The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-10-03
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Origin Of English Titles.
Dean IRE acn, ia one of his excellent little
volumes on the English language, remarks
that the names Of living animals belonging to
the British islands show = Saxon origin;
but that the terms applied to their flesh when
used as food, have been derived from Norman
French, the only exception being the word
pork, which is Saxon, while bacon is Norman
The reason assigned for this Is. that the saxon
tended the creature while alive, and the Nor
man attended 10 him afterwards. The same re-
mark will apply with eQua! truth 10 the IT,
ties which are given TO royalty and the diff
ferent grades OF pohtiify IN England With
two OF thr~e exceptions they were all borrow
ed from foreign languages. principally through
that restless, e1,erptisiag race commanded by
he first William. Bai Inc common aud en-
dearlns terms made use OF ia our every day
speech, such AS man, woman, boy, girl, hus-
band wite, son. daughter, brother, sister,
aud multituds of others, be tray their Saxon
origin. The choice bits of language, like he
flesh of animals, We're thus reserved for the
conQueror.
Another circumstance is equally worthy OF
note. While most of the titles In common use
have come to as from the Latin, through the
French, nearly all have lost their original
adjudication.
perial authority never having oeen estaolsn-
ed on that island. Every body is familiar with
the fact that the Roman fmperafor was simply
a commander of the army. and that the word
was first used as title by Ocsavius, who,
ly had the SIS gacIty to sugar it over with a
very mild term. TWAS seeming concession
TO the democratic sentiment of his day but
like many another, only seeming. In like
manner, Cromwell had himself termed Pro-
rector OF Englana, while his government be-
came an unmixed despotism. Ia course of
time the Emperors of Rome retired from the
d rect Command of their armies bat the Ii
sie, Implying unlimited power, passed down
10 modern tunes. From denotiug mere mill
tary officer, 1t has come to express civil
ruler, superior in dignity TO the king How
apt the majority OF mankind are to be ruled by
words
In Germany the Emperor is often termed
Kafsar, 4 word which Is q corruption OF the
Roman Caesar. Daring the early history Of
the Empire, the terms Caesar, Augustus and
Emperor, seem to have been applied indis-
cr,minately 10 the head OF that state, but at
the commencement of the fourth century the
Caesar came To be secondary officer, acting IN
der command Of the Emperor and preparing
TO succeed him n the purple AT q later date
it was restored to its secondary meaning,
which il still retains.
king" is Enthusiastically Saxon, as Is also
the word ueen. The reason why q Norman
tile wss preferred by William the Conqueror,
arose from his having laid claim TO the British
crown as the legal heir instead OF Harold Inc
claim continued TO be dis put-d long after the
battle Of Hastings, and tue new monarch ciusg
the more closely 10 the Old title on tnat ac-
count. The Saxon term was Cyng or Oynig !;
but a resemblance has also been traced In the
Celtic word Caen and even the Oriental Khan.
- one time it was applied 10 monarchs OF all
descriptions, but is now used rather To desig-
nate those whose authority is limited by the
nobility Of the people.
"Prince' Is derived from Latin word sg-
nifyiug ohiC In no country except England
has it been exclusively applied to members of
the royal family. In Germany this title ranks
even below that of Duke. At one time, in
our own language, it was frequently applied
to the Chief Magistrate of the nation and The
principal officers who assisted him in admin
use in the Old Testament is very common,
while we do not recoliect an instance where il.
was applied TO the children of monarch
Since the time of Edward l. the Kings eldest
son is entitled Prince of Wales. The second
Edward was even born in that principaiity
in order to reconcile the Welsh people to the
Enslish government more easily.
The English nobility comprises the follow
ing orders, which are respectively ranked
thus: Duke, Marquis, Earl, Viscount and
Baron. word respecting the origin and his
tory of each.
duke" is derived from the French Due
and indirectly from the Latin Dur, leader of
troops, but subordinate to the peror or
King. As a military officer he assisted his
royal MASTER in conquering and retaining the
country IN subsection; in return for which he
received extensive estates, with muititudes of
vassals, whom he was obliged to muster for
the field whenever his liege lord called upon
him. But changes in society have altered all
Aas, and the Duke is no longer of necessity
IsAitary leader in any Euro pean country.
u,
had charge OF one OF the marches" or bord-
CT the State, guarding it against attack
from foreign toes. The city OF Vienna was
thus founded. Coming originally from the
German "mark," the word passed into the
Lain, French and English languages. Owing
10 the circumstance stated above, that portion
of the Papal domnions east of the Apprentices
is 10 this day known as the March of Ancona,
the March of Pessaro, &c. But the MARC uis
has long since ceased to be border guardian
and even the places from which such title
may be derived are not supposed to be in any
special danger OF suffering from foreign in
vasion
The Earl" comes next In rank This is Of
Saxon origin, denotiDg an officer (E0yD who
acted as sheriff of the district, thence termed
an ear!dom. The Norman designated this
fuuctiouary by the term Count, derived from
the Latin word Comes meaning companion"
OF the king.) His authority extended over
c'unty (whence the term) Alter a long
struggle, the Saxon word predomin mated; but
only IN case of the masculine Sex, for the
Can"feSS, or wife of the Count, refused to go
back, after her lords example, TO the speech Of
GUr,E and his race OF swineherds. In Great
Britain the parties have never been reconciied;
on Inc Continent, Count continued to hold its
ground, ard is still used from the Bay of Bis
cay ~ the Black Sea.
"Viscouut" shows its origin very distinctly.
That officer acted at first Uice C0mpt, or sin
stead OF the Count" in discharging his duties
as sheriff. In this sense it is never used at
present.
Baron" from the French baron, is traced
by some TO the Latin rir, "a man" par excel
leaee but its true origin is uncertain. At one
time the barons comprised all the English no.
biiity subsequently they were divided into
greater and lesser barons; /. e., those who held
their estates direc tly from the king, and those
who held them of the principal yassaIs. The
dignity of baron would at first appear 10
have been exclusively territorial but at pre-
cent Is mere personal title, nearly equiva-
lent TO the term "iord" Occasionally it is
used as the title of q certain officer, as Baron
OF the ExcheQuer. "BaronetS," are an order
iuteTi,r I'D the barons. and were not created
Until A. d 1911, when King James I. confer
red .he tile upon a number Of persons who
had assisted in quelling the insurrect ton in
Ireland.
"I.ord"-This title is applied to all the
English nobility, whether born or created
such; also 10 Arch bishops and Bishops Of the
established church. Like the Greek Kyrios, 1t
has from the first been applied to the Supreme
Being, well members of the istocracy,
and those TO whom a certain respect wor-
ship is due. On this account the term is ex-
ceedingiy unpopular among a republican peo-
pie, although only equivalent TO the word
'inaster." La common with the Scotch Lard,
1t is derived from the Saxon, the root signify
ing q liver of bread. As Iow used, it is given
by courtesy to the sons of Dukes and Mar
quisss and the eldest sons Of Earls.-N. T.
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