Frances Coke Viscountess Purbeck 1602-1645

On 13th August 1582 [her father] Edward Coke [aged 30] and Bridget Paston were married.

Around 1593 William Newport aka Hatton [aged 33] and [her mother] Elizabeth Cecil Lady Hatton [aged 15] were married. She the daughter of [her grandfather] Thomas Cecil 1st Earl Exeter [aged 50] and [her grandmother] Dorothy Neville Countess Exeter [aged 45].

After 27th June 1598 [her father] Edward Coke [aged 46] and [her mother] Elizabeth Cecil Lady Hatton [aged 20] were married. The difference in their ages was 25 years. She the daughter of [her grandfather] Thomas Cecil 1st Earl Exeter [aged 56] and [her grandmother] Dorothy Neville Countess Exeter [aged 50].

On or before 2nd September 1602, the date she was baptised at St Andrew's Church, Holborn [Map], Frances Coke Viscountess Purbeck was born to Edward Coke [aged 50] and Elizabeth Cecil Lady Hatton [aged 24].

In 1606 William Feilding 1st Earl Denbigh [aged 19] and [her future sister-in-law] Susan Villiers Countess Denbigh [aged 23] were married. She the daughter of George Villiers of Brokesby [aged 62] and [her future mother-in-law] Mary Beaumont 1st Countess Buckingham [aged 36].

On 29th September 1617 John Villiers 1st Viscount Purbeck [aged 26] and Frances Coke Viscountess Purbeck [aged 15] were married at Hampton Court Palace, Richmond [Map]. King James I of England and Ireland and VI of Scotland [aged 51] gave away the bride. He the son of George Villiers of Brokesby and Mary Beaumont 1st Countess Buckingham [aged 47].

On 19th July 1619 [her husband] John Villiers 1st Viscount Purbeck [aged 28] was created 1st Viscount Purbeck. Frances Coke Viscountess Purbeck [aged 16] by marriage Viscountess Purbeck.

On 16th May 1620 [her brother-in-law] George Villiers 1st Duke of Buckingham [aged 27] and Katherine Manners Duchess Buckingham [aged 18] were married. She by marriage Countess Buckingham. She the daughter of Francis Manners 6th Earl of Rutland [aged 42] and Frances Knyvet Lady Bevill. He the son of George Villiers of Brokesby and [her mother-in-law] Mary Beaumont 1st Countess Buckingham [aged 50].

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.

On 27th March 1622 Edward Wray and Elizabeth Norreys 3rd Baroness Norreys Rycote [aged 19] were married at Church of St Mary Aldermary. [her brother-in-law] Christopher Villiers [aged 29], brother of George, Duke of Buckingham [aged 29], had, with Royal encouragement, sought her hand. To avoid being forced into a marriage with him she eloped with Edward Wray. She the daughter of Francis Norreys 1st Earl Berkshire and Bridget Vere Baroness Norreys Rycote [aged 37].

In 1623 Michiel Janszoon van Mierevelt [aged 56]. Portrait of Frances Coke Viscountess Purbeck [aged 20].

Before 18th April 1623 [her brother-in-law] Christopher Villiers 1st Earl Anglesey [aged 30] and Elizabeth Sheldon Countess Anglesey [aged 15] were married. He the son of George Villiers of Brokesby and [her mother-in-law] Mary Beaumont 1st Countess Buckingham [aged 53].

On 19th October 1624 [her 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 [her husband] 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 November 1627 Frances Coke Viscountess Purbeck [aged 25] was convicted of adultery, or incontinency as it was known then. The judges included John Donne [aged 55] who was Dean of St Paul's at the time. She fled to France.

In January 1631 Frederick Cornwallis 1st Baron Cornwallis [aged 19] and Elizabeth Ashburnham [aged 18] were married. After the wedding King Charles I [aged 30], Henrietta Maria [aged 21] and [her sister-in-law] Susan Feilding, Countess of Denbigh [aged 48] wrote to congratulate his mother Jane, Baroness Cornwallis Bacon [aged 50], and ask her to forgive him for his disobedience and return him to her favour. Denbigh said Ashburnham was her cousin "though her family be unfortunate".

On 3rd September 1634 [her father] Edward Coke [aged 82] died. Monument in Church of St Mary the Virgin, Tittleshall [Map]. Simple sarcophagus on pedestal with lying effigy. Pair of flanking Tuscan columns supporting a full entablature with putti on frieze and broken segmental pediment. Carved and painted achievement in and above tympanum flanked by four reclining figures of the Virtues on pediment extrados.

Above. Quarterly of eight: Coke Arms, Crispin, Folkard, Sparham, Nerford, Yarmouth, Knightley Arms and Pawe. The crest is broken. Farrer says it was: On a chapeau Azure, turned up Ermine, an ostrich Argent, holding in its mouth a horseshoe Or. The motto reads Prudens qui Patiens.

The effigy was carved by John Hargrave, the rest of the memorial was made by Nicholas Stone [aged 47].

Below the effigy are three shields. Left Coke Arms implaling Paston Arms. His first wife Bridget Paston. Middle Coke Arms. Right Coke Arms impaling Cecil Arms; his second wife Elizabeth Cecil Countess Berkshire [aged 38].

Bridget Paston: she was born to John Paston. She a great x 4 granddaughter of King Edward III of England. On 13th August 1582 Edward Coke and she were married.

On 4th June 1645 Frances Coke Viscountess Purbeck [aged 42] died at Oxford, Oxfordshire [Map]. She was buried at the Church of St Mary the Virgin.

Before 18th February 1658 [her former husband] John Villiers 1st Viscount Purbeck [aged 67] and Elizabeth Slingsby were married. He the son of George Villiers of Brokesby and [her former mother-in-law] Mary Beaumont 1st Countess Buckingham.

On 18th February 1658 [her former husband] 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.