43 CHAPTER IV. GREAT OFFICERS OF STATE ENGAGED IN THE LORD HIGH STEWARD was anciently the first personage in the realm next to the king. The name of his office is derived from the Saxon words stead and ward, implying that he is an officer appointed to keep watch in another's stead or place; for on the demise of the crown he acted as viceroy until the king's peace was proclaimed, or, as some authors believe, until the ceremony of the coronation was performed. In consequence of these high functions, he walks next before the king in the procession, bearing, as its temporary possessor, the crown of St. Edward. He was anciently also the sole judge of the Court of Claims, which will be described in another chapter. The office of Lord High Steward was the inheritance of the earls of Leicester until forfeited to the crown by Simon de Montfort in the reign of Henry III. Henry having learned by experience that it was dangerous to intrust a subject with such extensive powers, abolished the office as a permanency, and ever since lords high stewards are created only for such occasions as a coronation, or the trial of peers accused of high treason, felony, or misprision of either. During the period of his office the high steward holds a white rod in his hand, and when the ceremony of the coronation terminates or the trial is concluded, he breaks his staff, to signify that his functions are at end. If the trial of an indicted peer takes place during the session of parliament, he acts only as speaker or chairman of the court, which is then regarded as the court of our lord the king in parliament. But during the recess this court becomes the court of the lord high steward, and he is the sole judge in matters of law as the triers are in matter of fact; and as they may not interfere with him in regulating the proceedings of the court, so he has no right to intermix with them in giving a vote upon the trial. There is likewise a lord steward of the king's household, who is the chief officer of the king's court, has the care of the king's house, and authority over all the officers and servants of the household, except such as belong to the chamber, the chapel, and the stable. This officer, though sometimes confounded with the high steward, never possessed any political or judicial functions. The Stuart family held the office of high stewards in Scotland, but their right merged in the crown on the accession of Robert II. The LORD HIGH CONSTABLE is next in dignity to the lord high steward, but his office is more ancient, and was at one time more important. His ensign of office is a staff somewhat like a field-marshal's baton. The name Staff of Lord High Constable. of constable is derived from the Latin words comes stabuli, which may be translated "master of the horse;" for in the later ages of the Roman empire this dignitary had the government of the army, which then consisted principally of cavalry. Among the French the comes stabuli was at first an officer of inferior dignity, but we find that he was sometimes appointed to command military expeditions, and what is rather strange, we find him on one occasion nominated by Charlemagne admiral of a fleet. Philip I. restored the ancient dignity and authority of the constable in France, by appointing him commander-in-chief of all the royal forces. From that time the constable's authority amongst the French became almost unbounded; in the host he was second only when the king was present, and exercised royal power in his absence; he also claimed the custody of the king's sword as a symbol of his high dignity. In most of the Continental kingdoms and principalities, whether of Roman or Northern origin, the constable was one of the most important officers, but he nowhere possessed such power as he did in France. In the Anglo-Saxon age an officer similar to that of the constable was established in England by the title of Heretoch, but the date of its regular institution must be assigned to the year after the Norman conquest, when William I. conferred the title upon Ralph de Mortimer, and with it the title and estates of Edric, earl of Shrewsbury, who had made a bold attempt to maintain his independence in the marches of Wales. Henry I. made the office hereditary in the family of the earl of Gloucester; it passed in the female line to the Bohuns, earls of Hereford, ten of whom held it in succession. The last of the Bohuns left two daughters, Eleanor, married to Thomas of Woodstock, (afterwards duke of Gloucester,) sixth son to King Edward III., and Mary, married to the earl of Derby, son to John of Gaunt, duke of Lancaster, who afterwards became king of England by the title of Henry IV. Thomas of Woodstock was, in right of his wife, constituted constable of England during pleasure by his father Edward III., and this dignity was confirmed by his nephew Richard II., who also advanced him to the dignity of duke of Gloucester. The imbecile king finding his uncle too severe a censor of his folly and extravagance, procured his murder. He left one son, Humphrey Plantagenet, who was sent into Ireland by Richard II., and imprisoned in the castle of Trim. He was recalled by Henry IV., who purposed to restore him to his paternal honours, but these intentions were baffled by Humphrey's death; he fell a victim to the plague at Chester, as he was hasting to London. The right to the office of constable passed, by the marriage of his sister Anne, to the family of the De Bohuns, earls of Stafford, and afterwards dukes of Buckingham. The dignity was revived in the person of her greatgrandson, who was the principal agent in advancing Richard III. to the throne. He afterwards revolted from Richard, and being taken prisoner was beheaded on a scaffold in the market of Salisbury. Edward, the son and heir of this unfortunate duke, was restored to all his titles and estates by Henry VII.; but in the thirteenth year of Henry VIII. he was accused of conspiring against the king's life, and suffered the usual penalties of treason. By his attainder the office lapsed to the crown, and has not been since revived, except as a matter of form at the coronation. The office of lord high constable in Scotland was hereditary in the family of the earls of Errol, and the title is retained to the present day, though it confers no political or honorary advantages. The EARL MARSHAL is next in dignity to the lord high constable, and appears to have been originally, like that officer, a general of cavalry, deriving his name from the German mare, which anciently signified a horse, without any distinction of sex, and schalh, an attendant. It is probable that the Normans first introduced this title to imply a high military dignity, for when Henry II. undertook the conquest of Ireland he created Henri de Montmorenci marshal of that country. The marshalsy of England appears to have been hereditary in the noble family of De Clare, earls of Strigul or Pembroke, the founders of which are celebrated in the history both of England and Ireland under the name of Strongbow. Isabel, the daughter of Strongbow the conqueror of Ireland, married William Marshal, who was created earl of Pembroke and earl marshal of England. The office passed by marriage into the family of the Bigods, earls of Norfolk, and on the extinction of that family reverted to the crown. Richard II. in the twentieth year of his reign revived the office in favour of Thomas Mowbray, earl of Nottingham, constituting him earl marshal of England, and directing that he and the heirs of his body should, when in the royal presence, and at all other times, bear and carry a rod of gold, tipped at each end with black enamel, and having the royal arms at the upper end, and the arms of the said earl at the lower end. Ever since which time the earls marshal have borne this official badge. By the extinction of the Mowbray family the office of earl marshal again reverted to the crown, and the great inheritance of their house was divided between the Berkeleys and the Howards, both of which were connected with the Mowbrays by marriage. Richard III. in the first year of his reign created John Howard, duke of Norfolk and earl marshal of England. But this nobleman, commonly called "Jockey of Norfolk," was slain at the battle of Bosworth field, and attainted after his death. Henry VII. gave the office to the Berkeley family, and created William Berkeley, earl of Nottingham, earl marshal of England, but he died without issue. The office was then given to the king's son, Henry, duke of York, who afterwards became king of England. Henry VIII. granted the office to Thomas Howard, earl of Surrey, who afterwards became duke of Norfolk. Eleven years afterwards the duke was attainted by act of parliament, and would probably have lost his head, as his son, the accomplished earl of Surrey, did, had not the king died eight days after the act of attainder was passed. Queen Mary restored the Howards in blood, and the duke of Norfolk, the grandson of the former, became the chief ornament both of her court and that of |