Peerage. Arms of the peers of England

MSS/0699

Peerage. Arms of the peers of England

1597

item

Paper; ff. vi + 63 items. Small folio. Vellum, gilt-tooled. Bookplate (1908) of Francis Fane Lambarde, fol. i. On fol. iii, '20' in pencil.

Baronagium Angliae Magnatum scilicet illius Regni stemmata recentiora. 1597' (titlepage, fol. iv); 1597. A professional collection of the arms of the peers of England in 1597, comprising 63 entries (1 Marquess, 18 Earls, 2 Viscounts, 42 Barons), each consisting of a full page coloured achievement, followed by tabular pedigrees to 1596. Begins with the Marquess of Winchester and ends with Baron Norris de Ricot. The coronets ensigning the shields of the marquess, earls and viscounts are of earlier form than the present coronets of rank. Many of the shields are elaborately quartered, the number of quarterings for the Earls of Northumberland and Hunsdon being 36, and for the Earl of Essex 55. Badges where given are set in semi-circles below the compartment bearing the motto on which the supporters stand. Elaborate titlepage, fol. iv, the inscription set in an architectural frame, between columns, surmounted by the royal arms standard for the period (France modern, with England), with Tudor supporters; on the entablature above the title four shields (Duchies of Lancaster, Cornwall, Normandy and Aquitaine), on the columns, dexter, Kingdom of Ireland, sinister, Principality of Wales, on the base beneath the title four shields (Counts of Chester, Anjou, Ponthieu and an unidentified shield). Original contents list, fol. iv verso. At the end of the volume a slightly later index of quarterings. Names of quarterings are added below the shields in a rougher hand than that of the pedigrees.

SAL/MS/699