Page:A Genealogical and Heraldic Dictionary of the Peerage and Baronetage of the British Empire Chunk 1.djvu/13

 INTRODUCTION. xi The niode of creating peers by writ of summons has been, howerer, a long time discontinued, and the only writs flow issued are those to the eldest Sons of Dukes, Marquesses, and Earls,* in thoir fathers’ baronies; but any such writ does not create a new barony, the honour being still deseendible according to the original limitation. 1Q however, a writ of summons issue to the eldest son of a peer, as a baron, under a misapprehension that the barony bad been vested in his father, then the writ is deemed a new creation, and the dignity is heritable as a barony by writ. This was estabhshed in 1736, by the decision regarding the Barony of Strange, in wInch James Stanley had been summoned in 1628, under the supposition that the barony had belonged to his father, William, 6th Earl of Derby; and again, in the similar case of the Barony of Clifford. The first writ to an elder son is stated to have issued in the 22nd year of Kixu EDWARD IV., when Thomas FitzAian was summoned to parliament (in his father’s, the Earl Arundel’s barony) as Baron Maltravers. 4s Barons by Tenure gave place to Barons by Writ, so the latter have beet superseded by Barrnw lip 1Lcttcr jJatrnt, The first instance of which occurred in the reign of RIcHARD II., when John Bean- champ, of Ilolt, was elevated to the peerage as Baron Boanehamp of Kiddermiuster, by letters-patent, dated the 10th of October, 1387. Lord Beanchamp never took his seat, however, in parliament, as he died in the samo year, and was succeeded by his son, with whom tho dignity expired in 1420. In olden time it was deemed necessary to invest with robes the newly created baron in open parliament; and so lately as the era of King JAMES I., that monarch in person solemnly inducted the barons created by patent in the 13th year of his reign, by enrobing each peer in scarlet, with a hood furred with miniver but in the same year it was determined to discontinue those cereuconies in future, the legal advisers of the crown having declared that the delivery of the letters-patent constituted a sufficient creation ; and in the patents of more modern times the ceremony of public investiture is expressly dispensed with. Barons are styled “Right Honourabie,” and addressed officially by the crown, “Right trusty and well-beloved.” Coronet of a Baron—On a plain circle of gold, six silver balls cap of eri,i,sen velvet, turned up ermine thereon a golden tassel. 3iruunt, The next grade in the British Peerage is that of J7ce-Comcs, of Visoouxr, which title formerly applied to the sheriff of a county, but was not used as a designation of nobility before the reign of hENRy VI., when that monarch created John, Baron Beaumont. K.G., by letters-patent dated 12 February, 1440, Viscount Beaumont, a dignity which expired with his lordship’s son and successor in 1507. A viacountcy is always created by patont, and it descends according to the specified limitation. The honour was originally conferred as an advancement to barons, but afterwards created frequently with the barony; and in modern times it has boen conferred without a barony, as in the instance of Viscount Leinster, Viscount Sidmouth, Viscount Stratford, 1m. The stylo of a Viscount is “Right Honourable,” and he is officially addressed by the Crown as “Our right trusty and well-beloved Cousin.” Coronet—On a jewelled circle of gold chased as jewelled, a row of fourteen silver balls cap of crimson velvet, turned up ermine; thereon a golden tassel. The dignity of Earl, which existed in England before the Conquest, was, according to Mr. Cruise, originally annexed to a particular tract of land and there were three descriptions of Earldoms. “ The first was where the dignity was annexed to the seisin and possession of an entire county, with juro i’eqalia; in which case the county became palatino, and the perso created Earl thereof acquired regal jurisdiction and royal seigniory. By reason of the royal jurisdiction, the Earl Palatine had all the high courts and offices of justice which the * There is an instance, in the reign of Kmleo Cnsnuss I., of the son and heir of a baron who possessed two baronies havmg been summoned to parliament in ouo of them. Tho Hon. Conyors Darcy, son of Conyers, Baron of Darcy and Conyers (who was subsequently created Earl of Holderness) was summoned to parliament in his father’s barony of Conyers in 1680. t Spelman was of opinion that the title of Earl was derived from thc Germans; and having been adopted from them by the French, was rendered feudal and hereditary by Hugh Capet.