Ancestral Trails 2016 » Penelope DEVEREUX (1562-1607)

Personal data Penelope DEVEREUX 

• She was born in the year 1562 in Carmarthen Castle, Carmarthenshire, Wales.
• She died on July 7, 1607 in Westminster, Middlesex, she was 45 years old.
• A child of Walter DEVEREUX and Lettice KNOLLYS

Household of Penelope DEVEREUX

(1) She is married to Charles BLOUNT.

They got married on December 26, 1605 at Wanstead, West Ham, Essex, she was 43 years old.

Child(ren):

1. Elizabeth BLOUNT  ± 1598-????
2. Ruth BLOUNT  1600-????
3. John BLOUNT  ± 1599-????
4. Mountjoy BLOUNT  1597-???? 

• The couple has common ancestors.



(2) She is married to Robert RICH.

They got married November 1581 at Leigh, Essex, she was 19 years old.




Child(ren):

1. Isabel RICH  1599-1632 
2. Essex RICH  1596-???? 
3. Robert RICH  1587-1658 
4. Henry RICH  1590-???? 
5. Penelope RICH  1585-1613 




Notes about Penelope DEVEREUX

Penelope Devereux was the daughter of Walter Devereux, earl of Essex (September 19,1539-September 22,1576) and Laetitia Knollys (1543-December 25,1634). Like her younger sister, she became a ward of the earl of Huntingdon after her father’s death, but in Penelope’s case, Lady Huntingdon (née Katherine Dudley) took her to court in 1581 to find her a husband. Sir Philip Sidney was suggested, but he had no prospects. Instead she was married to Robert, 2nd baron Rich (December1559-March 24,1619) on November 1, 1581.

Sidney’s infatuation with Penelope, the “Stella” of his sonnets, developed after her marriage and their composition probably took place during the summer of 1582 when he was away from court. On his deathbed, Sidney is said to have called Penelope “a vanity wherein I had taken delight,” but it is unknown if the two had an affair.

As Lady Rich, Penelope was a lady of the privy chamber to Queen Elizabeth. As early as 1589 she began a secret correspondence with the king of Scotland. When her brother, Robert Devereux, earl of Essex, fell out of royal favor, Penelope aggravated matters with a saucy letter to the queen.

Penelope’s marriage was an unhappy one. It was not until she had borne her husband several children, however, that she began an affair with Charles Blount, 8th baron Mountjoy (1563-April 3, 1606). She then had a number of children by Mountjoy. There is considerable confusion about the paternity of many of them. Rich was probably the father of Lettice (d.1619+), Essex, Robert (March 18, 1587-April 19,1658), a daughter, possibly named Elizabeth, born November 26, 1588 who died young, and Henry (May 19, 1590-1649).

Charles Blount, Lord Mountjoy was probably the father of Penelope (March 1592-October 26, 1613), Mountjoy (1597-1666), Scipio (b.December 1597), St. John, Charles (d.1645), and Isabel.

In 1595 Penelope worked out a settlement with Rich and in 1601 they were formally divorced. However, under the Anglican church, remarriage was forbidden while a former spouse still lived. 1601 was also a significant year in Penelope’s life for another reason. Her brother the earl of Essex attempted to take over the government and was executed for treason. Even though Penelope had twice been put under restraint in the past for defending her brother and even though Essex blamed her for inciting him to rebellion, she was not severely punished. Penelope maintained that she had been more like a slave than a sister to Essex and had done what he told her to out of love for him. She was released into Lord Rich’s care.

When James became king in 1603, Penelope was appointed a lady of the bedchamber to Queen Anne and given precedence at court over all other baronesses and over the daughters of all but four of the earls (Oxford, Arundel, Northumberland, and Shrewsbury). She forfeited her place, however, by marrying her long-time lover on December 26, 1605. He died the following spring. Seven books were dedicated to Lady Rich between 1594 and 1606. Penelope converted to Roman Catholicism late in life. Her former husband, Lord Rich, was at her side when she died. Biographies: Sylvia Freedman, Poor Penelope; Sally Varlow, The Lady Penelope; Oxford DNB entry under "Rich [née Devereux], Penelope."
SOURCE: http://www.kateemersonhistoricals.com/TudorWomenD.htm


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Timeline Penelope DEVEREUX

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