tories, that although a very slight investigation of the subject might have satisfied the writers as to the history of the persons here entombed, yet neither in Manning and Bray's History of Surrey, nor in Brayley and Britton's, is any information given with regard to them. All that is said amounts to this-that upon this tomb are to be seen the whole-length figures of a knight and his lady in white marble; conveying to the reader just as much information as is given in exhibition catalogues, "Portrait of a gentleman, or of a lady, whole length."

This knight's effigy is in a perfect suit of plate armour, except the head and face and hands, which are left uncovered, the head being laid upon a helmet surmounted by the crest, the turbaned Soldan's head. This armour, when compared with that of his father and grandfather, affords a good illustration of the changes which had taken place in the course of eighty years. It is very much more ponderous and elaborate than theirs, although, probably, not more serviceable than the armour of him who led the van at Crécy and Poictiers. The genouillères, or knee-plates, are massive, with a broad flat plate, of an ivy leaf, or heart-shaped pattern, lapping over the knee joint; a smaller plate of the same pattern is also seen on the elbow joint. The stomach is protected by five of the broad plates or bars which were called taces, opening with hinges on the right side, and fastening with a strap and buckle on the left. The tuilles, or coverings for the thighs, are very large, nearly of a heptagon figure, about eight inches by seven, and are fastened by straps and buckles to the taces. The feet are encased in sollerets, and the gauntlets are hung at the girdle.

The shields of arms emblazoned upon his tomb are as follows: viz. Cobham.-Bardolf, Azure, three cinque

foils or; Cobham impaling Bardolf; Az. a winged dragon, argent; Gules, a lion rampant, argent. The lady's head is enveloped in a widow's wimple, or hood, plaited at the edges, and folded below the chin, and descending to the breast, and is laid upon a pillow, semée with cinque foils or, and supported by two angels with golden wings and hair. The knight is represented without beard or moustachios of any kind; unlike his grandfather, who has a small moustachio, but no beard. He has a ring of a different pattern on each finger, except the little finger of the left hand.

The inscription has long since been lost; but, fortunately, I have been able to supply it from the manuscript note in the Heralds' College, before alluded to. It was as follows:

"Orate pro animabus Reginaldi Cobham militis, et Annae, consortis sue, fundatorum hujus Collegii."

His wife, who survived him, is thus clearly designated as one of the founders of the college, and this is confirmed by an entry in the Patent Rolls of 24th, 25th, 26th of Henry VI., relating to an endowment (which must have been made immediately after her husband's death), and from which it appears, that she, with others, gave to the warden and chaplains of the college of St. Peter, in Lingfield, the manors of Hexted and Bylyshersh, with other lands in Lingfield.

According to Sir Wm. Segar's "MS. Baronage," it would seem, that this knight left six children by his first marriage; viz.: Elizabeth, the wife of Lord Strange of Knocking; Margaret, the wife of Reginald Courtays; Reginald; Eleanor, the wife of Humphrey Plantagenet, Duke of Gloucester; Ann, a nun at Barking, and Sir Thomas Cobham, Knight. Vincent, in his "MS.

VII. Profile of Mouldings, from Tomb of Reginald, 1st Lord Cobham.

V. Quære.

Baronage," also gives the same account, except that he makes Margaret the wife of Reginald Courtney. So far as the daughter Margaret is concerned, however, these accounts are incorrect; for, as we have already seen, the wife of Reginald Courtays was this knight's sister, and not his daughter.

THE SECOND SIR REGINALD COBHAM, KNIGHT,
OF STERBOROUGH.

THIS Reginald Cobham, the eldest son of Sir Reginald, by his marriage with Eleanor, daughter of Sir Thomas Colepeper, died in his father's lifetime. It appears that he was knighted in the fourth year of Henry VI., and the occasion on which this ceremony took place was a singular one. The Duke of Gloucester and his uncle, the Cardinal Beaufort, had long been engaged in that fierce strife which, having lasted more than twenty years, ended only with the duke's life, and which not only wrought such vast mischief to the realm, but contributed to the downfall of the house of Lancaster. At this time they had agreed to refer all their disputes to arbitration, and thus a short and insincere reconciliation was effected. They shook hands in the presence of the king and of the parliament, on Whitsunday, at Leicester, the king being then five years of age. Upon this event great rejoicings ensued, the king himself was knighted by the Duke of Bedford, many promotions were made in the peerage, and several gentlemen were knighted, and, amongst others, this Reginald, and also Sir John Chideoke, probably his wife's brother. According to Sir William Segar's account, he married Thomasine, the daughter of Sir Ralph Chideoke, Knight, and left one daughter, Mar