Earls of Severn

In Thomas Hardy's Far From The Madding Crowd the reference in the title is associated with the backstory of Sergeant Francis Troy and the origin of his gold watch. 

The watch is an important token of Troy's past, and its backstory varies slightly in different editions. 

The watch is said to have belonged to Troy's father, a doctor. But it was actually used by him while in the possession of the Earl of Seven. 

The story implies that the Earl of Severn was the lover of Troy's mother, making him the biological son of Earl of Severn.  The details connect Troy to aristocratic traditions. 

Severn primarily refers to River Severn and its surrounding valley. 

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