Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-12-06
STEALING A COAT OF ARMS.
What Makes up the Library OF n Car
riagemakCr and How It Is Used.

riagemakTr ana How IL Is l Sed.
1t is not q nerally known, but it is
nevertheless fact that every large car
riage manufacturing establishment in this
country has library. The work of only
two authors are in this library and these
are the production OF Mr.. Burke and Mr..
Lodge. "Burke's Peerage and Baronet-
age" Lodges book Of the same title and
"Burke's General Armory" are all that
is needed, but they are indispensable.
A man on whom fortune has smiled is
having a carriage built. 1t Is to be
heavy numbering affair and guaranteed
to have a look of ancient reSpectahility
about it before it comes out Of the shop.
Now he, sensible man, had intended to
have his cipher on the panels but the
ladies of the family are more ambitious
and keep at him until, in a moment Of
weakness, he consents to decorate his fam
lily carriage with u coat of arms. The
next question Is how TO get one. Hereto
fore be and his ancestors have struggled
along without armOrial bearings and
never especially felt the need Of them.
But now things are changed. Ifhe lived
in Brazil he would endow hospital and
the emperor would make him q baron
with coat of arms of great compleXity.
II he were an Englishman he might do
hundred things less expensive and get
pedigree and coat of arms from the Col
lege OF Heralds and write Sir before his
name.
But being an American there is no way
for him to get coat of arms except 10
steal it, and so the respectable old gen
tleman is driven TO the first theft of his
life. The New York College Of Heraidry
being no longer in existence, he confides
in the carriage manufacturer. TIE car
riage man brings out his library and in
the seclusion Of his private Office the coat
of arms of some more or less noble lord is
appropriated, to be subsequently trans
feTred to the rich mans family coach.
These people are rather particular about
their arms when they once get started in
the selection. Say, for instance. that the
man who wants a coat Of arms is named
Smith. The carriage man opens his
heraldic record and reads: Smith, Ed
ward Augustus Patrick Peter, First Bar
onet Of Mudtowne, County Kerry, Ire
land No, no." says the rich man
"Our family are English by descent"
\ few more pages are turned over and
then under a menagerie Of heraldic
animals the carriage manufacturer reads:
"Billingsgate, Marquis Of Smith Fitz
Plantagenetb, James Augustus Douglas
George, Marquis and Earl, Baron Smith
of County of York. The marquis assumed
in 1876 by royal license the additional sur
name of Fitz Plantagenet for himself and
his issue and quartered the Plantagenet
arms with his own"
"Ah. that must be the one" " says the
seeker after q coat of arms 81 have
heard that our family camo from York
shire
And so the arms of the Marquis of Bill
lingsgate blaze uu the panels OF the new
carriage when it rolls along the avenue.
Appropriations Of coats of arms would
make themselves less absurd il they
would read a rudimentarr book on her
aldry before they made the appropriation. |
For instance, Mr.. Smith, in appropriat- |
ing the coat of arms of the Most Honor |
able the Marquis OF BiningSgate," takes !
not only the arms OF Smith but the arms |
ii Fitz Plautagcnet and likewise the sup !
pOrters which can only he used by peer |
Of the realm. He surmounts the whole |
with the cap and CorOnet of marquis |
and any one versed in such matters would |
suppose tLRt peer was riding in the car
riaSe instead Of plain Mr.. Smith. Now il !
Mr.. Smith did really belong TO the family
Of the marquis, as he did not, he would |
he entitled only to the arms for Smith
without the cOronet, the supporters or the
motto. New York Tribune