English Patent of Arms to an Individual, circa 1576/7

TO ALL AND SINGULAR as well Nobles and Gentills as others to whome these presents shall come Robert Cooke Esquire alias Clarencieulx principall herehault and kinge of armes of the South East and West parte of the Realme of England from the River of Trent southwards sendeth greeting in our Lord God everlasting WHEREAS aunciently from the beginning the valiant and vertuous acts of worthie persons have ben comendid to the world with sondry monuments and remembrances of there good deserts Amongst the which the chiefest and most usuall hath ben the bearing of signes in shildes called Armes which are curdent demonstracons of prowes and valoir, which order as it was most prudently devised in the beginning to showe and finde in the heartes of men to the imitacon of vertue and noblenes Even so hath the same ben and yet is continually observed to the end that such as have don comendable service to their Prince or Contry either in warre or peace may both receive due honor in their lives and derive the same successively unto there posteritie for ever AND BEING REQUIRED of Henry Stanley of Sutton Bonnington in the countie of Nottingham gentleman, and of Anne his wife daughter of Richard Bradshaw late of Borny in the saide countie gent to make searche in the Registers and Records of my Office for the auncient Armes of those two severall houses whereof they are descendid, whereupon I have made search accordingly and do finde that the saide Henry Stanley may beare as his auncestors heretofore have don these armes and creast hereafter following THAT IS TO SAY golde thre Egle's Legges rased gules on a chief indented azure thre Staggs' heads caboshed golde, and to the creast upon the healme on a wreath silver and azure an Egle's head golde with thre pellatts and in his beake an Egle's foote rased gules, manteled gules debled silver And also that the aforesaid Anne wife to the saide Henry Stanley may also beare as her auncestors heretofore have done these armes herafter following VIDELICET silver to benletts betwene two martletts sables, as more plainly apeareth in the margent THE WHICH SEVERALL ARMES AND CREAST, and every part and parcell thereof I ye saide Clarencieulx Kinge of Armes by power and authority unto my Office annexed and granted by letters patent under the greate seale of England do ratifie confirme and allowe unto and for the saide Henry Stanley gent and Anne his wife and to their posteritie with their due differences according to the Lawe of Armes and they the same to have and enjoy forever without impediment let or interuption of any person or persons IN WITNES WHEROF I the saide Clarencieulx Kinge of Armes have sett hereunto my hand and seale of Office the eighteenth day of March Anno Domini 1576 and in the nineteenth yere of the reigne of oure Souvereigne Lady Quene Elizabeth
Robt Cooke Alias Clarencieulx
Roy D'armes