MANY a jest has been levelled at the Irish family of Morres for seeking and obtaining permission from the crown, some eighty years ago, to assume the glorious name of “De Montmorency” in lieu of their own, as having been originally that of their family. They have since borne, as is well-known, not merely the name, but even the arms and the proud device of that illustrious house. Moreover, the introduction of the name Bouchard, borne by the present Lord Mountmorres, proves the determination of the family to persist in their lofty pretensions.

I am not aware whether these pretensions have ever been regularly exposed: they seem to have been thought too fantastic for serious criticism. At the same time, it must be remembered that they have been formally and officially recognised by Sir W. Betham as Deputy Ulster, by the English crown (on the strength of his statement) and by the Chevalier De la Rue, “garde-général des archives du Royaume,” on the French side, in 1818. On the other hand, it must not be forgotten that MM. de Montmorency at the time, in spite of the repeated and strenuous appeals of the Morres family, declined to admit their claim to be members of the house of Montmorency.

To the indignant protest of Col. Hervey Morres (styling himself “de Montmorency-Morres”) against this action of the French house, we owe the most complete exposition of the case on behalf of his family.