CP Correction: Isabel of Fife's marriage to William de Felton
Douglas Richardson
Complete Peerage 5 (1926): 374-375 sub Fife states that Isabel,
Countess of Fife, daughter and heiress of Duncan, 10th Earl of Fife,
married (lst) to William Ramsay, of Colluthie, who was Earl of Fife in
her right. "As such [he] was witness to a charter 12 Apr. 1357."
Scots Peerage 4 (1907): 13 sub Fife, published a few years previously,
follows the same course. It states Isabel, Countess of Fife, was
married (lst) to Sir William Ramsay of Colluthie in Fife, "who, in her
right, became Earl of Fife. He is designed William, Earl of Fife,
knight, as a witness to a charter of King David II [on] 12 April
1358.... He died soon afterwards, leaving a son, but by a former
wife."
Actually, it would appear that Countess Isabel was actually married
(lst) to William de Felton, Knt., of Edlingham, co. Northumberland,
and that she was never married to William Ramsay. This is indicated
by the Scalachronicon [Ladder of Time], an ancient chronicle published
in 1911, by the Dumfriesshire and Galloway Natural History &
Antiquarian Society, n.s., vol. 22.
On pages 80-81, the text explains that the Earldom was granted to
William Ramsay by King David, owing to the fact that Duncan, Earl of
Fife, had previously forfeited the earldom. Earl Duncan's daughter,
Isabel, is mentioned in this text. She is stated to have married her
guardian in England, William de Felton, and to have claimed the
earldom in her own right, in opposition to William Ramsay's claim to
the earldom. A copy of the text is provided below:
"William, Lord of Douglas, who wished to make a pilgrimage beyond sea,
passed out of Scotland and came into France at the time when King John
of France was preparing to march with his army against the Prince of
Wales in Gascony. He became a knight at his hands, escaped from the
battle of Poitiers and returned into his own country. Some of his
knights were killed in the battle. This William became Earl of
Douglas soon after the deliverance of King David of Scotland. David
de Bruys at once made William de Ramyesay Earl of Fife, chiefly
through the influence of his wife, whom he is said to have loved as a
paramour. The King said that he had a right to bestow this earldom,
through a forfeiture which Duncan Earl of Fife is said to have made in
the time of his father King Robert de Bruys, on account of the death
of an esquire named Michael Betoun, whom he had killed in wrath when
hawking. King David therefore asserted that the said Earl, in order
to obtain the King's pardon for the crime, had arranged by indenture
that the reversion of the earldom should go to his father the King, in
case he should die without an heir male; which he did. But the said
Earl had a daughter by his wife, the Countess of Gloucester, daughter
of the King of England. This daughter was in England and was to be
married to Robert the Steward of Scotland; but she took for her
husband from love William de Feltoun, a knight of Northumberland, who
had her in ward at the time. She claimed the earldom by right."
As stated above, Sir William Ramsay was not husband of Isabel,
daughter and heiress of Duncan, Earl of Fife. Rather, it would
appear she married Sir William Felton.
For evidence that the Felton marriage occured as stated in the
Scalachronicon, one may consult the modern series, History of
Northumberland, Vol. 7 (1904): 113-116, 121-122 (chart), and Vol. 12
(1926): 273-275, where particulars of the life of Sir William Felton
are provided. This source shows that Sir William was in fact married
(2nd) to a woman named Isabel, which Isabel survived him and is
mentioned in his will. Sir William Felton died shortly before 24 Feb.
1359/60 (date of his inquisition). Sir William had two identified
children by his wife, Isabel, namely, Sir John, born about 1341, and
Duncan, a priest, who was called kinsman "on his mother's side" to
King Edward III of England in 1351. Isabel de Felton was in fact
close kin to King Edward III, by virtue of their common descent from
King Edward III's grandfather, King Edward I.
As best I understand the events, during the period of Isabel of Fife's
marriage to Sir William Felton, she did not hold the earldom of Fife.
Indeed, even after she married her second husband, Walter Stewart, he
is called only "lord" of Fife, not Earl of Fife. Isabel did not
officially become Countess of Fife until 1363, when she and her 3rd
husband, Thomas Byset, and their heirs male were granted the Earldom.
This grant followed the death of Sir William Ramsay was evidently Earl
of Fife in 1358.
Interestingly, although Countess Isabel is alleged by both Complete
Peerage and Scots Peerage to have had no surviving issue by any of her
four marriages, it appears that her son by her Felton marriage, Sir
John Felton, survived to adulthood, married, and left two daughters,
one of whom, Elizabeth, married Edmund Hastings, Knt., of Roxby, co.
York. Descendants of the Hastings family exist but I have not traced
them. For an interesting biography of Edmund Hastings, one may
consult Roskell, 3 (1992): 317-319. If anyone knows of any American
descendants of the Hastings family, I should appreciate knowing about
it.
I understand the matter of Countess Isabel's Felton marriage is
elsewhere discussed in Archaeologia Aeliana, 3rd ser., vol. 20, pg.
78, which source I have not seen. Perhaps if someone has access to
this series, they can post the particulars for the newsgroup.
Lastly, Complete Peerage, 5 (1926): 374, footnote f, mentions that a
dispensation was issued in 1358 for the marriage of David Barclay and
Elizabeth, daughter of "William, Earl of Fife." The editor supposes
that the marriage "probably never took place, or at all events was a
barren one." This presumption is made because the editor thought
Elizabeth's supposed mother was Isabel of Fife, who he thought died
without surviving issue. However, since Elizabeth's father was
surely Sir William Ramsay, then Earl of Fife, there seems nothing to
preclude that this marriage took place or that descendants of this
marriage may exist. Sir William Ramsay is known to have been survived
by a son. In any case, Elizabeth's mother was not Isabel, Countess
of Fife, who as shown above was married to Sir William de Felton in
this time period, not Sir William Ramsay.
Best always, Douglas Richardson, Salt Lake City, Utah
E-mail: royalancestry.com
Brad Verity
> Actually, it would appear that Countess Isabel was actually married
> (lst) to William de Felton, Knt., of Edlingham, co. Northumberland,
> and that she was never married to William Ramsay. This is indicated
> by the Scalachronicon [Ladder of Time], an ancient chronicle published
> in 1911, by the Dumfriesshire and Galloway Natural History &
> Antiquarian Society, n.s., vol. 22.
> For evidence that the Felton marriage occured as stated in the
> Scalachronicon, one may consult the modern series, History of
> Northumberland, Vol. 7 (1904): 113-116, 121-122 (chart), and Vol. 12
> (1926): 273-275, where particulars of the life of Sir William Felton
> are provided.
Douglas,
Many thanks for posting your research on Isabel of Fife, a
14th-century woman on whom I've found no information beyond CP and the
Scots Peerage. I'm also interested in finding out more on Isabel's
mother, Mary (de Monthermer), Countess of Fife, granddaughter of
Edward I. If you encounter any further details on her during your
research, I'd much appreciate you passing along the source.
Are the above two sources (Scalachronicon and History of
Northumberland) available through the LDS Library?
I envy you the full-time you are able to devote to genealogical
research - my job has kept me too busy to get to the libraries this
year. But I am going to England for the first time next month and am
very excited!
Best regards, ------Brad Verity