interesting being an inscription in Early English characters, written in chalk on a blackened beam behind the wainscot. It ran thus:-- “Hans pes withe yore nebor whilom ye maye, For oftyn tymes favore do the passe withe ye daye.” This may be translated as follows:-- “Be at peace with your neighbour while ye may, For often times the favour will pass with the day.” According to the authors of the _History of Sign-boards_ (p. 116), this sign was originally a _white_ boar, and represented the _boar argent_, which formed the favourite badge of Richard III., as well as one (or, more generally, both) of the supporters of his arms. [Illustration: THE WHITE BOAR. (_Badge of Richard III._)] “The fondness of Richard for this badge appears from his wardrobe accounts for the year 1483, one of which contains a charge ‘for 8,000 bores made and wrought upon fustian,’ and 5,000 more are mentioned shortly afterwards. He also established a herald of arms called ‘Blanc Sanglier,’ and it was this trusty squire who carried his master’s mangled body from Bosworth battle-field to Leicester.... After Richard’s defeat and death the WHITE BOARS were changed into BLUE BOARS, this being the easiest and cheapest way of changing the sign; and so the [WHITE] BOAR of Richard, now painted ‘true blue,’ passed for the [BLUE] BOAR of the Earl of Oxford, who had largely contributed to place Henry VII. on the throne.” Shakespeare in Richard III. (act v., scene 3) alludes to the dead king and his badge as follows:-- “The wretched, bloody, and usurping boar That spoiled your summer fields and fruitful vines; ... This foul swine ... lies now ... Near to the town of Leicester, as we learn.” It is related that in this king’s reign one William Collingbourne was executed for composing the following couplet:-- “The Cat, the Rat, and Lovell our Dog, Rule all Englonde under an Hogge.” The king and his ministers, Sir Richard Ratcliffe, Sir William Catesby, and Lord Lovell, were, of course, thus referred to. At Earls Colne, as already stated (p. 63), there is a LION AND BOAR. Here, in all probability, we have again represented the boar of the De Veres, Colne Priory having been another seat of the family, some members of which lie buried there. Other signs, which have, in all probability, been derived (partly, at least) from other badges of the De Veres, will be noticed hereafter.