THE PEERS OF ENGLAND

Colonist, Issue 1, 23 October 1857, Page 4

THE PEERS OF ENGLAND

With flic exception of a very few descendants of those who " came" in with William the Conqueroi-, the Beers of England have risen from the common ranks of life, as merchants, tradesmen, lawyers, &c. -From what rank these sprang it is unnecessary to mention. By-thc-by, oi the Norman nobles it may be truly said, that they would have been extinct, or used up, with mental, moral, and physical rickets had not frequent marriages with plebian stock taken place. As supporting what we have said, wo shall give a few instances. Some day we may point out a few stars in the galaxy of the House of Commons* The Earl of Cornwahis is lineally descended from Thomas Cornwallis, formerly a merchant in Chcapside, and sheriff of London in 1378. The Earl of Coventry is in direct descent from John Coventry, mercer, and Lord Mayor of London in 1425. The ancestor of the Earl of Essex was Sir William Capel, Lord Mayor of London in 1503. The first founder of the family of the Earls of Craven was a merchant tailo^ and Lord Mayor of London in the reign of Elizabeth. , The noble house of Wcntworth, Marquis of Rockingham and Earl FJtzwilliam, was once an alderman of London, and sheriff in 1506. The noble house of Radner was founded by one Lawrence de Bouvines, a Flemish tradesman living in Thames-street. The present Earl of Warwick is descended, not from the great " king-maker," but from humble William Greville, citizen and woolstapler. ! The Earl of Dartmouth acknowledges as the founder of his family plain Thomas Legge, Sheriff and Lord Mayor of London in the time of Edward Thp- ancestor of Lord Leigh, of Stoneleigh, was an apprentice to one Rowland Hill, and was Lord ; Mayor in Elizabeth's reign. William Paget, from whom the Marquis of Anglesea derives his blood, was the son of a plain sevjeaut-at-maco in the city of London. Thomas Bennett, a mercer, Lord Mayor in 1603, laid the foundation of the family of the Earls of Tankerville. The Earl of Pomfret's ancestor was one Richard Fermour, a tradesman of Calais, in Bluff Hals reign. The Earl of Da^nley owes tlie first elevation of his family to Thomas Bligh, a London citizen. " Plain John" Cowper, alderman and sheriff of London in 1551, was the ancestor of the Earls Cowper* The Earl of Romney is descended from Thomas Marsham, jeweller, alderman of London in 1624. Lord Dacre's ancestor was a banker in Charles I.'s time. Lord Dormer is descended from Michael D^pner, Lord Mayor of London in 1541. Lord Petre's ancestor was William Petre, in the reign of Queen Elizabeth. Lord Ward's ancestor was William Ward, goldsmith and jeweller, in the reign of Charles I.' Rowland Hill (mentioned above) was the ancestor of ike families of Lord Berwick and Lord Hill, and of " all the Hills of Shropshire.' The family of Osborne, Duke of Leeds, and Marquis of Carmarthen, trace their pedigree to one Edward Osborne } an apprentice to Sir William Hewitt, a pinmaker in Elizabeth's time. He saved his master V daughter fipm drowning, and afterwards married her. * Lord Ashburton was plain. Jaexandcr Baring in 1835. Lord Overstone was the wealthy Mr. Samuel Jones Loyd of 1850, or thereabouts. • The Earldoms of Aylesford, Mansfield, Ellenborough, Guilford, Hardwicke, Shaftesbury, Cardigan, Clarendon, Jiridgewater, EUesmere, Rosslynn, were founded by lawyers; and the Lords Tenterden, Ajyjigcr, Wyndford, Thurlow, Eldon,' Cottcnham, anfl Cdwper, owe their ennoblement to the same profession. The first Lord Somers was a plain attorney of the city of Worcester, in the reign of William , The Earl' of Winchelsea ans Nottingham confesses that he owes the latter title partly to the abilities of Christopher Hatton, student-at-law, and partly to Heneage Finch, recorder of London. Lords Brougham, Denman, Langdall, Truro, Cranworth, Campbell, St. Leonards, Lyndhurst, &c, have all started from the people. More recent -examples could be given, but for the present verbum sap.