History and Genealogy of the Page Family From the Year 1257 to the Present e-bog

Whilst the greatest effort has been made to ensure the quality of this text, due to the historical nature of this content, in some rare cases there may be minor issues with legibility. Il is apparent that these words have the same meaning and it was simply a different manner of writing them. Such dif ferences in spelling were very common in these early times when dictionaries were unknown and there were very few indeed of the people who could even read or write. In fact with the so-called higher classes, it was considered be neath their dignity to have such accomplishments, and a knight, warrior or politician would scorn such attainments as they thought themselves able to hire a scribe to write or read for them, such messages as were considered necessary. All papers were signed with a signet ring, usually bearing the crest or insignia of the knight or noble, as of course they were unable to write their own names. Thus family crests and insignias of rank were adopted at a very early date. The priests, as a rule, were the educated class, and not only acted frequently as scribes, but had charge of the schools, thus we find that John de Pagham was the fourth bishop of Worcester, England, from II5I to 57. This is probably the first mention of the name in history, and Pagham was not then considered a family name, but simply descriptive' of the place where he lived, or of his occupation, as he doubtless had charge of the school for pages. He had no Coat of Arms There were evidently several of the schools for pages, or pagehams, in England.