Page:Devon & Cornwall Notes & Queries.djvu/207

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150 Devon Notes and Queries. 114. Sir Richard Whittington and Torrington — The FiT2 Warrens (I, par 3, p. 144, and par 140, p. 183.) — In Wantage^ Past and Present^ will be found a very good account of the Fitz Warrens who were associated with Wantage for many centuries, the Manor being given to Fulke Fitz Waryn in 1 2 15 by the Earl of Pembroke, Ivo Fitz Waryn, Knt., in his Will, dated Nov. 6th, 1412, desires that his body be buried in the chancel, next my father in the par. ch. of Wantynge, on the north part of the aforesaid chancel. ... I leave to Richard Whityngton my son, a silver gilt piece, ywrite around, with a cover of the same make, and a pair of paternosters of pure gold, enamelled with clear red, with gawds of pure gold enamelled with white in the form of a head of Saint John the Baptist.*' In the chancel of Wantage Church are the remains of what must at one time have been a fine alabaster tomb. Some small portions of the elaborate canopy exist — the character of the work upon them indicating that the tomb belongs to about the middle of the 14th century. There is no inscription left, but the effigies are believed to be those of Sir William Fitz- warine and his wife. This Sir William was the 47th Knight of the Garter from the institution of the Order. Captain Symonds thus describes the tomb in 1644 : — " Adjoyning to the North Wall of the Chancel is an Altar tombe which formerly was fairly adorned with V on the sides and an arch of stone fairely wrought but decayed. Upon ye surface lyes the two portraits of a man and woman, he lying in an old-fashioned chaynd Armor with his hands a Crosse. Upon his brest is quarterly indented Ermine &c. . . . (gules) carved, still remaining perfect." Upon the wall of the north transept is a remarkably fine brass to the memory of the above Sir William's son. Sir Ivo Fitzwarren* who died in September, 1414. In its former

  • The crest of Sir Ivo Fitz waryn, the son and heir of Sir Wm.

Fitz waryn, K.G., was a swan naiant between ostrich feathers. Mr. Beltz suggests that he adopted this crest " out of respect towards his commander the Duke of Lancaster.'* He was with John of Gaunt in 1385 in his expedition to Castile ; but he was also with his banner and pennon in the retinue of Thomas of Woodstock at the siege of Nantes in 1380, and it was from that commander that he must have derived the swan.— J. G. W., Gent. Mag., Oct., 1842.