HERALD

(Yunanca köken — orijinale bakınız.) An officer of arms, po e ed of important functions. The ancient heralds {xvj(v»i! among the Greeks, feciales among the Romans) were privileged persons, sacred by superstition as well as by the law of nations. Modern heralds, besides their emplojTTient on me ages between states and in matters of public negotiation (in which capacity their services are grown into disuse, or become merely subordinate), acquired anew character from the prevalence of hereditary devices on coats of arms early in the middle ages. The multiplicity of these inventions rendered it nece ary that there should be certain persons about a court skilled in interpreting or in " blazoning " them; according to the rulers of the imaginary science to which these fanciful creations were subjected. (See Heraldry.) It became also^ nece ary that they should have a perfect knowledge of the hereditary arms, ensigiis armorial, badges of honour, . belonging to each family, in order that they might constitute an authority to which appeal might be had in the disputes which frequently arose respecting the rights of mdividuals to these honourable distinctions. Hence the heralds became, in modern European countries, the depositaries of much of the genealogical science which is conversant in the pedigrees of noble or gentle families. They have also important parts to fulfil on occasions of public solemnity, pageants, installations, nuptials, funerals, . 5.V) [s. 563]