Having an engraving of this sign, I am enabled satisfactorily to reply
to Mr. Cooper's query (No. 16. p. 245.) respecting its existence. The
engraving measures 17 inches and a half long, by 22 wide; it was
"Published according to Act of Parliament May the 1st 1740." In the
right-hand bottom corner appears "Jno Fessey Sculp.," and in the left
"Joshua Kirby Delin't." It is entitled, "The North East Side of ye Sign
of ye White Hart at Schoale Inn in Norfolk, built in the year 1655 by
James Peck, a Merchant of Norwich, which cost 1057l., humbly Dedicated
to James Betts Gent by his most Obed't Serv't Harwin Martin." The sign
springs on one side from a mass of masonry, and was joined to the house
on the other: it was sufficiently high to enable carriages to drive
under it. As it would trespass too much on your columns were I to
particularise each of the figures, I will content myself with giving
the printed explanation of them from the engraving, premising that each
figure is numbered:--"1. Jonah coming out of the Fishes Mouth. 2. A
Lion supporting the Arms of Great Yarmouth. 3. A Bacchus. 4. The Arms of
Lindley. 5. The Arms of Hobart, now Lord Hobart. 6. A Shepherd playing
on his Pipe. 7. An Angel supporting the Arms of Mr. Peck's Lady.
8. An Angel supporting the Arms of Mr. Peck. 9. A White Hart, with
this Motto (this is the one which 'hangs down carved in a stately
wreath')--'Implentur veteris Bacchi pinguisque ferinæ Anno Dom 1655.'
10. The Arms of the late Earl of Yarmouth. 11. The Arms of the Duke of
Norfolk. 12. Neptune on a Dolphin. 13. A Lion supporting the Arms of
Norwich. 14. Charon carrying a reputed Witch to Hell. 15. Cerberus. 16.
An Huntsman. 17. Actæon [with three dogs, and this legend, 'Actæon ego
sum Dominum cognoscite vestrum']. 18. A White Hart couchant [underneath
appears in the engraving the artist's name--Johannes Fairchild struxit].
19. Prudence. 20. Fortitude. 21. Temperance. 22. Justice. 23. Diana
[with two greyhounds, one of whom is chasing a hare]. 24. Time devouring
an Infant [with the legend, 'Tempus edax rerum,' below]. 25. An
Astronomer, who is seated on a Circumferenter, and by some Chymical
Preparation is so Affected that in the fine Weather he faces that
Quarter from whence it is about to come." The whole sign is drawn by a
scale of half an inch to a food, and most of the figures are of the size
of life. On both sides of the engraving, but distinct from the sign, are
seven coats of arms. Those on the right hand are: 1. Earl of Yarmouth.
2. Cornwallis impaling 1st and 4th Buckton, 2nd Unknown, 3rd Teye. 3.
Castleton. 4. Unknown. 5. Mrs. Peck [these arms are wrongly blazoned by
Blomefield; they are _gules_ a fesse _argent_, between, in chief, two
crescents, and in base, a lion _passant guardant_ of the same]. 6. Great
Yarmouth. 7. Unknown. The arms on the opposite side are: 1. Duke of
Norfolk. 2. Hobart. 3. Bacon. 4. Thurston. 5. Mr. Peck impaling his wife
[his arms, too, are wrongly blazoned; they should be--Or, on a chevron
engrailed gules three crosslets pattee argent]. 6. Lindley. 7. Norwich.
Mr. Cooper will find a slight notice of this sign, both in Gough's
_Camden_ and in _The Beauties of England and Wales_; but both these are
of later date than Mr. Cruttwell's _Tour_. I have only to add, that I
should wish Mr. Cooper to _see_ the engraving. I shall be very happy to
send it by post for his inspection.