MANNERS, TILE FAMILY OF. This noble family are of Northumbrian extraction, their ancestor, sir Robert de Manners, having been lord of the manor of Ethale, or Etal, in that county in the 13th century-. His descendant, also sir Robert de Manners, temp. Edward III., was governor of the important border fortress of Norham castle, which lie defended with ability against the Scots, and was subsequently commissioned to treat, on part of the king, with David Bruce, concerning the ratification of peace. In the reign of Henry VI., we find another sir Robert de Manners acting as sheriff of North umberland, and representing that county in parliament; a post at that time, as sir B. Burke remarks, of great power and profit. His wife, a daughter of the noble house of Roos, or De Roos, brought to him that ancient barony, and with it the castle of Belvoir,. Leicestershire; the grandson of this marriage was raised to the earldom of Rutland by Henry VIII.; and the tenth earl WFIS raised to the dukedom in 1603. The eldest son of
the third duke was the celebrated marquis of Granby (q.v.), who attained a very high reputation as a field-officer whilst acting as commander-in-chief of the British forces serving under prince Ferdinand in Germany, but who did not live to inherit the duke dom. The marquis's youngest brother having married the heiress of Sutton, lord Lexing ton, assumed the additional name of Sutton, and became the father, inter alios, of two sons, one of whom was for many years archbishop of Canterbury, and the other held the high post of lord chancellor of Ireland early in the present century, whilst the arch bishop's son presided as speaker over the councils of the house of commons. The present heir-presumptive to the dukedom of Rutland is lord John James Robert lfanners„ son of the late and brother of the present duke.