Biography of Frances Devereux Duchess of Somerset 1599-1674

In 1583 Philip Sidney (age 28) and [her mother] Frances Walsingham Countess Essex (age 16) were married. They were half sixth cousins.

In 1590 [her father] Robert Devereux 2nd Earl Essex (age 24) and [her mother] Frances Walsingham Countess Essex (age 23) were married. She by marriage Countess Essex. He the son of [her grandfather] Walter Devereux 1st Earl Essex and [her grandmother] Lettice Knollys Countess Essex (age 46). They were half fourth cousin once removed.

On 30th September 1599 Frances Devereux Duchess of Somerset was born to Robert Devereux 2nd Earl Essex (age 33) and Frances Walsingham Countess Essex (age 32).

In 1603 [her step-father] Richard Burke 4th Earl Clanricarde 1st Earl St Albans (age 31) and [her mother] Frances Walsingham Countess Essex (age 36) were married. He the son of Ulrick Burke 3rd Earl Clanricarde.

On 22nd June 1610 [her future husband] William Seymour 2nd Duke of Somerset (age 22) and Arabella Stewart (age 35) were married in secret at Palace of Placentia, Greenwich [Map]. For having married without permission King James I of England and Ireland and VI of Scotland (age 44) had Arabella Stewart imprisoned in Sir Thomas Perry's House, Lambeth and he in the Tower of London [Map]. She the daughter of Charles Stewart 5th Earl Lennox and Elizabeth Cavendish Countess Lennox. They were third cousin once removed. He a great x 3 grandson of King Henry VII of England and Ireland. She a great x 2 granddaughter of King Henry VII of England and Ireland.

On 3rd March 1617 William Seymour 2nd Duke of Somerset (age 29) and Frances Devereux Duchess of Somerset (age 17) were married at Drayton Bassett, Staffordshire [Map]. She the daughter of Robert Devereux 2nd Earl Essex and Frances Walsingham Countess Essex (age 50). They were fourth cousins. He a great x 3 grandson of King Henry VII of England and Ireland.

In 1618 [her daughter] Frances Seymour Countess Southampton was born to [her husband] William Seymour 2nd Duke of Somerset (age 30) and Frances Devereux Duchess of Somerset (age 18).

Diary of Anne Clifford. 28th April 1619. The 28th my Lord (age 30) and I, my Coz. Sackville and Lady Windsor went to the Tower to see my Lady Somerset (age 28), where we saw her little child (age 3)¹. My Lord went to see Earl of Northumberland (age 55)² and I and the Lady Windsor went to see Lady Shrewsbury (age 63)³, and after supper my Lord and I went by water to Channel Row to see my Lord of Hertford (age 79)⁴ and his Lady (age 40) where we found my Lady Beauchamp⁵, my [her brother] Lord Essex's (age 28) Sister, then I went to Arundel House and talked with her about Lords being made Knights of the Garter.

Note 1. "Her little Child," Anne Carr, afterwards married to William 5th Earl and 1st Duke of Bedford (age 2).

Note 2. Henry, 6th Earl, a Prisoner since the time of the Gunpowder Plot.

Note 3. Mary Cavendish, wife of Gilbert 7th Earl of Shrewsbury, was sent to the Tower in June 1611, at the same time with her niece the Lady Arabella Stuart first cousin of King James. Lady Arabella died, in the Tower, in 1615.

Note 4. Earl of Hertford son of Protector Somerset, and his 3rd wife Frances, d. of Thomas Viscount Howard of Bindon, widow of Henry Pranell, Esq., and married, 3rdly to Ludovick Stuart Duke of Lenox and Richmond (age 44).

Note 5. Lady Frances Devereux (age 19), and wife of [her husband] William Lord Beauchamp (age 31), afterwards Marquis of Hertford; daughter of [her father] Queen Elizabeth's favourite, and sister of the Parliament's General.

In 1621 [her son] William Seymour was born to [her husband] William Seymour 2nd Duke of Somerset (age 33) and Frances Devereux Duchess of Somerset (age 21).

In 1622 [her son] Robert Seymour was born to [her husband] William Seymour 2nd Duke of Somerset (age 34) and Frances Devereux Duchess of Somerset (age 22).

In 1626 [her son] Henry Seymour was born to [her husband] William Seymour 2nd Duke of Somerset (age 38) and Frances Devereux Duchess of Somerset (age 26).

On 17th February 1633 [her mother] Frances Walsingham Countess Essex (age 66) died.

Around 1637 [her son-in-law] Richard Molyneux 2nd Viscount Molyneux (age 18) and [her daughter] Frances Seymour Countess Southampton (age 19) were married. She by marriage Viscountess Molyneux. She the daughter of [her husband] William Seymour 2nd Duke of Somerset (age 49) and Frances Devereux Duchess of Somerset (age 37).

In 1637 [her daughter] Mary Seymour Countess Winchelsea was born to [her husband] William Seymour 2nd Duke of Somerset (age 49) and Frances Devereux Duchess of Somerset (age 37).

In 1637 [her daughter] Jane Seymour was born to [her husband] William Seymour 2nd Duke of Somerset (age 49) and Frances Devereux Duchess of Somerset (age 37).

Before 9th December 1641 Anthony Van Dyck (age 42). Portrait of Frances Devereux Duchess of Somerset (age 42).

On 16th June 1642 [her son] William Seymour (age 21) died.

In or before 1645 [her son] John Seymour 4th Duke of Somerset was born to [her husband] William Seymour 2nd Duke of Somerset (age 56) and Frances Devereux Duchess of Somerset (age 45).

In 1646 [her son] Robert Seymour (age 24) died.

On 28th June 1648 [her son] Henry Seymour (age 22) and [her daughter-in-law] Mary Capell Duchess Beaufort (age 17) were married at Little Hadham, Hertfordshire [Map]. He the son of [her husband] William Seymour 2nd Duke of Somerset (age 60) and Frances Devereux Duchess of Somerset (age 48). They were fourth cousins. He a great x 4 grandson of King Henry VII of England and Ireland.

Around 1650 [her son-in-law] Heneage Finch 3rd Earl Winchilsea (age 22) and [her daughter] Mary Seymour Countess Winchelsea (age 13) were married. She by marriage Countess Winchilsea. She the daughter of [her husband] William Seymour 2nd Duke of Somerset (age 62) and Frances Devereux Duchess of Somerset (age 50). He the son of Thomas Finch 2nd Earl Winchilsea and Cecily Wentworth Countess Winchelsea. They were third cousins. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Henry VII of England and Ireland.

On 30th March 1654 [her son] Henry Seymour (age 28) died. He was buried at Bedwyn Magna Great Bedwyn, Wiltshire.

In 1656 [her son] John Seymour 4th Duke of Somerset (age 11) and [her daughter-in-law] Sarah Alston Duchess Somerset (age 14) were married. He the son of [her husband] William Seymour 2nd Duke of Somerset (age 68) and Frances Devereux Duchess of Somerset (age 56).

On 7th May 1659 [her son-in-law] Thomas Wriothesley 4th Earl of Southampton 2nd Earl Chichester (age 52) and [her daughter] Frances Seymour Countess Southampton (age 41) were married. She by marriage Countess of Southampton. She the daughter of [her husband] William Seymour 2nd Duke of Somerset (age 71) and Frances Devereux Duchess of Somerset (age 59). He the son of Henry Wriothesley 3rd Earl of Southampton and Elizabeth Vernon Countess Southampton. They were fifth cousins. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Henry VII of England and Ireland.

Before 24th October 1660 [her husband] William Seymour 2nd Duke of Somerset (age 72) was restored 2nd Duke Somerset, 2nd Earl Hertford, 2nd Baron Beauchamp of Hatch Beauchamp in Somerset. Frances Devereux Duchess of Somerset (age 61) by marriage Duchess Somerset.

On 24th October 1660 [her husband] William Seymour 2nd Duke of Somerset (age 72) died. His grandson [her grandson] William (age 6) succeeded 3rd Duke Somerset, 2nd Marquess Hertford, 3rd Earl Hertford, 3rd Baron Beauchamp of Hatch Beauchamp in Somerset.

On 7th May 1661 [her son-in-law] Charles Boyle 3rd Baron Clifford (age 21) and [her daughter] Jane Seymour (age 24) were married. She the daughter of [her former husband] William Seymour 2nd Duke of Somerset and Frances Devereux Duchess of Somerset (age 61). He the son of Richard Boyle 2nd Earl Cork 1st Earl Burlington (age 48) and Elizabeth Clifford Countess Burlington (age 47). They were half sixth cousins. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Henry VII of England and Ireland.

On 10th April 1673 [her daughter] Mary Seymour Countess Winchelsea (age 36) died.

On 23rd April 1674 Frances Devereux Duchess of Somerset (age 74) died.