A Marquess is a nobleman of hereditary rank in Europe and Japan. In British peerage it ranks below a Duke and above an Earl. A woman with the rank of marquess, or the wife of a marquess, is a marchioness.
The word derives from the Middle Frenchmarquis (feminine, marquise), ultimately from a Germanic word for 'border'. This spelling marquis is still also used, though marquess is now preferred, at least for British marquesses (French marquis are still generally known by the French spelling of the word). In German-speaking countries, the equivalent title was margrave.
Peerage of England
The first marquess in England was Robert de Vere, 9th Earl of Oxford, who was created Marquess of Dublin by Richard II on the 1 December1385. On the 13 October1386 the patent of this marquessate was recalled, Robert de Vere was raised to Duke of Oxford. John Beaufort, 1st Earl of Somerset, the second legitimate son of John of Gaunt, was raised to the second marquessate as Marquess of Dorset on in September 1397. In 1399, he was disgraced and the king revoked his marquessate. The Commons petitioned Richard for his restoration but he himself objected stating "the name of marquess is a strange name in this realm". From that period the title appears to have been dormant till the reign of Henry VI, when it was revived in 1442.
The Chronological Peerage of England, hereditarytitles.com as of March 2, 2003; [1] (http://www.hereditarytitles.com/Page70.htm); omits Normanby, misspells Hartington as Martington, places Marquess of Lorn and Kintyre in peerage of England (Scotland is more probable).
BUCKINGHAM AND NORMANBY, JOHN SHEFFIELD, 1ST DUKE OF (1648-1721), 1911 Encyclopędia Britannica; [2] (http://49.1911encyclopedia.org/B/BU/BUCKINGHAM_AND_NORMANBY_JOHN_SHEFFIELD_1ST_DUKE_OF.htm); mentions Marquess of Normanby in peerage of England.
The Marchioness changed the motion of her head, which had not yet left off nodding, and suddenly began to shake it from side to side with a vehemence which threatened to dislocate her neck.
‘Marchioness,’ said Mr Swiveller, rising, ‘the word of a gentleman is as good as his bond—sometimes better; as in the present case, where his bond might prove but a doubtful sort of security.
With this parting injunction, Mr Swiveller emerged from the house; and feeling that he had by this time taken quite as much to drink as promised to be good for his constitution (purl being a rather strong and heady compound), wisely resolved to betake himself to his lodgings, and to bed at once.
The Marchioness, having arranged the bed-clothes more comfortably, and felt that his hands and forehead were quite cool-- a discovery that filled her with delight--cried a little more, and then applied herself to getting tea ready, and making some thin dry toast.
When the Marchioness had finished her toasting, she spread a clean cloth on a tray, and brought him some crisp slices and a great basin of weak tea, with which (she said) the doctor had left word he might refresh himself when he awoke.
The Marchioness, in saying these words, brought a little table to the bedside, took her seat at it, and began to work away at the concoction of some cooling drink, with the address of a score of chemists.
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