In a telephone coversation that I had with Robert Noel, Lancaster Herald at the College of Arms in London, Robert read from a book called College of Arms Monograph Book. The book said that Robert Fayery alias Faythe Venet, Spat? was from Dunstable and London and made many trips to France. Robert Fayery was made Portcullis Pursuivant of Arms in Ordinary by King Edward VI from 1516 to 1549. Robert's blazon: Per fess or and azure a chevron between three eagles displ. counterchanged on chief gules as many lozenges ermine. His Blazon was for him or his brother or his father. Robert died in the latter part of 1549.
I found a book at the FHL in SLC titled The college of arms : being the sixteenth monograph of the London Survey Committee. FHL British Book 942 E4go. The following is what the book said about Robert Fayery on page 203:
1. ROBERT FAYERY, alias FAYTHE, VENABLES or SPRET
Portcullis, p.s. 25 August, pat. 28 September 1516.
Employed in France and elsewhere abroad at various times from 1518 to 1544; d. in the latter half of 1549.
Arms: Per pale or & azure, a chevron between 3 eagles counterchanged & on a chief gules 3 lozenges ermine. This coat was granted or confirmed by Clarenceux Benolt 22 March 1528, to 'Feyrey' of Dunstable and London together with the Crest: From a torse or & gules an arm erect the sleeve bendy of 4 pieces argent & sable, the hand proper holding up a handful of rye or.
¹Was the grantee Robert or his brother John?
¹This question was included in the book but I don't believe it could be the arms of Robert's father because his father Henry died in 1516 and the arms were granted in 1528. The Fayrey funeral pall includes the same coat of arms but was given to the Priory of Dunstable before this date. I have found a blazon of Fayrey of Dunstable that matches all of the above except that the crest is a Griffin with a sword. The above blazon would be either Robert's or his brother John's.(footnote added by Tim Farr)
Portcullis Pursuivant
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Portcullis Pursuivant of Arms in Ordinary is a junior officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. The office is named after the Portcullis chained Or badge of the Beauforts, which was a favourite device of King Henry VII. King Henry's mother was Lady Margaret Beaufort. The office was instituted around 1485, probably at the time of Henry's coronation. The badge of office is very similar to that of Somerset Herald of Arms in Ordinary, the latter being ensigned with the Royal Crown.
The office of Portcullis Pursuivant of Arms in Ordinary has been vacant since the promotion of the last holder in 1999.
Holders of the office
Brackets indicate a date or approximate date for which there is evidence that the named person was holder of this office. The reigning monarch is given if the date is not known more precisely.
(Hen VII ) Ralph Lagysse
1516 -1549 Robert Fayery or Fairy
1550 -1553 Richard Withers
1553 -1559 John Cocke
1559 -1559 Edward Merlin
From The Diary of Henry Machyn:
P. 49. Creation of heralds. The office of York herald was vacant by the creation of Bartholomew Butler, esq. to be Ulster King of Arms (the first of that title) Feb. 2, 1552-3; that of Lancaster herald from the expulsion of Fulke ap Howell, esq. who had been convicted of counterfeiting Clarenceux's seal, and executed; Portcullis, Richard Withers, gent. had been degraded as an accomplice of Howell. (fn. 3) The new heralds and pursuivants were, 1. Martin Marruf, or Marlfe, made York herald; he died April 20 or 21, 1563. 2. Nicholas Tubman, made Lancaster; he died Jan. 8, 1558-9. (See p 185.) 3. Hugh Cotgrave, made Rouge-Croix, afterwards Richmond herald, 1566. (see more of him in Noble's History of the College of Arms, p. 182.) 4. William Colborne, "my lord Cobham's servant," created Rouge-dragon; afterwards York Herald, Jan. 25, 1564; he died Sept. 13, 1567, and was buried at St. Dunstan's in the West. (See the Collectanea Topogr. et Geneal. vol. iv. pp. 99, 111.) 5. John Cockes, created Portcullis, was afterwards Lancaster, Jan. 18, 1558-9. (See p. 186.) His history is given in Noble, p. 183.
The writs of privy seal, dated the 22d and 24th Nov. for the creation of Lancaster and York heralds, are printed in Rymer's Fœdera, vol. xv. p. 357: and that for John Cooke (or Cockes) to be Portcullis, dated Jan. 3, in p. 359.From: 'Notes to the diary: 1553', The Diary of Henry Machyn: Citizen and Merchant-Taylor of London (1550-1563) (1848), pp. 328-37. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=45534. Date accessed: 02 April 2007.
Footnotes
3 See Noble's College of Arms, p. 146, and in p. 155 "Lant says he was degraded." Yet in p. 147 that very blundering author has made Robert Fayery, the predecessor of Withers, to be the accomplice of Howell,-in 1551, although he goes on to say that he died in 3 Edward VI. i. e. 1549. Noble imagined that the cause of Withers's disgrace was his having attended on the duke of Northumberland to Cambridge; whilst it was also before his eyes (p. 183) that it was Cocke or Cocks the new Portcullis that had been the duke of Northumberland's servant.From: 'Notes to the diary: 1553', The Diary of Henry Machyn: Citizen and Merchant-Taylor of London (1550-1563) (1848), pp. 328-37. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=45534. Date accessed: 02 April 2007.
The following is from Letters and Papers Foreign and Domestic of the Reign of Henry VIII.:
1539.
22 Aug. 73. DISLOYAL SPEECHES.
R. O. Examination of John Ryan, late of St. Botolph's without Algate, fruiterer, taken 22 Aug. 31 Hen. VIII., concerning a discussion in his house, the Bell, on Tower Hill, about St. Peter's tide last, between one _____ Clerk, who married one Mr. Martyn's daughter, Roger Dekonson, mariner, and others. In talking about Ireland, Dyconson said the Prince was going to reside in Dublin. Deponent said, God forbid he should go thither till he were 20 years of age and Crowned king. The said Clerk and Dyconson said there should never be king of England crowned after the present King. Replied that he had heard an old prophecy of Marlyn that Edward should succeed Henry and wear the crown of England, and that there should be more murder and traitors in his time than in his father's; and that the same prophesyer said to him, “O thou child that murdered thy mother in her womb, thou shalt bare so much treason wrought in thy time more than ever thy father had, and yet shalt thou prosper and go forth.”
The man who told him the prophesies* is in the King's service, a cunning prophesier and the best “cronacler” in England, but he refuses to give his name till he has spoken with some of the Council. Signed with a mark.
Pp., 2. Endd.: The confession.of John Ryant, the second time.
*His name is given in No. 102 as Robert a pursuivant. Most probably he was Robert Fayery, Portcullis Pursuivant. See Noble's College of Arms, 130, 147.
1539.
31 Aug. 102. DISLOYAL SPEECHES.
R. O. Deposition of Roger Dieons, mariner, 31 Aug. 31 Hen. VIII., before John Reve and Thos. Stroder, clerks of the Counter in the Poultry, as to what Robt. Harvy, now prisoner in the Counter, told him; concerning a priest called Sir Gregory, who serves in the parish of St. Botolph's without Algate, and Robert,‡ a pursuivant, friends of Ryan the fruiterer. now in the Counter, who said that all he had said was by prophesying of the same pursuivant. Signed: Roger Dyckyns.
Deposition of Robt. Harvy, draper, to the same effect. Signed. Pp.2. Endd.
‡Probably Robert Fayery, Portcullis Pursuivant. See No. 73.
28 Sept.
P. S.2396. For ROB. FAYRE.
To be pursuivant at arms, with the style of Portecolens (Portcullis), and 10l. a year. Corff Castle, 25 Aug. 8 Hen. VIII. Del. Westm., 28 Sept.
Pat. 8 Hen. VIII. p. 2, m. 7.
From: 'Henry VIII: September 1516, 16-30', Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, Henry VIII, Volume 2: 1515-1518 (1864), pp. 736-751. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=90921&strquery=Henry Fayre Date accessed: 16 October 2009.
28 April.
Strype's Mem. I., Pt. II. p. 50.4218. TYBALL'S CONFESSION.
Confession of John Tyball of Bumstede ad Turrim, before Cuthbert bishop of London, in his chapel at London House, 28 April 1528; which he afterwards signed; viz., that seven or eight years ago he had of one Holy John, certain books of the Four Evangelists, in English, which he burned the day Sir Ric. Fox was attached. From a chapter of the Corinthians, which he does not now remember, he was led to think the Sacrament of the Altar nothing but bread and wine. He had asserted, on Paul's authority, that every priest and bishop ought to have a wife; that it was as good to confess to God alone, or to a layman, as to a priest (which error he taught to Rob. Faire of Bumstede); that a layman might minister the Sacraments; that pilgrimages were unnecessary; that men should not kneel to images, or set candles before them. He had sometimes doubted the Pope's power to pardon, and thought mitres and crosses, &c. might better be given to the poor. He thinks the souls of good men (except saints like Peter and Paul) do not go to Heaven till the general resurrection, but remain in some place of joy and pleasure unless helped to Heaven by good prayer; while the souls of sinners remain in purgatory unless delivered by prayer. He had, however, held for a while, and disputed with Sir Richard Fox, that there was no purgatory. He had held that fasting was unprofitable; that sea water was as good as holy water (because when Christ first made the world and the water, &c., he blessed them, which was enough). He had conversed on these matters with Old Father Hacker alias Ebb, with Sir William Stryngar and Sir Arthur, parish priests of Bumstede, John Smyth of Bumstede, and Sir Ric. Fox, curate there; with Mother Beckwythe and Wm. Beckwythe at Colchester, old Christmas of Bockyng, and Wm. Pykas. Sir Ric. Fox had read to him from a book called The Wicket, in Johnson's house at Boxstede. Thinks Johnson and his wife are of the same sect; also John and Wm. Pykas, John Gyrling, and John Bradeley. Cannot tell about Thos. Mathwe's wife. He had refused to go on pilgrimage to Ipswich with his godmother Alice Gardiner, telling her it would be better to give her spare money to the poor. Had talked with Thos. Parker of the Gospels in English. Thos. Hilles, tailor, John Chapman, John Wyggan of Wytham, Rob. Fayre, and John Smythe of Bumstede are of the same sect.
About Michaelmas last was twelvemonth this respondent and Thos. Hilles came to London to buy a New Testament of Friar Barons at the Freers Augustines; found Barons in his chamber, with a merchant and two or three others; and, after a conversation about Sir Ric. Fox, curate of Bumstede, to whom Barons promised to write, the latter delivered to them an English Testament, for which they paid 3s. 2d., and he desired them to keep it close. Barons likened the Latin Testament to "a cymbal tinkling and brass sounding." Half a year ago he delivered the New Testament to Frear Gardyner, and never got it back.
Elene Tyball, his mother, and Alice, his wife, are guilty in all the foresaid articles, except his wife about the Sacrament of the Altar.
Five years ago he assisted one Friar Meadow, a Grey Friar of Colchester, to whom he had confessed, to abandon his religion; who has since gone to Amersham, and married a maiden of Colchester. He has also conversed often with Edmund Tyball. Signed by John Tyball with a mark.
ii. Tyball's abjuration follows in the next leaf of the MS.
From: 'Henry VIII: April 1528, 21-30', Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, Henry VIII, Volume 4: 1524-1530 (1875), pp. 1848-1866. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=91320&strquery=Henry Fayre Date accessed: 16 October 2009.