Page:Dod's Peerage, Baronetage, Knightage etc. of Great Britain and Ireland.djvu/55

 PRECEDENCE 31 marriage is no degradation. (Blackstone, 1.401 ; Coke, 2 Inst. 50.) The widow of a baronet by a provision in a baronet's patent, however, enjoys her precedence for life, and by the same authority the widows of the eldest and younger sons of baronets retain for their own Hves the precedence they gained by marriage. That the official precedence of the husband is not communicable to the wife, forms the next exception ; yet this, though all but universal, has its own limitations ; for in India the reverse is almost wholly the rule of ladies' precedence ; and even in this country, the wife of a lord mayor, of the Lord -Lieutenant of Ireland, has a precedence derived from hoi" husband's office. The next exception is that of a married woman, who happens to be a peeress in her own right. She may through her husband hold a higher rank than that which belongs to her birth ; but she does not lose her hereditary rank by one or more marriages, or by widowhood. It is a general rule, that before marriage women have no titles or precedence otherwise than through their fathers ; but, as stated above, their paternal distinctions cease if they marry peers, unless they should actually inherit a peerage. Several ranlvs intervene between the eldest and the other sons of the same father, but with the daughters it is otherwise ; they, in point of prece- dence, are as one unbroken series, ranking amongst each other according to seniority, the eldest coming next to the wife of the eldest son (during the life of his father) ; and all of them several degrees above any of the wives of their yovmger brethren, provided those wives enjoy no distinc- tions by birth. It is another general rule, that precedence acquired by marriage is never lost by the forfeiture of the husband. Thus, an earl may be attainted, but his wife remains a countess. It is also a rule, that the rank enjoj'ed by a woman in her own rigiit is incommunicable to her husband. The foregoing statements are given as intro- ductory to the subjoined table, without which a complete view of the rules affecting female jDrece- dence could not have been presented. The author- ities on which this table has been arranged are not repeated here, having been already set forth in the general table of male precedence. 1. The Wife of the Sovereign. 2. The Queen Dowager. 3. The Princess Victoria ("Mary"). 4. The Princess Royal. [5. Wives of the Sovereign's younger sons accord- ing to the seniority of their husbands. 6. Granddaughters of the Sovereign accoi'ding- to the seniority of their parents. 7.. Wives of the sovereign's grandsons accord- ing to the seniority of their husbands.] 8. Sisters of the Sovereign. [9. Wives of the Sovereign's brothers.] 10. Aunts of the Sovereign. 11. Wives of the Sovei-eign's uncles. 12. Nieces of the Sovereign. 13. Wives of the Sovereign's nephews. 14. Duchesses of England. 15. Duchesses of Scotland. 16. Duchesses of Great Britain. 17. Duchesses of Ireland. 18. Duchesses of the United Kingdom and Dvichesses of Ireland of titles created since the Union of Great Britain and Ireland. 19. Wives of the eldest sons of Dukes of the Blood Royal. 20. Marchionesses subject to the same classi- fications as those already enumerated for Duchesses. 21. Wives of the eldest sons of Dukes. 22. Daughters of Dukes while unmarried, or when married to commoners ; of course taking rank amongst each other imder the rules which regulate their father's precedence. 23. Countesses of England. 24. Countesses of Scotland. 25. Countesses of Great Britain. 26. Countesses of Ireland (before the Union ). 27. Countesses of the United Kingdom, includ- ing those Countesses of Ireland whose titles were created subsequent to the Union. 28. Wives of the younger sons of Dukes of the Blood Royal. 29. Wives of the eldest sons of Marquesses. 30. Daughters of Marquesses, taking precedence amongst each other in conformity with the rule which applies to the daughters of Dukes. 31. Wives of the yoiuiger sons of Dukes. 32. Viscoimtesses, subdivided in the same manner as Countesses. 33. Wives of the eldest sons of Earls. 34. Daughters of Earls. 35. Wives of the younger sons of Marquesses. 36. Baronesses, subdivided in the same manner as countesses. 37. Wives of the eldest sons of Viscounts. 38. Daughters of Viscounts. 39. Wives of the younger sons of Earls. 40. Wives of the eldest sons of Barons. 41. Daughters of Barons. 42. Maids of Honour (who bear the title of "Honourable" for life). 43. Wives of Knights of the Garter. 44. Wives of Bannerets made by the King in person. 45. Wives of the younger sons of Viscounts. 46. Wives of the younger sons of Barons. 47. Daughters of Life Peers. 48. Wives of the sons of Life Peers. 49. Wives of Baronets. 50. Wives of Knights of the Thistle. 51. Wives of Knights of St. Patrick. 52. Wives of Bannerets not made by the King in person. 53. Wives of Knights Grand Cross of the Bath. 54. Wives of Knights Grand Commander of the Star of India. 55. Wives of Knights Grand Cross of St. Michael and St. George. 56. Wives of Knights Grand Commander of the Indian Empire. 57. Wives of Knights Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order. 68. Wives of Knights Commander of the Bath. 59. Wives of Knights Commander of the Star of India. 60. Wives of Knights Commander of St. Michael and St. George. 61. Wives of Knights Commander of the Indian Empire. 62. Wives of Knights Comniander of the Royal Victorian Order. 63. Wives of Knights Bachelor. 64. Wives of the Commanders of the Royal Victorian Order. 65. Wives of Companions of the Bath. 66. Wives of Companions of the Star of India. 67. Wives of Companions of St. Michael and St. George. 68. Wives of the Companions of the Indian Empire. 68a. Wives of Members of the Royal Victorian Order (4th class). 69. Wives of Companions of the Distinguished Service Order. 70. Wives of Companions of Imperial Service Order. 71. Wives of the eldest sons of the younger sons of Peers. 72. Daughters of the younger sons of Peers. 73. Wives of the eldest sons of Baronets. 74. Daughters of Baronets. 75. Wives of the eldest sons of Knights of the Garter. 76. Daughters of Knights of the Garter.