Manners and Rules of Good Society Part 6

=Clergymen, Barristers-at-Law=, officers in the army and navy take precedence over esquires on account of such rank; and in each profession precedence should be accorded them according to dignity, date of ordination, date of call, and date of commission in their several professions, a.s.suming that the rank is equal.

=High Clerical and Legal Dignitaries= take special precedence; for instance, the Archbishop of Canterbury takes precedence of all dukes, and the Lord Chancellor takes precedence of the Archbishop of York, who also takes precedence of dukes; bishops take precedence of all barons, whatever their date of creation. The Lord Chief Justice, the Master of the Rolls, when not peers, and all judges of the High Court of Justice in their various divisions, take precedence after Privy Councillors and before baronets and all knights, save the Knights of the Garter.

=The Relative Rank between Officers of the Army and Navy= and doctors of divinity is somewhat difficult to determine as regards the precedence to be given them at a dinner-party. "Dod" places "esquires by office, which, of course, includes all officers of the army and navy," next _before_ the younger sons of knights and before doctors in divinity, who follow next in order; while "Lodge" places "officers of the navy and army" _after_ the younger sons of knights bachelor, clergymen, and barristers-at-law.

=Precedency at Dinner-Parties.=--When royalty is present at a dinner-party, a prince of blood royal takes precedence of a princess, and leads the way with the hostess, the host following next with the princess. On the other hand, a princess of the blood royal takes precedence of a foreign prince--her husband--and leads the way with the host.

=The Host should take down the Lady of Highest Rank=, and lead the way with her to the dining-room. The guests should follow the host in couples according to the degree of precedence due to them, and the hostess should follow the last couple with the gentleman of highest rank present.

=When a Greater Number of Gentlemen= than ladies are present at a dinner-party, as is often the case, these gentlemen should follow the hostess to the dining-room and not precede her.

=When a Widow or Maiden Lady is Hostess=, and there is no gentleman of the family present to act as host, the gentleman second in rank should take down the lady of highest rank, leading the way with her to the dining-room, the hostess following last, with the gentleman of highest rank.

=In the Case of either a Husband's Sister= or a wife's sister being required to act as hostess, precedence should be given to the wife's sister.

=An Eldest Son's Wife= should take precedence of her husband's sisters in his father's house.

As regards the precedence due to the relatives of a host or hostess, it should give way in favour of that due to the guests not related to the host or hostess, although their relatives might be, perhaps, of higher rank than the guests themselves.

Occasionally, the eldest son of the house acts as second host, taking down a lady second or third in rank; but the daughters of the house should always be taken down to dinner after the other ladies present, and in no case before them.

No precedence is accorded to either a lady or a gentleman by virtue of a mother's rank.

No precedence is accorded to brides in society, though occasionally in the country old-fas.h.i.+oned people consider it due to a bride to send her in to dinner with the host on the occasion of her first dining at a house within three months of her marriage.

Table of General Precedency

GENTLEMEN

The King.

The Prince of Wales.

The Sovereign's younger sons.

The Sovereign's grandsons.

The Sovereign's brothers.

The Sovereign's uncles.

The Sovereign's nephews.

Amba.s.sadors.

Archbishop of Canterbury.

Lord High Chancellor.

Archbishop of York.

The Prime Minister.

Lord Chancellor of Ireland.

Lord President of the Council.

Lord Privy Seal.

Dukes who may happen to hold either of these five offices-- 1. Lord Great Chamberlain.

2. Earl Marshal.

3. Lord Steward.

4. Lord Chamberlain.

5. Master of the Horse.

Dukes in order of their patents of creation-- 1. Dukes of England.

2. " " Scotland.

3. Dukes of Great Britain.

4. " " Ireland created before the Union.

5. Dukes created since the Union.

Eldest sons of Dukes of Blood Royal.

Marquesses who may hold either of the Offices of State named above.

Marquesses in same order as Dukes.

Dukes' eldest sons.

Earls holding either of the five Offices of State.

Earls in same order as Dukes.

Younger sons of Dukes of Blood Royal.

Marquesses' eldest sons.

Dukes' younger sons.

Viscounts who may hold either of the five Offices of State.

Viscounts in same order as Dukes.

Earls' eldest sons.

Marquesses' younger sons.

Bishop of London.

" " Durham.

" " Winchester.

Other English Bishops in order of their consecration.

Moderator of the Church of Scotland.

Barons holding either of the five Offices of State.

Barons who may be Secretaries of State or Irish Secretary.

Barons in same order as Dukes.

The Speaker of the House of Commons.

Treasurer of the Household.

Comptroller of the Household.

Vice-Chamberlain of the Household.

Secretaries of State below the rank of Barons.

Viscounts' eldest sons.

Earls' younger sons.

Barons' eldest sons.

Commoners who are Knights of the Garter.

Privy Councillors of rank lower than the foregoing, according to date they were sworn in.

Chancellor of the Exchequer.

" " " Duchy of Lancaster.