The Holy State, Book 2 · Chapter 22
CHAP. 22. The good Herald.
HE is a Warden of the temple of Honour. Mutuall necessity made mortall enemies agree in these Officers; the lungs of Mars himself would be burnt to pieces having no respiration in a truce. Heralds therefore were invented to proclaim peace or warre, deliver messages about summons of forts, ransoming of captives, burying the dead, and the like.
He is grave and faithfull in discharging the service he is imployed in. Maxime 1The names which Homer gives the Grecian Ceryces, excellently import their virtues in discharging their office: One was called Asphalio, such an one as made sure work; another Eurybates, cunning and subtle; a third Theotes, from his piety and godlinesse; a fourth Stentor, from his loud and audible pronouncing of messages. Therefore of every Heathen sacrifice the *Sr. Hen. Spelman Glossar. de verbo Herald.tongue was cut out, and given to the Heralds, to shew that liberty of speech in all places was allowed them.
2He imbitters not a distastfull message to a forrein Prince by his indiscretion in delivering it. Commendable was the gravity of Guien King of arms in France, and Thomas Bevolt Clarenceaux of England, sent by their severall Princes to defie Charles the Emperour. For after leave demanded and obtained to deliver the message with safe conduct to their persons, they delivered the Emperour the lie in writing, and defying him were sent home safe with rewards. It fared worse with a foolish French Herald, sent from the Count of Orgell to challenge combat with the Count of Cardonna, Admiral of Arragon, where instead of wearing his Coat of Arms the Herald was attired in a long linen garment, painted with some dishonest actions, imputed to the said Count of Cardonna. But Ferdinand King of Arragon caused the Herald to be whipt naked through the streets *Span. Hist. in the life of Ferdinand.of Barcelona, as a punishment of his presumption. Thus his indescretion remitted him to the nature of an ordinary person, his Armour of proof of publick credence fell off, and he left naked to the stroke of justice, no longer a publick Officer, but a private offender. Passe we now from his use in warre to his imployment in peace.
3He is skilfull in the pedigrees and descents of all ancient Gentry. Otherwise, to be able onelyonly to blazon a Coat doth no more make an Herald, then the reading the titles of Gally-pots makes a Physician. Bring our Herald to a Monument, ubi jacet epitaphium, and where the Arms on the Tombe are not onelyonly crest-fallen, but their colours scarce to be discerned, and he will tell whose they be, if any certainty therein can be rescued from the teeth of Time. But how shamefull was the ignorance of the French *Andr. Favin (a Parisian Advocate) in his Theatre of Honour, 1. book 4. chap. pag. 35Heralds some fourty years since, who at a solemn entertainment of Queen Mary of Florence, wife to King Henrie the fourth, did falsly devise and blazon both the Arms of Florence, and the Arms of the Daulphin of France, now King thereof.
He carefully preserveth the memories of extinguish'd Families, 4of such Zelophehads, who dying left onelyonly daughters. He is more faithfull to many ancient Gentlemen then their own Heirs were, who sold their lands, and with them (as much as in them lay) their memories, which our Herald carefully treasureth up.
He restoreth many to their own rightfull Arms. 5An Heir is a Phenix in a familie, there can be but one of them at the same time. Hence comes it often to passe, that younger brothers of gentile families live in low wayes, clouded often amongst the Yeomanry; and yet those under-boughs grow from the same root with the top-branches. It may happen afterwards that by industry they may advance themselves to their former lustre; and good reason they should recover their ancient ensignes of honour belonging unto them: For the river Anas in Spain, though running many miles under ground, when it comes up again is still the same river which it was before. And yet
He curbs their Vsurpation who unjustly entitle themselves to ancient Houses. 6Hierophilus a *Valer. Max. lib. 9. cap. 16.Ferrier in Rome pretended himself to be nephew to C. Marius, who had seven times been Consul, and carried it in so high a strain that many believed him, and some companies in Rome accepted him for their Patron. Such want not amongst us, who in spight of the stock will engraff themselves into noble bloods, and thence derive their pedegree. Hence they new mould their names, taking from them, adding to them, melting out all the liquid letters, torturing mutes to make them speak, and making vowels dumbe to bring it to a fallacious Homonomy at the last, that their names may be the same with those noble Houses they pretend to. By this trick (to forbear dangerous instances, if affinity of sound makes kinred) Lutulentus makes himself kinne to Luculentus, dirt to light, and Angustus to Augustus, some narrow-hearted Peasant, to some large-spirited Prince, except our good Herald marre their mart, and discover their forgery. For well he knows where indeed the names are the same (though alter'd through variety of writing in severall ages, and disguis'd by the lisping of vulgar people, who miscall hard French Sirnames) and where the equivocation is untruly affected.
7He assignes honourable Arms to such as raise themselves by deserts. In all ages their must be as well a beginning of new Gentry, as an ending of ancient. And let not Linea, when farre extended in length, grow so proud as to scorn the first Punctum which gave it the originall. Our Herald knows also to cure the surfet of Coats, and unsurcharge them, and how to wash out stained colours, when the merits of Posterity have outworn the disgraces of their Ancestours.
8He will not for any profit favour wealthy unworthinesse. If a rich Clown (who deserves that all his shield should be the Base point) shall repair to the Herald-office, as to a drapers shop, wherein any Coat may be bought for money, he quickly finds himself deceived. No doubt if our Herald gives him a Coat, he gives him also a badge with it.