AEICALD (derivation uncertain), an officer whose duty consists in the regulation of armorial bearings, the marshaling of processions, and the superintendence of public ceremonies. In the middle ages heralds were highly honored, and enjoyed important privileges; their functions also included the bearing of messages, whether of courtesy or defiance, between royal or knightly personages; the superintending and registering of trials by battle, tournaments, jousts. and all chivalric exercises; the computation of the slain sifter battle; and the recording of the valiant acts of the falling or surviving combatants. The office of herald is probably as old as the origin of coat-armor. The principal heraldic officers are designated kings-of-arms or kings-at-arms, and the noviti ates or learners are styled pursuivants. Heralds were originally created with much ceremony; they are now appointed by the earl-marshal in England, and by the lyon king-of-arms in Scotland. There are now in England three kings-of-arms, named by their offices Garter, Clarencieux, and Norroy; six heralds—Somerset, Chester, Windsor, Richmond, Lancaster, and York; and four pu•suivants, Rouge Dragon, Portcullis, Blue Mantle, and Rouge Croix. There have been at different periods other heralds,
whose titles are now laid aside; heralds extraordinary have else sometimes been created, as Edmonton, by the title of Mowbray, in 1764. In Scotland the principal heraldic officer is lyon king-of-arms; and there were till lately six heralds—Snowdmin, Albany; Ross, Rothesay, Marchmont, and Ilay ; .and six pursuivants—Lnicorn, Carrick, Kintyre, Ormond, Dingwall, and Bute. By 30 Viet. c. 17, the permanent number of heralds and pnrsuivants in Scotland is reduced to three of each. Ireland has one king-of-arms, Elster; two heralds, Cork and Dublin; and two pursuivants, of whom the senior bears the title of Athlone, and the other is called the pursaivant of St. Patrick.
The official costume of a herald consists of an embroidered satin tabard or surcoat of the royal arms, and a collar of SS. See KING-A•-AR3IS, PURSUI WANT, HERALDS' COL LEGE.