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Garter.

Richard Bigland, born at Kendal, in Westmorland, was baptized there, GEORGE III. December 13, 1658. He entered a student at Gray's Inn, but afterward resided at Stepney, where he died, February 26, 1724-5, aged sixty-six, and was buried in the cemetery. His first wife was of the family of Richardson by her he had no issue. After her death he married Mary, third daughter and coheir of George Errington, of Benwell, in Northumberland, descended from those seated at Errington and Denton in that county, allied in blood and inheritance to the renowned family of Babington. She dying October 15, 1736, aged sixty-one, was buried by her husband. Mr. Bigland by her had two children, Garter, and Elizabeth-Maria, mother of the present Richmond herald. Mr. Ralph Bigland, after going through all the offices in the College, and executing also the office of Registrar, to which he was appointed in 1763, became head of it. He enjoyed his ele. vation but a little time, dying in St. James' Street, Bedford Row, March 27, 1784, aged seventy-three. He was buried with his parents at Stepney. Garter was deservedly esteemed and regretted. There is an engraving of him in his tabard, inscribed " Ralph Bigland, Somerset Herald, created "Garter, Principal King at Arms, 2d March, 1784, aged seventy-three. "R. Brampton Pinx. C. Townley Fecit, 1771." The date of his death. and his age have been added, the portrait having been engraved in his life time, when he was only an herald. The great collections he had made for an History of Gloucestershire were intended to have been arranged, and given by him to the public. In 1792, one volume in folio, price three guineas in boards, came out, dedicated to his grace the Duke of Norfolk, Earl Marshal of England, intituled, "Historical, monumental, " and genealogical Collections, relative to the County of Gloucester, taken "from the original Papers of the late Ralph Bigland, Esq. Garter, Principal King at Arms, printed by John Nichols, for Richard Bigland, of "Frocester in the county of Gloucester, Esq." The second volume of the same work has been advertised to be printed in numbers. Garter married at Frocester, June 13, 1737, Ann, daughter, and would, had she lived, been coheir of John Wilkins, of the place. She dying December 1, 1738, aged twenty-two, was buried near the wall of the cemetery of ́ Hhh Step

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Garter.

GEORGE III Stepney, facing the-south west angle of the west porch. Over her grave is a flat stone, testifying, that "She was a woman adorned with every "virtue that could make life happy, and death to be lamented." The stone is inscribed to "Filial duty to the best of parents," and to "tender "affection to the most deserving wife," by Garter, then a "citizen of "London." The arms upon it are two Ears of Big, in pale, couped and bladed, Or; quartering those of Babington, Errington, and others: Crest a Lion passant regardant, Gules, holding in his dexter Gamb an Ear of Big, Or motto, " Gratitudo." The colors are supplied. The gravestone also notices, that there also is buried Charles Wilkins, brother of Mrs. Bigland, who died September 17, 1740, aged eighteen years. Garter's second marriage was with Ann, daughter of Robert Weir, of a family originally of Blackwood, in the kingdom of Scotland: she died April 5, 1766, leaving no issue. The only child of the former alliance is Mr. Richard Bigland, of Frocester, born April 3, 1738; who, by Mary, eldest daughter of William Raymond, of Boseley in the Forest of Dean, Esq. married to him in 1768, has three daughters, Anna-Maria, Clarence, and Mary.

April 27, 1784-Sir ISAAC HEARD, Knight.

Who has now, for a considerable time, most worthily presided over the College at Arms.

Provincial
Kings.

Clarenceux.

PROVINCIAL KINGS.

CLARENCEU X.

Geo. 11.-CHARLES TOWNLEY, Knight.-See Garter.
May, 1773.-RALPH BIGLAND, Esq.-See Garter.
March 11, 1780.-ISSAC HEARD, Esq.-See Garter.

May 18, 1784.-THOMAS LOCKE, Esq.

The present Clarenceux, descended from a branch of the Somersetshire Lockes, one of whom was the justly celebrated John Locke, Esq.

GEORGE III.

Provincial

NORRO Y.

Geo. 11.-WILLIAM OLDYS, Esq.

As Mr. Grose has given an history and character of this Norroy, I shall use it, by transcribing all he says of him.* "William Oldys, Norroy King at Arms, author of the Life of Sir Walter Raleigh, and several others "in the Biographia Britannica, was natural son of a Dr. Oldys, in the "Commons who kept his mother very privately, and probably very

meanly, as when he dined at a tavern, he used to beg leave to send. "home part of the remains of any fish or fowl for his cat, which cat was "afterwards found out to be Mr. Oldys' mother.† His parents dying "when he was very young, he soon squandered away his small patrimony, "when he became first an attendant in Lord Oxford's library, and after"wards librarian. He was a little mean-looking man, of a vulgar address, " and when I knew him, rarely sober in the afternoon, never after supper. "His favorite liquor was porter, with a glass of gin between each pot. "Dr. Ducarrel told me, he used to stint Oldys to three pots of beer "whenever he visited him. Oldys seemed to have little classical learning, " and knew nothing of the sciences; but for index reading, title pages, "and the knowledge of scarce English books and editions he had no "equal. This he had probably picked up in Lord Oxford's service; after "whose death he was obliged to write for the booksellers for a subsis"tence. Amongst many other publications, chiefly in the biographical line, he wrote the Life of Sir Walter Raleigh, which got him much "reputation. The Duke of Norfolk, in particular, was so pleased with it, "that he resolved to provide for him, and accordingly gave him the patent "of Norroy, King at Arms, then vacant. The patronage of that Duke oc"casioned a suspicion of his being a papist, though I really think without Hhh 2 66 reason;

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* Grose's " Olio," published by the late Mr. John Williamson.

+ In Queen Ann's reign was Sir William Oldys, a gentleman usher and daily-waiter, afterward Usher of the Black Rod, knighted in June, 1710. Dying November 5, 1718, was buried in the church of Barnet Fiarn, in Middlesex,

Kings.

Norroy.

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