_Ancient Family of Widderington._--In an old Prayer Book, now before me, I
find this entry:--"Ralph Witherington was married to Mary Smith the 13th
day of Nov. in the year of our Lord 1703, at seaven o'clock in the morning,
Sunday." Then follow the dates of the births of a numerous progeny. Can any
of your readers tell me who these parties were, or any particulars about
them? The early hour of a winter morning seems strange. Some of the
children settled in Dublin, and intermarried with good Irish families; but
from the entry in another part of the volume, in an older hand, of "Ralph
Witharington of Hauxley, in the parish of Warqurth, in the county of
Northumberland," the family appear previously to have lived in England.
I have never been able to find the motto of the Widderingtons. Their arms
are, of course, well known, viz., Quarterly, argent and gules, a bend
sable; crest, a bull's head: but I have never seen their legend.