Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-10-13


have been invoked in recent times when the late
Lord Darnley, the most eccentric and wrong headed
of noblemen. at the time of the death of Princess
Mary Duchess of Teck, made public announcement
of the fact that he longer intended to assume
court mourning when the latter was decreed by
the Lord Chamberlain in the Official Gazette in the
name of the sovereign. Had the Earl merely alb
stained from putting himself and his household III
black. would have made any remark; but
the communication of his intentions to the press
called down upon his head the wrath of the author
ties who actually inaugurated steps with view OF
imposing upon him through the tribunals the fine
and Imprisonment provided by law 1t the
present King, however, then Prince of ales, who
with his customary good sense caused the pro-
ceedings to be dropped on the ground that the
statutes which they were based were no longer
in keeping with the spirit of the age and that the
offense of Lord Darnlev was from a modern poinr
of view rather against good taste than agalnsC
law
Under ordinary circumstances. court mourning in
England is ordered by the Lord Chamberlain and
varies in duration from eight days to three months
the length depending upon the Importance of the
royal parsonage whose demise is thus observed, and
upon the degree of his her relationship to the
reigning house of Great Britain. The order in
varably indicates number of details, such as the
color of the feathers, gloves fans and dresses to
be worn by the women, as we'll as directions OF an
analogous character for the official mourning of the
men; and the term is usually divided into two
parts, during the second halt OF which the mourn
ing is lightened
In the case of the death of the sovereign of the
monarch's consort, of the heir apparent, the
order of the Lord Chamberlain is supplemented by a
command for general mourning issued by the Earl
Marshal of the Realm, namely. the Duke of Nor
folk in the name of the crown; and although no
penalties are provided for failure obey, yet the
people at large invariably make point of comply
ing with the edict. During the six months thar
followed the death of Queen Victoria. there was
scarcely man, woman, or child in the land. from
the richest to the poorest, who did not don some
token of sorrow for her loss
Formerly court mourning in England includes
the display of Indictments. The hatchment con-
sists of large black frame inclosng black ground
upon which painted the arms and crest of Its
owner and it hung lozenge fashion the facade
of his house, generally midway between the second
and third story, possible to the center OF
the building Sometimes the black background
powdered with drops of gold, to represent tears.
and adorned with skulls and croSsbones at the cor
ners. Up to the beginning of the Victorian era
entitled, either by usage or by etiquette,
to an escutcheon of this kind on the front of his
mansion unless his ancestors each side for four
generations back possessed arnor1al rights But
when London invaded by all those parvenus
who occupy such conspicuous and influential
position in English society, and with
disregard for custom began to display
every pretext Indictments adorned
with the most prepOsterouS coats of