Biography of Flower Backhouse Countess Clarendon -1700

Flower Backhouse Countess Clarendon was born to William Backhouse and Anne Richards.

In 1660 [her future husband] Henry Hyde 2nd Earl Clarendon and Theodosia Capell were married. She died a year later. He the son of [her future father-in-law] Edward Hyde 1st Earl Clarendon (age 50) and Frances Aylesbury Countess Clarendon (age 42).

On 19 Oct 1670 Henry Hyde 2nd Earl Clarendon and Flower Backhouse Countess Clarendon were married. She being the sole heir of her father William Backhouse brought Swallowfield House, Berkshire to the marriage which Henry had rebuilt. He the son of Edward Hyde 1st Earl Clarendon (age 61) and Frances Aylesbury Countess Clarendon.

After 19 Oct 1670 Flower Backhouse Countess Clarendon was appointed First Lady of the Bedchamber to Queen Anne of England Scotland and Ireland (age 5) her niece.

On 31 Mar 1671 [her sister-in-law] Anne Hyde Queen Consort England (age 34) died.

On 09 Dec 1674 [her father-in-law] Edward Hyde 1st Earl Clarendon (age 65) died at Rouen, France [Map]. His son [her husband] Henry Hyde 2nd Earl Clarendon succeeded 2nd Earl Clarendon, 2nd Baron Hyde of Hindon in Wiltshire 1660. Flower Backhouse Countess Clarendon by marriage Countess Clarendon.

Evelyn's Diary. 14 Jun 1680. Came to dine with us the Countess of Clarendon, Dr. Lloyd (age 52), Dean of Bangor (since Bishop of St. Asaph), Dr. Burnet (age 36), author of the "History of the Reformation", and my old friend, Mr. Henshaw (age 62). After dinner we all went to see the Observatory, and Mr. Flamsted (age 33), who showed us divers rare instruments, especially the great quadrant.

On 29 Nov 1682 [her brother-in-law] Lawrence Hyde 1st Earl Rochester (age 40) was created 1st Earl Rochester. Henrietta Boyle Countess Rochester (age 36) by marriage Countess Rochester.

Evelyn's Diary. 26 Jul 1684. I return'd home where I found my Lord Cheife Justice [Jefferies] (age 39), the Countesse of Clarendon, and Lady Cath. Fitz-Gerald, who dined with me.

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 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. 09 Jul 1685. Just as I was coming into the lodgings at Whitehall [Map], a little before dinner, my Lord of Devonshire (age 45) standing very neere his Ma's (age 51) bed-chamber doore in the lobby, came Col. Culpeper (age 50), and in a rude manner looking my Lord in the face, asked whether this was a time and place for excluders to appeare; my Lord at first tooke little notice of what he said, knowing him to be a hot-headed fellow, but he reiterating it, my Lord ask'd Culpeper whether he meant him; he said, yes, he meant his Lordship. My Lord told him he was no excluder (as indeed he was not); the other affirming it againe, my Lord told him he lied, on which Culpeper struck him a box on the eare, which my Lord return'd and fell'd him. They were soone parted, Culpeper was seiz'd, and his Ma*, who was all the while in his bed-chamber, order'd him to be carried to the Green Cloth Officer, who sent him to the Marshalsea [Map] as he deserv'd. My Lord Devon had nothing said to him. I supp'd this night at Lambeth at my old friend's Mr. Elias Ashmole's (age 68), with my Lady Clarendon, ye Bishop of St. Asaph (age 57), and Dr. Tenison (age 48), when we were treated at a greate feast.

On 10 Jul 1685 [her step-son] Edward Hyde 3rd Earl Clarendon (age 23) and Katherine O'Brien Countess Clarendon (age 22) were married. He the son of [her husband] Henry Hyde 2nd Earl Clarendon and Theodosia Capell.

Evelyn's Diary. 22 Oct 1685. I accompanied my Lady Clarendon to her house at Swallowfield in Berks, dining by the way at Mr. Graham's (age 36) lodge at Bagshot; the house, new repair'd and capacious enough for a good family, stands in a Park [Map]. Hence we went to Swallowfield; this house is after the antient build ing of honourable gentlemen's houses, when they kept up antient hospitality, but the gardens and waters as elegant as 'tis possible to make a flat, by art and industrie, and no meane expence, my lady being so extraordinarily skill'd in ye flowery part, and my lord in diligence of planting; so that I have hardly seene a seate whrch shews more tokens of it than what is to be found here, not only in the delicious and rarest fruits of a garden, but in those innumerable timber trees in the ground about the seate, to the greatest ornament and benefit of the place. There is one orchard of 1000 golden, and other cider pippins; walks and groves of elms, limes, oaks, and other trees. The garden is so beset with all manner of sweete shrubbs, that it per fumes the aire. The distribution also of the quarters, walks, and parterres, is excellent. The nurseries, kitchin garden full of ye most desireable plants; two very noble Orangeries well furnished; but above all, the canall and fishponds, the one fed with a white, the other with a black running water, fed by a quick and swift river, so well and plen tifully stor'd with fish, that for pike, carp, breame and tench, I never saw any thing approching it. We had at every meale carp and pike of size fit for the table of a Prince, and what added to ye delight was to see the hundreds taken by the drag, out of which, the cooke standing by, we pointed out what we had most mind to, and had carp that would have ben worth at London twenty shillings a piece. The waters are flagg'd about with Calamus aromaticus, with wch my lady has hung a closet, that retains the smell very perfectly. There is also a certaine sweete willow and other exotics: also a very fine bowllng-greene, meadow, pasture, and wood; in a word, all that can render a country seate delightful. There is besides a well furnish'd library in ye house.

Evelyn's Diary. 26 Oct 1685. We return'd to London, having ben treated with all sorts of cheere and noble freedom by that most religious and vertuous lady. She was now preparing to go for Ireland with her [her husband] husband, made Lord Deputy, and went to this country-house and antient seate of her father and family, to set things in order during her absence; but never were good people and neighbours more concern'd than all the country (the poor especialy) for the departure of this charitable woman; every one was in teares, and she as unwilling to part from them. There was amongst them a maiden of primitive life, the daughter of a poore labouring man, who had sustain'd her parents (sometime since dead) by her labour, and has for many years refus'd marriage, or to receive any assistance from the parish, besides yc little hermitage my lady gives her rent-free; she lives on foure pence a day, which she gets by spinning; says she abounds and can give almes to others, Jiving in greate humility and content, without any apparent affectation or singularity; she is continualy working, praying or reading, gives a good account of her knowledge in religion, visites the sick; is not in the least given to talke; very modest, of a simple not unseemly behaviour; of a comely countenance, clad very plaine, but cleane and tight. In sum, she appeares a saint of an extraordinary sort, in so religious a life as is seldom met with in villages now a-daies.

On 17 Jul 1700 Flower Backhouse Countess Clarendon died.

On 31 Oct 1709 [her former husband] Henry Hyde 2nd Earl Clarendon died. On 31 Oct 1709 His son [her former step-son] Edward Hyde 3rd Earl Clarendon (age 47) succeeded 3rd Earl Clarendon, 3rd Baron Hyde of Hindon in Wiltshire 1660. Katherine O'Brien Countess Clarendon by marriage Countess Clarendon.

Ancestors of Flower Backhouse Countess Clarendon -1700

GrandFather: Samuel Backhouse

Father: William Backhouse

Great x 1 Grandfather: John Borlase of Little Marlow

GrandMother: Elisabeth Borlase

Flower Backhouse Countess Clarendon

Mother: Anne Richards