Front matter

Transcriber's Note

1. In the original printed edition of this work the chapters are not divided into subheaded sections, but each page has a header at the top. In addition, there are marginal notes (sidenotes), many embedded within lengthy paragraphs (the incidence of sidenotes varies markedly through the book). To preserve this material and in the interests of readability:

(a) While the original paragraphing has been retained, the text of page headers has been inserted into appropriate paragraph breaks, shown as centered subheadings. These entries are suppressed where multiple headings would occur within the same paragraph: in this case only the first header is shown.

(b) Marginal notes have been inserted close to their original location.

2. Footnotes (some of which are lengthy or in diagrammatic form) have been numbered and placed at the end of the chapter in which they appear.

3. Illustrations, in the form of maps and genealogical tables, are shown in appropriate paragraph breaks. A list of illustrations, not part of the original work, has been included following the Table of Contents.

4. To facilitate readability on electronic devices, the complex diagram preceding p. 1 has been split into four parts.

5. New original cover art included with the work is granted to the public domain.