Biography of Elizabeth Howard Countess Northumberland 1623-1705

In 1612 [her father] Theophilus Howard 2nd Earl Suffolk (age 29) and [her mother] Elizabeth Home Countess Suffolk (age 13) were married. She the daughter of [her grandfather] George Home 1st Earl Dunbar and [her grandmother] Elizabeth Gordon Countess Dunbar (age 37). He the son of [her grandfather] Thomas Howard 1st Earl Suffolk (age 50) and [her grandmother] Catherine Knyvet Countess Suffolk (age 48).

Around 1623 Elizabeth Howard Countess Northumberland was born to Theophilus Howard 2nd Earl Suffolk (age 40) and Elizabeth Home Countess Suffolk (age 24).

In 1629 [her future husband] Algernon Percy 10th Earl of Northumberland (age 26) and Anne Cecil were married. She the daughter of William Cecil 2nd Earl Salisbury (age 37) and [her aunt] 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.

On 19th August 1633 [her mother] Elizabeth Home Countess Suffolk (age 34) died.

On 3rd June 1640 [her father] Theophilus Howard 2nd Earl Suffolk (age 57) died at Suffolk House, Suffolk Street. He was buried at Waldon Priory and Abbey [Map]. His son [her brother] James (age 21) succeeded 3rd Earl Suffolk, 3rd Baron Howard de Walden.

On 1st October 1642 Algernon Percy 10th Earl of Northumberland (age 40) and Elizabeth Howard Countess Northumberland (age 19) were married. She by marriage Countess of Northumberland. The difference in their ages was 20 years. She the daughter of Theophilus Howard 2nd Earl Suffolk and Elizabeth Home Countess Suffolk. He the son of Henry "Wizard Earl" Percy 9th Earl of Northumberland and Dorothy Devereux Countess Northumberland. They were fourth cousin once removed.

On 4th July 1644 [her son] Josceline Percy 11th Earl of Northumberland was born to [her husband] Algernon Percy 10th Earl of Northumberland (age 41) and Elizabeth Howard Countess Northumberland (age 21). He was educated at the Inner Temple.

In 1652 Philip Stanhope 2nd Earl Chesterfield (age 18) and [her step-daughter] Anne Percy 2nd Countess Chesterfield (age 17) were married. She by marriage Countess Chesterfield. She the daughter of [her husband] Algernon Percy 10th Earl of Northumberland (age 49) and Anne Cecil. He the son of Henry Stanhope and Katherine Wotton Countess Chesterfield (age 43). They were fourth cousin once removed.

On 19th May 1653 Arthur Capell 1st Earl Essex (age 21) and [her step-daughter] Elizabeth Percy Countess Essex (age 17) were married. She the daughter of [her husband] Algernon Percy 10th Earl of Northumberland (age 50) and Anne Cecil. They were fourth cousin once removed.

In 1654 [her step-daughter] Anne Percy 2nd Countess Chesterfield (age 19) died.

On 20th August 1659 [her sister-in-law] Dorothy Percy Countess Leicester (age 61) died.

On 5th November 1660 [her sister-in-law] Lucy Percy Countess Carlisle (age 60) died.

John Evelyn's Diary. 22nd December 1660. The marriage of the Chancellor's (age 51) daughter (age 23) being now newly owned, I went to see her, she being Sir Richard Browne's (age 55) intimate acquaintance when she waited on the Princess of Orange (age 29); she was now at her father's, at Worcester House, in the Strand. We all kissed her hand, as did also my Lord Chamberlain (age 58) (Manchester) and Countess of Northumberland (age 37). This was a strange change-can it succeed well?-I spent the evening at St. James's, whither the Princess Henrietta (age 16) was retired during the fatal sickness of her sister, the Princess of Orange, now come over to salute the King (age 30) her brother. The Princess gave my wife (age 25) an extraordinary compliment and gracious acceptance, for the "Character" she had presented her the day before, and which was afterward printed.

On 23rd December 1662 [her son] Josceline Percy 11th Earl of Northumberland (age 18) and [her daughter-in-law] Elizabeth Wriothesley Countess Northumberland (age 16) were married. She by marriage Countess of Northumberland. She the daughter of Thomas Wriothesley 4th Earl of Southampton 2nd Earl Chichester (age 55) and Elizabeth Leigh Countess Southampton. He the son of [her husband] Algernon Percy 10th Earl of Northumberland (age 60) and Elizabeth Howard Countess Northumberland (age 39). They were fifth cousins.

Samuel Pepys' Diary. 31st March 1667. Anon come out from the Caball my Lord Hollis (age 67) and Mr. H. Coventry (age 48), who, it is conceived, have received their instructions from the King (age 36) this day; they being to begin their journey towards their treaty at Bredagh speedily, their passes being come. Here I saw the Baroness Northumberland (age 44) and her [her daughter-in-law] daughter-in-law (age 21), my Lord Treasurer's (age 60) daughter, my Lady Piercy, a beautiful lady indeed.

On 13th October 1668 [her husband] Algernon Percy 10th Earl of Northumberland (age 66) died at Petworth. He was buried at Petworth. His son [her son] Josceline (age 24) succeeded 11th Earl of Northumberland, 14th Baron Percy of Alnwick, 22nd Baron Percy of Topcliffe, 5th Baron Percy of Alnwick, 13th Baron Poynings.

On 31st May 1670 [her son] Josceline Percy 11th Earl of Northumberland (age 25) died in Turin without male issue. Earl of Northumberland, Baron Percy of Alnwick and Baron Percy of Topcliffe, Baron Percy of Alnwick and Baron Poynings extinct. His daughter [her granddaughter] Elizabeth (age 3) was his sole heiress.

John Evelyn's Diary. 15th November 1681. I dined with the Earl of Essex (age 49) who, after dinner in his study, where we were alone, related to me how much he had been scandalized and injured in the report of his being privy to the marriage of his [her former step-daughter] Lady's (age 45) [her granddaughter] niece (age 14), the rich young widow of the late [her grandson-in-law] Lord Ogle, sole daughter of the [her former husband] Earl of Northumberland; showing me a letter of [her grandson-in-law] Mr. Thynn's (age 33), excusing himself for not communicating his marriage to his Lordship. He acquainted me also with the whole story of that unfortunate lady being betrayed by her grandmother, the Countess of Northumberland (age 58), and Colonel Bret, for money; and that though, upon the importunity of the Duke of Monmouth (age 32), he had delivered to the grandmother a particular of the jointure which Mr. Thynn pretended he would settle on the lady, yet he totally discouraged the proceeding as by no means a competent match for one that both by birth and fortune might have pretended to the greatest prince in Christendom; that he also proposed the Earl of Kingston (age 21), or the Lord Cranburn, but was by no means for Mr. Thynn.

John Evelyn's Diary. 11th March 1705. An exceedingly dry season. Great loss by fire, burning the outhouses and famous stable of the Earl of Nottingham (age 57), at Burleigh [Rutlandshire], full of rich goods and furniture, by the carelessness of a servant. A little before, the same happened at Lord Pembroke's (age 49), at Wilton. The old Countess of Northumberland (age 82), Dowager of [her former husband] Algernon Percy, Admiral of the fleet to King Charles I., died in the 83d year of her age. She was sister to the [her brother] Earl of Suffolk, and left a great estate, her jointure to descend to the [her grandson-in-law] Duke of Somerset (age 42).

On 11th March 1705 Elizabeth Howard Countess Northumberland (age 82) died.