Biography of Mary Sheldon -1705
In 1664 [her future husband] Samuel Tuke 1st Baronet (age 49) and Mary Guldeford were married.
In 1664 [her future husband] Samuel Tuke 1st Baronet (age 49) was created 1st Baronet Tuke of Cressing Temple.
On 02 Jul 1668 Samuel Tuke 1st Baronet (age 53) and Mary Sheldon were married.
Evelyn's Diary. 02 Jul 1668. [her husband] Sir Samuel Tuke, Bart (age 53), and the lady he had married this day, came and bedded at night at my house, many friends accompanying the bride.
In 1671 [her son] Charles Tuke 2nd Baronet was born to [her husband] Samuel Tuke 1st Baronet (age 56) and Mary Sheldon.
Evelyn's Diary. 17 Apr 1673. I carried Lady Tuke to thank the Countess of Arlington (age 39) for speaking to his Majesty (age 42) in her behalf, for being one of the Queen Consort's (age 34) women. She carried us up into her new dressing room at Goring House [Map], where was a bed, two glasses, silver jars, and vases, cabinets, and other so rich furniture as I had seldom seen; to this excess of superfluity were we now arrived and that not only at Court, but almost universally, even to wantonness and profusion.
On 26 Jan 1674 [her husband] Samuel Tuke 1st Baronet (age 59) died. His son [her son] Charles Tuke 2nd Baronet (age 3) succeeded 2nd Baronet Tuke of Cressing Temple.
Evelyn's Diary. 22 Jul 1674. I went to Windsor [Map] with my wife (age 39) and son (age 19) to see my daughter Mary (age 9), who was there with my Lady Tuke and to do my duty to his Majesty (age 44). Next day, to a great entertainment at Sir Robert Holmes's (age 52) at Cranbourne Lodge, Windsor, in the Forest; there were his Majesty (age 44), the Queen (age 35), Duke (age 40), Duchess (age 15), and all the Court. I returned in the evening with Sir Joseph Williamson (age 40), now declared Secretary of State. He was son of a poor clergyman somewhere in Cumberland, brought up at Queen's College, Oxford, of which he came to be a fellow; then traveled with ... and returning when the King (age 44) was restored, was received as a clerk under Mr. Secretary Nicholas. Sir Henry Bennett (age 56) (now Lord Arlington) succeeding, Williamson is transferred to him, who loving his ease more than business (though sufficiently able had he applied himself to it) remitted all to his man Williamson; and, in a short time, let him so into the secret of affairs, that (as his Lordship himself told me) there was a kind of necessity to advance him; and so, by his subtlety, dexterity, and insinuation, he got now to be principal Secretary; absolutely Lord Arlington's creature, and ungrateful enough. It has been the fate of this obliging favorite to advance those who soon forgot their original. Sir Joseph was a musician, could play at Jeu de Goblets, exceedingly formal, a severe master to his servants, but so inward with my Lord O'Brien (age 32), that after a few months of that gentleman's death, he married his widow (age 34), who, being sister and heir of the Duke of Richmond, brought him a noble fortune. It was thought they lived not so kindly after marriage as they did before. She was much censured for marrying so meanly, being herself allied to the Royal family.
Evelyn's Diary. 27 Feb 1684. I din'd at Lady Tuke's, where I heard Dr Walgrave (Physitian to ye Duke and Dutchesse) play excellently on the lute.
Evelyn's Diary. 07 Mar 1685. At London she tooke this fatal disease, and the occasion of her being there was this; my Lord Viscount Falkland's (age 29) Lady having ben our neighbour (as he was Treasurer of the Navy), she tooke so greate an affection to my daughter, that when they went back in the autumn to the Citty, nothing would satisfie their incessant importunity but letting her accompany my Lady, and staying sometime with her; it was with yc greatest reluctance I complied. Whilst she was there, my Lord (age 29) being musical, when I saw my Lady would not part with her till Christmas, I was not unwilling she should improve the opportunity of learning of Signr Pietro, who had an admirable way both of composure and teaching. It was the end of February before I could prevail with my Lady to part with her; but my Lord going into Oxfordshire to stand for Knight of the Shire there, she express'd her wish to come home, being tir'd of ye vain and empty conversation of the towne, ye theatres, the court, and trifling visites wch consum'd so much precious time, and made her sometimes misse of that regular course of piety that gave her ye greatest satisfaction. She was weary of this life, and I think went not thrice to Court all this time, except when her mother or I carried her. She did not affect shewing herselfe, she knew ye Court well, and pass'd one summer in it at Windsor with Lady Tuke one of the Queene's women of the bed chamber (a most virtuous relation of hers); she was not fond of that glittering scene, now become abominably licentious, though there was a designe of Lady Rochester (age 39) and Lady Clarendon to have made her a maid of honour to the Queene as soon as there was a vacancy. But this she did not set her heart upon, nor in deede on any thing so much as the service of God, a quiet and regular life, and how she might improve herselfe in the most necessary accomplishments, and to wch she was ariv'd at so greate a measure. This is y° little history and imperfect character of my deare child, whose piety, virtue, and incomparable endowments deserve a. Monument more durable than brasse and marble. Precious is the memorial of the just.
Evelyn's Diary. 10 Apr 1685. I went early to Whitehall [Map] to heare Dr. Tillotson, Deane of Canterbury (age 54), preaching on 9 Eccles. 18. I returned in the evening, and visited Lady Tuke, and found with her Sr Geo Wakeman, the physician, whom I had seene tried and acquitted J, amongst the plotters for poisoning the late King, on the accusation of the famous Oates (age 35); and surely I believ'd him guiltlesse.
On or before 15 Aug 1690 [her son] Charles Tuke 2nd Baronet (age 19) died of wound received at the Battle of the Boyne fighting for King James II of England Scotland and Ireland (age 56). Baronet Tuke of Cressing Temple extinct.
In 1705 Mary Sheldon died in Portugal.
