THe Kings most Excellent Maiestie being informed of many great abuses , offered to the Nobilitie and Gentrie of this Kingdome , aswell by the sinister practice of certayne mechanicall Trades-men , as Painters , Glasiers , Stone-cutters , Caruers , and many other Artificers , trading in Armoury , who presuming , without authoritie , to intermeddle with the marshalling of Armes , the erecting of Monuments , whereon Armes are to be fixed , Coats quartered , due differences to be obserued , being mysteries of Honour and out of their element , by reason whereof many great errors are daily committed , to the great offence and preiudice of our ancient Nobilitie and Gentrie of this Kingdome , and to the breeding of many ambiguous doubts and questions , which may happen in their Discents and Issues in future times , as also by a generall neglect of the Nobilitie and Gentrie themselues , in the omission of Funerals , and other ceremoniall Rites heretofore vsed , which are now almost or altogether laid aside . For remedie of which abuses and neglects , his Maiestie out of his Gracious and Royall disposition , so much tendering the preseruation of the good estate of his said Nobilitie and Gentrie of this Kingdome , esteeming them the principall Pillars of this Land , who in all former Ages haue beene thought fit to be distinguished from the vulgar and meaner sort and ranke of people , and thereby haue beene respected and renowmed thorowout all Christendome : Hath commanded vs his Commissioners for the Office of the Earle Marshall of ENGLAND , to looke into the aforesaid abuses and neglects : whereupon , we the said Lords , Commissioners , ( viz. EDWARD , Earle of Worcester , Lord Keeper of his Maiesties Priuie Seale ; LODOVICK , Duke of Lenox , Lord Steward of his Maiesties Houshold ; GEORGE , Marques of Buckingham , Master of his Maiesties Horse ; CHARLES , Earle of Nottingham , Lord high Admirall of England ; WILLIAM , Earle of Pembroke , Lord Chamberlaine of his Maiesties Houshold ; and THOMAS , Earle of Arundell ) hauing taken due and considerate deliberation of the Premisses , and finding that by reason of the daily abuses and neglects aforesaid , that not only his Maiesties Office , but also his Officers of Armes , the Kings Heraulds and Pursuiuants , being Officers of Honour , whose chiefest support and maintenance hath euer depended vpon the performance of the said Funerall Rites and Obsequies of the Nobilitie and Gentrie of this Land , taking at all such times Certificates of the Matches , Issues , and times of Decease of the Estates aforesaid , with their Armes , which of right they ought to beare , without wrong doing to any , and from whom his Maiestie henceforward will expect a more strict account then of late time hath beene had . By Vertue therefore of his Maiesties Commission to vs directed vnder the great Seale of England , bearing date the seuenth day of Februarie , in the fifteenth yeere of his Maiesties Reigne of England , France , and Ireland , and of Scotland the one and fiftieth , Doe order , decree , and ordayne , that aswell for the good of the said Nobilitie and Gentrie of this Kingdome , as otherwise , That from henceforth all Noble men , Baronets , Knights , Esquires , and Gentlemen of eminent Place , Office , Birth , and Qualitie , that shall be either silently buried in the Night time by Torch-light , or otherwise , by Day or Night time without the attendance of an Officer of Armes , shall neuerthelesse immediately after the death and buriall of euery such Defunct , returne a true Certificate of the Matches , Issues , and times of Decease , with their Armes , which of right they bore , for the which they shall pay into the said Office of Armes , such Fees as we haue and doe hereby set downe and appoint , viz. Euery GENTLEMAN , vsing Funerall Scutchions at his buriall , three pounds sixe shillings and eight pence , and vsing none , fortie shillings . Euery ESQVIRE of Coat Armour , sixe pounds thirteene shillings and foure pence . Euery KNIGHT , ten pounds . Euery BARONET and BANNERET , thirteene pounds , sixe shillings and eight pence . Euery BARON and BARONESSE , that ought to haue a great Banner and Bannerols , fiue and twentie pounds . Euery BISHOP , fiue and twentie pounds . Euery VICOVNT and VICOVNTESSE , thirtie pounds . Euery EARLE and COVNTESSE , fiue and thirtie pounds . Euery MARQVES and MARCHIONESSE , fortie pounds . Euery DVKE and DVCHESSE , fiue and fortie pounds : and , Euery ARCH-BISHOP , fiue and fortie pounds . All which said seuerall summes of Money , are to be paid to the said Officers of Armes , or their Assignes , being orderly demanded after the buriall of euery such Defunct , by the Heires , Executors , or Administrators , of all and euery Persons of the degrees aforesaid . The which Certificates and Fees , if they shall refuse to returne and pay , We shall , vpon complaint made by the Officers of Armes , to vs , or to the Earle Marshall of England for the time being , take such further order therein , as shall be thought meet and expedient for the accomplishment of his Maiesties commandement . And further , We the Lords , Commissioners aforesaid , doe straightly charge and command all the said Officers of Armes , which now are or hereafter shall be , to take a true Certificate of the Matches , Issues , and times of Decease of all the Estates aforesaid , with the Armes , which of right they ought to beare , without wrong doing to any ( they paying such Fees as are before set downe by these Presents ) and likewise , the like Certificates of all Gentlemen , whose estates exceede not on● thousand Marks , to enter them as exactly as the rest , paying no Fees at all , which Certificates shall be truely and carefully Registred , and safely kept in a faire Booke in the Office of Armes , as an authentique Record , which in future time may determine and end many questions that hereafter may arise , as by many examples of late times haue beene seene . Prouided alwayes , that if any of the inferiour degrees abouesaid , viz. Knights , Esquires , or Gentlemen , shall pretend pouertie or disabilitie , and shall make the same appeare by Petition vnto the Earle Marshall of England , or the Lords , Commissioners for the said Office for the time being , such order shall be taken therein , as that the Gentlemen shall be releeued , and the Office of Armes satisfied . Neuerthelesse , if any of the degrees aforesaid shall require to haue their Funerals honourably solemnized with Heraulds attendance , and such other ceremonies as haue in former times beene vsed , that then they shall pay all such Fees as heretofore haue beene accustomed . And for remedie of the former grosse abuses , which are daily committed by Painters , that keepe open shops of Armourie , and doe deuise and giue forth Armes at their pleasures , assuming the names of Heraulds Painters for their more countenance therein : Wee doe order and will , and in his Maiesties name straightly charge them , and euery of them , aswell within the Citie of London , as in all other Cities and Countries within this Realme , that from henceforth they presume not to paint any Armes vpon Coaches , or elsewhere , or Funerall worke , or to make or paint any Discents or Pedegrees , or giue any trick of Coats of Armes out of their Books and Shops for any of the Estates aforesaid , without the allowance and approbation of the Kings of Armes , to whom it doth chiefly appertayne . And for remedie of such abuses as are committed by Masons , which commonly make Tombs and Monuments , and doe ingraue diuers Armes and Matches , and set forth in their Inscriptions false Genealogies with vaine and friuolous Titles , setting vp Coronets vpon some vnfitting and impertinent to the qualities of the person whom they demonstrate : Wee charge them also and euery of them , by the immediate authoritie which we hold from his Maiestie , and doe thereby order , that they shall not from henceforth ingraue , or cause to bee ingrauen , painted or set forth any Armes , Genealogies , Epitaphs , or Inscriptions , or make any Monument , without it be first seene and allowed by the Kings and Officers of Armes whom it doth concerne , the Copie whereof with the forme of the Monument , to be drawne and entered into a Booke , which Booke shall be called , The Booke of Monuments , and be kept in the Office of Armes for euer , to the end if euer afterward any thing should happen to be added or diminished , or the Monument translated or defaced , as many are and haue beene , yet the truth may appeare by the said Register Booke . And whereas we are further aduertised , that diuers Glasiers , Gold-smiths , Cutters , Grauers , and Caruers , and other Artific●rs , doe vsually paint in Glasse , graue in Metall , and cut Seales of Armes , carue in Timber , and such like diuers Armes , Coates , and Crosts , without any warrant or knowledge of the same to be true and iustifiable , to the great wrong and preiudice of many Noble and ancient Families of this Kingdome . Wee doe hereby order likewise , and in his Maiesties name straightly charge and command them and euery of them , and all other Artificers whatsoeuer , to forbeare to paint in Glasse , cut Seales , or otherwise graue in Metall , or carue in Timber or otherwise , any matter of Armourie , before the draft thereof be first seene and allowed by the Kings and Officers of Armes , whom it shall concerne , vnlesse it be of the Nobilitie whose Coats and Quarterings are eminent and well knowne , or such of the ancient Gentrie as haue beene formerly viewed , approued , and allowed by the Prouinciall Kings of Armes , in their seuerall Visitations , within their Prouinces .