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THe Children of the King of England are called the Sons and Daughters of Eng∣land, because all the subjects of England have a special inte∣rest in them, though the whole power of Education, Marriage, and disposing of them is only in the King.
The Eldest Son of the King is born Duke of Cornwall, and as to that Dutchy, and all the Lands, Honours, Rents, and great Revenues belonging thereunto, he is upon his Birth∣day
persumed and by law ta∣ken to be of full age, so that he may that day sue for the Livery of the said Dukedom, and ought of right to obtain the same, as if he had been full 21 years of age. After∣wards he is created Prince of Wales, whose Investiture is performed by the Imposition of a Cap of Estate and Coronet on his Head, as a Token of Principality, and putting into his Hand a Verge of Gold, the Emblem of Government, and a Ring of Gold on hs Finger, to intimate that he must be a Husband to his Countrey and Father to her Children. Also to him is given and granted Letters Patents to hold the said Principality to him and his Heirs Kings of England, by
which words the separation of this Principality is prohibited.
From the day of his Birth he is commonly stiled the Prince, a Title in England given to no other Subject. The Title of Prince of Wales is ancient and was first given by King Edward 1. to his Eldest Son; for the Welsh Nation till that time un∣willing to submit to the yoke of strangers, that King so or∣dered that his Queen was deli∣vered of her first Child in Ca∣ernarvan Castle in Wales, and then demanded of the Welsh, If they would be content to subject themselves to one of their own Nation, that could not speak one word of English, and against whose life they could take no just exception. Whereunto they
readily consenting, the King nominated this his new born Son, and afterwards created him Prince of Wales, and be∣stowed on him all the Lands, Honours, and Revenues be∣longing to the said Principa∣lity.
The Prince hath ever since been stiled Prince of Wales, Duke of Aquitaine and Corn∣wall, and Earl of Chester and Flint, which Earldomes are al∣wayes conferred upon him by his Patent, since the Union of England and Scotland his Title hath been Magnae Britanniae Princeps, but more ordinarily the Prince of Wales. As El∣dest Son to the King of Scot∣land he is Duke of Rothsay and Seneschal of Scotland from his Birth.
The King of Englands El∣dest Son (so long as Norman∣dy remained in their hands) was alwayes stiled Duke of Nor∣mandy.
Antiently the Princes of Wales whilest they were Sove∣raigns bare quarterly Gules and Or 4 Lyons passant gardant counterchanged.
The Arms of the Prince of Wales differ from those of the King only by addition of a La∣bell of three points, and the Device of the Prince is a Coro∣net beautified with three Ost∣rich Feathers, inscribed with Ich dien, which in the German or old Saxon Tongue is I serve, alluding perhaps to that in the Gospel, The Heir whilest his Father liveth differeth not from a
Servant. This Device was born at the Battel of Cressy by John King of Bohcmia, as ser∣ving there under the King of the French, and there slain by Edward the Black Prince, and since worn by the Princes of Wales, and by the Vulgar cal∣led the Princes Arms.
The Prince by our Law is reputed as the same Person with the King, and so declared by a Statute of Henry 8. Cor∣ruscat enim Princeps (say our Lawyers) radiis Regis Patris sui & censetur una persona cum ipso. And the Civilians say the Kings Eldest Son may be stiled a King.
To imagine the death of the Prince, to violate the Wife of the Prince is made High Trea∣son.
Hath heretofore had privi∣ledge of having a Purveyor and taking Purveyance, as the King.
To retain and qualifie as ma∣ny Chaplains as he shall please.
To the Prince at the Age of 15 is due a certain Aid of Mo∣neys from all the Kings Te∣nants and all that hold of him in Capite, by Knight Service, and Free Socage, to make him a Knight.
Yet as the Prince in nature is a distinct person from the King, so in Law also in some cases, He is a Subject, hold∣eth his Principalities and Seig∣nories of the King, giveth the
same respect to the King as o∣ther Subjects do.
The Revenues belonging to the Prince, since much of the Lands and Demesnes of that Dutchy have been aliened; are especially out of the Tinne Mines in Cornwall, which with all other profits of that Dutchy amount yearly to the summe of
The Revenues of the Prin∣cipality of Wales surveyed 200 years ago was above 4680 l. yearly, a rich Estate according to the value of Money in those dayes.
At present his whole Reve∣nues may amount to
Till the Prince come to be 14 years old, all things be∣longing
to the Principality o•• Wales were wont to be disposed of by Commissioners consisting of some principal Persons of the Clergy and Nobility.
The Cadets or younger Son of England, are created no•• born Dukes or Earls of what Places or Titles the King plea∣seth.
They have no certain Appa∣nages as in France, but onely what the good pleasure of the King bestows upon them.
All the Kings Sons are Consi∣lii nati, by Birth-right Coun∣sellors of State, that so they may grow up in the weighty af∣fairs of the Kingdom.
The Daughters of England are stiled Princesse, the eldest of which have an Aid or cer∣tain
rate of Money paid by e∣very Tenant in Capite, Knight Service, and Soccage, to∣wards her Dowry or Marriage Portion.
To all the Kings Children belong the Title of Royal Highness, All Subjects are to be uncovered in their presence, to kneel when they are admit∣ted to kiss their hands, and at Table they are (out of the Kings Presence) served on the Knee.
The Children, the Brothers and Sisters of the King, if Plain∣tiffs, the summons in the Pro∣cess need not have the solemni∣ty of 15 dayes, as in Case of other Subjects.
The Natural or Illegitimate Sons and Daughters of the King after they are acknow∣ledged
by the King take prece∣dence of all the Nobles under those of the Blood Royal.
They bear what Surname the King pleaseth to give them, and for Arms the Arms of Eng∣land with a Bend Sinister bor∣der Gobionnee, or some other mark of illegitimation. Some Kings of England have ac∣knowledged many, and had more illegitimate Sons and Daughters.
King Henry the First had no fewer than sixteeen illegitimate Children.
Henry the Eighth amongst others had one by Elizabeth Blount, named Henry Fitzroy, created by him Duke of Somer∣set and Richmond Earl of Not∣ingham, and Lord High Admi∣ral of England, Ireland, and Aqui∣tain.
Eldest Son.
Title.
Arms.
Dignity.
Privi∣ledges.
Revenues
Cadets.