. America heraldica : a compilation of coats of arms, crests and mottoes of prominent American families settled in this country before 1800 . he Cavaliers of Virginia, the Puritans of New Eng-land, the Huguenots exiled from cruel France—were, most of them, men of good family; for, in those days, a largesum of money was required to equip a vessel, or even just to pay for passage on such a long voyage, and toprovide means of subsistence when arrived at ones destination. Let us quote here, in reference to the social status of the New England emigrants, a very conclusive argu-ment inserted by W. H
. America heraldica : a compilation of coats of arms, crests and mottoes of prominent American families settled in this country before 1800 . he Cavaliers of Virginia, the Puritans of New Eng-land, the Huguenots exiled from cruel France—were, most of them, men of good family; for, in those days, a largesum of money was required to equip a vessel, or even just to pay for passage on such a long voyage, and toprovide means of subsistence when arrived at ones destination. Let us quote here, in reference to the social status of the New England emigrants, a very conclusive argu-ment inserted by W. H. Whitmore, the father of American heraldry, in his review of SlllRLEVs Noble and Gentle Menof England. It will show to the reader how many of the emigrants of the XVII. century, although styded merchantsor yeomen, may have belonged, and, in fact, probably did belong, to families of gentle blood, entitled to coat-armor. Few points seem less investigated, writes JMr. Whitmore, than the origin and position of the farmers andmerchants of England after the cessation of tlie Wars <A the Roses. We find repeated instances of gentlemen by. PREFACE VII some heraldic cyclopsedia, consulted at random, or, more frequently, in the ever-fertile imagination ofthe inventor. Of course, our own century, especially in its second half, during this astounding period ofmaterial prosperity enjoyed since the late war, has opened, and still opens, a wide door to such unpun-ishable forgeries. Vanity had to be satisfied; the nouveaux riches had to be smuggled, some way orother, into the charmed circle; and so the jewelers, the stationers, the carriagemakers, insisted ongranting, of their own accord, to their vainglorious clients, some of the far-famed heraldic devices ofthe European grandees.* Thus, it came to pass, that all through Great Britain, Ireland, France, andthe Netherlands, new and unexpected branches began to spring out of ancient genealogical trees, thismiraculous connection being usuall
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