that time. Her divorce
immediately preceded the second marriage, and it was apparently just
before June 24, 1345. On that day, "Isabel La Despenser, and Alianora
daughter of Henry Earl of Lancaster," are returned among the tenants of
Richard Earl of Arundel (_Ib_., 19 Ed. III., Pt. 1): the designation
showing that on that day neither was Countess of Arundel, but that the
marriage-settlements of Alianora were already executed. After this date
all trace of Isabel disappears, until we meet with the name of "Dame
Isabel, daughter of Sir Hugh Spencer," among the persons buried in the

Chapter House of Westminster Abbey. (Harl. MS. 544, fol. 78.) The
Countess Alianora, at the time of her marriage, was the widow of John
Lord Beaumont, and the mother of two infant children; she had only just
returned from a pilgrimage to the shrine of Saint James of Compostella.
(_Rot. Pat_. 18 Ed. III., Pt 1.) She died January 11, 1372 and was
buried at Lewes. (Reg. Lewes, fol. 108.) Her second family consisted
of three sons and three daughters--Richard, John, Thomas, Joan, Alesia,
and Alianora. The last-named died in childhood; all the rest survived
their parents.--Richard, a well-meaning and brave, but passionate and
narrow-minded man, was governed by his stronger-minded brother Thomas,
and under his evil influence entered upon a treasonable conspiracy, for
which he paid the penalty on Tower Hill in the spring of 1397.--John is
chiefly remarkable for having married the heiress of Maltravers, and
becoming eventually the root of the family.--Thomas became Bishop of Ely
and Archbishop of Canterbury--the persecuting Archbishop Arundel who
will perhaps be remembered by the readers of "Mistress Margery"--and
after suffering for his treasonable practices a richly-deserved
banishment, was at once recalled and restored by his friend and
fellow-conspirator, Henry the Fourth. He died in 1413. That the House
of Arundel had no "Gospel" sympathies is shown by more evidences than
one; though the Archbishop himself had at one time pretended friendship
towards the Lollards. It did not last long; he would scarcely have been
a true Arundel had it done so.--Joan Fitzalan was a woman of intense
energy and terrible passions. She did not live happily with her
husband, Humphrey Earl of Hereford, as appears from a curious and unique
entry on the Patent Rolls (33 Ed. III., Pt. 3), providing that Humphrey
should not divorce Joan on any pretence of preco