Creation of Ulster King of Arms (1552)


Source: Rymer, Foedera (3d ed. 1741) t. 6 p. 3. (The translation from Latin is mine).
 

De constituendo Regem Armorum & Principalem Heraldum Hiberniæ. [1552]

 
Rex omnibus ad quos, &c. Salutem.

Sciatis quod, cùm inter reliquos qui ad nostræ Regiæ Majestatis Splendorem Ornatumque spectant Officiarios, non infimum ab antiquo inter primæ Classis Viros vendicant sibi locum Heraldi, qui à Veteribus vocari HEROES soliti sunt, quorum (scilicet) est Regum Lateribus pro eorum Magnificentia & Gloria assistere, Reipublicae consulere, Virtutes egregiaque Principum Facinora, & amplissimos Triumphos celebrare, fortia Virorum facta extollere, Vicia reprehendere, & Armorum Curam Suscipere, denique Domi Militiæ Bonis omnibus usui esse,

 The King to all to whom etc. Greeting.

Know ye that, whereas among the officers who look after the splendor and ornament of our royal majesty, the heralds, who were called by the Ancients Heroes, claim for themselves a not inconsiderable place among the first rank of men; whose tasks are to attend at the sides of kings for their magnificence and glory, look to the common good, celebrate the virtues and remarkable deeds of princes and their greatest triumphs, extoll the prowesses of men, rebuke vices, 
Nos muneri huic tam amplo Officioque splendido Virum alioquin industrium præficere cupientes,
Perpendentesque Fidelitatem, Reum praxim, Prudentiam, Probitatem ac Diligentiem dilecti & fidelis Servientis nostri Bartholomæi Butler aliàs York, ac gratuitum & acceptabile ejusdem Bartholomæi Butler quotidianum & laude dignum Servitium, ac strenuam præcarissimo Patri nostro Nobisque antehac Operam impensam habentes, Jure meritò id poscente, ac cæteris aliis Causis & Considerationibus Nos moventibus;		 We desiring to present this important and splendid office to a man diligent in all respects,
considering the loyalty, experience, prudence, honesty and diligence of our beloved and loyal servent Bartholomew Butler alias York, and the unpaid and acceptable daily and praiseworthy service of the same Bartholomew Butler, and the great efforts exerted for our most-dear Father and until now for Ourselves, and for other reasons and considerations us thereto moving,
De Gratiâ nostrâ speciali, ac ex certâ Scientiâ maturâ Deliberatione & mero Motu nostris, eundem Bartholomæum Butler aliàs Yorke in Regem Armorum & Principalem Heraldum totius Regni nostri Hiberniæ ereximus fecimus constituimus ordinavimus creavimus, ac per Præsentes erigimus facimus constituimus ordinamus creamus, Nomen ei ULNESTER imponimus & realiter coronamus, ac Officium illud, necnon Nomen ULNESTER, Stilum Titulum Dignitatem Libertatem Præeminentiam Jura Commoditates quæcumque, hujusmodi, Officio nunc & ab antiquo pertinentia dicto Bartholomæo Regi Armorum Ulnester damus & concedimus per Præsentes, of our special grace, certain knowledge, mature deliberation and mere motion, we have established, made, constituted, ordained, and created, and hereby establish, make, constitute, ordain and create the same Bartholomew Butler alias York as King of Arms and Principal Herald of all our kingdom of Ireland, we give him the name of ULSTER and truly crown him, and we hereby give and grant to said Bartholomew Butler this office and the name of ULSTER, the style, title, dignity, freedom, preeminences, rights and all such commodities now and of old pertaining to this office,
Habendum tenendum occupandum gaudendum & exercendum Officium illud, ac Nomen Stilum Titulum Commoditates & Præeminentias prædictas eidem Bartholomæo Butler pro Termino Vitæ suæ, cum omnibus Juribus Proficuis Commoditatibus & Emolumentis quibuscumque prædicto Officio qualitercumque nunc & ab antiquo spectantibus debitis sive pertinentibus, the same Bartholomew Butler to have, hold, occupy, enjoy and exercise this office, and the name, style, title, and said commodities and preeminences for the term of his life, with all rights, profits, commodities and emoluments whatsoever deemed now and from ancient times to be owed or pertaining to said office,
Dantes ulteriùs, & per Tenorem Præsentium, concedentes eidem Ulnester Auctoritatem Potestatem Libertatem Facultatem & Licentiam Clarorum Virorum Arma & Insignia inspiciendi discernendi corrigenda & ratificandi,
Necnon unicuique Differentias in eisdem secundum Armorum Leges imponendi & ordinandi,
Literasque Patentes Armorum Claris Viris & idoneis Personis donandi,		 further giving and by the tenor of the present conceding to the same Ulster the authority, power, liberty, ability and license to inspect, discern, correct and approve the arms and ensigns of illustrious men, to impose and ordain upon any differences in the same according to the law of arms, to give letters patent of arms to illustrious men and other proper persons,
Ac cætera omnia & singula quæ dicto incumbunt Officio Regis Armorum sive inesse dinoscuntur in Jure vel ex Consuetudine temporibus retroactis faciendi exercendi & exequendi, and to do, exercise and execute everything else which belongs to or is recognized in law or custom to appertain to said office of King of arms,
Qui quidem Ulnester, ad hunc Statum vocatus, Nobis præsentibus, aliisque Regibus Heraldis, ac quamplurimis Magnatibus & Fidedignis Regni nostri Angliæ prædicti, tunc coram Nobis præsentibus, & specialiter per Nos ad hoc vocatis adhibitis & solempniter requisitis, super Sancta Dei Evangelia solempne præstitit Juramentum; said Ulster who, appointed to this position, in our presence and that of other kings of arms, and several eminent and trustworthy men of our said realm of England, then in our presence by our special call, invitation and solemn request, gave solemn oath upon the Holy Gospels of God;
Dedimus insuper & concessimus, ac per Præsentes damus & concedimus eidem Bartholomæo, à Nobis in Regem Armorum & Principalem Heraldum totius Regni nostri Hiberniæ, ut præfertur, erecto, Quadraginta Marcas bonæ & legalis Monetæ Angliæ per Annum, aut tot & tantas Denariorum Hiberniæ Summas quæ se extendant ad prædictum Valorem Quadraginta Marcarum Angliæ, ratione causâ & exercitio ejusdem Officii pro Vadio & Feodo Officii prædicti, percipiendarum eidem Bartholomæo singulis Annis durante Vitâ suâ, de Thesauro nostro ad Receptam Scaccarii nostri Dublinensis, per manus Thesaurarii & aliorum Officiarorum nostrorum ibidem pro tempore existentium, ad Festa Paschæ & Sancti Michælis Archangeli  æquis Portionibus annuatim solvendarum, unà cum tali Libertura & Vestura, quali & in eisdem modo & forma prout cæteri Reges Armorum & Principales Regni nostri Angliæ Heraldi, habent seu habere debent, we have furthermore given and conceded, and by the present give and concede to the same Bartholomew, raised by us to king of arms and principal herald of our whole kingdom of Ireland, 40 marks of good and lawful money of England per year, or such sums of Irish money as represent said value of 40 marks of England, by reason of the same office as pledge and fee of said office, to be collected by the same Bartholomew every year of his life, to be paid from our Treasury to our exchequer in Dublin, by the hands of the Treasurer and our other officers therein present at such time, in equal portions each year on Easter and Michaelmas, along with such livery and clothing, in the same manner and form as other kings of arms and principal heralds of our kingdom of England have or ought to have,
Habendas & percipiendas Liberaturam & Vesturam hujusmodi eidem Bartholomæo annuatim, pro Termino Vitæ suæ, ad magnam Garderobam nostram Angliæ, per Manus Custodis ejusdem pro tempore existentis; such livery and clothing to be had and received by same Bartholomew each year, for the term of his life, at our great Wardrobe of England, by the hands of the wardens therein present at such time;
Eo quod expressa mentio, &c., aliquo Statuto, &c.
In cujus rei, &c.

Teste Rege apud Westmonasterium, primo Die Junii.

              Per Breve de Privato Sigillo.

 Although express mention, etc., any Statute, etc. 
In testimony of which, etc.

Witness the King at Westminster the 1st of April.

 By writ of privy Seal.
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Last modified: Dec 29, 2002