alongthewithywindle - Tumblr blog

[alongthewithywindle]

In 1610, Thomas Milles, champion of exhausting exhaustive titles, wrote The Catalog of Honor; or, Tresvry of Trve Nobility, Pecvliar and Proper to the Isle of Great Britaine, or, Tresury of true nobility : peculiar and proper to the isle of Great Britaine : that is to say, a collection historicall of all the free monarches aswell kinges of England as Scotland (nowe vnited togither) with the princes of Walles, dukes, marquisses and erles, their wiues, children, alliances, families, descentes & achievementes of honor : wherunto is properly prefixed, a speciall treatise of that kind of nobility which soverayne grace and fauor, and contryes customes, haue made meerly politicall and peculiarly ciuill (neuer so distinctly handled before) / translated out of Latyne into English. It was published by William Jaggard, a printer and bookseller in London between 1594 and 1623. He published many religious commentaries, books on British heraldry, essays, and histories. Jaggard printed eight other of Milles’ works.

Milles, a customs official, bailiff, and intelligence agent, was born in 1550(?) in Ashford, Kent, England. An avid advocate of mercantilism and free trade, Milles authored at least twelve printed titles between 1599 and 1617. Many were concerned with influencing economic policy, critiquing Catholocism, and documenting royal lineages.

Milles seems to have been concerned with accurately documenting the histories and lineage of Great Britain’s “True Nobility” in The Catalog of Honor, perhaps in response to a century with multiple royal lineage disputes, rife with political and religious upheaval. The 16th century saw the rise and fall of Mary I, Elizabeth I selling much of her holdings to finance foreign and domestic wars, the failure of the Tudor government system, and the 1690s depression.  In 1603, Queen Elizabeth I died without an heir and was succeeded by James IV of Scotland, her closest living relative (and son of Mary, Queen of Scots).

The Catalog of Honor documents the titles and lineage of nobility, complete with engravings of their sigils. The first portion is a translation of Robert Glover’s Nobilitas politica vel civilis, with a title page engraving by Renold Elstracke.  The widespread concern with accurate lineage is evidenced in the multiple copies where Charles Bount’s illegitimate son Mountjoy Blount. He was later recognized and bestowed with the title of Baron and Earl a year later. In UWM’s copy, a paragraph referencing Mountjoy was cut out and later restored in manuscript.

A later book by Ralph Brooke, A catalogue and succession of the kings, princes, dukes, marquesses, earles, and viscounts of this realme of England…discouering, and reforming many errors committed, by men of other profession, and lately published in print; to the great wronging of the nobility, and preiudice of his Maiesties officers of armes, who are onely appointed and sworne to deale faithfully in these causes., was written in part to correct errors made by Milles in The Catalog of Honor.