Vicarage, Barrow-on-Humber, Jan. 13. 1851.
May Cats (Vol. iii., p. 20.).—In Hampshire, to this day, we always kill May kittens.
Cx.
Mottos on Warming-Pans and Garters.—It seems to have been much the custom, about two centuries ago, to engrave more or less elaborately the brass lids of warming-pans with different devices, such as armorial bearings, &c., in the centre, and with an inscription or a motto surrounding the device. A friend of the writer has in his possession three such lids of warming-pans, one of which has engraven on the centre a hart passant, and above his back a shield, bearing the arms of Devereux, the whole surrounded by this inscription:—
"THE . EARLE . OF . ESSEX . HIS . ARMES."
Another bears the arms of the commonwealth, (as seen on the coins of the Protectorate,) encircled with an inscription, thus:—
"ENGLANDS . STATS . ARMES."
The third bears a talbot passant, with the date above its back, 1646, and the motto round:—
"IN . GOD . IS . ALL . MY . TRUST."
It appears to me that the first two, at least, belonged to inns, known by the respective signs indicated by the mottos, &c.; the first probably in honour of the Lord-General of the Parliament's army, who was the last Devereux bearing the title.