According to information passed on to me by Ian Caldwell, in Dec 2001: "Joan Beaufort (c.1379-1440), daughter of John of Gaunt and Katherine Swynford, married (2)Ralph Neville (c.1364-1425).

Joan played a leading role in various poetic and intellectual movements as she grew older, and patronised Hoccleve. Her first husband was Sir Robert Ferrers. Her marriage to Ralph Neville made her Countess of Westmorland.

Ralph was 6th Baron Neville of Raby and Ist Earl of Westmorland. He was knighted by Thomas of Woodstock, afterwards Duke of Gloucester, during the French expedition of 1380 and succeeded to his father's barony in 1388. He was repeatedly engaged in negotiations with the Scots and his assistance to the court party against the lords appellant was rewarded in 1397 by the earldom of Westmorland.

His second wife, Joan Beaufort, was half sister to Henry of Lancaster, afterwards Henry IV, who he joined on his landing in Yorkshire in 1399. he already held the castles of Raby, Brancepeth, Middleham and Sheriff Hutton when he received from Henry IV, the honour and lordship of Richmond for life. The only rivals of the Nevilles in the north were the Percies, whose power was broken at Shrewsbury in 1403; and the wardship of the west marches was now assigned to Westmorland, whose influence was also paramount in the east. In 1405 the Percies were again in revolt, with Thomas Mowbray, Earl Marshall and Archbishop Scrope. Westmorland met them on Skipton Moor near York on May 29th 1405 and suggested a parley between the leaders. By pretending an accord with the Archbishop the Earl induced him and his followers to disperse. Scrope and Mowbray were then seized and handed over to Henry at Pontefract on January 3rd. Ralph died on 21st October 1425".