Lyon King of Arms Act 1672 OUR Soveraigne Lord Considering that albeit by the 125 Act of the 12 Parliament holdin by his Maiesties grandfather in the yeir 1592 the usurpation of Armes by any of his Maiesties leidges without the Authority of the Lyon King of Armes is expresly discharged And that in order therto Power and Commission is granted to the Lyon King of Armes or his Deputes to visite the whole Armes of Noblemen Barrons and Gentlemen and to matriculate the same in their Registers and to fine in One Hundreth pounds all others who shall unjustlie usurp Armes As also to Escheit all such goods and geir as shall have unwarrantable Armes ingraven on them Yet amongst the many irregularities of these late times very many have assumed to themselvis Armes who should bear none and many of these who may in law bear have assumed to themselvis the Armes of their cheiff without distinctions or Armes which were not caried by them or their predicessors Therfore His Maiestie with advice and consent of his Estates of Parliament Ratifies and Approves the forsaid act of Parliament And for the more vigorous prosecution therof Doth hereby Statute and Ordain that lettirs of publication of this present act be direct to be execute at the mercat cross of the heid Burghs of the Shires Stewartries Bailliaries of Royaltie and Regallitie and Royall Burrowghs chargeing all and sundry . . . Noblemen Barons and Gentlemen who make vse of any Armes or Signes armoriall within the space of one yeir aftir the said publication to bring or send ane account of what Armes or Signes armoriall they are accustomed to vse and whither they be descendants of any familie the Armes of which familie they bear and of what Brother of the ffamilie they are descended With Testificats from persones of Honour Noblemen or Gentlemen of qualitie anent the verity of their having and vseing those Armes and of their descent as afoirsaid to be delivered either to the Clerk of the Jurisdiction where the persones duells or to the Lyon Clerk at his office in Edinburgh at the option of the party vpon their receipts gratis without paying any thing therfore Which Receipt shall be a sufficient exoneration to them from being obleidged to produce again to the effect that the Lyon King of Armes may distinguish the saids Armes with congruent differences and may matriculat the same in his Bookes and Registers and may give Armes to vertuous and well deserving Persones and Extracts of all Armes expressing the blasoning of the Arms vndir his hand and seall of office . . . And his Maiestie hereby Dispensses with any penalties that may arise be this or any preceiding act for bearing Armes befor the Proclamation to be issued herevpon And it is Statute and Ordained with consent forsaid that the said Register shall be respected as the true and unrepeallable rule of all Armes and Bearings in Scotland to remain with the Lyons office as a publict Register of the Kingdome and to be transmitted to his Successors in all tyme comeing And that whosoevir shall vse any other Armes any manner of way aftir the expireing of year and day from the date of the Proclamation to be issued herevpon in maner forsaid shall pay One Hundred pounds money toties quoties to the Lyon and shall likewayes escheat to his Maiestie all the moveable Goods and Geir vpon which the saids Armes are engraven or otherwise represented ... . . . It is likewise hereby Declaired that the Lyon and his Brethren Heraulds . . . are to enioy all other priviledges belonging to their Office which are secured to them by the Lawes of this Kingdome and according to former practice