Elizabeth Herbert, Dowager 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, Knight of the Garter, KG, Privy Council of England, 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 ...

. 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 ...

, 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 t ...

, 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 * Lady Frances Herbert, who married

Kenneth Mackenzie, 4th Earl of Seaforth Kenneth Mackenzie, 4th Earl of Seaforth, KT, PC (S) ( bapt. 8 December 1661 – January 1701) was a Scottish peer and Jacobite supporter, known as Lord Mackenzie of Kintail from birth until 1678. Life Mackenzie was the eldest son of Kenn ...

, and had children *Lady Mary Herbert (died 1744), who married three times *

William Herbert, 2nd Marquess of Powis William Herbert, 2nd Marquess of Powis DL ( – 22 October 1745) was an English peer and Jacobite supporter. Early life Herbert was born in .G.E. Cokayne; with Vicary Gibbs, H.A. Doubleday, Geoffrey H. White, Duncan Warrand and Lord Howard de ...

(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 painter, mainly of portraits in the Baroque style. Born and raised in London, Wright trained in Edinburgh under the Scots painter George Jamesone, and sometimes described himself as Scot ...

, is held in the

Powis Castle Powis Castle () is a medieval castle, fortress and grand country house near Welshpool, in Powys, Wales. The seat of the Herbert family, Herbert family, earls of Powis, the castle is known for its formal gardens and for its interiors, the former ...

collection.

Popish Plot

She was

Lady of the Bedchamber Lady of the Bedchamber is the title of a lady-in-waiting holding the official position of personal attendant on a British queen regnant or queen consort. The position is traditionally held by the wife of a peer. A lady of the bedchamber would gi ...

Catherine of Braganza Catherine of Braganza (; 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, King Charles II, which la ...

, 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 King of Ireland, Ireland from the 1660 Restoration of the monarchy until his death in 1685. Charles II was the eldest su ...

. 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 assassinat ...

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 was the Baptis ...

, 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 citadel and castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamle ...

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", "rat", "canary", "stool pigeon", "stoolie", "tout" or "grass", among other terms) is a person who provides privileged information, or (usually damaging) information inten ...

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 (: midwives) is a health professional who cares for mothers and Infant, newborns around childbirth, a specialisation known as midwifery. The education and training for a midwife concentrates extensively on the care of women throughou ...

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 Marquess of Powis, William Herbert, 1st Earl of Powis. He had already succeeded his father as third Baron Powis in 1667 and had been created ...

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

James II and VII James II and VII (14 October 1633 – 16 September 1701) was King of England and Monarchy of Ireland, Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII from the death of his elder brother, Charles II of England, Charles II, on 6 February 1 ...

, 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 The Jacobite peerage includes those peerages created by James II and VII, and the subsequent Jacobite pretenders, after James's deposition from the thrones of England, Scotland and Ireland following the Glorious Revolution of 1688. These creati ...

. 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 (; ) was List of English royal consorts, Queen of England, List of Scottish royal consorts, Scotland and Ireland as the second wife of James VII and II. A devout Catholic, Roman Catholic, Mary married the widower James, who was t ...

, and as Royal Governess to

James, Prince of Wales James Francis Edward Stuart (10 June 16881 January 1766), nicknamed the Old Pretender by Whigs or the King over the Water by Jacobites, was the House of Stuart claimant to the thrones of England, Ireland and Scotland from 1701 until ...

, 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 First Ladies of the Bedchamber

Elizabeth Elizabeth or Elisabeth may refer to: People * Elizabeth (given name), a female given name (including people with that name) * Empress Elisabeth (disambiguation), lists various empresses named ''Elisabeth'' or ''Elizabeth'' * Princess Elizabeth ...

Ladies of the Bedchamber