Guillim, John

, a heraldic writer, was son of John Guillim of Westburg in Gloucestershire, but born in Herefordshire about 1565. He was sent to a grammar school at Oxford, and apparently entered a student of Brazen* nose college in 1581. Having completed his pursuit of literature in the university, he returned to Minsterworth in Gloucestershire; and had been there only a short space, when he was called to London, and made a member of the society of the college of arms, by the name of Portsmouth; and hence promoted to the honours of rouge-croix pursuivant of arms in ordinary in 1617 in which post he continued till his death, which happened May 7, 1621. His claim to a place in this work arises from the concern he had in a work entitled “The display of Heraldry,” published by him in 1610, folio, which has gone through many editions. To the fifth, which came out in 1679, was added a treatise of honour, civil and military, by captain John Loggan. The last was published, with very large additions, in 1724, and is generally esteemed the best book extant upon the subject, but the entire merit of it does not belong to Guillim, %ut to Barkham (See Barkkam), chaplain to archbishop Bancroft, who gave the manuscript to Guillim, and allowed him to publish it in his own name. ²