Seals on a charter concerning the manor of Loveden, Lincolnshire, 1378

Index

The image above was kindly provided by Guy Vincent.

Evidently the seals are attached in the same order in which the grantors appear in the text.

1. The first seal is that of Roger de Kirketon, who was also known as Roger de Meres of Kirketon (Kirton in Holland, Lincolnshire). A clearer impression made by the same matrix is on a document of 1380 in the National Archives. The name appears to be given on the seal as Roger de Meris, and the arms show a fess between three water bougets. Arms with three water bougets were attributed to a Ralph de Kirketon in the late 13th century, and similar arms were borne by several branches of the Ros or Roos family.
   [For the other seal impression, see E 101/334/21, and for Roger's use of both surnames, see, for example a petition from around the same time mentioning the fact (SC 8/223/11144). Ralph de Kirketon in 1274/5 and 1278 bore "Three bougets and a label" (Woodcock, et al., "Dictionary of British Arms, Medieval Ordinary", vol. 2, p. 212, citing de Gray Birch, "Catalogue of Seals in the Department of Manuscripts in the British Museum", no 11093, and PRO card index of seals); for the Ros/Roos arms, see Woodcock, et al., vol. 2, pp. 208-212.]
2. The second seal is that of Robert Bernak, whose name can be read.
   ["Ermine on a bend gules pierced a cinquefoil in chief argent (or or)" (Woodcock, et al., "Dictionary of British Arms, Medieval Ordinary", vol. 2, p. 32, citing various sources from the 14th century and later).]
3. The third seal is that of John de Haugh.
   [Thomas de Hagh of Lincolnshire bore "Chevron between uncertain charges" (Woodcock, et al., "Dictionary of British Arms, Medieval Ordinary", vol. 2, p. 288, citing de Gray Birch, "Catalogue of Seals in the Department of Manuscripts in the British Museum", no 10366); Haw or Haugh bore "Argent a chevron between ten crosses crosslet gules" (Burke, "General Armory" (1884 edn), p. 468).]
4. The fourth seal is that of Thomas de la Launde.
   [Thomas de la Launde of Lincolnshire in 1370 bore "A chevron between three billets"; the family bore "Argent a chevron between three billets gules" (Woodcock, et al., "Dictionary of British Arms, Medieval Ordinary", vol. 2, p. 298, citing de Gray Birch, "Catalogue of Seals in the Department of Manuscripts in the British Museum", no 11259 for Thomas, and various other sources for the tinctured arms).]

[Thanks to Guy Vincent and Jonathan Kirton for helpful comments about the heraldry.]