The newest deed at which this short article is actually removed is actually finalized by the Robert Whitney himself toward 8 October 1492, ergo showing not just that he was real time at the time, however, furthermore your resource are modern-day (the latest later fifteenth millennium getting a notoriously crappy months for information). The new file checks out: “…shall continue to be to your said Robert Whitney along with his heirs by themselves and the body off Custance [Constance] earlier his first partner, de l’ensemble des Audeley, knight, lord Audeley, legitimately begotten, permanently to hold of captain lords of the commission to possess attributes thereof earlier owed and vintage…“.
Even though the file will not clearly state as much, you will find some information we could without a doubt infer out of this short passage. The original and most visible a person is you to definitely Robert and you will Constance was in fact no more partnered because of the 1492, in the event the deed was composed. This very most likely implies that Constance had passed away by then (if not one this lady relationships to help you Robert was annulled, hence looks unlikely because of minutes and you can because of the lifetime from material from their relationships). The following, and possibly more critical little bit of info is one to Constance is Robert’s basic girlfriend, not his second/past spouse, as numerous non-modern offer allege, hence you to Robert got of course come hitched at least one time just after Constance’s demise (as the this woman is also known as “1st partner”).
The cause of the misunderstandings may only be phonetic. About this number, I once again trust Burke’s careful research, and therefore checks out the following:
The newest Welsh poet Lewis Glyn Cothi published a long, yet , sadly undated, epithalamium inside the tribute toward matrimony off merch Tomas ab Rosser/Meistres Alis dewiser, [Mistress Alice, child out of Thomas son regarding Roger] so you can Robert Whitney, Esq
Which have established one Constance Touchet was Robert’s basic partner, his matrimony for the girl away from Tomas abdominal Rosser [Thomas ap Roger Vaughan out-of Hergest] have to have happened till the performance of your own deed.
Certain pedigrees and you may non-modern source puzzled the original and you may next labels away from Whitney’s 2nd wife. One to pedigree regarded the woman because d out of the lady father and you may grandfather’s first labels. This is certainly most likely as a result of the Welsh patronymic naming custom. Other offer titled the girl Elsbeth but still other people, Alice. The first name of Robert Whitney’s widow is actually E. This can be ended up of the list of one’s granting of mature dating website your own administration of one’s estate out of Robert Whitney, Esq.
The need off Robert Whitteney esq., of parish regarding Whitteney is granted to help you Age his relict and you can James his son. James appeared at the Hereford toward twenty seven September when he is supplied to administer and you will power are arranged having Elizabeth to manage from the a later date.
In terms of getting named Alice, even the changeover away from the woman first-name ran something like: Elisabeth > Elsbeth > Eliz’ > Alis > Alice
Practical question have to be requested, but not, if or not Alice Vaughan is his next partner and you can Elizabeth his widow is actually yet a 3rd, before unfamiliar wife? The variety of data examined because of it article generate no explore off a distinct 3rd spouse, therefore the distress close the lady Welsh name while the irregularities out of medieval English software and you may spelling suggest in my experience you to Alice, whose relationship so you can Whitney is discussed from the Cothi, and Elizabeth, his widow, had been indeed that and also the same.
On absence of contemporary pointers to suggest if not, I do believe Burke’s theory one to Alice (or Elizabeth) Ve body is most probably correct. As he claims, regardless of if the girl day of demise is not identified, she was indeed alive in may 1525, if the checklist granting their the fresh new management away from this lady husband’s have a tendency to was dated, specific 30 years immediately after the lady husband’s death. Until she resided to be more than 90, just like the Robert Whitney died during the early 1490s getting as much as 60 yrs . old, it follows one his widow Alice/Age was at all the possibilities some younger, perhaps by well over ten years.