New-York tribune., 1908-08-26
THE LORDS OF DEVON.

Lord Devon is at the present moment en-
gagged in taking advantage OF the Irish land act
sell TO his tenants some thirty-five thousand
acres of his property in County Limerick which
belonged 10 his family since the days of Queen
Elizabeth. when the Desmonds, to whom the prop
erry belonged, We're despoiled thereof by cour-
tenays, of whom the Earl Of Devon is the chief.
He is getting rid Of everything in Limerick
eeptins the castle and park, known Newcastle
West. This sale Will have the effect OF putting
ne earldon of Devon once upon its feet I'm
financial sense. for owing to straitened cir
cumstances, due 10 the insane extravaganza of
the twelfth earl. who twice bankrupted, both
the thirteenth earl and his grandson. the present
peer have been compelled their an
cestrai homes, which include Powderham Castle,
near Exeter and Wareddon Manor, near Tayi-
stock. both in Devon The late earl, in fact
dependent upon his stipend as = village rector,
while his grandson. the present Lord Devon after
having served through the South African war has
been for number Of years past an inspector Of
Ibe government Board Of Agriculture, an office
which brings him in about s40DJ a year salary.
He unmarried ttirJy-eight years old, and very
sensible; for when his father, the late Lord Cour-
tenay, died during his grandfather's lifetime ne
declined assume the courtesy title of Lord
continued style himself Mr.. Courtenay'
unti The death Of the old peer and his acces-
sion 10 the !atters seat In tie House Of Lords left
him alternative but assume the dignity Of the
l3aFI Of Devon.
His people, and especially his father, The late
Lord Courtenay, were put to end OF trouble
and annoyance some years ago by the frauds of
q sWindler in this country who passed himself off
everywhere as Lord Courtenay. and who possess
ing well bred manners and aristocratic appear
succeeded in borrowing large sums from peO-
pie who entertained him here, which they subse-
qUently endeayored 20 recover from poor OLD Lord
Devon. that is say, the late earl
The Courtenays are justly described possessing
the bluest blood England They carry back the
history OF their line q time when even The
Howards and Nevills were unknown. and have
lnteTmarried with many Il royal house From the
reign q King Robert Of France the farons Of
Courtenay. q place about sixty miles south of
Paris immediate yasSaIs Of the crown. The
historian Gibbon IN the pages Of whose works
much viii be found concerning them describes
them having taken part in the earlier Crusades,
one cf them actually conquerinG for himself a
pr1ncipality the shores Cf the Euphrates from
which his dispossessed by tie Turks.
Reginald de COurtenay the first to settle in Eng
land. had among other issue 4 daughter. Elizabeth.
upon whom he bestowed all his French property
on her marrying Prince Peter of France. son of
Kong louis le GrOs Prince Peter took the name
OF CcuTtenay upon his marriage and his son
rying Tolande, daughter Of that Baldwin. Count Of
Flanders, the nTst Of the CRUSADER s8-caIled
Latin, EHperOrs Of Constantinople, vino became
ruler or tie Byzantine Empire iu his turn ana was
followed ~ three other Courtenay Emperors, before
ihsy were driven out of Constantinope by tie