Family of Robert Holand, Bastard of Exeter
Douglas Richardson
Mr. Farmerie has suggested that I may have incorrectly "sourced" the
identification of Robert Holand, Bastard of Exeter, as an illegitimate
son of John Holand (died 1447), 2nd Duke of Exeter, in my book,
Plantagenet Ancestry. Certainly, Robert Holand being "Bastard of
Exeter" was the son of a titled Duke of Exeter. A look at the
chronology of this family tells us that Robert Holand is correctly
placed as the son of John Holand, 2nd Duke of Exeter.
I often employ an 85 year rule of thumb for three generations. This
is nothing set in stone. Rather, I use it as a rough measuring stick
that helps check chronology between generations.
In this instance, we have a proven great-grandson of Robert Holand,
namely Laurence Kendall, of Withiel, near Bodmin, Cornwall. Examining
Laurence Kendall's dates of birth and marriage should provide us with
rough estimates of dates of birth and marriage for Robert Holand. In
turn, this should help us establish the probable parentage of Robert
Holand.
I find that Laurence Kendall first surfaces in the records in 1532 and
again in 1535 [see Documents #1 and 2 below]. In both instances,
these dates are prior to Laurence's known marriage and during his
father, Walter Kendall's lifetime. As such, we may assume Laurence
was about 1532, or born about 1521. If we subtract 85 years from
1521, we should get a fairly reliable estimate of when Robert Holand
was born.
1521 less 85 equals 1426.
If so, the chronology suggests that Robert Holand was the illegitimate
son of John Holand (died 1447), 2nd Duke of Exeter.
Next, John Blythe Dobson has an excellent website devoted to the
ancestry of the immigrant, Oliver Mainwaring, of New London,
Connecticut. I corresponded with Mr. Blythe prior to the publication
of my book. The address for Mr. Dobson's website is very long:
Mr. Dobson shows that Lawrence Kendall and his wife, Katherine Mundy,
were married about 1540. He gives the following information regarding
their marriage date:
"About 1540, in expectation of her marriage, her uncle, Thomas Mundy
alias Wandsworth, Prior of Bodmin, arranged for her and her future
husband to be granted the manor of Withiel, with the advowson of the
church, for ninety-nine years. This was obtained through a promise to
the brethren of a large sum of money, which they never received." END
OP QUOTE.
Sir John Maclean in his excellent multi-volume set, The Parochial and
Family History of the Deanery of Trigg Minor, 1 (1876): 136 and 269
confirms Laurence Kendall's marriage to Katherine Mundy took place
soon after 20 September 1537:
"The prior and convent by deed indented, under the conventual seal,
dated 20th Sept. anno regni Regis 29 Hen. VIII. granted the whole
manor of Withiel and the advowson of the church, together with the
common fishing throughout the whole water of Aleyn and Eyle, with all
the appurtenances, to Lawrence Kendall and Katheryn Monday, which the
same Lawrence should marry, their heirs and assigns, for the term of
99 years. Roll 5, No. 81 - Particulars for leases." END OF QUOTE
So, we have an approximate marriage date of 1537/40 for Lawrence
Kendall. If we subtract 85 years from 1537/40, we should get an
approximate estimate of Robert Holand's date of marriage to his wife,
Margaret:
1537/40 less 85 equals 1452/55
We know that Robert Holand was married to his wife, Margaret, in or
before 1458, so the estimated marriage fits well with the information
we have about Robert Holand's life. Again, a marriage date of 1452/55
suggests that Robert Holand was the illegitimate son of John Holand,
2nd Duke of Exeter. Chronologically, it would be extremely unlikely
for Robert Holand to be a son of Henry Holand, 3rd Duke of Exeter,
born in 1430.
I might add that the 85 year rule of thumb I employ is just that, a
rule of thumb. Individual cases can and do vary. When other records
are not available, chronology can help point the way to the desired
solution.
Special thanks go to John Blythe Dobson for generously sharing his
research findings on the Holand and Kendall families with me.
Collegiality is the key to solving the longstanding genealogical
puzzles of the past.
Best always, Douglas Richardson, Salt Lake City, Utah
Website: www.royalancestry.net
+ + + + + + + + + + +
Source: A2A Catalogue
Cornwall Record Office: Arundell, Tywardreath Priory Archive
Document #1:
Reference: ART/3/118
Creation dates: 1535, 8th Feb (26 Hen VIII)
Scope and Content
Grant of tithes, for term of 60 years
Thomas Colyns, Prior of Tywardreth = (1)
Walter Kendale, esquire, and Laurence Kendale his son = (2)-(3)
(1) to (2)-(3) to farm, all their tithe corn, 'as well of whete,
otyes,
barly, rye, bere, pesyn, benys, selpepesyn and all oder corn and
graynes' from the parish [sic] of Treneglos and Warbystow, belonging
to
the prior and convent; for term of 60 years, rent £8 yearly at 2
terms.
Signatures (faint) of (2)-(3).
[No witnesses]
Seals, endorsements, etc.: Seal, and drawing of the other seal,
presumably of (2)-(3).
Selected place-names, etc.: [Treneglos; Fentrigan manor]
Document #2:
Reference: ART/3/153
Creation dates: 1532, 20th Sep (24 Hen VIII); at Trywardreth
chapter-house
Archival History
[This originally had pencil number '320', in error for '220' (there is
no '320' in the Tywardreath series).]
Scope and Content
Grant of annuity and sustenance
Thomas Colyns, Prior of Trywardreth = (1)
Laurence Kendale, son of Walter Kendale = (2)
(1) and the convent to (2), for £10 paid to them by Walter Kendale, of
an annuity of 20s, issuing from the priory's lands in Cornwall,
payable
at 4 terms; also sufficient food and drink within their monastery, and
an apartment in a suitable chamber (cubiculum in camera convenienti)
within the monastery; for term of (2)'s life, when he shall wish to
accept it.
[No witnesses]
Seals, endorsements, etc.: Seal of (1).
WJho...@aol.com
The ancestry of Oliver Mainwaring may now be viewed at THIS link and the references do work
http://cybrary.uwinnipeg.ca/people/dobson/genealogy/AT/cachedAT_Oliver_Mainwaring.html
Will Johnson
"> ancestry of the immigrant, Oliver Mainwaring, of New London,
> Connecticut. I corresponded with Mr. Blythe prior to the publication
> of my book. The address for Mr. Dobson's website is very long:
>
> http://216.239.57.104/search?q=cache:nTEmeOn91f0J:cybrary.uwinnipeg.ca/people/Dobson/genealogy/AT/view_AT.cfm%3FID%3D29+%22bastard+of+Exeter%22&hl=en
Unfortunately, as an archive of a dead page, the references no longer link."
Clagett, Brice
an
interminable, baroque "link" address to get to John Blythe Dobson's
Mainwaring ahnentafel. Just go to google, punch in "John Blythe Dobson,"
and you will be there in two clicks.
Similarly, every so often some one asks here how to access the Gen-
Medieval Archives, and in response is given a lengthy baroque
address. Instead, just go to google, punch in "Gen-Medieval Archives,"
and you will be there in one more click.
Martin Reboul
"Douglas Richardson" <royala...@msn.com> wrote in message
news:5cf47a19.04112...@posting.google.com...
> Dear Newsgroup ~
>
> Mr. Farmerie has suggested that I may have incorrectly "sourced" the
> identification of Robert Holand, Bastard of Exeter, as an illegitimate
> son of John Holand (died 1447), 2nd Duke of Exeter, in my book,
> Plantagenet Ancestry. Certainly, Robert Holand being "Bastard of
> Exeter" was the son of a titled Duke of Exeter. A look at the
> chronology of this family tells us that Robert Holand is correctly
> placed as the son of John Holand, 2nd Duke of Exeter.
I know of another Bastard of Exeter, who allegedly was personally responsible
for chopping off the head of Richard Neville, Earl of Salisbury following the
battle of Wakefield in 1460. He in turn was captured by Salisbury's son,
Richard Neville Earl of Warwick , and summarily executed after Northampton. Was
this another son of John Holland, or is there some confusion here?
I mentioned seeing John Holland's sinister and imposing effigy at the Tower
recently - my great interest being his son Henry, duke of Exeter, who fought at
Barnet. It looks as if Duke John was quite voracious and fertile, three wives on
his tomb with him, and he obviously didn't stop there! An ugly brute too -
amazing what power, cash and a Dukedom can do for one...
Any info about the Holland (or Holand - they seem to have spelt it both ways?)
family of that era would be most welcome?
Cheers
Martin
Todd A. Farmerie
> I know of another Bastard of Exeter, who allegedly was personally responsible
> for chopping off the head of Richard Neville, Earl of Salisbury following the
> battle of Wakefield in 1460. He in turn was captured by Salisbury's son,
> Richard Neville Earl of Warwick , and summarily executed after Northampton. Was
> this another son of John Holland, or is there some confusion here?
This was Thomas Holand, Bastard of Exeter. He and William Holand,
Bastard of Exeter, unlike Robert, are specifically named as sons by the
will of Duke John. Oddly, there is apparently at least one contemporary
reference to "both bastards of Exeter" (excluding them from a general
pardon), which might at first suggest that only two out of the three
were active in the politics/warfare of the time, but this is not the
case - Robert was captured along with Duke Henry at one point, but they
escaped, while William was attainted for raising rebelion in the
southwest, and you have already described Thomas' role. I have come to
think that Stow, in stating in his chronicle that two were killed at
Towton, was misinformed (as he was about "Edward, Duke of Exeter" being
killed there), and that none of the Bastards died at Towton. Rather
that Thomas was executed a couple of weeks before, Robert killed in a
skermish the day before, and William survived the battle.
taf
Martin Reboul
"Todd A. Farmerie" <farm...@interfold.com> wrote in message
news:41a6...@news.ColoState.EDU...
Thanks for that Todd... another name to add! Henry Holand (D of E) was at
Towton, one of the few Lancastrians of rank who managed to escape after the
battle. He seems to have been an extraordinarily hot-tempered and nasty fellow
even by the standards of his day, but I suppose he had quite a lot to be annoyed
about?
The Milanese ambassador described him as "cruel and fierce", and he single
handedly managed to scupper at least one promising peace conference in London. I
have a suspicion he might also have been behind the attempted ambush of Richard
Neville at Westminster in Nov 1458, which he narrowly escaped (they must have
hated each others guts!).
I have searched high and low for a picture of Henry, but nothing has ever turned
up. I have to say, the Holands in the mid-15thC seem to have been a pretty rough
bunch, always in or causing trouble, yet not the sharpest tools in the box when
it cam,e to surviving. Tough, uncompromising, arrogant, vengeful, unforgiving,
proud, foul-tempered and violent.... that seems to be all that was recorded?
Recklessly brave even so... if they looked at all like their dad, Duke John,
they must have been extremely intimidating!
Cheers
Martin
Douglas Richardson
> Todd, Douglas, et al
> The ancestry of Oliver Mainwaring may now be viewed at THIS link and the references do work
>
> http://cybrary.uwinnipeg.ca/people/dobson/genealogy/AT/cachedAT_Oliver_Mainwaring.html
>
> Will Johnson
Thanks for providing the link to John Blythe Dobson's website. Much appreciated.