The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-12-02
Few Aware of Dignities Attach
ing to Officials in Emer-
aid Isle.


a LrHOUGH there is but one SOW
~ ereiGu in England. Scotland and
Wales, yet there are a number
az soIcrcigns in ireland; that is to
say. personaCes entitled 10 official
designation as such.
Few people outside OF ireland are
aware that from time immemorial the
principal municipal dignitary of each
OF several Irish cities and towns has
been legally entitled to the style of
sovcreisn-that. too. for the past 500
years. Thus. King James l., in grant
ing u charter to the town OF Wexford.
ordered that the governing body
should consist OF the sovereign, or
chief magistrate, and twelve bur
gesses, the sovereign, who was elected
ruler. being chosen from the bur
gesscs.'
The charter which Edward III. grant
ed 10 the town OF kinsale in 1888 gave:
The burgssses and commons OF the
town aforesaid. their heirs and sue
ccSsors. full power to choose from
among themselves one honest man a
burgess of the same town, as sovereign
OF the town ana he shall take the
oath in the same manner and form
as in all Our sovereigus within our
land of Ireland"
In 1897 Edward II. sent mandate
to the sovereign and bailins' of
ROSS, in County Wexford, 10 take
charge OF all the goods and chattcls of
the Brothers Templars in that district,
in connection with the general sup
preston OF tho order. and the coniis-
cation of their property, which was
then carried out by the Kings OF Eng
land and France Ia concert
In 1915 general instructions for tho
regulation OF the excise duties were
sent by King Edward III. TO the
soNerelgns' OF the towns of Kilkenny
Ihomastown and Ross: and when
Cromwell was in the South of Ireland
IN ltie he made his headquarters i'm
,He house o. one Francis Dorncr
sovereign OF Ross"
The Morning Advertiser OF Deem
Der 20. 1851. contains amongst other
news from Ireland, an official an
houhcement from Kinsale. 10 the effect
that Henry MASSEY. Esq. our soy
eereisn, has appointed Mr.. Charles
NrW'nan' apothecary TO he the cham
pTF'aih OF this corporation. in the
place OF Hawlcv Dennis. deceasad".
and John O'keefe. the actor in Iis
hecollcctions, which appeared in the
early portion of the reign OF Queen
victoria describes his presentation of
iettcr TO the sovereign" that is
the Mayor OF Belfast. and adds Incl.
ucntally that the chief macistratc of
i'ci4'St throughout his year of office
Is never designated by any other fitle
IMAM sovereign. He also states thai
az the top OF all his playbiIls he was
opigcd TO put "By permission OF the
sovereign OF Belfast"
rms titie has never been abolished
by law. and. although the government
no longer employs il III it's conmunica
.'ohs with municipal dicnitaries OF any
klhd in ireland. and IN many places
1t has fallen into disuse. yet il still
exists, and possibly may be heard OF
once more if Ulster offers resistance
TO irish home rulc-possibly Under the
direction of the sovereign OF Belfast.
Sweden's crown prince. who. by the
by. is son-in-law OF tho Duke and
Duchess of Connaught. has Just cincrg
od victorious from an encounter with
the swedish Cabinet in a manner that
has won for him n considerable amount
OF popularity among his future sub
jccts.
1t seems that some weeks ago Sven
iiodin the celebrated Swedish cX-
plorer OF Central Asia, when dining
with the officers mess OF the Dal Regi-