| The circumstances of the marriage are briefly recounted in a dispensation for their marriage dated 6 March 1355. In some private quarrel, then so prevalent in Scotland, Sir Robert had wounded and imprisoned Walter Menteith and his brother, cousins of Christian, while some of their party were slain. To appease the feud thus engendered, a marriage was, with King David's consent, arranged between Sir Robert and Christian, for which they asked a dispensation from Rome, as she and Beatrix Lindsay were related in the fourth degree. The dispensation was applied for in the time of Pope Clement VI, who died (6 December 1352) before issuing it, and they were deceived by the clerk who was intrusted with the application, and who wrote that he had finished his business. The parties taking this to mean the dispensation was obtained, married, and had issue, but discovering their error, they renewed their petition, which was now granted, the marriage being declared valid and the children legitimate. It would thus appear that Sir Robert had issue by his second wife, but they apparently did not survive, as she is usually said to have had no issue by him. |