Peacham, Henry: The compleat gentleman : fashioning him absolute in the most necessary and commendable qualities, concerning mind, or body, that may be required in a person of honor. To which is added the gentlemans exercise or, an exquisite practise, as well for drawing all manner of beasts, as for making colours, to be used in painting, limming, &c (London, 1661)

174

Os Armory and Blazonry*
CHAR XVI.
Of Armory 3 or Blazon osArmes, with*
the Antiquity and Dignity
os Heralds.
IT is meet that a Noble or Gentleman whobeareth
Amies, and is well descended, be not only able to
blazon his own proper Coat, derive by pedegree the
descent of his family from the original], know such
matches and allies as are joyned to him in blood; but
also of his Prince, the Nobility and Gentry where he
liveth; which is not of meer ornament, as the mostsup-
pose, but diverssy necessary and of great consequence:
as had i fortuned to have lived in those times, when
that fstall difference of either ROSE was to be deci-
ded by the sword ; with which party in equity and
conscience could I have sided, had I been ignorant
of the descent and pedegree Royall, and where the
right had been by inheritance of blood. Match, or Al«
liance.
How should we give Nobility her true value,respeft,
and title, without notice of her Merit > and how may
we guess her merit, without these outward ensignes
and badges of Vertue, which anciently have been ac-
counted sacred and precious; withall, discern and
know an intruding upstart, (hot up with the last nights
Mulhroom, from an ancient descended and deserved
Gentleman, whose Grandsirs have had their fliares in
every foughten field by the Englilh since Edward the
first > or my selfe a Gentleman kp||w mine owne
rank; there being at this inftant the world over, such
a medley ( I had almost said Motley ) of Goats, such
intrusion by adding or diminishing into ancient fami-
lies and houses; that had there not been within these
few years, a just and commendable course taken by