82 



other sources equally authentic. The MS pedigree brings 

 us down to within the last century and a half, and we have 

 it corroborated in the following different ways. ( J ) . The 

 registrations in the books of the parish Church of Cil- 

 cain, respecting the family, extend from 1576 ; and (2) 

 other records — written in heraldic emblazon, and in monu- 

 mental effigies — extend from 1331, in the Churches of 

 Gresford, Rhuabon, Chirk, Cilcain, &c. Thus, then, there 

 is legal evidence for at least 270 years, if not for 515 years, 

 and historic certainty for all the rest. These evidences I 

 have examined myself with great care, — I have compared all 

 the authorities, — I have examined, personally, many of the 

 monumental inscriptions, — and I have read over, literally, 

 thousands of parish registrations ! I am enabled to present 

 this document, therefore, as an authentic family history for 

 twenty- six generations ; and, as such, it is, unquestionably, 

 a great rarity. « 



As a specimen of elaborate manipulation, it is not un- 

 worthy of attention. It covers thirty square feet of parch- 

 ment, not in writing, but in close MS. printing ; and it 

 contains the emblazoning of more than eighty shields, with 

 about two hundred and fourteen quarterings. Of two mar- 

 gins, one contains the descents or generations, and the 

 other the authorities for the facts that are stated ; and at the 

 bottom there is an enumeration of the sources from which it 

 is compiled, as well as a declaration of its correctness to the 

 best of my knowlege and belief, signed in the same man- 

 ner that is necessary at any of the Offices of Arms. 



The Second Paper, giving an account of the Learned 

 Societies of the United Kingdom, with minute details 

 respecting the most important, will be published in a separate 

 form. 



