92
NOTES AND QUERIES.
[11 S. V. FEB. 3, 1912
FAMILIES : DURATION IN MALE LINE
(US. v. 27). Surely SIR WILLIAM BULL
under-estimates the length of pedigrees. A
century, three generations, within which
seven separate male lines of a family die
out MR. PAGE mentions seven different
branches of the Bradshaws must indeed be
"remarkable."
SIR WILLIAM asks what family " has undoubted proofs of the longest descent in the male line."
There would be many claimants to the title ; and though critical genealogists would rule out ninety-nine of every hundred as " non-proven," there are one or two who, by contemporary charters and writings, and by the inheritance of land, can really show a probable descent from the time of the Conquest.
But, by an odd coincidence, what is in all likelihood the best authenticated, if not the longest, of all the old pedigrees, is that of a family who now reign at Haigh Hall, as a result of a marriage with one of these very failing lines of Bradshaw.
Lord Crawford is 26th Earl of an earldom more than five centuries old. He is himself 16th in descent from the first Earl, and he has a son who has a son.
The descent in the male line of a peerage necessitates that when, through the ages any doubt arises, that doubt be venti- lated and the descent criticized by those responsible for the law of the land.
But the Lindsay pedigree by no means begins at the creation of the earldom in 1398. For nine earlier generations, back to a William de Lindsay who was old enough to witness a royal charter before 1140, it is in all probability perfectly sound. Whatever others may accomplish, I think that Lord Balcarres's son can reasonably lay claim to a pedigree of twenty -seven generations lasting over eight centuries.
GEORGE S. C. SWINTON.
The number of ancient families which are still represented in the male line is much larger than your correspondent believes The late Mr. Evelyn Shirley's ' Nobl< and Gentle Men ' gives a brief accoun of those families that at the. date of pub lication ( 1866) were in possession of the estates which their ancestors held in the time of Henry VII. In going through this boot not long ago, I was surprised to find how many of these families are still representec in the House of Lords. There are, of course many families which have lost their ancestra property, but are still able to trace thei
lescent to very ancient times. With regard
o the query, " Which is the family that has
undoubted proofs of the longest descent in
he male line ? " Mr. J. Horace Round
showed some years ago in The Genealogist
hat the family of St. John is the only one,
o far as is known, that is undoubtedly
descended from a Domesday tenant. Several
"amilies pretend to a descent from Saxon
imes, but their claims will not bear investiga-
ion. A good many ancient descents can be
traced back, by " undoubted proofs," to the
time of Henry II. Lord Wrottesley repre-
sents the only family which can trace a direct
male descent from one of the Founders of
the Order of the Garter.
According to the ' Almanach de Gotha,' the House of Wettin is descended in the direct line from Thiadmar, who lived in 919. King George V. has therefore a longer lineage than any of his subjects. The House of Bourbon is still older, as it traces its descent from Robert le Fort, the great-grandfather of Hugh Capet. Robert was killed when fighting the Northmen in 866. His direct descendants are still very numerous.
W. F. PRIDEAUX.
[See also ' Domesday Book and the Luttrell Family,' 11 S. iv. 365.]
DRUMMOND OF HAWTHORNDEN (11 S. iv. 487). In endeavouring to trace the where- abouts of Drummond's works, it is neces- sary to discriminate carefully between dif- ferent editions. No difficulty seems to be felt as to the issue of the first edition of the ' Teares on the Death of Meliades.' Copies would appear to be plentiful. Of the second edition, however, it is generally said that no copy has hitherto been traced.
A solution of the difficulty was presented by Dr. David Irving of the Edinburgh Advo- cates' Library more than sixty years ago. In his ' Lives of Scottish Writers,' vol. ii. p. 23, he has a note to the following effect :
'"Teares on the Death of Mreliades,' Edinburgh, printed by Andro Hart, 1613, 4to. His two sonnets and epitaph, which appear in this publication, are likewise inserted in the ' Mausoleum, or, choisest Flowres of the Epitaphs written on the Death of the never - too - much lamented Prince Henrie,' Edinb., 1613, 4to. A third edition of the ' Teares on the 'Death of Moeliades' soon followed, Edinb., 1614, 4to.
According to Dr. Irving, the ' Teares on the Death of Meliades ' was first issued separ- ately, then incorporated with the ' Mauso- leum,' and then again issued separately.
In his * Life of Drummond of Hawthorn-, den.' however, the late Prof. Masson assigns priority of publication to the ' Mausoleum/
