Questo manuale araldico, stampato a Londra nel 1765, è opera di Mark Anthony Porny, che, come egli stesso teneva a ricordare, fu French-Master presso il prestigioso college di Eton, da sempre fucina della classe dirigente britannica: che non poteva certo ignorare le regole della scienza araldica. L'opera è arricchita da 24 tavole incise, raffiguranti a scopo didattico 293 stemmi dell'aristocrazia laica ed ecclesiastica del Regno Unito.

Come recita il frontespizio, il libro contiene quanto segue:

- A clear Definition, and concise historical Account of that ancient, useful, and entertaining Science. - The Origin, Antiquity, and divers kind of Coats-of-arms, with their essential and integrated Parts considered separately. - The several sorts of Escutcheons, Tinctures, Charges and Ornaments used for Coats-of-arms. - The Marks whereby Bearers of the same Coat-of-arms are distinguished from each other. - Charges formed of Ordinaries, Celestial Figures, Animals, Birds, Fishes, Vegetables, Artificial and Chimerical Figures. - The Laws of Heraldry; practical Directions for Marshalling Coats-of-arms, and the Order of Precedency. With several fine Cuts, and twenty-four Copper-Plates, containing above five hundred different Examples of Escutcheons, Arms, &c. And interspersed with the natural History, and allegorical Signification of the several Species of Birds, Beasts, Fishes &c. comprehended in this Treatise, to which is annexed a Dictionary of the Technical Terms made use of in Heraldry.