A Complete Guide to HeraldryFox-Davies, Arthur Charles
History
A Complete Guide to Heraldry
Fox-Davies, Arthur Charles
Heraldry -- Great Britain
_Windsor Herald_, which title was instituted 38th of Edward III., when that
monarch was in France.
_Chester Herald_, instituted in the same reign.
_Richmond Herald_, instituted by King Edward IV.
_Somerset Herald_, instituted by King Henry VIII. about the time when that
monarch created his son Henry Fitzroy Duke of Somerset.
_York Herald_, instituted by King Edward III. in honour of his son, whom he
created Duke of York. {38}
_Lancaster Herald_, also instituted by Edward III. when he created his son
Duke of Lancaster.
The heralds were first incorporated as a college by Richard III. They were
styled the Corporation of Kings, Heralds, and Pursuivants of Arms.
Concerning Pursuivants of Arms, Berry remarks that these officers, who are
the lowest in degree amongst officers of arms, "were, as the name implies,
followers, marshals, or messengers attendant upon the heralds. Pursuivants
were formerly created by the nobility (who had, likewise, heralds of arms)
with great ceremony in the following manner. One of the heralds, wearing
his master's coat, leading the person to be created pursuivant by the left
hand, and holding a cup full of wine and water in his right, came into the
presence of the lord and master of him who was to be created, and of whom
the herald asked by what name he would have his pursuivant called, which
the lord having mentioned, the herald then poured part of the wine and
water upon his head, calling him by the name so assigned to him. The herald
then took the coat of his lord, and put it over his head athwart, so that
part of the coat made for the arms before and behind, and the longer part
of it on both sides of the arms of the person created, and in which way the
pursuivant was always to wear it. This done, an oath of fidelity was
administered to the new-made pursuivant, and the ceremony concluded."
This curious method of the wearing of the tabard by a pursuivant has long
since been discontinued, if indeed it was ever generally adopted, a point
on which I have by no means been able to satisfy myself.
The appointment of heralds and pursuivants of arms by the nobility has long
been discontinued, and there are now only four pursuivants belonging to the
College of Arms, viz.:--
_Rouge-Croix_, the first in point of antiquity of creation, is so styled
from the red cross of St. George, the Patron Saint of England.
_Blue-Mantle_, so called by King Edward III., in honour of the French coat
which he assumed, being blue.
_Rouge-Dragon_, so styled from the red dragon, one of the supporters of the
Royal arms of King Henry VII. (who created this pursuivant), and also the
badge of Wales, and
_Portcullis_, also instituted by Henry VII., and so named from that badge,
or cognisance, used by him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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