Biography of Mary Mordaunt Duchess Norfolk 1659-1705

In 1644 [her father] Henry Mordaunt 2nd Earl Peterborough [aged 22] and [her mother] Penelope O'Brien Countess Peterborough [aged 22] were married. She by marriage Countess Peterborough. She the daughter of [her grandfather] Barnabas O'Brien 6th Earl Thomond and [her grandmother] Anne or Mary Fermor [aged 52]. He the son of John Mordaunt 1st Earl Peterborough and Elizabeth Howard Countess Peterborough [aged 41].

Around 1659 Mary Mordaunt Duchess Norfolk was born to Henry Mordaunt 2nd Earl Peterborough [aged 37] and Penelope O'Brien Countess Peterborough [aged 37].

On 8th August 1677 Henry Howard 7th Duke of Norfolk [aged 22] and Mary Mordaunt Duchess Norfolk [aged 18] were married. She the daughter of Henry Mordaunt 2nd Earl Peterborough [aged 55] and Penelope O'Brien Countess Peterborough [aged 55]. He the son of Henry Howard 6th Duke of Norfolk [aged 49] and Anne Somerset Countess Norfolk. They were third cousin twice removed.

John Evelyn's Diary. 9th August 1677. Dined at the [her father] Earl of Peterborough's [aged 55] the day after the marriage of my [her husband] Lord of Arundel [aged 22] to Lady Mary Mordaunt [aged 18], daughter of the Earl of Peterborough.

On 13th January 1684 [her father-in-law] Henry Howard 6th Duke of Norfolk [aged 55] died. His son [her husband] Henry [aged 29] succeeded 7th Duke Norfolk, 18th or 25th Earl Arundel, 8th Earl Surrey, 5th Earl Norfolk, 2nd Earl Norwich, 18th Baron Mowbray, 19th Baron Segrave, 16th Baron Furnivall, 20th Baron Strange Blackmere, 17th Baron Talbot, 15th Baron Maltravers, 15th Baron Arundel, 2nd Baron Howard of Castle Rising, Earl Marshal. Mary Mordaunt Duchess Norfolk [aged 25] by marriage Duchess Norfolk.

On 9th November 1689, possibly 5th December 1690 [her brother-in-law] Thomas Howard [aged 32] drowned whilst travelling from England to France. He was due to be attainted by process of outlawry, but since he died before his outlawry was formally pronounced, his brother, [her husband] Henry Howard 7th Duke of Norfolk [aged 34], argued that the attainder was erroneous and secured a writ of error to reverse it.

Around 28th February 1692 [her husband] Henry Howard 7th Duke of Norfolk [aged 37] failed in his attempt to divorce his wife Mary Mordaunt Duchess Norfolk [aged 33] for her adultery with John Germain 1st Baronet [aged 41].

On 19th June 1697 [her father] Henry Mordaunt 2nd Earl Peterborough [aged 75] died. His nephew Charles [aged 39] succeeded 3rd Earl Peterborough. His daughter Mary [aged 38] succeeded 7th Baroness Mordaunt. Carey Fraser Countess Peterborough and Monmouth [aged 37] by marriage Countess Peterborough.

State Trials and Proceedings for High Treason. The Proceedings in Parliament upon the Bill of Divorce between his Grace the [her husband] Duke of Norfolk [aged 45] and the Lady Mary Mordaunt [aged 41]: 12 William III A.D. 1700.

Proceedings in the House Of Lords, February 15, 1700.

Upon reading the Petition of Henry duke of Norfolk, praying leave to bring in a bill to dissolve his marriage with the lady Mary Mordant, and to enable him to marry again, he having certain proof of his wife's living in adultery with sir John Germaine [aged 49]: it is ordered, that the said Petition be taken into consideration to-morrow.

State Trials and Proceedings for High Treason. 25th March 1700. And then the Counsel withdrew, and the Committee proceeded upon the Bill clause by clause, and went throug it, and ordered the same to be reported; which was done accordingly; upon which the Bill passed.

Note 1. Henry Howard 7th Duke of Norfolk [aged 45] and Mary Mordaunt Duchess Norfolk [aged 41] were divorced. She married John Germain 1st Baronet [aged 49] a year later.

John Evelyn's Diary. 1st April 1700. The [her former husband] Duke of Norfolk [aged 45] now succeeded in obtaining a divorce from his wife [aged 41] by the Parliament for adultery with Sir John Germaine [aged 49], a Dutch gamester, of mean extraction, who had got much by gaming; the Duke had leave to marry again, so that if he should have children, the Dukedom will go from the late Lord Thomas's children, Papists indeed, but very hopeful and virtuous gentlemen, as was their father. The now Duke their uncle is a Protestant.

On 2nd April 1701 [her former husband] Henry Howard 7th Duke of Norfolk [aged 46] died of apoplexy. He was buried in the Fitzalan Chapel, Arundel Castle [Map]. His nephew Thomas [aged 17] succeeded 8th Duke Norfolk, 19th or 26th Earl Arundel, 9th Earl Surrey, 6th Earl Norfolk, 3rd Earl Norwich, 19th Baron Mowbray, 20th Baron Segrave, 17th Baron Furnivall, 21st Baron Strange Blackmere, 18th Baron Talbot, 16th Baron Maltravers, 16th Baron Arundel, 3rd Baron Howard of Castle Rising.

On 15th September 1701 John Germain 1st Baronet [aged 51] and Mary Mordaunt Duchess Norfolk [aged 42] were married. She by marriage Lady Germain of Westminster. She the daughter of Henry Mordaunt 2nd Earl Peterborough and Penelope O'Brien Countess Peterborough [aged 79].

On 18th April 1702 [her mother] Penelope O'Brien Countess Peterborough [aged 80] died.

On 17th November 1705 Mary Mordaunt Duchess Norfolk [aged 46] died. Her first cousin Charles [aged 47] succeeded 8th Baron Mordaunt. Her husband John Germain 1st Baronet [aged 55] inherited her Drayton estates and the rest of her inheritance, valued at £70,000.

On 15th September 1706 [her former husband] John Germain 1st Baronet [aged 56] and Elizabeth Berkeley Lady Germain were married. She brought £6000 to the marriage. She the daughter of Charles Berkeley 2nd Earl Berkeley [aged 57] and Elizabeth Noel Countess Berkeley [aged 52].

On 11th December 1718 [her former husband] John Germain 1st Baronet [aged 68] died. Baronet Germain of Westminster extinct. His wife survived him until 1769 when she left his and her etates to George Sackville aka Germain 1st Viscount Sackville [aged 2] who adopted the surname Germain.