SUPERSEDED - Oath of Office - Levald Aurelius, Pursuivant
Firstly, I swear to my Sovereign Lord, the Duke, that graciously allows me to become Pursuivant to His Order of Heralds and to His College of Arms, in His Excellent Presence, to be true in all manners and points; that if I hear any manner of language or any other thing that should touch treason to His high and excellent Person, or to His noble and discreet Council, I shall discover it, so help me the Radiant Lord God.
Secondly, I shall be serviceable and secret in all points discovered to me, excepting treason as said heretofore, and hold myself lowly and humble in obedience to all knights and gentleness, to lords and ladies and to gentlemen and gentlewomen, and shall if asked counsel them to all the truth, worship, and virtue in that in me is, not lying in wait to blame nor to hurt none of the said estate in anything that may touch their honor, so help me Radiant Lord God.
Thirdly, I shall be serviceable and obedient to the Herald who is my Sponsor, and to all my brother Heralds of whatever station, and to the Masters of Ceremonies and the Sovereigns of Arms, and to their superiours in the service of the Duke. I vow that shall consider dear to me, as my parents, him who teaches me this Craft; that I shall look upon his children as my own brothers, to teach them as much of this Craft as they desire to learn when I am come to Mastery; and also that I will in my turn well and duly and gladly instruct, to the best of my ability, the Pursuivants who come after me, so help me Radiant Lord God.
Fourthly, I shall be true of all my reports; I will desire to be, as I may hap to be sent or taken, in the places of assembly both great and small, without fatigue or fear or fumbling; I shall have a ready ear and a clear mind that through me there may be given to my Sponsor a useful report of such worship as is occupied there. I shall dispose myself to be discreet and sober in my appearance, not too busy in language, ready to commend and loth to blame, and impeccable of manners so as to make myself welcome among even the most conscientious; so help me Our Radiant Lord God.
Fifthly, I promise, in case that fortune befall me to meet any gentleman of name and of arms that has lost his goods in Our Sovereign Lord's service, or in any other place of worship, if he requires of me my goods to his sustenance, that I shall give or lend to him as one trusting my Sponsor to repay, so help me Our Radiant Lord God.
Sixthly, if in case I shall be in any place such that I hear any language between gentleman and gentleman that should touch any strife or debate between the two of them or that is not virtuous, and afterwards following that I be sent for to come before our Duke to bear witness of the aforesaid language, I shall keep my mouth closed and report it not forth, and bear no witness to it without leave of both parties, and with their leave only shall I say the truth, and then allow neither for love nor for dread, but I shall say only the truth, so help me Our Radiant Lord God and holidom.
Seventhly, also I promise and swear to be true and secret to gentlewomen, widows and maidens, and in the case that any man would disworship them or do them wrong or force them or disinherit them of their livelihood, if they require of me my supportation I shall lend them my good counsel and shall truly and diligently certify them and make a true report of their right to Our Sovereign Lord or to any princes or judges, so help me Our Radiant Lord God.
Eighthly, whensoever His Grace the Duke shall command me or my Sponsor to give any message to any other king, prince, state, or any other person out of this His Realm, or to any person of whatever state, condition, or degree he be of within the same, that I shall as required do or assist in it as honorably and truly as my will and reason can serve me, as near to the charge committed in words and in substance as my said reason may attain to, and greatly to the advantage of Our Duke and His Realm. I shall further truly report again of the message and, always keeping myself secret for any manner of motion, only to such persons as unto whom I shall be commanded to utter my charge, discovering in no wise that I have in charge to keep closer than shall be prejudicial to the Duke Our Sovereign Lord and His Realm, so help me Our Radiant Lord God.
Ninthly, I shall do my true duty to grow every day more cunning in the offices of arms, so as I may be better furnished to execute with wisdom and eloquence such charges as My Sovereign Lord and His Realm or of His Realm any nobleman shall lay unto me by the virtue of the office to which I hope His Grace will one day erect me. I shall do my diligence to have knowledge of all the nobles and gentlemen within His march which should bear coats in the field in the service of Our Sovereign Lord, His lieutenants, officers, and commissaries, and their issue together with them, and such Arms as they rightfully bear, with the difference due to be given.
Tenthly, I promise that I shall forsake all vices, and be no common goer to taverns, the which might cause unvirtuousness and unclean language, and that I be neither a dice player nor a hazarder and that I flee places of ill-repute, and the company of men and women dishonest or corrupt. These articles and other abovesaid I swear truly to keep with all my might and power, so help me Our Radiant Lord God and holidom.
Levald Aurelius
Pursuivant to Lady Sothenic, Mistress of Heralds of Wessex
