Lady Gabrielle Roberta Montgomery

[John Brandon]

Weis, _Ancestral Roots of Sixty Colonists_, 5th and 7th editions, give
the grandfather of Capt. Francis Champernoun of Maine as "GAWINE
CHAMPERNOUN, of Dartington, Esq., will pro. 3 Apr. 1592; m. Gabrielle
Roberta, dau. of the Count of Montgomery in France (?)."

The HOP biography of Thomas Horner, M.P. (c. 1547-1612) of Cloford,
Somerset, states that he married "(3) prob. Aug. 1595, Lady Gabrielle
Robert Montgomery, wid. of Gawen Champernowne, 1s."

John Hutchins, _History and Antiquities of the County of Dorset_ (3rd
ed.), in a pedigree chart of "Horner of Mells., co. Somerset" (vol.
2), shows Thomas Horner's third wife as "The Lady (Roberta) (d)
Montgomery, ob. 1628? living 1622." Note d says:

(d) Certain MS "Memoirs of the Family of Horners of Mells, in the
county of Somerset, by H.B., a Collector of old Stories," though
incorrect in many particulars, are still worthy of some amount of
credit. Among other traditions, he mentions that one of the
possessors of Mells, whom he undoubtedly calls by a wrong name,
"married the Countess of Montgomery, supposed to be the widow of that
Earl who, in tilting with Henry 2nd King of France, caused his death
by a splinter of his spear running into the King's eye. But most
probably she was the widow of that lord's son, wh[ich] I conjecture
from the distance of the time of that king's death to her death,
wh[ich] must needs be near 70 years, as she lived at Cloford to the
year 1628. She must certainly be a considerable heiress, as several
estates came with her into the family, and, among others,
Postleburywoods in particular, &c. Her jointure was f500 a year, wch
was very considerable at that time." In Thomas Hornor's Will, dated
1611, she is called "the Ladie Montgomery my Wiefe;" and he leaves to
her "his parke called Posselbury Parke" on condition that she "keepe
and preserve seaven score deere at the least yearlie within the sd
parke, and do give intertainment unto my now keepers Roger White and
John Collier." He also leaves her, amongst other legacies, "duringe
her liefe onlie, his house scituat in St Austin's Greene neere the
Cittie of Bristoll." In a copy of Court Roll of the Manor of Cloford
dated 1622, it is called "Manerium Honorabilis Domine Roberte
Montgom'y;" and the instrument is signed "RX (qu. C.) Mongommery,"
apparently in the hand of an elderly person. She certainly could
hardly be the widow of Count Gabriel de Montgommery, who died in 1574,
though it is possible she might have been the widow of one of his
sons.

[l***@bigpond.com]

Dear John,

I have her as a daughter of Gabriel de Montgomerie, Seigneur de Lorges, and
Isabeau de La Touche. I knew only of her marriage to Gawine Champernoun.
This Gabriel was the one involved (not responsible in my opinion) in the
death of Henri II, King of France.
Hope this helps?
Best wishes
Leo van de Pas

----- Original Message -----
From: "John Brandon" <***@hotmail.com>
To: <GEN-MEDIEVAL-***@rootsweb.com>
Sent: Tuesday, November 04, 2003 8:56 AM
Subject: Lady Gabrielle Roberta Montgomery

Post by John Brandon
Weis, _Ancestral Roots of Sixty Colonists_, 5th and 7th editions, give
the grandfather of Capt. Francis Champernoun of Maine as "GAWINE
CHAMPERNOUN, of Dartington, Esq., will pro. 3 Apr. 1592; m. Gabrielle
Roberta, dau. of the Count of Montgomery in France (?)."
The HOP biography of Thomas Horner, M.P. (c. 1547-1612) of Cloford,
Somerset, states that he married "(3) prob. Aug. 1595, Lady Gabrielle
Robert Montgomery, wid. of Gawen Champernowne, 1s."
John Hutchins, _History and Antiquities of the County of Dorset_ (3rd
ed.), in a pedigree chart of "Horner of Mells., co. Somerset" (vol.
2), shows Thomas Horner's third wife as "The Lady (Roberta) (d)
(d) Certain MS "Memoirs of the Family of Horners of Mells, in the
county of Somerset, by H.B., a Collector of old Stories," though
incorrect in many particulars, are still worthy of some amount of
credit. Among other traditions, he mentions that one of the
possessors of Mells, whom he undoubtedly calls by a wrong name,
"married the Countess of Montgomery, supposed to be the widow of that
Earl who, in tilting with Henry 2nd King of France, caused his death
by a splinter of his spear running into the King's eye. But most
probably she was the widow of that lord's son, wh[ich] I conjecture
from the distance of the time of that king's death to her death,
wh[ich] must needs be near 70 years, as she lived at Cloford to the
year 1628. She must certainly be a considerable heiress, as several
estates came with her into the family, and, among others,
Postleburywoods in particular, &c. Her jointure was f500 a year, wch
was very considerable at that time." In Thomas Hornor's Will, dated
1611, she is called "the Ladie Montgomery my Wiefe;" and he leaves to
her "his parke called Posselbury Parke" on condition that she "keepe
and preserve seaven score deere at the least yearlie within the sd
parke, and do give intertainment unto my now keepers Roger White and
John Collier." He also leaves her, amongst other legacies, "duringe
her liefe onlie, his house scituat in St Austin's Greene neere the
Cittie of Bristoll." In a copy of Court Roll of the Manor of Cloford
dated 1622, it is called "Manerium Honorabilis Domine Roberte
Montgom'y;" and the instrument is signed "RX (qu. C.) Mongommery,"
apparently in the hand of an elderly person. She certainly could
hardly be the widow of Count Gabriel de Montgommery, who died in 1574,
though it is possible she might have been the widow of one of his
sons.

[John Brandon]

Post by l***@bigpond.com
I have her as a daughter of Gabriel de Montgomerie, Seigneur de Lorges, and
Isabeau de La Touche. I knew only of her marriage to Gawine Champernoun.
This Gabriel was the one involved (not responsible in my opinion) in the
death of Henri II, King of France.

Thanks, Leo. I remembered that you had posted on Gabrielle Roberta a
while back. I see from your website (www.genealogics.org) that Capt.
Francis Champernoune may also have a line of descent from Edward III
(_Ancestral Roots_ only shows a line from Edward I). Since he had no
descendants, perhaps it is of "academic interest" only ...

[John Brandon]

Of course, there would be another Edward III line for Capt.
Champernowne (also through Anne, Countess of Buckingham, who married
Bourgchier) via the Fulford family. See the account of the Fulfords
in the 18th edition of Burke's _Landed Gentry_ and the Fulford
pedigree chart in Hutchins' _Dorset_.

[Brad Verity]

Post by John Brandon
Of course, there would be another Edward III line for Capt.
Champernowne (also through Anne, Countess of Buckingham, who married
Bourgchier) via the Fulford family. See the account of the Fulfords
in the 18th edition of Burke's _Landed Gentry_ and the Fulford
pedigree chart in Hutchins' _Dorset_.

From Vivian's 'Visitations of the County of Devon':

"Gawen Champernon, of Dartington in Com. Devon, Esq., son and heir [of
Sir Arthur Champernon of Dartington by his wife Mary, sister of Henry,
Lord Norris], aged 24 years and more at the death of his father [on 1
Apr. 1578], bur. 25 Mar. 1591 at Dartington. [footnote: Dartington
Parish Register.] Inq. p.m. 34 Eliz. pt. 1, No. 69. Will 20 May 1588
with codicils. Admon. granted 3 Ap. 1592 to Lady Roberta his relict
during minority of her son Arthur. Admon. granted to Arthur, son of
deceased, 31 Aug. 1601, P.C.C. (Harrington 36)." Married, "Robert,
da. of the Count of Montgomery [footnote: Gabrielle Roberta], Leader
of the Huguenots. Divorced from her husband 27 July 1582 for
adultery. Adm. to her husband's will during minority of her son
Arthur. She remar. Thomas Horner of Cloford, mar. set. 8 Aug. 1595."
They had 3 sons and 8 daus:

1) Arthure Champernon of Dartington, Esq., son and heir, aged 12 years
at his father's death, living 1620. Admon. granted 1650 Prin. Reg.
Exeter. Married 17 June 1598 at Dunsford [footnote: Dunsford Parish
Register.], Bridget, da. of Sir Thomas Fulford of Fulford, Kt. They
had 6 sons and 7 daus. The youngest son was:
Francis Champernowne, bap. 18 Oct. 1614 at Dartington [footnote:
Dartington Parish Register.], settled in New England and d.s.p. Will
16 Nov. 1686, pro. 28 Dec. 1687 in New England. Married Mary, da. of
... and widow of Robert Cutts.
2) Philip Champernowne of Berrie, bap. 7 June 1587 at Dartington
[footnote: Dartington Parish Register.]
3) Alexander Champernowne, bap. 1 Sep., bur. 2 Oct. 1588 at Dartington
[footnote: Dartington Parish Register.]
1) Elizabeth Champernowne, bap. 7 Nov. 1575 at Dartington [footnote:
Dartington Parish Register], wife to .... Stretchley, & after to ...
Jaquinta.
2) Mary Champernowne, died unmarried. Admon. granted 12 June 1638 to
her brother Arthur, Act Book, P.C.C.
3) Catherine Champernowne, bap. 26 May 1577 at Dartington [footnote:
Dartington Parish Register.], mar. 30 Apr. 1599 at St. Martins, Exeter
[footnote: St. Martins, Exeter, Parish Register], to Richard Hilersdon
of Memland.
4) Ursula Champernowne, bap. 6 June 1579 at Dartington [footnote:
Dartington Parish Register.], mar. 19 Dec. 1611 at Cloford [footnote:
Cloford Parish Register] to Hugh Sexey of Bruton, Founder of Sexey's
Hospital, who died 1619. She secondly married Sir Gerard Sammes, Kt.,
of Lauchford Hall, Essex, and administered to his goods May 1630. She
herself died 1634.
5) Jane Champernowne, bap. 8 Sep. 1589 at Dartington [footnote:
Dartington Parish Register.], wife to William Collyns of London.
6) Frances Champernowne, mar. 17 Oct. 1615 at Mells, co. Somerset
[footnote: Mells, co. Somerset, Parish Register.], to Thomas Grove of
Kent.
7) Susan Champernowne, wife to Simon De la Barr of London, mar. lic.
19 Apr. 1616, Bp. of London.
8) Bridget Champernowne, b. 1592, m. Thomas Still, of Dorset (d. 1641,
Will, Evelyn, 70), only son of John Still, D.D., Bishop of Bath and
Wells, by his 2nd wife Jane, eldest dau. of Sir John Horner, K.B., of
Cloford, co. Somerset.

From an article on the Horners in 'Miscellanea Genealogica et
Heraldica':

"Thomas Horner, 2nd son and heir to his father. 11 years old at Inq.
p.m. matris 1 Edw. VI. 40 years of age when his father died (1587).
So born about 1537 or 1547. Proved his father's will 22 May 1588.
M.P. for the County 1585. High Sheriff co. Somerset 1607. Buried at
Cloford 20 June 1612. (The Inq.'s p.m. of his father and mother do
not agree.) Married 1st, Elizabeth Pollard, Buried at Cloford 11 July
1573. 1 son (died young) and 3 daus. Married 2nd, Jane Popham, dau.
of Chief Justice Sir John Popham, Kt., by his wife Amy (Gaines).
Buried at Mells 3 June 1591. 6 sons and 2 daus. Married 3rd, Lady
Gabrielle Roberta Montgomery, and had 1 son."

A footnote describes the marriage of Lady Gabrielle Roberta and Thomas
Horner of Cloford in more detail: "Although Gawen Champernowne,
according to the 'State Papers Domestic', was divorced from his wife,
the Lady Gabrielle Roberta Montgomery, in 1582, he appears to have
received her back again, because in his will, made May 20, 1588, he
speaks of 'my child yet unborn,' and the Lady Gabrielle proved his
will in the minority of their son Arthur, 1591-2. Moreover, she
subsequently married, and appears to have been fully received into a
good county family; for about 1593-5 [? the exact date] she became the
third wife of Thomas Horner, Esq., of Cloford. His second wife Jane
had died in May 1591 (buried at Mells 3 June). Now Horner had a son,
Edward, bapt. in Aug. 1597. The son was clearly the issue of his
third marriage. And in his will, 1611, we find that the house in
Bristol, which he bequeaths to Lady Montgomery his wife, he directs
should pass after her death, 'to Edward Horner my son'. This is to
say, he was to succeed his own mother. Again, Ursula, one of the
daughters of the Lady G. Roberta, by Champernowne, associates Edward
Horner and his son Daniel in her will with her own sisters, the
Champernownes, and names no other Horners. There seems no doubt,
therefore, that Edward Horner [died 1653] was Lady Montgomery's son.
Her son Arthur, by Champernowne, was born 1580; her youngest child by
same husband was born 1592; and then in 1597, about two years after
her second marriage, she bore a son by Horner. Now, if she married
first at 18 or 20 years old, this history seems both possible and
probable; and this explanation may solve a crux which, we believe, has
afflicted the family history of the two houses of Champernowne and
Horner."

The same Misc. Gen. et Her. article also abstracted portions of the
wills of Lady Gabrielle Roberta Montgomery's two husbands, Gawain
Champernowne and Thomas Horner.

"THE WILL IN BRIEF OF GAWINE CHAMPERNOWNE, ESQ., OF DARTINGTON
(Harrington, 36). Dated, May 20, 1588 ... To my daughters Elizabeth,
Marie, Katherine, Ursula, Frances, Jane and Susan, 300 marks and all
my marriage money, which I ought to have from the Count and Countess
Montgomery, to be divided among them. Arthur my son (under 21) to be
Ex'or.
By codicil, March 16, 1591-2, testator leaves a legacy, 'to my child
yet unborn.' [This child proved to be a girl, and was christened
Bridget, and was afterwards the wife of Thos., the son of Dr. Still,
Bp. of Bath and Wells.]
Proved by Lady Roberta Montgomery, alias Champernowne, Relict of
deceased,---to administer during the minority of her son, Arthur,
April 3, 1592."

"THE WILL IN BRIEF OF THOMAS HORNER OF CLOFORD, ESQ. (Fenner, 79).
Dated, Feb. 15, 1611. To be buried at Cloford. [He was buried there,
June 20, 1612.] To Lady Montgomery, my wife, certain lands, etc.,
provided she keeps seven score deer within the park, and my house
situated in St. Austin's Green, near the city of Bristol, and after
her death to go to Edward Horner, my son ... To my son Thomas Horner,
a tenement in Leigh; my son Tristram Horner; to Mary Champernowne, my
daughter, f100. Twenty pounds to the eldest son of my son Symes; f20
to the eldest son of my son Danvers; f50 to each of my daughters,
Bridget and Frances Champernowne; f100 to my daughter Ann Webb, etc.
[footnote: from the above Will it is evident that Horner treated his
wife's family, which she bore to Champernowne, as brothers and sisters
to his own family. Whatever irregularity of conduct there may have
been in times past, it was clearly condoned by both her husbands.] All
the rest of my goods to John Horner, my son and ex'or. To Sir Hugh
Smith, Sir John Rodney, Thomas Warre, John Symes, Esq., William
Claxton, and Thos. Brooke, Gent., Overseers, f5 a piece. Proved Sept.
20, 1612."

Champernowne was descended from Edward I through the Courtenays,
Horner was not descended from Edward I. I don't know if Lady
Gabrielle Roberta Montgomery was descended from Edward I at all.

Hope this helps.

Cheers, ------Brad

[John Brandon]

Thank you, all very interesting!