New-York tribune., 1910-11-11
LORDS OF DEVON
Peers Who Hold Their Earldom
by Virtue of a Mistake.

rose Of some $4,000 acres elsewher IN
she county, 10 his tenants. under the Irish
land act has been placed thereby once
more on his financial feet. his earldom
having been greatly Impoverished oy me
twelfth earl. who squandered nearly al
nis fortune and terribly embarrassed tle
entsiled property. lie was addicted 10 a
most peculiar form Of gambling namely
ihat Of spider racing. which he played WIN
-5e last Marquis Of Hastings ana tne
. gath Duke OF Bedford Each player Sc
locted 2 spider. which was placed on Ihe
table -nd then the latter was gently
hoated from underneath The Warrntn
caused the insects 10 run, and the spider
which GOT 70 the edge first won But
snjders are curious creatures, and II would
f-eouentTv happen that spider which vas
near the edge and looked like winning
Mould double hack traverse the table IN
al directions and lose its hacker the thou
sands OF pounds so nearly won.
Lord Devon. Lord Hastings and the
Duke Of Bedford each Of them sduandered
enormous sums on this game, which con-
tributes IN no small degree 70 the ruin OF
the two former. This twelfth earl was
twice bsnkTupted. ana his cousin, the
thirteenth earl. and the latter's grandson.
-he present and fourteenth holder Of the
ancestral homes. which include Powder
Hsu Castle near Baxter. and Walreddon
Manor. near Tavistock. both In Devon
snl~a
The present earl las for some time made
his beadcuarters in ireland, near New
castle n County Limerick. which. to-
ccrher with its beautiful park. he has eX-
,lvded from the sale Of the remainder of
his Limerick property. and ia retaining IN
rs own hands The lare thirteenth earl
vas indeed dependent on his stipend as
village rector. while his son and heir.
The father of the present earl. earned his
Irving a. IN inspector Of the Government
Foard If Agriculture. sn Office which
brought him m about $4,000 wear n
zsfarv The present earl served through
she south African var and showed q GOOD
cesf Of sense hy declining. after his father s
death. 70 assume the lstter's courtesy title
ri lord -orrrenav. being known as M.
f-ou-rers-.~ until his grandfsther.s demise
left nm no alternative but 10 assume the
dignity II Earl Of Devon
His people. and especially his father. th-
late Lord Courtenav. We're put 10 no end of
trouble and auuovsuce some years ago ny
ne frauds Of = sv1ndler in this country.
who rasSed himself Of everywhere as Lord
t-ourrenay. and who. possessing vel bred
manners and appearance. succeeded IN
borrowing large sums or money from per
cons Who entertained him here. which they
E-lnseouen1r- endeavored 10 recover from
poor old Lord Devon. that is 10 say, from
the late earl
There are many persons VINO are a the
rpfri0r that Lord Devon holds his earldom
l.s- virtue 4 an error peTpetraJed by the
great Lord Brougham- II seems that IN
The uateut creating the present Earldcn OF
Devon. dated September 3, load. grant
81 hv Queen Mary. the CUSTOMARY words
~ -,6e .-o-Dora z-Io-' we're through some
error omitted in the phrase defining the de-
scent Of the honor. SO that IT was made 70
-ead .e- heredibus suis mascrAs IN per
-,eruurn In this way the patent came 10
--ea5 a. 10 his heirs male forever in
gr,,dinE his colIateraIs. instead OF only 10
me heirs male Of his BODY
-1-fz @-s- Earl Devon Of the present cTea-
--7- usz an extremely handsome youth
md owed hts peerage 10 the fact mar
9gAsr Mary had fallen in love win MN.
75e. however. sighted her for the sake Oh
her sister. Princess 3afterTaro queen
z-.5-=ra-- and discovered IN . ConsplTacy
IN 7ssra the latter on the throne IN Ae- d
Cgee7 Na-r. he was sent 70 the lo"sI'
and only .rscaped decapitauon through lAe
+--e-ven--ou q Philip Of Spain, thTole d
u.nose influence. on the occasion '- u
marriage of queen Mary 20 the hlne, II
-,-zz -es-orea 70 liberty. Devon lefJ Eng
- nd died IN exile al Padua, unmar-
--a5 and his earldom vas therefore SUI
,,.sa6 70 have become extinct
~ IN 1gs1. that Is 10 say, - years later
-. .s-ldoru was claimed by William touI-
-a,z,- third TIscount Courtenay- o. 70"
,s.,I,s-7 castle near Exeter. On the groullo
,rz- he was descended from one OF me -l'-
7s-a-slz Of that Ear Devon VINO hal De7'
10 ev-eerhes-t Of Princess Eiizabeih- nv
,.-- ,-ss presented TO the CoulHalltee ol
r,-,,--7az4s Of the House of 1-oroS.
-rov-a5 Itself 10 be wrongly adNiSeo % i-7
.,.-4frz. officer. the first Loro hr"1t ilfi -
-, r,-d F5ish Chancellor. VINO Alie"
-o,-7-a1v nothing about peerage law ~ -
-. ATTORNEY General. 6iT lhol'l09
-- who knew still less 80
'i'-- an the recommendation OF ne ne
iher7-t -. le privileges. Of Lord High
.,---,,.rior Prouzham and OF A1'o'
- Thomas Denman. revived u''
-s-. or Devon II favor Of "lllaAN
-. c1r,-reuay and once li-lS -
- The revival Of the hoho' -, O.
--,,-e Of the crown issued ~
,-.,,--aDa, 81 Earl Devon OF 1A7
- - ~ could not be reNoAs-
"a
No. however. some time are 80 -.
--,,-el s~rooe of Dandy. clalin'7- -
la1e = zvilres on precisely slII'l.o'
--,-e that IS 10 saE, OF colla'V- -,
&c ~ -h= omission OF ihe
-,---,-e s,5or from the patent. N
- privileges OF the House Of - -
.-...s nv another Lord lish ,-i-allo'-.
= -r.-,e- Attorney General 7e)ec y.
- On the ground that the al ~
,-a0foe7- of the patent Liable mo.
-.s-~es 10 different cohsll ~
30, ne held TO cover coli@'e .
4. u-ould Re thereby cTealii's :
-. inheritance and successloH y
.z. hat The mar who had draw u - :.
-,-+-.-s .,srent had erred IN orIl''
..5a ro-po-e suo.' and tha' -
---- nor -se government co-iN
.,,a mistake of a mere cierA-
-.--t,. +.,e -eerage Of the present I'''-
-.e.-,,, ie held quite legitima'el9 - :,
,,,o-- I,elass been recognlZeo a
-, = legal error. Il cannot De u
-. ne Co1rtenays are Possesseu =
= .1,,-e+ nlood in England They ca .t
--,, ~ history 10 a time when - ei =
-. a-d the Nevilles were nAi'oN :
-. i,+e--narried with many Ios a
z--o,, ,r7e reign or King Robert o
-. the F,arons Of CoUrtenas' -
.-,,,+ SIXTY miles south Of Farls' -
-. -.svafs Of the Crown. Inc ms