Notices of the Ellises of England, Scotland, and Ireland, from the conquest to the present time

240
are drawings of numerous coats in the church of Swillington.
Amongst these are the arms of Swillington (argent a chevron
azure, and a label of 3 points ermine) braced with those of Elys,
viz. the cross and 5 crescents, Elys being the dexter coat.
This custom of placing side by side the arms of husband and
wife prevailed temp. Hen. Ill before the practice of impale-
ment was introduced. Will. fil. Helye was witness to a ch. of
Hugh de Swillington, a.d. 1251, as also to charters of Rainvill
and Wallis (Lansd. MSS. 207 C fob 632). This William was
doubtless the same person as " Will. Eliz." who occurs as wit-
ness to a ch. c. 1245 of Tho. s. of Lambert de Multon to Jordan
de Insula, of all the land in Erdisley [co. York] which Sir Tho.
de M. "avus suus dedit Domino Tho. de Lyfwarden." (Lansd.
MSS. 207 D f. 295 b) and was probably the Sir Wm, Elys* who
is said to have had " the hall and manor of Kydall in ] 295 "
(p. 166) and perhaps father or grandfather of the Sir Henry
Elys before mentioned. f
As the earliest known instance of the bearing of the coat of
Elys of Kiddall by the Elyses of Kent is afforded by the impale-
ments with Towne and Shelviug, which matches took place in
the 15th century (vide p. 81.) it is desirable to investigate their
claims to these arms as an ancient hereditary coat. It is said
that about the time of Henry IV the practice arose of assuming
the arms of ancient families by novi homines of the same name ;
and doubtless continued till the era of the Visitations. The
arms of Ellis of Chiselhurst, the cross and crescents, first ap-
pearing at the visitation of 1574, might of course, have pre-
viously been borrowed from the Ellises of Stoneacre. The
earlier generations might never have used arms, and when they
first took them, have adopted those of Ellis of Stoneacre on
* 1269, "Will. fil. Elie de Pontefract" was present with Sir Eichard de
Thomhill and other important persons at an adjudication made by Henry de Laci
concerning a disputed election to the Priory of Bretton. Vide Hunter's South
Yorkshire ii. 273.
f In the " Arms of Suffolk and Norfolk by Wm. Harvey, Clarencieux," (Harl.
MSS. 4969, p. 49) or, on a cross sable 5 crescents of the field impaled with or,
an estoile between 2 flaunches ermine, are stated to be in " Mr. Pouchley's House at
Yapley [? Yaxley] co. Suff. and are assigned as the arms of Rich. Floyd esq. who
died 16 Jan. 1525. A cross between 4 crescents is also given in the Dictionaries
for Fludd or Floyd. This family probably came from Hants, and the arms there-
fore from Elys. 1316, Roger Atte Flode of Aulton Clerk, was inducted Incum-
bent of Wike near Winchester. 1317, Nicholas de la Flode occurs (Journ. of
Arch. Assoc, xix. 207) . Elias atte Flode was parishioner of Froy le temp. Edw. III.
(Nonas Rolls).
Sable on a cross or, between 4 lion's heads erased arg. 5 crescents gules were
the arms of Stephen March of Newport, co. Hants. 1686, descended from Tho.
March of Dunfield, co. Surrey, gent. 15 Hen. VII. (Berry's Hants. Gen.) This
family was probably of Hampshire origin. 1207. Adam de Marisco occurs in
that county. Hereward de M. was Sheriff, 47 Hen. III. 17 Edw. I. Wm. de M.
occurs in a fine. 20 Edw. Ill Edward atte Marsh held \ k. f. in Edelstoke, co.
Hants, which belonged to Richard de Marisco. (Book of Aid.)