In "Raleigh" the introduction of Shakespeare, the cloak incident, the trial scene, Elizabeth's death, and the terrible climax of the noble victim's execution on the stage, seemed chiefly to interest and excite the audience.
I wrote "Washington" principally to please my many friends in America, whither I was going for a second time; but it rather damped me to find, when at Philadelphia during its Grand Exhibition, and was giving "Readings out of my own Works" through the Star Company, that my _entrepreneur_ stoutly objected to my proposal to read this new play of mine, with the remark,--"No, sir, our people are tired of George Washington,--he's quite played out: give us anything else of yours you like." As he was my financial provider, and paid well, of course I had to acquiesce.
Perhaps the most interesting thing in the play was the account of my discovery of Washington's heraldry: here is part of the passage; the whole being too long to quote: one asks "Coat-of-arms ?--what was this coat-of-arms ?" and Franklin answers,-- "I'll tell you, friends, I've searched it out and known it for myself, When late in England there, at Herald's College And found the Washingtons of Wessyngton In county Durham and of Sulgrave Manor, County Northampton, bore upon their shield Three stars atop, two stripes across the field Gules--that is red--on white, and for the crest An eagle's head upspringing to the light, It's motto, Latin, "Issue proveth acts." The architraves at Sulgrave testify, And sundry painted windows in the hall At Wessyngton, this was their family coat.
They took it to their new Virginian home: And at Mount Vernon I myself have noted An old cast-iron scutcheoned chimney-back Charged with that heraldry." In my first American Journal will be found more about this discovery of mine--in 1851--then quite new even to Americans.

Here in London, Mr.
Tuffley of Chelsea and Northampton has popularised the original coat-of-arms with a view to ornamental jewellery for our Transatlantic cousins.
Among my twelve dramatic scenes, the most appropriate to mention in this volume of personalia, are the two which detail certain perilous matters affecting the lives of two ancient ancestors, the one on my mother's side, the other on my father's.

The latter records the historic incident whereby John Tupper saved the Channel Islands for William and Mary (receiving from them a gold collar and medal, now in our heraldry) and enabling Admiral Russell to win his naval victory at La Hogue.

The former shows how nearly an Arthur Devis at Preston paid the penalty of death owing to his strange resemblance to Charles Edward the Young Pretender, for whom the savage Government of the time offered a reward of L30,000 to any one who could catch him alive or dead.

My mother's ancestor was thus very nearly murdered in 1745 for his good looks, as a life-sized portrait at Albury, and an ivory miniature here at Norwood, help to prove.