10th July, 1561. In the Heralds’ College (I.C.B., No. 101, 20) is a grant of arms by William Harvey, Clarencieux King of Arms, to the Barber-Surgeons, in which he grants and assigns unto them for an “augmentac͠on to ther old and aunscint Armes (which is sables a chevrone between thre flumes argent) a chef paly argent & vert on a pale goles a lyon passant regardant gold betwene two spatters argent a roze gewles crowned golde & to ther creast upon the healme an opinacus golde standing upon a wreath argent and sables manteled gewles dubled argent.”
1565. This year, Harvey, Clarencieux, granted two supporters to the above arms, namely, “two lynxe in their proper Collor about there necks a crowne with a cheyne argent.”
1568. This year, Garter, Clarencieux, and Norroy, Kings of Arms, ratified and confirmed the above arms, crest, and supporters, with the following variations, the arms to be borne quarterly, “the ffyrst sables a cheveron bytwyne iij flewmes argent, the second quarter per pale argent and vert on a spatter of the fyrst a Dobele rose gules and argent crowned or, over all on a crosse gules a lyon passant Regardant or.”
12th June, 1569. The grant of Arms by Dethick, etc., is a beautifully artistic production, though, unfortunately, slightly damaged, and the seals are missing. In 1885 the Company had it reproduced in chromo-photography by Mr. William Griggs, whose work has been so skilfully executed that it is difficult to observe the least difference between the original and the copies.
With this grant is the first appearance of a motto “De præscientia Dei.” How this motto came to be chosen, or in what way it applies to the Barber-Surgeons, I am at a loss to point out. The following is the text of the grant.
To all and singuler aswell Kinges herehaultes and Officers of Armes, as nobles gentlemen and others to whome these presentes shall come be seene heard, read or understand Sir Gilbert Dethicke Knight alias Garter principall Kinge of Armes, Robert Cooke Esquire alias Clarencieulx kinge of Armes of the South partes of Englande, and Willm̄ Flower Esquire alias Norroy kinge of Armes of the northe partes of Englande send greetinge in our lorde god everlastinge. For as much as aunciently from the beginninge the valiaunt and vertuouse actes of excellent personnes have ben com̃endid to the worlde and posterite with sondrey monumentes and remembrances of their good deseartes; Emongest the which the chiefest and most usuall hath ben the bearinge of signes and tokens in shildes called Armes, beinge none other thinges then evidences and demonstracions of prowesse and valoir diversly distributed accordinge to the qualytes and deseartes of the persons meritinge the same To thˀentent that such as have done com̃endable service to their prince or countrey either in warre or peace, or other wyse by laudable and couragiouse entreprices or proceedinge of eny person or persons in thˀaugmentacion of the Estate or com̄on wealth of their realme or countrey might thereby receyve due honor in their lyves, and also deryve the same succesively to their successors and posteritie for ever. And wheras in this Citie of London thˀexperience & practise of the science and facultie of Chirurgery is most requisite and daily to be exercysed & experimented for the preservacion of meny, & by thˀoccasion of the practise thereof meny expert persons be brought up & experimented to the relief, succour, & helpe of an infinite nomber of persons. And for as much as within this Citie of London ther were two severall c͠opanyes, thˀone by the name of Barbours Chirurgeons, and thˀother by the name of Chirurgeons onely: the Barbours Chirurgeons being incorporate & ye other not, & bothe occupyenge ye arte of Chirurgery wheruppon greate c͠otention did arise. And for yt it was most meete and necessary yt the sayd two c͠opanyes shuld be united & made one hole body & so incorporated, to thˀentent that by their union & often assembly togither, thˀexercyse & knowledge of their science & mistery might appeere, as well in practise as in speculatiõ not onely to theim selfes, but to others under theim. So that it was thought most meete & c͠ovenient upon grave & greate c͠osideracion, to unyte & joyne ye sayd two c͠opanyes in one: wch was don as may appeere by an acte of parleament in an̄o xxxij of Henry theight wt these wordes “Be it enactid by the Kinge our souvereigne lorde & the lordes spirituall & temporall & the com̃ons of ye same, that ye sayde two severall & distinct companies, that is to say bothe ye Barbours Surgeons, & the Sourgeons & every parson of theim beinge a freman of either of ye sayde c͠opanies after ye custome of the sayde citie of London, & their successors, from hencefoorthe immediatly be unyted & made one entier and whole body corporate, & one societie perpetual, which at all tymes heerafter shalbe called by ye name of Maisters & Governours of ye mistery & com̃unalty of Barbours & Surgeons of London for evermore, & by none other name.” In consideracion whereof & for that it doth appeere a thinge most requisite for the unitinge of these two c͠opanyes togither and for that thˀoccupation of the Barbors Chirurgeons beinge incorporate hath since ye tyme of Kinge Henry the sixt used & boren Armes yt is to say Sables a cheveron betweene thre Flewmes argent wch Armes wer unto theim assigned onely by the gifte & assignement of Clarencieulx Kinge of Armes, as by ye patent thereof doth & may more plainly appeere. And since ye unitinge of ye sayde two c͠opanies these Armes of ye sayd corporation of Barbours Chirurgeons hath ben used & none other, yet notwtstandinge ye late Kinge Henry thˀeight of famouse memory assigned & gave unto ye company of ye Chirurgeons onely, a Cognoysance, wch is a spatter, thereon a rose gules crowned golde, for their warrant in fielde, but no authoritie by warrant for the bearinge of the same in shilde as Armes. And for yt it pleased ye same Kinge Henry thˀeight, not onely to unite & incorporate these two c͠opanies togither by acte of parleament but also hath ratifyed & c͠ofirmed the same by his letters patentꝭ under the greate seale of Englande & so lately c͠ofirmed by ye Queenes Matie that now is.[281] And wheras Thomas Galle in the 3 yere of the Queene’s Maties reigne that now is beinge Maister, Alexander Mason John Standon Robert Mudesley governors of ye same corporation mistery & comunaltie of Barbours & Chirurgeons being desirouse to have some signes & tokens addid & augmented to thˀold & auncient Armes of the Barbours Chirurgeons, not onely for a perpetuall memory as well of ye famouse prince Kinge Henry thˀeight their founder & patrone but also for a further declaration of ye unitinge of those two c͠opanies togither did instantly require the late Clarencieulx Hervy to consider ye premisses & to shew his endevor therein. Who finding their request just and lawfull did graunt & give unto them by his letters patentes under his hand & seale bearinge date the xth of July in the third yere of ye reigne of the queenes Matie that now is, an augmentacˀon in chief to their olde & auncient Armes wth heaulme & Creast to the same: which chief was paly argent & vert on a pale gules a lyon passant gardant golde betweene two spatters argent, on eche a double rose gules and argent crowned golde: and to their Creast on a torce silver and sables an Opinacus golde: Mantelled gules, doubled argent. And further in the tyme of Robert Balthrop Esquire serjeaunt of the Queenes Maties Chirurgeons then beinge Maister of the sayd mistery and comunalty of the Barbours & Chirurgeons and George Vaughan Richard Hughes & George Corron governours of the same corporation the sayd Clarencieulx Hervy did graunt unto the sayd corporation two supporters to those Armes before given them: which were two Linxe in their proper coulor, aboute their neckes a Crowne wt a chayne argent pendant therat: As by the sayde letters patentes more plainly doth appeere. Yet notwithstandinge for as much as it doth plainly appeere unto us the sayd Garter Clarencieulx & Norroy Kinges of Armes, that the aforesayd Armes in some respectes wer not onely contrary to the wordes of the corporation of the sayd Barbours and Chirurgeons but that also in the same patent of Armes ther ar sondrey other thinges contrary and not agreinge with the auncient lawes & rules of Armes: We the sayd Kinges of Armes by power & authoritie to us com̃itted by Letters patent under the greate Seale of Englande, have confirmed given and graunted the foresayd Armes Creast and Supporters heertofore mentioned, to be boren in maner and fourme heerafter specified. That is to say: Quarterly the first sables a cheveron betweene three Flewmes argent: the seconde quarter per pale argent and vert on a Spatter of the first, a double Rose gules and argent crowned golde: the third quarter as the seconde and the fourth as the first: Over all on a Crosse gules a lyon passant gardant golde: And to their Creast upon the heaulme on a Torce argẽt and sables an Opinacus golde: Mantelled gules doubled argent: Supported with two Linxe in their proper coulor about their neckes a crowne with a chayne argent pendent therat: As plainly appeerith depicted in this margent. Which Armes Creast and Supporters and every parte and parcell thereof, we the sayd Kinges of Armes have confirmed ratified given and graunted and by these presentes do ratify confirme give and graunt unto Richard Tholmwood Maister of the sayd mistery and com̃unatie Nicholas Archenbolde Thomas Burston and John Fielde Governors of the sayd Corporation mistery and com̃unaltie of Barbours and Chirurgeons and to their successors by the name of Maister and Gouvernours, and to the whole Assistantes Company and fellowshippe of the sayd Corporation mistery and com̃unaltie of Barbours and Chirurgeons within this Citie of London and to their successors for evermore: And they the same to have, hold, use beare enjoy and shew forthe in shylde, seale, banner or banner rolles, standard or standardes, penon or penons, pencell or pencelles or otherwise to their honors and worshippes at all tymes and for ever heerafter at their libertie and pleasure without the impediment let molestation or interruption of eny person or personnes, In witnesse wherof we the sayd Garter Clarencieulx & Norroy Kinges of Armes have signed these presentes with our handes . . . . . unto our severall seales of Armes, the second day of June In the yere of the nativitie of our Lorde Jesus Christ A thousande five hundred sixty nyne And in the eleventh yere . . . . . of our most dread souvereigne Lady Elizabeth by the grace of god Queene of Englande Fraunce and Irelande defendor of the faithe &c.
Gilbert Dethicke aɫs. garter principall Kinge of arms.
Rob Cooke Alias Clarencieulx Roy Darmes.
pˀmoy Wyllam fflower alias Norrey Roy Darmes.