The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-06-18
A Parvenu PeeraQe.

A Parvenu PeeraQe.
In its wealth and prestige the peerage
of England far outranks the nobility of
any country in continental Europe. and
the popular impression Is that the great
majority Of the English nobility are
holding titles Of very ancient date, and
are representatives and direct descend
ants of the ancient barons and earls
who made the history of the middle
ages. It is with somewhat Of shock
that the student who peruses a copy of
Burkes peerage discovers how COM
para lively modern the British peerage
really Is. and how few Of the present
holders of titles can really claim de-
scent in direct noble line for any num-
Der of generations.
For example. of the 81 dukes. exclu-
sive of the royalties, but one, Norfolk, Is
of any ancient date, the creation having
been made in 1883, Next in point of
antiquity is Richmond, created in 1915.
Three of the dukes were created in the
present century: Sutherland IN 1883,
Westminster in 1874 and Fife in 1889.
All Of these last peers. however held
inferior titles of ancient date at the
time of their elevation TO the higher
rank
OF the marquises. the Oldest titles are
Winchester. created in 1861; Lansdowne,
1884: Townsend. 17Ss; Salisbury. 1883.
and Bath. 1889. The title OF earl is the
oldest in the peeragc Earls and barons
comprised the whole nobility prior to
1886. 1t would naturally be expected
that the earls would have in their num-
Der many possessors of very ancient
titles. Yet only these. out of the one
hundred and twenty odd holders of the
title. have any pretense to real an
tiquity: Shrewsbury. 1442; Derby. 1855:
Huntington. 1929; Pembroke. 1851, and
Devon 1853. The title Of viscount was
first created in 144o, but of the present
possessors of the title but one, Here
ford. has title older than the eigh-
teenth century. The creation IN his ca So
was In 1850. The next title in order
Of seniority is that of Bolingbroke. be-
| slowed In f7l2 by Queen Anne upon st.
John. But seven Of the viscounts are
of older creation than the commence
ment OF the present century.
The harons make up the great bulk
ot the peerage, and sha - with the earls
the distinction OF being the oldest body
OF the peers, While few ancient titles
still exist. they 30 not date back as
far as might naturally be expected. Not
one Of the barons who vrested Magma
Charta from King John Is represented
IN the present house of lords by de-
| scendant holding the title by which his
ancestor was known. Not a single
baron dates his title beyond the time
| of HSHry III. only eleven titles ante
date the sixteenth century. These are.
Ia the order % seniority; DeRos. 1864;
| Hastings. 1854. Mowbray aud Stourfon.
1888. DeChnoSd, 1898: Zouch Of HarynS-
worth. 1875. clinton. 1882: Bo,rcaux,
1858, Camoys. 1883; Berkeley. 1871; Der
ners. l455 0he latter two held by peer
esses IN their own righD: and lastly the
title. very suggestive to modern ears. Of
wil'oughhy de Broke. dating back 70
toe.
In the whole list ~ the British peer
| age. dukes, marquises. earls. vlscountz
ana harons there are barely thirteen
existing titles which were created prior
TO l4s3. the date Of the discovery Of
America. As there are over sOs peers
% England. exclusive OF those who 81,
In the house ot lords as representative
81 the Irish and Scotch peers. it can b..
seen how few relatively are the num-
her who can really lay claim TO the POS
session OF ancien, titles.
or course It must be remembered
that numbers ~ ancient titles have been
merged in the upper ranks Of the nobf-
It's in more modern and hlsher ones,
and that quite a number OF peers OF
modern creation are descendants ard
representatives OF old landed families
which, although untitled in England
would be counted among the nobility in
any country OF continental EursRs,