Elizabeth Stanhope, Countess of Chesterfield
Elizabeth Stanhope | |
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Countess of Chesterfield | |
![]() Lady Chesterfield by Peter Lely 1665 | |
Born | Elizabeth Butler 29 June 1640 |
Died | July 1665 (aged 25) |
Spouse(s) | Philip Stanhope, 2nd Earl of Chesterfield |
Issue Detail | Elizabeth |
Father | James Butler, 1st Duke of Ormond |
Mother | Elizabeth Preston |
Elizabeth Stanhope, Countess of Chesterfield (1640–1665) was the second wife of Philip Stanhope, 2nd Earl of Chesterfield.
Birth and origins
Elizabeth Butler was born on 29 June 1640[1] at Kilkenny Castle, Ireland, as the fifth child and the eldest daughter of James Butler and Lady Elizabeth Preston. Her father was Earl of Ormond at the time, but would become marquess and finally duke of Ormond. Her mother was the only child of Richard Preston, 1st Earl of Desmond and a rich heiress. Her parents married on Christmas 1629.[2] They had 10 children, but five died in childhood.[3]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/eb/Alexander_Browne_after_Sir_Peter_Lely%2C_The_Right_Honorable_Lady_Elizabeth_Butler%2C_Countess_of_Chesterfield%2C_c._1680%2C_NGA_119618.jpg/220px-Alexander_Browne_after_Sir_Peter_Lely%2C_The_Right_Honorable_Lady_Elizabeth_Butler%2C_Countess_of_Chesterfield%2C_c._1680%2C_NGA_119618.jpg)
Elizabeth appears below among her siblings as the third child:
- Thomas (1634–1680), predeceased his father, but had a son who would become the 2nd Duke;[4]
- Richard (1639–1686), the first and last Earl of Arran of the 1662 creation and predeceased his father;[5]
- Elizabeth (1640–1665);
- John (1643–1677), became the Earl of Gowran;[6] and
- Mary (1646–1710), married William Cavendish, 1st Duke of Devonshire.[7]
She grew up at the West Gate Castle in Thurles, County Tipperary and was, before her marriage, known as Lady Thurles.
Marriage and child
She married Philip Stanhope, Earl of Chesterfield, as his second wife,[8] some time before 25 September 1660. He was one of the lovers of the notorious Barbara Villiers, mistress of King Charles II of England. There were many at court who believed Barbara's first child, Anne bore a strong resemblance to Chesterfield. His first wife was Lady Anne Percy, daughter of Algernon Percy, 10th Earl of Northumberland; she died on 29 November 1654 with no surviving children.
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Together Elizabeth and Chesterfield had one daughter, Lady Elizabeth Stanhope, later Countess of Strathmore, although the child's paternity was in doubt. According to Samuel Pepys, theirs was a marriage of convenience, but Chesterfield, despite his own past conduct with Barbara Villiers, became jealous when rumours spread that his wife was having affairs with both James Hamilton and James, Duke of York, with whom she is said to have been caught in flagrante delicto. On the other hand, he describes Elizabeth as "a virtuous lady".[10]
The chevalier de Grammont, in his memoirs, claims that King Charles II of England told him that his brother was in love with Elizabeth.[11] He also says of Elizabeth that, "she had a most exquisite shape, though she was not very tall: her complexion was extremely fair, with all the expressive charms of a brunette: she had large blue eyes, very tempting and alluring: her manners were engaging: her wit lively and amusing; but her heart, ever open to tender sentiments, was neither scrupulous in point of constancy, nor nice in point of sincerity."[citation needed]
In May 1663, the couple went to live at Bretby in Derbyshire. It was around this time that their daughter, Elizabeth was born.
Her descendant James Lyons was a Taylor and his family remain in the town of Thurles to this day. One being the Baron Liscreagh and Earl of Loughmor Sir Terence Barry CCtKC.
Death and legacy
She died in July 1665 shortly after her 25th birthday and was buried on 18 July 1665 at Wellingborough, Northamptonshire.
Her daughter, Lady Elizabeth (May 1663 – 24 April 1723), who was a child of two years at the time of Elizabeth's death, married John Lyon, 4th Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne in 1691; the couple had 10 children. Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, Queen consort of George VI of the United Kingdom was one of her many descendants.
Elizabeth's portrait was painted by Sir Peter Lely, and at one time belonged to Horace Walpole.[12]
References
- ^ Cokayne 1913, p. 182: "he [Chesterfield] m. , 2ndly, shortly before 25 Sept. 1660 Elizabeth, da. of James (BUTLER), 1st DUKE OF ORMONDE, by Elizabeth, suo jure BARONESS DINGWALL [S.]. She, who was b. 29 June 1640, at Kilkenny, d. s.p.m.s., at Wellingborough, July 1665."
- ^ Airy 1886, p. 53, line 2: "... the marriage took place on Christmas of the same year [1629] ..."
- ^ Perceval-Maxwell 2004, p. 130, right column, line 3: "... between 1632 and 1646 Elizabeth ... gave birth to eight sons including Richard Butler, five of whom died as children, and two daughters."
- ^ Cokayne 1895, p. 150: "THOMAS BUTLER, styled Earl of Ossory ('the gallant Ossory') 2d but 1st surv. s. and h. app., b. at Kilkenny 5 July 1634 ..."
- ^ Burke 1949, p. 1540, right column, line 31: "RICHARD, cr. 13 May 1662 Baron Butler, Viscount of Tullogh and EARL OF ARRAN ..."
- ^ Burke 1949, p. 1540, right column, line 39: "JOHN, cr. EARL OF GOWRAN 1676, m. Lady Anne Chichester, dau. of 1st Earl of Donegal, but d.s.p. 1677, when the dignity expired."
- ^ Burke 1949, p. 1540, right column, line 43: "Mary m. 1st Duke of Devonshire, K.G., and d. 31 July 1710, leaving issue."
- ^ Maurice Ashley (1977). James II. J. M. Dent. ISBN 978-0-460-12021-0.
- ^ Dunboyne 1968, pp. 16–17: "Butler Family Tree condensed"
- ^ Samuel Pepys (1848). Diary and Correspondence of Samuel Pepys, F.R.S.: Secretary to the Admiralty in the Reigns of Charles II. and James II. With a Life and Notes. H. Colburn. pp. 61–.
- ^ Letters to Several Celebrated Individuals of the Time of Charles II, James II, William III and Queen Anne, with Some of Their Replies. Lloyd. 1829. pp. 28–.
- ^ Horace Walpole (9 October 2015). Delphi Complete Works of Horace Walpole (Illustrated). Delphi Classics. pp. 788–. GGKEY:WWXX9UD28HC.
- Airy, Osmund (1886), "BUTLER, JAMES, twelfth EARL and first DUKE OF ORMONDE(1610–1688)", in Lee, Sidney (ed.), Dictionary of National Biography, vol. 8, New York: MacMillan and Co., pp. 52–60
- Burke, Bernard (1949), A Genealogical and Heraldic Dictionary of the Peerage and Baronetage of the British Empire (99th ed.), London: Burke's Peerage Ltd.
- Cokayne, George Edward (1895), The complete peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, extant, extinct, or dormant, vol. 6 (1st ed.), London: George Bell and Sons – N to R (for Ormond)
- Cokayne, George Edward (1913), Gibbs, Vicary (ed.), The complete peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, extant, extinct, or dormant, vol. 3 (2nd ed.), London: St Catherine Press – Canonteign to Cutts (for Chesterfield)
- Dunboyne, Patrick Theobald Tower Butler, Baron (1968), Butler Family History (2nd ed.), Kilkenny: Rothe House
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: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - Perceval-Maxwell, Michael (2004), "Butler [née Preston] Elizabeth, duchess of Ormond and suo jure Lady Dingwall (1615–1684)", in Matthew, Henry Colin Gray.; Harrison, Brian (eds.), Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, vol. 9, New York: Oxford University Press, pp. 130–131, ISBN 0-19-861359-8