Such quick succession in the
family titles created confusion and so sources differ in the numbering of the subsequent
Barons St John: The fourth Baron St John was created
Earl of Bolingbroke; when the
Long Parliament was called, both the aged Earl and his eldest son were summoned, the latter by a
writ of acceleration of the now-subsidiary title of Baron St John of Bletso. Normally, writs of acceleration end in the reunion of titles when the father dies; but in this case the son (
Oliver St John, 5th Baron St John of Bletso) died two years later, fighting for the Parliamentarians at the
Battle of Edgehill, and his father died in 1646, and was succeeded by his second son's son. Whilst there is no question that Oliver St John succeeded as Baron St John of Bletso – he spoke and voted as a
Peer in the
House of Lords – the numbering of the successive Barons St John has been obfuscated by differing sources. Although publications such as
Debrett's Peerage and the
Complete Peerage record Oliver St John as one of these Barons St John, the family prefers not to, down to the present Baron St John, by ignoring the
writ of acceleration granted to
Oliver St John (died 23 October 1642); however, the register of the
House of Lords now records
Paulet St John, 7th Baron St John as the
3rd Earl of Bolingbroke. == See also ==