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CHAP. XX. Why ARMS are chang'd. (Book 20)
ARms once taken ought not to be chang'd without a sufficient cause. The ordinary causes of changing Arms are six. First, When the bea∣rer becomes subject to another, and thus William the Conqueror chang'd the arms of England. 2. The succeeding to a greater Fortune, and thus the Familie of Stewarts arms were chang'd by our Kings, when they succee∣ded to the Crown 3. Adoption, as by Tailies with us. 4. Some con∣siderable new exploit, and thus a Savoyard having preserv'd Francis 1. at the Battle of Pavie crav'd liberty to change his arms, and take a sword arg. accompany'd with a flower de luce. 5. Some new devote enterprise, as those who went to the holy War. 6. Marks of cadency, and defamati∣on, and marriage: of which three last, I shall treat in separate Chapters.
What was meant by a Gentleman of Name and Arms in ancient Re∣cords is doubted: For some interpret this of those, who made profession of arms: Others do more justly interpret this of these, who came to the honour of having sirnames, and Coat-armour; for till William the Con∣queror's time in England, and King Malcome, Canmor's Reign in Scotland, there were no sirnames; but men were call'd by their Fathers name, as Gulielmus, filius Iacobi: but thereafter they got sirnames from the lands they possest: and therefore it was a mark of Nobility in those dayes, to have a Few, or Lands. But now a Gentleman of Name and Arms, is he, whose Name and Arms are registrated by Heraulds, as Menestier observes.