8

MISCELLANEOUS REMARKS.

[PRECEDENCY..

By the Courtesy of England, the Decrees of King James the First, andlong established custom, the Wives, Widows, and Daughters of Persons ofDignity are entitled to Precedency among Women, corresponding with therank of their Husbands and Fathers; but the tenure of Office, as that of aBishop, Secretary of State, Privy Councillor, Judge, Chancellor of theExchequer, &c. does not impart any Place or Precedency to Wives or Childrenin this Country.

The Wives, Widows, and Daughters of Knights of the Orders rank in thefollowing manner:

DAUGHTERS OF BARONS.

IN IRELAND, WIVES OF KNIGHTS OF SAINT PATRICK.

WIVES OF KNIGHTS OF THE GARTER.

WIVES OF BANNERETS, made by the King in person, or by the Prince of Wales.

WIVES OF THE YOUNGER SONS OF VISCOUNTS.

WIVES OF THE YOUNGER SONS OF BARONS.

WIVES OF BARONETS.

WIVES OF BANNERETS, not made by the King in person.

WIVES OF KNIGHTS GRAND CROSS OF THE BATH.

WIVES OF KNIGHTS GRAND CROSS OF SAINT MICHAEL AND SAINT GEORGE.

WIVES OF KNIGHTS COMMANDERS OF THE BATH.

WIVES OF KNIGHTS COMMANDERS OF SAINT MICHAEL AND SAINT GEORGE.

WIVES OF KNIGHTS BACHELORS.

WIVES OF COMPANIONS OF THE BATH.

WIVES OF COMPANIONS OF SAINT MICHAEL AND SAINT GEORGE.

designation by birth, which latter decision agrees with the dictum of Lord Coke, “ By this Statute(1 Hen. V. c. 5,) the eldest son of a Knight is an Esquire.” 2nd Institute, p. 667. The highest degreeof Esquire, was formerly that of “ Esquire of the King’s body,” and, after them, “ Esquires of theKnights of the Bathand in Ireland, “ Esquires of the Knights of Saint Patrick Heralds and Ser-jeants of the Mace to the Lord Chancellor, and all other persons who wear a Collar of SS. areundoubtedly Esquires. Deputy Lords Lieutenants, Justices of the Peace, Recorders, Mayors of Towns,and some other Civil Functionaries are Esquires by Office. Field Officers and Captains in the Army,and Admirals, Captains, and Commanders in the Royal Navy, are Esquires by virtue of their Commis-sions; and in the year 1741, the Court of King’s Bench decided that “a Barrister is an Esquire byhis office or profession,” and would not allow an affidavit to be read because a Barrister was merelystyled therein “ gentleman.” (Vide Wilson’s Reports, Part I. p. 245.) A right to the title of Esquireis not conferred by the mere possession of lands, however extensive, or of personal property, howevergreat.