In all respects the most purely heraldic sign we have in Essex is the FLEUR-DE-LYS, which occurs at Widdington. As a sign, this was formerly much more common than at present. Eight of the Essex tokens are described as having borne it. Two of these were issued in Colchester, two in Billericay, and one each in Chelmsford, Coggeshall, Stock, and Witham, the issuer at the latter place being John Jackson, clothier, in 1669. There was formerly a house of this name at Waltham Abbey. In the parish register the burial of a landlord, on May 8, 1684, is recorded as follows:--“Edward Clarke, att y^{e} flower de luis.” Mr. H. W. King, too, finds mention in ancient deeds of a “Flower de Luce” at Maldon in 1658, and again in 1690, but whether an inn, shop, or dwelling-house, there is, as usual, no evidence to show. As it is sometimes varied into the THREE FLEURS DE LYS, the most reasonable conclusion is that it is taken from the arms of France, as formerly quartered with those of England, but a fleur-de-lys was also used as a badge by Edward III. In former times, too, it was an emblem of the Virgin Mary. In London at the present day the sign occurs once only, namely, in Fleur-de-Lys Street, E. Below are depicted four of the many forms taken by this device on early shields of arms. [Illustration: FLEUR DE LYS (_four early forms_).] [Illustration: ESSEX ARMS.] [Illustration: COLCHESTER ARMS.] No less than 116 of our present public-houses (or 8·5 per cent.) are named after the arms of some family, place, city, country, or trade. Those obviously named after some place within the county will be first noticed. To commence with, however, we will mention the ROYAL ARMS at Silvertown.[12] The same device appears on a token inscribed “Theophilus Harvey, in Manitree, 1669.” Next we have the ESSEX ARMS.[13] There are now four examples, though forty years ago there were five. At Springfield, too, there is a beer-house of this name. Then we have a *COLCHESTER ARMS,[14] which is, of course, situated at Colchester. It is at least forty years old. The COLCHESTER ARMS also appear on the halfpenny token of Alexander Satterthwaite, of Colchester, dated 1668. The BOROUGH ARMS at Maldon are, of course, the arms of that town.[15] The ABBEY ARMS at Plaistow doubtless represent the arms of the neighbouring Abbey of Barking.[16] Sixty years ago there was a HARWICH ARMS[17] at *Harwich. Then we have the HUTTON ARMS at Hutton, the CHADWELL ARMS at Chadwell Heath, the BERECHURCH ARMS at Lexden, the ROMFORD ARMS (beer-house) at Romford, the COLNE VALLEY ARMS at Birdbrook, and the ROYAL ESSEX ARMS at Braintree, all of which coats the heralds would probably be unable to find entered at Heralds’ College. The last-named is an especially strange device. It is probably an impaled sign, due to a combination of the ROYAL ARMS and the ESSEX ARMS.