PREFACE xi whose names follow in alphabetical order, on whom he had no sort of claim for the cordial and valuable co-operation which they have given. Oswald Barron has kindly undertaken to furnish the armorial bearings of all peers of England or Great Britain, a difficult task, for which his fitness will be generally recognised, and which was not attempted in the first edition. The Rev. Alfred B. Beaven has not only supplied information as to the politics of peers as already mentioned, but has also revised, and (where necessary) corrected, and added to, all statements with reference to the offices, honours, orders, or seats in the House of Commons, held by peers — no light labour — and last but not least has carefully read and commented on all proofs.
- George Dames Burtchaell, Athlone Pursuivant and Registrar
of the Office of Arms (Dublin), has carefully and systematically revised the Irish portions of the work, and has devoted much labour to investigation with regard to some of the early and obscure Irish titles which will be found acknowledged in loco. He has also read all proofs relating to Irish peers and been ready to help in any case of difficulty. Sir Henry Maxwell Lyte, K.C.B., Deputy Keeper of the Public Records, has given the benefit of his special knowledge with regard to some of the early baronies by writ, and both offi- cially and unofficially has done everything in his power to aid the Editor. Sir James Balfour Paul, Lyon King of Arms, as all who know him will anticipate, has been most obliging not only in fulfilling the same important function concerning Scotland which G.D. Burtchaell has undertaken with regard to the sister island, but has observed without a murmur the " conveyance " of matter from his Scots '■Peerage into the following pages.
- John Horace Round needs no trumpet from the present
writer to be the herald of his fame ; he also has been good enough, in spite of many conflicting claims upon his time, to examine the proofs, and though it would be grossly unfair to saddle him with any sort of responsibility for statements in this work, yet if no errors should hereafter be detected bearing upon (*) Those marked with an asterisk also assisted G.E.C. in the compilation of the first edition.
