rence," and a resume of the qualifications was
added.

This was answered on May 10, 1602, before Henry Lord Howard, Sir Robert
Sidney, and Sir Edward Dier, Chancellor of the Order of the Garter: "The
answere of Garter and Clarencieux Kings of arms, to a libellous scrowle
against certen arms supposed to be wrongfully given. Right Honorable,
the exceptions taken in the Scrowle of Arms exhibited, doo concerne
these armes granted, or the persons to whom they have been granted. In
both, right honourable, we hope to satisfy your Lordships." (They
mention twenty-three cases.) "Shakespere.--It may as well be said that
Hareley, who beareth gould, a bend between two cotizes sables, and all
other that (bear) or and argent a bend sables, usurpe the coat of the
Lo. Mauley. As for the speare in bend, is a patible difference; and the
person to whom it was granted hath borne magestracy, and was justice of
peace at Stratford-upon-Avon. He married the daughter and heire of
Arderne, and was able to maintaine that estate" ("MS. Off. Arm.," W. Z.,
p. 276; from Malone).

It has struck me that the attempt to win arms for his father was in
order to _continue_ them to his mother.

In the Record Office I found the other day a note that explains what I
mean: "At a Chapitre holden by the Office of Armes at the Embroyderers
Hall in London Anno 4^o Reginae Elizabethae it was agreed, that no
inhiritrix eyther mayde wife or widdow should bear or cause to be borne
any Creast or Cognizaunce of her Ancestors otherwise than as followeth.
If she be unmaried to beare in her ringe, cognizaunce or otherwise, the
first coate of her Ancestors in a Lozenge. And during her Widdowhood to
Set the first coate of her husbande in pale with the first coate of her
Auncestor. And if she mary one who is noe gentleman, then she to be
clearly exempted from the former conclusion."[59]

FOOTNOTES:

[51] Cooke, Dethicke and Camden.

In the description of England prefixed to Holinshed's Chronicles it is
stated:

"A gentleman of blood is defined to descend of three descents of
nobleness, that is to saie, of name and of armes both by father and
mother" (p. 161). "Moreover as the King doth dubbe Knights and createth
the barons and higher degrees, so gentlemen whose ancestors are not
knowen to come in with William Duke of Normandie (for of the Saxon races
yet remaining wee now make none accompt, much lesse of the British
issue), doe take their beginning in England, after t