Sir John Ferne (c. 1553 – 20 June 1609) was an English writer on heraldry, a

genealogist Genealogy () is the study of families, family history, and the tracing of their lineages. Genealogists use oral interviews, historical records, genetic analysis, and other records to obtain information about a family and to demonstrate kins ...

, an eminent

common law In law, common law (also known as judicial precedent, judge-made law, or case law) is the body of law created by judges and similar quasi-judicial tribunals by virtue of being stated in written opinions."The common law is not a brooding omnipres ...

yer and MP.

Life

John Ferne was the eldest son of William Ferne of

Doncaster Doncaster (, ) is a city in South Yorkshire, England. Named after the River Don, it is the administrative centre of the larger City of Doncaster. It is the second largest settlement in South Yorkshire after Sheffield. Doncaster is situated in ...

, Yorkshire and Temple Belwood, Lincolnshire. He succeeded his father in 1592 and was knighted on 30 May 1604. He matriculated from St John's College, Cambridge in 1572, was said to have studied at

Oxford Oxford () is a city in England. It is the county town and only city of Oxfordshire. In 2020, its population was estimated at 151,584. It is north-west of London, south-east of Birmingham and north-east of Bristol. The city is home to the ...

, and was admitted to the

Inner Temple The Honourable Society of the Inner Temple, commonly known as the Inner Temple, is one of the four Inns of Court and is a professional associations for barristers and judges. To be called to the Bar and practise as a barrister in England and ...

in 1576. He served as a secretary in the

Council of the North The Council of the North was an administrative body first set up in 1484 by King Richard III of England, to improve access to conciliar justice in Northern England. This built upon steps by King Edward IV of England in delegating authority in the ...

(1595–1609). He was elected MP for

Boroughbridge Boroughbridge () is a town and civil parish in the Harrogate district of North Yorkshire, England. Historically part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, it is north-west of the county town of York. Until a bypass was built the town lay on t ...

in 1604, sitting until 1609. He died on 20 June 1609. He had married Elizabeth, the daughter of John Nedham of Wymondley Priory,

Little Wymondley Little Wymondley is a village and former civil parish situated between Hitchin and Stevenage, now in the parish of Wymondley, in the North Hertfordshire district, in the county of Hertfordshire, England. Paradoxically, it has a larger popula ...

, Hertfordshire, having ten sons and two daughters.

''Blazon of Gentrie''

His 1586 book entitled ''Blazon of Gentrie'' is written in the form of a dialogue, with six interlocutors, representing a herald, a knight, a divine, a lawyer, an antiquary, and a ploughman. Collumell, the ploughman, who speaks freely the language and opinions of the

yeomanry Yeomanry is a designation used by a number of units or sub-units of the British Army Reserve, descended from volunteer cavalry regiments. Today, Yeomanry units serve in a variety of different military roles. History Origins In the 1790s, f ...

at that time on several points, including the

Protestant Reformation The Reformation (alternatively named the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation) was a major movement within Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the Catholic Church and ...

. The strong prejudices of Paradinus, the herald, and Torquatus, the knight, are also described. Ferne enumerates as many as fourteen different methods of

blazon In heraldry and heraldic vexillology, a blazon is a formal description of a coat of arms, flag or similar emblem, from which the reader can reconstruct the appropriate image. The verb ''to blazon'' means to create such a description. The vi ...

. And these methods are as follows: 1. by colours; 2. by planets; 3. by precious stones; 4. by virtues; 5. by celestial signs; 6. by the months of the year; 7. by the days of the week; 8. by the ages of man; 9. by flowers; 10. by the elements; 11. by the seasons of the year; 12. by the complexions of man; 13. by numbers; 14. by metals. Though today its practice is considered absurd, it was an organic part of the then heraldic view.

Works

*''The Blazon of Gentrie: Deuided into two parts. The first named, The Glorie of Generositie. The second, Lacyes Nobilitie. Comprehending discourses of Armes and of Gentry. Wherein is treated of the beginning, parts and degrees of gentlenesse, with her lawes: of the bearing, and blazon of Cote-armers: of the lawes of armes, and of combats.'' John Windet for T. Cooke: London, 1586.

References

;Attribution {{DEFAULTSORT:Ferne, John 1550s births 1609 deaths Alumni of St John's College, Cambridge Alumni of the University of Oxford Members of the Inner Temple British heraldists English genealogists English lawyers 16th-century English writers 17th-century English writers 16th-century male writers 17th-century English male writers English knights English MPs 1604–1611 16th-century English lawyers

Life

''Blazon of Gentrie''

Works

See also

References