Zbc Duhcs ot Beaufort i^s 



moments the full truth and force of those immortal lines 

 of another living duke : — 



' Let arts and commerce, laws and learning die 

 But leave us still our old nobility.' 



If ever (which heaven forefend !) our aristocracy 

 should be threatened with extinction, I hope that some 

 Society, similar to that for the ' Protection of Ancient 

 Buildings,' will arise to preserve for us such venerable links 

 with the past as the House of Beaufort. Let the new 

 noblesse go by the board, if the people so wills — no one 

 would miss it,but we cannotafford to lose our Plantagenets. 



The present duke can trace one of his titles, that of 

 Baron Botetourt, as far back as 1305, when John de 

 Botetourt, a distinguished soldier and Admiral of the 

 Fleet under Edward the First, was summoned by writ 

 as a Baron to the Parliament which met on that 

 date. The Earldom of Worcester dates from 1 504, and 

 was merged in the Marquisate created in 1642. 



It is always interesting to trace back hereditary traits, 

 and some of those which are conspicuous in the present 

 Duke of Beaufort are at least as old as his ancestor, 

 Edward, fourth Earl of Worcester, Master of the Horse 

 under both Elizabeth and James the First, of whom one of 

 his contemporaries tells us that ' he was a very fine 

 gentleman and the best horseman and tilter of his time.' 

 That is the first mention I have been able to find of the 

 existence of those tastes and accomplishments which have 

 since blossomed into that love of sport and that skill in 

 horsemanship which are such brilliant characteristics of 

 the Somersets of to-day. 



The genius of the family was the fifth earl and first 

 marquis, who is probably best known now as the author 

 of a Century of Invetition, in which he clearly fore- 



