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THe third Degree of the Hereditary and fixt Nobility, is intituled, Mar∣quio,* 1.1 (and Marquess in English) which be∣gan in Germany, Anno Christi, 925. when Henry, (Emperour of Germany) and the first of that Name in that Empire) Crea∣ted Sigefred (then Earl of Kinglesheim) Marquess of Brandenburgh; who after, in the Year 1525. having the addition of Duke of Prussia, did exchange the Title
of Marquess, to be call'd Duke of Bran∣denburgh: However, he was the first Mar∣quess of that Empire, and probably the Emperour did fix this Title between the Dukes and Earls, that there might be no more disputes concerning them; for the two Titles of Duke and Earl were promis∣cuously us'd till this Title of Marquess was interpos'd; and the same reason might also occasion Philip the Fair, King of France, 425 years after, viz. Anno Christi, 1350. to insert into John, Duke of Bri∣tain's Patent: Ʋt ne posset (saith the Pa∣tent) in dubium revocari Ducem ipsum (qui Comes fuit aliquando, &c.) ut Ducem in po∣sterum deberet vocari, &c. and the reason is therein given,* 1.2 Quod Comitatus ejus potius debet duci & esse Ducatus, quam Comita∣tus, quoniam sub se habet decem & ultra Comitatus, and 56 years after, viz. Anno Christi, 1386. This might occasion also our Richard the Second, to make Robert d'Vere the first Marquess of England by Creation, and hereby the dispute between the two Titles of Duke and Earl, or Comes, was setled both in the Empire, in France, and in England, by the interpos'd Title of Marquess.
2. From whence this Title is derived, there are several conjectures, but most agree, That it comes from Marken, or Mark, or
March, (High Dutch words) signifying with them as with us, a Mark or Limit, and from thence he that was deputed Go∣vernour of that Limit or Mark which he was to take care of, and preserve, was call'd a Marches, or Marquess, and the Territo∣ry under his Jurisdiction, a Marquisate, and to this day the Marquisate of Branden∣burgh is divided into three Marks, or Marches, viz. Alte-Mark, or old March,* 1.3 the middle Mark, and the new Mark, or March: and we in England do still call such kind of Limits by the name of Marks, or Marches, viz. the Marches of Wales, and the Marches of Scotland, which were Fron∣tiers to be defended against the Scots and Welch; and some would derive Marquess from Mare, the Sea, because their Marken or Limits were juxta Mare posita, and the learned Selden (in his Titles of Honour) likes it well enough, that Marquess should be derived from Marken, but not Marken from Mare.
3. But I must not ravil into Disputes of this Nature, and therefore shall re∣fer them to his Book, and my Annota∣tions, and conclude this Section with this, That as most Sir-Names are deriv'd from some significant word or words, so these noble Titles (without derogation to their other Titles) are from some signal
Action, as a Duke from leading an Army; a Marquess from Maris acquisitio, (a gain∣ing something from the Sea, or preserving something against the Sea) and so of the other Titles (as will be shewn) and there∣upon had condignal Honours conferr'd on them, to testifie their Imployments, which are since (as Memorials of their Merits (therein become hereditary.
4. Four Marquesses were summon'd, 18 Feb. 1661. as in the Pawn, vide Cap. 2.
Obs. I.
Selden.
Heylin's Cosm.