Harley MS 6137

This manuscript contains copies of medieval armorial rolls made by 'Richard Kimbey', possibly the arms painter Richard Kimbe. Among his transcripts is a copy of the 'Camden Roll', a 13th-century English roll with the coats of arms of English and European monarchs, lords, and knights, now Cotton Roll XV 8.

Notes on the then owners of the rolls from which copies were made for this manuscript indicate that it was produced in the early 17th century. Among these are Nicholas Charles, who is identified as Lancaster Herald, an office which he held between 1609 and 1613; John Guillim, 'Pursuivant of Armes', who was permitted to wear the tabard of the Portsmouth Pursuivant Extraordinary in 1604 and was made Rouge Croix Pursuivant in 1618; William Segar, Norroy King of Arms, whose ownership is dated to 1605; and William Camden, 'Clarencieulx Kinge at Armes', Clarenceux King of Arms between 1597 and 1623.

Contents:

f. 1*verso: A full border featuring coats of arms interconnected by a tree in black ink; probably an unfinished title page.

ff. 1r-5r: 'Les sont les noms & les Armes de Bannarettes d'Angleterre'.

ff. 5r-7r: 'These Armes folowinge untille the beginning of the shieres . you. shall. finde hereafter . folio .29: under the title of Ces. sons. les. nomes. and les. armes. a batenes. de: Graunde Seginors'; with the coats of arms arranged by county.

ff. 7r-31v: 'Herafter foloweth the armes of the knights of every shire in England . in the time of king Edward the first begininge at the farthest part of the weste'; the original is in Cotton MS Caligula A XVIII, ff. 3r-21v.

ff. 31v-37v-: 'De la Tourney de a la ville de Dunstaple le an Seconde du Roy Edwarde le Fitz Edwarde'.

ff. 37v-40r: 'Cy commence les nomes et les armes des segniours et noble homes que estoent avecque le roy Edward le primere a la asseige de Karleveroke in estoce lan du grace 1300, 28 E I'.

ff. 40r-41v: 'Memorandum in the Olde Rolle sett in the olde Booke of Armes' and ending: 'This is the Copie of an Anncient Booke of Armes which Mr Glover Somersett haralde had of Mr Joseph Holand in Collers the Contentes wherof from the begininge of this Booke unto this place is the names and Armes of the noble men and knightes that were in the time of Kinge Edwardthe first and king Edward the Seconde'.

ff. 41v-44r: 'The names and armes of them that were at the Syege of Roane with King Henry the first Anno Regni 6: 1418'.

ff. 44r-45r: 'Tempore Edwardi quarti'.

ff. 45r-57r: 'This is the trew copeie of an Ould Rolle donn in Collares upon Parchment of those noble men and gentellmen that lyved in the tymne of Edward the firste, Remaining in the Custody of Mr. Nicholas Charles: Lancaster Herald'; copied from London, Society of Antiquaries, MS 517.

ff. 57r-61r: 'The Copy of a very ancient Role wrought in Coulours in Parchment in the tyme of kinge Edward the first Remayning in the custoy of Mr Johan Gwillim Pursuivant of Armes'.

ff. 61r-66r: 'In Rotulo antique Hec Arma sequentia suis proprijs Coloribus depingebantur, et in membrana tempore Regis Edwardi primi: In Custodia Willelmi Segar garterij principalis regis Armorum - 1605'.

ff. 66r-72v: 'The Coppy of an ould Role wherein these Coates following were lymmed of the one syde and in blason on the other syde as here is sett downe, whiche Role Remaines in the Custody of Mr William Camden Clarencieulx Kinge at Armes, made by his Coniecture in the tyme of King :H 3: or E I'; copied from Cotton Roll XV.8.

ff. 72v-89v: An untitled collection of English arms.

ff. 89v-99r: 'A very good Rowle of Kentish Armes & Som others'.

ff. 100r-111r: An alphabetical index of family names included in this manuscript.

The manuscript contains a few later additions:

f. 1*recto: A table of contents ('In this Book'); added in the (?) 17th century.

ff. 112r-113r: A second alphabetical index of family names includes in this manuscript; added in the (?) 17th century.

Decoration:

Coats of arms in black ink (20 per page), tricked, in frames drawn in red ink. Each new section is highlighted with a yellow bar.