THE WILL OF KATHARINE, COUNTESS OF DEVON, DAUGHTER OF EDWARD IV.; DATED MAY 2, 1527. COMMUNICATED BY THE REV. GEORGE OLIVER, D.D., AND MR. PITMAN JONES. AMONGST the muniments at Powderham Castle the original will of the Princess Katharine of York, sixth daughter of Edward IV., and relict of William Courtenay, Earl of Devon, has been lately discovered. It appears that the princess, sister to Elizabeth, consort of King Henry VII., was married in the presence of that sovereign, his queen and court, to William, son and heir of Edward Courtenay, Earl of Devon. The date of this event has not been recorded. The king's jealousy of the House of York eventually caused them much anguish and misfortune. The death of the earl occurred on June 9th, 1511. The will, here first published, was made May 2nd, 19 Henry VIII. (1527), under the sign-manual of the princess. Her death occurred at Tiverton Castle, on Friday, Nov. 15th, following. Sandford has given an interesting narrative of the funeral obsequies of the Countess of Devon, which took place at Tiverton on December 2nd and 3rd, 1527. For further particulars regarding her husband and their children, we may refer to the Courtenay Pedigree, which will be given hereafter in this Journal. To all men to whom this present wrytyng indentyd. shall come, the right nobill Prynces, Katerine, Countes of Devonshere, Daughter, Suster, and Aunte of Kyngs, and late Wyfe unto the right honorabill Lord William Courtney, late Erle of Devonshere, sendythe Gretyng in our Lord God everlastyng. That where the right Reverent Father in God, Rychard, Byschoppe of Wynchester, Hugh, Byschoppe Exceter, Lewys Pollard, Knyght, oon of the Kyngs Justices of hys Comen Plase, John Speke, Knygth, (sic) John Caylewey and William Merwood, Esquyers, before this tyme recovered at Westm', in the Countie of Midd', before the Justices of our Soveraign Lord, Kynge Harry the Eight, of his Comen Benche, agens us the seid Countes, the manors of Shevyok, Westaunton, Portloo, Treverbyn Courtney, and also fourescore mesuages, 1 Collectanea Topogr. Nichols, vol. i. p. 22. Sandford, Geneal. Hist. p. 419, from a MS. in Coll. Arm. I. ii. p. 22. 2 The relation given by Sandford states that the only son of the Countess, Henry, created Marquis of Worcester in 1525, "caused a chapel and a tomb, with her effigies thereon, to be erected by the side of the high-altar of the said church." It appears, however, by the will here published, that the chapel in which her remains were deposited was in the churchyard, and that it had been built not long foure hundred acres of pasture, before the date of this document, probably at the death of her husband, in 1509. Risdon, in his Survey, commenced 1605, and concluded 1630, describes this chapel and the Courtenay monuments, barbarously destroyed about forty years previously. 3 Richard Fox, translated from Durham, 1500; ob. 1528. 4 Hugh Oldham, appointed 1504; ob. 1519, previously to the date of the above document. |