Shropshire's Punning Heraldry - Corbet

 Corbet of Wattlesborough (Visitations 1623)

Arms: Or, A raven Proper.

The arms of Corbet of Wattlesborough

The surname Corbet (and its common variant Corbett) is of Anglo-Norman French origin, derived from the Old French word corbet, a diminutive of corb (meaning "raven" or "crow"). It generally functioned as a nickname for someone with dark hair, a dark complexion, or perhaps a sharp nose resembling a raven.

Shropshire's Punning Heraldry - Conisbie

Conisbie, alias Coningsby, of Nene Solers (Co. Salop) and Morton Bagott (Co. Warwick)

Arms: Gules, three conies sejant two and one Argent. 

Crest: A coney sejant Argent,

(Visitations 1623 and Edmonson)

This one is quite obvious as a cony (or coney) is the traditional heraldic term for a rabbit, frequently used in British heraldry. Representing fertility and a gentle nature, it often appears in canting arms (puns on surnames) and is commonly depicted as brown, sitting (sejant), or running (courant). Here, it is Argent.

 

The arms of Conisbie, alias Coningsby, of Nene Solers (Co. Salop) and Morton Bagott (Co. Warwick)

Shropshire's Punning Heraldry - Butler

Butler

The Reverend Samuel Butler D.D., Shrewsbury, afterwards Bishop of Lichfield. Azure, a chevron between three covered cups Or, quartered with Ermine, on a chief indented Sable three escallop shells Argent.

Motto: Nemo Nisi Christus

On a carriage 1827. Seal (in the possession of Mr George Morris, author of the MS Shropshire Families) and stained glass in House at Free School.

Here the principal coat seems to be at odds with other contemporary records which have Quarterly, first and fourth, Azure, a bend between three covered cups Or: second and third, Ermine, on a chief indented Sable three escallops Argent. 

The arms of The Reverend Samuel Butler D.D.

Shropshire's Punning Heraldry - Brooke

 Fitting easily into the first division is the crest of Brooke of Claverley, Madeley, Church Stretton, &c., which naturally is a brock. 

Brooke of Claverley, Madeley, Church Stretton, &c. 

Arms: Chequy Argent and Sable (Visitations).

Crest: On a mount Vert a brock Proper.

(Visitations 1623 and Edmonson)

The arms of Brooke of Claverley, Madeley, Church Stretton, &c. 

Shropshire's Punning Heraldry - Botyler

 Botyler, an occupational pun.

The arms of Botyler, William de Wemme, are recorded in the Shropshire MS as Azure, A bend of six cups Or (Source Edmonson).

I don't know where Edmonson can across the "six cups" arms as there seems to be some contradiction in Burke's General Armory which records Boteler (Lord of Wemme and Oversley, summoned to Parliament 1308) are recorded as Gules, a fess counter-compony Argent and Sable between six crosses pattee fitchee Argent. (Some branches of this family bear six crosses crosslet instead of crosses pattee fitchee, but the above are the arms registered in the College of Arms for Sir John Boteler, who was created Baron Boteler of Bramfield, 20 September, 4 Car. I., and left six daughters his co-heirs, of whom Helen married Sir John Drake, Co Devon, Knight.)

The arms of William Botyler de Wemme

The surname Botyler (and its variant Boteler) is a medieval English occupational name derived from the Old French bouteillier, meaning "butler," wine steward, or a maker of leather bottles. It originally designated a high-responsibility servant in charge of a noble household's wine cellar or a manufacturer of containers.

Shropshire's Punning Heraldry - Bostock

 I have touched on Bostock before in the series on Cheshire's Punning Heraldry and they are obviously well travelled because they pop up in Shropshire too with quite a few entries. For this project, I have chosen the arms of Hugh Bostock of Morton Say, Wixhall &C. There are a number of Bostock's in the Shropshire MS. 

Arms: Sable, a fesse hummette in chief a martlet Argent.

Crest: A martlet Or.

Although it is quite possible that the martlet on the shield is a mark of cadency, indicating a fourth son, I have here treated it as though it is a charge in its own right as the crest is also a martlet.

The write up for the Bostock arms in my previous entry stated that these arms are in the group where part of the bearer's name is shown by the charges, it is possible that Bostock makes similar play with his silver fesse having its ends cut off, for this is no true fesse, but may be designed to suggest a conventionalised stock of a tree. A very tenuous pun but worthy of consideration.

Since I first wrote about the Bostock pun I have recently realised that  it gets better and in fact, the pun may even be worthy of the first division. Once one accepts that the broken fess represents a stock, we can add into the mix that the south Cheshire dialectal word for broken, which the stock must surely be as it doesn't reach the sides, is "bost", we arrive at a Bost Stock.

The arms of Hugh Bostock of Morton Say, Wixhall &C.

Shropshire's Punning Heraldry - Biston

A pun of the first division, the arms of Biston:

Biston, Randle, Bailiff of Shrewsbury, 1520. 

Arms: Argent, a bend between six bees Sable.

Also recorded in the same volume (The Armorial Bearings of Shropshire Families) are the arms of Bishton (with an h) 

Bishton, Thomas, 1834.

Arms: Argent, a bend between six bees volant 2 & 1 and 1 & 2 Sable. (from a seal). [I have taken a slight liberty with the lower bees in order to fit them in]

I believe that this is a dialectal variation on the surname Beeston, especially as the arms themselves are identical to those of Beeston of Beeston Castle, Cheshire:

Arms: Argent a bend between six bees Sable. 

Crest: On a mount Vert, a castle Or, therefrom issuing an arm embowed, in armour proper, the gauntlet holding a sword Argent, hilt and pommel Gold.

Motto: Si Genus Jactas Aliena Laudas 

Visitations of Cheshire 1613.                                                    

 "Branches  of  this  family are  to  be  found  in  Yorkshire,  Lancashire,  Shropshire,  Rutlandshire  and  Hampshire.”  

The arms of Biston