e judges ordered the
documents produced by the petitioners to be impounded.

It may be noted, in conclusion, that if Mrs. Ryves had succeeded in
proving that her mother was a princess of the blood royal, she would
at the same time have established her own illegitimacy. The alleged
marriage of the Duke of Cumberland took place before the passing of
the Royal Marriage Act; and, therefore, if Mrs. Serres had been the
duke's daughter, she would have been a princess of the blood royal.
But that Act had been passed before the marriage of Mrs. Serres to her
husband, and would have rendered it invalid, and consequently her
issue would have been illegitimate. As it was, Mrs. Ryves obtained a
declaration of her legitimacy; but in so doing she sacrificed all her
pretensions to royal descent.

WILLIAM GEORGE HOWARD--THE PRETENDED EARL OF WICKLOW.

On the 22d of March, 1869, William, the fourth Earl of Wicklow, died,
without male issue. His next brother, the Hon. and Rev. Francis
Howard, had died during the late earl's lifetime, after being twice
married. By his first marriage he had had three sons, none of whom had
survived; but one son blessed his second nuptials, and he claimed the
peerage at his uncle's death. A rival, however, appeared to contest
his right in the person of William George Howard, an infant, who was
represented by his guardians as the issue of William George Howard,
the eldest son of the Hon. and Rev. Francis Howard by his first
marriage, and a certain Miss Ellen Richardson. As to the birth of the
former claimant there could be no doubt, and it was not denied that
his eldest half-brother had been married as stated; but the birth of
the infant was disputed, and the matter was left for the decision of
the House of Lords.

The case for the infant was briefly as follows:--Mr. W.G. Howard, his
reputed father, was married to Miss Richardson, in February, 1863.
Four months after their marriage the couple went to lodge with Mr.
Bloor, an out-door officer in the customs, who resided at 27 Burton
Street, Eaton Square. Here they remained only three weeks, but during
that time appear to have contracted a sort of friendship with the
Bloor family, for, after being absent till the latter end of the
year, they returned to the house in Burton Street, and endeavoured to
procure apartments there. Mr. Bloor's rooms were full, and he was
unable to accommodate them; but, in order to be near his old friends,
Mr. Howard too