HERALD. 
“ef thofe two great officers. Hence it was, that they had the 
cognizance, infpection, marfhalling, and regulations of coats- 
armour, and the feveral marks of diftinétion relating to them ; 
that they received all foreign nobility and others coming to 
England, to perform feats of arms, and gave them fafe con- 
duct from the time of their arrival to that of their leaving 
the kingdom ; that they affifed at all tilts, tournaments, and 
feats of arms, and that they had a very confiderable charge 
and interference in the order and progrefs of legal combats. 
Hence, alfo, they were employed in marfhalling and con- 
ducting coronations, marriages, baptifms, funerals, inter- 
views, and thofe other auguit affemblies, proceffions, pomps, 
and folemnities, in which confiited the fplendour and magni- 
ficence of our ancient. monarchs; in taking care that the 
orders, rites, and ceremonies, fixed for the guard and ornament 
of thofe fhows.and triumphs were duly obferved ; in feeing 
that the rules of precedency were ftri¢tly regarded, and in 
preventing all confufion and difputes that might otheewife 
happen to difturb them. 
Our kings, anciently, not only created heralds with 
their own hands, and with magnificent and expreflive 
rites, in the moft public manner, and on the moft folemn 
feitivals, chrifteaing them by pouring wine on their heads 
from a gold cup, and giving them their herald’s name, which 
is now done by the earl marfhal ; but in order that the 
might bear fome external and coufpicuous tokens of their 
ag 
4 
rank and charaéter, invefted them, agreeably to the practice per! 
of other princes, with the royal military habit, or fur-coats 
ef the fovereign’s arms, the Known fymbo s of authority 
and honour; and commanded them to wear fuch fur-coats, 
as enfigns of their office, when they were in execution of 
any branch of their duty. ‘Their perfons, being thus ha- 
bited and diltinguifhed, were kept facred and” inviolable ; 
they paffed with fafety through foreign dominions, unmo- 
ies in ti in the 01 
the hour of battle; on the contrary, they were permitted 
th their fovereign was a 
riance, and were difmiffed by them with fafe condu& to the 
but better than the purfuivants’, and a filver collar of SS. 
Amongft the nobility we alfo find heralds in their funeral rites 
i ion of their mar- 
took care to have their arms embroidered on their common- 
Ww . bd : 2 : : o 3 a By : ~ ‘ : 
See nth ae well ast Gols oe Ee co 
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ceflary, therefore, for the heralds to draw out with acct | 
racy the authentic genealogies of noble and gentiliteal fami~ 
lies ; to continue from time to time, and preferve their pedi- 
Parnes direé& collateral lines ; and to have a 
nowledve of all hereditary arms, enfigns armorial, badges 
of honour, and the outward marks as well of perfonal as of 
family rank and diftin@tion. Thefe parts of heraldic em- 
ployment have been fubfervient to fLiveral important pur- 
pofes, befides thofe for which they were originally uncer- 
taken. Genealogical tables, and authentic pedigrees, regu+ 
larly deducedy contain memorials of paft tranfactions and 
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lands to their poffeflors ; and have furnifhed effectual evi- 
ence for at claims and rights of inheritance. 
e original vilitation books heralds, compiled 
when progrefles were folemnly and regularly made into every 
part of the kingdom, to inquire into the itate o ili 
and to regifter fuch marriages and defcents as were verified 
to them upon oath, are allowed to be good evidence of pedi+ 
grees. (Comb. 63:) d it is much to be wi fays 
judge Blackftone, that this praétice of vilitation at certamn 
$ were revive 
or the failure of inquilitions poft 
mortem, by the abolition of military tenures, combined with 
the negli f the heralds in omitting their 
arms. 
$ u gene : 
private fucceffions, itill continues without a remedy. 
* rt 
cient ones. What relates to the making out arms, the rec- 
in, &c. is chiefly committed to the 
nd in the army, drums and trumpets. 
functions of ing fent 
als on t ume s; andon that account 
enjoying the fame rights and privileges. ‘Their perfons are 
under the protection of the law of nations, when they bear 
the marks of their offices publicly, i. ¢. the ees his. 
as. 
king at arms. 
ve fucceeded to the 
hath beer» 
iz. kings, heralds, and bongo 
hers » which. 
fa” rovincial king: the office Of fuch a king g 
oe ae of oben 2s wi ordiniy and fometbing 
cs % 
more; for to be a herald, was ep to the’ ki me 
ip, as the being a purfuivant, or a novice, to tly 
face of a herald. Thefe or s, bear the 
To ae Bagg hene tlm 
reat i f arms is quali with a new | 
cept perform certain ale te % which before his new pro- 
motion, whilit he ee 
