# John Ferne > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/John_Ferne > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/John_Ferne.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ferne > Source revision: 1322052781 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) English writer on heraldry, a genealogist, an eminent common lawyer and MP For those of a similar name, see [John Fearn (disambiguation)](/source/John_Fearn_(disambiguation)). **Sir John Ferne** [MP](/source/Member_of_Parliament_(United_Kingdom)) (c. 1553 – 20 June 1609) was an English writer on [heraldry](/source/Heraldry), a [genealogist](/source/Genealogist), an eminent [common lawyer](/source/Common_law) and MP.[1] ## Life John Ferne was the eldest son of William Ferne of [Doncaster](/source/Doncaster), Yorkshire and Temple Belwood, Lincolnshire. He succeeded his father in 1592 and was knighted on 30 May 1604.[2] He matriculated from [St John's College, Cambridge](/source/St_John's_College%2C_Cambridge) in 1572, was said to have studied at [Oxford](/source/University_of_Oxford), and was admitted to the [Inner Temple](/source/Inner_Temple) in 1576.[3] He served as a secretary in the [Council of the North](/source/Council_of_the_North) (1595–1609). He was elected MP for [Boroughbridge](/source/Boroughbridge_(UK_Parliament_constituency)) in 1604, sitting until 1609.[2] He died on 20 June 1609. He had married Elizabeth, the daughter of John Nedham of Wymondley Priory, [Little Wymondley](/source/Little_Wymondley), Hertfordshire, having ten sons and two daughters.[2] ## *Blazon of Gentrie* His 1586 book entitled *Blazon of Gentrie* is written in the form of a dialogue, with six interlocutors, representing a herald, a knight, a divine, a lawyer, an antiquary, and a ploughman. Collumell, the ploughman, who speaks freely the language and opinions of the [yeomanry](/source/Yeomanry) at that time on several points, including the [Protestant Reformation](/source/Protestant_Reformation). The strong prejudices of Paradinus, the herald, and Torquatus, the knight, are also described.[4] Ferne enumerates as many as fourteen different methods of [blazon](/source/Blazon). And these methods are as follows: 1. by colours; 2. by planets; 3. by precious stones; 4. by virtues; 5. by celestial signs; 6. by the months of the year; 7. by the days of the week; 8. by the ages of man; 9. by flowers; 10. by the elements; 11. by the seasons of the year; 12. by the complexions of man; 13. by numbers; 14. by metals. Though today its practice is considered absurd,[*[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)*] it was an organic part of the then heraldic view. ## Works - *The Blazon of Gentrie: Deuided into two parts. The first named, The Glorie of Generositie. The second, Lacyes Nobilitie. Comprehending discourses of Armes and of Gentry. Wherein is treated of the beginning, parts and degrees of gentlenesse, with her lawes: of the bearing, and blazon of Cote-armers: of the lawes of armes, and of combats.* John Windet for T. Cooke: London, 1586. ## See also - [Tricking](/source/Tricking) ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Simon Healy, [‘Ferne, Sir John (c.1560–1609)’](http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/9350), *[Oxford Dictionary of National Biography](/source/Oxford_Dictionary_of_National_Biography)*, Oxford University Press, 2004, Retrieved 7 September 2008 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-HOP_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-HOP_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-HOP_2-2) ["FERNE, John (c.1553-1609), of Temple Belwood, Lincs. and the King's Manor, York"](http://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1604-1629/member/ferne-john-1553-1609). History of Parliament Online. Retrieved 20 June 2013. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-Venn_3-0)** ["Ferne, John (FN572J)"](https://venn.lib.cam.ac.uk/cgi-bin/search-2018.pl?sur=&suro=w&fir=&firo=c&cit=&cito=c&c=all&z=all&tex=FN572J&sye=&eye=&col=all&maxcount=50). *A Cambridge Alumni Database*. University of Cambridge. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** [Stephen, Leslie](/source/Leslie_Stephen), ed. (1889). ["Ferne, John"](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Dictionary_of_National_Biography,_1885-1900/Ferne,_John). *[Dictionary of National Biography](/source/Dictionary_of_National_Biography)*. Vol. 18. London: [Smith, Elder & Co](/source/Smith%2C_Elder_%26_Co). **Attribution** This article incorporates text from a publication now in the [public domain](/source/Public_domain): [Stephen, Leslie](/source/Leslie_Stephen), ed. (1889). "[Ferne, John](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Dictionary_of_National_Biography,_1885-1900/Ferne,_John)". *[Dictionary of National Biography](/source/Dictionary_of_National_Biography)*. Vol. 18. London: [Smith, Elder & Co](/source/Smith%2C_Elder_%26_Co). Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF WorldCat National United States Netherlands --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [John Ferne](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ferne) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Ferne?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.