Theirmostfaithfulhistoriansbelieve，that，aftergivinghisdaughtertotheking\'sson，ReginaldofCourtenayabandonedhispossessionsinFrance，andobtainedfromtheEnglishmonarchasecondwifeandanewinheritance。Itiscertain，atleast，thatHenrytheSeconddistinguishedinhiscampsandcouncilsaReginald，ofthenameandarms，and，asitmaybefairlypresumed，ofthegenuinerace，oftheCourtenaysofFrance。Therightofwardshipenabledafeudallordtorewardhisvassalwiththemarriageandestateofanobleheiress；andReginaldofCourtenayacquiredafairestablishmentinDevonshire，wherehisposterityhasbeenseatedabovesixhundredyears。^83FromaNormanbaron，BaldwindeBrioniis，whohadbeeninvestedbytheConqueror，Hawise，thewifeofReginald，derivedthehonorofOkehampton，whichwasheldbytheserviceofninety—threeknights；andafemalemightclaimthemanlyofficesofhereditaryviscountorsheriff，andofcaptainoftheroyalcastleofExeter。TheirsonRobertmarriedthesisteroftheearlofDevon:attheendofacentury，onthefailureofthefamilyofRivers，^84hisgreat—grandson，HughtheSecond，succeededtoatitlewhichwasstillconsideredasaterritorialdignity；andtwelveearlsofDevonshire，ofthenameofCourtenay，haveflourishedinaperiodoftwohundredandtwentyyears。Theywererankedamongthechiefofthebaronsoftherealm；norwasittillafterastrenuousdispute，thattheyyieldedtothefiefofArundelthefirstplaceintheparliamentofEngland:theirallianceswerecontractedwiththenoblestfamilies，theVeres，Despensers，St。Johns，Talbots，Bohuns，andeventhePlantagenetsthemselves；andinacontestwithJohnofLancaster，aCourtenay，bishopofLondon，andafterwardsarchbishopofCanterbury，mightbeaccusedofprofaneconfidenceinthestrengthandnumberofhiskindred。Inpeace，theearlsofDevonresidedintheirnumerouscastlesandmanorsofthewest；theiramplerevenuewasappropriatedtodevotionandhospitality；andtheepitaphofEdward，surnamedfromhismisfortune，theblind，fromhisvirtues，thegood，earl，inculcateswithmuchingenuityamoralsentence，whichmay，however，beabusedbythoughtlessgenerosity。Afteragratefulcommemorationofthefifty—fiveyearsofunionandhappinesswhichheenjoyedwithMabelhiswife，thegoodearlthusspeaksfromthetomb:—
\"Whatwegave，wehave；
Whatwespent，wehad；
Whatweleft，welost。\"^85
Buttheirlosses，inthissense，werefarsuperiortotheirgiftsandexpenses；andtheirheirs，notlessthanthepoor，weretheobjectsoftheirpaternalcare。Thesumswhichtheypaidforliveryandseizinattestthegreatnessoftheirpossessions；andseveralestateshaveremainedintheirfamilysincethethirteenthandfourteenthcenturies。Inwar，theCourtenaysofEnglandfulfilledtheduties，anddeservedthehonors，ofchivalry。TheywereoftenintrustedtolevyandcommandthemilitiaofDevonshireandCornwall；theyoftenattendedtheirsupremelordtothebordersofScotland；andinforeignservice，forastipulatedprice，theysometimesmaintainedfourscoremen—at—armsandasmanyarchers。ByseaandlandtheyfoughtunderthestandardoftheEdwardsandHenries:theirnamesareconspicuousinbattles，intournaments，andintheoriginallistoftheOrderoftheGarter；threebrotherssharedtheSpanishvictoryoftheBlackPrince；andinthelapseofsixgenerations，theEnglishCourtenayshadlearnedtodespisethenationandcountryfromwhichtheyderivedtheirorigin。Inthequarrelofthetworoses，theearlsofDevonadheredtothehouseofLancaster；andthreebrotherssuccessivelydiedeitherinthefieldoronthescaffold。TheirhonorsandestateswererestoredbyHenrytheSeventh；adaughterofEdwardtheFourthwasnotdisgracedbythenuptialsofaCourtenay；theirson，whowascreatedMarquisofExeter，enjoyedthefavorofhiscousinHenrytheEighth；andinthecampofClothofGold，hebrokealanceagainsttheFrenchmonarch。ButthefavorofHenrywasthepreludeofdisgrace；hisdisgracewasthesignalofdeath；andofthevictimsofthejealoustyrant，themarquisofExeterisoneofthemostnobleandguiltless。HissonEdwardlivedaprisonerintheTower，anddiedinexileatPadua；andthesecretloveofQueenMary，whomheslighted，perhapsfortheprincessElizabeth，hasshedaromanticcoloronthestoryofthisbeautifulyouth。