12 S. IV. JAN., 1918.]
NOTES AND QUERIES.
April, 1617. 13. For 12 silver spoones given
to the marriage of m^
5ft. 17s.
xy nephue Alexander Croke
19. To my nephue Roger Wingfield, 11s.
Julie, 1617. 11. To the poore men, their box.
for being admitted a free .man of the East India
Companie, w* h I was this day, 10s.
To Mr. Francis Sadler the Secretaire to thai Companie, being his due fee uppon my admission thereunto, Is.
To a servaunt of S r Tho: Smith the governor oJ that Companie, Is.
October, 1617. To the nurse that nurseth my brother his daughter Elizabeth, 2s.
Januarie, 1618. 10. To Dr. Jo: Bainbridge sent for to my sonne Samuel, being sicke as is thought of the small pocke, 10 J.
April, 1619. To my brother W m Coo his daughter Marie, at whose baptisme I was a speciall witness, a standing cup silver and guilt, 5 6s.
To my cos en Anne Brise, who was midwife to the mother, 11s.
May, 1620. 15. To two maides at my Uncle Leake his house, 10s.
Februarie, 1620. To my brother Geo: his sonne Tho., 12d.
To his daughters Marie and Eliz., 12d.
May, 1621. 31. For two ewen bowes w th the stringes, th' one for Tho: Croke, th' other for W~ Coo, Wd.
For 12 headed arrowes for the said boyes and Samuel Croke, 12d.
For 6 balles of lether for Lucie Croke, 3d.
August, 1621. To my sister Bennet Croke to be payed five pounds .... when her sonne Walton shall be sheriff of oure countie, 10s.
Feb r 1622. 1. For three wheeling toppes for my sonne and daughter and W m Coo, Qd.
6. For a baby in childbed for my daughter Lucie, 2s.
October, 1623. 31. For a bokefor my daughter Lucie entituled a Posey of Prayers, 12d.
November, 1623. 28. For 'a muffe for my sister Lady Geo: Croke, 34s.
April 1624. 26. To my sister Bridget Coo to buy her a paire of gloves, 2s.
June, 1625. For two silver forks for my sister Tirell and neice Lady Eyre, 8s. 4d.
May, 1626. (?) For nephue Tho: Croke and his sisters Marie, Eliz. and Frances ....
The receipts are not of much interest, but the following genealogical notices occur:
Februarie 2, 1620. Of my cosen Jo Newdigate for a speciall admittance of him into the Inner Temple for my reading, Lent, 1608, 5. 13s. id.
February, 1621. Of S r Jn Croke, an annuity granted at the time of death of his brother Sir Jn. Croke by his father.
1624. Mention made of nephew Sir John Croke of Kelham and Sir Jon Croke his father ; Cousin Edward Bulstrod ; Francis, brother William his son ; Cousin Alban Pygot.
The following is unfortunately much damaged :
M d that the first sonne and first childe of George Croke, ad vt of the Inner Temple, and Mary his wife, was borne in Fleet St. in the Parish
of St. Dunstans in the Saturday the 26 of
June, 1613, about one quarter of an hower after
two of the clocke in the morning of the same
da ye.... was baptyzed one Thursday following
being.... st of July in the Church o"f St. Dun-
stanes . . . . The speciall witnesses of the.... were
S r Thomas Benmet, my [self], and Lady Katherine
Croke, wife of .... est brother.
J. HARVEY BLOOM. (To be concluded.)
THE THIRD CLASS OF BRITISH
ORDERS.
THE notice published in The London Gazette on the most recent birthday of the King, that members of the third class or Com- panions of British Orders should wear the insignia suspended by a ribbon round the neck, instead of on the breast as before, is perhaps worthy of a note in these pages. This class, though the lowest of the older British Orders, is in reality a distinction of no small merit, the C.B. or Companion Cross of the Military division of the Bath being limited to senior officers of the services, whilst this class of the other Orders seldom falls to any save well-seasoned officials. The junior Orders, the Victorian and the recently instituted British Empire Orders, have each five classes, the third class being styled Commander, the members wearing the badge at the neck. Most foreign Orders have, similarly five classes, the fourth and fifth classes being those of Officer and Chevalier, and this division has been followed in the junior British Orders. But until recently the Companions of the third class of the senior British Orders wore the cross or badge on the breast, the place assigned to the fourth and fifth classes only of other Orders.
The members of the third class of these senior Orders were thus at an apparent disadvantage, the wearing of the cross at the neck, or en cravate as it is termed, being generally recognized as a mark of the higher class. For long years, commencing with a representation made by me on the occasion of Queen Victoria's Jubilee, a change which would cost nothing was urged by me, so as
- o brin^ the members of Orders into line in
this respect. But although the late King was in sympathy with the proposal, it hung ire for years, difficulties regarding the statutes of the Orders and other objections being in the way. The War has given us allies, resulting in the exchange of military decorations. Returning to the charge, I was able to represent that a French general on whom the C.B. was conferred, although
