Biography of Robert Howard 1584-1653

Before 1572 [his father] Thomas Howard 1st Earl Suffolk [aged 10] and Mary Dacre [aged 8] were married. She by marriage Baroness Audley Walden in Essex. She died six years later three months short of her fifteenth birthday. She being his step-sister. An unusual example of a Marriage of Three Sets of Siblings where, in this case, three brothers, married three sisters, who were also step-siblings, as a means of keeping the sisters inheritance. She the daughter of Thomas Dacre 4th Baron Dacre Gilsland 8th Baron Greystoke and Elizabeth Leybourne Duchess Norfolk. He the son of [his grandfather] Thomas Howard 4th Duke of Norfolk [aged 35] and [his grandmother] Margaret Audley Duchess Norfolk. They were half third cousin once removed.

Before 1580 Richard Rich and [his mother] Catherine Knyvet Countess Suffolk [aged 15] were married.

Before 1582 [his father] Thomas Howard 1st Earl Suffolk [aged 20] and [his mother] Catherine Knyvet Countess Suffolk [aged 17] were married. She by marriage Baroness Audley Walden in Essex. He the son of [his grandfather] Thomas Howard 4th Duke of Norfolk and [his grandmother] Margaret Audley Duchess Norfolk. They were third cousins.

In 1584 Robert Howard was born to Thomas Howard 1st Earl Suffolk [aged 22] and Catherine Knyvet Countess Suffolk [aged 20].

In 1597 Thomas Howard 1st Earl Suffolk [aged 35] was created 1st Baron Howard de Walden by writ of summons. Catherine Knyvet Countess Suffolk [aged 33] by marriage Baroness Howard de Walden. His mother's father was the first and last Baron Audley Walden in Essex.

In 1603 [his brother-in-law] Robert Devereux 3rd Earl Essex [aged 11] and [his sister] 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.

In 1603 [his father] Thomas Howard 1st Earl Suffolk [aged 41] was created 1st Earl Suffolk. [his mother] Catherine Knyvet Countess Suffolk [aged 39] by marriage Countess Suffolk.

In 1604 [his brother-in-law] Robert Devereux 3rd Earl Essex [aged 12] was restored 3rd Earl Essex, 4th Viscount Hereford, 13th Baron Ferrers of Chartley, 10th Baron Bourchier although it isn't clear whether the latter three titles were forfeit when his father was executed in 1601. [his sister] Frances Howard Countess Essex and Somerset [aged 13] by marriage Countess Essex.

On 23rd December 1605 [his brother-in-law] William Knollys 1st Earl Banbury [aged 61] and [his sister] Elizabeth Howard Countess Banbury [aged 22] were married. She by marriage Baroness Knollys. The difference in their ages was 39 years. She the daughter of [his father] Thomas Howard 1st Earl Suffolk [aged 44] and [his mother] Catherine Knyvet Countess Suffolk [aged 41]. They were third cousin once removed.

On 1st December 1608 [his brother-in-law] William Cecil 2nd Earl Salisbury [aged 17] and [his sister] Catherine Howard Countess Salisbury [aged 18] were married. She the daughter of [his father] Thomas Howard 1st Earl Suffolk [aged 47] and [his mother] Catherine Knyvet Countess Suffolk [aged 44]. He the son of Robert Cecil 1st Earl Salisbury [aged 45] and Elizabeth Brooke. They were fifth cousins.

In 1612 [his brother] Theophilus Howard 2nd Earl Suffolk [aged 29] and [his sister-in-law] Elizabeth Home Countess Suffolk [aged 13] were married. She the daughter of George Home 1st Earl Dunbar and Elizabeth Gordon Countess Dunbar [aged 37]. He the son of [his father] Thomas Howard 1st Earl Suffolk [aged 50] and [his mother] Catherine Knyvet Countess Suffolk [aged 48].

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

On 25th September 1613 [his brother-in-law] Robert Devereux 3rd Earl Essex [aged 22] and [his sister] 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 Robert Carr 1st Earl Somerset [aged 26] three months later.

In 1614 [his brother] Thomas Howard 1st Earl Berkshire [aged 26] and [his sister-in-law] Elizabeth Cecil Countess Berkshire [aged 18] were married. She the daughter of William Cecil 2nd Earl Exeter [aged 48] and Elizabeth Drury Countess Exeter [aged 35]. He the son of [his father] Thomas Howard 1st Earl Suffolk [aged 52] and [his mother] Catherine Knyvet Countess Suffolk [aged 50]. They were fourth cousins.

In 1616 [his brother-in-law] William Knollys 1st Earl Banbury [aged 72] was created 1st Viscount Wallingford. [his sister] Elizabeth Howard Countess Banbury [aged 33] by marriage Viscountess Wallingford.

In 1621 [his brother] Thomas Howard 1st Earl Berkshire [aged 33] was created 1st Viscount Andover in Hampshire, 1st Baron Howard of Charlton in Wiltshire. [his sister-in-law] Elizabeth Cecil Countess Berkshire [aged 25] by marriage Baroness Howard of Charlton in Wiltshire.

In 1621 Frances Coke Viscountess Purbeck [aged 18] deserted her husband John Villiers 1st Viscount Purbeck [aged 30] and went to live with Robert Howard [aged 37] with whom she had a son.

Around 1624 [his brother] Edward Howard 1st Baron Howard [aged 22] and [his sister-in-law] Mary Boteler Baroness Howard were married. He the son of [his father] Thomas Howard 1st Earl Suffolk [aged 62] and [his mother] Catherine Knyvet Countess Suffolk [aged 60].

On 19th October 1624 [his illegitimate son] Robert Wright aka Villiers aka Danvers was born illegitimately to Robert Howard [aged 40] and Frances Coke Viscountess Purbeck [aged 22] in Cripplegate Ward. Illegitimate. His father probably Robert Howard with whom his mother was having a long term affair. His mother was married to John Villiers 1st Viscount Purbeck [aged 33]. He was baptised Robert Wright.

In January 1625 King James I of England and Ireland and VI of Scotland [aged 58] signed a warrant for the trial for adultery of the Robert Howard [aged 41] and Frances Coke Viscountess Purbeck [aged 22] in the ecclesiastical Court of High Commission. The trial was likely at the instigation of her brother-in-law George Villiers 1st Duke of Buckingham [aged 32]. Robert Howard was imprisoned at the Fleet Prison [Map]. She was placed under house arrest.

In 1626 [his brother-in-law] William Knollys 1st Earl Banbury [aged 82] was created 1st Earl Banbury. [his sister] Elizabeth Howard Countess Banbury [aged 43] by marriage Countess Banbury.

On 7th February 1626 [his brother] Thomas Howard 1st Earl Berkshire [aged 38] was created 1st Earl Berkshire. [his sister-in-law] Elizabeth Cecil Countess Berkshire [aged 30] by marriage Countess Berkshire.

On 28th May 1626 [his father] Thomas Howard 1st Earl Suffolk [aged 64] died at Charing Cross [Map]. He was buried at Waldon Priory and Abbey [Map]. His son [his brother] Theophilus [aged 43] succeeded 2nd Earl Suffolk. [his sister-in-law] Elizabeth Home Countess Suffolk [aged 27] by marriage Countess Suffolk.

On 12th April 1628 [his brother] Edward Howard 1st Baron Howard [aged 26] was created 1st Baron Howard of Escrick. [his sister-in-law] Mary Boteler Baroness Howard by marriage Baroness Howard of Escrick.

On 25th May 1632 [his brother-in-law] William Knollys 1st Earl Banbury [aged 88] died. His son [his nephew] Edward [aged 5] de jure 2nd Earl Banbury, 2nd Viscount Wallingford, 2nd Baron Knollys. Parliament disallowed the succession on the basis that Edward had been born when William was some eighty-two years old and Edward was, in fact, the son of Edward Vaux 4th Baron Vaux Harrowden [aged 43] whom Edward's mother [aged 49] subsequently married around a month after William's death.

Around 30th June 1632 [his brother-in-law] Edward Vaux 4th Baron Vaux Harrowden [aged 43] and [his sister] Elizabeth Howard Countess Banbury [aged 49] were married some five weeks after the death of her first husband William Knollys 1st Earl Banbury [deceased] on 25th May 1632. They, Edward and Elizabeth, when teenagers, had been subject to marriage negotiations which broke down as a consequence of the Gunpowder Plot and she had married William Knollys 1st Earl Banbury some thirty-nine years her senior. She the daughter of Thomas Howard 1st Earl Suffolk and Catherine Knyvet Countess Suffolk [aged 68]. They were fifth cousin once removed.

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

In 1638 [his mother] Catherine Knyvet Countess Suffolk [aged 74] died.

On 3rd June 1640 [his brother] Theophilus Howard 2nd Earl Suffolk [aged 57] died at Suffolk House, Suffolk Street. He was buried at Waldon Priory and Abbey [Map]. His son [his nephew] James [aged 21] succeeded 3rd Earl Suffolk, 3rd Baron Howard de Walden.

In 1648 Robert Howard [aged 64] and Catherine Neville [aged 22] were married. The difference in their ages was 41 years. He the son of Thomas Howard 1st Earl Suffolk and Catherine Knyvet Countess Suffolk. They were sixth cousins.

On 23rd November 1648 [his illegitimate son] Robert Wright aka Villiers aka Danvers [aged 24] and [his daughter-in-law] Elizabeth Danvers [aged 19] were married. They were second cousin once removed.

On 22nd April 1653 Robert Howard [aged 69] died at Hall in the Forest, Clun [Map]. He was buried at St George's Church, Clun [Map].

On 18th February 1658 John Villiers 1st Viscount Purbeck [aged 67] died without issue. Viscount Purbeck extinct although Robert Wright aka Villiers aka Danvers [aged 33], illegitimate son of his wife Frances Coke Viscountess Purbeck and Robert Howard attempted to claim the title.