Biography of Elizabeth Savage Baroness Petre -1665

Elizabeth Savage Baroness Petre was born to John Savage 2nd Earl Rivers and Catherine Parker.

In 1645 [her mother] Catherine Parker (age 48) died.

On 10th October 1654 [her father] John Savage 2nd Earl Rivers (age 51) died at Frodsham Castle [Map]. His son [her brother] Thomas (age 26) succeeded 3rd Earl Rivers, 3rd Viscount Colchester, 3rd Viscount Savage, 3rd Baron Darcy of Chiche, 4th Baronet Savage of Rocksavage in Cheshire. Elizabeth Scrope Countess Rivers (age 27) by marriage Countess Rivers.

Samuel Pepys' Diary. 3rd April 1664. Lord's Day. Being weary last night lay long, and called up by W. Joyce. So I rose, and his business was to ask advice of me, he being summonsed to the House of Lords to-morrow, for endeavouring to arrest my Lady Peters¹ for a debt. I did give him advice, and will assist him. He staid all the morning, but would not dine with me.

Note 1. Elizabeth, daughter of [her father] John Savage, second Earl Rivers, and first wife to [her future husband] William, fourth Lord Petre (age 38), who was, in 1678, impeached by the Commons of high treason, and died under confinement in the Tower, January 5th, 1683, s. p. B.

Samuel Pepys' Diary. 4th April 1664. I left them providing for his stay there to-night and getting a petition against tomorrow, and so away to Westminster Hall [Map], and meeting Mr. Coventry (age 36), he took me to his chamber, with Sir William Hickeman, a member of their House, and a very civill gentleman. Here we dined very plentifully, and thence to White Hall to the Duke's (age 30), where we all met, and after some discourse of the condition of the Fleete, in order to a Dutch warr, for that, I perceive, the Duke hath a mind it should come to, we away to the office, where we sat, and I took care to rise betimes, and so by water to Halfway House, talking all the way good discourse with Mr. Wayth, and there found my wife, who was gone with her mayd Besse to have a walk. But, Lord! how my jealous mind did make me suspect that she might have some appointment to meet somebody. But I found the poor souls coming away thence, so I took them back, and eat and drank, and then home, and after at the office a while, I home to supper and to bed. It was a sad sight, me thought, to-day to see my [her future husband] Lord Peters (age 38) coming out of the House fall out with his lady (from whom he is parted) about this business; saying that she disgraced him. But she hath been a handsome woman, and is, it seems, not only a lewd woman, but very high-spirited.

Samuel Pepys' Diary. 4th April 1664. Afterwards I spoke with my Lord Barkeley (age 62) and my Lord Peterborough (age 42) about it. And so staid without a good while, and saw my Lady Peters, an impudent jade, soliciting all the Lords on her behalf.

Samuel Pepys' Diary. 17th April 1664. I afterwards did without the House fall in company with my Lady Peters, and endeavoured to mollify her; but she told me she would not, to redeem her from hell, do any thing to release him; but would be revenged while she lived, if she lived the age of Methusalem. I made many friends, and so did others. At last it was ordered by the Lords that it should be referred to the Committee of Privileges to consider.

Samuel Pepys' Diary. 21st April 1664. Then comes Mr. Creed, and, after some discourse, he and I and my wife by coach to Westminster (leaving her at Unthanke's, her tailor's) Hall, and there at the Lords' House heard that it is ordered, that, upon submission upon the knee both to the House and my Lady Peters, W. Joyce shall be released. I forthwith made him submit, and aske pardon upon his knees; which he did before several Lords. But my Lady would not hear it; but swore she would post the Lords, that the world might know what pitifull Lords the King hath; and that revenge was sweeter to her than milk; and that she would never be satisfied unless he stood in a pillory, and demand pardon there. But I perceive the Lords are ashamed of her, and so I away calling with my wife at a place or two to inquire after a couple of mayds recommended to us, but we found both of them bad. So set my wife at my uncle Wight's (age 62) and I home, and presently to the 'Change [Map], where I did some business, and thence to my uncle's and there dined very well, and so to the office, we sat all the afternoon, but no sooner sat but news comes my Lady Sandwich (age 39) was come to see us, so I went out, and running up (her friend however before me) I perceive by my dear Lady blushing that in my dining-room she was doing something upon the pott, which I also was ashamed of, and so fell to some discourse, but without pleasure through very pity to my Lady. She tells me, and I find true since, that the House this day have voted that the King (age 33) be desired to demand right for the wrong done us by the Dutch, and that they will stand by him with their lives fortunes: which is a very high vote, and more than I expected. What the issue will be, God knows!

Samuel Pepys' Diary. 26th April 1664. Thence to my Lord's, and by and by he comes down, and with him (Creed with us) I rode in his coach to St. James's, talking about W. Joyce's business mighty merry, and my Lady Peters, he says, is a drunken jade, he himself having seen her drunk in the lobby of their House. I went up with him to the Duke (age 30), where methought the Duke did not shew him any so great fondness as he was wont; and methought my Lord was not pleased that I should see the Duke made no more of him, not that I know any thing of any unkindnesse, but I think verily he is not as he was with him in his esteem.

Before 1665 William Petre 4th Baron Petre (age 38) and Elizabeth Savage Baroness Petre were married. She by marriage Baroness Petre. She the daughter of John Savage 2nd Earl Rivers and Catherine Parker. They were fourth cousins.

In July 1665 Elizabeth Savage Baroness Petre died.

Samuel Pepys' Diary. 15th February 1666. At noon to Starky's, a great cooke in Austin Friars, invited by Colonell Atkins, and a good dinner for Colonell Norwood (age 52) and his friends, among others Sir Edward Spragg (age 46) and others, but ill attendance. Before dined, called on by my wife in a coach, and so I took leave, and then with her and Knipp and Mercer (Mr. Hunt newly come out of the country being there also come to see us) to Mr. Hales (age 66), the Paynter's (age 57), having set down Mr. Hunt by the way. Here Mr. Hales' begun my wife in the posture we saw one of my Lady Peters, like a St. Katharine¹. While he painted, Knipp, and Mercer, and I, sang; and by and by comes Mrs. Pierce, with my name in her bosom for her Valentine, which will cost me money. But strange how like his very first dead colouring is, that it did me good to see it, and pleases me mightily, and I believe will be a noble picture.

Note 1. It was the fashion at this time to be painted as St. Catherine, in compliment to the Queen (age 27).

Samuel Pepys' Diary. 23rd February 1666. Up betimes, and out of doors by 6 of the clock, and walked (W. Howe with me) to my Lord Sandwich's (age 40), who did lie the last night at his house in Lincoln's Inne Fields. It being fine walking in the morning, and the streets full of people again. There I staid, and the house full of people come to take leave of my Lord, who this day goes out of towne upon his embassy towards Spayne. And I was glad to find Sir W. Coventry (age 38) to come, though I know it is only a piece of courtshipp. I had much discourse with my Lord, he telling me how fully he leaves the King (age 35) his friend and the large discourse he had with him the other day, and how he desired to have the business of the prizes examined before he went, and that he yielded to it, and it is done as far as it concerns himself to the full, and the Lords Commissioners for prizes did reprehend all the informers in what related to his Lordship, which I am glad of in many respects. But we could not make an end of discourse, so I promised to waite upon (him) on Sunday at Cranborne, and took leave and away hence to Mr. Hales's (age 66) with Mr. Hill (age 36) and two of the Houblons, who come thither to speak with me, and saw my wife's picture, which pleases me well, but Mr. Hill's picture never a whit so well as it did before it was finished, which troubled me, and I begin to doubt the picture of my Lady Peters my wife takes her posture from, and which is an excellent picture, is not of his making, it is so master-like. I set them down at the 'Change [Map] and I home to the office, and at noon dined at home and to the office again.

Samuel Pepys' Diary. 27th February 1666. Up, and after a harsh word or two my wife and I good friends, and so up and to the office, where all the morning. At noon late to dinner, my wife gone out to Hales's (age 66) about her picture, and, after dinner, I after her, and do mightily like her picture, and think it will be as good as my Lady Peters's.

On 5th January 1684 [her former husband] William Petre 4th Baron Petre (age 58) died at the Tower of London [Map] having been confined after having been impeached by the Commons of high treason. His brother [her former brother-in-law] John (age 54) succeeded 5th Baron Petre.