Excerpta Historica Page 152. Issue Of Katherine De Roelt. Wife Of Sir Hugh Swynford, And Afterwards Of John of Gaunt Duke Of Lancaster.

Letters Patent Of King Henry The Fourth Certifying The Legitimacy Of Sir Thomas Swynford; With Notices Of The Swynford Family.

Every one is aware that John of Gaunt, "time-honoured Lancaster," formed an illicit connection with Katherine, the widow of Sir Hugh Swynford, and daughter and coheiress of Sir Payne Roet, Knight, a native of Hainault, and Guienne King of Arms, and that he subsequently married her.

This lady had been governess of the Duke's daughters by his first wife, when his attachment to her, perhaps, commenced. In March 1377, Lady Swynford obtained a confirmation from Edward the Third of a grant from the Duke of Lancaster, of the manors of Gryngelley and Wheteley for life.¹ On the 27th December, 3 Ric. II. 1379, the Duke granted her the wardship of the heir of Bertram de Sanneby, "pour le bone et greable service quelle nostre treschier et bien amee Dame Katherine Swynford, Maistresse de noz tresames filles Philipe et Elizabeth de Lancastre, ad fait a nos dittes filles;" and in September, 5 Ric. II. 1381, he gave her an annuity of two hundred marks, payable out of his honor of Tickhill.² The Duke's second wife Constance, daughter and heiress of Peter, King of Castile and Leon, died in 1394; and two years afterwards, namely, on the 13th January 1396, being then about the age of fifty-four, he married Lady Swynford at Lincoln, to the great displeasure of the Duchess of Gloucester and other ladies of the blood royal.³ As Lady Swynford was then upwards of forty, and had been the Duke's mistress above twenty years, it may be inferred, that gratitude and conscientious motives were his only inducements for making her his wife. The Duke of Lancaster had by her, before his marriage, four children, who were surnamed Beaufort, from being born in Beaufort Castle in France: namely, John, who became Earl and Marquess of Somerset; Henry, Bishop of Winchester and Cardinal of England; Thomas, Duke of Exeter;⁴ and Joan, who married Ralph Neville, Earl of Westmoreland. All these children obtained letters of legitimation from Richard the Second, in February 1397, which was preceded by a similar act by the Pope. The King's patent for the purpose was read in the Parliament then sitting at Westminster;⁵ and the proceeding was ratified and confirmed by its authority. On the same occasion, Sir John Beaufort was created Earl of Somerset to hold to him and the heirs male of his body.⁶

Note 1. Fœdera, vii. 140.

Note 2. Sandford's Genealogical History, ed. 1707, p. 253.

Note 3. Ibid. and Dugdale's Baronage, ii. 119.

Note 4. He was buried at Bury St. Edmund's, and on the 20th of February 1772, his corpse being accidentally discovered, the coffin was sold as old lead, and his remains shamefully exposed.

Note 5. Rot. Parl. iii. p. 343^a.

Note 6. Rot. Parl. iii. p. 343.