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The armorial bearings of persons
resident in countries with an existing law of arms and/or granting authority [or
former Granting Authority] will only be accepted where they have been granted,
recorded or matriculated by the recognised granting authority and that they are
the rightful arms of the applicant. Where armorial bearings are being claimed or
used by way of “ancient usage” the editor may ask to see a recent matriculation
or exemplification of the arms before they can be recorded against the name of
the present bearer.
In cases where, for example, a citizen of the United States of America is using
armorial bearings by descent from an armigerous ancestor who emigrated to the
USA from, say, England or Scotland where the arms were granted to said ancestor,
the editor will expect to see a recent matriculation or exemplification of the
arms or genealogical proof of descent from an armiger. In the event that the
armiger is not inclined to matriculate his/her arms with a heraldic authority or
provide genealogical proof of descent from an armiger the arms will be
registered as ‘assumed arms’ (see below).
The “status” of arms in the
Register will be recorded as Granted, Recorded or Matriculated; alongside a
record of the relevant granting authority where there is one. In cases where
there is no lawful granting authority the arms will be shown as “assumed” and
the date of assumption recorded. The College of Arms (England) has adopted the
practice of granting honorary arms to “foreigners”; such arms will be recorded
as honorary.
Subject to the discretion of the
editor all 'assumed' arms will be required to have first been accepted and
registered with some form of registration organisation or heraldry society
within the relevant host nation. Burke's intend the publication to be a register
of already existing arms that conform to the laws, customs, and traditions of
the country where the arms originate. Where laws and customs governing external
additaments are undefined, the register will record only a basic achievement.
Where the applicant uses a title
or titles or their armorial bearings feature additaments such as awards and
medals, ecclesiastical hats or supporters and coronets of rank the applicant
will be expected to assure the editor that they are genuinely entitled to them
and that the awards and titles themselves stem from genuine authorities. The
Editors decision will be final.
It will be the aim of the editor
to ensure that all armorial bearings within the International Armorial are
genuine and the persons whose names are included therein will be expected to
give an undertaking that the information they have furnished is true in every
respect. Where an armiger uses assumed arms he will be expected to satisfy the
register that prior to their assumption every effort was made to ensure that the
blazon could not be mistaken for any other coat of arms already in use by
another person, body or corporation. If, however the editor should discover,
that any record may not conform to the information supplied then the relevant
entry may be deleted from the register until the point at issue has been
resolved.
Applicants are advised that if
they are in any doubt about the acceptability of their armorial bearings they
should make prior enquiries. The Armorial Register reserves the right not to
accept any application. Where a substantial amount of work or research has been
undertaken on any application which proves to be unsuitable for the register (i.e
self styled (bogus) titles or no legitimate right to use of arms or additaments)
we reserve the right to recoup any costs incurred. |
