[27] The title, Esquire, according to a high authority, was anciently applied "to the younger sons of nobility and their heirs in the immediate line, to the eldest sons of knights and their heirs, to the esquire of the knights and others of that rank in his Majesty's service, and to such as had eminent employment in the Commonwealth, and were not knighted, such as judges, sheriffs, and justices of the peace during their offices, and some others. But now," says Sir Edward Walker, "in the days of Charles I., the addition is so increased, that he is a very poor and inconsiderable person who writes himself less."
Accordingly, most of the signatures for shares in the projected National Bank of Ireland, were dignified with the addition of Esquire, which, added to the obscurity of the subscribers, incurs the ridicule of our author in the following treatise. [S.]
[28] Subscribers to the Bank, placed according to their order and quality, with Notes and Queries.
A true and exact account of the nobility, gentry, and traders, of the kingdom of Ireland, who, upon mature deliberation, are of opinion, that the establishing a bank upon real security, would be highly for the advantage of the trade of the said kingdom, and for increasing the current species of money in the same. Extracted from the list of the subscribers to the Bank of Ireland, published by order of the commissioners appointed to receive subscriptions.
| Nobility. | |
|---|---|
| Archbishops | 0 |
| Marquisses | 0 |
| Earls | 0 |
| Viscounts | 3 |
| Barons | 1 |
| Bishops | 2 |
| French Baron | 1 |
N.B.: The temporal Lords of Ireland are 125, the Bishops 22. In all 147, exclusive of the aforesaid French Count.
| Gentry. | |
|---|---|
| Baronets | 1 |
| Knights | 1 |
N.B. Total of baronets and knights in Ireland uncertain; but in common computation supposed to be more than two.
Members of the House of Commons—41. One whereof reckoned before amongst the two knights.
N.B. Number of Commoners in all 300.