THE BOOK OF DIGNITIES; CONTAINING ROLLS OF THE OFFICIAL PERSONAGES CIVIL, ECCLESIASTICAL, JUDICIAL, MILITARY, NAVAL, AND MUNICIPAL, FROM THE EARLIEST PERIODS TO THE PRESENT TIME: COMPILED CHIEFLY FROM THE RECORDS OF THE PUBLIC OFFICES: TOGETHER WITH THE SOVEREIGNS OF EUROPE, FROM THE FOUNDATION OF THEIR RESPECTIVE STATES; THE PEERAGE OF ENGLAND AND OF GREAT BRITAIN; AND NUMEROUS OTHER LISTS. 66 BY JOSEPH HAYDN, AUTHOR OF THE DICTIONARY OF DATES," AND COMPILER OF VARIOUS WORKS. LONDON: LONGMAN, BROWN, GREEN, AND LONGMANS. It may surprise, but will not, I persuade myself, displease your Lordship that I dedicate this Book to you. Were I to have followed the current usage of authors, I should have previously asked your Lordship's gracious permission for this purpose; but while your condescension would have operated as a favourable introduction of my Work to the Public, and have gratified my vanity, I feared I should detract from the object I have in view, that of shewing, spontaneously and freely, the high respect which I, in common with the community at large, entertain for your Lordship as one of the most enlightened, eloquent, and |