AFTER THREE CENTURIES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21248, 30 July 1932, Page 3 (Supplement)

AFTER THREE CENTURIES

UNTAXED COAT OF ARMS UNUSUAL PROSECUTION A case that had its beginnings in the escape of Charles 11. from England during the Civil War nearly three centuries ago came before the Court of Faringdon, Berkshire, a few weeks ago. Frank Lane, an ironmonger, of Faringdon, was summoned for not paying duty for armorial bearings. Counsel "for the prosecution said that Mr. Lane had informed the police that the crest he used was awarded to his family in consideration of services which one of his ancestors, Mistress Lane, performed for Charles IT. Apparently after Charles 11. had been defeated at the Battle of Worcester in 1651 lie escaped by hiding in an oak tree at Boscobel, Salop, and afterwards accompanied Mistress Lane on horseback as her servant to the coast, when ho fled to the Continent. Later a crest, was granted to the family of a strawberry-coloured horse of a similar colour to that on which the King and Mistress Lane escaped. Defending counsel pointed out that an authority on heraldry had written, " The Lane family is the only family in F<ngland not paying duty for its coat of arms. Charles 11. having granted as augmentations the royal arms, which are exempt from duty." Tho case was dismissed on payment of £1 Is costs, Air. Lane undertaking not to use the bearings without paying tax. Mr. Lane is now wondering whether it will be worth while paying £1 Is a year to continue to display on his ness notepaper armorial bearings which j have decorated it for the last 40 years. When interviewed at his shop Air. Lane, who is a tall, well-built man of over 60, with strongly marked features, was cutting tho armorial bearings out of his trade notepaper. " After all." he said, " they are probably not worth a shilling to mo so far as my business is concerned. My father and my grandfather used them before me. I have never troubled, however, to have them engraved on the family silver. " About a fortnight ago I wrote on a sheet of my business notepaper to the local polico for a gunpowder licence in connection with my business. A few days later a constable came and asked me whether I was aware that I had to havo a licence to use the armorial bearings. I told him what the authority on heraldry had written. I have not yet' decided whether it will be worth my while to take out a licence."