Medieval & Renaissance Manuscripts

Descents of the houses of Warwick and Essex
England, 16th century
MS M.956 fol. 4v

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Three documents, two with hanging circular seals:
1) Escutcheon with Clavering arms, enclosed in frame inscribed SIGILL[UM] ROGERI DE LACI CONSTABLARE CESSTER.
2) Empress Matilda (Maud), wearing fillet and veil, sits on bench and holds scepter in right hand, all enclosed in frame inscribed S[IGILLUM] MATHILDIS DEI GRATIA ROMANORVM REGINA.
Along branches of trees interspersed with leaves are roundels inscribed with names and three escutcheons:
1) Clavering (quarterly or and gules overall a bend sable overall a label azure), impaled with Mandeville of Essex (quarterly or and gules an escarbuncle sable).
2) Clavering (quarterly or and gules overall a bend sable overall a label azure).
3) Lacy of Flamburgh (quarterly or and gules a bend vair).
Two medallions:
1) Lucy of Hereford, crowned, wearing ermine-trimmed mantle, stands beside Herbert FitzHerbert, wearing armor, with sword over right shoulder and left hand on helmet, and on left shoulder escutcheon with FitzPiers arms (gules three lions rampant or), both behind low hills from which springs tree. Medallion enclosed in frame inscribed HERBERT FITS HERBERT AND LVCIA HIS WYFFE DAWGHTER AND ONE OF THE HEYRES TO MYLLES FYTS WALTER ERLE OF HEREFORE AND COVNSTBLE OF ENGLAND AND OF THE FORREST OF DEANE.
2) William de Mandeville, wearing hat and ermine-lined mantle, holding sword in right hand and helmet in left hand, with escutcheon with Mandeville of Essex arms (quarterly or and gules an escarbuncle sable) on his left shoulder, is behind low hills from which springs tree. Medallion enclosed in frame inscribed WILLIAM MANNDEVILL A BARRON IN HENRY I TYME.