By F. A. Carrington, Esq. 



359 



office of Arms," at the end of the last edition of "Grwillim's 

 Heraldry" [1722]. This is, however, not written by Gwillim who 

 was a Herald in the reign of James I., and died in the year 1621; 

 indeed it is stated by the Rev. Mark Noble 1 that the real author 

 of the celebrated work " The Display of Heraldry by John G wil- 

 lim/' was the Rev. John Barcham, Chaplain to Archbishop Ban- 

 croft, and Dean of Booking. 



In this work, 2 styled by Sir Walter Scott "the Bible of 

 Heraldry," it is stated that — 



" Visitations which are performed by the Provincial Kings-of-Arms, &c, are 

 in the nature of the circuits of our Judges. For as these take the Kingdom 

 round for the Administration of Justice, at such and such particular times, so 

 do those ; and there inquire into all matters concerning Nobility and Gentility, 

 such as Arms, Crests, Pedigrees, Titles, or Designations, &c, taking still as 

 they go cognizance of all, and degrading interlopers and upstarts. The time 

 allotted for these Visitations was once in about 30 years, because then it is sup- 

 posed every one might readily bring proof without too much trouble either to 

 the King-of-Arms or himself, it being a time within memory ; whereas much 

 longer time would exceed memory, and might endanger other evidences being 

 lost." " But though these Provincial Kings have power specially in their 

 patents not only to grant Arms, &c, but to enjoy all the Power, Prerogative, 

 Fees, and P/ivileges of their predecessors, whereby they should seem authorized 

 to make Visitations to demolish unwarrantable Monuments at their pleasure, yet 

 have they always a special Commission for visiting their Province." 



The Commission for a Heraldic Visitation, granted to William 

 Camden, Esq., Clarenceux King-of-Arms, by King James the First, 

 was given in evidence before the House of Lords in the Tracy 

 Peerage case, 3 in the year 1839. 



This commission is as follows : — 



Camtrrn ar. \ jAMES > hj the grace of God ' &c - 



"To oure trustie and welbeloved servaunte William Camden, esquier, surnamed 

 Clarencieulx kinge of armes of the east, west, and southe partes of oure realme 

 of Englande from the ryver of Trente southwardes, and to all other oure 

 lovynge subjects greetinge. Forasmuche as God of his greate clemency e and 

 goodnes hathe subjected to oure empyre and governance the nobillitie, people, 

 and comons of this realme of Englande : Wee, myndynge of oure royall and 



i " History of Heralds" Coll. 216. 2 p . 49. 



3 The evidence in the " Tracy Peerage" case will be found in the " Minutes 

 of Evidence" of that case printed by order of the House of Lords, a work in 

 Lincolns' Inn Library. The points of law decided in it are contained in Messrs. 

 Clark & Finelly's "Reports," Yol. x, p. 154. 



3 a 3 



