"Kat" Champernoun
Brice Clagett
However, Katherine Champernoun, daughter of Sir Philip, is known to have married (1) Humphrey Gilbert, (2) Walter Ralegh, having a famous son by each marriage. Since Sir Philip's will does not suggest that he had two daughters named Katherine, the question arises: who was John Astley's wife?
I asked Neil Thompson to look into the matter. He reports that the only Katherine Champernoun who could have married John Astley was Sir Philip's widow, Katherine (Carew) Champernoun, and it appears that this is what happened.
This is a matter of some historical significance, since "Kat" Champernoun was governess to the Lady Elizabeth, later Queen Elizabeth I, and is credited with providing her with the foundation of her excellent education. On Elizabeth's accession in 1558 Kat, now Mrs. Astley, became chief
gentlewoman of the privy chamber, and was one of the Queen's closest confidantes until her death in 1565.
This discovery puts Kat in the ancestry of the settler Mary Launce, as follows:
1. Katherine Carew, c. 1500?-1565, m. (1) Sir Philip Champernoun; (2) c, 1545, John Astley.
2. Joan Champernoun, d. 1553; m., 1538, Sir Anthony Denny.
3. Mary Denny, m. Thomas Asley (who d. 1595).
4. Elizabeth Astley, m. Sir Edward Darcy, of Dartford Place, Co. Kent.
5. Isabella Darcy, c. 1600-1669; m. John Launce, of Penair, Co. Cornwall.
6. Mary Launce, d. 1710; m. the Rev. John Sherman, of Watertown, Mass.
Thomas Astley, no. 3 above, was a much younger half-brother of John Astley. Thus it appears that Mary Denny married her grandmother's brother-in-law. However, the chronology is perfectly plausible and Neil does not believe that the affinity would have caused a problem.
Leo van de Pas
----- Original Message -----
From: Brice Clagett <bcla...@cov.com>
To: <GEN-MED...@rootsweb.com>
Sent: Thursday, October 26, 2000 3:39 AM
Subject: "Kat" Champernoun
> According to DNB, John Astley, Master of the Jewel House to Queen
Elizabeth I and author of The Art of Riding, married Katherine Champernoun
(d. 1565), daughter of Sir Philip Champernoun (1478/9-1545), of Modbury,
Devonshire, and his wife, Katherine Carew.
>
> However, Katherine Champernoun, daughter of Sir Philip, is known to have
married (1) Humphrey Gilbert, (2) Walter Ralegh, having a famous son by each
marriage. Since Sir Philip's will does not suggest that he had two daughters
named Katherine, the question arises: who was John Astley's wife?
According to Burke's Landed Gentry there were two C/Katherines, one may have
died earlier before the father?
Best wishes
Leo van de Pas