John of Gaunt, by his third wife Katharine Swynford, left four children, born before his marriage with her, but legitimated by act of parliament. Of these the eldest is thus mentioned in Burke's "Introduction" to the Peerage, p. xxi.:—
"John de Beaufort, Marquess of Somerset and Dorset, who married Margaret, daughter of Thomas Holland, Earl of Kent, and had a son John, Duke of Somerset, whose only daughter and heir, Margaret, married Edmund Tudor, Earl of Richmond, and was mother of Henry VII."
Query, Was Margaret "only child," as well as only daughter of John Duke of Somerset? or was she not sister to Henry, Edmund, and John, successively Dukes of Somerset? (See Burke's Peerage, "Duke of Beaufort.")
In that case, after the death of this last-named Duke John issueless, she would become "sole heir," as she had always been "sole daughter," of Duke John the First.
Or was she in fact the daughter of this second and last Duke John? At his death the male line of Lancaster became extinct; the royal branch having already failed at the death of Henry VI.
There appears some little confusion in Burke's excellent work, as may be seen by comparing p. xxi. of the Introduction, &c., with the genealogy of the Beaufort family.
A. B.
Clifton.