Some notes on heraldry used in various parts of this manuscript

Order of the Garter. Senior English order of Knighthood. It dates from 1348 when founded by King Edward III. Its motto “honi soit qui mal y pense” is inscribed on the garter; a dark blue velvet which Knights wear just below the left knee. They also wear a mantle fur coat and hood with a collar of Tudor roses from which the George - a figure of St George and a star are suspended. The head of the order is the sovereign and there are 26 knights in addition to the royal family and foreign rulers and princes. Each knight has a stall in St George’s Chapel, Windsor. The Garter King of Arms is the herald of the order.

In England Richard III made the royal officers of arms a corporation. Nowadays the members of this corporation, known as the College of Arms or Heralds’ College, are Garter Principal King of Arms, Clarenceux King of Arms South of Trent, Norroy King of Arms North of Trent, the heralds Windsor, Chester, Richmond, Somerset, York and Lancaster, and the pursuivants Rouge Croix, Bluemantle, Rouge Dragon and Portcullis. Another king of arms, not a member of this corporation, has been attached to the order of the Bath and an officer of the arms, without a title, attends the order of St. Michael and St. George. (A pursuivant an is attendant upon a herald or an officer below a herald.)

Herald. Officer entrusted in time of war with messages to the enemy, challenges, peace offerings and the like. Such existed in Greek and Roman times and there are many references to their duties in classical literature. They were allowed to come and go unharmed and to facilitate their work wore a distinctive mark of some kind. Heralds were employed in the wars of the Middle Ages and in the days when knighthoods flourished were given new duties, these being connected with the bearing of arms. All matters of this kind were settled by heralds and in this capacity they exist today. Heraldry. Term denoting all the business of heralds specifically the art of genealogy, precedence, honorary of distinctions and armorial bearings. In the Middle Ages after knights assumed them, personal devices extended rapidly. The marshalling of badges, crests, coat armour, pennants, helmets and other distinctive devices became important. Armorial insignia are traced upon a shield in a tincture chosen from two metals, five colours and eight furs. The signs charged on the shield include various simple forms called ordinaries e.g. bends, chevrons, together with subordinates e.g. orles (a border round a shield), lozenges. Used at first to distinguish knights in the field, heraldic insignia came to appear on personal apparel, books, seals, signet rings, windows, furniture and tapestry hangings. Ten degrees of Coats of Arms are recognized, sovereign state, claims of dominion over another, communities, certain offices such as bishops, succession, assumption, paternal inheritance, matrimonial alliance, adoption and concessions.

Coat of Arms. Heraldic achievement of an individual or community. It is borne on a shield generally with crests and motto and some times badge and supporters. Their use fostered by the need for distinguishing warriors when acting together, especially during the crusades, expanded rapidly. The practice of embroidering them on the surcoat over the armour originated the term coat of arms

Bibliography and References

Chapter 1

1. Letter: Lancashire Record Office ref.L.01/B-BES/JB 4th June 87.

2. Hardwick, Charles. History of the Borough of Preston. (1857 ) pages 203 and 204.

3. The dictionary of National Biography Vol XI pages 131 to133.

4. Rawlinson collection Bodleian Library shelf marked Rawl MS . C514.

5. Dallaway, James. Inquiries into the origin and progress of the Science of Heraldry in England (1793) British Library. Shelf mark 9902. K 30

Chapter 2

1. K H Docton . Lancaster 1684.Hist Soc.Lancashire & Cheshire p 125. vol 109. 1952

2. Edward Heawood. Watermarks

3. Kuerden, Dr Richard. A Brief Description of the Burrough and Town of Preston, and its Government and Guild (c1682, published with additional notes by J. Taylor, Preston. 1818)

4. Ibid p 15

5. Ibid p 36

6. Ibid p 5

7. Weight of Flagon = 2lbs, Pewter lid = 2lbs Wooden lid = 1lbs

Appendix no 3

1. British Library shelf marked 9902 K 30 page XXIX.

2. Ibid page XXXV

3. The dictionary of National Biography Vol XI pages 131 to 133.

4. Visitation of Lancashire (1665 College of Arms London.) MS. C.37, between folios 169 and 170.

5. Visitation of Lancashire by F.R.Raines (Chetham Society, 3 volumes, 1872-3).

6. Clay, J. W. The Heraldic Visitations of Yorkshire (Halifax Antiquarian Society March 1902.)

7. Visitation in Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire 1684.( British Library. Add 47189.)

Route No 2

1. Webb A.N. Cartulary of Burscough Priory. Chetham Society 1970. Pages 26 and 40