The Heralds
Encyclopedia
The Heralds is a novel
written by Brian Killick in 1973. It is a fictional account of the inner workings of the College of Arms
in London. The book follows the exploits of the College's members after the announcement that the current Garter Principal King of Arms
will be retiring.
s and governments. Immediately, though, the book shifts its focus to the current set of officers of arms
at the College. At the end of the first chapter, Garter Principal King of Arms–the head of the body of herald
s – announces his intended retirement from the post in six months time.
The announcement by Garter throws the entire College of Arms into confusion. Set in the late 1960s, the retiring King of Arms
had led the College since the end of World War II
. Each of the other, twelve officers of arms in ordinary begins calculating his own chances of promotion to the top spot. Some continue about their own business, knowing that their dutiful service will be rewarded, however, Cecil Gascoigne, who is Chester Herald
, decides he will stop only short of murder in obtaining the coveted office.
Slowly, but surely, Cecil Gascoigne begins eliminating his competitors. His methods are diverse, and include devising for a colleague to be caught smuggling
illegal substances into England
; also using blackmail
and bankruptcy
to his advantage. Over time, Gascoigne begins grasping that unfortunate problems have befallen his fellow officers, and he is not the cause. Thinking that his competition has him on a list for elimination, Gascoigne begins doubling his efforts; by book's end, four officers of arms have died, and the rest disgraced.
As Cecil Gascoigne awaits the inevitable appointment as Garter King of Arms, he is arrested for an arson at the College of Arms that he did not commit. With his staff depleted and the College demoralized, Garter King of Arms decides to shoulder the burden and continue on in his duties.
doormen at the College of Arms, various secretaries
, and a mysterious former officer of arms known as Phantom Norroy and Ulster.
is described as a man of great character who was the guiding force behind the College of Arms during World War II. It was this man who kept the College going with a depleted staff. Following the war, he was rewarded with an appointment as Garter King of Arms. It was at a low point in the history of the College that Garter assumed control, and having rebuilt the staff of officers, he has prepared to retire. This retirement sets of the series of events that provide the story line.
who makes it his life's work to reach the pinnacle of the world of English heraldry. As is expected of every herald, Gascoigne made a thorough search of his genealogy
at his appointment. It was then that he discovered his family's original name was 'Gaskin' and that it had been changed to appear more noble. Gascoigne's mother had died when he was young, and his father was a drunkard who caroused with loose women. Gascoigne is personally responsible for the disgrace or death of several of his colleagues. His demise is at book's end, when arrested on suspicion of arson
.
is presented in The Heralds as the favorite to succeed to the post of Garter. Clarenceux King of Arms went off to World War II having already secured the second most senior post at the College. After the war, he assumed that he would be promoted to the top spot. Having been passed over, he assumes that the position will be his this time around. He is a very wealthy individual and has a house on Belgrave Square
. He maintained a large staff at the College and showered his colleagues with gifts in an attempt to get votes from them. His demise came when he failed to file his income taxes. When Cecil Gascoigne tipped off the tax services of the problem, Clarenceux had a fatal stroke.
is the complete opposite of Clarenceux. When word of Garter's retirement reaches the officers of arms, it is questionable if Norroy and Ulster even notices. His has been a life of hard work. He has become the poster child of the modern College of Arms and the ability of people to work their way up. His tabards are bought second hand as are his books. His colleagues know that his busy life is taken up doing as much work as possible. Norroy and Ulster dies of a heart attack when a mob swamps the College of Arms.
Catch-22
. This chronological befuddlement, combined with the convention of calling heralds only by their title can be confusing, but also adds to the humor. Killick also makes clear that the apolitical College of Arms has been around for a very long time and is slow to change. The following excerpt comes from chapter nine, in which the heralds resist the installation of a telephone until the very last moment. Even when a telephone is finally brought to the College, the officers of arms refuse to plug it in.
(1949), is based. In the film the anti-hero murders the six people who stand between him and succession to a Dukedom
. He is wrongfully tried in the House of Lords for the murder of his mistress' husband, found guilty and sentenced to hang. On execution day a suicide note is 'found' by his mistress and he is reprieved. The high-sounding family name
of the Dukedom in Kind Hearts and Coronets is D'Ascoyne and in Israel Rank it is Gascoyne. The plotter's name in The Heralds is Gascoigne.
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
written by Brian Killick in 1973. It is a fictional account of the inner workings of the College of Arms
College of Arms
The College of Arms, or Heralds’ College, is an office regulating heraldry and granting new armorial bearings for England, Wales and Northern Ireland...
in London. The book follows the exploits of the College's members after the announcement that the current Garter Principal King of Arms
Garter Principal King of Arms
The Garter Principal King of Arms is the senior King of Arms, and the senior Officer of Arms of the College of Arms. He is therefore the most powerful herald within the jurisdiction of the College – primarily England, Wales and Northern Ireland – and so arguably the most powerful in the world...
will be retiring.
Plot summary
The book begins with a brief introduction describing the lasting nature of the College of Arms through successive monarchMonarch
A monarch is the person who heads a monarchy. This is a form of government in which a state or polity is ruled or controlled by an individual who typically inherits the throne by birth and occasionally rules for life or until abdication...
s and governments. Immediately, though, the book shifts its focus to the current set of officers of arms
Officer of arms
An officer of arms is a person appointed by a sovereign or state with authority to perform one or more of the following functions:*to control and initiate armorial matters*to arrange and participate in ceremonies of state...
at the College. At the end of the first chapter, Garter Principal King of Arms–the head of the body of herald
Herald
A herald, or, more correctly, a herald of arms, is an officer of arms, ranking between pursuivant and king of arms. The title is often applied erroneously to all officers of arms....
s – announces his intended retirement from the post in six months time.
The announcement by Garter throws the entire College of Arms into confusion. Set in the late 1960s, the retiring King of Arms
King of Arms
King of Arms is the senior rank of an officer of arms. In many heraldic traditions, only a king of arms has the authority to grant armorial bearings. In other traditions, the power has been delegated to other officers of similar rank.-Heraldic duties:...
had led the College since the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Each of the other, twelve officers of arms in ordinary begins calculating his own chances of promotion to the top spot. Some continue about their own business, knowing that their dutiful service will be rewarded, however, Cecil Gascoigne, who is Chester Herald
Chester Herald
Chester Herald of Arms in Ordinary is an officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. The office of Chester Herald dates from the 14th century, and it is reputed that the holder was herald to Edward, Prince of Wales, the Black Prince. In the reign of King Richard II the officer was attached...
, decides he will stop only short of murder in obtaining the coveted office.
Slowly, but surely, Cecil Gascoigne begins eliminating his competitors. His methods are diverse, and include devising for a colleague to be caught smuggling
Smuggling
Smuggling is the clandestine transportation of goods or persons, such as out of a building, into a prison, or across an international border, in violation of applicable laws or other regulations.There are various motivations to smuggle...
illegal substances into England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
; also using blackmail
Blackmail
In common usage, blackmail is a crime involving threats to reveal substantially true or false information about a person to the public, a family member, or associates unless a demand is met. It may be defined as coercion involving threats of physical harm, threat of criminal prosecution, or threats...
and bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
to his advantage. Over time, Gascoigne begins grasping that unfortunate problems have befallen his fellow officers, and he is not the cause. Thinking that his competition has him on a list for elimination, Gascoigne begins doubling his efforts; by book's end, four officers of arms have died, and the rest disgraced.
As Cecil Gascoigne awaits the inevitable appointment as Garter King of Arms, he is arrested for an arson at the College of Arms that he did not commit. With his staff depleted and the College demoralized, Garter King of Arms decides to shoulder the burden and continue on in his duties.
Characters
The vast majority of the plot revolves around the thirteen ordinary officers of arms at the college. There are many secondary characters that play minor parts, including the other tenants in Cecil Gascoigne's building, two PolishPoland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
doormen at the College of Arms, various secretaries
Secretary
A secretary, or administrative assistant, is a person whose work consists of supporting management, including executives, using a variety of project management, communication & organizational skills. These functions may be entirely carried out to assist one other employee or may be for the benefit...
, and a mysterious former officer of arms known as Phantom Norroy and Ulster.
Garter King of Arms
Garter Principal King of ArmsGarter Principal King of Arms
The Garter Principal King of Arms is the senior King of Arms, and the senior Officer of Arms of the College of Arms. He is therefore the most powerful herald within the jurisdiction of the College – primarily England, Wales and Northern Ireland – and so arguably the most powerful in the world...
is described as a man of great character who was the guiding force behind the College of Arms during World War II. It was this man who kept the College going with a depleted staff. Following the war, he was rewarded with an appointment as Garter King of Arms. It was at a low point in the history of the College that Garter assumed control, and having rebuilt the staff of officers, he has prepared to retire. This retirement sets of the series of events that provide the story line.
Chester Herald
Cecil Gascoigne is the only officer at the College whose name is given. It is Chester HeraldChester Herald
Chester Herald of Arms in Ordinary is an officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. The office of Chester Herald dates from the 14th century, and it is reputed that the holder was herald to Edward, Prince of Wales, the Black Prince. In the reign of King Richard II the officer was attached...
who makes it his life's work to reach the pinnacle of the world of English heraldry. As is expected of every herald, Gascoigne made a thorough search of his genealogy
Genealogy
Genealogy is the study of families and the tracing of their lineages and history. Genealogists use oral traditions, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kinship and pedigrees of its members...
at his appointment. It was then that he discovered his family's original name was 'Gaskin' and that it had been changed to appear more noble. Gascoigne's mother had died when he was young, and his father was a drunkard who caroused with loose women. Gascoigne is personally responsible for the disgrace or death of several of his colleagues. His demise is at book's end, when arrested on suspicion of arson
Arson
Arson is the crime of intentionally or maliciously setting fire to structures or wildland areas. It may be distinguished from other causes such as spontaneous combustion and natural wildfires...
.
Clarenceux King of Arms
Clarenceux King of ArmsClarenceux King of Arms
Clarenceux King of Arms is an officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. Clarenceux is the senior of the two provincial kings of arms and his jurisdiction is that part of England south of the River Trent. The office almost certainly existed in 1420, and there is a fair degree of...
is presented in The Heralds as the favorite to succeed to the post of Garter. Clarenceux King of Arms went off to World War II having already secured the second most senior post at the College. After the war, he assumed that he would be promoted to the top spot. Having been passed over, he assumes that the position will be his this time around. He is a very wealthy individual and has a house on Belgrave Square
Belgrave Square
Belgrave Square is one of the grandest and largest 19th century squares in London, England. It is the centrepiece of Belgravia, and was laid out by the property contractor Thomas Cubitt for the 2nd Earl Grosvenor, later the 1st Marquess of Westminster, in the 1820s. Most of the houses were occupied...
. He maintained a large staff at the College and showered his colleagues with gifts in an attempt to get votes from them. His demise came when he failed to file his income taxes. When Cecil Gascoigne tipped off the tax services of the problem, Clarenceux had a fatal stroke.
Norroy and Ulster King of Arms
Norroy and Ulster King of ArmsNorroy and Ulster King of Arms
Norroy and Ulster King of Arms is one of the senior Officers of Arms of the College of Arms, and the junior of the two provincial Kings of Arms. The current office is the combination of two former appointments...
is the complete opposite of Clarenceux. When word of Garter's retirement reaches the officers of arms, it is questionable if Norroy and Ulster even notices. His has been a life of hard work. He has become the poster child of the modern College of Arms and the ability of people to work their way up. His tabards are bought second hand as are his books. His colleagues know that his busy life is taken up doing as much work as possible. Norroy and Ulster dies of a heart attack when a mob swamps the College of Arms.
Major themes
In this novel, Brian Killick takes the reader on a journey into the secret inner politics of the herald's college. This is a world that few people have entered, and Killick's interpretation creates some very interesting personalities. The book is well written, though seen as a trifle contrived. In style, The Heralds has a narrative that is not quite sequential and is similar to Heller'sJoseph Heller
Joseph Heller was a US satirical novelist, short story writer, and playwright. His best known work is Catch-22, a novel about US servicemen during World War II...
Catch-22
Catch-22
Catch-22 is a satirical, historical novel by the American author Joseph Heller. He began writing it in 1953, and the novel was first published in 1961. It is set during World War II in 1943 and is frequently cited as one of the great literary works of the twentieth century...
. This chronological befuddlement, combined with the convention of calling heralds only by their title can be confusing, but also adds to the humor. Killick also makes clear that the apolitical College of Arms has been around for a very long time and is slow to change. The following excerpt comes from chapter nine, in which the heralds resist the installation of a telephone until the very last moment. Even when a telephone is finally brought to the College, the officers of arms refuse to plug it in.
- -"I give you notice," wrote an officer
[of the Society for the Preservation of Rural England] , "that I am going to try and telephone you at eleven o'clock tomorrow morning. If there is no corresponding telephone at your end, that will not be my fault. My patience is exhausted." - -"Telephone and be damned!" bellowed Clarenceux.
Allusions/references to other works
The plot resembles that of Roy Horniman's novel, Israel Rank (1907), on which the film, Kind Hearts and CoronetsKind Hearts and Coronets
Kind Hearts and Coronets is a 1949 British black comedy feature film. The plot is loosely based on the 1907 novel Israel Rank: The Autobiography of a Criminal by Roy Horniman, with the screenplay written by Robert Hamer and John Dighton and the film directed by Hamer...
(1949), is based. In the film the anti-hero murders the six people who stand between him and succession to a Dukedom
Dukedom
Dukedom may refer to:* Duchy, the territory ruled by a duke* the office of a duke-Places:United States* Dukedom, Kentucky and Tennessee, an unincorporated community in Graves County, Kentucky and Weakley County, Tennessee-Computer games:...
. He is wrongfully tried in the House of Lords for the murder of his mistress' husband, found guilty and sentenced to hang. On execution day a suicide note is 'found' by his mistress and he is reprieved. The high-sounding family name
Family name
A family name is a type of surname and part of a person's name indicating the family to which the person belongs. The use of family names is widespread in cultures around the world...
of the Dukedom in Kind Hearts and Coronets is D'Ascoyne and in Israel Rank it is Gascoyne. The plotter's name in The Heralds is Gascoigne.