362 The Heralds' Visitations of Wiltshire. 



to the lawes and custome of armes in that case provided and of auncyente tyme 

 used, anye statute, lawe, P'clamacon, custome, or usage to the contrarie in any 

 wise notwithstandynge. In wytnes whereof, &c. Wytnes oure selfe at Har- 

 feilde, the fyfte daye of Auguste. 



Per breve de privato sigillo, &c. 



A similar Commission to William Dugdale, Esq., Norroy King- 

 of-Arms, dated July 7th, 14 Char. II. [1662], is given by the 

 Editor of " Gwillim's Heraldry" [ed. of 1772] from a MS. of Mr. 

 Elias Ashmole, and he proceeds : — 



"This Commission being acquired, the King-of-Arms or his Marshal *. e. 

 deputy, sets out upon his survey, accompanied with such other officers of the 

 College as he shall suppose necessary, together with a Painter to make draughts 

 of such Monuments, Arms, &c, as he shall have occasion to take notice of, 

 sending his circular warrants to the Bailiffs of the several Hundreds or Wards of 

 the county he intends to visit." " The form of which Warrant, 1 together with 

 a Recommendation from the Bishop and Chancellor of the Diocese 2 I ha\e 

 thought meet to insert. 



" ' To Robert Mastby, Bailiff of the Ward of Chester. 



" ' These are to require you, and in the King's Majesty's name to charge and 

 command you forthwith upon sight hereof to warn those Knights, Esquires, and 

 Gentlemen whose names are underwritten, and all the rest within your ward, 

 as well those that assume the Titles as others, personally to appear before me 

 Richard St. George, Norroy Kinge-of- Armes, on Thursday, being the 24th day 

 of August next, at Widow Hudspithes in Clapitt- street, within the city of 

 Duresme, (when I intend to sit for the Registering of the Knights, Esquires, and 

 Gentlemen within your ward) and that they bring with them such Arms and 

 Crests as they now use and bear, with their Pedigrees and Descents, and such of 

 their evidences and ancient writings as if need require may justify the same ; 

 that I, knowing how they use and challenge those Titles, and bear their Arms, 

 may make entrance of the same accordingly. But if I shall not hear from them 

 upon this notice by you given them, these contempts will enforce me to proceed 

 as my Commission appointeth in such cases, not only to adjourn those that be 

 gentlemen to answer the same before the Lords and Commissioners for the office 

 of Earl Marshal of England on a day prefixed, but also to disclaim and make 

 infamous by Proclamation, all such as shall refuse to make proof of their Gentry 

 having usurped the Title thereof without just authority and just calling. 

 Of all these things charge them not to fail as they will avoid the further Peril 

 and Trouble that may ensue. Dated at Duresme, this 14th day of August, 

 1615.'* 



" 4 My honourable good friends and neighbours, — 



" ' This a service which concerns your Honours and Arms, and the good of 

 your Posterity, and for the continuance and recording of your Gentry and 



1 From the Visitation of Durham taken in 1615, fol. i. 2 Id., fol. 2.. 



3 The Rev. Mark Noble (before cited) at p. 19 gives a similar summons for the gentry to appear at 

 the Swan Inn at Cirencester, on the 16th of August, 1682, containing an offer to go to the Houses of 

 those who could not conveniently attend the Visitation. 



