William Harvey (officer of arms)
Encyclopedia
William Harvey was born June 1510 to Turner and Mary Harvey in Ashill
Ashill, Somerset
Ashill is a small village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated south of Taunton, and three miles north-west of Ilminster in the South Somerset district...

, Somerset. He was an only child. According to the Dictionary of National Biography vol 1-20, 22, William Harvey became a junior officer of the college of arms and was appointed the Bluemantle Pursuivant
Bluemantle Pursuivant
Bluemantle Pursuivant of Arms in Ordinary is a junior officer of arms of the College of Arms in London. The office is reputed to have been created by King Henry V to serve the Order of the Garter, but there is no documentary evidence of this. There is, however, mention of an officer styled...

 in ordinary on 18th June 1536. Under this title he accompanied William Paqet on an embassy visit to France. After this he was awarded the Somerset Herald
Somerset Herald
Somerset Herald of Arms in Ordinary is an officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. In the year 1448 Somerset Herald is known to have served the Duke of Somerset, but by the time of the coronation of King Henry VII in 1485 his successor appears to have been raised to the rank of a royal...

 coat of arms. Under this title he was recorded as being the only officer of arms to attend the funeral of Catherine
Catherine Parr
Catherine Parr ; 1512 – 5 September 1548) was Queen consort of England and Ireland and the last of the six wives of King Henry VIII of England. She married Henry VIII on 12 July 1543. She was the fourth commoner Henry had taken as his consort, and outlived him...

 Queen dowager of King Henry VIII.

In 1549 he was appointed the Norroy King of arms
Norroy and Ulster King of Arms
Norroy and Ulster King of Arms is one of the senior Officers of Arms of the College of Arms, and the junior of the two provincial Kings of Arms. The current office is the combination of two former appointments...

by Edward VI. During this time he made an official visit to Germany. Most strikingly he was despatched to France on 7th June 1577 to declare war on behalf of Queen Mary.

William died in Thame, Oxfordshire in 1567.
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