Anne Russell Countess Warwick 1548-1604

Before 1548 [her father] Francis Russell 2nd Earl Bedford [aged 20] and [her mother] Margaret St John Countess Bedford [aged 14] were married. He the son of [her grandfather] John Russell 1st Earl Bedford [aged 62] and [her grandmother] Anne Sapcote Countess Bedford [aged 68].

In 1548 Anne Russell Countess Warwick was born to Francis Russell 2nd Earl Bedford [aged 21] and Margaret St John Countess Bedford [aged 15].

Around 1549 [her future husband] Ambrose Dudley 3rd Earl Warwick [aged 19] and Anne Whorwood were married. He the son of John Dudley 1st Duke Northumberland [aged 45] and Jane Guildford Duchess Northumberland [aged 40].

In 1553 [her future husband] Ambrose Dudley 3rd Earl Warwick [aged 23] and Elizabeth Tailboys Countess Warwick [aged 30] were married. She the daughter of Gilbert Tailboys 1st Baron Tailboys and Elizabeth "Bessie" Blount Baroness Clinton and Tailboys. He the son of John Dudley 1st Duke Northumberland [aged 49] and Jane Guildford Duchess Northumberland [aged 44]. They were half fourth cousin once removed.

On 26th December 1554 [her future husband] Ambrose Dudley 3rd Earl Warwick [aged 24] was created 1st Baron Lisle. Elizabeth Tailboys Countess Warwick [aged 32] by marriage Countess Warwick.

On 14th March 1555 [her grandfather] John Russell 1st Earl Bedford [aged 70] died. His son [her father] Francis [aged 28] succeeded 2nd Earl Bedford, 2nd Baron Russell of Cheneys. [her mother] Margaret St John Countess Bedford [aged 22] by marriage Countess Bedford.

On 14th March 1559 [her grandmother] Anne Sapcote Countess Bedford [aged 80] died. Her son [her father] Francis Russell 2nd Earl Bedford [aged 32] inherited Chenies Manor House, Buckinghamshire [Map]

On 27th August 1562 [her mother] Margaret St John Countess Bedford [aged 29] died at Woburn, Bedfordshire. She was buried at St Michael's Church, Chenies [Map].

On 11th November 1565 Ambrose Dudley 3rd Earl Warwick [aged 35] and Anne Russell Countess Warwick [aged 17] were married. She by marriage Countess Warwick. She the daughter of Francis Russell 2nd Earl Bedford [aged 38] and Margaret St John Countess Bedford. He the son of John Dudley 1st Duke Northumberland and Jane Guildford Duchess Northumberland.

On 25th June 1566 [her father] Francis Russell 2nd Earl Bedford [aged 39] and [her step-mother] Bridget Hussey Countess Bedford [aged 40] were married. She by marriage Countess Bedford. He the son of [her grandfather] John Russell 1st Earl Bedford and [her grandmother] Anne Sapcote Countess Bedford.

In January 1570 Henry Clifford 2nd Earl of Cumberland [aged 53] died. His son [her future brother-in-law] George [aged 11] succeeded 3rd Earl of Cumberland, 13th Baron de Clifford, 13th Lord Skipton. Being underage his wardship went to Queen Elizabeth I of England and Ireland [aged 36] who gave it to [her father] Francis Russell 2nd Earl Bedford [aged 43] whose daughter George subsequently married.

In 1577 [her brother-in-law] George Clifford 3rd Earl of Cumberland [aged 18] and [her sister] Margaret Russell Countess Cumberland [aged 16] were married. She being the daughter of [her father] Francis Russell 2nd Earl Bedford [aged 50] who had been given George's wardship by Queen Elizabeth I of England and Ireland [aged 43]. She by marriage Countess of Cumberland. She the daughter of Francis Russell 2nd Earl Bedford and [her mother] Margaret St John Countess Bedford. He the son of Henry Clifford 2nd Earl of Cumberland and Anne Dacre Countess Cumberland [aged 56]. They were third cousins.

On 23rd July 1577 Thomas Wenman [aged 29] died. He left significant debts to the Crown requiring some of his lands to be sold. Eaton, Berkshire was sold to John Danvers [aged 37] for £7700. Richard Wenman 1st Viscount Wenman [aged 4] was made a ward of his mother Jane West [aged 19] and [her brother-in-law] Robert Dudley 1st Earl of Leicester [aged 45]. Robert Dudley 1st Earl of Leicester sold his interest to James Cressy who subsequently married Jane West.

On 21st September 1578 [her brother-in-law] Robert Dudley 1st Earl of Leicester [aged 46] and Lettice Knollys Countess Essex and Leicester [aged 34] were married secretly much to the anguish of Queen Elizabeth I of England and Ireland [aged 45] who developed a deep hatred of Lettice Knollys Countess Essex and Leicester. She by marriage Countess of Leicester. Roger North 2nd Baron North [aged 48] was present. He the son of John Dudley 1st Duke Northumberland and Jane Guildford Duchess Northumberland. They were fifth cousins.

On 7th August 1583 [her brother-in-law] William Bourchier 3rd Earl Bath [aged 25] and [her sister] Elizabeth Russell Countess Bath were married at St Mary Major Church, Exeter. She by marriage Countess Bath, Countess Eu. She the daughter of [her father] Francis Russell 2nd Earl Bedford [aged 56] and [her mother] Margaret St John Countess Bedford. They were half sixth cousins.

On 13th February 1585 [her brother] William Russell 1st Baron Russell [aged 25] and [her sister-in-law] Elizabeth Long Baroness Russel Thornhaugh were married at Watford, Hertfordshire. He the son of [her father] Francis Russell 2nd Earl Bedford [aged 58] and [her mother] Margaret St John Countess Bedford.

On 28th July 1585 [her father] Francis Russell 2nd Earl Bedford [aged 58] died. His grandson Edward [aged 12] succeeded 3rd Earl Bedford, 3rd Baron Russell of Cheneys.

Bedford Chapel, St Michael's Church, Chenies. Monument to [her father] Francis Russell 2nd Earl Bedford and [her mother] Margaret St John Countess Bedford.

The armorials on the visible south side being, left to right:

Dudley Arms impaling Russell Arms. [her husband] Ambrose Dudley 3rd Earl Warwick [aged 56] and Anne Russell Countess Warwick [aged 38].

Bourchier Arms impaling Russell Arms. [her brother-in-law] William Bourchier 3rd Earl Bath [aged 28] and [her sister] Elizabeth Russell Countess Bath

Clifford Arms impaling Russell Arms. George Clifford 3rd Earl of Cumberland [aged 27] and Margaret Russell Countess Cumberland [aged 25].

On 4th September 1588 [her brother-in-law] Robert Dudley 1st Earl of Leicester [aged 56] died at Cornbury Park, Oxfordshire. He was buried at Beauchamp Chapel, St Mary's Church, Warwick [Map]. Earl of Leicester extinct.

In 1603 [her brother] William Russell 1st Baron Russell [aged 43] was created 1st Baron Russell of Thornhaugh. [her sister-in-law] Elizabeth Long Baroness Russel Thornhaugh by marriage Baroness Russell of Thornhaugh.

Diary of Anne Clifford. March 1603. About five miles from London there met them my Mother [aged 42], my Lord of Bedford [aged 30]¹ and his Lady [aged 23], my uncle Russell [aged 45], and much other company, so that we were in number about three hundred, which did all accompany them to Bath House where they continued most of that summer, whither I went daily and visited them, and grew daily more inward with my cousin Frances [aged 16] and Mrs Carey. About this time my Aunt Warwick [aged 55] went to meet the Queen [aged 28], having Mrs Bridges [aged 25] with her and my Aunt Vavisor [aged 43]. My Mother and I should have gone with them, but that her horse (which she borrowed of Mrs Elmes,) and old Mr Hickley were not ready, yet I went the same night and overtook my aunt at Tittinhanger, Lady Blount's house, where my Mother came to me the next day about noon, my aunt being gone before. Then my Mother and I went on our journey to overtake her, and killed three horses that day with extremity of heat, and came to Wrest, my Lord of Kent's, where we found the doors shut and none in the house but one servant, who only had the keys of the hall, so that we were forced to lie in the hall all night, till towards morning, at which time came a man and let us into the higher rooms where we slept three or four hours. This morning we hasted away betimes and came that night to Rockingham Castle [Map], where we overtook my Aunt Warwick, and her company, where we continued a day or two with old Sir Edward Watson [aged 54] and his Lady [aged 57], then we went to Lady Needham's [aged 43] who once served my Aunt of Warwick, and from thence to a sister of hers whose name I have forgotten.

Note 1. Edward, 3rd Earl, and his Lady, Lucy, daughter of Lord Harrington [aged 63].

Diary of Anne Clifford. 26th June 1603. The next day we went along with the Queen [aged 28] to Althorpe [Map]¹ Lord Spencer's [aged 33] house, where my Mother saw my cousin Henry Clifford [aged 12]², my uncle's [aged 44] son, which was the first time we ever saw him.

Note 1. Here Ben Jonson's Masque of the Fairies was performed. ED.

The Queen and Prince came to Althorpe the 25th of June, on Saturday; my mother, Aunt Warwick [aged 55] and I not till the next day, which Sunday was kept with great solemnity, there being an infinite number of lords and ladies. There we saw the Queen's favour to Lady Hatton [aged 22] and Lady Cecil, for she shewed no favour to the elderly ladies, but to Lady Rich and such like company.

Note 2. Afterwards 5th and last Earl of Cumberland.

On 9th February 1604 Anne Russell Countess Warwick [aged 56] died. She was originally interred at St Marys Church, Watford. The monument subseuently moved to the Bedford Chapel, St Michael's Church, Chenies.

Diary of Anne Clifford. 27th July 1619. The 27th about this time my Lady Bedford [aged 39] had the smallpox and had them in that extremity that she lost one of her eyes. About this time my Coz. Cilifford's wife was brought to bed at Lanesboro of a son, which lived not seven hours and was christened Francis and was buried there. The same day Lord Rutland and Lady Kath. Manners came and dined here from the Wells and in the evening went to London.

Note. This Sunday my Coz. Oldworth was true and shewed those remembrances me which are to be set up at Cheyneys for my Great Grand Father of Bedford and my Grand Father of Bedford and my Aunt Warwick. About this time my Lady Law was married to Secretary Maunton.

All this Summer Lady Penniston [aged 24] was at the Wells near Tunbridge drinking the waters. This coming hither of Lady Penniston's was much talked of abroad and my Lord [aged 30] was condemned for it.