A Latin inscription at St Mary's Church, Twickenham records her close friendship with Lucy, Countess of Bedford, her appointment to the queen's privy chamber, her marriage and death on 4 May 1609.
[7] Epitaphs were composed by John Donne; "Man is the world, and death the ocean",[8] Francis Beaumont "As unthrifts groan in strawe for their Pawned beds", and others.
[10] The poem begins by addressing Death and describing the passage of Markham's soul: John Donne's poem alludes to Markham's mortal remains, her 'flesh' refined by her death like Chinese porcelain clay in an alembic to reveal the precious stones that comprise her soul: But as the tide doth wash the slimy beach,And leaves embroidered works upon the sand,So is her flesh refined by death's cold hand.As men of China, after an age's stayDo take up porcelain, where they buried clay;So at this grave, her limbeck, which refinesThe diamonds, rubies, sapphires, pearls, and mines,Of which this flesh was, her soul shall inspireFlesh of such stuff, as God, when his last fireAnnuls this world, to recompense it, shall,Make and name then, th'elixir of this all.
She gave her sister Anne Harington, Lady Foljambe, a locket with a picture of the Countess of Bedford, and her latest husband Sir John Molyneux of Teversal was made her administrator.
She wanted three memento mori rings with "death's heads" bought as gifts for Sir Henry Carey, the poet Benjamin Rudyerd, and John Gill.
[19] Her daughter Frances or "Frank" Markham (1599-1614) was brought up by the Countess of Bedford, but died at Exton Hall in Rutland in September 1614, two months before her wedding.