Elizabeth Herbert, Marchioness of Powis (c.1634 – 16 March 1691), formerly Lady Elizabeth Somerset, was an English court official and noblewoman, the wife of

William Herbert, 1st Marquess of Powis William Herbert, 1st Marquess of Powis, PC (16262 June 1696) was an English nobleman, best remembered for his suffering during the Popish Plot. He succeeded his father as 3rd Baron Powis in 1667 and was created Earl of Powis in 1674 by King C ...

. She was the daughter of

Edward Somerset, 2nd Marquess of Worcester Edward Somerset, 2nd Marquess of Worcester (9 March 1602 or 9 March 16033 April 1667), styled Lord Herbert of Raglan from 1628 to 1644, was an English nobleman involved in royalist politics, and an inventor. While Earl of Glamorgan, he was sen ...

, and his wife, the former Elizabeth Dormer.

Family

She married William Herbert, then the heir to

Percy Herbert, 2nd Baron Powis Percy Herbert, 2nd Baron Powis (1598 – 19 January 1667), known as Sir Percy Herbert, Bt, between 1622 and 1655, was an English writer and politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1621 to 1622 and later inherited a peerage. Herbert was the ...

, on 2 August 1654. He succeeded his father to the title in 1666. They had six children: *Lady Anne Herbert (died 1748), who married

Francis Smith, 2nd Viscount Carrington Francis Smith, 2nd Viscount Carrington (c. 1621 – 7 April 1701), was an English peer. Biography Smith was the son of Charles Smyth, 1st Viscount Carrington, by his wife Elizabeth Caryll, daughter of Sir John Caryll, of South Harting, Sussex. He ...

* Lady Frances Herbert, who married Kenneth Mackenzie, 4th Earl of Seaforth, and had children *Lady Mary Herbert (died 1744), who married three times *

William Herbert, 2nd Marquess of Powis William Herbert, 2nd Marquess of Powis (c. 1660–1745) was a Welsh aristocrat and Jacobite supporter. Life He was the son of William Herbert, 1st Marquess of Powis, by Lady Elizabeth, younger daughter of Edward Somerset, 2nd Marquess of Worces ...

(c.1665-1745) * Lady Lucy Herbert (1669-1744), who became a nun * Lady Winifred Herbert (c.1679-1749), who married

William Maxwell, 5th Earl of Nithsdale {{Infobox noble, type , name = William Maxwell , title = 5th Earl of Nithsdale , image = , caption = , alt = , CoA = , more = no , succession ...

, and had children In 1674, Herbert was created Earl of Powis, and his wife became a countess. Her portrait, painted around 1674 by

John Michael Wright John Michael Wright (May 1617 – July 1694) was an English or Scottish (he signed as both at times) portrait painter in the Baroque style. Wright trained in Edinburgh under the Scotland, Scots painter George Jamesone, and acquired a consider ...

, is held in the

Powis Castle Powis Castle ( cy, Castell Powys) is a British medieval castle, fortress and grand country house near Welshpool, in Powys. The seat of the Herbert family, Earls of Powis, the castle is known for its formal gardens and for its interiors, the form ...

collection.

Popish Plot

She was Lady of the Bedchamber to

Catherine of Braganza Catherine of Braganza ( pt, Catarina de Bragança; 25 November 1638 – 31 December 1705) was List of English royal consorts, Queen of England, List of Scottish royal consorts, Scotland and Ireland during her marriage to Charles II of England, ...

, queen consort of King

Charles II of England Charles II (29 May 1630 – 6 February 1685) was King of Scotland from 1649 until 1651, and King of England, Scotland and Ireland from the 1660 Restoration of the monarchy until his death in 1685. Charles II was the eldest surviving child of ...

. However, in 1678, her husband was one of the "Five Catholic Lords" who were falsely accused of treason in the

Popish Plot The Popish Plot was a fictitious conspiracy invented by Titus Oates that between 1678 and 1681 gripped the Kingdoms of England and Scotland in anti-Catholic hysteria. Oates alleged that there was an extensive Catholic conspiracy to assassinate C ...

fabricated by

Titus Oates Titus Oates (15 September 1649 – 12/13 July 1705) was an English priest who fabricated the " Popish Plot", a supposed Catholic conspiracy to kill King Charles II. Early life Titus Oates was born at Oakham in Rutland. His father Samuel (1610� ...

, and he was imprisoned in the

Tower of London The Tower of London, officially His Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress of the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, which is separa ...

until 1684. His wife's frantic efforts to secure his release led her into unwise dealings with such unsavoury underworld characters as the notorious

informer An informant (also called an informer or, as a slang term, a “snitch”) is a person who provides privileged information about a person or organization to an agency. The term is usually used within the law-enforcement world, where informan ...

and confidence trickster

Thomas Dangerfield Thomas Dangerfield (c. 165022 June 1685) was an English conspirator, who became one of the principal informers in the Popish Plot. His violent death at the hands of the barrister Robert Francis was clearly a homicide, although whether th ...

. She had hoped that Dangerfield would discredit her husband's accusers: but Dangerfield, who was "faithless to all" turned on Lady Powis and her friend, the prominent Catholic

midwife A midwife is a health professional who cares for mothers and newborns around childbirth, a specialization known as midwifery. The education and training for a midwife concentrates extensively on the care of women throughout their lifespan; co ...

Elizabeth Cellier , instead and accused them of treason. Fortunately, by the time they came to trial in the summer of 1680, Dangerfield's reputation had sunk so far that they were both easily acquitted.

Later life

On 24 March 1686, her husband was created

Marquess of Powis Marquess of Powis was a title in the Peerage of England. It was created in 1687 for William Herbert, 1st Earl of Powis. He had already succeeded his father as third Baron Powis in 1667 and had been created Earl of Powis in the Peerage of England ...

, and his wife became a marchioness. A Catholic, he was loyal to King

James II and VII James VII and II (14 October 1633 16 September 1701) was King of England and King of Ireland as James II, and King of Scotland as James VII from the death of his elder brother, Charles II, on 6 February 1685. He was deposed in the Glorious Re ...

, whom he followed into exile. James created him 1st Duke of Powis and 1st Marquess of Montgomery on 12 January 1689, in the Jacobite peerage. He was subsequently outlawed from England. The marchioness followed her husband into exile and acted as First Lady of the Bedchamber to James's queen,

Mary of Modena Mary of Modena ( it, Maria Beatrice Eleonora Anna Margherita Isabella d'Este; ) was Queen of England, Scotland and Ireland as the second wife of James II and VII. A devout Roman Catholic, Mary married the widower James, who was then the young ...

, and as Royal Governess to James, Prince of Wales, until her death in 1691.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Powis, Elizabeth Herbert, Marchioness of 1630s births 1691 deaths Court of James II of England Daughters of British marquesses English marchionesses Governesses to the English Royal Household Ladies of the Bedchamber