¶ Gloucetur. Worcetur. Wigorn̄.
¶ Herfordshyre. Herford.
¶ Chesshyre. Shropshyre. ꝑte of Lācashire. Chestre.
¶ Yorkeshire. Stafordshire. Darbishire. Notynghamshyre.
and oder as parte of Lancastreshire. Yorke.
Prouẏnces of England.
Caunturburi. and Yorke. Stafford. Darby Notingham. Northumberlonde. Durham. Westmerlond. Tendale. Karlile
Here in thys booke folowyng is determyned the lynage of Coote armuris: and how gentilmen shaƚƚ be knowyn from vngentiƚƚ men. and how bondeage began first in aungeƚƚ and after succeded in man kynde. as it is shewede in processe boothe in the childer of Adam and also of Noe. and how Noe deuyded the worlde in .iij. partis to his .iij. sonnys. Also ther be shewyd the .ix. colowris in armys figured by the .ix. orderis of aungelis. and it is shewyd by the forsayd colowris wych ben worthy and wych ben Royaƚƚ. and of rigaliteis wiche ben noble and wich ben exellent. And ther ben here the vertuys of chyualry and many other notable and famowse thyngys to the plesure of noble personys shaƚƚ be shewyd as the werkys folowyng witteneses who so euer likyth to se thaym and rede thaym wych were to longe now to rehers. And after theys notable thyngꝭ aforesayde folowyth the Blasyng of aƚƚ maner armys in latyn french and Englisħ.
¶ Incipit Liber armorum.
Beyng in worthenes aarmes for to beere by the Royaƚƚ blode in ordynance all nobuƚƚ and gentyƚƚ men from the hyest degre to the lawyst ī thys booke shaƚƚ be shewed. and to deseuer Gentilnes from vngentilnes. ¶ In so moche thatt aƚƚ gentilnes cummys of god of heuyn. at heuyn I wyƚƚ begyn where were .x. orderis of aungelis and now stonde bot .ix. in coote armuris of knawlege encrowned fuƚƚ hye with precious stones. where lucifer with mylionys of aungelis owt of heuyn feƚƚ vnto heƚƚ and odyr places and ben holdyn ther in bondage. and aƚƚ where creatid in heuyn of gentiƚƚ nature. A bonde man or a churle wyƚƚ say aƚƚ we be cummyn of adam. So lucifer with his cumpany may say aƚƚ we be cummyn of heuyn. ¶ Adam the begynnyng of man kynde was as a stokke vnsprayde and vnfloreshed. and in the braunches is knowlegge wiche is rotun and wiche is grene.