Anne Carr Countess of Bedford 1615-1684

In 1603 [her step-father] Robert Devereux 3rd Earl Essex [aged 11] and [her mother] Frances Howard Countess Essex and Somerset [aged 12] were married. They were separated after the wedding given their young age. Essex went on a European tour from 1607 to 1609. When he returned she avoided him having fallen for Robert Carr 1st Earl Somerset [aged 16] whilst her husband was away. He was ill with smallpox. She sought an annulment with her father Robert Devereux 2nd Earl Essex and uncle Henry Howard 1st Earl of Northampton [aged 62] acting for her. She maintained the marriage had not been consummated and was examined by ten matrons and two midwives who found her hymen intact. It was widely rumoured at the time that Sir Thomas Monson's [aged 38] daughter was a substitute, which is possible because she had requested to be veiled during the examination "for modesty's sake". He maintained he was capable with other women, but was unable to consummate his marriage blaming her. She the daughter of Thomas Howard 1st Earl Suffolk [aged 41] and Catherine Knyvet Countess Suffolk [aged 39]. He the son of Robert Devereux 2nd Earl Essex and Frances Walsingham Countess Essex [aged 36]. They were fourth cousins.

On 25th September 1613 [her step-father] Robert Devereux 3rd Earl Essex [aged 22] and [her mother] Frances Howard Countess Essex and Somerset [aged 23] marriage annulled by King James I of England and Ireland and VI of Scotland [aged 47]. She married [her father] Robert Carr 1st Earl Somerset [aged 26] three months later.

On 9th December 1615 Anne Carr Countess of Bedford was born to Robert Carr 1st Earl Somerset [aged 28] and Frances Howard Countess Essex and Somerset [aged 25].

Diary of Anne Clifford. 20th June 1616. Upon the 20th my Lord [aged 27] and I, Dr Layfield and K. Baston went up to London and the same day I passed (by fine before my Lord Hubbard) the inheritance of Westmoreland to my Lord if I had no heirs of my own body, and upon the 21st being Friday my Lord wrote his letters to my Lord William and gave directions to Mr Marsh to go with them and that the possession of Brougham Castle [Map] should be very carefully looked to, the same day he went to Horseley to see the Child at his sisters.¹

Note 1. About this time I went into the Tiltyard to see my Lord Knoles where I saw [her mother] Lady Somerset's [aged 26] little Child. (Note: Afterwards Countess of Bedford. Her Portrait in the Leicester Gallery) being the 1st time I ever saw it.

Diary of Anne Clifford. 28th April 1619. The 28th my Lord [aged 30] and I, my Coz. Sackville and Lady Windsor went to the Tower to see my [her mother] Lady Somerset [aged 28], where we saw her little child [aged 3]¹. My Lord went to see Earl of Northumberland [aged 55]² and I and the Lady Windsor went to see Lady Shrewsbury [aged 63]³, and after supper my Lord and I went by water to Channel Row to see my Lord of Hertford [aged 79]⁴ and his Lady [aged 40] where we found my Lady Beauchamp⁵, my [her step-father] Lord Essex's [aged 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 [her future husband] William 5th Earl and 1st Duke of Bedford [aged 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 [aged 44].

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

On 23rd August 1632 [her mother] Frances Howard Countess Essex and Somerset [aged 42] died.

Around 1635 Anthony Van Dyck [aged 35]. Portrait of Anne Carr Countess of Bedford [aged 19].

On 11th July 1637 William Russell 1st Duke Bedford [aged 20] and Anne Carr Countess of Bedford [aged 21] were married. She the daughter of Robert Carr 1st Earl Somerset [aged 50] and Frances Howard Countess Essex and Somerset. He the son of Francis Russell 4th Earl Bedford [aged 44] and Catherine Brydges Countess Bedford [aged 57].

In 1638 [her son] Francis Russell was born to [her husband] William Russell 1st Duke Bedford [aged 21] and Anne Carr Countess of Bedford [aged 22].

On 29th September 1639 [her son] William Russell was born to [her husband] William Russell 1st Duke Bedford [aged 23] and Anne Carr Countess of Bedford [aged 23]. He married 1669 his fifth cousin once removed Rachel Wriothesley, daughter of Thomas Wriothesley 4th Earl of Southampton 2nd Earl Chichester and Rachel Massue Countess Southampton, and had issue.

On 9th May 1641 [her father-in-law] Francis Russell 4th Earl Bedford [aged 48] died. His son [her husband] William [aged 24] succeeded 5th Earl Bedford, 5th Baron Russell of Cheneys, 3rd Baron Russell of Thornhaugh. Anne Carr Countess of Bedford [aged 25] by marriage Countess Bedford.

On 28th April 1642 Francis Newport 1st Earl Bradford [aged 22] and [her sister-in-law] Diana Russell Countess Bradford were married at St Giles' in the Fields Church [Map]. She the daughter of [her father-in-law] Francis Russell 4th Earl Bedford and [her mother-in-law] Catherine Brydges Countess Bedford [aged 62].

In 1643 [her son] Edward Russell was born to [her husband] William Russell 1st Duke Bedford [aged 26] and Anne Carr Countess of Bedford [aged 27]. He married 1668 Frances Williams, daughter of Robert Williams 2nd Baronet.

Around 1645 [her son] Robert Russell was born to [her husband] William Russell 1st Duke Bedford [aged 28] and Anne Carr Countess of Bedford [aged 29]. He married 1690 Letitia Cheek.

On 17th July 1645 [her father] Robert Carr 1st Earl Somerset [aged 58] died without male issue. Earl Somerset, Viscount Rochester extinct.

In 1650 [her daughter] Anne Russell was born to [her husband] William Russell 1st Duke Bedford [aged 33] and Anne Carr Countess of Bedford [aged 34]. She died aged seven in 1657.

In 1651 [her son] James Russell was born to [her husband] William Russell 1st Duke Bedford [aged 34] and Anne Carr Countess of Bedford [aged 35]. He married in or before 1712 Elizabeth Lloyd Lady Hoghton and had issue.

On 8th February 1651 Richard Newport 1st Baron Newport [aged 63] died. His son Francis [aged 30] succeeded 2nd Baron Newport of High Ercall in Shropshire. [her sister-in-law] Diana Russell Countess Bradford by marriage Baroness Newport of High Ercall in Shropshire.

In 1652 [her son] George Russell was born to [her husband] William Russell 1st Duke Bedford [aged 35] and Anne Carr Countess of Bedford [aged 36]. He married in or before 1692 Mary Pendleton.

On 9th April 1652 [her daughter] Diana Russell Baroness Latimer Willoughby Broke Alington was born to [her husband] William Russell 1st Duke Bedford [aged 35] and Anne Carr Countess of Bedford [aged 36]. She married 1. 29th August 1667 her fifth cousin once removed Greville Verney 17th Baron Latimer 9th Baron Willoughby, son of Greville Verney 16th Baron Latimer 8th Baron Willoughby and Elizabeth Wenman Baroness Latimer and Willoughby Broke, and had issue 2. 15th July 1675 her sixth cousin William Alington 1st and 3rd Baron Alington, son of William Alington 1st Baron Alington and Elizabeth Tollemache Baroness Alington, and had issue.

On 21st January 1653 John Digby 1st Earl Bristol [aged 72] died in Paris [Map]. His son George [aged 40] succeeded 2nd Earl Bristol. [her sister-in-law] Anne Russell Countess Bristol [aged 33] by marriage Countess Bristol.

On 31st August 1656 [her daughter] Margaret Russell Countess Orford was born to [her husband] William Russell 1st Duke Bedford [aged 40] and Anne Carr Countess of Bedford [aged 40]. She married November 1691 her first cousin Edward Russell 1st Earl Orford.

In 1657 [her daughter] Anne Russell [aged 7] died at Woburn, Bedfordshire.

On 29th August 1667 [her son-in-law] Greville Verney 17th Baron Latimer 9th Baron Willoughby [aged 18] and Diana Russell Baroness Latimer Willoughby Broke Alington [aged 15] were married. She by marriage Baroness Latimer of Corby, Baroness Willoughby Broke. She the daughter of William Russell 1st Duke Bedford [aged 51] and Anne Carr Countess of Bedford [aged 51]. They were fifth cousin once removed.

In 1668 Edward Russell [aged 25] and Frances Williams were married. He the son of William Russell 1st Duke Bedford [aged 51] and Anne Carr Countess of Bedford [aged 52].

In 1669 William Russell [aged 29] and Rachel Wriothesley [aged 33] were married. She the daughter of Thomas Wriothesley 4th Earl of Southampton 2nd Earl Chichester and Rachel Massue Countess Southampton. He the son of William Russell 1st Duke Bedford [aged 52] and Anne Carr Countess of Bedford [aged 53]. They were fifth cousin once removed.

On 11th March 1675 Francis Newport 1st Earl Bradford [aged 55] was created 1st Viscount Newport of Bradford in Shropshire. [her sister-in-law] Diana Russell Countess Bradford by marriage Viscountess Newport of Bradford in Shropshire.

On 15th July 1675 [her son-in-law] William Alington 1st and 3rd Baron Alington [aged 35] and Diana Russell Baroness Latimer Willoughby Broke Alington [aged 23] were married. She by marriage Baroness Alington of Killard. She the daughter of William Russell 1st Duke Bedford [aged 58] and Anne Carr Countess of Bedford [aged 59]. They were sixth cousins.

In 1678 [her son] Francis Russell [aged 40] died.

On 10th May 1684 Anne Carr Countess of Bedford [aged 68] died.

On 7th September 1700 [her former husband] William Russell 1st Duke Bedford [aged 84] died at Bedford House Covent Garden. His grandson Wriothesley [aged 19] succeeded 2nd Duke Bedford, 2nd Marquess Tavistock, 6th Earl Bedford, 6th Baron Russell of Cheneys, 4th Baron Russell of Thornhaugh, 2nd Baron Howland of Streatham.

[her daughter] Catharine Russell was born to William Russell 1st Duke Bedford and Anne Carr Countess of Bedford.