Further notes on career of Gregory King

While at the College of Arms, King formed a close friendship with Thomas Lee, Chester herald. The Earl of Norwich, deputy earl-marshal, on Lee’s recommendation, created Gregory King Rouge Dragon pursuivant on 24th June 1677. In 1680 he moved from his house in Covent Garden to the College. He assisted Sir Henry St. George, Norroy king of arms, in his visitations in 1681 and 1682. In 1684 the Duke of Norfolk nominated him to the office of registrar of the College of Arms. He was consulted about the coronation of James II and his Queen. He was the principal author of the superb volume containing descriptions and the engravings of that ceremony (London 1687), though he allowed Francis Sandford, the Lancaster Herald, to affix his name to the title page. King contented himself with one third of the profits, but the book did not appear until just before the landing of the Prince of Orange. The authors barely cleared their expenses, which amounted to nearly £6002

In 1687 Gregory King assisted Sir Henry St. George in his visitation of London. After the revolution of 1689 he was engaged in the ceremonial of William and Mary’s coronation and succeeded Sandford, who resigned on account of his Jacobite sympathies. He took part in the investitures with the insignia of the Garter of the elector of Brandenburg (afterwards Frederick I King of Prussia) in 1689 and of the Duke of Zell in 1691. He was sent to Dresden on similar business in 1693 and invested John George, elector of Saxony, with the insignia of the order in January; the elector died next year and the installation at Windsor took place 5th July 1694 after his death3

A quarrel with the earl-marshal respecting the arrangements at the funeral of Queen Mary led to King’s dismissal from the office of registrar. A charge, brought against him by the earl, of embezzling fees, caused him to be temporarily suspended from service in the college. He became however secretary to the commissioners for taking and stating the public accounts and also secretary to the controllers of the accounts of the army. He was in 1710 a candidate for the patent of Clarenceux King of Arms and wrote a long letter to Harley stating his claims, but as his biographer, Chalmers, puts it the wit of his rival, Sir John Vanbrugh, “prevailed over King’s arithmetic”.

After the death of his first wife Gregory King married Frances Grattan in 1701, by whom he had three children, Thomas, Elizabeth and Frances, who all died in infancy. King died on 29th August 1712 aged 63 and was buried in the chancel of the church of St Benet, Paul’s Wharf, opposite the college. His widow in memory of her husband erected a handsome mural monument of stone.

Visitations

Visitation books contain gentry’s pedigrees and their right to bear arms, signed generally by some member of the family, and attested by the herald. The visitation books were compiled under the authority of a commission granted by writ of privy seal to the King of Arms, the earliest of which is dated 1528 and the last 1686. The herald not only examined the pedigrees of the gentry and their right to bear arms but also the heraldic bearings put up in houses, churches and public buildings and if faulty did take them down and deface them.

Mr. Dugdale visited his whole province between 1662 and 1666 viz. Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire, Staffordshire, Cheshire, Lancashire, Westmorland, Cumberland, Yorkshire, Durham and Northumberland in many of which his clerk Gregory King made sketches of the towns, castles and other interesting features; his first being of Lancaster castle4 1665 drawn at the age of 16. (The location of any other of his sketches is in doubt).

Visitations of Lancashire in 1664 & 1665

Mr. Dugdale and his ‘fidus achates’ made their first visit to Lancashire in September 1664 but 73 of the gentlemen did not appear at the first sitting in September and were given a second chance to appear in the spring of 1665 on Saturday 11th March. Dugdale was not pleased with this situation but as he was a Royalist and likely to treat the Puritans with contempt they did not care to attend not to mention the high cost.

He issued a notice to the High Bailiffs of the Hundred of Salford on 2nd February 1664/5 “Whereas by virtue of his Majesty’s Commission under the great Seal of England, to me directed, you did receive a Special Warrant under the Seale of my office upon the 26th day of July last to warne divers persons residing in the hundred of Salford in Lancaster to make their respective appearances before me at the sign of ye Kings Head in Salford upon ye 9th day of the month of September last as well as registering their descents and justifying their titles of Esquires and Gentlemen as their right of such Arms and Crests which they usually show forth and bear.”

The number of gentry registering their claims on each day is surprisingly large on some occasions and how the herald coped with these numbers is difficult to comprehend. Viz.: -

Looking at the above timetable and the numbers involved one can only speculate on the method used to transfer the large volume of information to London. All the names and details are entered in a beautifully bound book at the College of Arms; the title page of which is drawn in magnificent coloured scrolls by Gregory King.

It is said that Sir W. Dugdale deputed Dr Kuerden at one time, to visit the gentry of Lancashire, respecting their coats of arms, and either to consummate or disclaim publicly at the assizes held at Lancaster, their right and title to such bearings, which the doctor performed accordingly. Because of this arrangement it is likely that Dr Kuerden and Gregory King were acquainted.

Visitation of Yorkshire

In 1665 they set off for Yorkshire arriving at Doncaster on 1st August staying at the Angel and went on from Barnsley and Pomfret [Pontefract] to Leeds where they were from the 9th to the 11th at the King’s Head. On the 13th August Langdale Sunderland formerly of High Sunderland, Halifax, who had fought and sold his property for the Royal cause had a respite given for proving his arms. Afterwards they visited York and other places but did not reach Halifax until 1st April 1666 when they stopped at Mr. Edward Hanson’s house. Six gentlemen attended the following day to have their arms and pedigree examined. Two of these had a respite given for proving and exhibiting their arms but ten others failed to attend. On 5th April the herald was at Wakefield at the Crown and later went on to Pomfret and had before him amongst others William Lacy D.D. Rector of Thornhill. Mr. Green of Liversedge had his pedigree certified but no arms.

Other Visitations

Gregory King visited, in 1681, Northamptonshire, Rutland, Leicestershire, Warwickshire, Gloucestershire and Worcestershire as the only heraldic officer that understood the method of visitation. In 1682 King and Mr. May of Chester visited Leicestershire, Warwickshire, Northhamptonshire and Rutland. The next summer 1683 they also visited Herefordshire and Monmouthshire, for Mr. Clarenceux upon his own account, which brought into the office £70 beside what Sir Henry St. George did. This making £530 built up the west side and south of the college.

The following year, 1684, Gregory King visited Cambridgeshire and Huntingdonshire and wrote up the visit in considerable detail some in different languages in a 63 page russet bound book now in the British Library7. His journey started on horseback at 4 p.m. in London on 4th July and he stayed the night at Ware. He had two servants and the following travelling linen: - 2 shirts, 2 pr of sh, 2 pr of ruf., 2 handk., 2 lace cr, 2 long cr, 1 cr neck besides, and 1 night cap.

Susan North, Deputy Curator, Textiles & Dress at the Victoria and Albert Museum was consulted regarding this abbreviated list of travelling linen and her extension is as follows.

“2 p of sh” would be two pair of shirt cuffs.

“2 p of Ruf” is likely two pair of shirt ruffles, that is lace or muslin ruffles attached to the shirt at the wrists (in contrast to the cuffs, which would be plain bands around the wrists).

Next are two handkerchiefs, then two lace cravats, two long cravats and one cravat neckcloth. Cravats were of muslin and more formal versions had Venetian needle lace ends. They wrapped around the neck, tied in front with the ends falling down the front of the shirt.

A neckcloth was also muslin, but for more informal dress, wrapping round the neck several times leaving a shorter end to drape in front. It is often difficult to be exactly precise about the differences between these items as only one or two of the very fine lace cravats survive from this period. The terms “neckcloth” and “cravat” were frequently used interchangeably although they may refer to subtle distinctions now lost to us. However they both had the same function. From the list, it is clear that the Herald was well equipped with essential accessories for more formal occasions: ruffles and lace cravats, as well as those to be worn while actually travelling: shirt cuffs and a neckcloth.

His itinerary was: - 

Stayed Saturday and Sunday night at the George in Ware and arrived back in London with two servants, on Monday at 11 am.

On page no 1 he lists the Huntingdon Justices of the Peace and names Samuel Pepys for Bugden and Brampton. For Sunday and Monday the 20th and 21st July on pages 46 to 48 inclusive he enters the family tree of Oliver Cromwell including the coat of arms of his ancestor Edwin apTydwall. On pages 49 & 50 he drew the east window of Bugden church showing the coats of arms. The 13th, 14th and 15th were spent at Ely cathedral sketching the windows and recording inscriptions on pages 15 to 21 and 23 to27 of his pocket book. At Ely nine people produced evidence of arms. One from a silver tobacco box. Some of the place names listed above are old Cambridgeshire Hundreds.