Page:William Blackstone, Commentaries on the Laws of England (3rd ed, 1768, vol II).djvu/221

 Ch. 14. from the common ancetor, that is the degree in which they are related to each other. Thus Titius and his brother are related in the firt degree; for from the father to each of them is counted only one: Titius and his nephew are related in the econd degree; for the nephew is two degrees removed from the common ancetor; viz. his own grandfather, the father of Titius. Or, (to give a more illutrious intance from our Englih annals) king Henry the eventh, who lew Richard the third in the battle of Boworth, was related to that prince in the fifth degree. Let the propoitus therefore in the table of conanguinity repreent king Richard the third, and the clas marked king Henry the eventh. Now their common tock or ancetor was king Edward the third, the abavus in the ame table: from him to Edmond duke of York, the proavus, is one degree; to Richard earl of Cambridge, the avus, two; to Richard duke of York, the pater, three; to king Richard the third, the propoitus, four: and from king Edward the third to John of Gant is one degree; to John earl of Someret  two; to John duke of Someret  three; to Margaret countes of Richmond  four; to king Henry the eventh  five. Which lat mentioned prince, being the farthet removed from the common tock, gives the denomination to the degree of kindred in the canon and municipal law. Though according to the computation of the civilians, (who count upwards, from either of the perons related, to the common tock, and then downwards again to the other; reckoning a degree for each peron both acending and decending) thee two princes were related in the ninth degree: for from king Richard the third to Richard duke of York is one degree; to Richard earl of Cambridge, two; to Edmond duke of York, three; to king Edward the third, the common ancetor, four; to John of Gant, five; to John earl of Someret, ix; to John duke of Someret, even; to Margaret countes of Richmond, eight; to king KenryHenry [sic] the eventh, nine. Rh