Elizabeth Moleyns (born 1563) was an English courtier. She was the daughter of Sir Thomas Southwell (d. 1568) of

Woodrising, Norfolk Woodrising is a village and former civil parish, now in the parish of Cranworth, in the Breckland district, in the county of Norfolk, England. The village of Woodrising is south of Dereham. In 1931 the parish had a population of 103. The parish ...

and his third wife

Nazareth Newton Nazareth or Nazaret Newton (died 1583) was a courtier and lady-in-waiting. Nazareth Newton was the youngest daughter of Sir John Newton (d. 1568) of East Harptree, Somerset, and Barrs Court, Gloucestershire, and Margaret, daughter of Sir Anthony ...

. She was a half-sister of Vice Admiral Robert Southwell. Elizabeth Southwell was a Maid of Honour to Queen Elizabeth. There may be some confusion among ladies in waiting to Elizabeth and

Anne of Denmark Anne of Denmark (; 12 December 1574 – 2 March 1619) was the wife of King James VI and I; as such, she was Queen of Scotland from their marriage on 20 August 1589 and Queen of England and Ireland from the union of the Scottish and Eng ...

called "Mistress Southwell", including her niece Elizabeth Southwell who ran away from court and married Robert Dudley. This Mistress Southwell came to court in January 1600, as a replacement for

Margaret Radclyffe Margaret Ratcliffe or Radcliffe or Radclyffe (1575-1599) was an English courtier. Career She was a maid of honour to Queen Elizabeth. She is sometimes confused with an older courtier, colleague, and cousin Mary Radcliffe, since both were known a ...

, and Rowland Whyte noted she would be sworn in as a maid of honour, "My Lady Newton having sought it for her daughter". (Nazareth Newton was her aunt, not her mother). Elizabeth Dudley's mother was another "Mistress Southwell" at court,

Elizabeth Howard, Countess of Carrick Elizabeth Howard (1564—1646) was an English aristocrat and courtier to Elizabeth I of England. She was a daughter of Charles Howard, 1st Earl of Nottingham and Catherine Carey. She was a maid of honour and lady in waiting to Queen Elizabeth I, ...

, the widow of Elizabeth Moleyns' brother

Sir Robert Southwell Sir Robert Southwell PRS (31 December 1635 – 11 September 1702) was a diplomat. He was Secretary of State for Ireland and President of the Royal Society from 1690. Background and education Robert Southwell was born near Kinsale in County ...

. Southwell was a mistress of

Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, KG, PC (; 10 November 1565 – 25 February 1601) was an English nobleman and a favourite of Queen Elizabeth I. Politically ambitious, and a committed general, he was placed under house arrest following ...

and in 1591 mother of Walter Devereux. Her pregnancy and absence from court was disguised as a "lameness in her leg". For a while Thomas Vavasour pretended to be the father, to protect the reputation of the queen's favourite, but Queen Elizabeth discovered the facts in May 1595. She married Sir Barentine Moleyns of Clapcot near Wallingford in 1599. Moleyns, who was younger than his wife, was said to be notorious for his ugliness and was a veteran soldier weakened by his injuries. Rowland Whyte mentioned that "Lady Moleyns, she that was Mistress Southwell, the maid" came to the christening of Barbara Sidney, daughter of Sir Robert Sidney and Barbara Gamage, in December 1599 in the company of Anne St John, Lady Effingham. She had a son,

Michael Molyns Michael Molyns (born 1602) was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons in 1625. Molyns was the son of Sir Barentyne Molyns of Clapcot (now in the parish of Brightwell-cum-Sotwell, Oxfordshire) and Elizabeth Southwell daughter of T ...

.Alan Davidson, 'MOLYNS, Michael, of Clapcot', ''The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1604-1629'', ed. Andrew Thrush and John P. Ferris, 2010

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Moleyns, Elizabeth British maids of honour 16th-century English women 1563 births

Elizabeth Elizabeth or Elisabeth may refer to: People * Elizabeth (given name), a female given name (including people with that name) * Elizabeth (biblical figure), mother of John the Baptist Ships * HMS ''Elizabeth'', several ships * ''Elisabeth'' (sch ...