▁their ▁noble ▁status ▁and ▁descent . ▁ ▁The ▁Book ▁of ▁Saint ▁Alb ans , ▁compiled ▁in ▁ 1 4 8 6 , ▁decl ares ▁that ▁Christ ▁himself ▁was ▁a ▁gentleman ▁of ▁coat ▁arm our . ▁ ▁But ▁these ▁fab ul ous ▁claims ▁have ▁long ▁since ▁been ▁dismiss ed ▁as ▁the ▁fant asy ▁of ▁medieval ▁her ald s , ▁for ▁there ▁is ▁no ▁evidence ▁of ▁a ▁distinct ive ▁symbol ic ▁language ▁a kin ▁to ▁that ▁of ▁her ald ry ▁during ▁this ▁early ▁period ; ▁nor ▁do ▁many ▁of ▁the ▁shield s ▁described ▁in ▁anti qu ity ▁bear ▁a ▁close ▁res embl ance ▁to ▁those ▁of ▁medieval ▁her ald ry ; ▁nor ▁is ▁there ▁any ▁evidence ▁that ▁specific ▁symbols ▁or ▁designs ▁were ▁passed ▁down ▁from ▁one ▁generation ▁to ▁the ▁next , ▁representing ▁a ▁particular ▁person ▁or ▁line ▁of ▁descent . ▁ ▁The ▁medieval ▁her ald s ▁also ▁de vised ▁arms ▁for ▁various ▁kn ights ▁and ▁l ords ▁from ▁history ▁and ▁literature . ▁ ▁Notable ▁examples ▁include ▁the ▁to ads ▁attributed ▁to ▁Ph aram ond , ▁the ▁cross ▁and ▁mart lets ▁of ▁Edward ▁the ▁Conf essor , ▁and ▁the ▁various ▁arms ▁attributed ▁to ▁the ▁N ine ▁W orth ies ▁and ▁the ▁Kn ights ▁of ▁the ▁Round ▁Table . ▁ ▁These ▁too ▁are ▁now ▁regarded ▁as ▁a ▁f anc iful ▁in vention , ▁rather ▁than ▁evidence ▁of ▁the ▁anti qu ity ▁of ▁her ald ry . ▁ ▁Orig ins ▁of ▁modern ▁her ald ry ▁ ▁The ▁development ▁of ▁the ▁modern ▁her ald ic ▁language ▁cannot ▁be ▁attributed