Grace Mildmay

[1] Originally from Wiltshire, she married Sir Anthony Mildmay in 1567 and moved to Apethorpe Palace, his father's home in Northamptonshire.

[1] Mistress Hamblyn taught strong puritan values, as well as some medical knowledge including basic surgery.

[3] Sir Anthony was often away at court, and later in France; Lady Mildmay stayed at Apethorpe and filled her time with religious devotions, music and medical practice.

One balm apparently contained 159 different seeds, roots, spices and gums, as well as 13 pounds of sugar and nuts, and over 8 gallons of oil, wine and vinegar.

[3] The Mildmays experienced financial difficulties during their marriage, in part because of debt incurred by Sir Anthony's political and military activities.

[3] According to Lady Mildmay's memoirs, Olive and other family members had convinced Sir Henry to change his will, reducing Grace's share.

Her husband later quarrelled with his brother Humphrey over their inheritance, and for a long time the couple lived with the worry that Sir Anthony would predecease his father.

[citation needed] Lady Mildmay's autobiography—one of the earliest by an English woman still in existence[1][3]—was written in italic script with revisions and corrections in secretary hand.

The inscription on her monument in St Leonards reads; "Here also lyeth Grace, Lady Mildmay, the only wife of the said Anthony Mildmay, one of the heirs of Sir Henry Sharington, knight of Lacock, in the County of Wiltshire, who lived 50 years married to him, and three years a widow after him; she was most devout, unspotteddly chaste maid, wife, and widow; compassionate in heart, and charitably helpful with physic, clothes, nourishment, orcounsels to any in misery.