THE PREFACE

TWo Objections have been offered against the appea∣rance of this small Treatise in this form (which hath occasion'd this Preface:) The one, That as a Genealogist I have been too Prolix, as an Historian too short in this my Discourse. The other, That my intention being to deduce the Pe∣degrees of these Illustrious per∣sons from the Male-line only; I have inverted that order, by run∣ning up an Ascent for at least six Generations in the first; and in the second, by descending Ten: The one beginning, and the o∣ther terminating, in a Female.

Page  [unnumbered] To the first of these I Answer; I do not think a Genealogist (even in the strictest sense) ought so to be confined, as to be oblig'd to Re∣gister nothing but the Nativities, Days of Marriage, Issue, Times of Death, Funerals, and Place of Sepulchre, of those he intends to speak of: (as some have taught) But that he may, by a Pertinent Digres∣sion, here and there set down some one, or more Memorable Action or Acquisition of Honour, or by a short Encomium, or pithy Character, Illustrate any Deserving Person in his Descent; provided that he do not confuse and break the contex∣ture of his Genealogical Discourse by over-long and tedious Haran∣gues: For then he is rather to be esteem'd a Genealogical Histo∣rian, Page  [unnumbered] than a Genealogist in its strict acceptance, (such is the Lear∣ned and Elaborate Sir William Dugdale in his three Tomes of the Barronage of England; And Mr. Sandford, (Lancaster-Herald) hath Judiciously and Truly stil'd his Book of the Kings of England, a Genealogical History. So like∣wise you have Monsieur Rosieres (in his Stemmat: Lotharingiae & Bari ducum.) And the Famous Antiquary And: du Chesne, (in his Histoire Genealogique des duces de Bourgongne, &c▪) for the French▪ Scipio Amiratus (in his Famiglie Nobile Napolitane) for the Italians. And Johannes Orlerius (in his Genealog. Comi∣tum Nassovi,) for the Dutch. But in case the matter treated of Page  [unnumbered] shall so far inlarge it self, that it exceed the rules observ'd by the afore-cited Authorities, the Title of Genealogist becomes wholly swallowed up, and is lost in that of the Historian: And the Work to be esteem'd no longer a Genea∣logy, or Genealogical History; but an History it self of such and such particular Persons and Things: And therefore I have on purpose avoided both these, that this little Treatise might answer its Apella∣tion, by being no more than a Genealogy, and that properly so called; although I have made some slight excursions corresponding to the Principles before laid down; and herein I am not without President (even of those who have had the Re∣putation of excellent Genealogists▪) Page  [unnumbered] For Hieronimus Henninges, in his Theatro Genealogico, (Prin∣ted at Magdenburg in the year one thousand five hundred ninety and eight, and set out in four large Vo∣lumes) takes this course; as he hath occasion to Record the Pede∣grees of the Chiefest Princes and Potentates in Christendom. The Learned Reusnerus treading the same steps, though with much more diligence and exactness (in his Basilicon Genealogici, published in the year one thousand six hundred and twelve) all along adornes his Principal Branch with some Histo∣rical Memorial: And that Inge∣nious Noble Florentine Antonius Albicius esteem'd his Curious En∣graven Tables de Stemmat. Chri∣stianorum Principum (put forth Page  [unnumbered] in the year one thousand six hun∣dred and seventeen) Deficient and Imperfect, till such time as he had added some small Remarks to his Sculptures; so that I see little of weight in this first Objection.

To the second, what I have to say will be this: First, That where∣as the present Kings of Denmark are vulgarly reported to have con∣tinued the Descent of the House of Oldenburgh from the first Insti∣tution; I have bestowed the la∣bour of running up the Pedegree to the Original of that Honour; as likewise shewn by what means it came United and Descendable to the present Kings, which could not so coveniently be done by an other method; and which I did to gratify the Curiosity of some who had Page  [unnumbered] a desire to be satisfied therein. And lastly, it was my choice to continue the Genealogie of the Stuarts in the first Line, 'till it Terminated in Mary Queen of Scots, and that for several Reasons.

First, That so Noble a Branch of His Majesties Predecessors should not lye dormant from the time of Alexander, the second of that Name, High Steward of Scotland, viz. from the year one thousand two hundred and sixty, until the year one thousand five hundred fifty and nine, 'till the uniting thereof in the Lord Henry Darnley by the Marriage of Mary Queen of Scots. Secondly, That the Para∣graphs or Sections might in some proportion answer those of the House of Oldenburgh; which the Page  [unnumbered] House of Lenox alone could not supply▪ Thirdly, that at the Union of the Families a suffi∣cient opportunity might be found to trace the Pedegree of this younger Branch to its Fountain, without much interruption or disorder. And lastly, to inform those who have been misled, or are ignorant upon what warrantable grounds this Royal Family of the Stuarts came first to be Kings of Scotland; and how the Succession hath continued from Robert the Third in an Un∣interrupted Line till this day; And I Pray God may so continue 'till time shall be no more, against all Factious Opposers whatsoever, which ought to be the repeated Prayers of every Loyal, Honest, Good and Faithful, Christian-Subject.