Ecclesfield Hall.
"Black Gowns and Red Coats" (Vol. v., p. 297.).
—I am not aware that it was ever any secret, or, at any rate, that there is any occasion to make it so now, that the satire Black Gowns and Red Coats was the production of George Cox, M.A., and Fellow of New College, Oxford; neither did I ever hear of its suppression. The satire is certainly somewhat severe; but even those who fell under its lash could scarcely deny its great ability, or the high poetical talent which it evinced. Such as knew the marvellous promise of his youth can never cease to lament that it pleased God to bring the author's life to a premature and unhappy close.
I have a copy of the little book, which I would gladly lend to any one making a proper application through the publisher.
C. W. B.
Arms of Manchester (Vol. v., p. 59.).
—The arms of Manchester (gules 3 hindlets enhanced or) are those attributed to the family of Grelle, De Greslet, or Grelly, feudal Barons of Manchester under the Normans. The town has used them for years; long before the charter of incorporation.
P. P.
Sir Thomas Frowyk (Vol. v., p. 295.).
—Thomas Frowyk was, in all likelihood, of a family long connected with the government of London. According to Fuller, he was born at Ealing in Middlesex, and was son of Thomas Frowyk, Esq. [if I do not greatly err he was knighted in or before the reign of Richard III.] of Gunnersbury, by the daughter and heiress of Sir John Sturgeon, knight. He was "bred in the study of our municipal law," and read on the statute Prerogative Regis (17 Edw. II. stat. 1.), but in what inn of court, or in what year, I have not seen stated. He was (with others) made serjeant-at-law, by writ tested 10th September, 1496. The feast was kept on the 16th of November following, at Ely House in Holborn, "where dined the King, Queen, and all the chief lords of England." He was afterwards one of the King's serjeants. On the 11th July, 1502, he (with Mr. Justice Fisher and Humphrey Conyngsbye, one of the King's serjeants) made an award between the University and town of Cambridge adjusting disputes between the two bodies, and defining in minute detail their respective jurisdictions. On the 30th September, 1502, he was constituted Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, and was, at or about the same time, knighted. In 19 Hen. VIII. he was, by Act of Parliament, appointed one of the feoffees to the use of the King's will. He died 17th October, 1505, being, as it is said, under forty years old. He was buried, with Joan his wife, in the church of Finchley. He left a large estate to his two daughters, of whom Elah, the eldest, was married to Sir John Spelman, Justice of the King's Bench, "grandfather to Sir Henry, that renowned knight." Sir Thomas Frowyk's arms (azure a cheveron between 3 leopards' faces or) were in a window of the hall of Serjeants' Inn, Fleet Street; and the same coat (quartering Sturgeon and another) was in a window at St. Dunstan's in the West. (Fuller's Worthies in Middlesex; Dugdale's Origines Juridiciales, 47. 128. 328.; Chronica Series, 74. 76.; Bibliotheca Legum Angliæ, ii. 192.; Excerpta Historica, 119. 121. 123.; Plumpton Correspondence, 152, 153. 161. 165.; Cooper's Annals of Cambridge, 258. 260.; Rotuli Parliamentorum, vi. 522.; Collectanea Topographica et Genealogica, iv. 107.)