Gerard Legh (died 1563) was an English lawyer, known as a writer on heraldry.
Life
He was the son of Henry Legh, draper, of Fleet Street, London, by his first wife Isabel Cailis or Callis. He was educated by Robert Wroth of Durants in Enfield, Middlesex, and probably by Richard Goodrich. Though Anthony Wood places him in the Athenæ Oxonienses (i. 428), he was not a student at the University of Oxford.
He served an apprenticeship to his father and became a member of the Drapers' Company. Subsequently, he became a member of the Inner Temple. He travelled in France, and in 1562 was preparing for a journey to Venice. He died of the plague on 13 October 1563, and was buried on the 15th at St. Dunstan-in-the-West, where a monument was erected to his memory. He left a widow, Alice, and five daughters.
The Accedens of Armory
Legh's only work, entitled The Accedens of Armory, London, 1562 (later editions 1568, 1572, 1576, 1591, 1597, and 1612), is written in form of a colloquy between ‘Gerarde the Herehaught and Legh the Caligat Knight.’ Richard Argall of the Inner Temple supplied a prefatory address and probably part of the latter passages of the book. In endeavouring to explain the art of heraldry, Legh is purposely obscure from fear of trenching on the official privileges of the College of Arms. The work supplies what appears to be a portrait of Legh himself in the fictitious character of ‘Panther Herald.’
J. P. Cooper described the book as "perhaps the most popular heraldic work of the later 16th-century." Its theories on gentility are based on those of the Boke of St Albans, with minor modifications; the consequence being that "highly restrictive definitions of gentility and right to bear arms without foundation in common law or long established usage were widely circulated."[1] The work strongly influenced the Workes of Armorie (1572) of John Bossewell.[2]
References
^J. P. Cooper, Ideas of Gentility, p. 58 in Land, Men and Beliefs: Studies in Early-Modern History (1983).
^Day, J. F. R. "Bossewell, John". Oxford Dictionary of National Biography (online ed.). Oxford University Press. doi:10.1093/ref:odnb/2938. (Subscription or UK public library membership required.)
gerard, legh, died, 1563, english, lawyer, known, writer, heraldry, life, edithe, henry, legh, draper, fleet, street, london, first, wife, isabel, cailis, callis, educated, robert, wroth, durants, enfield, middlesex, probably, richard, goodrich, though, anthon. Gerard Legh died 1563 was an English lawyer known as a writer on heraldry Life EditHe was the son of Henry Legh draper of Fleet Street London by his first wife Isabel Cailis or Callis He was educated by Robert Wroth of Durants in Enfield Middlesex and probably by Richard Goodrich Though Anthony Wood places him in the Athenae Oxonienses i 428 he was not a student at the University of Oxford He served an apprenticeship to his father and became a member of the Drapers Company Subsequently he became a member of the Inner Temple He travelled in France and in 1562 was preparing for a journey to Venice He died of the plague on 13 October 1563 and was buried on the 15th at St Dunstan in the West where a monument was erected to his memory He left a widow Alice and five daughters The Accedens of Armory EditLegh s only work entitled The Accedens of Armory London 1562 later editions 1568 1572 1576 1591 1597 and 1612 is written in form of a colloquy between Gerarde the Herehaught and Legh the Caligat Knight Richard Argall of the Inner Temple supplied a prefatory address and probably part of the latter passages of the book In endeavouring to explain the art of heraldry Legh is purposely obscure from fear of trenching on the official privileges of the College of Arms The work supplies what appears to be a portrait of Legh himself in the fictitious character of Panther Herald J P Cooper described the book as perhaps the most popular heraldic work of the later 16th century Its theories on gentility are based on those of the Boke of St Albans with minor modifications the consequence being that highly restrictive definitions of gentility and right to bear arms without foundation in common law or long established usage were widely circulated 1 The work strongly influenced the Workes of Armorie 1572 of John Bossewell 2 References Edit J P Cooper Ideas of Gentility p 58 in Land Men and Beliefs Studies in Early Modern History 1983 Day J F R Bossewell John Oxford Dictionary of National Biography online ed Oxford University Press doi 10 1093 ref odnb 2938 Subscription or UK public library membership required Attribution This article incorporates text from a publication now in the public domain Legh Gerard Dictionary of National Biography London Smith Elder amp Co 1885 1900 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Gerard Legh amp oldid 1121758922, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
