Entred approved & allowed in the visitation made 1634
Hen: St. George
Richmond.
It will be observed that this grant recites that it plainly appeared that the grant of 10th July, 1561, was [a.] contrary to the words of the Corporation (i.e., Incorporation) of the said Barbers and Surgeons, and [b.] contrary to and not agreeing with the ancient laws and rules of arms.
With regard to the former assertion [a.] I take it that the grant being made to the “Master and Governors of the Corporation Mystery and Commonalty of Barbers and Surgeons” and not to the “Masters and Governors of the Mystery and Commonalty of Barbers and Surgeons of London” as they are styled in the Act 32 Hen. VIII, offended the precise Heralds of 1569, and that it was indeed a technical defect and contrary to the exact words of the incorporation.
As to the second point [b.] there cannot be any doubt but that Hervey committed a violation of one of the fundamental and most ancient laws of heraldry, viz., that colour must not be on colour (nor metal on metal). He gave the Company on their old sable field, a chief with gules and vert thereon! This greatly shocked old Garter, Clarencieux, and Norroy, and enabled them, whilst recording the blunder of one of their predecessors, to extract a good fee from the Barber-Surgeons for a new grant.
