PIERS GAVESTON, who was created Earl of CORNWALL by EDWARD II., bore--_Vert, six Eaglets or_, No. 205, (E. 2 and York stained glass): on his Seal, however, the number of the Eaglets is reduced to _three_. Another early example is the Shield of that gallant and persevering knight, RALPH DE MONTHERMER--_Or, an Eagle displayed vert_, No. 206, who became Earl of GLOUCESTER in right of his wife, JOAN, daughter of EDWARD I., and widow of GILBERT DE CLARE, the “Red Earl”; this green Eagle of Monthermer long held a place of high distinction in the mediæval Heraldry of England, marshalled on the Shields of the Earls of SALISBURY and WARWICK; in which, as in the example, No. 206, the Eagle of Monthermer is quartered with the coat of Montacute, No. 20 (page 17). The Eagle of early Heraldry was sometimes blazoned as an “_Erne_,”[4] and sometimes as an “_Alerion_,” WILLIAM D’ERNFORD (H. 3) bears--_Sa., an Erne displayed arg._: and, at the same period WM. DE ERNFIELD bears a pair of Erne’s or Eagle’s Wings, called a “_Vol_,” No. 207. From Shields of the fourteenth century which bear Eagles, and are blazoned in the Roll of Edward II., I select the following small group as good examples:--Sir WM. DE MONGOMERIE--_Or, an Eagle displayed az._: Sir NICHOLAS DE ETONE--_Gu., a Chevron between three Eaglets arg._: Sir JOHN DE CHARLESTONE--_Arg., on a Chevron vert three Eaglets or_: Sir PHILIP DE VERLEY--_Or, a Bend gu., between six Eaglets sa._: Sir JOHN DE LA MERE--_Arg., on a Bend az. three Eaglets or_, No. 209: a Shield bearing a Bend charged with three Eagles, but with different tinctures, No. 88, I have shown to have been the Arms of the Grandisons. [Footnote 4: Query if this is not really a herne or heron.--A. C. F.-D.] [Illustration: No. 207.--A Vol.] [Illustration: No. 209.--De la Mere.] Eagles, under their name of “_Alerions_” (which early Heralds represented without feet and beaks), are blazoned in the same disposition as in No. 209, in the Arms of the Duchy of LORRAINE,--_Or, on a Bend gu. three alerions arg._: and this device the Dukes of Lorraine _are said_ to have borne in commemoration of an exploit of their famous ancestor, GODFREY DE BOLOGNE, _who is also said_, when “shooting against David’s tower in Jerusalem,” to have “broched upon his arrow three footless birds called alerions.” “It is impossible,” remarks Mr. Planché upon this legend, “now to ascertain who broached this wonderful story; but it is perfectly evident that the narrator was the party who drew the long bow, and not the noble GODFREY.” Mr. Planché adds, that the Alerions of Lorraine may indicate an alliance with the Imperial House; and he directs attention to “a similarity in sound between ’Alerion’ and ’Lorraine,’” and also to a singular Anagram produced by the letters ALERION and LORAINE, which are the same (“Pursuivant of Arms,” p. 87). The Arms of Lorraine are still borne by the Emperor of AUSTRIA: and in England they were quartered by Queen MARGARET of Anjou.