Part 36 (1/2)

CHAPTER XX

PRECEDENCE. GENEALOGIES

”Orders and Degrees Jar not with Liberty, but well consist.”

--_Paradise Lost_, Book V.

”The use of Arms was closely connected with the Study of Genealogy.”

--DALLAWAY, _Science of Heraldry_ (A.D. 1793).

When JAMES I. succeeded to the Crown of England while he was actually the King regnant of Scotland, and accordingly became Sovereign of the two Realms, he found it necessary to produce a ”Union Flag” for the whole of Great Britain, in consequence of the serious disputes for Precedence that arose between the natives of South and North Britain.

Before the time of the peace-loving son of Mary Stuart, a Sovereign of another mould, HENRY VIII., had felt the necessity of framing and establis.h.i.+ng some definite system of Precedence amongst the various degrees, orders, and ranks of his subjects: and, in 1539, a statute to that effect was enacted. Other statutes afterwards were added; and, from time to time, Royal Letters Patent on the same subject have been issued; and thus the Precedence now recognised and in use amongst us has been established.

The General Scale of Precedence follows, but there are Special scales for use in (_a_) Scotland, (_b_) Ireland, (_c_) India, (_d_) Canada, (_e_) Colonies, (_f_) Army and Navy, (_g_) Diplomatic Service.

THE GENERAL ORDER OF PRECEDENCE.

The SOVEREIGN.

The Prince of Wales.

The Younger Sons of the Sovereign.

The Grandsons of the Sovereign.

The Brothers of the Sovereign.

The Uncles of the Sovereign.

The Nephews of the Sovereign.

The Archbishop of Canterbury.

The Lord Chancellor.

The Archbishop of York.

The Premier.

The Lord High Treasurer.

The Lord President of the Council.

The Lord Privy Seal.

The following GREAT OFFICERS OF STATE _precede all Peers of their own Degree_--that is, if Dukes, they precede all other Dukes; if Earls, all other Earls; &c.:--

The Lord Great Chamberlain.

The Lord High Constable.

The Earl Marshal.

The Lord High Admiral.

The Lord Steward of the Royal Household.

The Lord Chamberlain of the Royal Household.

The Master of the Horse.

The Peers of each Degree take Precedence in their own Degree, according to their Patents of Creation.

Dukes (_a_) of England, (_b_) of Scotland, (_c_) of Great Britain, (_d_) of Ireland, (_e_) of the United Kingdom and, if created since the Union, of Ireland.

Marquesses (_vide_ Dukes).

Eldest Sons of Dukes.

Earls (_vide_ Dukes).

Eldest Sons of Marquesses.

Younger Sons of Dukes.

Viscounts (_vide_ Dukes).

Eldest Sons of Earls.

Younger Sons of Marquesses.