Published online by Cambridge University Press: 21 April 2011
The only surviving manuscript of the Lord Marshal's Roll (LM) is preserved in the Library of the Society of Antiquaries of London (MS 664, vol. 3, fols 19–25 [Roll 15]; Wagner 1950, 38). The original was no doubt in poor condition when this copy, a Hatton-Dugdale facsimile, was executed c. 1640. Many shields are defective, often showing silver instead of gold (e.g., LM 59, 60, 64, 68, 71, 73, 79, 82, 87, 304; similarly, silver instead of vair, LM 127, 331, 463, 554), omitting charges (LM 58, 90, 103, 434 (see below), 585), and reversing tinctures (LM 322). Other shields are blank and/or bear no caption. In spite of these and other flaws, LM remains one of the most important rolls of arms of the reign of Edward I (1272–1307).2 It is one of the lengthiest rolls of the period—588 entries—and although some captions are garbled, most of the identifying names are quite legible. Also, LM was composed at a time of crisis for Edward I (1294–8) and on the eve of the war against the Scots (1296–1307) to which several later rolls bear witness (Prestwich 1988, 401–35; 469–516).