taken, when he was on the expedition into Scotland with the king. A dispute having arisen between a German knight and two of Holland's esquires, an archer of the retinue of Sir Richard Stafford, eldest son of Lord Stafford, interfered, and blamed the esquires for their rudeness to a foreigner. Violent words ensued, and his own life being in danger, the archer shot one of the esquires dead on the spot. As soon as Sir John Holland heard of the murder of his esquire, he swore that he would neither eat nor drink till he was revenged. Though it was then dark, he mounted his horse and proceeded in search of the German knight's lodgings. But meeting Sir Richard Stafford by accident on the road, he drew his sword and struck him so severe a blow that he instantly expired. This affair produced great excitement in the army, Stafford being much beloved. The old lord demanded justice from the king, who assured him that his own relationship to the criminal should not protect him from the laws. Holland took sanctuary at Beverley; and Walsingham states that the Princess of Wales having implored the king's pardon for her son without effect, she was so deeply affected at his probable fate that she died of grief five days after. Through the mediation of the Duke of Lancaster, whose daughter he had married, Sir John Holland was however pardoned and restored to favour; and when he made his deposition in the Scrope controversy he was Constable of the army with which the duke was about to sail for Spain. He was subsequently created Earl of Huntingdon and Duke of Exeter, and was appointed Admiral of the Fleet. After the accession of Henry IV. his fortune declined, and having joined in a conspiracy against the king he was taken prisoner and beheaded by the populace at Plessy, without the form of a trial, on the 22nd September, 1400.* Sir *Froissart gives an entertaining narrative of a tournament in Spain between Sir John Holland and one of the French knights who had volunteered to assist the King of Castile in repelling John of Gaunt's attack, from which we extract the following passage for the amusement of such of our readers as are not familiar with the courtly chronicler: During the stay of the Duke of Lancaster in Eutença, a herald arrived from Valladolid, who demanded where Sir John Holland was lodged. On being shown thither, he found Sir John within, and bending his knee, presented him a letter, saying-" Sir, I am a herald-at-arms, whom Sir Reginald de Roye sends hither; he salutes you by me; and you will be pleased to read this letter." Sir John having opened it, read that Sir Reginald de Roye entreated him, for the love of his mistress, that he would deliver him of his vow, by tilting with him three courses with the lance, three attacks with the sword, three with the battle-axe, and three with the dagger; and that if he chose to come to Valladolid, he had provided him an escort of sixty spears; but if it were more agreeable to him to remain in Eutença, he desired he would obtain from the Duke of Lancaster a passport for himself and thirty companions. When Sir John Holland had perused the letter, he smiled, and looking at the herald, said, "Friend, thou art welcome, for thou hast brought me what pleases me much, and I accept the challenge." The herald remained in Sir John's lodgings, where Sir Thomas Morieux, the next deponent, was Marshal of John of Gaunt's army, and is frequently mentioned by Froissart as having eminently distinguished himself in Spain in that capacity. Morieux likewise was son-in-law to the duke, having married his natural daughter, probably the fruit of his connexion with Katherine Swainford, whom, after the death of the Duchess Constance of Castile, he married. After some other witnesses of less note, appears one whom we may address in the words of Hotspur, Welcome, Sir Walter Blunt!' This warrior, immortalized by Shakspeare as warlike Blunt,' whose great deservings and good name were the envy of all his contemporaries, stood high in the confidence both of John of Gaunt and his son Henry IV., and enjoyed the reputation which where he was made comfortable; and Sir John went to the Duke of Lancaster, whom he found in conversation with the Earl Marshal, and showed the letter the herald had brought. 66 Well," said the Duke," and have you accepted it ?" "Yes, by my faith, have I, and why not? I love nothing better than fighting, and the knight entreats me to indulge him: consider, therefore, where you would choose it should take place." The duke determined that the tournament should be performed in Eutença. The passport was fairly written and sealed for thirty knights and squires to come and return; and Sir John Holland, when he delivered it to the herald, presented him with a handsome mantle lined with minever, and twelve nobles. The herald took leave and returned to Valladolid, where he related what had passed. The king of Portugal, with his queen, the Duchess of Lancaster, her mother, and the ladies of the court, hearing of this intended tournament, came from Oporto to witness it. And three days after them arrived Sir Reginald de Roye, handsomely accompanied by knights and squires to the amount of six score horse. On the morrow, the two knights who were to perform this deed of arms, armed and equipped, entered the lists which had been prepared, in a well sanded close, surrounded by scaffolds for the ladies, the king, the duke, and the English barons who had come to witness the combat. The spears, battle-axes, and swords of the knights were brought them; and each being mounted on the best of horses, placed himself about a bow-shot distant from the other; but at times, they pranced about on their horses most gallantly, for they knew every eye to be upon them. 'All being now ready, having braced their targets and examined each other through the visors of their helmets, they spurred on their horses, spear in hand. Though they allowed their horses to gallop as they pleased, they advanced on as straight a line as if it had been drawn with a cord, and hit each other on the visors with such force, that Sir Reginald's lance was shivered into four pieces which flew to a great height. Sir John Holland struck Sir Reginald likewise on the visor, but not with the same success, for the helmet being but slightly laced on, the thong gave way, and the helmet flew off, leaving the knight bare-headed. Each passed the other, and Sir John Holland bore his lance without halting. The spectators cried out that it was a handsome course. The knights returned to their station, and another course took place in which Sir John Holland again unhelmed his adversary. A third course ended in precisely the same manner, at which the English present were dissatisfied with Sir Reginald de Roye for not fastening on his helmet more firmly. After these courses with the lance, they fought three rounds with swords, battleaxes, and daggers, without either of them being wounded. The French carried off Sir Reginald to his lodgings, and the English did the same to Sir John Holland. The Duke of Lancaster entertained this day at dinner all the French knights and squires. The duchess was seated beside him, and Sir Reginald de Roye next her.' -Froissart, by Johnes, vol. viii. p. 201. the the great dramatic poet has ascribed to him. Blount was bannerbearer to Henry IV., and while executing the duties of his office, and wearing the royal coat-armour, fell at the battle of Shrewsbury. Shakspeare makes Hotspur say over his corpse on the battle-field, 'A gallant knight he was, his name was Blunt, The next deponent on the list is the renowned Sir Thomas Erpingham, who at the battle of Agincourt, at the age of sixty and upwards, commanded the invincible archers of England, and added to the fame acquired by a long life of distinguished military and civil services. He was devoted to the house of Lancaster, and was one of the commissioners appointed by parliament to receive King Richard II.'s resignation of the crown. Henry rewarded his services by ennobling and enriching him. It is remarkable, that on a subsequent occasion, in 1406, he was a deponent in a controversy similar to the present, in a court of chivalry, between Sir Edward Hastings and Reginald Lord Grey of Ruthyn for the arms of Hastings. He closed his distinguished career in 1428, at the age of seventy-five. The adventure of one of Sir Thomas Erpingham's two wives with an amorous friar, which forms the staple of one of the most amusing of Colman's 'Broad Grins,' is told by authors of an early date, and has probably some truth in it. We pass over a host of noble and knightly deponents-Rempston, Leeds, Brewes, Marshall, De Windsor, Clinton, Lucy of Charlcote, Lord Scales, Courtney, Earl of Devon, and other eminent persons who formed part of John of Gaunt's brilliant array, and being examined on this occasion gave evidence nearly to the same effect as the preceding-to come to a witness whose age and long services render him an interesting specimen of the warriors of that day, namely, Sir John Sully, K.G. This venerable knight, at the time of his examination, was by his own account one hundred and five years of age, and had 'served' for eighty years. He was a distinguished soldier of the Cross, and states himself to have been at all the principal battles of the long reign of Edward III., down to the campaign of Aquitaine in 1370, at which time he must have been nearly ninety. He seems to have retired shortly after from public life to his estate at Iddesleigh in Devon, attended by his faithful esquire Richard Baker, who, having partaken for forty years of his master's toils and dangers, became the companion of the retirement of his latter years-the Uncle Toby and Corporal Trim of the age of chivalry! Sir John Sully was much esteemed by Edward III., and in 1361 obtained the following singular grant from that monarch: that he might once in every year during his life, in any of the royal forests, parks, or chases in the realm, have one shot with his bow, one course with his hounds, and one chase for his dog called "Bercelette." The following story is related of him by Pole, in his collections for Devon--: Sir John Sully, renowned for his exploits in the Holy Land against the Saracens, in which he was weakened by several wounds, returned home after many years' absence: whereupon his officers bringing in the accounts of his rent, which amounted to a great mass of money, he caused his cloak, being of cloth of gold, to be spread on the ground, and commanding the money to be poured thereon, he cast himself into it, that it might be said for once he had tumbled in gold and silver; whereof he afterwards gave one part to his wife, a second to his officers and tenants, and a third part to the poor.' Sir John Sully must have died about 1388, in his 108th year, as he is omitted in the records of the Garter after that year. This 'hero of a hundred fights' deposed that 'he had seen and known the arms of Sir Richard Scrope borne by Sir Henry Scrope, his father, at the battle of Halidon Hill, and afterwards at the siege of Berwick. He saw Sir William Scrope at the battle of Crecy so armed with a difference; Sir Richard armed in the same arms at the sea-fight of Espagnole-sur-mer, where King Edward commanded in person; and afterwards the said Sir William with the Black Prince at the battle of Poictiers; and the said Sir Richard so armed at the battle of Najara: that he had seen others of the name and lineage armed in the same arms in various journeys and expeditions; and in his time he had always heard that the said arms belonged to Sir Richard Scrope by descent, his ancestors having enjoyed them from beyond the time of memory, &c.' Sir James Chudleigh, another of the heroes of Poictiers, follows; and is succeeded by Sir Guy Brian, of Tor Brian in Devon, who, as a venerable warrior, almost rivals Sir John Sully, and was still more distinguished as an historical personage. He first took arms at the coronation of Edward III. in 1327, being one of the king's 'valets.' Amongst other employments of weight, the Great Seal was intrusted to him for a short period in 1349; and in the same year he bore the king's banner on occasion of that most romantic expedition of Edward III., when, with the Prince of Wales and a few chosen knights, the stalwart monarch fought in person under the banner of Sir Walter Manny, and defeated an attempt made by the French to surprise Calais. In 1370 he was elected into the order of the garter as successor of the renowned Sir John Chandos, one of the founders, being the second person who filled that stall. He served a great variety of important offices after the accession of Richard II., when he was more than seventy years of age; among others, that of Admiral of the Fleet, and gained new honours at that advanced age in several engagements. Lord Bryan died in 1390, aged about ninety, and was buried under a magnificent monument still remaining in Tewkesbury Abbey. His deposition was similar to those already given. Another centenarian is then called forth to speak to the same purpose, in the person of Sir John Chydioke, first armed, with Sir Guy Brian, at the coronation of Edward III., and knighted the succeeding year. He built Chydioke Castle in Dorsetshire, and was an ancestor of the noble families of Arundel of Wardour and Stourton of Stourton. Then follow Sir William Bonville, Sir Robert Fitzpayne, Sir Ralph Cheney, Sir William de Lucy, Sir John Massy of Tatton, and many other barons, knights, and squires of renown-amongst them Sir William Brereton, a relative of Grosvenor's, who, for contumaciously refusing to answer the questions put to him by the Proctor of Scrope, was heavily fined. Other depositions succeed, taken in Yorkshire. And first we have the mitred abbot of Selby, and the abbots of Rivaulx, Gervaulx, and St. Agatha, in Richmondshire, of Byland, of Roche, and of Coverham; the Priors of Gisburgh, Wartre, Lanercost, Newburgh, and the Sacristan of the Priory of Bridlington,—all of whom come forward to repay the munificence of former generations of the family of Scrope to their several monasteries, by testifying to the antiquity of their benefactor's race, and the existence of the disputed arms upon windows, tablets, buildings, and, above all, monuments, erected by or in commemoration of Sir Richard's ancestors, from a date immediately following the Conquest. They present likewise numerous charters, containing grants of lands from early members of the Scrope family, sealed with the arms so often alluded to, and a variety of copes, stoles, corporasses, amices, frontores,' and other vestments or cloths, of silk or velvet, of great antiquity, on which the same arms are embroidered or embossed in every imaginable manner. The multitude of such evidences adduced from these and many other religious foundations creates a vivid impression of the vast wealth which the holy brotherhoods in those days contrived to extract from their devotees, either in direct gifts of land, money, jewels, and robes, or in the building and decoration of their monastic edifices. Old chronicles'-old in that day-were produced by some of these monks, tracing the family back for several generations, and corroborated by tombs with ancient inscriptions existing at the time in the churches of Wenceslas and St. Agatha. This evidence satisfactorily confirms the use of armorial insignia as architectural ornaments so far back as the twelfth century. The Prior of Lanercost, for instance, deposes to the existence in the windows of his church of the old arms of the kings of |