Parish Registers in England; Their History and Contents, with Suggestions for Securing Their Better Custody and Preservation

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1883. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... before the middle of the sixteenth century. Henry-Algernon, fifth Earl of Northumberland, whose household book is well known to antiquaries, was born Jan. 13, 1477-8, and his double name appears on his garter1 plate in St. George's Chapel. But it must be doubted whether the earl was christened Algernon, for at that time baptismal names were taken without exception from the saints of the Church; and it is more probable that he adopted in the pride of race the Norman sobriquet or surname of his ancestor William de Percy, who was distinguished in the court of William Kufus as William Alsgernons, or William 'with the moustache.'2 With this doubtful exception, the first example of a double name which I have met with is in Fuller,3 the Church historian, who says that Queen Mary gave to her godsons 'her own name in addition to their Christian names, ' so that they were called Anthony-Maria, Edward-Maria, &c. But in the reigns of Elizabeth and James I. the use of two names was so rare in England, that not a single instance occurs amongst the 2,222 students admitted to the Inner Temple4 between 1571 and 1625; and Camden the antiquary5 expressly states, --'I only remember now his Majesty, who was named Charles James, and the Prince his sonne Henry Frederic; and among private men, Thos. Maria Wingfield and Sir Thomas Posthumus Hobby.' In the next generation a few noble ladies were named Henrietta Maria out of compliment to the queen, but a double name was regarded as a foreign fashion, and was almost confined to the royal family. The only instance which I have noticed universally followed the example set by the court. But the Huguenots for a long time regarded it as a Popish invention, which they had scruples in accepting; and it was gravely debated by the French Protestants...