Margaret herself was “a very fair creature and a beautiful,” as even her enemies were forced to confess[158]. She was married to William Cheyne of London, but Sir John Bulmer bought her from her husband and made her his mistress[159]. Two daughters were the offspring of this connection, but about 1536 Lady Bulmer and William Cheyne[160] seem both to have been dead and Sir John married Margaret. In January 1536–7 was born their son John[161], afterwards John Bulmer of Pinchinthorpe, who declared in 1584 that he was born in lawful matrimony[162]. The marriage was recognised by Sir John’s relatives[163], which may indicate the low state of morality in the north, or the power of Margaret’s charms, or the existence of extenuating circumstances. Sir Ralph Bulmer, one of Sir John’s brothers, married Anne, daughter and co-heir of Roger Aske of Aske[164], and was thus brother-in-law to Richard Bowes. The other brother, Sir William Bulmer, was, like Sir John, unfortunate in his matrimonial experience. His wife Elizabeth, daughter and heiress of William Elmedon of Elmedon, Durham, was married to him in 1505, when she was eleven years old and he probably not much older[165]. The marriage turned out unhappily; Sir William squandered his own estates and involved his wife’s by his extravagance, and the couple usually lived apart[166]. It will be shown hereafter how the lady revenged herself on her husband. The Bigods of Settrington, though their seat near Malton was between thirty and forty miles south of Wilton, were none the less neighbours of the Bulmers, for they had both lands and influence on the north coast of Yorkshire, especially about Whitby. This family might well seem to be under a curse. Two Bigods, father and son, fell at Towton Field in 1461[167]; the son, Sir John Bigod, had married Elizabeth daughter of Henry Lord Scrope of Bolton, and left a son, Ralph Bigod, who was thrice married. His family seem to have been the children of his second wife, Margaret, daughter of Sir Robert Constable of Flamborough[168] and aunt of Lord Darcy’s friend Sir Robert Constable. One of these children, Elizabeth, married Sir John Aske, of Aughton and was the grandmother of Robert Aske[169]—another, Anne, married Sir John Bulmer[170]. Sir Ralph Bigod’s eldest son, Sir John Bigod, married Joan, daughter of Sir James Strangeways[171]. He was probably killed at the battle of Flodden in 1513[172], and his eldest son died with him in the war against Scotland[173]. He left three children; Elizabeth, who was afterwards the wife of Sir Stephen Hamerton[174], Francis, and Ralph.