"The border bezantée, or talentée, of Richard, King of the Romans, is no representation of coins but of peas (poix), being the arms of Poitiers or Poictou (Menestrier, Orig., p. 147.), of which he was earl, and not of his other earldom of Cornwall, as imagined by Sandford and others. The adoption of bezants as the arms of Cornwall, and by so many Cornish families on that account, are all subsequent assumptions derived from the arms of Earl Richard aforesaid, the peas having been promoted into bezants by being gilt, and become identified with the Cornish escutcheon as the garbs of Blundeville are with that of Chester, or the coat of Cantelupe with that of the see of Hereford."—The Pursuivant at Arms, p. 136.
A simple Query then would seem to settle this matter. Is any instance known of bezants occurring as the arms of Cornell previous to the time of Earl Richard, or earlier than the commencement of the thirteenth century?
Norris Deck.
Cambridge.
Greek and Roman Fortifications (Vol. viii., p. 469.).—J. H. J. will find some information on this subject in Fosbroke's Grecian and Roman Antiquities (Longman, 1833).
John Scribe.
Osbernus filius Herfasti (Vol. viii., p. 515.).—In reply to the Query of Mr. Sansom, "Whether Osborn de Crespon, the brother of the Duchess of Normandy, had a brother of the same name?" I beg to reply that there appears to be distinct evidence that he had; for in a grant of lands by Richard II., Duke of Normandy, who died in 1026, to the monks of St. Michael, there are, along with the signatures of his son Richard and several other witnesses, those of Osbernus frater Comitissæ, and Osbernus filius Arfast (Lobineau, tom. ii. p. 97.). One of those may probably have become Abbot of S. Evroult. No doubt Mr. Sansom is well aware that one of the same family was Osborn, Bishop of Exeter. He was a son of Osborn de Crespon, and brother of the Earl of Hereford, premier peer of England. In 1066 he forbad the monks to be buried in the cloisters of their monasteries; but they resisted his injunction, and, on an appeal to the Pope, obtained a decision against him (Mabillon). For an eulogium on him see Godwin, De presul. Angl. He died in 1104, and was buried in the cathedral at Exeter.
I would observe that the ancient orthography of the name is Osbern, which was continued for many centuries, and may even now be seen in Maidwell Church, Northamptonshire, on the monument of Lady Gorges, the daughter of Sir John Osbern, who died in 1633.
Omicron.
I think there can be little doubt that Herfastus "the Dane" was the father of Gunnora, wife of Rich. I., Duke of Normandy; of Aveline, wife of Osbernus de Bolebec, Lord of Bolbec and Count of Longueville; and of Weira, wife of Turolf de Pont Audomere. The brother of these three sisters was another Herfastus, Abbot of St. Evrau; who was the father of Osbernus de Crepon, Steward of the Household, and Sewer to the Conqueror.