Elizabeth Percy Duchess Somerset 1667-1722

On 23rd December 1662 [her father] Josceline Percy 11th Earl of Northumberland [aged 18] and [her mother] Elizabeth Wriothesley Countess Northumberland [aged 16] were married. Elizabeth Wriothesley Countess Northumberland by marriage Countess of Northumberland. She the daughter of [her grandfather] Thomas Wriothesley 4th Earl of Southampton 2nd Earl Chichester [aged 55] and [her grandmother] Elizabeth Leigh Countess Southampton. He the son of Algernon Percy 10th Earl of Northumberland [aged 60] and Elizabeth Howard Countess Northumberland [aged 39]. They were third cousins.

On 26th January 1667 Elizabeth Percy Duchess Somerset was born to Josceline Percy 11th Earl of Northumberland [aged 22] and Elizabeth Wriothesley Countess Northumberland [aged 21].

On 13th October 1668 [her grandfather] Algernon Percy 10th Earl of Northumberland [aged 66] died at Petworth. He was buried at Petworth. His succeeded son [her father] Josceline [aged 24] succeeded 11th Earl of Northumberland, 14th Baron Percy of Alnwick, 22nd Baron Percy of Topcliffe, 5th Baron Percy of Alnwick, 13th Baron Poynings.

On 31st May 1670 [her father] Josceline Percy 11th Earl of Northumberland [aged 25] died in Turin without male issue. Earl of Northumberland, Baron Percy of Alnwick and Baron Percy of Topcliffe, Baron Percy of Alnwick and Baron Poynings extinct. His daughter Elizabeth [aged 3] was his sole heiress.

In 1673 [her step-father] Ralph Montagu 1st Duke Montagu [aged 34] and [her mother] Elizabeth Wriothesley Countess Northumberland [aged 27] were married. She the wealthy daughter of [her grandfather] Thomas Wriothesley 4th Earl of Southampton 2nd Earl Chichester who had died six years previously. She the daughter of Thomas Wriothesley 4th Earl of Southampton 2nd Earl Chichester and [her grandmother] Elizabeth Leigh Countess Southampton. They were third cousin once removed.

On 20th April 1678 Francis Seymour 5th Duke of Somerset [aged 20] was killed. He was unmarried and childless. He was shot dead by Genoese Horatio Botti whose wife Seymour was said to have insulted at Lerici. His succeeded brother [her future husband] Charles [aged 15] succeeded 6th Duke Somerset, 6th Earl Hertford, 6th Baron Beauchamp of Hatch Beauchamp in Somerset, 4th Baron Seymour of Trowbridge.

On 27th March 1679 Henry Cavendish [aged 20] and Elizabeth Percy Duchess Somerset [aged 12] were married. She being the sole heiress of Josceline Percy 11th Earl of Northumberland she brought an enormous fortune to the marriage. She the daughter of Josceline Percy 11th Earl of Northumberland and Elizabeth Wriothesley Countess Northumberland [aged 33]. He the son of Henry Cavendish 2nd Duke Newcastle upon Tyne [aged 48] and Frances Pierrepont Duchess Newcastle upon Tyne [aged 48].

Around 1680 Mary Beale aka Cradock [aged 46]. Portrait of Elizabeth Percy Duchess Somerset [aged 12] as Madonna and Child.Petworth House.

On 1st November 1680 [her husband] Henry Cavendish [aged 21] died.

John Evelyn's Diary. 15th November 1681. I dined with the Earl of Essex [aged 49] who, after dinner in his study, where we were alone, related to me how much he had been scandalized and injured in the report of his being privy to the marriage of his [her aunt] Lady's [aged 45] niece [aged 14], the rich young widow of the late [her former husband] Henry Cavendish, sole daughter of the [her grandfather] Earl of Northumberland; showing me a letter of Mr. Thynn's [aged 33], excusing himself for not communicating his marriage to his Lordship. He acquainted me also with the whole story of that unfortunate lady being betrayed by her grandmother, the Countess of Northumberland [aged 58], and Colonel Bret, for money; and that though, upon the importunity of the Duke of Monmouth [aged 32], he had delivered to the grandmother a particular of the jointure which Mr. Thynn pretended he would settle on the lady, yet he totally discouraged the proceeding as by no means a competent match for one that both by birth and fortune might have pretended to the greatest prince in Christendom; that he also proposed the Earl of Kingston [aged 21], or the Lord Cranburn, but was by no means for Mr. Thynn.

On 15th November 1681 Thomas "Tom of Ten Thousand" Thynne [aged 33] and Elizabeth Percy Duchess Somerset [aged 14] were married. She the daughter of Josceline Percy 11th Earl of Northumberland and Elizabeth Wriothesley Countess Northumberland [aged 35].

John Evelyn's Diary. 14th January 1682. Dined at the Bishop of Rochester's [aged 57], at the Abbey [Map], it being his marriage day, after twenty-four years. He related to me how he had been treated by Sir William Temple, foreseeing that he might be a delegate in the concern of my Baroness Ogle [aged 14] now likely come in controversy upon her marriage with [her husband] Mr. Thynn [aged 34]; also how earnestly the late Earl of Danby [aged 49] [NOTE. The word 'late' suggest the Earl being dead but may refer to his downfall around 1678], Lord Treasurer, sought his friendship, and what plain and sincere advice he gave him from time to time about his miscarriages and partialities; particularly his outing Sir John Duncomb [aged 60] from being Chancellor of the Exchequer, and Sir Stephen Fox [aged 54], above all, from being Paymaster of the Army. The Treasurer's excuse and reason was, that Fox's credit was so over great with the bankers and monied men, that he could procure none but by his means, "for that reason", replied the Bishop, "I would have made him my friend, Sir Stephen being a person both honest and of credit". He told him likewise of his stateliness and difficulty of access, and several other miscarriages, and which indeed made him hated.

On 30th May 1682 Charles Seymour 6th Duke of Somerset [aged 19] and Elizabeth Percy Duchess Somerset [aged 15] were married. His first marriage, her third having been widowed twice by the age of seventeen. She by marriage Duchess Somerset. Being the sole heiress of her father Josceline Percy 11th Earl of Northumberland she brought considerable wealth to the marriage. She the daughter of Josceline Percy 11th Earl of Northumberland and Elizabeth Wriothesley Countess Northumberland [aged 36]. They were fifth cousin once removed. He a great x 5 grandson of King Henry VII of England and Ireland.

Before 22nd March 1683 [her son] Charles Seymour was born to [her husband] Charles Seymour 6th Duke of Somerset [aged 20] and Elizabeth Percy Duchess Somerset [aged 16]. He died aged less than one years old.

Before 26th August 1683 [her son] Charles Seymour died.

On 11th November 1684 [her son] Algernon Seymour 7th Duke of Somerset was born to [her husband] Charles Seymour 6th Duke of Somerset [aged 22] and Elizabeth Percy Duchess Somerset [aged 17]. He married 5th July 1715 his third cousin once removed Frances Thynne Duchess Somerset and had issue.

In 1685 [her daughter] Elizabeth Seymour Countess Thomond was born to [her husband] Charles Seymour 6th Duke of Somerset [aged 22] and Elizabeth Percy Duchess Somerset [aged 17]. She married 1707 her half fifth cousin Henry O'Brien 8th Earl Thomond, son of Henry Horatio O'Brien and Henrietta Somerset Countess Suffolk.

In 1690 [her mother] Elizabeth Wriothesley Countess Northumberland [aged 44] died.

Around 1690. John Closterman [aged 30]. Portrait of Elizabeth Percy Duchess Somerset [aged 22] with her son Algernon Seymour 7th Duke of Somerset [aged 5].

In 1693 [her daughter] Catherine Seymour was born to [her husband] Charles Seymour 6th Duke of Somerset [aged 30] and Elizabeth Percy Duchess Somerset [aged 25]. She married before 19th August 1710 her half fifth cousin William Wyndham 3rd Baronet, son of Edward Wyndham 2nd Baronet and Katherine Leveson-Gower Lady Wyndham, and had issue.

On 3rd June 1696 [her son] Percy Seymour was born to [her husband] Charles Seymour 6th Duke of Somerset [aged 33] and Elizabeth Percy Duchess Somerset [aged 29].

In 1705 [her half-brother] John Montagu 2nd Duke Montagu [aged 15] and [her sister-in-law] Mary Churchill Duchess of Montagu [aged 15] were married. She the daughter of John Churchill 1st Duke of Marlborough [aged 54] and Sarah Jennings Duchess of Marlborough [aged 44]. He the son of [her step-father] Ralph Montagu 1st Duke Montagu [aged 66] and [her mother] Elizabeth Wriothesley Countess Northumberland. They were third cousins.

In 1707 [her son-in-law] Henry O'Brien 8th Earl Thomond [aged 18] and Elizabeth Seymour Countess Thomond [aged 22] were married. Elizabeth Seymour Countess Thomond by marriage Countess Thomond. She the daughter of Charles Seymour 6th Duke of Somerset [aged 44] and Elizabeth Percy Duchess Somerset [aged 39]. He the son of Henry Horatio O'Brien and Henrietta Somerset Countess Suffolk [aged 38]. They were half fifth cousins.

In 1709 [her daughter] Anne Seymour was born to [her husband] Charles Seymour 6th Duke of Somerset [aged 46] and Elizabeth Percy Duchess Somerset [aged 41]. She married 17th September 1719 her fifth cousin Peregrine Osborne 3rd Duke Leeds, son of Peregrine Osborne 2nd Duke Leeds and Bridget Hyde Duchess Leeds.

On 9th March 1709 [her step-father] Ralph Montagu 1st Duke Montagu [aged 70] died. He was buried at Westminster Abbey [Map]. His succeeded son [her half-brother] John [aged 19] succeeded 2nd Duke Montagu, 4th Baron Montagu of Boughton in Northamptonshire. [her sister-in-law] Mary Churchill Duchess of Montagu [aged 19] by marriage Duchess Montagu.

Before 19th August 1710 [her son-in-law] William Wyndham 3rd Baronet [aged 22] and Catherine Seymour [aged 17] were married. She brought Cockermouth Castle [Map] to the marriage. She the daughter of Charles Seymour 6th Duke of Somerset [aged 48] and Elizabeth Percy Duchess Somerset [aged 43]. They were half fifth cousins.

In 1713 Godfrey Kneller [aged 66]. Portrait of Elizabeth Percy Duchess Somerset [aged 45]. Petworth House.

On 5th July 1715 Algernon Seymour 7th Duke of Somerset [aged 30] and Frances Thynne Duchess Somerset [aged 16] were married. He the son of Charles Seymour 6th Duke of Somerset [aged 52] and Elizabeth Percy Duchess Somerset [aged 48]. They were third cousin once removed.

On 17th September 1719 [her son-in-law] Peregrine Osborne 3rd Duke Leeds [aged 27] and Anne Seymour [aged 10] were married. She the daughter of Charles Seymour 6th Duke of Somerset [aged 57] and Elizabeth Percy Duchess Somerset [aged 52]. He the son of Peregrine Osborne 2nd Duke Leeds [aged 60] and Bridget Hyde Duchess Leeds [aged 57]. They were fifth cousins.

On 4th July 1721 [her son] Percy Seymour [aged 25] died of smallpox.

On 24th November 1722 Elizabeth Percy Duchess Somerset [aged 55] died.

On 4th February 1725 [her former husband] Charles Seymour 6th Duke of Somerset [aged 62] and Charlotte Finch Duchess Somerset [aged 32] were married. Charlotte Finch Duchess Somerset by marriage Duchess Somerset. The difference in their ages was 30 years. She the daughter of Daniel Finch 2nd Earl Nottingham 7th Earl Winchilsea [aged 77] and Anne Hatton Countess Nottingham and Winchelsea.

On 2nd December 1748 [her former husband] Charles Seymour 6th Duke of Somerset [aged 86] died at Petworth. His succeeded son Algernon [aged 64] succeeded 7th Duke Somerset, 7th Earl Hertford, 7th Baron Beauchamp of Hatch Beauchamp in Somerset, 5th Baron Seymour of Trowbridge. Frances Thynne Duchess Somerset [aged 49] by marriage Duchess Somerset.

[her daughter] Frances Seymour was born to Charles Seymour 6th Duke of Somerset and Elizabeth Percy Duchess Somerset.