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Paternal Family Tree: Roet
Maternal Family Tree: Katherine Swynford aka Roet Duchess Lancaster 1350-1403
Descendants Family Tree: Katherine Swynford aka Roet Duchess Lancaster 1350-1403
1396 Marriage of John of Gaunt and Katherine Roet
1397 Legitimation of the Beauforts
On 25th November 1350 Katherine Swynford aka Roet Duchess Lancaster was born to Giles "Payne" Roet (age 40).
On 19th May 1359, or thereabouts, a double-royal wedding celebration took place at Reading Abbey, Berkshire [Map] whereby two children of King Edward III of England (age 46) were married:
[her future husband] John of Gaunt 1st Duke Lancaster (age 19) and Blanche Duchess of Lancaster (age 17) were married. She by marriage Countess Richmond. She the daughter of Henry of Grosmont 1st Duke Lancaster (age 49) and Isabel Beaumont Duchess Lancaster (age 39). He the son of King Edward III of England and Philippa of Hainault Queen Consort England (age 44). They were half second cousin once removed. She a great x 2 granddaughter of King Henry III of England.
John Hastings 2nd Earl Pembroke (age 11) and Margaret Plantagenet Countess of Pembroke (age 12) were married. At the time John Hastings 2nd Earl Pembroke was a ward of King Edward III of England who would enjoy the benefit of the substantial revenue of the Earldom of Pembroke until John came of age nine years later in 1368. She died two or so years later probably of plague. She the daughter of King Edward III of England and Philippa of Hainault Queen Consort England. He the son of Laurence Hastings 1st Earl Pembroke and Agnes Mortimer Countess of Pembroke (age 42). They were half fourth cousins. He a great x 5 grandson of King John of England.
In or before 1367 Hugh Swynford and Katherine Swynford aka Roet Duchess Lancaster (age 16) were married.
Around 1367 [her son] Thomas Swynford was born to [her husband] Hugh Swynford and Katherine Roet (age 16).
In 1371 [her husband] Hugh Swynford died.
On 21st September 1371 [her future husband] John of Gaunt 1st Duke Lancaster (age 31) and Constance of Castile Duchess of Lancaster (age 17) were married at Roquefort, Landes. She by marriage Duchess Lancaster. His younger brother [her future brother-in-law] Edmund of Langley 1st Duke of York (age 30) married Constance's sister in July 1372. An example of Marriage of Two Sets of Siblings. She the illegitmate daughter of Peter "Cruel" I King Castile and Maria Padilla. He the son of King Edward III of England (age 58) and Philippa of Hainault Queen Consort England. They were half third cousin twice removed.
In 1373 [her illegitimate son] John Beaufort 1st Marquess Somerset and Dorset was born illegitimately to [her future husband] John of Gaunt 1st Duke Lancaster (age 32) and Katherine Swynford aka Roet Duchess Lancaster (age 22). He a grandson of King Edward III of England.
In 1375 [her illegitimate son] Cardinal Henry Beaufort was born illegitimately to [her future husband] John of Gaunt 1st Duke Lancaster (age 34) and Katherine Swynford aka Roet Duchess Lancaster (age 24). He a grandson of King Edward III of England.
Archaeologia Volume 22 Section XVI. [1376] Of the [her future husband] Duke of Lancaster (age 35) his wordes & his condicions.
The nighte followynge, the Duke consulted wyth his private men how he might putt of that that redounded to his infamye & many fest dyshonor. After dyvers mens opynions dyversly tolde, he, lykyng of none of ther wayes, is reported to have sayde: What sayeth he, doo theis base & unnoble knightes attempt? Do they thynke they be the kynges or princes of this lande? Or els, whence is thys hautynes and pride? I thynke they know not what power I am of. I will therfore erely in the morenynge appear unto them so glorious, & will shew suche power amonge them, & wyth such vigoure I will terryfie them, that neither they nor theire like shall dare henceforth to provoke me to wrathe. Boastyng in this sorte, and vaynely assurynge himself, one of his gentellmen is sayed to have geven him this answer. My Lorde, saieth he, it is not unknown to your honor what helpes thes knyghtes, not of the common sorte, as you affirme, but mightie in armes & valiant, have to undershore them; for they have the favour & love of the lordes, & specially of the Lorde Edward Prince, your brother, who gyveth them his counsayle and aide effectuallye.
The Londoners allso, all & everychone, and common peopell be so well affected towards them that they will not suffer them to be overlayde wyth reprochefull language or to be molested with the least injurye in the world. Yea, & the knyghtes themselves abused in any reprochefull maner shal be enforced to attempt all extremitie against your person & your frendes, which, happly, otherwyse they wolde never dooe. Wyth this admonition the duke's guyltie conscience was very much troubled. He was afrayde in deede that it wolde so come to passe, as the gentellman had sayde unto hyme, and that so his honor should ever mor be disteyned. Whereas, he knew that if mencyon were openly made of his wicked actes, he could not satisfye the peopell by any purgation, nor for trouble of mynde and guyltines of conscience durst, though he were willynge thereto, wage battayle agaynst hys envyers. Being couragless, and with synne and uncleannes divers wayes made foule and evel favored for leavyng his lawful wedlock bedd, being an infamous leacher and adulterer, deceved as well hys fyrst wyfe, the daughter of the most noble Lord Henry, the first Duke of Lancaster, as the daughter of Peter Kynge of Spayne, and this did he, not only secretly and in hugger mugger, but even in their bedds wolde he laye his lewde harlotts, to the great sorrowe of hys wyfes not daryng to gaynesay hit. O infortunate duke & myserable, O that destroyest them with thy treason and lack of sense and reason, whom thow guydest to battayle, and whom in peace thow shouldst guyde through examples of goodworkes, thow leadest them through buy wayes and bryngest them to destruction, for thow whereas ether God, or, that I may so saye, Nature, the mother of all thynges, hath geven thee a soule and dyscrecion, than the which no thyng is more excellent, so dost abject & abase thyself, that a man may thynke you to dyffer no thynge from a brute beast. Behold, O most myserable man, which thynkest thy self to floury she which accountest thy self happye, in what sorte thy owne myseries do overbeare thee, thy lustes do torment thee; to whom that which thow hast is not sufficient, & yet fearest lest it will not long contynue thyne.a
Note a. This passage, in which allusion is made to John of Gaunt's amour with Katherine Swynford (age 25), whom he afterwards married, may be noticed as furnishing a strong proof that the original Chronicle was written during that prince's lifetime. [Further proof is given by the words 'hys wyfes' referring to Constance of Castile who John of Gaunt married in 1371; she died in 1394.]
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All About History Books
The Chronicle of Geoffrey le Baker of Swinbroke. Baker was a secular clerk from Swinbroke, now Swinbrook, an Oxfordshire village two miles east of Burford. His Chronicle describes the events of the period 1303-1356: Gaveston, Bannockburn, Boroughbridge, the murder of King Edward II, the Scottish Wars, Sluys, Crécy, the Black Death, Winchelsea and Poitiers. To quote Herbert Bruce 'it possesses a vigorous and characteristic style, and its value for particular events between 1303 and 1356 has been recognised by its editor and by subsequent writers'. The book provides remarkable detail about the events it describes. Baker's text has been augmented with hundreds of notes, including extracts from other contemporary chronicles, such as the Annales Londonienses, Annales Paulini, Murimuth, Lanercost, Avesbury, Guisborough and Froissart to enrich the reader's understanding. The translation takes as its source the 'Chronicon Galfridi le Baker de Swynebroke' published in 1889, edited by Edward Maunde Thompson. Available at Amazon in eBook and Paperback.
Around January 1377 [her illegitimate son] Thomas Beaufort 1st Duke Exeter was born illegitimately to [her future husband] John of Gaunt 1st Duke Lancaster (age 36) and Katherine Swynford aka Roet Duchess Lancaster (age 26). He a grandson of King Edward III of England.
Rymer's Fœdera Volume 3. For Katherine Swynford (age 26), concerning confirmation.
The King, to all to whom, etc., greeting. Know that, of our special grace, we do accept, approve, ratify, and confirm by these presents the estate which our beloved Katherine de Swynford holds for the term of her life in the manors of Gringley [on-the-Hill] and Wheatley,1 with their appurtenances, by the gift and grant of our dearest son John, King of Castile and León, Duke of Lancaster;
Who held the same manors, together with other lands, by our gift to him and to his heirs of his body issuing, in exchange, under a certain form, for the county of Richmond.
And this we do notwithstanding the aforesaid exchange, or anything therein contained, from which any benefit or profit might in any way accrue to us or to our heirs, or by reason that, for lack of heir of the body of our said son issuing, the aforesaid manors ought to revert to us and our heirs, or that, if he should die leaving an heir within age, we or our heirs would have the wardship of the said manors.
In witness whereof, etc. Witness the King, at Sheen, the 4th day of March [1377]. By writ of privy seal.
Pro Katerina Swynford, de confirmatione.
Rex, omnibus ad quos, &c. salutem. Sciatis quod, de gratiâ nostrâ speciali, statum quem dilecta nobis Katerina de Swynford habet pro termino vitæ suæ, in maneriis de Gryngeley et Wheteley, cum pertinentiis, ex dono et concessione carissimi filii nostri Johannis Regis Castellæ et Legionis, ducis Lancastriæ;
Qui eadem maneria, unà cum aliis terris, tenuit, ex dono nostro, sibi et hæredibus suis, de corpore suo exeuntibus, in escambium, sub certâ formâ, pro comitatu Richemondiæ;
Acceptamus, approbamus, ratificamus, et confirmamus per præsentes, non obstante supradicto escambio, vel aliquo in eodem contento, unde commodum seu proficuum nobis aut hæredibus nostris aliqualiter evenire posset, seu eo quod, pro defectu hæredis de corpore dicti filii nostri exeuntis, maneria prædicta ad nos et hæredes nostros reverti debuissent, vel quod, si ipse obierit, hærede suo infra ætatem existente, nos aut hæredes nostri haberemus custodiam maneriorum supradictorum.
In cujus, &c. Teste Rege, apud Shene, iv. die Martii. Per breve de privato sigillo.
Note 1. Gringley-on-the-Hill and Wheatley are both in Nottinghamshire, three miles apart, half-way between Retford and Gainsborough.
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In 1379 [her illegitimate daughter] Joan Beaufort Countess of Westmoreland was born illegitimately to [her future husband] John of Gaunt 1st Duke Lancaster (age 38) and Katherine Swynford aka Roet Duchess Lancaster (age 28). She a granddaughter of King Edward III of England.
In 1380 [her father] Giles "Payne" Roet (age 70) died. He was buried at St Paul's Cathedral [Map].
In 1391 [her son-in-law] Robert Ferrers (age 18) and [her illegitimate daughter] Joan Beaufort Countess of Westmoreland (age 12) were married at Beaufort en Vallée [Map]. She the illegitmate daughter of [her future husband] John of Gaunt 1st Duke Lancaster (age 50) and Katherine Swynford aka Roet Duchess Lancaster (age 40).
On 13th January 1396 John of Gaunt 1st Duke Lancaster (age 55) and Katherine Swynford aka Roet Duchess Lancaster (age 45) were married at Lincoln Cathedral [Map]. She by marriage Duchess Lancaster. He the son of King Edward III of England and Philippa of Hainault Queen Consort England.
Froissart Book 4 Chapter 73. [13th January 1396]. At this period, the [her husband] duke of Lancaster (age 55) married his third wife [Katherine Swynford aka Roet Duchess Lancaster (age 45)], the daughter of a Hainault knight, called sir [her father] Paon de Ruet: he had formerly been one of the knights to the good and noble queen Philippa of England, who much loved the Hainaulters, as she was herself of that country.
This lady whom the duke of Lancaster married was called Catherine, and in her youth had been of the household of the duchess Blanche of Lancaster. Before the lady Blanche's death, and even when the duke was married to his second wife Constance, the daughter of don Pedro, he cohabited with the lady Catherine de Ruet, who was then married to an English knight [[her former husband] Hugh Swynford] now dead.
The duke of Lancaster had three children1 by her, previous to his marriage, two sons and a daughter: the eldest son was named [her illegitimate son] John (age 23) lord Beaufort of Lancaster; the other [her illegitimate son] Thomas [Henry] (age 21), whom the duke kept at the schools in Oxford, and made a great churchman and civihan. He was afterward bishop of Lincoln, which is the richest bishopric in the kingdom: from affection to these children, the duke married their mother, to the great astonishment of France and England, for Catherine Swynford was of base extraction in comparison to his two former duchesses Blanche and Constance. When this marriage was announced to the ladies of high rank in England, such as the duchess of Gloucester (age 30), the countess of Derby2, the countess of Arundel (age 20), and others connected with the royal family, they were greatly shocked, and thought the duke much to blame. They said, "he had sadly disgraced himself by thus marrying his concubine;" and added, that, "since it was so, she would be the second lady in the kingdom, and the queen (age 6) would be dishonourably accompanied by her; but that, for their parts, they would leave her to do the honours alone, for they would never enter any place where she was. They themselves would be disgraced if they suffered such a base-born duchess, who had been the duke's concubine a long time before and during his marriages, to take precedence, and their hearts would burst with grief were it to happen." Those who were the most outrageous on the subject were the [her brother-in-law] duke (age 41) and duchess of Gloucester. They considered the duke of Lancaster as a doating fool for thus marrying his concubine, and declared they would never honour his lady by calling her sister. The [her brother-in-law] duke of York (age 54) made light of the matter, for he lived chiefly with the king and his brother of Lancaster. The duke of Gloucester was of a different way of thinking: although the youngest of the three brothers, he yielded to no man's opinion, was naturally very proud and overbearing, and in opposition to the king's ministers, unless he could turn them as he willed. Catherine Ruet, however, remained duchess of Lancaster, and the second lady in England, as long as she lived. She was a lady accustomed to honours, for she had been brought up at court during her youth, and the duke fondly loved the children he had by her, as he showed during his life and at his death.
Note 1. Froissart mistakes in the number, and Thomas for Henry. According to Sandford, he had four children by Catherine Swynford: — John Beaufort, earl of Somerset, — Henry Beaufort, bishop of Winchester and cardinal of Beaufort, — [her illegitimate son] Thomas Beaufort (age 19), duke of Exeter and earl of Dorset, — [her illegitimate daughter] Joan Beaufort (age 17), countess of Westmoreland. For farther particulars, see Sandford and Dugdale.
Note 2. This reference to the Countess of Derby is confusing. In 1396 the Earl of Derby was [her step-son] Henry (age 28), future King Henry IV, who inherited the title from fhis mother Blanche when she died in 1368. Henry's first wife Mary Bohun had died in 1394, and he marired his second wife Joanna of Navarre Queen Consort England (age 26) in 1403?
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Before 29th November 1396 [her son-in-law] Ralph Neville 1st Earl of Westmoreland (age 32) and [her illegitimate daughter] Joan Beaufort Countess of Westmoreland (age 17) were married. She by marriage Baroness Neville Raby. She the illegitmate daughter of [her husband] John of Gaunt 1st Duke Lancaster (age 56) and Katherine Swynford aka Roet Duchess Lancaster (age 46). They were half fifth cousins. He a great x 5 grandson of King Henry "Curtmantle" II of England. She a granddaughter of King Edward III of England.
Parliament Rolls Richard II. 4th February 1397. 28. Be it remembered that on Tuesday, the fifteenth day of the parliament [4 February 1397], the chancellor (age 53), by order of the king (age 30), declared that our holy father the pope, in reverence of the most excellent person of the king and his honourable uncle the [her husband] duke of Guyenne and of Lancaster (age 56), and of his blood, has enabled and legitimized my lord [her illegitimate son] John Beaufort (age 24), his brothers [Note. [her illegitimate son] Cardinal Henry Beaufort (age 22) and [her illegitimate son] Thomas Beaufort 1st Duke Exeter (age 20)], and his [her illegitimate daughter] sister (age 18). And therefore our lord the king, as sole ruler of his kingdom of England, for the honour of his blood, willed and enabled of his abundant royal power, and legitimized, of his own authority, the said John, his said brothers, and sister. And he also pronounced and published the ability and legitimation, according to the form of the charter of the king made thereon.
29. Which charter was read in full parliament, and delivered to the said duke, father of the said John, and his said brothers and sister; the tenor of which charter follows:
Richard, by the grace of God, king of England and France and lord of Ireland, to our most beloved kinsmen the noble John, knight, Henry, cleric, Thomas, donzel, and our beloved noblewoman Joan Beaufort, lady-in-waiting, our most beloved cousins born of our uncle that noble man John duke of Lancaster, our lieges, greeting and the goodwill of our royal majesty. While inwardly considering how endlessly and with how many honours of parental and sincere affection of our aforementioned uncle and of his mature counsel we are on all sides blessed, we have judged it appropriate and worthy that in consideration of his merits, and in contemplation of the grace of persons, we should endow you, who are resplendent with probity and virtuous life and conduct, and are born of royal stock and divinely marked with many virtues and gifts, with the protection of grace and favour by special prerogative. Thus it is that, yielding to the prayers of our said uncle, your father, we grant to you who, so it is claimed, have suffered such defect of birth, that, notwithstanding this defect, which, together with its various consequences, we wish to be fully included in these presents, you may nevertheless receive all honours, dignities, preferments, estates, degrees, and public and private offices, both perpetual and temporal, and feudal and noble rights, by whatsoever name they are called, such as duchies, lordships, earldoms, baronies, or whatsoever other fiefs they be, whether they be dependent upon or held of us mediately or intermediately, which may be preferred, promoted, elected, taken up and allowed, and received, retained, performed and exercised prudently, freely and lawfully, as if you were born in wedlock, notwithstanding any statutes or customs of our kingdom of England decreed or observed to the contrary; and we dispense you [from this defect] by the tenor of these presents, by the plenitude of our royal power and with the assent of our parliament; and we restore you and each of you to legitimacy.
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Around 8th September 1397 [her brother-in-law] Thomas of Woodstock 1st Duke of Gloucester (age 42) was murdered in Calais [Map] for his role as leader of the Lords Appellant. Duke Albemarle, Duke Gloucester, Earl Essex forfeit. His son Humphrey (age 16) succeeded 2nd Earl Buckingham.
Walter Clopton was part of the inquiry into his death the outcome of which is not known. A John Hall was executed for the murder.
On 27th November 1397 [her illegitimate son] John Beaufort 1st Marquess Somerset and Dorset (age 24) and [her daughter-in-law] Margaret Holland Duchess Clarence (age 12) were married. She by marriage Countess Somerset. She the daughter of Thomas Holland 2nd Earl Kent and Alice Fitzalan Countess Kent (age 47). He the illegitmate son of [her husband] John of Gaunt 1st Duke Lancaster (age 57) and Katherine Swynford aka Roet Duchess Lancaster (age 47). They were half third cousins. He a grandson of King Edward III of England. She a great x 2 granddaughter of King Edward I of England.
On 3rd February 1399 [her husband] John of Gaunt 1st Duke Lancaster (age 58) died at Leicester Castle [Map]. Katherine Swynford aka Roet Duchess Lancaster (age 48) was by his side. His son [her step-son] Henry (age 31) succeeded 2nd Duke Lancaster, 7th Earl of Leicester. He was buried in the Choir of St Paul's Cathedral [Map] with his first wife Blanche Duchess of Lancaster.
King Richard II of England (age 32) witheld the future Henry IV's inheritance from him giving Henry reason to return to England to claim his lands and titles.
On 10th May 1403 Katherine Swynford aka Roet Duchess Lancaster (age 52) died. She was buried in Lincoln Cathedral [Map]. The monument is thought to be the work of Henry Yevele.
"Katherine's fine tomb chest of Purbeck marble, with its moulded plinth and lid, had armorial shields encircled by garters along each side; it was surmounted by a canopied brass depicting Katherine in her widow's weeds, and bearing her arms impaled with those of John of Gaunt, while above it was raised a vaulted canopy with trefoiled arches, cusped lozenges and miniature rose bosses. The canopy and associated stonework would have been painted in bright colours."
When John Leland visited the Cathedral in about 1540, he recorded that: "In the southe parte of the presbytery lyithe in 2. severalle highe marble tumbes in a chapell Catarine Swineforde, the 3. wife to John of Gaunt Duke of Lancaster, and Jane her dougtar Countes of Westmerland".
In 1654 John Evelyn's Diary: "The soldiers had lately knocked off most of the brasses from the gravestones".
At some point after this the position of the two monuments was changed and they now stand end to end.
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 [her father] 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, [her illegitimate son] John, who became Earl and Marquess of Somerset; [her illegitimate son] Henry, Bishop of Winchester and Cardinal of England; [her illegitimate son] Thomas, Duke of Exeter;4 and [her illegitimate daughter] 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. 343a.
Note 6. Rot. Parl. iii. p. 343.