Some weeks ago, on looking over a box of old Kentish deeds and papers, P.
C. S. S. found a lease, signed by his ancestor Sir John Fineux, on the 6th
of October, 1522, to which is affixed a seal in perfect preservation,
bearing what P. C. S. S. has hitherto erroneously supposed to be the crest
of the Fineux family, viz. an eagle displayed. He is now, however, indebted
to your correspondent (Vol. vi., p. 83.) for the conviction that it must be
a Dodo, and that it can represent nothing else. For it is of "unwieldy
form," has "disproportionate wings," and is altogether of a "clumsy
figure." P. C. S. S. has till now believed that the uncouth appearance of
the bird was owing to the want of skill in the artist. But it is now clear
that it must undoubtedly be a Dodo; and P. C. S. S. will henceforward live,
_sibi carior_, in the certainty that the chief justice of England temp.
Henry VIII., from whom he has the honour to descend, bore a "veritable
Dodo" as his crest.
P. C. S. S. takes this occasion of adverting to some Queries which appeared
a few months ago, respecting serjeants' rings. He has in his {189}
possession one of those given by Sir John Fineux on his assumption of the
coif. The motto is, "Suæ quisque fortunæ faber."