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Of the Degrees concern'd in the Act of Precedency.
SECT. I. Of the Kings Privy Councellors. Of the word Council apply'd to indivi∣dual Persons and to an Assembly, Of the Kings Privy Council, Of several other of the Kings Councils, Of the Kings Great Council or Parliament, Of the Number and Quality of the Persons constituting the Pri∣vy Council, Of the Antiquity of Councils, Of the Nature and condition of Councel∣lors in our Councils, Elected for merit, Of
lesser Councils and Parliaments in this King∣dom, Of the Privy Council and Parliament how sometimes mixt.
SECT. II. Of the Princes of the Blood. Of the seven degrees of the Blood Royal, whose places are appointed by the Act of Precedency, That any of the seven are Prior to all other degrees of Nobility, That in their absence the Arch-Bishop hath prece∣dence.
SECT. III. Of the Kings Vicegerent. Declaring the Kings Supremacy in the Church of England, The great power grant∣ed to the Vicegerent, in Church affairs, None made since the 31 of H. the 8th. but supply'd by Bishops.
SECT. IV. Of Bishops. The Antiquity, of Bishops, The meaning of the Word, Of their Jurisdictions, Of
the Convocation Houses where they sit, as Bishops, and in Parliament upon a Baronial account, How plac'd, Call'd Lords Spiritu∣al, Anciently they did manage the Chief Offices of the Kingdom, Of their Priviledge in the Lords House.
SECT. V. Of the Lord Chancellor or Lord Keeper, Referred to Chap. the 8th.
SECT. VI. Of the Lord Treasurer Referred to Chap. the 9th.
SECT. VII. Of the Lord President of the Kings Council.
Of it's Antiquity, Discontinuance, and Supply, Of other Lords Presidents.
SECT. VIII. Of the Lord Privy Seal It's Antiquity and several Titles, How granted, Considered as Master of Requests, Of his Seals, and other Seals, Of his
Clerks concern'd in the Summons of Par∣liaments, Of his Antiquity in Sitting in the Lords House, Formerly supply'd by Ec∣clesiasticks, now by Temporal Lords, These three last mention'd Great Officers are thus Plac'd whether they be Nobles or not.
SECT. IX. Of the Lord Great Chamberlain. Rais'd by Merit, Had lands given to hold in Grand Sergiantry consisting of great, Immunities, The Antiquity of the Title Confer'd on some Noble Person whereby he sat in Parliament, Made Hereditary his Employments in Accommadations for Parlia∣ments.
SECT. X. Of the High Constable. His Antiquity since the 12 of Hen. 8. granted but pro hac vice at Coronations &c. Their Power formidable to former Kings, Devolv'd into Lord Marshal, Of other Constables of lesser Qualities but still of gaeat use, Of such of the Higher sort as were formerly Summoned to Parliaments.
SECT. XI. Of the Earl Marshal. Of his Power and Jurisdiction, Of the Original of the Title, Of the Courts and Offices under him, especially the Court of Chivalry, and Heraulds, A description of them, Of their Employments relating to Parliaments, Of the Earl Marshals Sum∣mons to Parliaments, and how it became Hereditary.
SECT. XII. Of the Lord Admiral of England. How the Title sprung, Of his Power and Jurisdiction, guided by the Civil Laws (not repugnant to the Common) Always plac'd in the hands of some of the Chief of the Nobi∣lity, Had antiently their Sumons to Parlia∣ments, and so continue.
SECT. XIII. Of the Lord Steward. Of the Orthography of the Name and Antiquity of the Office, Of several Offices
under that Title, and particularly of the Title of this Office, and of his Antient and Present Summons to Parliaments, and of his Ʋses there.
SECT. XIV. Of the Lord Chamberlain of the Kings House. Of his Authority and usefulness before in Parliaments, Of Antient Presidents of Summoning him to Parliaments.
SECT. XV. Of the Principal Secretary of State. When the Act of Precedency was made he was the 12th. Officer of State (a Number of Esteeme) the difference of his Writ, when his Summons are single, without annexing some Noble Degree to it.