HERALDRY. 



the college of heralds, wherein he took 

 , cognizance of all matters of war and arms, 

 being commonly guided by the civil law. 



He determines all questions and differ- 

 ences that may arise between the heralds 

 and other persons, concerning pedigrees, 

 honour, arms, crest, supporters, and en- 

 signs armorial ; and he, or his deputy, 

 being judge and head of the college, has 

 power of making rules, ordinances, and 

 decrees, for regulating thereof. 



As in the college of heralds, the arms 

 of all the families and names in England 

 are (or ought to be) recorded, together 

 with the time when their arms were 

 granted, and upon what occasion ; and as 

 in the said office every man's fame and 

 dignity are preserved ; so his Lordship 

 hath power by special commission, under 

 the great seal of England, of prohibiting 

 the provincial kings (which are Claren- 

 cieux and Norroy) to give and grant any 

 new arms without his Lordship's consent ; 

 and when any such are usurped, and un- 

 justly borne, he has power to examine 

 and disclaim the same, and to punish the 

 parties that shall falsely assume the arms 

 of another. 



He bears a staff of gold tipped with 

 black, having the king's arms enamelled 

 on one end, and his own at the other, and 

 ttikes his place with the Lord Great 

 Chamberlain, or the Constable, next be- 

 fore the sword. 



At a coronation, the Earl Marshal has 

 the ordering of the Abbey of Westmin- 

 ster, and sees the regalities and robes of 

 King Edward the Confessor to be in a 

 readiness where the solemnity is held. 



He appoints the building of the throne 

 whereon the King or Queen is to be 

 crowned, and gives orders to the gentle- 

 men-ushers, for the covering and furnish- 

 ing thereof with hangings, chairs, carpets, 

 cushions, &c. 



At such time the Earl Marshal is one of 

 those that does all the nearest offices to 

 the King's person, as to help to lead him, 

 and to support his Majesty in his chair, 

 putting his hand, with others of the nobi- 

 Jity, to set the crown on his head, doing 

 his homage first, and then presenting the 

 nobility in their several degrees, being 

 all vested in their robes of estate, wear- 

 ing their coronets when they do their ho- 

 mage. 



At the creation of any great estate, as 

 Duke, Marquis, or Earl, the Earl Mar- 

 shal has the furniture of the said estate, 

 or a composition for it, as also by ancient 

 custom he has had the like of archbishops, 

 bishops, and abbots, at their consecra- 

 tions, 



At the funeral obsequies of kings, 

 queens, and princes, the Earl Marshal is 

 a chief commissioner, appointed with the 

 Lord Treasurer, the Lord Great Cham- 

 berlain, and others of the Lords of the" 

 King's Council, to. give orders to the 

 wardrobe, for the distribution of black 

 for mourners, for the furnishing the 

 hearse with velvets, palls of cloth of gold, 

 escutcheons, banners, and hatchments, 

 giving charge to the officers of arms to 

 give their attendance, and to see all things 

 royally and princely performed. 



Assisted by the king and heralds, he 

 marshals and orders the proclamation and 

 coronation of our kings, their marriages, 

 christenings, funerals, cavalcades, royal 

 interviews, feasts, &c. : and also when war 

 or peace is proclaimed ; so that he keeps 

 a court of chivalry in the cormnon hall of 

 the college of heralds, where they sit as 

 his council and assistants, in their rich 

 coats of his Majesty's arms, being all the 

 King's servants in ordinary : and besides 

 these, there are six proctors, who are to 

 plead all causes relating to coats of arms, 

 that are tried before the Earl Marshal, or 

 his deputy, in the college of heralds. 



The manner of admitting officers into 

 the College of Arms is as follows : 



At their first entry, they are commend- 

 ed to the sovereign by a bill signed by 

 the Earl Marshal's hand ; which done, 

 the King signs the same, and so it passes 

 the privy seal and broad seal ; and that 

 once obtained, they are to be sworn and 

 created by the Earl Marshal, or his de- 

 puty. 



Of the Kings of Jlrms. 1. Garter prin- 

 cipal King of Arms of Englishmen, and 

 chief officer of arms of the most noble 

 order of the Garter. 2. Clarencieux King 

 of Arms. 3. Norroy King of Arms. 



Garter. This officer was constituted by 

 King Henry V. with the advice and con- 

 sent of the Knights of the Gartef, for the 

 service of the said most noble society, 

 and from thence took his name; and his 

 Majesty, for the greater dignity of the 

 order, being pleased to annex thereto the 

 office of principal King of Arms, from 

 hence he is honoured with two distinct 

 titles, Garter, and principal King pf 

 Arms. 



The duty of his office, in relation to the 

 Garter, is, in general, to perform whate- 

 ver the sovereign, prelate^ or chancellor 

 of the said order, shall enjoin him relat- 

 ing % thereto; such as carrying the rod and 

 sceptre at every feast of St. George, 

 when the Sovereign is present, to notify 

 the election of such Knights as are newly 

 elected, to call upon them to be installed 



