HERALDRY.

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Upon the introduction of the crusades in the eleventhcentury, those veterans would be selected as the most pro-per persons for carrying on a correspondence between theconfederate princes; and as each prince had then his pecu-liar symbol and armorial ensign, what could be more obviousthan t he investiture of such correspondents with their masters’coal of arms, which they wore painted upon their surtout,snreoat, or upper garment. This, we conceive, will de-monstrate not only the original of the term “ coat of arms,"but also furnish a probable surmise of the official distinctionof the heralds themselves into “ kings of arms," &c. Like- •wise the name “ herald" would accrue and become pre-valent from their frequent intercourse among the hosts ofvarious princes.

It is remarked, that soon after this period, the termheraldus frequently occurs in the constitutions of FrederickyEnobarlnis, providing for the safe conduct, or assigningpassports for the inviolable security of these officers. Withequal probability it may be also urged, that the benefitwhich the princes then in alliance, derived from such officers,was so evident, that after their return into their own coun-tries, they still retained this their manner of intercourse;which, at length, was extended to all messages to be sent,and all negotiations to be carried on and concluded betweenfriends and enemies. It should seem, the exact period ofthe introduction of the otliee of herald into England, hasnot yet been fully agreed to; although for the subsequentreasons, it may be probably fixed as early as the com-mencement of the reign of Henry 1 . notwithstanding theoldest record which names them occurs in the 12th of Ed-ward III . they are found mentioned in a pell roll, and a ward-robe account of that year. Sir Henry Spelmun proves fromfacts which he furnishes, that they must have existed longbefore that time. He says, “ England had its heralds," atthe period we have first assigned for that purpose, in thetime of Edward 1 . “ and that they were then actually dividedinto classes.” It has, it appears, been suggested by some,that the Saxon kings had such oflicers. I3ut upon the Nor-man invasion, they are said to be unknown. Hubert, thesubjugator’s eldest son, undertook an expedition into theholy laud, where, it maybe presumed, he became acquaintedwith the institution; but the influence of that prince herewas very circumscribed. '

However, even after his return, he does not appear tohave established such oflicers in Normandy. Richard Coeurde Lion was the first English monarch who personally en-

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