Bourne Abbey, Lincolnshire.

KENT, LUCIA VISCONTI, COUNTESS.

Youngest child of Barnabb Visconti and Beatrice Scaligero (surnamed
Regina for her pride), and cousin, not sister, of Galeazzo the Second,
Duke of Milan. She was probably born about 1383, and was most likely
still in her cradle when in 1384 she was contracted with great pomp and
ceremony to Louis Duke of Anjou, afterwards King of Sicily. The
Visconti ladies were renowned for beauty, and Lucia's cousin Valentina,
Duchess of Orleans, was one of the most renowned beauties of her day.
Lucia was still in infancy when her father was deposed and imprisoned by
his nephew Gian Galeazzo, May 6th, 1385; and she lost her mother about
the same time. Louis of Anjou did not fulfil his contract, and Galeazzo
sold Lucia for 70,000 florins, as stated in the text. She was married
to Earl Edmund at the Church of Saint Mary Overy, Southwark, January
24th, 1406. After her husband's death Henry the Fourth tried to induce
her to marry Thomas Beaufort, Earl of Dorset, his own half-brother. It
is commonly said that Lucia refused Dorset, and she certainly does not
describe herself as Countess of Dorset, but only as Countess of Kent, in
her will (printed in _Test. Vet_. i. 205). But she is twice styled by
Henry "our dear sister Lucia" (March 16th and 28th, 1409--_Rot. Pat_.
10 H. IV), which looks as if she did marry Dorset. Stow says that she
married Sir Henry de Mortimer, and had a daughter Anne. However this
may be, in 1421 she was petitioning the Crown for aid on account of deep
poverty, caused by the overwhelming mass of debts left behind by Edmund,
who died intestate. (_Rot. Pari_, iv. 143-5.) Nothing more is known
of her except the date of her death, April 14th, 1424, when aged about
40. (_Inq. Post. Mortem_ 2 H. VI 35, _Lucitz Comitissae Kane_'.)
She was buried in the Church of the Augustine Friars, London. (_Harl.
Ms_ 544, folio 78.) The English mistook Lucia for Galeazzo's sister.

MARCH, EDMUND MORTIMER, SIXTH AND LAST EARL.

Eldest son of Roger, fifth Earl, and his wife Alianora de Holand; born
November 4th, 1391; imprisoned in Windsor Castle, about Christmas, 1399;
stolen away by Constance Le Despenser, about February 14th, 1405;
recaptured and again consigned to prison; bound with four others as
surety for 70,000 florins, to be paid to Duke of Milan, January, 1406;
marriage granted to Queen Jeanne of Navarre, February 24th, 1408 (_Rot.
Pat_. 9 H. I