70 LIFE, TIMES, AND SCIENTIFIC LABOURS [1644. 



In the early part of the year 1644, the King con 

 ferred on Lord Herbert, during his father s lifetime, the 

 dignity of Earl of Glamorgan. &quot; But,&quot; says Sir Harris 

 Nicolas,* &quot; great doubt exists whether the patent ever 

 passed the great seal.&quot; And Mr. Nichols states that, on 

 reference to the original Docquet Book of grants made 

 by the King at Oxford, commencing in December 1642, 

 and ending in June 1646, nothing of the kind occurs 

 among the numerous grants of Dignities there recorded. 74 

 Yet the title was constantly employed by Charles the 

 First in his several letters and commissions, and later in 

 a message to the Houses of Parliament ; and the fol 

 lowing is a copy of the PATENT he privily granted to 

 his Lordship on the 1st April, 1644. 13 



&quot; Charles, by the Grace of God, King of England, 

 Scotland, France, and Ireland, defender of the faith, 

 &c. to our right trusty and right well-beloved cousin, 

 Edward Somerset, alias Plantagenet, Lord Herbert, 

 Baron Beaufort of Caldicote, Grismond, Chepstow, 

 Ragland, and Gower, Earl of Glamorgan, son and heir 

 apparent of our entirely beloved cousin, Henry Earl 

 and Marquis of Worcester, greeting. Having had good 

 and long experience of your prowess, prudence, and 

 fidelity, do make choice, and by these nominate and 

 appoint you, our right trusty and right well-beloved 

 cousin, Edward Somerset, &c. to be our Generalissimo 

 of three armies, English, Irish, and foreign, and Admiral 

 of a fleet at sea, with power to recommend your lieu 

 tenant-general for our approbation, leaving all other 

 officers to your own election and denomination, and 

 accordingly to receive their commission from you ; will 

 ing and commanding them, and every of them, you 



Synopsis of the Peerage. 74 Nichols. l3 Birch and others. 



