 at Draycote, as an emblem of the tenure under which chat estate 

 was held. 



But now let us go to Wraxall, and see whether we have any proof 

 there of an early use of the " fetter-lock 33 as a cognizance by the 

 Long family, and , whether, in the history of that estate, we 

 can find any peculiarity that may account for it. Without doubt, 

 the earliest known examples of its use are over the gateway leading 

 into the manor house, and on an old tomb in the church at Wraxall. 

 Judging from external appearances, there certainly seems no reason 

 for considering the gateway otherwise than coeval with the older 

 portions of the manor house, which would be about 1430-1450. At 



