Lancaster, DUCHY OF, was created in the reign of Edward III., the dignity of county palatine being at the same time conferred upon the duke. The heiress marrying John of Gaunt, son of the king, the duchy was settled upon him and his heirs for ever by royal charter in 1362. Henry IV., third Duke of Lancaster, on his accession to the throne, passed a law in which it was provided that the inheritance of the house of Lancaster should be held by him and his family separate from the crown-lands. Edward IV. in 1461 ordained, with the consent of parliament, that the duchy of Lancaster should be annexed to the crown, but 'held separately from all other hereditaments.' This arrangement has continued until the present time, and the affairs of the duchy have thus enjoyed an independent administration, and formed no part of those hereditary revenues in view of which the Civil List was granted. The revenues of the duchy have increased from £29,000 in 1847 to £36,284 net at the end of 1888, the payment to Her Majesty at these two periods being respectively £12,000 and £50,000 sterling. These proceeds are wholly exempted from parliamentary control, except that the annual account for receipt and expenditure is presented to parliament. The chancery of the duchy of Lancaster is still a crown-office, and was at one time a court of appeal for chancery of the county palatine, but is now merely nominal. The administration of justice has since 1873 been assimilated to that of the rest of
England. The office of chancellor is a political appointment; it is the practice to confer it on a statesman of eminence, frequently a member of the cabinet, who is expected to devote his time to such larger questions occupying the attention of government as do not fall within other departments. The emoluments of the office are about £2000 a year. For the House of Lancaster, see HENRY IV., V., VI.; and ENGLAND, Vol. IV. p. 351.