The Death of Margaret Russell, Countess of Cumberland - 24 May 1616
- thedudleywomen
- May 24, 2024
- 8 min read
Updated: Mar 28
!['Miniature portrait of a lady' - detail [known to be Margaret Clifford, Countess of Cumberland]' by Laurence Hilliard c.1610-40 © Victoria and Albert Museum, London](https://static.wixstatic.com/media/ed9b82_24b5af047b674979b77a515753bde530~mv2.jpg/v1/fill/w_786,h_922,al_c,q_85,enc_avif,quality_auto/ed9b82_24b5af047b674979b77a515753bde530~mv2.jpg)
Margaret Russell was the youngest child, and third daughter of Francis Russell, 2nd Earl of Bedford and his first wife Margaret St John. According to the 1646 portrait 'The Great Picture' (Google Arts & Culture, 2024), she was born on 07 July 1560 in 'her father's house in the Citty of Exeter', just two years before the premature death of her mother, Margaret, Countess of Bedford, in August 1562 during the Smallpox epidemic that ravished England that summer, and which left the queen, Elizabeth I, critically ill in October.
Margaret grew up away from court, initially at Lilford, Northampton, and later at Woburn Abbey, Bedfordshire. However, by the New Year 1577, aged sixteen, Margaret had joined her stepmother Bridget Hussey, Countess of Bedford, at the Royal Court, along with her older sister Elizabeth, and their two step-sisters Jane and Elizabeth Morrison; the women are some of the twenty-seven 'dames of court' referred to by poet George Gascoigne, in his poem 'The Vanities of Beauty', written as a New Year's gift to Elizabeth I. A few months later, on 24 June 1577, Margaret was married to George Clifford, 3rd Earl of Cumberland, her father's previous ward, in a union previously arranged by their respective families, at St Mary Overie's, Southwark, with the queen being in attendance (Williamson, 1922; Folgerpedia, 2024).
In the early years of their marriage, there is clear evidence of a deep love and affection held by George towards his wife. In all his correspondence, he addresses letters to "my sweet Meg" and "my Dear Love", with promises including "yours from all others". By the end however, their union had turned sour, with reports of extravagance, debts, arrogance and infidelity, with the couple formally separating and living separately in the latter years of the marriage, with expectations for the Earl to provide financial support for his estranged wife and only surviving child However, the pair did continue to present as a united couple at formal events, including at the funeral of Elizabeth I in March 1603, and the coronation of James I and his wife Anna of Denmark later in the year, July 1603, as the Earl and Countess of Cumberland (Williamson, 1922).
The couple first had two sons, Francis and Robert; however, both boys died at the age of five, leaving their youngest child and only daughter Anne, born in January 1590 as their only heir. Margaret and Anne shared a close and loving relationship throughout their lives, as well as with Margaret's eldest sister Anne Russell, Countess of Warwick, prior to her death in February 1604. Despite joining the new queen's household at a young age, and being married at just 16-years-old, the elder Anne was known to have taken on a maternal role following the premature death of her mother, the Countess of Bedford, in caring for and acting in the best interests of her six younger siblings, including Margaret. Despite remaining childless, this maternal nature continued to be applied to her nieces and nephews, with Anne (and husband Ambrose Dudley, 3rd Earl of Warwick) being appointed the legal guardian of her underage nephew Edward Russell, future 4th Earl of Bedford on his father's death, as well as her niece Lady Anne Clifford writing about accompanying her aunt to court prior to the queen's death in 1603 (Clifford, 2003; Google Arts & Culture, 2024).
Following George Clifford's death in 1605, in conjunction with the new Jacobean monarchy, which held little place for older ladies of the Elizabethan court (as Margaret had been), the Countess of Cumberland appears to have relocated north. Despite the longstanding legal issues faced in regards to her late husband's will and subsequently her daughter's rightful inheritance, she was able to keep possession of Brougham Castle. Margaret made this her primary residence, and started to make renovations to the castle, whilst daughter Anne remained in the south; she married Richard Sackville, 3rd Earl of Dorset in February 1609, whose primary residences were Dorset House, on The Strand, Westminster, and Knole House, Kent. The Countess's last visit to London appears to have come in July 1614, when she travelled down from Brougham for the birth of her first grandchild, a girl whom her daughter gave her own dear mother's name: Margaret (Williamson, 1922).
Anne was a prolific diarist from childhood, and wrote about her mother's illness and her subsequent death in her 'Day-To-Day- books, in which she described this event as "the greatest and most lamentable Cross that could have befallen me" (Clifford, 2003, pg. 37).
Anne wrote about her last visit to Margaret at Brougham in March 1616, which she subsequently reflected on in her final days, exactly sixty years later, whilst she lay dying in the same room that her mother had been. She had made the decision to visit her mother to consult her on matters relating to her ongoing inheritance battle. Anne documented her journey north, leaving her London home, 'Little Dorsett House', on 21 February, and making her way through the various counties, initially accompanied by her husband as far as Burton-upon-Trent in Staffordshire. She wrote that she finally arrived at Brougham and 'to my Blessed Mother' on 06 March 1616, making the final leg from an inn at Kendal, a market town approximately twenty-five miles south of the castle (Williamson, 1922). Anne wrote that during this visit, as well as consulting her mother as she had intended, she met with local gentleman and extended family members, in an attempt to continue to stake her inheritance claim, conceiving that one day her father's will would be challenged and the Northern 'Cumberland' estates would be rightfully hers (Clifford, 2003).
Anne documented that her leaving Brougham and her mother for the final time, on 02 April 1616, which she called a "grevious & heavy Parting" (Clifford, ed. 2003; p.32). She later wrote that Margaret 'sickened' on 17 April 1616, "being taken with a cold chillness in the manner of an Ague which after wards turned to great heats and pains in her side, so as when she was opened in was plain to see she had an Imposthume" that being an abscess (Clifford, 2003, p.33). However, Anne only received word of her mother's grave illness on 09 May 1616, when she had returned to Knole House, only then being aware that she was close to death, and so being unable to return back to her.
Margaret wrote her will on 27 April 1616, knowing that her time was limited, as she reflects that she is gravely ill. Her primary concern is the payment of debts, which she acknowledges is in part due to not receiving sufficient funds from her husband for her upkeep prior to his death. Margaret also attempts to make provisions for Anne's ongoing legal pursuit of her inheritance battle, whilst requesting the completion of almshouses. Regarding her burial, Margaret documented that she wished to be buried wherever her "dear and noble sole daughter and heire" Anne should decide was appropriate (Williamson, 1922, p.40).
Anne remained at Knole throughout May, although was in regular communication with others regarding Margaret's health, reflecting that her mother must be critically ill if she was unable to write to her herself (Williamson, 1922). She was informed of an apparent improvement in Margaret's health, before. a letter reached Anne on 29 May 1616, confirming that her mother had succumbed to her illness on 24 May 1616, "between the hours of 6 and 9 at night" (Clifford, 2003, p37). Anne also documented in her diaries that Margaret had passed away in the same room in Brougham Castle that her father had been born in back in 1558; this was also coincidentally the same room that Anne herself died in 60 years later, on 22 March 1676 (Williamson, 1922).
Following news of her mother's death, Anne made arrangements, initially moving from Knole back to Dorset House, and then heading north to Brougham Castle. on 01 July 1616. Prior to this she had communications regarding the inheritance (of Brougham Castle and Appleby), as well as burial arrangements. Whilst it was confirmed that Margaret's requests were outlined in her will, but a letter was later received which confirmed "it was my Mother's pleasure her Body should be convey'd to what place I appointed which was some contentment to be aggrieved Soul" (Clifford, 2003, p.38).
The decision was made by Anne for Margaret to be interred in the church of St Lawrence in Appleby-in-Westmoreland, approximately twelve miles south-east from Brougham Castle. This decision was made in part due to the ongoing inheritance struggles, including financial implications,. Anne also documented that on the day of the funeral there was some initial obstacles regarding her planned burial. However, it went ahead as planned on 11 July 1616, with Anne giving a description in her diary (Clifford, 2003, p. 41):
"About 8 we set forward, the Body going in my Lady's own Coach with 4 Horses, & myself following it in my own Coach...so as there were about 40 in the Company, & we came to Appleby about 1./2 an hour after eleven, & about 12 the Body was put into the Ground. About 3 o'clock in the morning we came home..."
When she finally came in to her inheritance in 1643, following the death of her cousin Henry Clifford, 5th Earl of Cumberland, Anne commemorated her mother, along with other important and influential immediate and close family members (including the previously mentioned maternal aunt Anne, Countess of Warwick), by commissioning the 1646 composite portrait 'The Great Picture' (Google Arts & Culture, 2024). See 'The Dudley Women' Blog Post: Lady Anne Clifford and 'The Great Picture', 1646 for more details.
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