F.W.

Portrait (Unknown).—­A very carefully painted portrait, on an oak panel, has been in the possession of my family for many years, and I should be much pleased if any of your correspondents could enable me to identify the personage.

The figure, which is little more than a head, is nearly the size of life, and represents an elderly man with grey hair and a long venerable beard:  the dress, which is but little shown, is black.  At the upper part of the panel, on the dexter side, is a shield, bearing these arms:—­Argent on a fess sable between three crosses patees, Or, as many martlets of the last.  Above the shield is written “In cruce glorior.”  I have searched in vain for those arms.  On the prints published by the Society of Antiquaries, of the funeral of Abbot Islip, is one nearly similar,—­the field ermine on a fess between three crosses patees, as many martlets.  The colours are not shown by the engraver.  A manuscript ordinary, by Glover, in my possession, contains another, which is somewhat like that on the picture, being—­Argent on a fess engrailed sable, bearing three crosses patees, Gules, as many martlets on the field.  This is there ascribed to “Canon George.”  It is very probable that the gold crosses on the white field was an error of the portrait painter.

The size of the oak panel, which is thick, is seventeen inches wide, and twenty-two in height.  The motto is in a cursive hand, apparently of about the time of Edward VI.

T.W.

Wives, Custom of Selling.—­Has there ever been any foundation in law for the practice of selling of wives, which our neighbours the French persist in believing to be perfectly legal and common at the present day?  What was the origin of the custom?  An amusing series of “Notes” might be made, from instances in which the custom is introduced as characteristic of English manners, by French and other foreign writers.

G.L.B.

Hepburn Crest and Motto.—­Can some of your numerous readers give me the origin of the crest and motto of the family of Hepburn, namely, a horse argent, furnished gules, passant, and tied to a tree proper.  Motto, “Keep Traist.”

I should also be glad to know the name of any book containing the legends, or authentic stories, relating to the heraldic bearings of various families?

R.E.

Concolinel.—­I have recently met with a curious manuscript which contains numerous tunes of the time of Queen Elizabeth, one of which is stated in a recent hand to be the “tune of Concolinel mentioned by Shakspeare;” but the old index, if there was one that indicated this, is now missing.  My reason for writing to you is to ask whether Dr. Rimbault, or any of your other correspondents, can refer me to any information that will enable me to ascertain whether my MS. really contains that tune.  It certainly does contain several others noticed by Shakspeare.