I have already promised, for fuller details of the evidence I have collected; but its leading results, as affecting the origin of this device, may be stated as follows:—­It is ascertained that the Collar of Esses was given by Henry, Earl of Derby, afterwards King Henry IV., during the life-time of his father, John of Ghent, Duke of Lancaster.  It also appears that the Duke of Lancaster himself gave a collar, which was worn in compliment to him by his nephew King Richard II.  In a window of old St. Paul’s, near the duke’s monument, his arms were in painted glass, accompanied with the Collar of Esses; which is presumptive proof that his collar was the same as that of his son, the Earl of Derby.  If, then, the Collar of Esses was first given by this mighty duke, what would be his meaning in the device?  My conjecture is, that it was the initial of the title of that high office which, united to his vast estates, was a main source of his weight and influence in the country,—­the office of Steward of England.  This, I admit, is a derivation less captivating in idea than another that has been suggested, viz. that S was the initial of Souveraine which is known to have been a motto subsequently used by Henry IV., and which might be supposed to foreshadow the ambition with which the House of Lancaster affected the crown.  But the objection to this is, that the device is traced back earlier than the Lancastrian usurpation can be supposed to have been in contemplation.  It might still be the initial of Souveraine, if John of Ghent adopted it in allusion to his kingdom of Castille:  but, because he is supposed to have used it, and his son the Earl of Derby certainly used it, after the sovereignty of Castille had been finally relinquished, but also before either he or his son can be supposed to have aimed at the sovereignty of their own country, therefore it is that, in the absence of any positive authority, I adhere at present to the opinion that the letter S was the initial of Seneschallus or Steward.

JOHN GOUGH NICHOLS.

P.S.—­Allow me to put a Query to the antiquaries of Scotland.  Can any of them help me to the authority from which Nich.  Upton derived his livery collar of the King of Scotland “de gormettis fremalibus equorum?”—­J.G.N.

Collar of SS (Vol. ii., pp. 89. 194. 248. 280.).—­I am surprised that any doubt should have arisen about this term, which has evidently no spiritual or literary derivation from the initial letters of Sovereign, Sanctus, Seneschallus, or any similar word.  It is (as MR. ELLACOMBE hints, p. 248.) purely descriptive of the mechanical mode of forming the chain, not by round or closed links, but by hooks alternately deflected into the shape of esses; thus, [Illustration:  3 sideways capital letter S’s].  Whether chains so made (being more susceptible of ornament than other forms of links) may not have been in special use for particular {331} purposes, I will not say; but I have no doubt that the name means no more than that the links were in the shape of the letter S.