Ensign of Regall Authority was the Scepter which is every where spoken of both in the Scriptures and profane Stories There is another Ensign of their Authority which is a Globe with a Cross in use amongst us ever since Edward the Confessor which is placed in the left hand as is seen in most of their Coyns the Cross denoting his Faith and the Globe his Empire both by Sea and Land as it is said of Justinian who was the first Emperor that ever had it At the Coronation of the Emperor it is carried by the Count Palatine of the Rhine where they call it Pomum Imperiale This power dignity and state hath been enjoyed by the Female sex as heirs descending by the common right of Inheritance and not onely in our parts but many others as at this day in Swethen when there is not the least punctilio of a diminution in respect of the Sex Besides for an addition to the honor of a King there is the same state allowed to a Queen during the life of her husband as to a Queen absolute almost and is allowed a Crown She is called Queen from the Saxon word Cuningine as King from Cuning onely by variation of the gender as it was their manner in such cases She is permitted to sit in State at the King 's right hand and to keep a Court distinct from the King although she be but the daughter of an Earl But this was in the time of King Edgbert prohibited and so for a long time continued by reason of Eadburgh who poysoned her husband King Brithick of the West-Saxons And if she be the daughter of a King Superior to her husband she may retain the dignity of her father's daughter and in this case the daughter hath preceded the mother And although in these latter times our Monarchy hath been reduced under the circumference of one Crown Imperiall no others having any other substitute Governors crowned Yet formerly both Scotland and Ireland had King's distinct whilst they acknowledged homage to the Crown of England as also the isles of Man and Wight The Kings of Man were first subject to the Kings of Norway then to the Crown of England and after to the Kings of Scotland and since again to the Kings of England Dominus hujus Insulae Rex vocatur cui fas est Corona aurea coronari The Lord of the Isle is called King and it is lawfull for him to be crowned with a Crown of gold Henry the second allowed with the same honor Roderig of Conaght to be King paying a homagery Tribute The Lord Beauchamp Earl of Warwick under Henry the sixth was in the like manner crowned King of the Isle of Wight Which is enough in this place as to the Dignity of a King Of the Emperor THe originall of this Title as it was long amongst the Romans denoted onely a Generall of an Army and not till the time of Julius Caesar translated to an honorary Title who being made perpetuall Dictator took also that of Imperator into his Title which hath continued in his Successors untill this day and became Superior to the Title of King that before was but substitute under it being yearly created in January and ended in September Which great change hapned upon the Victory of Caesar against Pompey at the Battle of Pharsalia This Title was onely taken up to supply that of King which had not long before been thrown out by Brutus and was supposed by the Usurper to be yet fresh in their memories and odious amongst them and it was long after before they used the Title of King though their power were as much and the Ceremonies and Ensignes of Regality the same and the Emperor's Throne at Rome was called Sedile regni But at last it grew to be as one and then the Emperor of Rome having subjected under his Jurisdiction many Kingdoms thought it however a title of more eminence and so retained it And though the title has not been so generally appropriated to our Crown yet our Kings have been styled Emperors and this Realm of England called an Empire So have the Kings of Spain and France But it is more peculiarly allowed or assumed by the Emperors of Germany who suppose that they have a right to the government of the whole world This Empire after it was divided to Constantinople and Rome and then again that Constantinople had lost it to the Turks it was removed to Germany and in the reign of Otho the third the Election granted to seven Princes of Germany the Archbishops of Mentz Trevers Cullen the Count Palatine of Rhine the Duke of Saxony the Marquesse Brandenburgh and the King of Bohemia then called Duke of Bohemia He hath had also the Superiority allowed him by all Secular Princes and whereas other Princes of Regall Authority are crowned with but one Crown he is with three the first of Iron which he receives of the Bishop of Cullen at Aquisgrane the second of Silver which he receives at Modena from the Bishop of Millan the third is of Gold wherewith he is crowned at Rome by the Pope And in latter Ages the title of King of the Romans is given to the Heir or him that is made or chosen Heir of the Empire and he is crowned and Jura Regalia given him though not so absolute as not to have a dependence on the Empire See Mr. Selden part 2. chap 1. The Ensignes of his Imperiall Dignity are a Crosse a Launce and a Sword a Scepter a Mond and a Crown and he is styled 〈◊〉 The Emperor of Russia is not Crowned but is adorned with a rich Cap of Purple neither is the Greek Sultan but vested with a mighty rich Tulipant But there though the Emperor have no Diadem yet the Sultanesse is adorned with a Rich Crown or Diadem Thus have I run through all the degrees of Honor and with as much brevity as so copious a Theam would allow of and for matter of precedency I think the method I have taken will save me the labour and I am unwilling to trouble the brains of the Ingenuous Reader with an unnecessary prolixity onely as to Offices of State because I have omitted them altogether I shall set down their places as in Princely Solemnities they are to be disposed In which those of the Crown are to precede all other of the Nobility that are not except the Blood Royall As the Lord Chancellor Lord Treasurer Lord President of the Privy Councel Lord Privy Seal These six also are placed next the Lord Privy Seal thus according to their state of dignity that is If he be a Baron to sit above all Barons if an Earl above all Earls Lord Great Chamberlain of England Lord High Constable of England Lord Marshall of England Lord Admirall of England Lord Great Master or Steward of the King's House Lord Chamberlain of the King's House So the King 's principall Secretary being a
place of Comes the ceremony of Creation much at one and the title hereditary the annuity money in their Patent is forty marks And here by the way I cannot but observe one note of Mr. Seldens that John Beaufort Earl of Somerset modestly refused to be made Marquesse of Dorset by Henry the fourth because the title was then so strange and new in the Kingdome The Marquesse is honored with a Coronet of gold flurred the points and flowers of equall height whereas of the Earls the pearled points are much longer then the flowers His Mantle also doubled Ermine as is the Earls also but the Earls is but of four and the Marquesses is of five the doubling of the Viscount is to be understood to be but of Miniver or plain white Fur so is the Barons the Barons of two the Vice-counts of three doublings Of the Duke The Creation Robe of a Duke Where by the way one note is proper to be understood that as he was here created without any Ceremony except the girding with a Sword so in all other degrees of honor where a lesser degree is conferred on a person of a greater there needs nothing but meer Patent without any ceremony of creation But John son to Edward the third being created Duke of Lancaster had a Cap of furre added to the ceremony and succeeding times have had the Sword Crownet and Verge of Gold a Surcoat Mantle and Hood and a Ducal cap doubled Ermin but not indented and is honored with the style of Gratious and Excellent These if they be of Royall line are reputed as Arch-dukes It is also allowed that a Duke tantum shall take place before any Lord that is both Marquesse and Earl but a Duke that is Marquesse or Earl besides shall precede him The Duke Marquesse and Earl at their creation have a sword put over their shoulders which the Vice-count and Baron have not Of the Arch-Duke THis title is of neer relation to the other but not found in any place save in the house of Austria the addition of which word Arch is from the Greek word Archos which is as much as Princeps in Latin So he taketh place of all other Dukes and he is allowed a Surcoat a Mantle and a Hood of Crimson Velvet at his Creation He hath also a Chapeau or Ducal Cap doubled Ermin indented with a Coronet about the same and an arch of Gold with an Orbe and Verge of Gold Of these titles the Duke Marquesse and Earl are esteemed Princely especially the two last These also are allowed to bear their Crests with Helmets the Beaver directly forward whereas a Gentleman Knight and Baron bare them with half the Beaver seen The Creation Robe of the Prince of Wales The Prince THe next and first immediately subordinate to the Crown amongst these radiant Stars is The Prince who in England onely is the Prince of Wales the first-born of the King These in the Saxons time were called Clitons and clitunculi from 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is Illustrious But since it hath been a title of creation for honor to the rising sun there were none created in the Nation but the King 's eldest son who are in all Nations honored above all other subjects and amongst some as in Spain have been called King 's during the life of their Fathers because of his so neer a relation to the Crown that if the Father dye he is ipso 〈◊〉 Rex there being no interregnum though he be not crowned In a Statute of the second of Henry the fourth it is provided that the Prince may give his honorable Liveries of signes to the Lords or to his meniall Gentry and that the said Lords may wear the same as they wear the Kings Livery and that the Menials of the Prince may wear the same as the King's menials but this hath been since abridged So likewise by a Statute of the 25. of Edward the third chap. 2. it is declared that to compasse or imagine the death of the Kings eldest son and heir is Crimen laesae Majestatis high Treason as also to violate the wife of the King 's eldest son And again see Coke 8. part 28. The Prince shineth with the beams of his Father and is holden to be one person with him Yet doth he acknowledge a reverence not only as to a Father but Soveraign and to that purpose continues that Motto which the Black Prince took up Ick dien I serve He is called Princeps quia principalis in strenuitate post regem saith Sir William Segar The first that we read of in England was Edward eldest son of Henry the third and after him the eldest son of the King hath been ever by Patent and Ceremonies of Instalment created Prince of Wales Earl of Chester and Flint being born Duke of Cornwall The Prince or first born of the King in France is called the Dauphin in Spain l' Infanta There are in other Countries Princes by Creation as the Prince of Piemont the Prince of Orange and many others but these are also now become hereditary and in some Countries all the Royall line are styled Princes When he is created he is presented before the King in Princely Robes who putteth about his neck a Sword bend-wise a Cap and Coronet over his head a Ring on his middle finger a Verge of gold in his hand and his Letters Patents after they are read His Mantle is once more doubled then the Dukes and his Coronet of Crosses and Flowers de Luce and his Cap of State doubled indented The King THe King is the next and in our Nations the highest being subordinate to no sublunary power as those of Spain Portugall and other Kingdoms of Europe and other parts of the world are He is the true Fountain from whence all these Rivulets and swelling Streams of Honor spring He is called Rex from whence the word Rego came and King amongst us from the Saxon word Koning and Kuning To say any thing of the Originall of the Government here were in vain for it is unknown onely I may say that none can produce any thing to assure any Government before it and what I spake in the beginning concerning the first institution of it universally is sufficient Besides these times have said enough to that purpose He hath ever bin of great reverence amongst these Kingdoms of Europe the very Title carrying Divinity in it being of Heavenly institution ordained by God himself the Bond of Peace and the Sword of Justice He is God's Vicegerent and to be obeyed accordingly both in Church and State If good he is a blessing if bad a judgment He is styled Pater Patriae Caput Reipub and for that the protection of his Subjects lies in his breast the Militia is annexed to his Crown and the Sword as well as Scepter put into his hand He hath power of pardoning where the Law
first turned their possessions into Baronies and thereby made them Barons of the Kingdom by tenure That all Bishops Abbots Priors and the like that held in chief of the King had their possessions as Baronies and were accordingly to do services and to sit in judgment with the rest of the Barons in all cases but cases of Blood from which they are prohibited by the Canon-Law This Honor of Baronady is of three kinds by Tenure by Creation and by Writ Barons by Tenure are the Barons Spirituall as I said before which are reputed Peers of the Realm and were ever first in nomination and take place on the Prince's right hand in Parliament and have been capable of temporall 〈◊〉 and some of them are accounted Count Palatines in their Jurisdictions And by tenure Temporall which are such as hold their Honor Castle or Mannor as the head of their Barony per Baroniam which is Grand Serjanty By which tenure they ought to be summoned to Parliament See Bracton lib. 5. fol. 351. 357. But he is no Lord of the Parliament untill he be called by Writ to the Parliament These Barons by renure in the time of the Conqueror and after were very numerous and 〈◊〉 his time as I conceive distinguished into Majores Minores and summoned accordingly to Parliament the Majores by immediate Writ from the King the others by generall Writ from the high Sheriff at the King's command But these had also another distinction which was the first were called onely Barons by tenure then and the last Tenants in chief which were after quite excluded the Parliament as Mr. Cambden says in the reign of Henry the third by a Law made that none of the Barons should assemble in Parliament but such as were summoned by speciall Writ from the King And that King Edward the first summoned always those of antient Families that were most wise but omitted their sons after their death if they were not answerable to their parents in understanding But Mr. 〈◊〉 opinion is that not long after the Grand Charter of King John the Law for excluding all Tenants in chief was made From whence came that other dignity of Barons by Writ the King summoning whom he pleased though he were but a private Gentleman or Knight as many Seculars Priors Abbots and Deacons also all which have been fince omitted that held nothing of the King in chief or Grand Tenure This title of Baron by Writ is by some esteemed onely temporary pro termino Parliamenti but that cannot be for the ceremony of his admittance signifies more than a titular or temporary Honor which is this He is first brought by the Garter-King at Arms in his Soveraign Coat to the Lord Chancellor between two of the youngest Barons who bear the Robe of a Baron there he shews his Prescript which the Chancellor reads then congratulates him as a Baron and invests him with those Robes and sends him to take his place Then the Writ is delivered to the Clerk of the Parliament and he by the Garter shewed to the Barons and placed in the House and from thence is this title allowed him as hereditary Since these two sorts of Barons in the time of Richard the second hath another been established which is Barons by Patent and indeed more usuall in our latter times than those by Writ He first created John de Beauchamp Steward of the houshold Baron of Kiderminster to him and his heirs males of his body And this comming afterwards to be the onely way of creation they had commonly creation-mony granted them as Sir Ralph Botiller who had one hundred marks granted him annuity out of the County of Lincoln Some of those Minores have yet remained to our memories as the Barons of the Cinque Ports Barons of the Exchequer c. and some others which are called Barons yet have not the honor such are those that were created by Count Palatines as the Baron of Kinderton and some few others As concerning the descent of this Honor and the extension of it it many times descends to heirs female as when there is no speciall entail on the heirs male yet then no husband of that heir female shall enjoy the style and honor in right of his wife unlesse he have issue by her as it was decreed by Henry the eighth in the case of Mr. Wimbry for the style of the Lord Talboyes Neither shall any honor of Barony by Tenure be conveyed with the 〈◊〉 of any place from whence the title is derived without licence immediate from the King but all such as shall without is absolutely forfeited and stopt and returns again into that great Fount ain of Honor the Crown Now though this dignity be not allowed the Princely distinction of a Coronet yet is he as a Lord of the Parliament reckoned among the Peers of the Realm and priviledged amongst them in all these things as first in all trialls of criminall causes he is not tried by a Jury but a Bench of Peers If for Treason he be indicted and shall stand mute he shall be convicted but not prest but if it be for Felony his standing silent shall not convict him Upon any tryall of Peers the Lords that are to give Verdict are not like a Jury put upon their Oaths but upon their Honor. A Peer of the Realm is not to be Empannelled in any Jury but what concerns the King 's Enquiry Neither are they to be arrested by any Warrant of Justice of Peace either for the peace or good behaviour Neither is he to be put upon his Oath upon any appearance he shall make in Court but his Honor to be esteemed as binding And whereas all Burgesses of the Commons House are sworn to Supremacy the Barons of the Upper-House of Parliament are not with many other priviledges But it is to be noted that by these are onely meant to Lords of the Parliament not to the sons of Dukes Marquesses or Earls during the life of their fathers Nor to any Baron of another Kingdom in this though under the same allegiance who are not triable out of their own Kingdome unlesse they enjoy some honor in this The form of creating a Baron is in this manner The King sitting in state in the Presence-Chamber First the Hetalds by two and two and their Garter Principall King alone proceed bearing in his hand the Patent of creation next to him a Baron bearing the Robes and then the Person to be created followeth betwixt two other Barons Being entred the Chamber of Presence they make their obeysance to the King three times Garter then delivereth the Patent to the Lord Chamberlain of the houshold and he to the King and the King to one of his Principall Secretaries of State who readeth it and at the word Investimus the King putteth on him the Baron's robe so soon as the Patent is read it is to be delivered to the
King who gives it him that is created Then he returning thanks for his great honor withdraws in the same manner he came in the Trumpers sounding and so he goes to dinner Where after the second service is gone up the Garter with the rest of the Heralds cometh neer the Table where first pronouncing Largesse with a loud voyce he declareth the King's style in Latin French and English and then standing somewhat further off pronounceth Largesse again with the style of him that is newly created In which form was William Cecill created Lord Burghley 15. of Febr. 13. Elizab. Of the Viscount THis word in Latin is Vice-comes which is interpreted from the office of the person who was one cui Dominus hoc est Comes committit vices suas sive gubernationem castri saith Sir John Ferne. The Title is derived from the same Order in France which there were only first substitutes to Earls till getting themselves first in power got also to have the title honorary and hereditary between the Earl and Baron it being the same word which signifieth our Sheriffe and began not with us till about the 18. year of Henry the sixth who then created John Lord Beaumont Viscount Beaumont by Letters patent Though Sir John Fern tells us of it in the time of Henry the first and King Stephen and though the Elder sons of Dukes are styled Earls during their fathers life time so the Eldest sons of Marquesses are styled by their Fathers Vicounties and Baronies and called Lords and the younger sons saluted with Lord yet it is by 〈◊〉 only To this degree is allowed a Surcoat Mantle Hood and a Circulet without either flowers or points as in the discourse of Armory shall be seen and is created with the same ceremony those above him are Of the Count or Earl THe next precedency is an Earl called in Latin Comes and thence is an English word Count which word Comes we have from the example of the Romans amongst whom they used it for the title of sundry offices Coke defines them thus Dicuntur Comites quia à Comitatu five à societate nomen sumpserunt qui etiam dici possunt Consules a Consulendo c. But John of Salisbury who writ in the time of Henry the second says thus Comites dici à 〈◊〉 participatione And the word Earl we had from the Saxons from whence till we borrowed the word Honor we used the word Earl for gentle or noble and Ethel which was sometimes abridged to el so that of Ear-ethel it was Ear-el and by abbreviation Earl which the Dutch called Eorle Amongst the Germans they have the word Grave for it as Palsgrave Landgrave Reingrave c. from the word Gerefa by abbreviation Gereve and Grave as also Reve from whence our Shierreve or Shirriffe as some do abbreviate it Which word in the Teutonick signifies a Disposer or Director Others have That the word with the Saxons was Erlig and Ethling and used for the same office of Ealderman was before and the word Ealderman which now is writ Alderman was transferred to a lower degree who used the word also Thegon or Thaine for Baron as I said before But the word Ealderman and Ethling it seems did only signifie them according to Civill power and the word Heretoga from whence Hertshog for their Military power the former word being no more then Senior or Senator This title of Ealdermen continued for Duces Principes Comites untill Canutus reign when the word Earl was brought in and the other lost as to that Honor. What the Jurisdiction of the Ealderman in those times was and how absolute or large is to me yet uncertain though large it was doubtlesse because of the severall Offices that were under them but as it hath remained since the Conquest we find more reasonable satisfaction Their possessions were sometimes the whole Territories they derived their Title from and sometimes not but some particular 〈◊〉 or place in it We find also that both it and Thane were honorary and feudall Titles Upon the coming in of the Normans this word was turned into Comes or Count since when it hath remained And this word in the Empire was given to Quotquot è Comitatu Principis erant to all that were admitted to society of the Prince So the 〈◊〉 styled them in Warre Commilitones in the Court Comites The dignity is of divers kinds for an Earl acknowledging no Superior is equall to a Prince This Title as it continues since the Conquest is either locall or personall Locall as from the denomination of some County or other Territory and Personall that hath its being in some great Office as Earl-Marshal and the like Those locall are also simplices and Palatine which last retain the same constitution the Saxons time allowed them which is Juraeregalia or merum mixtum Imperium and could make Barons under them as those of Chester Lancaster the Bishopricks of Durham and Ely Hugh Lupus had the County Palatine of Chester given him by the Conquerour Ita liberè ad Gladium 〈◊〉 ipse Rex tenebat Angliam ad Coronam Who governed the County forty years he created eight Barons and built the Abbey of Chester Lancaster was made a Palatinate by Edward the third as says Sir William Segar and had Barons Chancery and Seal and so had the Bishopricks of Durham and Ely The office of those Barons being to sit in Councell and Judgment with the Earl To the County Palatine of Chester 〈◊〉 been Chamberlains who supplied the place of Chancellor Justices before whom the causes that should else belong to the King's Bench and Common Pleas are triable a Baron of the Exchequer a Sheriffe and other offices proportionably to those of the Crown at Westminster which being since reserved in the Crown is given to the Prince of Wales when he is created This County had this honor I conceive out of regard to the great trust was reposed in the first Earl which was to subdue and keep in order the British or Welch after the Conquest Of those that are not Palatine we find their Creation also as ancient as the Conquest William theConqueror made Alan Fergent thenDuke of Brittaign Earl of Richmond by a Patent The Creation Robe of a Marquesse Of the Marquesse THis word Marquesse at the first was used to all Earls and Barons that were Lords Marchers or Lords of Frontires and came afterward into a Title of speciall dignity between that of Duke and Earl beginning in the time of Richard the second who created Robert de Vere Earl of Oxford Marquesse of Dublin Per gladii cincturam circuli aurei suo capiti positionem The form of the Patent was then and many ages since very various but it is now regulated to one method which is the same in a manner with that of Earl only the word Marchio is put in the
Azure by the Lord Brudenell Of Mechanical things THe last example that I shall insert is of other more ordinary Mechanical things The first is Arg. a Cheveron between three Palmers scrips Sables the tassels and buckles Or by Sir Henry Palmer of Kent The second is Gules a Cheveron between three Irish Broges Or. The third is Sables three Pickaxes Argent by the name of Pigot The fourth is Arg. a fesse between three pheans Sables by the name of Rowdon of Yorkshire The sixth is Sables three bels Arg. by the name of Porter The sixth is Azure three Howboys between as many crosse crosselets Or by the name of Bourden The seventh is Or on a bend Az. three Katherine Wheels Arg. by the name of Rudhall The eighth Az. three levels with their plumets Or by the name of 〈◊〉 The ninth is Arg. three bezants on a chief 〈◊〉 by the name of 〈◊〉 And here we are to take notice that if these roundals are charged in counter-changes as before then they are only called Roundals but if any other 〈◊〉 as in this example they are of a various blazon according to their colors as thus If they are Or then they are called Bezants Argent Plates Sables Pellets Gules Vorteuxes Ligh-tblew Hurts Vert Pomeyes Purpure Golps Teune Oranges Sanguine Gules And thus much I think sufficient to be said of the examples of Charges in Coat-Armor In the next place I am to shew the differences of Helms which distingnish in some part the honor of the bearer in his degree The Crowns and 〈◊〉 differing more particularly the highest degrees of Nobility I shall also exemplifie in the conclusion of this discourse and I hope shall raise in some measure a relation to the old proverb Finis coronat opus Of Helmets THe differences of Helms is always exprest when the Crest is given and by this difference a Gentleman is known in his degree by his hatchment as much as these following examples 〈◊〉 These Helmets are sometimes called cask and timbers by the French Helenum by the Romans Cassidem by the Greeks Galeam a Covering for the head in time of war and our manner of bearing crests on them is from their ancient fancy of adorning their Helmets with some kind of monstrous Device as the Head or mouth of a Lyon the paws or horns of certain beasts to appear more terrible And that which we call Mantle is not as some doe ridiculously suppose the Vestment which they usually had to wear over their atms in War or as some would have it to secure their shield from weather but from this originall that Princes and chief Commanders used to adorn their Helmets according to their qualities with rich buckles studs and circlets of gold garnished with rich and costly stones and on the top or crests of them wreaths of corded 〈◊〉 being the Liveries of their Ladies and Mistrisses as also some curled 〈◊〉 of hair and those Cordons like waving scarfs dangled down behinde them on the Cruppers of their Horses the ends being fairly tasselled and enriched many times with Pearls and precious Stones and thus especially they rid upon dayes of Triumph But in Germany and many other places where the laws of Honour and Armory are severely obsetved a mean Gentleman or new Atchiever is not permitted to bear Helm Mantle or Crest but by special favour The first differs from the 2. in that it is a side standing helmet with the Beaver close which is for all Esquires and Gentlemen The second is the common fashion of Knights which is a helmet standing direct forward with the 〈◊〉 open without guards The third is a side-helmet open-faced guardevisure which is proper for all persons of the Nobility beneath a Duke and above a Knight The fourth is the Helmet of Persons executing Soveraign Authority which is a Helmet which is full forward open-faced guarde-visure which belongeth also to Princes and Dukes In this manner are all Degrees obviously differenced to every mans judgement in all hatchments And if they be above the degree of a Knight that these do not distinguish to particulars then they are also understood by their 〈◊〉 and Crowns Of Crowns and Coronets The first whereof is the Crown of the Empire of Germany which is but little different from that of England in the second which is Emperial too The third is that Coronet of the Prince which is the same with the Kings only the arches mound and crosse wanting The fourth is the Crownet of an Archduke which is the same with a Duke the Arch only added The fifth is a Crownet floral only proper to a Duke The sixth is the Crownet of a Marquesse which differs thus It is of leaves and points the leaves or flowers above the points The seventh is proper to an Earl which hath points and flowers but the points are above the flowers The eighth is due to a Viscount which is a Circulet or Coronet pearled and neither flowers nor points The last is the form of that Crown which is found to be in fashion in the time of William the Conqueror Which I have inserted to shew the difference betwixt the Crown Imperial of England then and now As to the antiquity of these Crowns or Diadems as notes of Regality I finde not any where a just authority to assure me of their Origination but that there were Crowns long before Tragedies were in use is to me very evident though Sir William Segar is of opinion the use of them came from thence Yet that the use of them in these parts of the World might come from the giving of Crowns in Triumph and Lawrels or Wreaths for Vertue is very probable which was a thing very frequent and of very great antiquity among the Romans and hath continued and been exercised in the Empire since the translation to Germany and that with much Ceremony as in the example of Joannes Crusius his receiving the Laurel as Stratsburgh an 1616. See Mr. Selden his Titles of Honor where it is at large fol. 402. Which custom hath since been in these parts and indeed long before that time were Crowns given to Poets here as witnesse the example in St. Mary Overies Church where one John Gower a Poet in Richard the seconds time hath a Statue crowned with Ivie mixed with Roses but since it is more commonly used of Laurel Though the Crown of Laurel or Bayes was first appropriated to him that triumphed for victory in the field At which time distinctions of Crowns were observed according to the variety of merit As Corona Muralis this was due to him that was first seen upon the Wall of the Enemy Corona Castrensis for him that made a breach in the Castle of the Enemy the first a Crown embattail'd or made with battailment being of Gold the other of Towers And then they had Corona Navalis garnished with Fore-castles for service at Sea made of Gold too Then Corona Ovalis of Myrtle for victory gotten