Papers of the Winthrop Family, Volume 1

Confirmation of Arms, 15921

Dethick, William Burke, H. F.

1592-06-24

1927-01-01

John Wynthrope At mr. Myldmeys request of Essex.

To all and singuler Nobles & Gentillmen of what estate dignitie or degree bearing Arms To whom theis presentes shall come. William Detheck2 34

[PWF01fd6] 35alias Garter pryncipall kinge of Arms sendeth dewe com̃endacions & greetinges . . Knowe yee that whereas by vertu & sic the auncyent authoritie of my office frô the Queenes most excellent maiestie / I am to take generall notice & to make publique declaration Record & testemony for all matters & causes of Arms peedegres & descentes of all Noblemen & gentlemen Thoroughe all her Maiesties Kingdoms dominions pryncipalities Isles & Provinces. To thend that lyke as some by theyr auncyent names parentages kyndredes & descentes are generally knowen & Auncyently Regestred in the recordes of my office So others for theyr vertus valiantnesse dignities & desertes maye be worthely approved & better descerned by these lawdable ensignes & tokens of honor & worshipe most necessarie to be had & vsed in all the cõmẽdable actes of gentilitie/. Wherefore havinge proofe of this Shield or Cote of Arms apperteyning to the Name and Auncestors of John Wynthrop Sonne & heyre of Adam Wynthrop of Groton in the Countie of Suffolk gentleman I the said Garter pryncipall kinge of Arms. Accordinge to the authoritie & Custome of my office have thought good to declare, Blaze, & exemplefie the same Shield or Cote of Arms together with A Crest or Cognizance appropriate for Atchievement to the same. Viz. d’argent three Cheverons Gules over all A Lyon rampant Sables, armed & langued, Azure.—And for his Creast or Cognizance A hare proper, runninge on A mount Vert, sett vppô A helmet in A wrethe of his Coullors with mantelles and Tasselles, as appearethe in this margent. To have and to hould vse & enioye the said Shield & Cote of Arms with the said three Cheuerons and the Lyon rampant Together with the Creast or Cognizance of the hare runninge vppô A grene hill, and every part & percell thereof vnto the within named John Wynthrope, gentleman & others the Children yssue & posteritie of the said Adam Wynthrope of Groton of the said Countie of Suff. gent: lawfully begotten: (observinge theyre due differences) for ever./. And that they may have vse & beare the same Arms & Creast vppon theyre Shieldes Targettes Swordes or ensignes for warre or in theyr Rynges Signettes & Seales for letters & evidences, or In & vppon theyre howses, buyldinges edifices, vtensiles & lyveries or other wyse, ether paynted, Carved, or figured, vppon Tymber, Marble, glasse, mettall, Stones, Tombes or monumentes:/ And finally for any other lawfull warrlyk or verteous & Ciuile vse and exercises, suche as by the Lawes of Arms & Custome for gentillmen apperteynethe: And this without any lawfull impediment or contradiction of any personne or persons:/ In wytnesse & perpetuall remẽbrance & testemonie herof I the said Garter, 36principall kinge of Arms, have to these lettres patentes subscribed my Name & fastened the seale of my office endorzed with the signett of my Arms. Yeoven at the office of Arms London the 24 daye of June in the xxxiiijte yeare of the reigne of our Soueraigne Lady Elizabethe by the grace of God Queene of England France & Ireland defender of the faithe etc. 1592

I hereby Certify that this is a Photograph of the Docket of a Confirmation of Arms to John Wynthrop, which appears in a book marked “Vincent’s Old Grants II” page 534 now remaining at the College of Arms, London.

1 January 1927 H. F. Burke College of Arms Garter King of Arms 1.

London, College of Arms, Vincent’s Old Grants, II, page 534 (docket, or copy). There is an early copy, with a good emblazonment, in the Library of Queen’s College, Oxford (MS. 36 [137], fo. II), a photograph of which has been communicated to us through the kindness of the Librarian. B. M., MS. Harleian 1453, fo. 33, gives a tricking of arms and crest by Ralph Brooke, York Herald (d. 1625), with the note: “This Armes and Crest is past by Patent by Garter 1594.sic to Wynthorp of Suffolk.” B. M., MS. Stowe 676, saec. xviii, “Docquets of patents for arms, a 35 H. 6 ad 45 Eliz.,” has (1), fo. 86 b,

“Arg. 3 ٨s g. over all a lion rampant sa. armed & langued bl. crest: an hare ꝑꝑ running on a mound sic vert. conf. by W. D. G. to Ioh. Wynthrope 24 Iun. 1592.

Adam Wynthrope = of Groton co. Suff. gent. Iohn Wynthrope”

For a view of this text as arranged on the printed page, please view the graphic for page 34. (2) fo. 97, “arg: 3 Cheverons gules over all a Lyon rampant sab: armed and langued Azure for Creast A hare proper running on a mount vert set upon a helmet in a wreath of his Colours with mantells & tassells Confirmed by W. Deth: Garter to Ino. Winthrope son of Adam Winthrope of Groton. in Suff. Gent. the 24 Iune 1592.” We have photographs of all these, and also of the trickings of arms and crest, ca. 1611, showing two chevrons only, in MS. Harleian 1820, fos. 1, 73 b; cf. Muskett, 10. We have not seen the badly worn emblazoned pedigree described by Muskett, 9. There is a copy of Dethick’s confirmation made by John Winthrop, A.B. Harvard 1700, in a Winthrop commonplace book of the eighteenth century. There are also inexact modern copies or derivatives. The text printed in L. and L. , I. 21–22, is from one of these; that in Muskett, 2–3, is from a ‘restored’ heliotype of the same derivative.

Sir William Dethick (1543–1612) was second son of Sir Gilbert Dethick (1519?–84), Garter king-of-arms, and by patent, April 21, 1586, was created Garter king-of-arms in succession to his father. His somewhat stormy career is given in the D. N. B. , XIV. 419–420.