Memoirs of the Ancient Earls of Warren and Surrey by Rev. John Watson

This is the same CD that has been offered since 2000 on oldbooksoncd.com by Cousin Tom Burch and me Ronnie Warren. With the help of Alan John Warren of Dorset, UK much more has been discovered about the Rev John Watson’s “great work”. Alan provided two important references by John Gough Nichols’ Biographical and Critical Account and the Retrospective Review by Henry Southern. These reveal the more probable grandfathers of Sir George Warren than those Watson presented and have been added to this version of the CD. Many of today’s Warren researchers have found more information available through the Internet and original documents out of England. With those we may correct past Warren Family Trees including my own for I too used the Rev. Watson’s account as being the correct one, placing my family in the direct male linage from Humphrey Warren of Maryland. He was born in Poynton, England July 7, 1632, third child of Edward Warren and Margaret Arderne and of Royal Decent through Earls of Warren and Surrey and by name back to Normandy. There is no great shame in this for many historians such as Edward Kinsey Voorhees’ 1938 Notes on the Southerland Latham and Allied Families, Harry Wright Newman’s 1940 Charles County Gentry, Elizabeth Prather Ellsbury’s 1958 Warrens and You, Cora Bales Sevier’s 1961 Sevier Family History and 28 Collateral Family Lineages have all used the same line using “Memoirs” as their link to the Norman Warrens. Many of our Warren Families still used these as their references.

With all of this being said, one would ask why you would want a copy of “Memoirs”. First it should be noted most of the two volumes are devoted to the origins of the “de Warenne” (Warrens) through the eight Earls of Warren. This greatly expands much of Sir William Dugdale’s 1675 Baronage of England, and is followed by TC Banks in his 1807-9 Dormant and Extinct Baronage in England. Second the book by admission of its detractors all say Watson’s Memoirs of the Ancient Earls of Warren and Surrey is “One of the most remarkable genealogical works produced in England during the last century, both for the purpose and intent of its production and the labor and sumptuousness of its execution”. This two volume book, the best Warren history of its day presented so much documentation with engraved copper plates depicting all of the Castles, Priories, Portraits, and Coat of Arms that antiquarians could not estimate the money Sir George Warren spent to have it made. The two Volumes printed in 1783 are priced today when they can be found for sale in excess of $1,000. Third with the additional John Gough Nichols documentation the most probable Warren Family Line for many of us can be determined.

The Baronage of England by Sir William Dugdale

This is a three volume book with over 1300 pages on one CD. It has not been re-written into a searchable text and hyperlinked to original page as Tom Burch did for Memoirs of the Ancient Earls of Warren and Surrey. However it has a good index in itself that will allow you to find the name in each Volume with page you want to see. This CD contains a good JPG of each individual page, family trees, titles, covers and spines. They are copied and numbered by Volume and Page large enough to zoom in several times without loss and read every word. The Rev John Watson extensively used Dugdale’s Baronage of England as a reference throughout his “Memoirs” as many other historians before and after his day. The “Baronage” represents the best of its time 1675 and was over 100 years old when “Memoirs” was written. You will find the Earls de Warennes and all the many barons in the Saxons time, to the Norman Conquest to after the end of King Henry the Third's Reign and before the eleventh year of King Richard the Second in England. These 332 year old Volumes by Dugdale in good condition can be valued in excess of $3,000.

Book Description: Printed by Thomas Newcomb for Abel Roper, John Martin, and Henry Herringman, London, 1675. Two volumes in one, the second volume being tome 2 and tome 3 continuously paginated. Vol. 1 is dated 1675; vol. 2 1676. First volume covers from "the Saxons time, to the Norman Conquest; and from thence, of those who had their rise before the end of King Henry the Third's Reign. Second volume includes those "which had their rise, after the end of King Henry the Third's Reign and before the eleventh year of King Richard the Second" (Tome 2) and "chiefly Barons by Patent" (Tome 3). The contents are "deduced from publick records, antient historians, and other authorities," and provide not only a vast amount of detail about the English nobility but many curious anecdotes and elaborations. The use of black letter for names, the seventeenth-century boldface, aids the reader; also present are indexes and errata pages to both volumes. Many genealogical charts are presented, including 5 double-page ones that trace lineage from the time before William the Conqueror to the date of publication. Collation is: (v.1) [a]2,b-c2, B-Ooo4, Ppp2, Sss4-Hhhhh4; (v.2) [a]2, b2, B-Bb4, [blank] Cc4-Rr4, Aaa-Ooo4, Ppp2, Qqq4, Rrr2-Sss2. Pages 477-496 in v.1 and pages 313-360 in v.2 appear to be missing, but the text is continuous: all copies appear to have this same pagination error.

The Baronage of England is one of Sir William's Dugdale’s most important works. Dugdale, (1605-1686) remains one of England's most respected antiquarians. His study of Warwickshire is his greatest work. His other major studies are the massive study of religious houses - the Monasticon Anglicanum and his History of St. Paul's Cathedral. "The Baronage is distinguished by the most laborious research and extraordinary accuracy, and confers honor upon its author." Lowndes, III-691.

"A history of the aristocracy and its deeds since Anglo-Saxon times, an immense work of genealogical scholarship derived from sound sources that retains its value to the present day" (ODNB).

Coming Soon ----Dormant and Extinct Baronage CD

THE DORMANT AND EXTINCT BARONAGE OF ENGLAND OR THE HISTORICAL AND GENEALOGICAL ACCOUNT OF THE LIVES, PUBLIC EMPLOYMENTS, AND MEMORABLE ACTIONS OF THE ENGLISH NOBILITY WHO HAVE FLOURISHED FROM THE NORMAN CONQUEST TO THE YEAR 1806 by T. C. Banks, Esq.

Book Description: Printed by T Bensley, Bolt Court for J. White, Horace’s Head, Fleet Street, London 1807-09, A Historical & Genealogical Account of the English Nobility from the Norman Conquest to the Year 1806. One of only 750 copies printed. 4to. 3 vols. Folding pedigrees. Without the Supplement published in 1837.

This book by T. C. Banks, Esq. gives an account as the title suggests of those Baronages in England that had ended and were no longer in use. Each described with a narrative with many having folding plates of family trees explaining their rise and fall for the various political reasons but in the main for the lack of a male heir.

Volume I, 1806 has 449 pages with many un-numbered charts, 3 of Appendix and 24 pages of index.

Volume II, 1808 has 632 pages with many un-numbered charts and 8 pages of index, 6 of Appendix plus Postscript.

Volume III, 1809 has 7 paged Precursory observations to third Volume, 3 page Addenda et Corrigenda Vol. I, Vol. II, Vol. III, Account 773 pages with many un-numbered charts and 2 pages of Advertisement.

This is a three volume book with over 1800 pages will be on two CDs. It too will not be re-written into a searchable text and hyperlinked to original pages however it too has a good index in itself that will allow you to find the Volume and page you want to see. This CD contains a good JPG of each individual page, family tree, titles, covers and spines. They are copied and numbered by Volume and Page big enough whereby you may enlarge them several times without loss and read every word.

You will also find the Earls de Warennes in Banks’ Extinct Baronage. The three Volumes soon to be 200 years old are priced when they can be found for sale in excess of $1,500. This set just extensively cleaned and rebound period style by Wes Baker of Baker Bindery, Anniston, Alabama, saves one of the only 750 printed in 1806/9 for another 100 years. Wes is well known world wide in his trade and produces some of the best restored work true to the binding of the book’s historical period. If you ever need the best in binding or one of your priceless books properly restored contact Wes at www.bakerbindery.com

Prices for Memoirs on a single CD with supporting Nichols and Southern documents is $40 plus $5 shipping in the USA. Contact jamesronaldwarren@gmail.com

England and Europe Alan John Warren in Dorset UK has agreed to distribute the CD at equivalent price in pounds sterling plus shipping and may be contacted at ajwarren@btinternet.com

Prices for Baronage of England on a single CD by Sir William Dugdale is $40 plus $5 shipping in the USA contact jamesronaldwarren@gmail.com

England and Europe Alan John Warren in Dorset UK has agreed to distribute the CDs at equivalent price in pounds sterling plus shipping and may be contacted at ajwarren@btinternet.com

Prices for Dormant and Extinct Baronage of England on two CDs by T. C. Banks will soon be available. Those interested make queries in the USA to jamesronaldwarren@gmail.com