Patrick, Earl of Dunbar and Agnes Randolph: Conjectures
John P. Ravilious
Hello All,
Recent discussions on the list have touched on the careers of
Patrick de Dunbar, Earl of March (d. aft 25 Jul 1368) and his wife
Agnes Randolph, and in particular on the placement of Earl Patrick
in the Dunbar pedigree [1]. In particular, there is the issue as
to whether the standard accounts of the Earls of Dunbar have
conflated two Earl Patricks (one d. bef 16 Jan 1323/4, the other
dying in 1368 as previously understood) into one.
We have the dispensations for the marriage of Patrick de
Dunbar and Agnes Randolph, or rather the text of a mandate to
grant the dispensation (1320) and the dispensation granted in Jan
1323/4 based upon their relationship being different than
originally understood:
A. Mandate to grant a dispensation for the marriage, dated at
Avignon, 18 Aug 1320:
' To the guardian of the Friars Minors, Roscheburc, in the diocese
of Glasgow. Commission and mandate to grant a dispensation to
Patrick de Dumbar, and Agnes [daughter] of Ralph of the diocese of
St. Andrews, to intermarry, they being related in the fourth
degree. If they are excommunicate they are to be absolved, and if
the realm is under an interdict, it may be relaxed to allow of the
celebration of the marriage. ' [Papal Letters II:201]
B. Post-nuptial dispensation, dated at Avignon, 17 Kal. Feb.
[16 Jan.] 1323/4:
' To Patrick de Dunbar, earl of March, and Agnes his wife,
daughter of Thomas Arnulphi, earl of Moray, who are related in the
third and fourth degrees. Dispensation to remain in the marriage
they have contracted, declaring their past and future offspring
legitimate. The papal dispensation addressed on their behalf to
the guardian of the Friars Minor of Rokesburgh, in the diocese of
Glasgow, having been granted only in the case of their being
related in the fourth degree.' [Papal Letters II:235]
As Nat Taylor observed, it would be nice if we could draw the
conclusion from the above that Patrick 'de Dumbar' was not Earl
in 1320 (A), but had succeeded his father (being called 'Patrick
de Dunbar, earl of March') before 16 Jan. 1323/4. This is not
certain, but the dispensations do work with the following
conjectures:
1. That there were two Earls Patrick as previously theorized,
one marrying Ermengarde (daughter of William de Soulis on
the theory of Andrew B. W. MacEwen) in or before 1303, and
the other the son of Earl Patrick and Ermengarde, being
the husband of Agnes Randolph.
2. That Joanna, wife of Alexander the Steward (d. 1283), was
a daughter of William Comyn, Earl of Buchan (d. 1233) by
Marjory Buchan, and a sister of Alexander Comyn, Earl of
Buchan (d. 1290), an ancestor of Earl Patrick.
3. And that Christiana, wife of Sir Alexander de Bonkil and
great-grandmother of Agnes Randolph, was a daughter of
Patrick de Dunbar, Earl of March (d. 24 Aug 1289) and his
wife Cecilia 'filia Johannis'. She would therefore be
the namesake of her father's maternal grandmother
Christian, wife of William de Brus of Annandale (d. 1212).
The conjecture in #2 above was noted in a post to SGM earlier
today, in another thread. The conjecture in #3 is new, but in
discussing same Andrew MacEwen felt it was not unlikely that Sir
Alexander de Bonkil, from a Berwickshire family closely associated
with the Earls of Dunbar, would have contracted such a marriage [2].
If each of the foregoing conjectures is correct, Earl Patrick
(d. 1368) and Agnes Randolph would have been related in the 4th and
4th degree by descent from William Comyn and Marjory of Buchan,
agreeing with the 1320 mandate for their dispensation. Further,
they would have been related in the 3rd and 4th degrees as well, by
common descent from Patrick de Dunbar and his wife Cecilia, as
shown in the following chart:
William Comyn = Marjory
E of Buchan d. 1233 I of Buchan
________________________________I_ _ _ _ _ _ _
I I
I I
Alexander Patrick de Dunbar = Cecilia Joanna = Alexander
E of Buchan E of March I I Stewart
d. 1290 d. 1289 I I d. 1283
I _____________I_ _ _ _ I
I I I I
Marjory = Patrick Christiana I
Comyn I de Dunbar = Alexander de Bonkil I
I d. 1308 d. bef 1 Apr 1300 I
I I I
I I I
Patrick = Ermengarde Margaret = Sir John le
E of March I de Soulis de Bonkil I Stewart
d. bef 16 I d. ca. Sep 1304 I
Jan 1323/4 I I
I I
I Thomas = Isabel
I Randolph I le Stewart
I d. 1332 I
I I
I I
Patrick de Dunbar = Agnes Randolph
d. aft 25 Jul 1368 I
I
V
That there were two relationships of such proximity would not
be surprising: there are other examples wherein a dispensation was
obtained based upon a particular declared relationship, but was
subsequently corrected upon discovery (by a knowledgeable kinsman
or otherwise) that a closer relationship also existed [3].
As noted, this proposed correction to SP and other standard
accounts of the Earls of Dunbar hinges on a series of conjectures,
and is not proved at this point. Should anyone have further
documentation, comment or criticism, that would be welcome.
Cheers,
John *
AT of Patrick, Earl of Dunbar
1. Patrick de Dunbar, Earl of March, d. aft 25 Jul 1368
2. Patrick de Dunbar, Earl of March, d. bef 16 Jan 1323/4
3. [conjectured] Ermengarde de Soulis.
4. Patrick de Dunbar, Earl of March, d. 10 Oct 1308
5. Marjory Comyn.
6. [based on above conjecture] William de Soulis.
7. [based on above conjecture] Ermengarde Durward.
8. Patrick de Dunbar, Earl of March, d. 24 Aug 1289.
9. Cecilia 'filia Johannis'.
10. Alexander Comyn, Earl of Buchan, d. bef 6 Apr 1290.
11. Elizabeth de Quincy.
12. [based on above conjecture] Nicholas de Soulis.
13. [based on above conjecture] Anora de Normanville.
14. [based on above conjecture] Alan Durward, Regent of Scotland 1255.
15. [based on above conjecture] Margery of Scotland.
16. Patrick de Dunbar, Earl of March, d. aft 12 Apr 1248.
17. Euphemia de Brus.
18. John fitz Robert, lord of Warkworth, MC Surety.
19. Ada de Baliol.
20. William Comyn, Earl of Buchan, d. 1233.
21. Marjory, Countess of Buchan.
22. Roger de Quincy, Earl of Winchester, d. 25 Apr 1264.
23. Elena [Helen] of Galloway, d. aft 21 Nov 1245.
24. [based on above conjecture] NN de Soulis.
25. [based on above conjecture] NN.
26. [based on above conjecture] John de Normanville.
27. [based on above conjecture] NN.
28. [based on above conjecture] NN Durward.
29. [based on above conjecture] NN.
30. [based on above conjecture] Alexander II, King of Scots 1214-1249.
31. [based on above conjecture] NN (a mistress).
AT of Agnes Randolph
1. Agnes Randolph, m. 18 Aug 1320 to Patrick de Dunbar.
2. Thomas Randolph, Earl of Moray, d. 20 Jul 1332.
3. Isabel le Steward.
4. Sir Thomas Randolph, Chamberlain of Scotland 1269.
5. Isabella de Kilconquhar.
6. Sir John le Steward of Bonkil, d. at Falkirk 22 Jul 1298.
7. Margaret de Bonkil.
8. Sir Thomas Randolph.
9. NN.
10. Adam de Kilconquhar, Earl of Carrick (dju), d. 1270.
11. Marjorie, Countess of Carrick, d. bef 9 Nov 1292.
12. Alexander le Steward, d. 1283.
13. Joanna [conjectured: Joanna Comyn]
14. Sir Alexander de Bonkil, d. bef 1 Apr 1300.
15. Christiana [conjectured: Christiana de Dunbar]
16. Thomas fitz Ranulf.
17. Juliana.
18. NN.
19. NN.
20. NN de Kilconquhar.
21. NN.
22. Neil, Earl of Carrick, d. 1256.
23. Isabella.
24. Walter le Steward, d. 1241.
25. NN.
26. [based on above conjecture] William Comyn, Earl of Buchan.
27. [based on above conjecture] Marjory, Countess of Buchan.
28. Ranulf de Bonkil.
29. NN.
30. [based on above conjecture] Patrick de Dunbar, Earl of
March, d. 24 Aug 1289.
31. [based on above conjecture] Cecilia 'filia Johannis'.
NOTES
[1] See <Patrick Dunbar / Agnes Randolph>, 17 Nov 2005 et seq.
Also, <Dunbar dilemmas: Patrick, [8th] Earl of Dunbar>, 3
Aug 2005 et seq.
[2] The following are noted concerning the lords of Bonkil and
the Earls of Dunbar:
'Lord Ranulf de Bonkil', witness to charter of Patrick, son of
Patrick Earl of Dunbar dated at Roxburgh 3 Kal. April, 17
Alexander [30 March 1231] - Durham University Library Archives
& Special Collections: Misc. Charter 733 [Printed: Raine ND
App. CXXVI]
" Charter of Ranulf de Bonkil granting and confirming to the
monks of Coldingham the land in the "territorio" of Ederham
lying next to Edere, and called Toddehalch.
Witnesses: Patrick son of the Earl, Patrick son of Adam, Robert
de Upsetlington, David the Marshal, Thomas de Gordon, Mathew
de Normanvill, John de St Michael, William de Veteri Ponte,
Stephen de la Warderobe, Henry de Prendergest, William de
Witeslade, Alan de Swinton, Patrick de Preston, Simon son
of Thomas, Walter de Paxton, Andrew de Paxton, William de
Lumsden, and many others. " - Durham University Library
Archives & Special Collections: Misc. Charter 720 [Printed:
Raine ND App. CLXIX]
" Charter of Ranulf de Bonkil, quitclaiming to the monks of
Coldingham the woods and moors of the Prior and Convent of
Coldingham, viz. Brokholes, Harewood and Denewood and
confirming the boundaries between Coldingham and Bonkil.
Witnesses: Patrick son of the Earl, Patrick son of Adam,
Robert de Upsetlington, David the Marshal, Thomas de Gordon,
Matthew de Normanvill, John de St Michael, William de Veteri
Ponte, Stephen de Lawarderobe, Henry de Prendergest, William
de Witeslade, Alan de Swinton, Patrick de Preston, Simon son
of Thomas, Walter de Paxton, Andrew de Paxton, William de
Lumsden, and many others. " Durham University Library
Archives & Special Collections: Misc. Charter 721
[Printed: Raine ND App. CLXVIII]
' Lord Ranulf de Bonkil ', witness to charter of Patrick 'II'
Earl of Dunbar, 1232 or later:
' Charter of Patrick II, Earl of Dunbar, granting to the monks
of Durham the vill of Ederham and its church, with the chapel
of Erceldon and its other chapels and pertinents, and the
vill of Nesbit.
Witnesses: Lord Ranulf de Bonkil, Lord Roger de Merley, Lord
Robert de Anesey, Lord David de Burdun, Peter the Chaplain,
David de Graham, Robert de Lumley, Patrick the Clerk, and
many others ' [ Durham University Library Archives & Special
Collections: Misc. Charter 745 {Printed: Raine N.D App. CXXXV}]
Interestingly, Patrick de Dunbar, Earl of March (originally
one of the Competitors for the Scots crown in 1291) was one of
the auditors for the claim of Bruce at Berwick, 2 June 1292
despite his being the brother-on-law of John Comyn, Earl of
Buchan (not surprisingly, an auditor for John de Baliol). One
of Earl Patrick's fellow auditors for Bruce: Sir Alexander
de Bonkil, conjectured to be his brother-in-law, as above.
[3] An unusual example of this is the dispensation obtained
for the marriage of John Campbell, son of Sir Colin Campbell
(called 'Iongantach'), to Mariota, daughter of John Campbell
of Menstrie and Ardskeodnish: this was
" for 'Mariota, daughter of John Campbell' to marry 'John
Campbell, son of Colin Campbell', although related in the fourth
degree. ' [Alastair Campbell, A History of Clan Campbell, p. 101]
As explained by Andrew B. W. MacEwen, her marriage was acquired
by Sir Colin Campbell for his son John, who died young; Sir
Colin then married her as his 2nd wife. The dispensation for
her marriage to Colin Campbell (his son John having died)
was dated at Avignon, 16 Kal. Nov. [17 Oct] 1372:
' To the bishop of Argyle. Mandate, if the facts be as stated,
and if fitting, to grant a dispensation to Colin Cambel, donsel,
and Mary Cambel, damsel, of his diocese - who, knowing that they
were related in the fourth degree of kindred, intermarried, not in
contempt of the keys, but in order to mitigate the discord between
their families - to marry anew, after being separated for such a
time as shall seem expedient, and to remain in the marriage so
contracted. Their offspring, past and future, is to be declared
legitimate. ' [Papal Letters IV:183, cites f. 225d.]
In this case, it was noted immediately afterward that a
closer relationship existed, so that a separate mandate was
issued:
' To the same. Mandate, following the precedent of a declaration
by Clement VI. in a similar case of omission, to execute the above
letters, although there is no mention in them that the said Colin
and Mary were related, as stated in their petition, in the third as
well as the fourth degree of kindred. ' [Papal Letters IV:183, cites
f. 226]
* John P. Ravilious