Biography of Arthur Capell 1st Earl Essex 1632-1683

On 28 Nov 1627 [his father] Arthur Capell 1st Baron Capell Hadham (age 19) and [his mother] Elizabeth Morrison Baroness Capell Hadham (age 16) were married.

On or before 02 Jan 1632 Arthur Capell 1st Earl Essex was born to Arthur Capell 1st Baron Capell Hadham (age 23) and Elizabeth Morrison Baroness Capell Hadham (age 21). He was christened 02 Jan 1632.

On 19 May 1653 Arthur Capell 1st Earl Essex (age 21) and Elizabeth Percy Countess Essex (age 17) were married. She the daughter of Algernon Percy 10th Earl of Northumberland (age 50) and Anne Cecil.

In 1654 [his sister-in-law] Anne Percy 2nd Countess Chesterfield (age 19) died.

On 23 Dec 1662 [his brother-in-law] Josceline Percy 11th Earl of Northumberland (age 18) and Elizabeth Wriothesley Countess Northumberland (age 16) were married. She by marriage Countess of Northumberland. She the daughter of Thomas Wriothesley 4th Earl of Southampton 2nd Earl Chichester (age 55) and Elizabeth Leigh Countess Southampton. He the son of [his father-in-law] Algernon Percy 10th Earl of Northumberland (age 60) and Elizabeth Howard Countess Northumberland (age 39).

Samuel Pepys' Diary. 07 Sep 1665. Thence to Brainford, reading "The Villaine", a pretty good play, all the way. There a coach of Mr. Povy's (age 51) stood ready for me, and he at his house ready to come in, and so we together merrily to Swakely, Sir R. Viner's (age 34). A very pleasant place, bought by him of Sir James Harrington's (age 57) lady (age 48). He took us up and down with great respect, and showed us all his house and grounds; and it is a place not very moderne in the garden nor house, but the most uniforme in all that ever I saw; and some things to excess. Pretty to see over the screene of the hall (put up by Sir Mr. Harrington, a Long Parliamentman) the King's head, and my Lord of Essex (age 33) on one side, and Fairfax on the other; and upon the other side of the screene, the parson of the parish, and the lord of the manor and his sisters. The window-cases, door-cases, and chimnys of all the house are marble. He showed me a black boy that he had, that died of a consumption, and being dead, he caused him to be dried in an oven, and lies there entire in a box.

On 13 Oct 1668 [his father-in-law] Algernon Percy 10th Earl of Northumberland (age 66) died at Petworth. He was buried at Petworth. His son [his brother-in-law] Josceline (age 24) succeeded 11th Earl of Northumberland, 14th Baron Percy of Alnwick, 22nd Baron Percy of Topcliffe, 5th Baron Percy of Alnwick, 13th Baron Poynings.

Samuel Pepys' Diary. 17 Jan 1669. Thence, taking leave of my guests, he and I and W. Hewer (age 27) to White Hall, and there parting with Spong, a man that I mightily love for his plainness and ingenuity, I into the Court, and there up and down and spoke with my Lords Bellassis and Peterborough about the business now in dispute, about my deputing a Treasurer to pay the garrison at Tangier, which I would avoid, and not be accountable, and they will serve me therein. Here I met Hugh May (age 47), and he brings me to the knowledge of [his brother] Sir Henry Capell (age 30), a Member of Parliament, and brother of my Lord of Essex (age 37), who hath a great value, it seems, for me; and they appoint a day to come and dine with me, and see my books, and papers of the Office, which I shall be glad to shew them, and have opportunity to satisfy them therein. Here all the discourse is, that now the King (age 38) is of opinion to have the Parliament called, notwithstanding his late resolutions for proroguing them; so unstable are his councils, and those about him. So staying late talking in the Queen's (age 30) side, I away, with W. Hewer home, and there to read and talk with my wife, and so to bed.

On 31 May 1670 [his brother-in-law] Josceline Percy 11th Earl of Northumberland (age 25) died in Turin without male issue. Earl of Northumberland, Baron Percy of Alnwick and Baron Percy of Topcliffe, Baron Percy of Alnwick and Baron Poynings extinct. His daughter Elizabeth (age 3) was his sole heiress.

On 28 Dec 1670 [his son] Algernon Capell 2nd Earl Essex was born to Arthur Capell 1st Earl Essex (age 38) and [his wife] Elizabeth Percy Countess Essex (age 34).

In 1674 [his daughter] Anne Capell Countess Carlisle was born to Arthur Capell 1st Earl Essex (age 41) and [his wife] Elizabeth Percy Countess Essex (age 38).

John Evelyn's Diary. 27 Aug 1678. Hence, I went to my worthy friend, [his brother] Sir Henry Capel (age 40) [at Kew], brother to the Earl of Essex (age 46); it is an old timber-house; but his garden has the choicest fruit of any plantation in England, as he is the most industrious and understanding in it.

On 27 Mar 1679 Henry Cavendish (age 20) and Elizabeth Percy Duchess Somerset (age 12) were married. She being the sole heiress of [his brother-in-law] Josceline Percy 11th Earl of Northumberland she brought an enormous fortune to the marriage. She the daughter of Josceline Percy 11th Earl of Northumberland and Elizabeth Wriothesley Countess Northumberland (age 33). He the son of Henry Cavendish 2nd Duke Newcastle upon Tyne (age 48) and Frances Pierrepont Duchess Newcastle upon Tyne (age 48).

John Evelyn's Diary. 25 Jun 1679. The new Commissioners of the Admiralty came to visit me, viz, [his brother] Sir Henry Capell (age 41), brother to the Earl of Essex (age 47), Mr. Finch (age 31), eldest son to the Lord Chancellor (age 57), Sir Humphry Winch (age 57), Sir Thomas Meeres (age 45), Mr. Hales, with some of the Commissioners of the Navy. I went with them to London.

John Evelyn's Diary. 19 Sep 1679. My Lord Sunderland (age 38), one of the principal Secretaries of State, invited me to dinner, where was the King's (age 49) natural son, the Earl of Plymouth (age 22), the Earl of Shrewsbury, Earl of Essex (age 47), Earl of Mulgrave (age 31), Mr. Hyde, and Mr. Godolphin (age 34). After dinner I went to prayers at Eton College [Map], and visited Mr. Henry Godolphin (age 31), fellow there, and Dr. Craddock.

John Evelyn's Diary. 18 Apr 1680. On the earnest invitation of the Earl of Essex (age 48), I went with him to his house at Cashiobury, in Hertfordshire. It was on Sunday, but going early from his house in the square of St. James, we arrived by ten o'clock; this he thought too late to go to church, and we had prayers in his chapel. The house is new, a plain fabric, built by my friend, Mr. Hugh May (age 58). There are divers fair and good rooms, and excellent carving by Gibbons, especially the chimney-piece of the library. There is in the porch, or entrance, a painting by Verrio, of Apollo and the Liberal Arts. One room pargeted with yew, which I liked well. Some of the chimney mantels are of Irish marble, brought by my Lord from Ireland, when he was Lord-Lieutenant, and not much inferior to Italian. The tympanum, or gable, at the front is a bass-relievo of Diana hunting, cut in Portland stone, handsomely enough. I do not approve of the middle doors being round: but, when the hall is finished as designed, it being an oval with a cupola, together with the other wing, it will be a very noble palace. The library is large, and very nobly furnished, and all the books are richly bound and gilded; but there are no MSS., except the Parliament Rolls and Journals, the transcribing and binding of which cost him, as he assured me, £500.

John Evelyn's Diary. 08 Mar 1681. Visited and dined at the Earl of Essex's (age 49), with whom I spent most of the afternoon alone. Thence to my (yet living) godmother and kinswoman, Mrs. Keightley (age 84), sister to Sir Thomas Evelyn and niece to my father, being now eighty-six years of age, sprightly, and in perfect health, her eyes serving her as well as ever, and of a comely countenance, that one would not suppose her above fifty.

John Evelyn's Diary. 15 Nov 1681. I dined with the Earl of Essex (age 49) who, after dinner in his study, where we were alone, related to me how much he had been scandalized and injured in the report of his being privy to the marriage of his [his wife] Lady's (age 45) niece (age 14), the rich young widow of the late Lord Ogle, sole daughter of the [his father-in-law] Earl of Northumberland; showing me a letter of Mr. Thynn's (age 33), excusing himself for not communicating his marriage to his Lordship. He acquainted me also with the whole story of that unfortunate lady being betrayed by her grandmother, the Countess of Northumberland (age 58), and Colonel Bret, for money; and that though, upon the importunity of the Duke of Monmouth (age 32), he had delivered to the grandmother a particular of the jointure which Mr. Thynn pretended he would settle on the lady, yet he totally discouraged the proceeding as by no means a competent match for one that both by birth and fortune might have pretended to the greatest prince in Christendom; that he also proposed the Earl of Kingston (age 21), or the Lord Cranburn, but was by no means for Mr. Thynn.

On 30 May 1682 Charles Seymour 6th Duke of Somerset (age 19) and Elizabeth Percy Duchess Somerset (age 15) were married. His first marriage, her third having been widowed twice by the age of seventeen. She by marriage Duchess Somerset. Being the sole heiress of her father [his brother-in-law] Josceline Percy 11th Earl of Northumberland she brought considerable wealth to the marriage. She the daughter of Josceline Percy 11th Earl of Northumberland and Elizabeth Wriothesley Countess Northumberland (age 36). He a great x 5 grandson of King Henry VII of England and Ireland.

In 1683 [his son-in-law] Charles Howard 3rd Earl Carlisle (age 14) and [his daughter] Anne Capell Countess Carlisle (age 9) were married. She the daughter of Arthur Capell 1st Earl Essex (age 50) and [his wife] Elizabeth Percy Countess Essex (age 47). He the son of Edward Howard 2nd Earl Carlisle (age 36) and Elizabeth Uvedale Countess Carlisle. They were half third cousins.

On 10 Jul 1683 Arthur Capell 1st Earl Essex (age 51) was committed to the Gentleman Gaolers House, number 5 Tower Green at the Tower of London [Map] for his involvement in the Rye House Plot.

On 13 Jul 1683 Arthur Capell 1st Earl Essex (age 51) committed suicide at the Tower of London [Map]. He was buried at St Peter ad Vincula Church, Tower of London [Map]. He was said to have been discovered in his chamber with his throat cut whilst awaiting execution for treason. His son [his son] Algernon (age 12) succeeded 2nd Earl Essex, 3rd Baron Capell Hadham.

John Evelyn's Diary. 30 Oct 1683. I went to Kew to visit [his brother] Sir Henry Capell (age 45), brother to the late Earl of Essex; but he being gone to Cashiobury, after I had seen his garden and the alterations therein, I returned home. He had repaired his house, roofed his hall with a kind of cupola, and in a niche was an artificial fountain; but the room seems to me over-melancholy, yet might be much improved by having the walls well painted á fresco. The two green houses for oranges and myrtles, communicating with the rooms below, are very well contrived. There is a cupola made with pole-work between two elms at the end of a walk, which being covered by plashing the trees to them, is very pretty; for the rest there are too many fir trees in the garden.

In 1718 [his former wife] Elizabeth Percy Countess Essex (age 82) died.