Charles Evans (1903-1988) was a noted specialist in medieval, royal, and noble genealogy. This volume collects all his published articles, notes, queries, comments and book reviews, published in a variety of genealogical journals from 1931 to 1988 (some published posthumously).

These diverse essays investigate political factors behind the rapid development of cartography in Renaissance Europe and its impact on emerging European nations. By 1500 a few rulers had already discovered that better knowledge of their lands would strengthen their control over them; by 1550, the cartographer's art had become an important instrument for bringing territories under the control of centralized government. Throughout the following century increasing governmental reliance on maps demanded greater accuracy and more sophisticated techniques. This volume, a detailed survey of the political uses of cartography between 1400 and 1700 in Europe, answers these questions: When did monarchs and ministers begin to perceive that maps could be useful in government? For what purposes were maps commissioned? How accurate and useful were they? How did cartographic knowledge strengthen the hand of government? By focusing on particular places and periods in early modern Europe, the chapters offer new insights into the growth of cartography as a science, the impetus behind these developments - often rulers attempting to expand their power - and the role of mapmaking in European history. The essay on Poland reveals that cartographic progress came only under the impetus of powerful rulers; another explores the French monarchy's role in the burst of scientific cartography that marked the opening of the "splendid century". Additional chapters discuss the profound influence of cartographic ideas on the English aristocracy during the sixteenth century, the relation of progress in mapmaking to imperialistic goals of the Spanish and Austrian Habsburgs, and the supposed primacy of Italian mapmakingfollowing the Renaissance. Contributors to this volume are Peter Barber, David Buisseret, John Marino, Michael J. Mikos, Geoffrey Parker, and James Vann. These essays were originally presented as the Kenneth Nebenzahl, Jr., Lectures in the History of Cartography at the Newberry Library.

What do the sinking of the Bismarck, the Monmouth Rebellion, artificial stone statues, the Battle of Algiers, revolt in Maryland, rotten borough corruption, temperance agitation, eccentric millionaires, the Victorian Poor laws, Peak Frean biscuits, boll weevil control, bell ringing, theatre criticism, pregnant dairymaids, suicidal poets, African shellfish, corrupt and treacherous nobles, lavish goldfields funerals, vagrant ex-publicans, escaped lunatics, and the doping of racehorses have in common? People called Coad or Coode were involved, quietly doing their jobs. This book tells the story of the ancient surname of Code and how a network of descendants unravelled the descent of unrelated Coads and their Coode cousins, who have lived as neighbours wherever the Cornish congregated. It has a comprehensive genealogy and geography of the 5000 or so people of West Country descent who have borne the name up till 1911. It gives brief biographies of thirty or so eminent or eccentric individuals.