Elisabeth Brooke, Marchioness of Northampton

Her aunt and namesake, Elizabeth Brooke, was notorious as her husband, Sir Thomas Wyatt, had left her after he discovered her adultery.

The day after Katherine Howard was condemned to death for adultery, the Imperial ambassador wrote that Henry was paying particular attention to the elder Elizabeth Brooke, and that 'she had wit enough to do as badly as the others if she wished.'

Elisabeth became involved with Parr around the time that the King chose William's sister, Katherine, to be his sixth wife, and the relationship quickly became common knowledge.

Elisabeth was sent to live in Chelsea with Katherine Parr, whose household also included Princess Elizabeth and Lady Jane Grey.

In the meantime, Katherine Parr had married the Protector's brother, Sir Thomas Seymour, and she died in September 1548, reducing Northampton's influence.

Francis Van der Delft, the Imperial ambassador, wrote to the Emperor in February 1548 that Parr ‘was obliged by the command of the Council to put her away and never speak to her again on pain of death…he is only spoken of secretly and does not show himself at court’.

[6] In 1549, a political coup ousted Somerset and replaced him with Northampton’s close friend, John Dudley, 1st Duke of Northumberland, and on 31 March 1551, a private bill was passed in Parliament annulling Parr’s marriage to Anne Bourchier and accepting Elisabeth Brooke as his legal wife.

[8] Their expenditure records show the Northamptons’ love of socialising and sports; their gambling at cards, bear baiting and more cultured events such as plays and musical performances.

Five years later, Northampton married a young Swedish noblewoman, Helena Snakenborg who had travelled with Princess Cecilia of Sweden on a diplomatic mission.