Biography of Frances Brydges Countess Exeter 1580-1663

In or before 1566 [her future husband] Thomas Cecil 1st Earl Exeter (age 23) and Dorothy Neville Countess Exeter (age 17) were married.

In 1580 Frances Brydges Countess Exeter was born to William Brydges 4th Baron Chandos (age 28) and Mary Hopton Baroness Chandos.

In 1602 [her father] William Brydges 4th Baron Chandos (age 50) died. His son [her brother] Grey (age 22) succeeded 5th Baron Chandos of Sudeley. Anne Stanley Countess Castlehaven (age 21) by marriage Baroness Chandos of Sudeley.

Before November 1609 Thomas Smith (age 53) and Frances Brydges (age 29) were married. The difference in their ages was 24 years.

On 27th November 1609 [her husband] Thomas Smith (age 53) died at Brightwells, Parson' Green. He was buried on 7th December 1609 in the Chancel of All Saints Church, Fulham.

In 1610 Thomas Cecil 1st Earl Exeter (age 67) and Frances Brydges Countess Exeter (age 30) were married. She by marriage Countess Exeter. The difference in their ages was 37 years.

On 24th May 1612 [her brother-in-law] Robert Cecil 1st Earl Salisbury (age 48) died at Marlborough, Wiltshire [Map]. His son William (age 21) succeeded 2nd Earl Salisbury. Catherine Howard Countess Salisbury (age 22) by marriage Countess Salisbury.

In February 1618 [her step-son] Edward Cecil 1st Viscount Wimbledon (age 45) and Diana Drury Viscountess Wimbledon were married. He the son of [her husband] Thomas Cecil 1st Earl Exeter (age 75) and Dorothy Neville Countess Exeter. They were third cousin once removed.

Letters of John Chamberlain Volume 2 310. [19th December 1618] Yt is growne altogether in fashion to burie now by night, as on Sonday last the Lady Haddington¹ had a solemne convoy of almost an hundred coaches (and torches in aboundance), that accompanied her from Westminster to White-chappell on her way to New-hall in Essex where she is to be buried: in this troupe besides the countesses of Bedford (age 38), Excester (age 38), and Devonshire (age 50) was the Lady Verulam (age 26) with a world of other Ladies. The countesse of Salisburie (age 28) the Friday before made a great feast and a play, though her husband (age 27) were absent at court, and the rest of her house and frends in sorow about a lewde libell, that (excepting the highest) runs over all the court and countrie almost that followes not theyre faction, and though the author cannot be found out, yet notice is taken that the Lady of Wallingford (age 35) was one of the first that sunge yt, and the King thinckes of her yt may be required. I heare of another crosse libell that shold pay her and all hers in the same coine, but for my part I protest I have neither seene nor seeke after any of them, but only heare the generall buzze abrode.

Note 1. Cf. Letters 309.

Diary of Anne Clifford. 15th February 1619. The 15th Sir Thomas Lake (age 51), his Lady (age 44), and Lady Ross (age 19), were sent to the Tower [Map]. There was nothing heard all this term but the matter between the Countess of Exeter (age 39) and them, at which the King sat [five] several days. It was censured on my Lady Exeter's side against them, who were fined great fines both to the King and her, there was spoken extraordinary foul matters of my Lady Ross and reports went that amongst others she lay with her own brother, so as their foul matters did double the miseries of my Lady Lettice (age 30) Lake in her unfortunate marriage. Sarah Swarton was fined and censured to be whipt, which censure was not executed, the reason she confessed all that she knew.

In Sir Thomas Lake's place Sir George Calvert (age 39) was sworn secretary.

On 8th February 1623 [her husband] Thomas Cecil 1st Earl Exeter (age 80) died. He was buried at Chapel of St John the Baptist, Westminster Abbey [Map]. His son [her step-son] William (age 57) succeeded 2nd Earl Exeter, 3rd Baron Burghley. Elizabeth Drury Countess Exeter (age 45) by marriage Countess Exeter.

In 1663 Frances Brydges Countess Exeter (age 83) died.

[her father] William Brydges 4th Baron Chandos and [her mother] Mary Hopton Baroness Chandos were married.