EXPLANATION OF THE PLAN OF THE WORK, AND OF THE ABBREVIATIONS USED 1. The Roman numerals indicate the number of persons who have borne a dignity, while the Arabic ones show how many of the same family have inherited it. 2. A slanting line between the figures of a date indicates that it refers to the first part of the year preceding 26 March, before the style was changed in England, and a horizontal line that it refers to the regnal year. Thus "He d. Jan. 1 601/2" means a death which after 2 Sep. 1752 would have been regarded as occurring in January 1602 ; whilst the words "He d. 1299-1300" would indicate a death in 28 Edw. I, i.e. between 20 Nov. 1299 and 20 Nov. 1300. 3. The date after the Roman numeral is that of the creation of, or succession to, the dignity. When such date is not accurately known, the name of the king in whose reign it is supposed to have occurred is substituted. 4. The limitation of all patents of creation is to be understood as being to the heirs male of the body of the grantee, unless otherwise stated. 5. All Peerages and other dignities are to be considered as either of England, Great Britain, or of the United Kingdom, unless followed by the letters [S.] or [I.], which respectively denote them to be of Scotland or of Ireland. 7. In Scottish Peerages the title is given as in the Appendix to Douglas; in Irish Peerages as in Lib. Hib., unless at variance with any higher authority. 8. In the account of each Peer or Peeress, as also of any Peer con- nected with him or her by alliance, the surname is given within brackets ; but when a Peer is but incidentally mentioned, his surname is often omitted, more especially if it is the same as the title of the Peerage. 9. The words " Knight " and " Esquire " are omitted. The former is applicable, in this work, to all who have the designation of " Sir " before their names, unless expressly stated to be Baronets. 10. All wills and administrations are to be considered, unless stated otherwise, as having been registered in the Prerogative Court of the Arch- bishop of Canterbury, or, after its abolition, in the Principal Registry, London.
