In message , Annabel Smyth
writes
On Mon, 26 Apr 2004 at 18:25:40, Seanie O'Kilfoyle
wrote:



WRONG !

You've been "Urban Mythed"

Izerntit


WRONG!

You have. The "Infanta of Castille" is the urban myth.....

Except that for once there *might* be a grain of truth in the Infanta
story.....

We were told last year at a local history lecture in Southwark that the
land south from the Thames to well beyond and including the present day
the E&C *was* given to Catherine of Aragon when she first came to
England (landing near the site of the present day "Globe", incidentally.

So, although it's *probably* an urban myth, there is a slim chance,
after debunking it all these years, that it might have been true all
along.

(Incidentally, the "Howdah" was a quite common guild symbol, not at all
confined to the Cutlers. It remains in use on several coats of arms,
notably those of Coventry, symbolising mercantile trade in general.

I *think* it might even appear on the coat of arms of the Mercers'
Company in London, too but I'm not in a position to check that out from
where I'm posting at the moment.
--
Ian Jelf, MITG, Birmingham, UK
Registered "Blue Badge" Tourist Guide for
London & the Heart of England
http://www.bluebadge.demon.co.uk