Lady Frances Radclyffe
Encyclopedia
Lady Frances Radclyffe was an English noblewoman, who early in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I of England
became one of her Maids of Honour. It was at the royal court when Frances attracted the attention of visiting Irish chieftain Shane O'Neill
, who was searching for a "proper English wife" and made her a proposal of matrimony, which she refused to consider. She later married Sir Thomas Mildmay, by whom she had two sons.
by his second wife, Anne Calthorpe
, a lady-in-waiting
to Queen consort Catherine Parr
. Frances had a brother Egremont, a sister, Maud who died at a young age. She had also two half.brothers Thomas Radclyffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex
and Henry Radclyffe, 4th Earl of Sussex
, by her father's first marriage to Elizabeth Howard.
Frances's childhood was unsettled. When she was an infant, her father had thrown her mother out of the house for allegedly having entered into a bigamous marriage with Sir Edmund Knyvet.In September 1552, her mother was sent to the Tower of London
for practising sorcery
, and upon the accession of Queen Mary I
, Anne, who was a Protestant fled to the Continent
to avoid the Marian
persecutions. It was during Anne's absence that Frances's father divorced her mother and attempted, albeit unsuccessfully, to have Parliament
bastardise both her and Egremont. There is the possibility that Sir Edmund Knyvet was indeed Frances's natural father.
, who arrived in London in January 1562 to negotiate with the Queen for his late father's title of Earl of Tyrone
.
O'Neill was a violent and ambitious man, having murdered many of his rivals. He was twice-divorced and kept his former father-in-law's wife as a mistress. He asked the Queen to procure for him a "proper English wife", and according to Violet Wilson's Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honor and Ladies of the Privy Chamber, he specifically wished to marry Lady Frances.His proposal of matrimony was refused.
Shortly afterwards, when Frances visited her half-brother Thomas, Earl of Sussex in Ireland, where he served as Lord Lieutenant, O'Neill unsuccessfully renewed his courtship of her.His persual of Frances only served to increase the Earl's enmity towards O'Neill, and had tried to assassinate him by the means of poison. Frances returned to England, and her erstwhile suitor eventually married his mistress.
Frances died in 1602. The FitzWalter barony
ultimately passed to her direct descendants.
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
became one of her Maids of Honour. It was at the royal court when Frances attracted the attention of visiting Irish chieftain Shane O'Neill
Shane O'Neill
Seán Ó Néill, anglicised Shane O'Neill , nicknamed 'Seán an díomais', was an Irish king of the O'Neill dynasty of Ulster in the mid 16th century. Shane O'Neill's career was marked by his ambition to be The Ó Néill Mór - Sovereign of the dominant Ó Néill Mór family of Tyrone... and thus head...
, who was searching for a "proper English wife" and made her a proposal of matrimony, which she refused to consider. She later married Sir Thomas Mildmay, by whom she had two sons.
Family
Lady Frances was born on an unknown date, the youngest daughter of Henry Radclyffe, 2nd Earl of SussexHenry Radclyffe, 2nd Earl of Sussex
Henry Radclyffe, 2nd Earl of Sussex was a son of Robert Radclyffe, 1st Earl of Sussex and his wife Elizabeth Stafford, Countess of Sussex....
by his second wife, Anne Calthorpe
Anne Calthorpe
Anne Calthorpe, Countess of Sussex , was the second wife of Henry Radcliffe, 2nd Earl of Sussex, who divorced her in 1555 on the grounds of her alleged bigamous marriage to Sir Edmund Knyvet, and her "unnatural and unkind" character.She served as a lady-in-waiting in the household of Queen consort...
, a lady-in-waiting
Lady-in-waiting
A lady-in-waiting is a female personal assistant at a royal court, attending on a queen, a princess, or a high-ranking noblewoman. Historically, in Europe a lady-in-waiting was often a noblewoman from a family highly thought of in good society, but was of lower rank than the woman on whom she...
to Queen consort Catherine Parr
Catherine Parr
Catherine Parr ; 1512 – 5 September 1548) was Queen consort of England and Ireland and the last of the six wives of King Henry VIII of England. She married Henry VIII on 12 July 1543. She was the fourth commoner Henry had taken as his consort, and outlived him...
. Frances had a brother Egremont, a sister, Maud who died at a young age. She had also two half.brothers Thomas Radclyffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex
Thomas Radclyffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex
Thomas Radclyffe 3rd Earl of Sussex was Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland during the Tudor period of English history, and a leading courtier during the reign of Elizabeth I.- Family:...
and Henry Radclyffe, 4th Earl of Sussex
Henry Radclyffe, 4th Earl of Sussex
Henry Radclyffe, 4th Earl of Sussex, KG was an English peer.-Life:He was born in England to Henry Radclyffe, 2nd Earl of Sussex and Elizabeth Howard...
, by her father's first marriage to Elizabeth Howard.
Frances's childhood was unsettled. When she was an infant, her father had thrown her mother out of the house for allegedly having entered into a bigamous marriage with Sir Edmund Knyvet.In September 1552, her mother was sent to the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
for practising sorcery
Sorcery
Sorcery may refer to:* Magic * Maleficium * Witchcraft* Sorcery , a video game for the PlayStation 3 utilizing the PlayStation Move* Sorcery , 1995* Sorcery , 1974...
, and upon the accession of Queen Mary I
Mary I of England
Mary I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from July 1553 until her death.She was the only surviving child born of the ill-fated marriage of Henry VIII and his first wife Catherine of Aragon. Her younger half-brother, Edward VI, succeeded Henry in 1547...
, Anne, who was a Protestant fled to the Continent
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
to avoid the Marian
Marian
Marian may refer to:* Marian , people with the given name Marian* Maid Marian, companion of Robin Hood* Marian, an adjective for things relating to Gaius Marius...
persecutions. It was during Anne's absence that Frances's father divorced her mother and attempted, albeit unsuccessfully, to have Parliament
Parliament
A parliament is a legislature, especially in those countries whose system of government is based on the Westminster system modeled after that of the United Kingdom. The name is derived from the French , the action of parler : a parlement is a discussion. The term came to mean a meeting at which...
bastardise both her and Egremont. There is the possibility that Sir Edmund Knyvet was indeed Frances's natural father.
Shane O'Neill
Early in the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, Frances went to court where she served the new Queen as one of her Maids of Honour. It was in this capacity that she attracted the attention of Shane O'Neill, the chief of the Irish clan of O'NeillO'Neill dynasty
The O'Neill dynasty is a group of families that have held prominent positions and titles throughout European history. The O'Neills take their name from Niall Glúndub, an early 10th century High King of Ireland from the Cenél nEógain...
, who arrived in London in January 1562 to negotiate with the Queen for his late father's title of Earl of Tyrone
Earl of Tyrone
The Earl of Tyrone is a title created three times in the Peerage of Ireland.It was first created as part of the Tudor attempt to establish a uniform social structure in Ireland by converting the Gaelic kings and chiefs into hereditary nobles of the Kingdom of Ireland...
.
O'Neill was a violent and ambitious man, having murdered many of his rivals. He was twice-divorced and kept his former father-in-law's wife as a mistress. He asked the Queen to procure for him a "proper English wife", and according to Violet Wilson's Queen Elizabeth's Maids of Honor and Ladies of the Privy Chamber, he specifically wished to marry Lady Frances.His proposal of matrimony was refused.
Shortly afterwards, when Frances visited her half-brother Thomas, Earl of Sussex in Ireland, where he served as Lord Lieutenant, O'Neill unsuccessfully renewed his courtship of her.His persual of Frances only served to increase the Earl's enmity towards O'Neill, and had tried to assassinate him by the means of poison. Frances returned to England, and her erstwhile suitor eventually married his mistress.
Marriage and death
In July 1566, Frances married Sir Thomas Mildmay (died 1608), by whom she had two sons:- Sir Thomas Mildmay, died in 1625, umarried and childless.
- Sir Henry Mildmay (c.1585- 1654), married Elizabeth Darcy,by whom he had issue.
Frances died in 1602. The FitzWalter barony
Baron FitzWalter
Baron FitzWalter is an ancient title in the Peerage of England. It was created in 1295 for Robert FitzWalter. The title was created by writ, which means that it can descend through both male and female lines. His great-grandson, the fourth Baron, was an Admiral of the Fleet. His grandson, the...
ultimately passed to her direct descendants.