Pursuivant

The third and lowest order of heraldic officers. The office was instituted as a novitiate, or state of probation, through which the offices of herald and king-at-arms were ordinarily to be attained, though it has been held that a herald or king-at-arms may be made per saltum . For the present titles of the several British pursuivants, see Herald . In ancient times any great nobleman might institute his own pursuivant with his own hands and by his single authority. The dukes of Norfolk had a pursuivant called Blanch-lyon , from the white lion in their arms; the pursuivant of the dukes of North umber land was styled Espérance from the Percy motto, and Richard Nevil, earl of Salisbury, had a pursuivant called Egle vert .