HERA 
whifper with the French fatirid, <( Ne fcauroit on 
pourrir fans routes ces F.iforts vet on the otlier h ind,' 
when we reflect that, hv a drift obfervance of tliofe 
ancient though apparently trifling cuftom's, the living 
bind themfelves to the dead, the family ties are kept 
lining atrd clofe- together, and that d'diiiftion of 
ranks, fo neceflhry in a well-regulated focietv, careful¬ 
ly pfeferved in order to nurture, under the fecurity of 
impartial laws, the national fpirit of a'brav- and inde¬ 
pendent nation ;—who is not ready either to blefs the 
ftudy and pmfuits of Heraldry, or to bewail the 
tiegleft of a liberal fcience, from which fo many advan¬ 
tages have been and may be drawn in favour, of man¬ 
kind ? 
Such are the Elements and Rules which, from its firfl 
rude form, gave the prefenf pollfli and perfection to the 
elegant fcience of Heraldry ; a fcienceWhich has for its 
object the due regulation and appropriation of the armo¬ 
rial bearings of individuals and families according to 
their different degrees of rank and fubordination in 
fociety. Hence.the principal of tliofe rules which eda- 
blifli the'various emblems or 'marks of dignity in 
coats of arms, came to be adopted by our fovereigns, as 
the ground Whereon to form the laws of Precedence 
ir.ENGLAND. Thefe are as follow : 
The KING. 
The Prince of Wales. 
The King’s next.Sons, 
King’s Brothers. 
King’s Uncles. 
King’s Grandfons, 
King’s Brothers or Sifters Sons. 
Archbifhop of Canterbury, Lord Primate of all Eng¬ 
land. 
Lord High Chancellor, or Lord Keeper, 
Archbi.ffiop of York, Primate of England. 
Lord High Treafurer. 
Lord Prefident of the Privy Council. 
Lord Privy Seal, being of the degree of Barons, by flat 
31 Hen. VIII. 
Lord High Conftable. 
Earl Mavfhal. 
Lord High Admiral. 
Lord Steward of his Majefty’s Houfehold. 
Lord Chamberlain of his Majefty’s Houfehold. Thefe 
are to ftand above all of their degree, viz. if Dukes, 
above Dukes: if Earls, above.Eurls, &e. bv flat. ?i 
Hen. VIII. 
Dukes according to their Pa.tents. 
Marquiffes according to their Patents. 
Dukes eldeft Sons. 
Earls according to their Patents. 
Marquilfes elded Sons. 
Dukes younger Sons. 
Vifcounts according to their Patents. 
Earls eldeft Sons. 
Marguiffes younger Sons. 
Bifhops of London, Durham, Winchefler, and all other 
Bifhops according to their feniority of Confecration. 
But if any Bifhop be Principal Secretary of State, 
he'fhall be placed above all other Bifhops, unle-fs they 
have any of the great offices before-mentioned, by 
flat. 31 Hen. VIII. 7 
Barons according to their Patents. But, if any Baron be 
Principal Secretary of State, lie fhall be placed above 
all other Barons not holding any of the great offices 
before mentioned. 
Speaker of the Houfe of Commons. 
Vifcounts elded Sons. 
Earls younger Sons. 
Barons elded Sons. 
Knights of the Garter. 
Privy Counfellors. 
Chancellor of the Exchequer, 
L D R Y. 4 55 
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancadef. * 
Lord Chief Judice of the King’;, Bench. 
Matter of the Roil,. 
Lord Chief J idee of the,Common Pleas. 
Lord Chief Baron of the Exchequer. 
Judges and Barons of the Degree of the Coife of the 
laid Court according to ieni'oij y. 
Bannerets made by the King himfelf in perfon, under 
the royal dan lard difplayed in an army royal, in open 
war, for the term of their lives and no longer. 
Vifcounts younger Sons. 
Barons younger Sons. 
Baronets. 
Bannerets not made by the King himfelf in perfon. 
Knignts of the Bath. 
Knights Bachelors. 
. Elded Sons of the younger, Sons of Peers. 
Baronets eldeft Sons. 
Knights of the Garter’s el deft; Sons. 
Bannerets'elded Sons. 
Knights of the Bath’s elded Sons. 
Knights elded Sons. 
Baronets younger.Sons.' 
-Efquires of the King’s Body. 
Gentlemen of the Privy-Chamber. 
Efquires of the Knights of the Bath. 
Efquires by Creation. 
Efquires by Office. 
Younger fons of Knights, of the Garter. 
Younger Ions of Bannerets of both kinds. 
Younger Sons of Knights of the Bath. 
Younger Sans of Knights Bachelor's. 
Gentlemen entitled to bear arms. 
Clergymen, Bat-riders at Law, Officers in the Royal 
Navy and Army, who are „li Gentlemen by profeffioii. 
Citizens. 
Burgefles. 
Gentlemen of the army and navy are of courfe aware, 
that neither military nor naval officers, of any rank 
wh.ttfdever, have any place of precedency, cither indi¬ 
vidually, in right of that rank, or collectively, in right 
of their respective profeliions. It follows of comfe, 
that in profeliions, Sc c. fuch military, or naval officers 
as are dyled efquires, in tlpe iodruihents under which 
they hold their teveral ranks respectively, liave no place 
but (generally) with efquires ; and fuch as are in like 
manner ftyled gentlemen (generally) with gentlemen ; un- 
leis in fuch cales wiiere ciTcumltanc.es of birth, or pub¬ 
lic flat ion, may happen to confer on particular indivi¬ 
duals a right to precede efquires. 
PRECEDENCE AMONG WOMEN. 
The QUEEN. 
Princefs of Wales. - 
Princeffes, Daughters of the King. 
Princeffes and Duchelfes, Wives of the King’s Sons. 
Wives of the King’s Biothers. 
Wives of the King’s Uncles. 
The King’s Giund-dalighters. 
Wives of tlie elded Sans of Dukes of .the Blood Royal. 
Daughters of Dukes of the Blood Royal. 
Wives of the King’s Brothers or Siders Sons. 
DuclTelfes. 
Mai chioneffeg. 
Wives of the elded Sons of Dukes, 
Daughters of Dukes. 
Coumelfes. 
Wives of the Elded Sons of Marquiffes. 
Daughters of Marquilfes. 
Wives of the younged Sons of Dukes. 
Vifcoitntelles. 
Wives of the elded Sons of Earls. 
Daughters of Earls. 
Wives of the younger Sons of Marquilfes. 
Baroneffes, 
Wives 
