The evening times., 1896-07-07
FUNCTIONS OF H[RALDs
They Are Shorn Of Much Of
Their Former Cory.
DIRECT STATE AFFAIRS
In Addition to This They Have the
Supervision and Concession of
Arm0rial Bearings.
DIRECT STATE AFFAIRS

of their duties III this nineteenth century,
now that they are no longer employed, Us
in medieval tunes, to carry messages or
peace and war from one monarch 10 an
other.
snorn of much of their former glory. as
well as OF those sacred attributes which
were conceded TO them alike by supersti-
ton and by the laws OF nations, their Chief
duty nowadays is the control, the super
vision and the concession of armorial bear
ingS, aud the direction or state cerenlO-
Mes and pa geants, In which they play IN
ornamental part. They are likewise en-
pioyed to proclaim in the capitals OF certain
countries The death or the monarch and the
accession to tie throne OF his or her sue
cessor. Finally, the bera,ds constitute u
court for the settlement of disputes arising
in connection with the right to Coats-oi-
arms and to nobllitary titles, says the New
York Tribune.
In England the heraldS have their head
quarters at the so-cailed college OF her
aids, in Queen Victoria street. As almost
the only remaining link between modern
times and the feudal system of the mis-
die ages 1t is well worthy visit on the
part of Americans who go to London this
summer. Although the character Of incor-
poration Of the chapter as now organized
dates back only to the reign of King
Richard III, whose signature it bears, yet
the reign of Edward III. 1t consists of
q president who bears the title of earl
marshal of the realm, OF five kings-at-
arms, OF ten heralds and OF eight pur-
suivants.
A SHREWD PERSON.
The earl marshars office, which is eighth
in rank and in point of precedence in the
vast British empire, mas been sinGelle realm
of King Charles ii, hereditary in the family
of the Duke of Norfolk, whose signature,
Norfolk, Earl Marshall is to be fouLsl
appended to many proclamation published
in the Official Gazette. Generally speak
ing, these proclama tons are of sumptuary
character, and one, clipping OF which
have before me, ordains national mourning
for the death of the Duke OF Clarence.
The Duke of Norfolk is the premier peer
Of the United Kingdom, and as such takes
precedence over every other member OF
the nobility, who is not a prince of the
blood. he does not at first sight strike one
as very Imposing or even prepossessing
parsonage. OF does he give one the Idea OF
being fitted, SO far as appearance goes, to
act as the chief OF all the chivalry of
the British empire. This feeling, how
ever, wears off by degrees; for he is man
of SO much shrewdness, com mon sense, and
aniability, that he creates after while an
excellent impression.
At the vatican, whittier he was sent sss.-s
ambassador to convey to the pope Queen
victoria's congratulations on the occasion
of the episcopal jubilee of his holiness u
few year sago, the duke is a great favorite,
hcipg held in high esteem by the pontiff,
who makes no secret of the great lineage,
the lofty station the illustrious house of
Howand. Each year the duke, who is the
mostdeyoted of Catholics, ma kes apilgrima ge
to Lourdes for the sake of invoking divine
assistance in behalf OF his only son. the
young earl OF Arundel, who is not only
bind, deaf and dumb, but also mentally
afflIcted--scarcely fitting, therefore, to
succeed his father in the office of earl
marshal of Great Britain and president of
the court chivalry.
ARRAYED IN GORGEOUS UNIFORM
The five kings arms, OF chief heralds,
bear the heraldic names of Garter, Claren-
Geux, Norroy, Lyon and Ulster. Claren-
cieux and Norroy have heraldic supervis-
| ion Of England and Wales, Lyon that OF
Scotland, and Ulster that of Ireland, while
Garter acts in the capacity of deputy presi-
| dent Of the chapter. Their uniforms are
scarlet and gold, over which on state occi.-
| sions is placed the ancient tabard a sort
| of short cape or clO1k, upon which are en-
| broidered IN gold the arms OF the sover-
| eign.
ihe heralds wear the same kind of
| tabard and uniform, the only difference
| between them Eeiug that whereas the or
| dinary heralds wear S. S. chains, or
| rather collars, of silver, the kings at arms
| have golden chains. as we'll as crowns of
| peculiar shape, which they place on their
| heads only when peers and peeresscs don
| their coronets; that Is TO say, at that par
| ticular moment OF the coronation Cerc-
| when Arehhishnn nf
| bury places the royal crown on the head
| of the sovereign The ordinary heralds
| number about Il Gozen, those for England
| hearing the heraidit names OF Somerset.
| Chester, Windsor, Richmond, Lancaster
| and York. aud are, OF course, subordinate
| to the kings-at-arms. The pursnivtuts,
| who were originally used To appreh.nd
| state criminals, whence their name, stand
J on a still lower plane. Their police duties
! have now ceased, however, and they &C
| cupy seats in the chapter with the kings
| alarms and heralds. being known as
'.Rouge Croix,'' .Blueman tle," Port
cullis," "Rouge Dragon" etc.
MORE THAN MAKE THEIR SALARIES
/ 1t may occur to some readers to ask
what possible modern benefit such cor
| poration us this can effect To justify the
| public outlay necessary for its support.
To this it may be answered that the
| official salaries of the heralds, Of the
| kings-at-arms aud OF the pursuivants are
more than recouped every year by the
taxes paid into the national treasury for
| the use of armorial bearings, everyone in
England who displays the latter being
compelled to pay an impost to the govern
mel mt, which varies in size according u
whether the arms figure on plate or ou
the panels of carriages.
Moreover, the buildings OF the college
| ho uCall-
served on the premises are the private
property OF the chapter, since the site anC
house were given to them by Queen Mary
Tudor to enable them to assemble to
gether and consult and agree among them
selves for the good of the faculty, ant
that the records and rolls of arms migh
be more safely and conveniently de
posted" This original building, grante,
by bloody" Mary, was destroyed in tn,
great fire of 1866; but all the records wer,
saved from destruction, and the college
was rebuilt from the designs of Sir Chris
topher Wren at the expense OF the heralds
themselves, who gave up their private fee
for the purpose.
The fees collected at the college el
heralds are twofold in character, namely
official and private, the former beni
turned over to the national treasury, Will,
| the latter are divided up among the mem
bers OF the chapter. The official fees ar
large, and are graduated according TO tH'
magnitude of the requirements. Thus tn
fee for new grant OF Il coat of arms cost
about $500. 1T must be borne in min,
that in Great Britain, as well as in th
other monarchical countries of Europe
no one cnn use a coat of arms or armOria
bearings who cannot prove his right thereto
either by inheritance in the male line direC
or else by grant from the college o
heralds, and that the hgal possession @
OF q coat of arms is requisite to cstab i;
the position OF u man as a gentleman.