Aylestone.
On the principle that every little helps, and out of gratitude for Cranmore's assistance in the Milton-Minshull controversy, I would offer the following suggestions, which may haply serve as finger-posts to direct him on his way. William Cobb, Esq., of Adderbury, Oxon, immediate ancestor of the baronets of that name and place, derived from the Cobbs of Sandringham, in the hundred of Freebridge, Norfolk. Blomefield's History of the latter county might be consulted with advantage. The Cobbs of Adderbury bore "Sable, a chevron argent between three dolphins naiant embowed or, a chief of the last." Randle Holme, in his Academy of Armory, 1688, gives the following as the arms of Cobb,—"Per chevron sable and gules, two swans respecting each other and a herring cobb argent." Thomas Cobb, of Otterington, Yorkshire, a loyal subject of King Charles I., compounded for his estates in the sum of 472l. There is a brass in Sharnbrook Church, Bedfordshire, commemorating William Cobbe, who died in 1522, Alice his wife, a son Thomas, and other children.
T. Hughes.
Chester.
"Aches" (Vol. ix., p. 351.).—I am not aware of any rhyme which fixes the pronunciation of aches in the time of Shakspeare, but I think the following quite as decisive:
"Of the Fallacie in the Accent or Pronunciation.—The fallacie of the accent is, when a false thing is affirmed under colour of pronouncing it as another thing that is true. For example:
'Where no ache is, there needs no salve;
In the gout there is no H,
Therefore, in the gout, there needs no salve.'"
The Elements of Logicke, by Peter Dumoulin. Translated out of the French copie by Nathanael De-Lawne, with the Author's approbation: London, 1624, 24mo.
"Anthony. Thou bleedest apace.
Scarus. I had a wound here that was like a T;
But now 'tis made an H."
Ant. and Cleop., Act IV. Sc. 7.
See also on the "aitch" question, Letters of an Irish Student, vol. i. p. 256., London, 1812; and The Parlour Window, by the Rev. Edward Mangin, p. 146., London, 1841.
H. B. C.