C.P. Addition: Anne Holand [died 1486], wife of John Neville, Lord Neville, and James Douglas, K.G., Earl of Douglas

[Douglas Richardson]

Dear Newsgroup ~

Complete Peerage 9 (1936): 504 (sub Neville) has a good account of Sir John Neville, Lord Neville [died 1461], which individual was a younger brother of Ralph Neville, 2nd Earl of Westmorland. Regarding John Neville's marriage and death and his widow's remarriage, the following infornation is given:

"He married Anne, widow of (his nephew) John Neville, styled Lord Neville, and daughter of John (Holand), Duke of Exeter, by his 3rd wife, Anne, daughter of John (Montagu), Earl of Salisbury. He was slain at the Yorkist victory at Towton, 29 March 1461 ... His widow married, as his 2nd wife, James (Douglas), Earl of Douglas, who died 1491. She died 26 Dec. 1486." END OF QUOTE.

Elsewhere Complete Peerage 4 (1916): 436–437 (sub Douglas) includes an account of Sir James Douglas, K.G., 9th Earl of Douglas, whose 2nd wife Anne Holand was widow of John Neville, Lord Neville above. Regarding this marriage, the following information is provided:

"When in England he married, 2ndly, Anne, widow of John (Nevill), Lord Nevill (so sum. in 1459, who was slain 1461), and before that of John Nevill, styled Lord Nevill, daughter of John (Holand), Duke of Exeter, by his 2nd wife, Anne, daughter of John (Montagu), Earl of Salisbury. She died 26 Dec. 1486, being mother of Ralph, Earl of Westmorland, her son and heir, then aged 30 and more. The Earl died soon after Whitsunday [22 May] 1491, at Lindores Abbey, and was buried there ..." END OF QUOTE.

Scots Peerage 3 (1906): 178–183 (sub Douglas) also includes an account of Anne Holand's 3rd husband, Sir James Douglas, 9th Earl of Douglas. Regarding this marriage, the following information is provided:

"The Earl married, secondly, Anne, daughter of John Holland, Duke of Exeter, relict to two John Nevills, nephew and uncle, and mother of Ralph Nevill, third Earl of Westmorland. Her second husband died in 1461, but when she married Douglas is uncertain. She predeceased him, dying on 26 December 1486." END OF QUOTE.

Anne Holand, successively wife of two John Nevilles and James Douglas, Earl of Douglas, is a person of some importance in medieval history, as in her early adulthood, she was heir-at-law to King Henry VI of England [see Petre, Richard III: Crown & People (1985): 203–217].

Strangely neither Complete Peerage or Scots Peerage directly cites a source for the marriage of Anne Holand and Sir James Douglas, Earl of Douglas. However, Complete Peerage does mention in its notes the published inquisition post mortem for the countess. When the inquisition was checked, it was found to correctly style this lady "Anne, late the wife of James Douglas, Earl of Douglas." See Cal. IPM Henry VII 1 (1898): 101, which may be viewed at the following weblink:

https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015046359728;view=1up;seq=117

So Anne Holand's marriage to James Douglas is quite sound. But when did it take place? To answer that question, I checked many published sources and found total silence regarding that issue. As noted above, all Scots Peerage would say is that it is "uncertain" when the marriage took place. As such, I did further original research which resulted in a better answer.

The first two Common Pleas lawsuits below indicate that Anne Holand was still a Neville widow in Hilary term 1463:

In Hilary term 1463 William Langedon, Citizen and tailor of London, sued Anne Nevell, widow, of Talworth (in Long Ditton), Surrey and London in the Court of Common Pleas regarding a debt of 46s. 6d.

Reference: Court of Common Pleas, CP40/807, image 1163d (available at http://aalt.law.uh.edu/AALT2/E4/CP40no807/bCP40no807dorses/IMG_1163.htm).

In the same term and year Thomas Loughton and another, executors of Ralph Holand, late Citizen of London, sued Elizabeth [sic] Nevyll, of Tolworth (in Long Ditton), Surrey, widow and executrix of John Nevyll, Knt., son and heir of Ralph, Earl of Westmorland, in the Court of Common Pleas regarding a debt of £14 18s. 8d.

Reference: Court of Common Pleas, CP40/807, image 1230d (available at http://aalt.law.uh.edu/AALT2/E4/CP40no807/bCP40no807dorses/IMG_1230.htm).

The third and fourth Common Pleas lawsuits below indicate that James, Earl of Douglas, and Anne Holand were married before Hilary term 1468:

In Hilary term 1468 James, Earl of Douglas, Knt. sued William Hugon, junior, of Exmouth, Devon, husbandman, and eight others in the Court of Common Pleas regarding a trespass [vi et armis] at Kenton, Devon.

Reference: Court of Common Pleas, CP40/826, image 730f (available at http://aalt.law.uh.edu/AALT2/E4/CP40no826/aCP40no826fronts/IMG_0730.htm).

The same term and year John Langdon, Citizen and tailor of London, sued James Douglas, Knt., of London, and Anne his wife in the Court of Common Pleas regarding a debt of 50s.

Reference: Court of Common Pleas, CP40/826, image 1686d (available at http://aalt.law.uh.edu/AALT2/E4/CP40no826/bCP40no826dorses/IMG_1686.htm).

In summary, it appears that Anne Holand married (3rd) sometime after Hilary term 1463 and before Hilary term 1468 to James Douglas, K.G., 9th Earl of Douglas. It should be noted that James Douglas held his rights at Kenton, Devon in right of his wife, Anne's dower from her 1st Neville marriage.

For interest's sake, the following is a list of the 17th Century New World immigrants that descend from Anne Holand [died 1486] and her 2nd husband, John Neville, Lord Neville:

Philip and Thomas Nelson.

Best always, Douglas Richardson, Salt Lake City, Utah