496 Irish Baronics.-Family of Septem Vallibus. preferred by Sir W. Betham on the part of Major Bryan. From a contemplation of the pedigree of Slane, as well as the other ancient Baronies, it seems quite obvious that the collateral male heir invariably succeeded to the estate, and was summoned to Parliament as a Baron; and that it was not imagined that the daughter of the preceding Baron was also to be a Peeress in her own right. There are, I believe, only two instances of early Irish Baronesses in their own right, on record; the first, Lady Lettice Fitzgerald, spouse of Lord Digby, was allowed to be Baroness Offaley for life only, the dignity to revert to the male heir; the other instance, in modern times, when the potential family of Beresford obtained the Barony of de la Poer for Lady Catherine Poer, Countess of Tyrone, by virtue of her descent from the Barons Le Poer. The general usage has certainly been in favour of the male line, though collateral, as instance the case of the Kings-dale Barony in 1759, which devolved on a very distant heirmale in preference to the daughter of the twenty-fourth Baron. Sir William Betham's principle, if now admitted, would multiply Irish Baronies exceed ingly. Out of the Slane Peerage (which it is clear was intended to be confined to the male heir), he would, by adopting the English principle of descent in fee, create four or five distinct Peerages, and so in other cases. W. S. G. Mr. URBAN, Canterbury, June 15. I HAVE been long and perseveringly engaged on a collection of the various monumental effigies and epitaphs which abound with so much profusion in the county of Kent; and am desirous of information on one of the most ancient names occurring among them. After the Norman Conquest, the family of Septem Vallibus first makes its appearance somewhere between the reigns of Richard I. and John, and I have seen some account of various acts of cruelty perpetrated by a Hugo de Septem Vallibus. His barbarities were committed in greater measure on the weaker sex-indiscriminately on those who yielded and those who were forced to yield to his licentious desires. A long account of him is to be found in Reg. K. xi. in the Cathe [June, dral of Canterbury. It seems that he was a member of the Chapter of Christ's Church, Canterbury, as I have found his name written Fr. Hug' de Septe' Vallib's. The next persons I meet with of that name, but I cannot find out their pedigrees, though it would seem that there was some connection between a Frater Philip and Frater Hugo, are one Fr. Philippus de Septem Vallibus; another, Simon; another, Johannes; and in the reign of Edward I. I find a Robertus, and a woman called Eudoxia de Septem Vallibus. For a long time I had considered that Vallibus was to be translated valley, but I am now quite in doubt. 1 had always considered Septem Vallibus, and Setvaus, Septvaus, or Sevaus, as synonymous; but I now find a family whose armorial bearings (and this fact shows the great importance of armorial bearings) are seven Fans (a fan to winnow corn with).* Vallus is occasionally used to signify a fan, says Scaliger; but then Vallus will not make Vallibus. Vau is also the Norman French for valley, and I should not hesitate to think that Setvaus should thus be read, if I had not seen the coat of arms Argent, with seven fans Or. Various antiquaries read Setvaus and Septem vallibus as the same name. In Mr. Palgrave's "Parliamentary Writs," under the head of Septem Vallibus, are arranged all the variations, Sevauuz, Sevauuce, Setweutz, Setvaus. Is it possible that Vallis, which makes Vallibus, can be translated a fan, and not a valley? Du Cange, and a very old French Genealogist, Nichol Jaseur, throw no light on the matter. Yours, &c. JOHN BROWN, D.D. Rector of Stratton. S. remarks: "In a cursory visit I paid not long since to the public library at Orleans, I was surprised to find in the catalogue many manuscripts of our venerable historian Bede, with their dates or supposed dates. Some of them were of the eighth century, but I had only time to glance at one of them, a small folio. What original MSS. of his annals remain in this country?" "Sire Robert de Sevens, de azure, a iij vans de or." Roll of Arms, temp. Edw. II. published by Sir Harris Nicolas. 1832.] Mr. URBAN, Otterden Church, Kent. June 1. THE wood-cut prefixed to the ac count of Otterden Place in your last number, p. 393, represents the Tower, with the west end of the north front. The view which accompanies the present letter (Plate II.) shows the east end, and the Church, which has little appearance of an ecclesiastical structure. It is a neat brick building, coigned with stone, having niches or recesses, which give a lightness to the west front. The ancient Church being ruinous, the Rev. Granville Wheler, aided by bequest of 400/, from the Lady Elizabeth Hastings, undertook the building a new Church nearly on the old site, which he completed (with a due regard to the preservation of the ancient monuments) in the year 1759, at an additional expense of 500l. The present building has no tower, It appears that the former Church had none. The seats are parted off by a low Chinese railing, which has a singular but not disagreeable effect. The congregation appear assembled as one family, to make their common supplications to the Father of mercies without distinction of persons. The Church, small as it is, contains several monuments. James Aucher died 1508, and his effigies in brass is remaining. Monuments to the Lewins and Curteises are placed in a recess on the north side. William Lewin has a splendid cenotaph to his memory. His figure and that of his wife are at full length, with figures of their children underneath. Sir, Justinian Lewin has a very rich monument. His effigies in armour lies at full length; his lady is Hasted's Hist. of Kent. 497 on her knees, and her infant daughter beside her. Against the south wall: "Memoriæ sacrum. Johanni Bunce de Ottringden, in com. Kantii, generoso, qui obiit 20° die Februarii, ano D'ni, 1611; et Dorothea piæ, pudicæ, et castæ uxori ejus, filia Thomæ Grimsdich, ex antiqua famili de Grimsdich in com. Cestriæ, quæ obiit 16 die Martii, an D'ni 1612, e quâ suscepit Anna' filiam suam et hæredem desponsatam rici Brockman de Newington juxta Hyth, Guillielmo Brockman, filio et hæredi Henincunabulis." generosi; et filiam alteram, quæ obiit in Granville Wheler, son and heir of the Rev. "Sacred to the memory of the Rev. Sir George Wheler of Charing, Kent. He was a pious and exemplary member of the Church, one who adorned the duties of the pastoral office, by the Christian graces of charity and hospitality, and devoted his time to the acquirement of literature and natural philosophy. He married the Lady Catherine Maria, daughter of Theophilus, the 7th Earl of Huntingdon, by whom he had issue two sons, Theophilus and Granville, and four daughters, Elizabeth-Anne, Frances, remains (except Selina-Margaretta), rest in Selina-Margaretta, Catherine-Maria, whose the same vault with those of their father and inother: The Rev. Granville Wheler died May 12, 1770, aged 69. Lady Catherine Wheler died January 24, 1740, aged 48. In which vault is also deposited the body of Mary, second wife of the Rev. Granville Wheler, who died Aug. 1, 1768.”† ville Hastings Wheler, and Jane his wife, "Granville Charles, the only son of Granborn Sept. 28, 1810, died Feb. 28, 1818. He cometh forth like a flower and is cut down.'-Job, ch. xiv. ver. 2." "Sacred to the memory of the Rev. John Cecil Tattersall, B. A.‡ who died Dec. 8, In this monumental inscription there are two inaccuracies. By the pedigree of Wheler in the College of Arms, signed by the Rev. Granville Wheler himself, it appears that he had five daughters, 1st Elizabeth, 2d Frances, 3d Selina-Margaretta, 4th Anne, who died young, 5th Catharine-Maria. Elizabeth married William Medhurst, esq. and was buried at Kippax, co. York. He was the eldest son of the Rev. Johu Tattersall, by his wife Sibylla Christiana, widow of Granville Wheler, esq. (see the pedigree of Wheler.) He was named Cecil, after the late Marquess of Salisbury, who was his godfather, was educated at Harrow, and took his bachelor's degree at Christ Church, Oxford. In Moore's notices of the Life of Lord Byron, vol. i. p. 43, we find the following extract from one of his manuscript journals relating to his school friendships at Harrow: "P. Hunter, Curzon, Long, and Tattersall, were my principal friends ;" and at p. 51, in an account of the danger his Lordship incurred in a fight with some neighbouring farmers, the name of Tattersall again occurs: "The engagement here recorded was accidentally brought on by the breaking up of school, and the dismissal of the Volunteers from drill, both hap GENT. MAG. June, 1832. "In the family vault beneath this Church are deposited the remains of Granville Hastings Wheler, esq. of Otterden Place, Kent, and Ledstone Hall, Yorkshire, who died Feb. 3, 1827, aged 46 years, respected and regretted by all who were in habits of intimacy with him, and had opportunities of observing the strictness of his religious principles, the uprightness of his moral character, and the goodness of his heart. This monument is erected by his widow as a tribute of her sincere respect and affection for his memory, and of her gratitude for his li beral and affectionate consideration of her. Though the righteous be prevented with death, yet shall he be in rest.'-Wisdom of Solomon, ch. iv. 5." The Lords of Otterden were patrons of the rectory till Granville Wheler, esq. in 1778, conveyed it to Edward Bridges, esq. of Wotton Court. The advowson is now the property of W. G. Paxton, esq. late of Henbury in Dorsetshire, who with a liberality not often practised, has rebuilt the rectorial house in a tasteful style, corresponding with the age of Elizabeth. It is covered with Roman cement, and is a comfortable and convenient residence, for the incumbent. The Rev. George [June, Dinely Goodyar* is the present Rector of Otterden. BENEFACTIONS TO THE PARISH OF OTTERDEN. In 1763, the Rev. Granville Wheler, of Otterden Place, purchased the estate of Hurst, and with his son Granville Wheler, esq. next year conveyed it to the Rev. John Lowther, rector of this parish, for the use of him and his successors, rectors of the parish of Otterden, for ever. This estate consists of about one hundred and sixty-eight acres of land, and was purchased for 1100l. of which 1000l. was the benefaction of Lady Elizabeth Hastings, and the remaining part of the Rev. Granville Wheler before mentioned. Mr. James Bunce, gent. citizen and leatherseller, of London, son of James Bunce, esq. of this parish, devised by his will in 1630 to the Leathersellers' Company, of which he was a member, 350l. in trust, that they should pay 20s. yearly to the poor of this parish, 81. per annum to the minister of it, for preaching three sermons yearly; one on the day of the deliverance in 1588,† one on the 5th day of Nov., and a third on the 17th of that month, and for catechizing the children of this parish twenty Sundays in each year; and for paying 101. every 10th year to the repair of the Bunces' chapel in this Church, where his ancestors lay interred, and the repair of the body of the Church, and if the same was not demanded of them, then the whole produce of it to go to the support of the poor of the Leathersellers' Company. Roger Paine, esq. by his will in 1701, gave the sum of 201. to the rector, churchwardens, and overseers of this parish in trust, for the interest of it to be applied to the relief of such poor housekeepers of it as most regularly attended Divine Service. pening on that occasion at the same hour. This circumstance accounts for the use of the musket, the but-end of which was aimed at Byron's head, and would have felled him to the ground, but for the interposition of his friend Tattersall, a lively high-spirited boy, whom he here addresses under the name of Davus: "Still I remember in the factious strife, The rustic's musket aim'd against my life; * Mr. Goodyar is the representative of the Dinely Goodyere family, being descended rom George third son of Sir Edward Goodyere of Burhope, co. Hereford, Privy Counsellor` and M. P. for the Borough of Evesham, co. Worcester, the first Baronet, who married Eleanor, daughter and heir of Sir Edward Dinely of Charleton, co. Worcester, knt. George above mentioned, went at an early period of life to the East Indies, his grandfather Henry Goodyere having been Governor of Bombay in 1683.. By the defeat of the Spanish Armada. |