EDWARD FIENNES CLINTON

edward fiennes clinton, 9th lord clinton (1512-1585), lord high admiral and the husband of henry viii.'s mistress, elizabeth blount, was created earl of lincoln in 1572. before his elevation he had rendered very valuable services both on sea and land to edward vi., to mary and to elizabeth, and he was in the confidence of the leading men of these reigns, including william cecil, lord burghley. from 1572 until the present day the title has been held by clinton's descendants. in 1768 henry clinton, the 9th earl (1720-1794), succeeded his uncle thomas pelham as 2nd duke of newcastle-under-lyne, and since this date the title of earl of lincoln has been the courtesy title of the eldest son of the duke of newcastle. see g. e. c.(okayne), _complete peerage_, vol. v. (1893).