The English Baronets. Being a Genealogical and Historical Account of Their Families…. [see description for full title], complete in 3 volumes

[Full title] The English Baronets. Being a Genealogical and Historical Account of Their Families. Containing I. A Particular Account of the Institution of this Order by King James the First; Manner of Creation, Privileges Precedence, &C. II. Their Descents, Creations, Successions, Marriages, and Issue; As also the Publick Employments, and Remarkable Actions, both of them, and their Ancestors: With the Blazonry of Their Arms and Crests; Their Mottoes, and Seats, or Places of Residence. III. Correct Lists; I. Of the Present Baronets in the Order of Precedence. II. Of Those, who are now Peers of Great-Britain, or Ireland. III. Of those Foreigners, who have had this Dignity Conferr'd on them. IV. Of those whose Titles are now Extinct. IV. Exact Tables of Precedence; Particularly with Respect to the Wives, Sons, and Daughters of Baronets, and Knights. V. A Short Account of the Institution of the Order of Baronets of Nova Scotia, and those of Ireland. With an Explanatory Index of the Terms in Heraldry, Referring to the Arms.

Illustrated with their Coats of Arms, Curiously Engraven on Copper Plates.

Volumes 1 and 2 recent full calf binding by Shepherds (unsigned), raised bands with gilt lines and volume numbers to spine, with recent handmade endpapers. Volume 3 later morocco binding with raised bands and gilt title and date to spine, with marbled end-papers.

Text and engravings very clean, with issues as noted below. Bindings very good.

First edition of Wooton's volumes on English Baronetage dedicated to Holland Egerton of Heaton, Lancashire, son of Sir John Egerton, Baronet, of Wrine Hall, Staffordshire. Overall an impressive resource and summary of the 'lesser nobility' created by the English Crown from the 16th to early 18th centuries.

Thomas Wotton (? - 1766), was an English antiquarian and genealogist. Wotton was the son of Matthew Wotton, who kept a bookshop at the Three Daggers and Queen's Head, near St. Dunstan's Church, Fleet Street, London, where this work was published.

Collation:-

Volume 1: [2, title-page], xi, [1 advertisement for books printed by Thomas Wotton], 37 pages of engravings of 194 coats of arms of Baronets created by Kings James 1st and Charles 1st, xxii, 622 numbered pages [pages numbered 85 and 86 appear twice with different contiguous text, 26 pages are un-numbered, page numbers 495 and 496 not used]. Includes an Index.

Browning and minor loss to title-page fore-edge. Small tears and loss to lower inner corner of pages 16-25 of the coats of arms, where a number of pages have become stuck together affecting 9 of the coats of arms. Light water staining to the inner margins and lower edges of pages up to page 294. Small piece of (gummed?) paper on page 106 obscuring 4 words. Page edges to the index pages (611-622) browned.

With the bookplate of James Edward Colleton AM ( c1709 – 1790), son of Sir John Colleton, from a branch of an ancient Devonshire family, whose position as Gentlemen bearing arms can be traced up to the time of Edward I.

Volume 2: title-page missing, 40 pages of engravings of 226 coats of arms of Baronets created by King Charles 2nd, 603 numbered pages [page numbers 306-321 490-493 not used], 2 un-numbered pages , pages 269-270 missing – possibly a binding error. Includes an Index.

Title-page a little dusty. Text and engravings clean and unmarked.

Volume 3: [2, title-page], 23 pages of engravings of 101 coats of arms of Baronets created by Kings James 2nd, William 3rd, Queen Anne, and King George 1st, 495 numbered pages.

Small tear to the top of page 215. No loss of text.

In addition to the coats of arms and genealogical information for each Baronetcy, the volume contains the following lists:

(I) A list of all the present Baronets in their proper order of precedency. With the names of their seats and most usual residence.

(II) A list of such Baronets who are now Peers of Great Britain or Ireland in the order of creation of Baronets without respect to that of Peerage: with the dates of their creation annex'd; to shew their Baronets Places.

(III) A list of Baronets who were Foreigners at the Time of Creation and still continue so, if in being; whereof no certain information can be had to be depended on: With the Dates of their several Creations and the Order they stood in.

(IV) A list of such Baronets, who are now, since their Creations, Extinct, thro' Default of Male Issue, or Attainder, in the Order of their several Creations; with the Times affix'd as in Sir William Dugdale, and other Catalogues of Baronets.

Followed by a short notes on;

- Of the Institution of Nova-Scotia Baronets.

- Of the Order of Baronets in Ireland.

With "an Appendix to the Foregoing Work, Containing such Baronets Accounts and Additions as are come to hand; and also such Alterations as I have receiv'd Information of, since the Book went to the Press."

Followed by An Alphabetical Index of Terms of Heraldry; of the Figures and Terms of Blazon, referring to the Baronets Arms. Likewise of such terms as are most Usual and Common in English Armory.

Followed by notes on, Precedency among Men, Precedency among Women, Of Precedency, Some Observations Relating to Esquires, Errata, and Index.

Together these 3 volumes are heavier than the average quoted in my store listings and, as a consequence, the shipping cost will be higher than that quoted in my listing. Please contact me if you wish more details.