The following is from Frederick Lewis Weis, one of the best genealogists of our time. Dr. Weis studied royal descents. Here he gives us his expert opinion on Raoul de Gouy: “The parentage (Hucbold as father) of Raoul No. 17 is in doubt. His mother was a Heiliwich who m. (2) Waleran, Count of Laon. David H. Kelly, from his studies (soon to be published) thinks it more likely that his father was Count Theuderic, prob. of Valois, Vixin, pos. of Amiens, who was of the male line of Childebrand, germanus of Karl Martel.” (Ancestral Roots, p.223) Karl Martel or Charles Martel was King of the Franks. His grandson was Charlemagne. Thus with a little work we may eventually be able to establish what is called “Charlemagne descent” for the Carpenter family. Many people are descended from Charlemagne. They say that at least ¼ of everyone alive in England are his descendants. I can prove my own descent (thanks to Dr. Weis) on my mother’s side. However a continuous male descent would be, I assume, unusual. Keep Karl in mind. Sincerely, Bruce Carpenter