Biography of Catherine Howard Countess Salisbury 1590-1673

Before 1572 [her father] Thomas Howard 1st Earl Suffolk (age 10) and Mary Dacre (age 8) were married. She by marriage Baroness Audley Walden in Essex. She died six years later three months short of her fifteenth birthday. She being his step-sister. An unusual example of a Marriage of Three Sets of Siblings where, in this case, three brothers, married three sisters, who were also step-siblings, as a means of keeping the sisters inheritance. She the daughter of Thomas Dacre 4th Baron Dacre Gilsland 8th Baron Greystoke and Elizabeth Leybourne Duchess Norfolk. He the son of [her grandfather] Thomas Howard 4th Duke of Norfolk (age 35) and [her grandmother] Margaret Audley Duchess Norfolk. They were half third cousin once removed.

Before 1580 Richard Rich and [her mother] Catherine Knyvet Countess Suffolk (age 15) were married.

Before 1582 [her father] Thomas Howard 1st Earl Suffolk (age 20) and [her mother] Catherine Knyvet Countess Suffolk (age 17) were married. She by marriage Baroness Audley Walden in Essex. He the son of [her grandfather] Thomas Howard 4th Duke of Norfolk and [her grandmother] Margaret Audley Duchess Norfolk. They were third cousins.

Around 1590 Catherine Howard Countess Salisbury was born to Thomas Howard 1st Earl Suffolk (age 28) and Catherine Knyvet Countess Suffolk (age 26).

On 1st December 1608 William Cecil 2nd Earl Salisbury (age 17) and Catherine Howard Countess Salisbury (age 18) were married. She the daughter of Thomas Howard 1st Earl Suffolk (age 47) and Catherine Knyvet Countess Suffolk (age 44). He the son of Robert Cecil 1st Earl Salisbury (age 45) and Elizabeth Brooke. They were sixth cousins.

On 25th July 1610 Henry Clifford 5th Earl of Cumberland (age 19) and [her sister-in-law] Frances Cecil Countess Cumberland (age 17) were married. She the daughter of [her father-in-law] Robert Cecil 1st Earl Salisbury (age 47) and Elizabeth Brooke. He the son of Francis Clifford 4th Earl of Cumberland (age 51) and Grisold Hughes Countess Cumberland. They were half sixth cousins.

On 24th May 1612 [her father-in-law] Robert Cecil 1st Earl Salisbury (age 48) died at Marlborough, Wiltshire [Map]. His son [her husband] William (age 21) succeeded 2nd Earl Salisbury. Catherine Howard Countess Salisbury (age 22) by marriage Countess Salisbury.

In 1616 [her son] James Cecil was born to [her husband] William Cecil 2nd Earl Salisbury (age 24) and Catherine Howard Countess Salisbury (age 26).

In 1616 [her son] James Cecil died.

Letters of John Chamberlain Volume 2 310. [19th December 1618] Yt is growne altogether in fashion to burie now by night, as on Sonday last the Lady Haddington¹ had a solemne convoy of almost an hundred coaches (and torches in aboundance), that accompanied her from Westminster to White-chappell on her way to New-hall in Essex where she is to be buried: in this troupe besides the countesses of Bedford (age 38), Excester (age 38), and Devonshire (age 50) was the Lady Verulam (age 26) with a world of other Ladies. The countesse of Salisburie (age 28) the Friday before made a great feast and a play, though her [her husband] husband (age 27) were absent at court, and the rest of her house and frends in sorow about a lewde libell, that (excepting the highest) runs over all the court and countrie almost that followes not theyre faction, and though the author cannot be found out, yet notice is taken that the [her sister] Lady of Wallingford (age 35) was one of the first that sunge yt, and the King thinckes of her yt may be required. I heare of another crosse libell that shold pay her and all hers in the same coine, but for my part I protest I have neither seene nor seeke after any of them, but only heare the generall buzze abrode.

Note 1. Cf. Letters 309.

In 1619 [her son] Charles Cecil was born to [her husband] William Cecil 2nd Earl Salisbury (age 27) and Catherine Howard Countess Salisbury (age 29).

In 1619 [her daughter] Elizabeth Cecil Countess Devonshire was born to [her husband] William Cecil 2nd Earl Salisbury (age 27) and Catherine Howard Countess Salisbury (age 29).

In 1622 [her daughter] Diana Cecil was born to [her husband] William Cecil 2nd Earl Salisbury (age 30) and Catherine Howard Countess Salisbury (age 32).

On 28th May 1626 [her father] Thomas Howard 1st Earl Suffolk (age 64) died at Charing Cross [Map]. He was buried at Waldon Priory and Abbey [Map]. His son [her brother] Theophilus (age 43) succeeded 2nd Earl Suffolk. Elizabeth Home Countess Suffolk (age 27) by marriage Countess Suffolk.

In 1628 Henry Clifford 5th Earl of Cumberland (age 36) was created 1st Baron Clifford. [her sister-in-law] Frances Cecil Countess Cumberland (age 35) by marriage Baroness Clifford.

In 1629 [her son-in-law] Algernon Percy 10th Earl of Northumberland (age 26) and [her daughter] Anne Cecil were married. She the daughter of [her husband] William Cecil 2nd Earl Salisbury (age 37) and Catherine Howard Countess Salisbury (age 39). He the son of Henry "Wizard Earl" Percy 9th Earl of Northumberland (age 64) and Dorothy Devereux Countess Northumberland. They were fourth cousin once removed.

In 1633 [her daughter] Diana Cecil (age 11) died.

In 1637 [her daughter] Anne Cecil died.

In 1638 [her mother] Catherine Knyvet Countess Suffolk (age 74) died.

On 4th March 1639 [her son-in-law] William Cavendish 3rd Earl Devonshire (age 21) and [her daughter] Elizabeth Cecil Countess Devonshire (age 20) were married. She by marriage Countess Devonshire. She the daughter of [her husband] William Cecil 2nd Earl Salisbury (age 47) and Catherine Howard Countess Salisbury (age 49). He the son of William Cavendish 2nd Earl Devonshire and Christian Bruce Countess Devonshire.

On 4th January 1641 Francis Clifford 4th Earl of Cumberland (age 82) died. His son Henry (age 49) succeeded 5th Earl of Cumberland. [her sister-in-law] Frances Cecil Countess Cumberland (age 48) by marriage Countess of Cumberland.

In 1644 [her sister-in-law] Frances Cecil Countess Cumberland (age 51) died.

In 1645 [her son-in-law] Philip Sidney 3rd Earl of Leicester (age 25) and [her daughter] Catherine Cecil were married. She the daughter of [her husband] William Cecil 2nd Earl Salisbury (age 53) and Catherine Howard Countess Salisbury (age 55). He the son of Robert Sidney 2nd Earl of Leicester (age 49) and Dorothy Percy Countess Leicester (age 47). They were fifth cousins.

Before 1648 [her son] Charles Cecil (age 28) and [her daughter-in-law] Diana Maxwell were married. She the daughter of James Maxwell 1st Earl Dirletoun. He the son of [her husband] William Cecil 2nd Earl Salisbury (age 56) and Catherine Howard Countess Salisbury (age 57).

In 1652 [her daughter] Catherine Cecil died.

In 1660 [her son] Charles Cecil (age 41) died.

In or before 1668 [her son-in-law] William Sandys 6th Baron Sandys and [her daughter] Mary Cecil were married. There was no issue from the marriage. She the daughter of [her husband] William Cecil 2nd Earl Salisbury (age 76) and Catherine Howard Countess Salisbury (age 77). They were fourth cousins.

On 3rd December 1668 [her husband] William Cecil 2nd Earl Salisbury (age 77) died. His grandson [her grandson] James (age 20) succeeded 3rd Earl Salisbury. [her granddaughter-in-law] Margaret Manners Countess of Salisbury by marriage Countess Salisbury.

In January 1673 Catherine Howard Countess Salisbury (age 83) died.

[her daughter] Mary Cecil was born to William Cecil 2nd Earl Salisbury and Catherine Howard Countess Salisbury.

[her daughter] Catherine Cecil was born to William Cecil 2nd Earl Salisbury and Catherine Howard Countess Salisbury.

[her daughter] Anne Cecil was born to William Cecil 2nd Earl Salisbury and Catherine Howard Countess Salisbury.

[her son] Algernon Cecil was born to William Cecil 2nd Earl Salisbury and Catherine Howard Countess Salisbury.