Part 13 (1/2)

[Ill.u.s.tration: BOOK-PLATE OF PETER DE HAVILLAND.]

As the Channel Islands have long belonged to Great Britain it is obviously incorrect to cla.s.s them under the Frontier provinces of France. And yet some mention must be made of them, for many book-plates used there have a distinctly French character, whilst a list of the names of some of the leading families (of French origin), will show that a collector might easily be led to mistake their plates for French:

Alles, Le Patourel, Metivier, Mauger, Le Dieu, b.i.+.c.hard, Andros, Bonamy, Brock, Blondel, Beauvoir or De Beauvoir, Carey, Cary, or Careye, De Carteret, Effard, de Jersey, de Havilland or Haviland, Gosselin, Dobree, Perchard, Le Mesurier, Mesny, Millais, Milais, Milet, Priaulx, De Sausmarez or Saumarez, Fautret, De Vie, Lihou, Guille, Le Marchant, Le Febvre, Le Roy, Le Pelley, Tupper, Le Gros, Lempriere, De Lisle, Falla, De Putron, Renouf, Le Gallienne, Naftel.

I give reproductions of three such plates, one a fine specimen of engraving, of Peter Dobree, a family long settled in Guernsey, the other a more modern plate of the Le Mesurier family, to which the fleur-de-lys and the motto give a French appearance. The motto is the same as that used on his book-plate by David Garrick, who was himself of Huguenot descent. The third is a plate of Peter de Havilland, a member of a very old Guernsey family, now represented by General de Havilland. There is a plate of this family by Skinner, of Bath, dated 1742. (See pp. 159, 160, 161.)

There are several instances of ancient French t.i.tles being held by residents in Great Britain, or our Colonies, which t.i.tles are also recognized by our heraldic authorities. As their book-plates would undoubtedly pa.s.s for French, a few explanatory notes about them may be given.

The Barony du Bois de Ferrieres may be instanced. The Du Bois was a Walloon family, whilst the De Ferrieres branch was of Huguenot descent, which removed from France to Holland at the revocation of the Edict of Nantes. The family motto was _Tout par et pour Dieu_.

The Marquis de Lapasture was created a French n.o.bleman in 1768; his descendants settled in England.

The Baron de Teissier, created by French patent in 1819, was also permitted by royal authority to use that t.i.tle in Great Britain.

[Ill.u.s.tration: BOOK-PLATE OF THE DE VISME FAMILY.]

Another descendant of an ancient n.o.ble French family identified with this country was the Marquis Ruault de Longueville de Bucy, who was educated at Eton and Cambridge, and served in the Bechua.n.a.land Expedition with Methuen's Horse.

This marquis (the 11th in descent) belongs to a family whose history is full of curious and romantic vicissitudes. The first Marquis de Bucy et Merval was created in 1602, he being the direct descendant of the ancient feudal Lords of Bucy, successive holders of the Marquisate were Lords-in-Waiting to Louis XIII. and Louis XV. Charles Marc, the 8th marquis, was a Captain in the French King's Musqueteers, a court post of considerable importance under the _ancien regime_. During the Reign of Terror he escaped to England, but his wife, Marie Ruault, Marquise de Gamaches, in her own right, was captured and guillotined with Marie Antoinette.

The 9th Marquis, son of the above, was invited by Napoleon I. to return to France, which he did, served as Major in the celebrated Cuira.s.siers de la Garde, and died a soldier's death at Waterloo. He was the grandfather of the present holder of the t.i.tle.

The motto of the family is singularly appropriate to its history: _Pour le roi souvent--pour la patrie toujours_.

The next family to mention in this connection is one which, though thoroughly identified with this country, carries arms proclaiming their French origin to even the most casual observer. Indeed the Counts de Vismes (or de Visme) a.s.serted their descent from royalty itself, as evidenced by the first quarter, _d'azur semee de fleur-de-lys or_, for France ancient, whilst the motto _Mont Joie St. Denis_, and the supporters, two angels, also indicate French royalty. (See page 163.)

[Ill.u.s.tration: BOOK-PLATE OF G. DE VISME.]

The family of De Visme is descended from the sovereign Counts of Ponthieu (dating since the eighth century) of the Blood Royal of France, and the head of the family has, by usage on the continent, borne the t.i.tle of prince. The t.i.tle of Count de Visme has also been recognized by the successive governments of France, although the family has long been resident in England, and has furnished many distinguished officers to our army.

Here is another plate of a Frenchman settled in England, and rather more English than the majority of Englishmen themselves.

[Ill.u.s.tration: BOOK-PLATE OF THE CHEVALIER DE CHATELAIN.]

The Chevalier de Chatelain was a prolific author: poems, essays, and letters without number, flowed from his pen; he translated some of Shakespeare's plays into French, and endeavoured to explain Victor Hugo's works to our countrymen. Finally he wrote poems in praise of his deceased wife, Madame Clara de Chatelain, _nee_ Clara de Pontigny.

[Ill.u.s.tration: BOOK-PLATE OF THE BARON DE MORIENSART.

(A Specimen of Flemish Heraldry of the seventeenth century.)]

Probably few people have read the praises of this good lady, but she appears to have been a remarkable person, an accomplished musician, a clever linguist, and, what is more to the point, she was for thirty-three years the loving wife of the chevalier, who was enabled, through her amiability, to claim and obtain the Dunmow Flitch in 1855 for their marital felicity.

As for the chevalier himself, he appears to have been a kindly, fussy, well-read old gentleman, seriously afflicted with the _cacoethes scribendi_.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

CHAPTER X.