John Writhe
Encyclopedia
John Writhe was a long-serving English officer of arms
. He was probably the son of William Writhe, who represented the borough of Cricklade
in the Parliament of 1450–51, and is most remembered for being the first Garter King of Arms to preside over the College of Arms
. Writhe is also notable for the contention that it was he who developed the system of heraldic
cadency
employed by English officers of arms to the present day.
under Henry V
, but this is doubtful. By February of 1474 he had been appointed Falcon Herald. On 25 January 1477 Edward IV
made him Norroy King of Arms and on 6 July 1478, he was promoted to Garter Principal King of Arms
. Writhe officiated at Edward's funeral in April 1483 and at Richard III's
coronation the following July. As Garter he also took part in the coronation of Henry VII
who reappointed him on 13 February 1486 with back pay to the date of Bosworth
.
Writhe was the first Garter of the College of Arms, which had been incorporated in March of 1484. Contrary to popular belief, though, the College did not take its own coat of arms
from Writhe; the converse is more likely. As Falcon and Garter he was employed on numerous diplomatic missions to Scotland
and the continent, and at least once to Ireland
. An experienced armorist, Writhe collected and compiled many important armorial and genealogical
manuscripts. In 1498 King Henry VII granted him and Roger Machado
, Clarenceux King of Arms
, a joint licence to make visitations
.
. After Writhe's death, his son Thomas
styled him Sir John but there is no proof that he was ever knight
ed. His first marriage was to Barbara, daughter and heir of John Dunstanville. This union brought about the aforementioned Thomas (who was himself the father of Charles Wriothesley
, Windsor Herald
); William
, York Herald
; and two daughters, the elder of whom married John Mynne
, another York Herald. Writhe died some time during May of 1504 and was buried in St Giles Cripplegate
.
Officer of arms
An officer of arms is a person appointed by a sovereign or state with authority to perform one or more of the following functions:*to control and initiate armorial matters*to arrange and participate in ceremonies of state...
. He was probably the son of William Writhe, who represented the borough of Cricklade
Cricklade
Cricklade is a town and civil parish on the River Thames in north Wiltshire in England, midway between Swindon and Cirencester.On 25 September 2011 Cricklade was awarded The Royal Horticultural Society's 'Champion of Champions' award in the Britain in Bloom competition.Cricklade is twinned with...
in the Parliament of 1450–51, and is most remembered for being the first Garter King of Arms to preside over the College of Arms
College of Arms
The College of Arms, or Heralds’ College, is an office regulating heraldry and granting new armorial bearings for England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
. Writhe is also notable for the contention that it was he who developed the system of heraldic
Heraldry
Heraldry is the profession, study, or art of creating, granting, and blazoning arms and ruling on questions of rank or protocol, as exercised by an officer of arms. Heraldry comes from Anglo-Norman herald, from the Germanic compound harja-waldaz, "army commander"...
cadency
Cadency
In heraldry, cadency is any systematic way of distinguishing similar coats of arms belonging to members of the same family. Cadency is necessary in heraldic systems in which a given design may be owned by only one person at once...
employed by English officers of arms to the present day.
Heraldic career
It has been claimed that Writhe began his career as Antelope Pursuivant or Rouge Croix PursuivantRouge Croix Pursuivant
Rouge Croix Pursuivant of Arms in Ordinary is a junior officer of arms of the College of Arms. The office is named after St George's Cross which has been a symbol of England since the time of the Crusades...
under Henry V
Henry V of England
Henry V was King of England from 1413 until his death at the age of 35 in 1422. He was the second monarch belonging to the House of Lancaster....
, but this is doubtful. By February of 1474 he had been appointed Falcon Herald. On 25 January 1477 Edward IV
Edward IV of England
Edward IV was King of England from 4 March 1461 until 3 October 1470, and again from 11 April 1471 until his death. He was the first Yorkist King of England...
made him Norroy King of Arms and on 6 July 1478, he was promoted to Garter Principal King of Arms
Garter Principal King of Arms
The Garter Principal King of Arms is the senior King of Arms, and the senior Officer of Arms of the College of Arms. He is therefore the most powerful herald within the jurisdiction of the College – primarily England, Wales and Northern Ireland – and so arguably the most powerful in the world...
. Writhe officiated at Edward's funeral in April 1483 and at Richard III's
Richard III of England
Richard III was King of England for two years, from 1483 until his death in 1485 during the Battle of Bosworth Field. He was the last king of the House of York and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty...
coronation the following July. As Garter he also took part in the coronation of Henry VII
Henry VII of England
Henry VII was King of England and Lord of Ireland from his seizing the crown on 22 August 1485 until his death on 21 April 1509, as the first monarch of the House of Tudor....
who reappointed him on 13 February 1486 with back pay to the date of Bosworth
Battle of Bosworth Field
The Battle of Bosworth Field was the penultimate battle of the Wars of the Roses, the civil war between the House of Lancaster and the House of York that raged across England in the latter half of the 15th century. Fought on 22 August 1485, the battle was won by the Lancastrians...
.
Writhe was the first Garter of the College of Arms, which had been incorporated in March of 1484. Contrary to popular belief, though, the College did not take its own coat of arms
Coat of arms
A coat of arms is a unique heraldic design on a shield or escutcheon or on a surcoat or tabard used to cover and protect armour and to identify the wearer. Thus the term is often stated as "coat-armour", because it was anciently displayed on the front of a coat of cloth...
from Writhe; the converse is more likely. As Falcon and Garter he was employed on numerous diplomatic missions to Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and the continent, and at least once to Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
. An experienced armorist, Writhe collected and compiled many important armorial and genealogical
Genealogy
Genealogy is the study of families and the tracing of their lineages and history. Genealogists use oral traditions, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kinship and pedigrees of its members...
manuscripts. In 1498 King Henry VII granted him and Roger Machado
Roger Machado (officer of arms)
Roger Machado was an English diplomat and officer of arms of Portuguese extraction. He lived among the Portuguese merchants at Bruges in 1455.-Early heraldic career:...
, Clarenceux King of Arms
Clarenceux King of Arms
Clarenceux King of Arms is an officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. Clarenceux is the senior of the two provincial kings of arms and his jurisdiction is that part of England south of the River Trent. The office almost certainly existed in 1420, and there is a fair degree of...
, a joint licence to make visitations
Heraldic visitation
Heraldic Visitations were tours of inspection undertaken by Kings of Arms in England, Wales and Ireland in order to regulate and register the coats of arms of nobility and gentry and boroughs, and to record pedigrees...
.
Personal life
Writhe may have lived in Red Cross Street, adjoining Barbican House in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. After Writhe's death, his son Thomas
Thomas Wriothesley
Sir Thomas Wriothesley was a long serving officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. He was the son of Garter King of Arms, John Writhe, and he succeeded his father in this office.-Personal life:...
styled him Sir John but there is no proof that he was ever knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
ed. His first marriage was to Barbara, daughter and heir of John Dunstanville. This union brought about the aforementioned Thomas (who was himself the father of Charles Wriothesley
Charles Wriothesley
Charles Wriothesley was a long-serving officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. He was the last member of a dynasty of heralds that started with his grandfather—Garter Principal King of Arms John Writhe.-Personal life:...
, Windsor Herald
Windsor Herald
Windsor Herald of Arms in Ordinary is an officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. It has been suggested that the office was instituted specifically for the Order of the Garter in 1348, or that it predates the Order and was in use as early as 1338...
); William
William Wriothesley
William Wriothesley or Wrythe was an officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. He was the second son of Garter King of Arms, John Writhe; the younger brother of Thomas Wriothesley; and the father of Thomas Wriothesley, 1st Earl of Southampton.-Personal life:Wriothesley was probably born in...
, York Herald
York Herald
York Herald of Arms in Ordinary is an officer of arms at the College of Arms. The first York Herald is believed to have been an officer to Edmund of Langley, Duke of York around the year 1385, but the first completely reliable reference to such a herald is in February of 1484, when John Water...
; and two daughters, the elder of whom married John Mynne
John Mynne
John Mynne was an English officer of arms. He was the son of Henry Mynne of Gloucestershire, and son-in-law of John Writhe, the Garter King of Arms from 1478 to 1504.-Heraldic career:...
, another York Herald. Writhe died some time during May of 1504 and was buried in St Giles Cripplegate
St Giles-without-Cripplegate
St Giles-without-Cripplegate is a Church of England church in the City of London, located within the modern Barbican complex. When built it stood without the city wall, near the Cripplegate. The church is dedicated to St Giles, patron saint of beggars and cripples...
.
External links
Sources
- John AnstisJohn AnstisJohn Anstis was an English officer of arms and antiquarian. He rose to the highest heraldic office in England and became Garter King of Arms in 1718 after years of plotting.-Early life:...
. The Register of the Most Noble Order of the Garter. (London, 1724). - Walter H. Godfrey and Sir Anthony WagnerAnthony WagnerSir Anthony Richard Wagner, KCB, KCVO, FSA was a long-serving officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. He served as Garter Principal King of Arms before retiring to the post of Clarenceux King of Arms...
, The College of Arms, Queen Victoria Street: being the sixteenth and final monograph of the London Survey Committee. (London, 1963). - Mark NobleMark Noble (biographer)Mark Noble was an English clergyman, biographer and antiquary.-Life:He was born in Digbeth, Birmingham, the third surviving son of William Heatley Noble, a merchant there...
, A History of the College of Arms. (London, 1805). - A. F. Sutton and P. W. Hammond. The Coronation of Richard III: The Extant Documents. (New York, 1984).
- Sir Anthony Wagner. Heralds of England: a History of the Office and College of Arms. (London, 1967).
- Sir Anthony Wagner. A Catalogue of English Mediaeval Rolls of Arms. Harleian Society (London, 1950), 100.
- The College of Arms - Explains credit for cadency system.