Biography of William Bourchier 3rd Earl Bath 1557-1623

On 04 Dec 1548 a double wedding of a father and son, and a mother and daughter, was celebrated at Hengrave Hall, Bury St Edmunds.

[his grandfather] John Bourchier 2nd Earl Bath (age 49) and [his grandmother] Margaret Donnington Countess Bath (age 39) were married. She by marriage Countess Bath. He the son of John Bourchier 1st Earl Bath and Cecily Daubeney Baroness Fitzwarin. He a great x 4 grandson of King Edward III of England.

[his father] John Bourchier (age 19) and [his mother] Frances Kitson were married. She the daughter of [his grandfather] Thomas Kitson and Margaret Donnington Countess Bath. He the son of John Bourchier 2nd Earl Bath and [his grandmother] Eleanor Manners Countess Bath. He a great x 5 grandson of King Edward III of England.

On 28 Feb 1556 [his father] John Bourchier (age 27) died. He was buried at the Church of St John Lateran, Hengrave.

Around Sep 1557 William Barnaby and [his mother] Frances Kitson were married. He was land agent to her former father-ine-law the [his grandfather] John Bourchier 2nd Earl Bath (age 58); the marriage as a consequence gave great offence to her friends. She the daughter of [his grandfather] Thomas Kitson and [his grandmother] Margaret Donnington Countess Bath (age 48).

On 29 Sep 1557 William Bourchier 3rd Earl Bath was born to John Bourchier and Frances Kitson.

On 10 Feb 1561 [his grandfather] John Bourchier 2nd Earl Bath (age 62) died. He was buried on 10 Mar 1561 at the Church of St John Lateran, Hengrave. His grandson William (age 3) succeeded 3rd Earl Bath, 13th Baron Fitzwarin.

Around 1573 Thomas Hinson (age 22) was tutor to William Bourchier 3rd Earl Bath (age 15) at Caius College, Cambridge University.

On 15 Dec 1578 William Bourchier 3rd Earl Bath (age 21) and Mary Cornwallis Countess Bath were married. The marriage, apparently, taking place secretly at night. She by marriage Countess Bath.

On 28 Apr 1581 the marriage of William Bourchier 3rd Earl Bath (age 23) and [his wife] Mary Cornwallis Countess Bath was annulled. A letter of Sir [his father-in-law] Thomas Cornwallis, dat. Brome, 10 June 1601, states "By deposition of 10 witnesses, it was most manifestly proved in the Arches, that the marriage was lawfully, clearly, and honestly compassed," that the Earl's [his mother] mother "did by great means attempt to corrupt the then Judge of that Court... but not prevailing that way, all course of law was then broken, for they appealed to the Delegates, slne gravamlne... who thereupon proceeded in so violent a course as the like hath not been heard of.... Her adversaries effected the end of their desire; and yet the Commissioners' Sentence was with this corrective, viz. leaving the Earl to his own conscience." (Hist. MSS. Com., Hatfield MSS., Part xi, p. 223). This Mary was a legatee, 25 June 1601, in the will of Sir [his uncle] Thomas Kitson (age 40), her [his sister-in-law] sister's (age 40) husband, who mentions her said marriage, and that it afterwards proved most unfortunate and to her great hindrance. W. Lewyn, also, speaks of this Earl as having "made an untimely marriage by night with the da. of Sir Thomas Cornwallys, which was undone and the Earl since married to another, the [his future wife] da. (as I think) of the late [his future father-in-law] Earl of Bedford (age 54)." (Letter to Lord Cobham, 29 May 1596). V.G.

On 07 Aug 1583 William Bourchier 3rd Earl Bath (age 25) and Elizabeth Russell Countess Bath were married at St Mary Major Church, Exeter. She by marriage Countess Bath, Countess Eu. She the daughter of Francis Russell 2nd Earl Bedford (age 56) and Margaret St John Countess Bedford.

Bedford Chapel, St Michael's Church, Chenies. Monument to [his father-in-law] Francis Russell 2nd Earl Bedford and Margaret St John Countess Bedford.

The armorials on the visible south side being, left to right:

Dudley Arms impaling Russell Arms. Ambrose Dudley 3rd Earl Warwick (age 56) and [his sister-in-law] Anne Russell Countess Warwick (age 38).

Bourchier Arms impaling Russell Arms. William Bourchier 3rd Earl Bath (age 28) and [his wife] Elizabeth Russell Countess Bath

Clifford Arms impaling Russell Arms. George Clifford 3rd Earl of Cumberland (age 27) and [his sister-in-law] Margaret Russell Countess Cumberland (age 25).

On 03 Apr 1586 [his mother] Frances Kitson died. She was buried at St Peter's Church, Tawstock [Map].

In 1587 [his daughter] Frances Bourchier was born to William Bourchier 3rd Earl Bath (age 29) and [his wife] Elizabeth Russell Countess Bath.

Before 01 Mar 1590, the date of his baptism at St Peter's Church, Tawstock [Map], [his son] Edward Bourchier 4th Earl Bath was born to William Bourchier 3rd Earl Bath (age 32) and [his wife] Elizabeth Russell Countess Bath at Somerset.

On 09 Feb 1604 [his sister-in-law] Anne Russell Countess Warwick (age 56) died. She was originally interred at St Marys Church, Watford. The monument subseuently moved to the Bedford Chapel, St Michael's Church, Chenies.

On 24 Mar 1605 [his wife] Elizabeth Russell Countess Bath died.

In 1612 [his daughter] Frances Bourchier (age 25) died.

On 12 Jul 1623 William Bourchier 3rd Earl Bath (age 65) died. His son [his son] Edward (age 33) succeeded 4th Earl Bath, 14th Baron Fitzwarin.

In 1627 [his former wife] Mary Cornwallis Countess Bath died.