Life of Count Rumford. 159 



South, East, and West Parts of England, from the River Trent 

 Southwards, send Greeting : Whereas it appears by a Memorial 

 recorded in the College of Arms, that Sir Benjamin Thompson 

 of St. James's, Westminster, Knight, Colonel of the King's 

 American Regiment of Light Dragoons, and Fellow of the 

 Royal Society of London, late Under-Secretary of State of the 

 Province of Georgia, and Colonel of a Regiment of Militia in 

 the Province of New Hampshire, in North America, Son of 

 Benjamin Thompson, late of the Province of Massachusetts 

 Bay, in New England, Gent., deceased, is of one of the most 

 antient Families in North America j that an Island which be- 

 longed to his Ancestors, at the Entrance of Boston Harbour, 

 near where the first New England Settlement was made, still 

 bears his Name ; that his Ancestors have ever lived in reputable 

 Situations in that Country where he was born, and have hitherto 

 used the Arms of the antient and respectable Family of Thomp- 

 son of the County of York, from a constant Tradition that 

 they derived their Descent from that Source. And Whereas, 

 at a very early Period of the late Troubles in North America, 

 the said Sir Benjamin Thompson having engaged warmly in 

 support of the British Government in that Country, and in the 

 course of the War been distinguished for his good Conduct and 

 Bravery in the Line of his Profession, and recently received a 

 very honorable Mark of His Majesty's Approbation and Fa- 

 vor, the Most Honorable Charles Howard, Esquire, commonly 

 called Earl of Surrey, Deputy, with the Royal Approbation to 

 his Father, the Most Noble Charles, Duke of Norfolk, Earl 

 Marshal and hereditary Marshal of England, hath been pleased 

 by Warrant under his Hand and Seal, bearing date the twenty- 

 third Day of April last, to authorise and direct Us to grant and 

 confirm to the said Sir Benjamin Thompson such Variations in 

 the Armorial Bearings of Thompson as may'distinguish him and 

 his Descendants from all others of the Name. Know ye, 

 therefore, that We the said Garter and Clarenceux, in pur- 

 suance of his Lordship's Consent, and by Virtue of the Letters 

 Patent of our several Offices, to each of Us respectively 

 granted under the Great Seal of Great Britain, do by these 



