Herald of Arms in Ordinary

Preface. 19th April 1566. By patent dated the 25th Jan. 1565, he [Richard Turpin] was promoted to be Windsor Herald, and so created on Maundy Thursday the 19th of April following. Some years after, being in pecuniary difficulties, he was suspended from receiving the profits of his office because he owed certain sums to his successor Bluemantle and to York herald, but he was restored by the Earl Marshal on the 19th July, 1570, having previously presented the following petition to his grace, — how long before does not appear, for it is undated:

To the right honorable the duke of Norffolkes grace.

Shevveth unto your good grace your poor oratour Richard Turpyn, alias Wyndsor heraulde of arms, so it is, gracious honorable lord. That, whereas your saide oratour was a pursuyvant of armes in Caleys, at the losse therof, and there dwelled and inhabyted, his wages beinge ther above xU'. by the yere, and his londes above c. markes by the yere, as also his goods, plate, and moveables, and others esteemed above and better than uhi^li. so that by mysfortune of the saide losse of Caleys [he] was spoyled of londes, goodes, and wages, as also havinge ther another ofFyce of the Queues Majestie called by the name of Clarke of the Victuals, and their havinge the victuallinge, lodginge of all the workemen Shevveth unto your good grace your poor oratour Richard Turpyn, alias Wyndsor heraulde of arms, so it is, gracious honorable lord. That, whereas your saide oratour was a pursuyvant of armes in Caleys, at the losse therof, and there dwelled and inhabyted, his wages beinge ther above xU'. by the yere, and his londes above c. markes by the yere, as also his goods, plate, and moveables, and others esteemed above and better than uhi^li. so that by mysfortune of the saide losse of Caleys [he] was spoyled of londes, goodes, and wages, as also havinge ther another ofFyce of the Queues Majestie called by the name of Clarke of the Victuals, and their havinge the victuallinge, lodginge of all the workemen Shevveth unto your good grace your poor oratour Richard Turpyn, alias Wyndsor heraulde of arms, so it is, gracious honorable lord. That, whereas your saide oratour was a pursuyvant of armes in Caleys, at the losse therof, and there dwelled and inhabyted, his wages beinge ther above xU'. by the yere, and his londes above c. markes by the yere, as also his goods, plate, and moveables, and others esteemed above and better than uhi^li. so that by mysfortune of the saide losse of Caleys [he] was spoyled of londes, goodes, and wages, as also havinge ther another ofFyce of the Queues Majestie called by the name of Clarke of the Victuals, and their havinge the victuallinge, lodginge of all the workemen by that meanes now at this present 1 am greatly indebted, to ray utter undoyenge, oneles that your honorable lordshipp wyll and comaunde my company the kings andheraulds of amies that I may enjoie all such larges, comodities, and proffyts as shall growe to me by vertue of my saide offyce, I beinge an herauld of armes, seinge that I have not offended the prince, nor no part of your grace's comandements and decrees set forth by your grace, nor being no droncard, dycer, nor carder, no ruffyan, nor no spot of vylonny. I trust none of my companye can stayne me. Howbeit certain of my company hath dysbarred me of all my droytes and comodytees dew to me by my sayde servyce, which I have served by the space of this xx^i yeres in my saide call, and hath not received one penny out of the saide ofFyce syns the first of Aprill last past, so that, most honorable Lord, I have ben fayne to laye to gage all my rayment and my wyffes, with all suche poore stuff as I had. Furthermore I have served as paynfuUy and as daungerously as ony in the sayde offyce hath done, for ther hath ben no service thes xxiiijt' yeres past done beyonde the seas but lyghtly I have been at them, and I trust I am as well able to serve as any other are in the sayde offyce, and that wyll I stande to their judgementts, as also my good lord of Warwycke wyll testifie, with others, of my honest and paynfull service lately done with the sayde lord of Warwyck in Newhaven in Normandye, when ther I served under his lordship. Therefore, honorable lord, for so moche as I have loste all my londes and goodes which I was well able to lyve in Caleys before the losse thereof, and now a poore man, and not able to lyve oneless your good lordship do comaunde the saide companye the kings and heraulds of arms that I may receive all suche dewties and droicts as shall growe, with all other comodities, as all other the heraulds hathe, and so by that means I trust in God, with your good lordship's favour, shortely to come to some end with my credytors, that I am indebted unto, and to be at lyberty, and so yerely to paye unto them a portition of my saide proffitts, as shall growe unto me. And your saide poore oratour, accordinge to his bounden dewtie, shall dayly praye to God for your noble grace in moche felicitie, with th'increase of the same, long to contenewe.