Duchy of Somerset

The Committee for Privileges of the House of Lords disposed of a case which has for months engrossed the interest of a large part of the British nation.

General Sir Edward Hamilton Seymour appeared before the Committee to prove his claim to the duchy of Somerset, disputed by Lord Hertford. The case has been hanging fire since 1923, when the 15th Duke died, and hinged upon the validity of a marriage contracted by Colonel Francis Seymour and Leonora Hudson in 1787.

General Seymour produced the story of his ancestor, told how he had rescued Leonora Hudson, a sailor's wife, from two ruffians, how he subsequently married her after the death of her husband in India. The General contended that John Hudson, husband of Leonora, died in 1786, was buried in Calcutta on Sept. 17 of the same year. On Sept. 3, 1787, Francis Seymour married her, became the ancestor of the plaintiff.

Along comes Lord Hertford to say that John Hudson did not die in 1786, but merely deserted his ship, returned to London where he died in 1791. Thus the descendants of the Seymour-Hudson union were bastards. Unfortunately for Hertford, he could not prove his story and the Committee accordingly allowed the claim of General Seymour, who became 16th Duke of Somerset; the first was Lord Protector of England during the minority of his nephew, Edward VI.

The Committee for Privileges, composed of the law lords and several others especially interested in peerage history, together with the Attorney General, is a standing committee of the House of Lords. Its power is very great--in fact final, so far as the House of Lords is concerned. The King, who is still the fountain of honor, can himself recognize a peerage claim by issuing a writ of summons to the claimant, but he never does so now. If he did, the House could not refuse the peer a seat; but, could--and doubtless would, if it disproved the King's action--refuse to grant him the precedence to which the date of his dignity entitled him.