Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-06-10

his imperial dignity first-"Wilhelm I. R.
AS rule sovereigns sign documents at
the top of the paper instead of at the foot,
while the Kings Of Spain still write the old
formula, ''Yo ell Rey," Il. the King" Mem
bers Of our own royal family even when
they are peers, sign their Christian name
Or names only, the Prince of Wales for the
time being always adding the initial "P''
for. prince, although George 1Vswhen prince
regent, affixed the cipher "P. R." to his
name. Princess Louise, Duchess Of Argyll
sometimes subscribes herself by her hus-
bands title. like an ordinary peeress. The
gallant and lamented young husband of
Princess Beatrice used the less familiar
form of Henry of Battenberg." The lord
protector of the commonwealth was, after
he received that title, ''Oliver p a sigma
the Princes of Wales. Unlike other sover-
eiSns. the popes add their number to the
Christian name they assume upon their ele-
yation.
Exclusive With the Clergy.
Down to about the beginning of the sew
enteenth century English peers and bish-
ops commonly signed in Identical fashion.
prefixing their Christian name or, more
frequently, their initial to the title Grad
ually this type of signature became the
exclusive property of the spiritual lords,
who have continued it to this day. The
occupants Of most of the old sees maintain
the use Of an abbreviated Latin form Of
signature, such as "Cantaur" and "Ebor."
He would be a very democratic and re-
forming primate who should venture to
subscribe himself 'F. Canterbury or "W
York. Moreover there are so many
peerage titles taken from cathedral cities
that a good deal of confusion might arise
were the Latin forms abandoned. Canter-
bury, Winchester, Durham, Bristol, Lich-
field Chichester, Ripon, Manchester. Ely
to name only few-have all been appro-
priated by peers. Nevertheless, many of
the new sees use English signatures and
the same may occasionally be said of old
ones. Before DR.. Temple was translated
from Fulham to Lambeth he signed IF.
Londin." but the late DR.. Creighton pre-
ferred the English form of IN. London"
notwithstanding that in his former blsh-
opric he employed the Latin M. Petri-
burg" The Roman Catholic prelates in
this country do not attempt to use baronial
signatures. although they have adopted ter
ritorial designations There are, however,
variations in their practice. Cardinal Man
ming wrote himself down Henry Edward.
Cardinal Archbishop while his successor
prefers Herbert, Cardinal Vaughan"
which was the form affected by Cardinal
Wiseman. The Roman bishops in England.
as rule, sign their names like ordinary
people, with a cross prefixed, although
some of them write their Christian names
only, followed by Bishop of so-and-so."
1t was, We have said. about the end of
EliZabeth's time that peers ceased using an
initial or Christian name before their titular
appellation; but cases have been known in
quite recent times in which they have de-
parted from custom. famous case In point
is that of Lord Byron, who, after his mar
riage to Miss Milbanke, usually signed him
self Noel Byron while the third Marques
of Londonderry was "Vane Londonderry.
and the famous Lord Holland was "Vassal
Holland" In these cases family considera-
lions explained the change. Another I'M
usual signature that Of the late Earl
De La War;. Before he succeeded his
brother in the earldom he was Lord Buck
hIyrS yxyhi nh he fnh tod h
mother under a special remainder, since he
was not the eldest son. After his accession
to the higher rank and the litigation which
ensued as to the devolution of the barony,
he signed himself DE La War; and Buck
hurst, despite the unwritten law under
which peers do not sign two unequal titles.
There are of course, many cases, like that
of the Dukes Of Richmond and Gordon and
Hamilton and Brandon in which the sig
nature consists Of two names, but they are
practically always names Of equal degree In
the .peerage His grace Of Richmond might,
if he chose, sign Richmond Gordon, Len
nox and Aubigny," since he is the only Brit
ish subject possessing four dukedoms, just
as Lord Mowbray may. and, we believe,
sometimes does. use the form "MoWbray,
Segrave and Stourton." When the great
Duke Of Marlborough, after he became a
prince of the holy Roman empire, wrote
letter in French, he generally signed 1t lie
Prince ct Due che Marlborough Nelson In
his late years invariably wrote himself down
Nelson and Bronte." although the latter
was a Sicilian dukedom; while Wellington.
who was Duke Of Ciudad Rodrigo, in Spain,
affixed wellington, Ciudad Rodrigo" to
documents relating to his property In the
peninsula. Sometimes signature is de-
signed to emphasize a claim. as in the case
Of Sir Egerton Bridges. who was wont to
place after his name the words Per legem
patriae, Baron Chandos Of Sudeley." A
peer does not sign his new name until after
the funeral of his predecessor.
Mix-Up in Henrys.
Foreign signatures stand In a class by
The rules which govern them
are less rigid than our own. and are often
subject to variation at pleasure. In France
it is not uncommon for an ordinary untitled
person to subscribe simply his surname, to
the exclusion of initials and Christian
names. while many who are titled ignore
the fact in their signatures. The greater
frequency Of nobility distinctions abroad
has led to the necessity OF prehxfng the
title to the name, to avoid confusion and
misunderstanding, although here again not
infrequent exceptions are found. Where
the father is duke and the son prince of the
same place, or elder and younger brothers
same name. it is obviously necessary to
prefix the degree Of ttular nobility to the
signature. How the Princes of Reuss, all
of whom are named Henry, and numbered
on system which admits of Henry LXXIV
being the father of Henry TX, manage to
distinguish themselves in epistolary inter-
course we do not profess to explain. An
odd signature custom with foreign flavor
about it, although it does not appear to
have an exotic origin, is that Of the town
clerks of some ancient English boroughs
signing their surnames only to certain off,
cal docun ents. Thus Sir J. B. Monckton
the town clerk Of London, appears simply
as "Monckton'' at the foot Of some formal
notices. But there is no end to curiosities
Of this kind. Odd as it may SEEM there
are. for example not wanting instances of
persons signing one name and using an
other In ordinary intercourse. This is usu-
ally accounted for by an additional sur
name having been taken for matrimonial
or pecuniary reasons or on succession to an
estate. In cases where this exceptional
usage is followed-which are not, of course,
very frequent-the full name Is signed but
only the original is used in conversation.
Porter Cottage.
Extensive alterations and enlargement
are being made in Porter Cottage, Virginia