Elizabeth Parish

From 1785, she worked for the Bowes-Lyon family again, as governess for Mary Eleanor's daughter Anna Maria Bowes, who escaped her custody and eloped in 1788.

[12][13] From 1757, Planta worked for the Bowes-Lyon family as governess to eight-year-old Mary Eleanor Bowes;[14] in the same year her father was engaged as the child's French teacher.

[17] During this time, the influence of the Planta family (both Elizabeth and her father Andrew) may have started Mary Eleanor's lifelong interest in botany.

[15] After the Earl of Strathmore and Kinghorne's 1776 death, Planta and the children lived in St Paul's Walden Bury, while Bowes stayed in London to be with her lover George Gray.

[25] Afraid that Planta, who had become suspicious of her affair with Gray and possibly her pregnancy and abortion of a child conceived with her lover before her husband had died, could mention this to her mother or the Strathmore family, Bowes dismissed her from service with a generous payoff of £2000 in July 1776.

[26][22] As reason for the dismissal she cited bad behaviour and deceit as well as poor treatment of her children by Planta, but there is no evidence of any wrongdoing on the part of the governess.

[22] In her Confessions, Bowes later described the situation, referring to Planta by her married name, Parish: "Mrs Parish had displeased me so much, and, apt as I am to be disposed on, had shewn such proofs of a dirty interestedness, that I determined to part with her; but, as she had lived with, and partly educated me so many years, was resolved it should be on good terms; therefore, I resolved to raise 2000 pounds by any means, the first money I expended.

[32] In November, reverend Henry Stephens was hired as tutor to Bowes's younger children, and ten days after eloped with Eliza, who was pregnant at the time.

[34] Lyon placed Bowes's daughter Anna Maria in Parish's care, nine years after her previous dismissal, with the intention to keep her independent spirit under control.

[38] However, she failed to notice her charge's exchange of love letters with Henry Jessop, a young lawyer living opposite of her who was in debt.

The first volume, clearly marked with both Parish's birth and married name, contains 34 items of vocal music including 18 compositions by Maurice Greene.