Noblesse

Noblesse

In Scotland, Scottish armigers are those individuals awarded personal arms by the Court of the Lord Lyon, and are an indication of nobility (either peerage or non-peerage in rank). All Scottish armigers are ennobled in their grant or matriculation of arms awarded by the Crown or Sovereign through the Court of the Lord Lyon, and by issuance of a warrant from the Lord Lyon King of Arms are so entered in the Public Register of All Arms and Bearings in Scotland through official "Ensigns of Nobility". Without such legal arms it is practically impossible to prove one's nobiliary status. Sir Thomas Innes of Learney, Lord Lyon King of Arm, also states, "Technically, a grant of arms from the Lord Lyon is a patent of nobility (also referred to a 'Diploma of Nobility'); the Grantee is thereby 'enrolled with all nobles in the noblesse of Scotland." It should be noted however that in 2018 the Lord Lyon quietly dropped the so called nobility clause from newly issued Letters Patent. According to the 2nd edition of Scots Heraldry at p. 198, Sir Thomas Innes of Learney, Lord Lyon writes:

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