cloths across their shoulders, the banner borne by one of the principal musicians, next the steward on horseback with a white wand in his hand, then a tabarder with a tabard, bearing the arms of Dutton. Lastly the Lord of Dutton (if present), attended by many of the gentry of the county and city on horseback. On reaching the east gate a proclamation* was made to give notice of the holding of the court. The procession then moved forward to the church of St. John the Baptist. On entering the church, the steward made a signal to the musicians, who instantly dropped on their knees, and proceeded to play sundry solemn airs upon their instruments. Divine service was then performed, and the Lord of Dutton was specially prayed for. Service being over, the proclamationt was made, and the procession then returned to the inn, in the same order as it came. Entertainments to the Lord's friends and musicians followed, and in the afternoon a jury was impanneled from among the licensed musicians, when the steward delivered a charge The jurors then gave in their verdicts ** 66 Oyez.-This is to give notice to all musicians and minstrels that the court of the honourable Charles Gerard Fleetwood, Esq., (descendant heir of Eleanor, sole daughter and heir of Thomas Dutton, of Dutton, in the county of Chester, Esq., by Sir Gilbert Gerard, son and heir of Thomas Lord Gerard, at Gerard Bromley, in the county of Stafford), is this day held at the house of Robert Chuff, at the Eagle and Child,' in the Northgate Street, Chester, where all such musicians and minstrels as do intend to play on any instrument of music for gain within the county of Chester, or within the county of the city of Chester, are required to appear and take licence for the year ensuing, otherwise, they will be adjudged and taken up as rogues and vagabonds, and punished accordingly. God save the King, and the Lord of the court." "God save the King, the Queen, the Prince, and all the Royal Family, and the honourable Charles Gerard Fleetwood, Esq., (heir descendant of that ancient worthy family of the Duttons, of Dutton, in Cheshire, and of the right honourable family of the Gerards, of Gerards Bromley, in the county of Stafford); long may he live, and support the honour of the Minstrel Court." Lyson (Mag. Brit.) gives the following charge as that delivered by Mr. Lant's steward at one of the last courts.-" Gentlemen of the jury, the oath you have just now taken seems to make it proper to say something by way of charge, otherwise, your own knowledge and experience would have rendered it quite unnecessary; but, as the duty of the office of Steward of this honourable court, and your oath require that a charge should be given to you, I shall beg leave to take up a little of your time, and say something to you concerning this honourable court, the duty and privilege of musicians in this city and county of Chester, and your duty as jurors. The records relating to this honourable court, which are still preserved, shew it to have been of great antiquity, and the readiness and zeal which the musicians heretofore shewed in redeeming their prince when he was surrounded by his enemies, have been a means of perpetuating their service, and of establishing this honourable court which Mr. Lant, the present Lord of the Manor of Dutton, claims, and the privilege thereto belonging from Roger Lacy, constable of the Castle of Chester, who raised the siege at Rhuddlan Castle, and brought the Prince in great triumph to Chester; one of which privileges are that all musicians shall appear and do suit and service at this court, and no musician shall play upon any instrument foreign, without having a licence from the Lord of Dutton, or the Steward of his court; and if any person does presume to play for gain without such licence, he is not only liable to be prosecuted by a due course of law, but also to be punished as a rogue, vagrant, or vagabond. These privileges have been confirmed and allowed by several Acts of Parliament, and Mr. Lant is determined that the power and authority of the court shall be preserved, and that none shall exercise the employment of a musician for gain without a licence from him or his Steward; and therefore, gentlemen, he expects, and the oath you have just taken requires, that you should inquire of all such persons playing upon any instrument of music for gain, either in the county of Chester, or the county of the city of Chester, and if you know or are properly informed of any such, you are to present them to this court, that they may be procceded against and punished according to law, which the Lord and his Steward are determined to do, with the utmost severity." and presentments, and an oath was administered to the musicians, and licenses granted to all who were adjudged worthy, authorizing them to play upon their musical instruments within the county and city of Chester for one year. Such were the solemnities attendant on the holiday of the minstrel court of the Duttons in the eighteenth century, when they ceased to be holden after a constant observance, generally at annual periods, for at least 550 years. The ceremonies were somewhat different in earlier times. In the Tabley MS. c. 143, will be found a detail of the solemnities pursued on the 24th of June, 1642. Some years before the courts fell into disuetude, they had been held only occasionally at intervals, sometimes of two or three, sometimes of four or five years, and the attendance on these occasions was much diminished. The fee for a license was two shillings and sixpence. In the last court but one, held in 1754, there were_only twenty-one licences granted. The last court was held in 1756, by R. Lant, Esq., being then Lord of Dutton, and possessing the advowry of the minstrels by purchase. The oath was as follows:-"You are to behave yourself lively, as a licensed minstrel of this court ought to do, you shall not at any time play upon any instrument of music within the county Palatine of Chester, nor within the county of the city of Chester, for hire, gain, or reward, not having the licence of the court so to do; but you shall make the Lord of this court acquainted thereof, or his Steward, and in all other respects you shall demean yourself according to the purport and true meaning of your licence; you shall give your yearly attendance upon the court, so long as you intend to play upon any musical instrument for gain within either of the said counties to take a licence for the same, and are able so to do, so help your God." PEERS DESCENDED FROM KING HENRY VII. THE nearest and most illustrious Royal descent, which can be claimed by any English subject (except the members of the present Royal Family), is that deducible from the marriage of King HENRY VII. with the Princess ELIZABETH, of York, eldest daughter of King EDWARD IV., and heiress of the House of Plantagenet. The annexed list includes every existing Peer who is thus descended. The name in italics is that of the Peer now living; the names that follow are those of the different families through which the descent comes. Aberdeen-Brandon, Clifford, Stanley, Athol. Ashburnham Brandon, Grey, Seymour, Percy. (2 Descents) Brandon, Grey, Seymour, Winchelsea, Thynne, Percy. Brandon, Clifford, Stanley. Atholl (4 Descents) Aylesford (2 Descents) Brandon, Grey, Seymour, Percy. Brandon, Grey, Seymour, Winchelsea, Thynne, Percy. Brandon, Grey, Seymour, Winchelsea, Thynne, Worsley, Brandon-Brandon, Grey, Seymour, Boyle. Bangor-Brandon, Grey, Seymour, Boyle, Carrick, Farnham. Bath Brandon, Clifford, Stanley, Egerton, Exeter, Boyle, (2 Descents) Brandon, Grey, Seymour, Winchelsea, Thynne, Worsley, Carteret. Beaufort-Brandon, Clifford, Stanley, Athol, Dunmore, Dundonald, Galloway, Stafford. Bedford-Brandon, Clifford, Stanley, Egerton, Exeter, Boyle, Byng. Brandon, Grey, Seymour, Boyle, Carrick. Belmore Belmore, Car Bessborough-Brandon, Grey, Seymour, Winchelsea, Thynne, Worsley, Carteret, Spencer. Beverley Brandon, Grey, Seymour, Percy. (2 Descents) Brandon, Grey, Seymour, Winchelsea, Thynne. Bradford-Brandon, Clifford, Stanley, Egerton, Exeter, Boyle, Byng. Braybroke-Brandon, Grey, Seymour, Wyndham, Grenville. Brooke and Warwick-Brandon, Grey, Seymour, Winchelsea, Thynne, Bruce-Brandon, Grey, Seymour. Brandon, Grey, Seymour, Boyle, Queensberry. Buccleugh Brandon, Grey, Seymour, Bruce. (3 Descents) Brandon, Grey, Seymour, Bruce, Brudenell, Powis, Sydney. Buckingham and Chandos S Brandon, Grey, Seymour, Wyndham. (2 Descents) Burlington (2 Descents) Brandon, Grey, Seymour, Bruce, Brydges. Brandon, Grey, Seymour, Boyle, Devonshire. Brandon, Grey, Seymour, Winchelsea, Thynne, Worsley, Bute.-Brandon, Clifford, Stanley, Hastings, Rawdon. Cardigan-Brandon, Grey, Seymour, Bruce. Carlisle-Brandon, Clifford, Stanley, Egerton, Stafford. Carrick-Brandon, Grey, Seymour, Boyle. Carteret-Brandon, Grey, Seymour, Winchelsea, Thynne, Worsley, Carteret, and Thynne. Cawdor-Brandon, Clifford, Stanley, Egerton, Stafford, Carlisle. Chesterfield-Brandon, Grey, Seymour, Winchelsea, Thynne, Worsley, Carteret, Thynne. Churchill-Brandon, Grey, Seymour, Sutton, Ward, Grey, Wrottesley, Grafton. Clifden Brandon, Grey, Seymour, Boyle, Devonshire, Carlisle. (2 Descents) Brandon, Clifford, Stanley, Egerton, Stafford, Carlisle. Clonmel-Brandon, Grey, Seymour, Winchelsea, Thynne, Warwick. Cork and Orrery-Brandon, Clifford, Stanley, Egerton, Exeter. (2 Descents) Brandon, Grey, Seymour, Boyle, Queensberry, Buccleugh. (2 Descents) Brandon, Grey, Seymour, Bruce, Brudenell, Buccleugh. Crewe Brandon, Grey, Seymour, Hungerford, Keate, Walker (Hungerford). Crofton-Brandon, Clifford, Stanley, Athol, Dunmore, Dundonald, Galloway. Dartmouth-Brandon, Grey, Seymour, Aylesford. De Lisle-Brandon, Clifford, Stanley, Egerton, Sydney, Perry, Shelley. De Mauley-Brandon, Grey, Seymour, Winchelsea, Thynne, Worsley, Carteret, Spencer, and Bessborough. Derby-Brandon, Clifford, Stanley, Athol, Dunmore, Dundonald, Hamilton. De Ros-Brandon, Grey, Seymour, Boyle, Fitzgerald. (2 Descents) Brandon, Grey, Seymour, Winchelsea, Thynne, Worsley, Ducie-Brandon, Grey, Seymour, Wyndham, Carnarvon. Dunmore Brandon, Clifford, Stanley, Athol, Dunmore, Dundonald, (3 Descents) Brandon, Clifford, Stanley, Athol, Dunmore, Dundonald, Galloway, Hamilton: Durham-Brandon, Clifford, Stanley, Egerton, Jersey. Dysart-Brandon, Grey, Seymour, Winchelsea, Thynne, Worsley, Carteret. Ellesmere-Brandon, Clifford, Stanley, Egerton, Stafford. Forester-Brandon, Grey, Seymour, Rutland. Fortescue-Brandon, Grey, Seymour, Wyndham, Grenville. Hamilton-Brandon, Clifford, Stanley, Athol, Dunmore, Dundonald, Galloway. Harrowby-Brandon, Clifford, Stanley, Athol, Dunmore, Dundonald, Galloway, Stafford. Hastings-Brandon, Clifford, Stanley, Hastings, and Rawdon. Home Brandon, Grey, Seymour, Boyle,. Queensberry, Buccl ugh. (2 Descents) Brandon, Grey, Seymour, Bruce, Brudenell, Buccleugh. Howe-Brandon, Clifford, Stanley, Egerton, St. John, Bennett, Hartopp. Huntley-Brandon, Clifford, Stanley, Athol, Dunmore, Dundonald, Galloway. Jersey-Brandon, Clifford, Stanley, Egerton. Keith and Nairne-Brandon, Clifford, Stanley, Athol, and Nairne. Leigh Brandon, Grey, Seymour, Bruce, Brydges. (2 Descents) Brandon, Clifford, Stanley, Egerton. Lovelace-Brandon, Grey, Seymour, Wyndham, Grenville, Fortescue. Lyttleton-Brandon, Grey, Seymour, Winchelsea, Thynne, Worsley, Carteret, Spencer. Malmsbury-Brandon, Clifford, Stanley, Egerton, Exeter, Shafts bury. Manchester-Brandon, Clifford, Stanley, Athol, Aberdeen, Gordon. Marlborough-Brandon, Clifford, Stanley, Athol, Dunmore, Dundonald, Galloway. Mt. Garrett-Brandon, Grey, Seymour, Boyle, Carrick. (2 Descents) Brandon, Grey, Seymour, Winchelsea, Thynne. O'Neil-Brandon, Clifford, Stanley, Egerton, Exeter, Cork. Paget-Brandon, Clifford, Stanley, Egerton, Jersey. Pomfret-Brandon, Grey, Seymour, Gerard, Lake, Borough. Portsmouth-Brandon, Clifford, Stanley, Egerton, Herbert, of Cherbury, Herbert (Powis), Fellowes. Powis Brandon, Clifford, Stanley, Egerton, Herbert of Cherbury, Richmond-Brandon, Clifford, Stanley, Athol, Aberdeen, Gordon. Rutland-Brandon, Grey, Seymour. St. Germain's-Brandon, Clifford, Stanley, Athol, Dunmore, Dundonald, Galloway, Stafford. |