108 Fountain of HonourSy S^^c. [Ch.VIII. fore can create and confer dignities and honours. The King is not only the fountain ; but the parent of them. Nor can even an ordinance of the House of Lords confer peerage (a). The titles of nobility now in use are dukes, marquesses, earls, viscounts and barons. These titles were introduced into this country by its Kings at different periods {b) ; and conse- quently the degrees of nobility are not of equal antiquity. The most exalted in point of rank are not the oldest. Thus the titles of earl and baron, which were the only titles of nobility used before the reign of Edward the 3d (c), seem to have existed before the Norman Conquest ; at least traces of theii* existence before that event have been developed; though it appears certain that the exact nature of these titles and the duties which the possessors of them were bound to observe were more clearly ascertained and fixed by the Conqueror {d). The dignity of a duke was first conferred on a subject in this country by Edward 3. who created his son the Black Prince, Duke of Cornwall (e). This was done with great solemnity in full Parliament at Westminster, March 17, 1337. Many per- sons were afterwards raised to the like honour. However in the reign of Queen Elizabeth, 1572, the whole order became utterly extinct ; but it was revived about 50 years afterwards by her successor, who was remarkably prodigal of honours, in the person of George Villiers, duke of Buckingham. The title of Marquis was afterwards introduced into England by Richard the 2nd {/) ; who conferred it on Robert de Vere, Earl of Oxford : and Henry the 6th introduced that of vis- count, by creating John Beaumont a peer, by the name of Viscount Beaumont (g). Various offices and duties were formerly attached to most of these titles {h) ; and there can be no doubt that they were ori- ginally territorial, that is, annexed to lands, honours, castles, manors, and the like, the proprietors and possessors of which were (in right of those estates) allowed to be peers of the (a) Wm. Jones, 104. 1 Ld. Raym. («) Hen. Hist. Engl. 8 vol. 135, 8vo. 16. ed. (b) See 3 Cruise Dig. 176 to 184. 1 (/) 2 Inst. 5. Rol. Pari. 3 vol. page Bla. Com. 396, &c. 209. (c) 1 Ld. Raym. 12. (g) Seld. Tit of Hon. p. 2. ch. 5. ». (rf) See Cruise Dig. and Bla. Com. 31. 2 Inst. 5. uii supra. (A) See 3 Cruise Dig. 172, 175. 1 Ld. Raym. 12, 13. S realm,
