FAREWELL NOTICE.

THE PATRICIAN will terminate with this number, which concludes its sixth volume. In thus bringing the journal to an end, the editor deems it proper for him to state, as briefly as possible, why he does so.

The patronage which the PATRICIAN has during its whole course experienced, the favorable notice it has so often and so readily received from the press and elsewhere, and the fair circulation it has already obtained, would seem strong reasons for its continuance. Were the editor free from more serious engagements, these inducements might lead him to persevere in the undertaking, with but little doubt as to its ultimate and permanent success; but he feels himself, with the many works upon genealogy and heraldry now absorbing his attention, unequal to the additional labour of further conducting a magazine, especially one requiring so much original writing of his own as the PATRICIAN, from its peculiar character, necessarily does. During the publication of this journal, the editor has certainly had his task relieved by numerous contributions most carefully and ably written; and he here with earnest gratitude acknowledges the great kindness of the highly intellectual friends who have thus effectually assisted him. He regrets that he has not the permission to mention the names of those to whom he is so much indebted, as it prevents him from recapitulating each of the favours which he here altogether thankfully acknowledges.

Allowing, nevertheless, for these contributions, the editor finds the increasing labour of this journal such as would require his undivided attention, and such, therefore, as he could not bestow upon it. This is the main and insuperable difficulty which decides him in relinquishing the - PATRICIAN.

There are other reasons of a personal and melancholy nature, which have tended for some time to strengthen him in this resolution. The

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PATRICIAN was originated, and, at its commencement, energetically carried on, by the present editor's ever-lamented father. It was his favourite undertaking, and although he had subsequently withdrawn from active occupation, he, until his death, was in some measure attached to this magazine, and took much interest in its progress and success.

With his sad demise the publication has lost much of its animation and attraction in the eyes of the present editor, who does not hesitate to confess that that portion of the journal which is not (and all of it cannot be) strictly devoted to history, heraldry, or genealogy, is not suited to his taste or occupations. With regard, also, to these very subjects of history and genealogy, he feels that in his other heraldic works he meets his readers upon a far more fit, and in every way more important arena. To him the varied spirit of this journal departed with his father's death: that bereavement, and another, équally afflicting, which the earlier obituary of this journal records, have thrown a gloom over the undertaking which no future popularity or success could abate or overcome. The editor therefore prefers the PATRICIAN to now rest, a pleasing, though sorrowful recollection.

Since publicity has been given to this intention of concluding the PATRICIAN, the editor has had more than one liberal offer to take it off his hands, and to provide for its continuance by other highly respectable parties. These proposals he has felt it his duty to decline. His reason was this. The PATRICIAN presented itself to its subscribers, not as a journal merely upon general subjects, but as one having matters of family and heraldic history particularly attached to it. The editor had no security that, under other management, this plan could or would be persevered in, and he thought it unfair to his subscribers to bias them in any way to a future publication differing from that which he had proposed and carried on. He therefore thinks it better to let the journal cease with his own editorship.

Again then, cordially thanking those who, either as contributors or subscribers, have maintained during three years the fortunes of the magazine, the editor announces reluctantly to them, that this is the last number of the PATRICIAN.

THE PATRICIAN.

THE MONUMENTAL BRASSES AT COBHAM, KENT.

THE church of Cobham, in Kent, it is well known, contains the finest series of monumental brasses, the memorials of the Cobhams and Brookes, that remain in any church in England.

We have thought that a description of these, and of the other brasses in the church, might not be uninteresting; more especially as we are not aware of any work of common occurrence in which a correct account of them may be found. Those who wish for a full history of the great family of the Cobhams, may consult Hasted's or Ireland's History of Kent.

The chief series lie in double row across the pavement of the chancel. Twelve brasses remain, one being entirely lost; the figures generally are in a good state of preservation, but the canopies with which nearly all were originally enriched, are, with one or two exceptions, much mutilated. Some few years ago, these brasses, fortunately, attracted the attention of a learned society, or of some antiquarians (we forget the precise particulars) and much was done to them; not a jot, nor tittle, however, in the way of "restoration," as that term is sometimes understood. Proceeding in a manner far more judicious, search was made for the portions that had been removed, and those found were exactly replaced; the whole of the slabs, apparently, were covered with a composition in imitation of blue marble, whilst the matrices of the parts that could not be recovered, were filled up with a greenish yellow substance, so that we are at once enabled to form a clear idea of the appearance of the brasses when perfect.

We may observe that all the knights, except the latest, are clad in mixed armour, of mail and plate; the lions upon which their feet rest are emblematic of courage, as the dogs at the feet of most of the ladies are of fidelity; they are also distinctive marks of a recumbent posture. The figures, generally, are about five feet in height.

Commencing at the south-east corner of the upper row, the first brass, now headless, is that of Sir John de Cobham, 1354, the earliest of the knightly effigies in the church. This memorial is valuable on account of the rarity of brasses of this class, between about 1330 and 1360. Of a fine single canopy, and of the inscription, parts only are left. This Sir John de Cobham was familiarly known as the Young Constable, from having early in life held the office of Constable of Rochester Castle.

The next brass, of which the figure is all that remains, is that of

Margaret de Cobham, wife of Reginald de Cobham, Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports, and dates about 1375. The lady wears the low dress sideless at the waist, then recently come into fashion, which is also slit up at the sides of the skirt; underneath is the kirtle with tight sleeves, having rows of buttons on the under side; her head-dress is that variety of the reticulated, which has been termed the nebule form. In the engraving in Boutell's "Monumental Brasses of England," the inscription belonging to the next brass is erroneously given to this.

Of the legend of the next brass, just sufficient remains to inform us that it commemorates Maude de Cobham, who was wife of Sir Henry de Cobham. The dress consists of the kirtle, which has a broad flounce of fur at the feet, and is partly buttoned up the front; over it is worn the mantle fastened in the usual manner; the head-dress is of the same type as the last, but of the zig-zag variety. Fragments of a single canopy remain. Date c. 1380.

The third lady, Margaret de Cobham, wife of Sir John de Cobham, of whom we shall next have to speak, has suffered very little from mutilation : the fine single canopy, having for its finial a figure of the Blessed Virgin and Child, the former crowned and holding a sceptre, is quite perfect, and but a small portion of the marginal inscription is lost. On either side of the arch of the canopy is a shield of arms. The costume is very similar to that of Maude de Cobham; the head, the coiffure of which is of the nebule form, rests upon two diapered cushions. The height of the effigy is four feet ten inches, and of the entire composition, eight feet three inches.

The next figure is that of Sir John de Cobham, who founded the original college adjoining; on this account he holds in his hands the model of a church, a peculiarity of which this and two other brasses at North Creak, Norfolk, and Cowthorpe, Yorkshire, afford the sole instances. Of the canopy, the pediment only, and of the inscription, but two small fragments, remain; the latter, which varies from the ordinary form, is thus given by Gough:

Be terre fust fait et fourme Et eu [Terre et a terre] suis retourne Johan de Cobham, founder de ceste place qui fut nomme [Mercy de Malme eit la seinte Trinite.]

Sir John de Cobham died A.D. 1407, but the date assigned to this brass, from the style of the armour, is c. 1365, so that it was in all probability laid down during his lifetime, a custom not very unusual, particularly in the case of a founder or benefactor. This knight, the last Lord Cobham of his family, played an important part in the affairs of the State, and was condemned to death for treason, but ultimately pardoned; he also fortified the mansion of his family at Cowling, a few miles from here, and built a new bridge at Rochester.

The effigy of Sir Thomas de Cobham, 1367, which follows, bears considerable resemblance to the preceding, and has about the same quantity left of its canopy and inscription.

The next brass, that of Dame Jone de Cobham, c. 1320, is the earliest of the famed memorials of this church, and in point of date, ranks second of the seven brasses that remain to shew the female costume previous to the

middle of the fourteenth century. The figure is truly sublime; the serenity and dignity of the expression, the skilful delineation of the dress, the graceful ease of the position, and the boldness of the engraving, combined with the chaste elegance and simple beauty of the canopy-the earliest anywhere existing, and the only one of its kind-render this brass one of unusual interest and value. The dress consists of the kirtle as already described, and over it is a gown with loose sleeves reaching to the elbows; the head-dress is the well-known wimple, so often seen in the architectural decorations of the period. The marginal inscription in Lombardic characters, is rather a late instance of the occurrence of detached letters, a narrow band of brass having been used in the memorial of Sir Roger de Trumpington, at Trumpington, Cambridgeshire, as early as 1289. The matrices of the letters, which are bordered by two fillets of brass, are now filled up, but the inscription is still legible and runs as follows, the initial cross being immediately above the finial of the

canopy:

Dame: Jone: De: Cobekam. Gist: Isi: Devs : De Sa Alme: Eit: Merci : Kike: Por: Le : Alme : Priera : Qvaravute : Jobrs : De : Pardovn : Avera

Four small shields are lost from the upper part of this brass. The height of the figure is five feet eight-and-a-half inches, and of the entire composition as it remains, seven feet four-and-a-half inches.

Several brasses in the church offer great temptations to the "restorers; and none greater than this; the figure is perfect, the pinnacle, capital, and base of the canopy remaining furnish fac-similes of those which are lost; the matrices of the shafts and of the letters of the inscription are plainly visible; the shields only are irrecoverable; let us then pause to express an earnest hope that no attempt of the kind may ever be made. Restorations in matters of this nature are to be deprecated exactly in the proportion in which they are faithful to the old work; it is the skill with which the effigies in the Temple Church have been restored, rendering it impossible to distinguish between what is original and what Mr. Richardson's fancy may have added, that has destroyed their value as authorities. May it never be so with the brasses at Cobham; as it is, all that we see is genuine ; let there be no diminution, nor any addition, unless some further portions of the originals be recovered.

The indent of the brass of Sir Henry de Cobham, now altogether lost, completes the first row.

The figures in the second row it will be convenient to take in a different order to that in which they lie, and we shall therefore begin with the centre one to the memory of Joan Lady de Cobham, 1433, considered by a high authority to be the best engraved brass of its time. The lady is habited in the ordinary attire of widows, but without, the usual barbe at the neck. Lady Joan, the possessor of the vast patrimony of the Cobhams, was five times married, her fourth husband being Sir John Oldcastle the Martyr, who, on his marriage with her, assumed the title of Lord Cobham ; to him, as he died without the pale of the Church, it is hardly necessary to say we need look for no monument here or elsewhere. The accessories of