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William Smith was born in 1550 in Cheshire. He was apprenticed as a haberdasher. His earliest known work, A breffe discription of the royall citie of London, capitall citie of this realme of Englande dates to 1575 and is described in the Dictionary of National Biography as a "vividly written work, revised in 1588, contains a detailed description of the ceremonies surrounding the installation of the Lord Mayor, illustrating Smith's lifelong interest in pageantry, heraldry, and the London livery companies".
Smith moved to Nuremburg in Germany and managed a tavern, while still writing works on English genealogy and heraldry, and Cheshire topography. In 1595 he returned to London and was appointed to the College of Arms, in the position of Rouge Dragon pursuivant. He also began to write plays. Smith died in 1618.
Source of information: David Kathman, 'Smith, William (c.1550-1618)', Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, Sept 2004; online edn, Oct 2006.