heraldryofyorkmi01custuoft

62 THE HERALDRY OF YORK MINSTER.
in those
It may interest the ladies to know that their predecessors
ancient days carried their arms, when unmarried, not on a shield, but on
a lozenge or diamond shaped figure, said to be emblematical of female
worth, either because intended to represent a diamond or jewel, or because
it was composed of two equilateral triangles, the
most perfect mathematical figures, as well as
having a very sacred significance. Others have
said that they were intended to represent spindles
used in spinning: many estates, Blount says in his
Tenures, being held in "petit serjeantry" of the
King by presenting him " fusillam fili crudi."
Probably this phrase, "petit serjeantry," is
new to many.
It refers to the ancient tenure of
land, and was used when a man held his
land of
the King to yield him yearly a bow, or a sword,
or a dagger, or a pair of gloves, or such small
things belonging to war.
So the Duke of Marlborough holds his
property on which his palace of Blenheim was
built, and which was formerly the royal manor of
Woodstock, in petit serjeantry, viz., by presenting
to the sovereign every year, on August 2nd, the anniversary of the battle
of Blenheim, a Flemish flag.
And the Duke of Wellington
holds Strathfieldsaye
in like manner, viz., by presenting on June i8th, the anniversary
of the battle of Waterloo, a French flag.
There was also " grand serjeantry," which Spelman calls " the highest
" and most illustrious feudal service," i.e. when a man holds his lands and
tenements of the King by such services as he ought to do in his proper
person to the King carry his banner or lance, lead his army, bear his
sword before him at his coronation, or be his server, butler, or carver.
John Baker, says Madox, held certain lands in Kent for holding the
King's head in the ship which carried him in his passage between Dover
and Whitesand (Lord Lyttleton's Life of Henry II.}. So you see no age
and no quality have ever been exempt from that particular inconvenience
so well known to all travellers who have to cross the " silver streak "
which separates us from our foreign neighbours.
I have been told that it is a common proverbial expression in France,
when a property has passed to an heiress, to speak of it as " tombe en
" quenouille,"
i.e. fallen to the spindle.
And this expression refers to an incident so deeply interesting and
so honourable to all parties concerned that I must detain you to relate it,