HERALDRY.

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standing order of the House of Lords (11th May, 1767),directing the heralds to take exact accounts and preserveregular entries of all peers and peeresses of England andtheir respective descendants, aiul an exact pedigree of eachpeer and his family, on the day of his first admission, tobe delivered to the house by the Garter principal king atarms. But the general inconvenience affecting private suc-cessions remains still without remedy.

Modern heralds, that is, those we properly call heralds,have lost much of the official distinction enjoyed by theancient ones. \\ hat relates to making out arms, rectify-ing abuses therein, &c. is now chiefly committed to the kingsat arms: and in the army a drum or trumpet has succeededto the oflicial functions of heralds ; being sent by the generalson the same errands, and on that account enjoy ing the sameprivileges. Their persons are under the protection of thelaw of nations, when they bear the marks of their officepublicly; i.e. the drummer his drum, and the trumpeterhis trumpet, in the same manner as was the coat of theherald.

The classes which distinguish these officers are kings, (ofwhich the chief is called Garter principal king at arms,)heralds, and pursuivants. Though the whole three ordersare styled heralds, yet it is said that only the two first areso, the last being regarded as novices or probationers. Itis remarked that the term herald is very properly applied tothe king at arms; because, it is said, the order of herald iscomprehended under that of a provincial king; the officeof such a king having in it the office of a herald e.v viorelmis, and something more ; for to he a herald was buta step to the kingship, as the being a pursuivant or noviceto the office of herald. These orders and degrees hear theimpress of a distinct character; that is, the person who is cre-ated king at arms is qualified with a new capacity to performcertain functions, which before his new promotion, whilst hewas only a herald, he had no pretence to do; but the pur-suivants being only candidates, probationers, or novitiates,and not really officers, were therefore very improperly in-cluded in the term herald. It hath been said, that personscould not arrive at the dignity of herald without havingbeen seven years pursuivant, and that they could not quitthe function of herald hut to be made king at arms.

Heralds being, at first, military men, had on that accountthe additions of “ armorum,” “ ad anna,” and “ d’arma,”and not upon any relation to coat-armour or ensigns ofhonour. Indeed, coat-arms themselves belonged to no other