Right to bear arms?

Question

Hello everyone
Having only just started venturing into the realms of heraldry, I'm having trouble tracking down how my profile came to have the right to bear arms.

He was an esquire (died 1593), as was his father (died 1545) and possibly his grandfather (died 1514), and both of the first have the arms on their memorials, edit, only he has the memorial with arms, but I can't find a grant anywhere. Was it perhaps granted so long ago that it's lost in the depths of time? There isn't much mention of them in any visitations.

Any tips on where to look would be appreciated. Thanks!

Comments

I added the pre-1500 tag to bring it to the attention of that group (I always suggest tagging both Medieval and Pre-1500).

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Thanks, I only just noticed I'd forgotten that one!

Answer 1

I think you're right that they got a coat of arms long before the College of Arms was founded in 1484. For example, there was this William Holt of Aston, Warwick, esquire, in a case in Common Pleas in 1421:

Second to last entry, second line:
http://aalt.law.uh.edu/H5/CP40no641/bCP40no641dorses/IMG_1441.htm
Will'm Holt de Aston in Com. Warr. Armigerum.

Comments

Thank you!  I've made a note of that for future use. That's a great help :)

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Edward is under construction but I have added William, the father of Thomas of Aston. Still working on this, but I think William is the son of William, and William is the son of John.

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Thanks Vance, yes, Edward isn't quite finished yet. Thanks, and yes I think you're right about the ascendants.

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Have you seen this, A history of the Holtes of Aston, baronets?

https://archive.org/details/historyofholteso00davi/page/n19/mode/2up

It's 19th century, so to be treated with caution, but I can confirm some of the later stuff from other sources.

Simon atte Holte, married to Maud Colynge, of Bridgnorth. William Holte, Esq, of Aston, mentioned in Common Pleas, was his brother

John Holte, son of above. Married first Margaret Delabere, second Joyce Raynford

William Holte, esq, son of John and Margaret. Married Margaret Cumberford

William Holte esq, son of William and Margaret. Married Joan Knight

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Yes I did, thanks, it's in my research notes section.

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I've been collecting information from other sources and can build this tree back to Walter atte Holte, mid-14th century. I'll get to it over the weekend.

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That would be great!

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That was quick! Thanks :)
I found a reference to his (Edward's) son, Thomas in Cokayne's Complete Baronetage mentioning his father as Edmund. I'm sure that must be an error - what do you think?

https://archive.org/details/cu31924092524374/page/n127/mode/2up

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Edward and Edmund are easy to mix up, especially when abbreviated Edw and Edm, as they often are.

Also, I've taken the ancestry back to John (1400-70). I'll add a couple more generations tomorrow, Simon and Walter. Before that I don't have so many sources to confirm the Visitation.

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Very interesting/unusual for Cockayne to not be accurate.