Frances Tyrrel was an seventeenth-century English courtier. Eliz bohemia 2

She was a daughter of

Edward Tyrrell Sir Edward Tyrrell (1551 – 29 January 1606) was an English politician who sat in the House of Commons from 1604 to 1606, as the Member of Parliament for Buckingham. He served as High Sheriff of Buckinghamshire from 1595–96. Early life Tyrrel ...

of Thornton and Margaret, daughter of John Aston, and widow of Thomas Egerton of

Walgrave Walgrave is a village and civil parish in West Northamptonshire, England. At the time of the 2001 census, the parish's population was 822 people, increasing to 868 at the 2011 Census. The village's name means 'Old's grove'. The village of O ...

. Her sister Bridget married the author William Sanderson or Saunderson. She was brought up in the household of Princess Elizabeth, daughter of

James VI and I James VI and I (James Charles Stuart; 19 June 1566 – 27 March 1625) was King of Scotland as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the Scottish and English crowns on 24 March 1603 until ...

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 The monarchy of the United Kingdom, commonly referred to as the British monarchy, is the constitutional fo ...

. She was connected to the

Harington family Harrington (or Harington) may refer to: People as a surname *Harrington (surname) People as a forename *Arthur Raikes (Arthur Edward Harington Raikes, 1867–1915), British army officer *Charles Harrington Elster, American writer *Edward Joseph ...

, who had charge of the Princess at

Coombe Abbey Coombe Abbey is a hotel which has been developed from a historic grade I listed building and former country house. It is located at Combe Fields in the Borough of Rugby, roughly midway between Coventry and Brinklow in the countryside of Warwicksh ...

particularly through her uncle Sir Charles Montagu. After Elizabeth married Frederick V of the Palatinate in 1613, she went with them to

Heidelberg Heidelberg (; Palatine German language, Palatine German: ''Heidlberg'') is a city in the States of Germany, German state of Baden-Württemberg, situated on the river Neckar in south-west Germany. As of the 2016 census, its population was 159,914 ...

. Tyrrell left Elizabeth's service in 1615 and travelled to London. King James discovered that she had a set of 22 ruby studded buttons which Elizabeth had given to her, and made enquiries. Elizabeth explained in a letter to

Ralph Winwood Sir Ralph Winwood (c. 1563 – 27 October 1617) was an English diplomat and statesman to the Jacobean court. Early life Ralph Winwood was born the son of Richard Winwood at Aynhoe in Northamptonshire, and was educated at St John's College, O ...

that she had given Tyrrell the buttons in recompense for her service. They had been a gift to her from Anne of Denmark at York in 1603, in exchange for a chain of pearls that her father had sent. Elizabeth thought the ruby buttons were worth £300, and she offered to take the buttons back and give Tyrrell the money instead.

George Calvert George Calvert, 1st Baron Baltimore (; 1580 – 15 April 1632), was an English politician and colonial administrator. He achieved domestic political success as a member of parliament and later Secretary of State under King James I. He lost m ...

brought the buttons back to Heidelberg. These were perhaps the ruby flowers or knots depicted on Elizabeth's portrait by Robert Peake. The rubies may have belonged to

Mary, Queen of Scots Mary, Queen of Scots (8 December 1542 – 8 February 1587), also known as Mary Stuart or Mary I of Scotland, was Queen of Scotland from 14 December 1542 until her forced abdication in 1567. The only surviving legitimate child of James V of Scot ...

, who had a set of 24 ruby and diamond rose buttons as a girl in France, and another set of 71 ruby buttons of two sizes. Both sets of buttons were in

Edinburgh Castle Edinburgh Castle is a historic castle in Edinburgh, Edinburgh, Scotland. It stands on Castle Rock (Edinburgh), Castle Rock, which has been occupied by humans since at least the Iron Age, although the nature of the early settlement is unclear. ...

in 1579.

Marriage and family

Frances Tyrrell married Edward Broughton of Marchweil near

Wrexham Wrexham ( ; cy, Wrecsam; ) is a city and the administrative centre of Wrexham County Borough in Wales. It is located between the Welsh mountains and the lower Dee Valley, near the border with Cheshire in England. Historically in the count ...

. They remained in touch with Elizabeth and her lady-in-waiting Elizabeth Dudley, Countess of Löwenstein. The Countess of Löwenstein assured them that Elizabeth of Bohemia "will never doubt the affection of the worthy Welsh men for she knows they are honest and Brave Men". The Countess apologised for not visiting her at Marchweil in 1632, and Elizabeth wrote that she chided her for the omission. In June 1633 Lady Broughton suggested sending her sister to serve Elizabeth, but Elizabeth declined. Their eight children included:Alfred Neobard Palmer, 'Broughtons of Marchweil', ''Y Cymmrodor'', 14 (1901), p. 49. * Edward Broughton (died 1665)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Tyrrell, Frances Household of Elizabeth Stuart, Queen of Bohemia 17th-century English women