A gentleman's armorial bearings represented his very identity and were of enormous importance to him, both as a matter of family pride and for practical purposes of personal recognition in battle and in legal seals.

Warbelton made a formal complaint to the officer appointed by the king to resolve such matters, namely Henry of Grosmont, Earl of Lancaster, seneschal of England, who was commanding the English forces.

A 6-man court of honour was convened and the pair were cross-examined, with evidence being sought from knights of their own localities also serving at the siege.

The charter drawn up in 1347 to record the judgement is preserved in the College of Arms, from which an accurate drawing was made when it was in the possession of Peter Le Neve during his tenure as Norroy King of Arms (1704–1729),[3] which facsimile forms folio 144 of Ashmole manuscript 1137 preserved in the Bodleian Library, Oxford.

The timing of the case is of importance, coming just one year before the very height of the "Age of Chivalry", symbolised by the founding by King Edward III of the Order of the Garter (1348), accompanied by a lavish tournament (which was heraldry's greatest showcase) at Windsor Castle.

Given at the said siege on the eve of St Margaret (i.e. 19th July) the year of grace one thousand three hundred and forty-seven.The members of the court of honour convened to resolve the dispute are as follows, with the blazon of the arms shown on the appended seals given for each, left to right: As the charter records, the Warbelton family had borne the arms Lozengy or and azure from time immemorial, that is to say probably from about 1215 when the use of heraldic devices became widespread in England.

At the same time the arms had also been adopted by the de Morville family of Knighton, Isle of Wight; Bradpole, Dorset; and Wraxall, Somerset.

: Sir Ralph de Gorges there I saw One newly bound to knighthood's law Down to the earth was prostrate thrown More than once struck by some great stone Or staggered by the rushing crowd Still to recede he was too proud Upon his arms and surcoat fold Was masculy of blue and gold The Calais charter of 1347 confirms that the Gorges family had made such change voluntarily.