The arms of the see of Durham, azure, a cross or, between four lions rampant argent, are those of King Oswald, the original founder of the bishopric, and in whose memory they have been retained. They are impaled with gules, a dolphin embowed argent, between three cross crosslets or, the paternal arms of Bishop James.

Azure, a dolphin embowed argent, are the arms of the family of James of Wyke House near Gillingham in Dorsetshire.

Sir Walter James of Langley in Berkshire, created a Baronet by King George III. in 1791, bore for arms, gules, a dolphin naiant or, with the motto, J'ayme a jamais. His family, lineally descended from that of Head, on succeeding to this estate, took the name of James.

Quarterly, vert and gules, a cross argent, charged with a ship in full sail proper, between four anchors erect azure; in the first and fourth quarters a dolphin naiant of the third, between three cross crosslets or; in the second and third a lion passant guardant of the last, between three trefoils slipped argent, are the arms of Sir John Kingston James of Killiney in Ireland, who was created a Baronet in 1823.

Azure, a dolphin embowed argent, finned or, between three mullets or, are the arms of the family of Fitz-James of Dorsetshire and Somersetshire; with a singular crest, which is here copied from a book of armorial drawings in the reign of Elizabeth.

The same arms were borne by Dr. Richard Fitz-James, the son of John Fitz-James of Redlynch in Somersetshire, by Alice Newburgh heiress of the Barony of Poinz. He was Warden of Merton College, Oxford, and successively Bishop of Rochester, Chichester, and London. Ant. Wood says he died in a good old age in 1522, "after good deeds had trod on his heels even to Heaven's gates." His arms, impaled with those of the see of Rochester, are sculptured on the inner gatehouse of Merton College; as Bishop of London, his arms, within an enriched border of vine leaves, are in one of the windows of Fulham Palace and in the Parliament Roll of 1515,* the arms are quartered with those of Draycot, with a remark that "the Bishop of London claimeth to have precedence in sitting before all other bishops of the province of Canterbury, as Chancellor episcopal."

Sable, a dolphin embowed devouring a fish proper, were the arms of Symonds of Norfolk; the crest of the Ormsby branch is a dolphin embowed, and over it the motto, Rectus in Curvo.

A portrait of Richard Gwynne of Taliaris in Carmarthenshire, President of the Society of Sea Sergeants in 1747, bears their device of a dolphin; it was painted by R. Taylor, and engraved by Faber.

Two dolphins hauriant, and entwined saltierwise or, finned azure, the crest of the family of Upton of Sussex, was granted in 1569.

One of the names given by the French to the dolphin is derived from the great projection of its nose, whence it is termed Bee d'Oie. A dolphin forms part of the arms of Beck, a family of foreign extraction. Sir Justus Beck, created a Baronet by King George I. in 1714, bore for arms, quarterly, 1st. or, a blackbird proper; 2nd. and 3rd. sable, a mullet or; 4th. azure, a dolphin hauriant or.

In a stained glass window of the parlour at Newnham Paddox in Warwickshire, are portraits of several ancestors of the noble family of Fielding, descended from the house of Hapsburg. One of this genealogical series, the portrait of Dame Jellys Russeyl, lady of Sir Everard Fielding, who was created a Knight of the Bath at the marriage of Prince Arthur in 1501, presents an instance not very common of the armorial mantle worn by ladies of rank, and embroidered with her family insignia:

* Noticed at page 34.

In the same compart

or, a dolphin naiant, and chief azure.
ment of the window the knight is also shown.*

The following specimen, taken from a carving on the oaken door of a cabinet, is in the possession of an heraldic collector. It is apparently of French workmanship about the time of Henry IV; and the arms are well arranged, and executed with much spirit.

The only instance of fish being used as heraldic supporters is afforded by the dolphin, and the earliest example may be found in the beginning of the sixteenth century. The origin of figures placed on each side of the shield, which they seem to support, is derived from the custom at tournaments, or military sports, of the middle ages. The knights challengers hung their shields of arms on the barriers, or on trees near the appointed place of just

* Engraved in Dugdale's History of Warwickshire, and also in Nichols's History of Leicestershire.

ing, to be watched by their henchmen or pages, disguised in the skins of lions, bears, &c. or attired as Saracens and wild men ; these gave notice who accepted the challenge by touching the shield. There are more ancient instances of figures standing and holding a banner of arms, which also probably originated in part of the pageantry of a tournament.

The Watermen's Company of London, whose business it is to row their boats on the river Thames, may be supposed very ancient; but it was not incorporated until the reign of Queen Mary in 1556. The lightermen, who are employed amongst the shipping, were afterwards united to the company.

Their arms, barry wavy argent and azure, a boat or; on a chief of the second, a pair of oars saltierways of the third, between two cushions of the first, are supported by two dolphins proper: the crest is a hand holding an oar; and their motto is, Jussu superiorum, being ever at the command of their superiors.

The portrait of one of the distinguished members of this company, John Taylor the water poet, is in the picture gallery at Oxford: he had served at the taking of Cadiz under the Earl of Essex in 1596, and was waterman to King James I. He also called himself the King's water poet, and used as a motto,

Tho' I deserve not, I desire

The laurel wreath, the poet's hire.

One of his very numerous works is entitled, "The Dolphin's Danger and Deliverance; a Sea-fight in the Gulph of Persia famously fought by the Dolphin of London against five of the Turks' Men-of-war and a Sattie, Jan. 12, 1616." He wore the royal badge, and there is extant a whole-length portrait of him holding an oar. A silver oar is the badge of the maritime jurisdiction of the Corporation of London, and is worn by the Water Bailiff as conservator of the rivers Thames and Medway.

Two dolphins are the supporters of the arms of the ancient family of Trevelyan of Cornwall, by whom a dolphin was also used as a badge.

The arms of Admiral Sir William Burnaby, Bart. of Broughton Hall in Oxfordshire, show the dolphins as supporters, in reference, probably, to his professional services by sea.

Argent, two bars gules, in chief a lion passant guardant per pale of the second and vert: crest, out of a naval crown a demilion rampant guardant or; in the dexter paw a flag gules: motto, Pro Rege.

Sir William Burnaby, knighted in 1754, was Admiral and Commander-in-chief at Jamaica, and in the Gulf of Mexico assisted in settling the colony of Pensacola. He was Sheriff of