A perfect copy of all summons of the nobility to the great councils and parliaments of this realm from the XLIX of King Henry the IIId until these present times with catalogues of such noblemen as have been summoned to Parliament in right of their wives, and of such other noblemen as derive their titles of honour from the heirs-female from whom they are descended, and of such noblemens eldest sons as have been summoned to Parliament by some of their fathers titles / extracted from publick records by Sir William Dugdale, Kt. ...

THE PREFACE.

THAT the great Councils of this Nation, com∣monly called Parliaments, consisting sometimes only of the Prelates and Temporal Lords; but for the most part of the Prelates, great Ba∣rons, and Commons, were always convened by the Kings of this Realm; or those, who at the time of the Sovereign's being in Foreign Parts, were authorized to do it, as it is sufficiently manifest from History and Records; so it is not gainsaid by the most rigid Antimonarchists and wildest Secta∣ries. Nevertheless, such hath been the Art and Industry of those common Disturbers of our Peace (as we plainly see) that they have as well publickly, as clandestinely, made it their endeavour to perswade the World, That the Supreme Power, and absolute Sovereignty doth totally reside in the People, and consequently in the Knights of Shires, Citi∣zens, and Burgesses of the Cities and Burroughs of this Realm, as their Representatives; though their Electors have no other power to make choice of them, than ad faciendum, & consentiendum hiis, quae de Communi Consilio to∣tius Regni ordinari contigerit; To do and consent to what shall happen to be determined by the Common Council of the whole Realm; as the words of the Writ, for convening them to Elect, do clearly import.

By which Argument for fixing the Supreme Power in the People, the King is to be no other, in effect, than a Ministerial Officer to the Multitude, and to give an Accompt

to that confused Rout, when and as often as they shall re∣quire it; as also to undergo such Punishment, for his not go∣verning to their mind, as in their vain and giddy Fancies they esteem most fit. Which pernicious Doctrine (totally de∣structive to Government) hath been but of a late original here; and not at all known untill the Presbyterians, in imitati∣on of the Jesuits and other Romish Emissaries, who ascribe the Power of setting up, and deposing Kings to the Pope, did first broach it.

As to the Persons of whom the House of Commons, in such great Councils did antiently consist, there are those, who to gain favour with the Vulgar, have not stuck to aver, That every petty Freeholder of any Land whatsoever, was, in times past, actually a Member thereof, and thereby suffici∣ently qualified to come and vote therein: and, consequently, have endeavoured to instill into their Heads that absurd Opinion, to the end that the Supreme power in the Mul∣titude might be the better countenanced.

But for a full manifestation of the contrary, the Great Charter of King John (which in these days hath been so much magnified) is evidence sufficient: which sheweth, That those great Councils (most known by the name of Parliaments) did anciently consist of Three Degrees, or Orders of Men; that is to say, The Lords Spiritual; id est, The two Arch∣bishops, all the Bishops, most of the Abbots, and some Priors: and of the Lords Temporal; viz. The Earls and greater Barons; all which had Summons by Special Writs from the King, directed to each of them respectively, and represented all that held Lands of them. Of which two Orders or De∣grees the upper House, usually called The House of Peers, consisted: The Third Degree, which made The House of Commons, being the King's Tenants by Military Service in Capite, and commonly called the Lesser Barons, who also then represented those of the Commonalty which held of them.

To the intent also, that it may the better be discerned what manner of Persons the Lesser Barons were, by whom they which held Lands of them were represented; I shall desire the Reader to observe that Summons in 24 Edw. 1. which

was of those, who were then required to come to NEW∣CASTLE upon TINE with Horse and Arms: As also the Names of those who met at LINCOLN in 29 Edw. 1. and sent that signification under their Seals to the Pope, whereby they asserted the King of ENGLAND's Title to the Sovereignty of SCOTLAND: by which it will be evident, That very many of the Lesser Barons did then joyn with the Greater Barons; and at what places they had, at that time, their chiefest Residences.

As to these our Parliaments, which for divers Ages have consisted of the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, Knights for the Shires, Citizens and Burgesses, the Reader is to take notice, That the first Precept for their Summons that is to he found amongst our Publick Records, is of no higher Date than the 49th Year of King Henry the Third's Reign: which, though it was issued out in the King's Name, it was neither by his Authority, nor by his Direction; him∣self and Prince Edward, his Son, as also the greater part of the Nobility that stood Loyal to him, having in the Month of May before the Date of those Precepts, been taken Pri∣soners by the Rebellious Barons in the Battel of LEWES; and so continued until that memorable Battel at EVESHAM (which hapned in August the next ensuing Year) wherein the King, by the happy Escape of his Son the Prince, out of the hands of Montfort Earl of LEICESTER, did totally subdue them.

By which Summons so issued out, it is observable, That none of the Nobility were then called, but those that had been in Arms against the King, or of their Confederacy: But, after that time, though the King held a Parliament at WINCHESTER (as is manifest from our Historians) and that his said Son and Successor, King Edward the First, had sundry Parliaments after he came to the Crown, there is not any Memorial of the particular persons thereunto sum∣moned, to be found upon Record, until the Twenty second Year of his Reign.

But then, as also in those of his Son King Edward the Second, and of his Grandson King Edward the Third, not only the Spiritual Lords (viz. Archbishops, Bishops, Abbots,

and Priors) and those of the Temporalty, which held their Lands by Service of Barony were summoned; but sundry others, who for their Prudence, Military Valour, and Loyal∣ty, being esteemed well deserving, had special Writs direct∣ed to them, when and as often as those Kings thought fit to require their Advice; who being then only Knights, had the Title of Chivalier attributed to them (as had those af∣terwards that were not really Knighted) and were called Peers, being Pares Baronum.

It is not a little observable, That, as after the vanquish∣ing of those Rebellious Barons in the Battel of EVESHAM, the King, to make up the Class of the Lords Temporal, in stead of such as had been Disloyal to him, called divers E∣minent Persons to Parliament, in whose Fidelity he could repose confidence: So in stead of the Barones Minores, by whom the Commons were for the most part formerly repre∣sented; the said King Edward (in imitation of the Rebelli∣ous Barons) caused a certain number of Knights for the Shires; Citizens for the Cities; and Burgesses for the Bur∣roughs, to be elected and sent as the Representative Body of the Commons.

By the Records of which Summons of the Lords Tempo∣ral, it is not unworthy to be noted, That some were never called above once; some twice, or more times; some during their lives, but not their Descendents: As also, That the Husbands of sundry Heirs Female had Summons by the Title which the Ancestors of such Heirs Female enjoyed. So likewise in the case of Coheirs, the Husband of which of them the Sovereign pleased to honour therewith, and his Descendents by her.

But afterwards, when the succeeding Kings did by their Letters Patents raise such Persons to the Degree and Dignity of Barons, of whose Wisdom and Fidelity they were well sa∣tisfied; they then extended their Favours so far to them, as to grant, that they and the Heirs Male of their Bodies should have and enjoy Place, Seat, and Vote in all Par∣liaments, and publick Conventions of this Realm: So that now their Hereditary Right to be called and sit there is unquestionable.

It is moreover observable; that if those Persons, or their Descendents became advanced to the Degree of Vi∣count, Earl, or other higher Dignity, their Elder Sons, in their Father's Life-time, were sometimes called to Par∣liament by the Title of such a Barony, as was actually in the Father; and had the like place and precedency there∣in, as the Father, by virtue thereof did enjoy before his Erection to an higher Degree. Which usage still continu∣eth, though it be meerly of curtesy to the Son, in regard the real Honour is still in the Father: For should the Son commit Treason, no Forfeiture could accrue to the Father, nor to his lawful Issue not Attainted.

Note likewise, that though the Earls of ANGUS, and BOGHAN, which were local Honours in SCOT∣LAND, had anciently Summons to our English Parlia∣ments by those Titles, it was not at all in right of those their Earldoms, but by reason they were possessed of Eng∣lish Baronies; that is to say, Umfravil Earl of ANGUS, of the Barony of PRUDHOU in NORTHUMBER∣LAND; and Strabolgy Earl of ATHOL of the Ho∣nour of CHILHAM in KENT.

Note also, that in those Summons, in stead of the Right Name of the Person summoned, there is frequent∣ly put the Name of the Honour, which he beareth by descent from an Heir Female: As in that of Tuchet, who is sometimes called Audley (as I have noted in the In∣dex, including the Name of Tuchet with a Parenthesis:) So likewise the Eldest Son of Fitz-Alan Earl of Arundel, sum∣moned to Parliament in the Life-time of his Father, is there called Arundel.

A perfect Catalogue of which Summons of the Lords Temporal, extracted from those Memorials which are up∣on Record, I have here exhibited; whereby it may be ob∣served, that from the Reign of King Henry the Eighth, but most of later time, Sundry Errors have been committed by the Clerks which have issued out those Writs, in the Titles of the Temporal Barons: for, instead of giving those, whose Surnames are their only Titles of Dignity, their right Appellations, they have added the place,

whereby they are only distinguished from others of the same Name; as Thomae Cromwell de OKEHAM Chivalier; Henrico Sandys de la VYNE Chivalier, and the like; whereas de OKEHAM, and de la VYNE ought to have been omitted; there being no reason for inserting the place, whereof they are distinguished, unless there were more of the Peers than one of the same Surname; as Butler of MOORE-PARKE, and Butler of WESTON.

As to the Title of Honour, which is not really the name of the person that enjoyeth it, but of some eminent Lord∣ship, or place of Note, the Writ of Summons ought to run thus (as antiently and regularly it hath done) viz. Georgio Nevill de ABERGAVENNY Chivalier: Ro∣berto Carey de Hunsdon Chivalier, and so to others, by reason that the true Title of the said George is Lord ABERGAVENNY, and Lord HUNSDON that of the said Robert Carey.

But where there are two Lords of Parliament of one and the self same paternal Name, and that Name is the Title of Honour to them both; then they ought properly to be distinguisht by the respective places, which be ad∣ded unto those their Titles; as Arundel (of WAR∣DOUR) and Arundell (of TRERYSE) the places of distinction being put within a Parenthesis.

For the better avoiding therefore of such Errors hereaf∣ter, which happen through the inadvertency of those Clerks, as make out the Writs of Summons, I have here thought sit to particularize the Names of all these places of Note, which at this time are the Titles only fixed to some Peers of this Realm, and by which they are summoned to Par∣liament; as ABERGAVENNY to Nevill; HUNS∣DON to Carey; TENHAM to Roper; BROOKE to Grevill; LEXINTON to Sutton; DE LA MER to Boothe; OSULSTON to Benet; DARTMOUTH to Legg, and GUILFORD to North.

As also the Names of such Antient Noble Families, from whence by Heirs Female some of our present Nobi∣lity are sprung; which, for their greater Honour, do bear those Names for their Titles; as Moubray by Howard;

De la War by West; Morley by Parker; Ferrers by Shirley; Fitzwalter by Mildmay; Grey by Yelverton, Conyers by Darcie, and Chandos by Brugges.

Thinking it also most requisite, for preventing the like confusion which hitherto hath hapned in former Writs of Summons, by adding the Name of the place, which is necessarily inserted into the Creation-patent, to the Name of the person Created; totally to omit it, except in such case, where there are more than one of the same Sur∣name; and then, that the Name of such place be inclu∣ded within a Parenthesis, as before is specified.

Lastly, I shall desire the Reader to observe; that from the time of King Henry the Eighth, by reason of the loss of those Records of Parliamentary-Summons, which should be in the Petty-Bagg-Office, I have been necessitated to supply those defects from the Journals of the House of Peers, which only take notice of their Surnames; and to add their Christian Names from other Authorities.