Catherine MANNERS

Born: Jul 1539, Belvoir Castle, Leicesterhire, England

Died: 9 Mar 1572

Buried: Rayne, Essex, England

Father: Thomas MANNERS (1° E. Rutland)

Mother: Eleanor PASTON (C. Rutland)

Married: Henry CAPELL (Sir Sheriff of Essex) AFT 16 Aug 1543

Children:

1. William CAPELL

2. Arthur CAPELL (Sir Sheriff of Hertfordshire)

3. Frances CAPELL

4. Edward CAPELL (b. 4 Mar 1558)

5. John CAPELL (b. 2 Jun 1560 - d. 10 Nov 1633)

6. Gamaliel CAPELL

7. Agnes CAPELL (b. 1 Jan 1562)

8. Frances CAPELL

9. Anne CAPELL

10. Robert CAPELL (b. 19 Feb 1567)

11. Mary CAPELL


Youngest daughter of Thomas Manners, 1st Earl of Rutland, and Eleanor Paston. Sister of Gertrude, Henry, Anne, Elizabeth, Sir John, Frances, Roger, Sir Thomas, Oliver, and Isabel. Catherine was thus a great-granddaughter of Anne of York, the elder sister of Edward IV and Richard III.

On 28 Apr 1539 Gertrude Manners married George Talbot at Holywell, the Rutlands' London residence. Only a week after the wedding, Eleanor Paston wrote Lady Lisle that she was "so big with child" that she would soon depart for Belvoir Castle. In the event, she did not leave until mid-Jun, about a month before she gave birth. Catherine was born at Belvoir Castle in Jul. She was named for Catherine, Duchess of Suffolk. Margaret Dymoke, Lady Coffin sent a gift after the child's birth. Some years later, Lady Coffin married the Catherine’s uncle, Sir Richard Manners, as her third husband.

Thomas Manners, in his last will, dated 16 Aug 1543 (printed in "Testamenta Vetusta" ii. 719), left his three daughters, Elizabeth, Frances and Catherine, 60 £ a year each, for their exhibition and finding till such time as they shall be married, and toward their marriage 1000 £ each.

She married Sir Henry Capell of Raines Hall, whose uncle, also Henry Capell, had married Catherine's aunt, Anne Manners.

She was at court during the reign of Mary Tudor. In Mar 1556, Henry and Catherine brought charges against the wife of a London innkeeper, although no details of the case survive. In 1561, when the Duchess of Suffolk had smallpox, Catherine sent a bed to the Barbican for her use.

Some sources says that her daughters Frances and Anne were twins. The first married John Shurley, MP, and the last to Robert Chester and Thomas Westrow. Mary Capell married Humphrey Mildmay. Her eldest son Arthur became Sheriff of Hertfordshire, and the younger, Gamaliel, was a member of Parliament.

The inscription on a brass in old Rayne Church said:


"Heare lyeth buried y´ lady Katherin one of the doughters of ye right honoable S' Thomas Manners Knight late lorde Roos Earle of Rutlande and of the lady Elizabeth his wief doughter of Sr William Paston decessed and late wife of Henry Capell Esquier son'e & heier aparant of Sir Edward Capell Knight & Anne his wief doughter of Sir William Pellam Knight w´ said Henry Capell & lady Kathryn had issue of their bodies thes χ children sixe son'es and iiii doughters whose names w' ye dies of their birthes hereafter foloweth, viz., William borne 14 Septebris 1556 and died Arthur 9 Januarii 1557 Edward 4 Martii 1558 John 5 Junii 1560 Gamalell ν Jauuarii 1561 Agnes i Januarii 1562 Fraunces 18 Martii 1564 Anne 8 Junii 1566 Robert 19 Februarii 1567 Mary 26 Januarii 1569 wche Lady Katheryn dyed 9 Martii 1572. Heare lyeth also buried the sayd Henry Capell Esqire who died the daye of..." (date not filled in, as this brass was made before he died)

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