Frances MEAUTYS

(V. Bindon)

Born: 1542

Died: AFT 1600

Father: Peter MEWTAS (Sir)

Mother: Jane ASHLEY

Married 1: Henry HOWARD (2º V. Bindon) 10 Feb 1566, London, England

Children:

1. Douglas HOWARD

Married 2: Edmund STANSFIELD BEF 2 Jun 1595

Daughter of Sir Peter Mewtas (d. 1562) and Jane Ashley, both of whom served at the court of Henry VIII. The couple had a child who was baptized in Feb 1539. This was probably their son Henry, or perhaps their daughter Frances. Jane and Peter Mewtas had at least two other sons, Thomas and Hercules, of whom Hercules was their youngest.

Frances was at court, probably as a maid of honor, from 1558-1565, as her sister Cecily may also have been.

She was courted by Edward Seymour, Earl of Hertford, before he made a secret marriage to Catherine Grey in 1561. On 10 Feb 1566, she married Henry Howard, 2nd Viscount Howard of Bindon, by whom she had a daughter, Douglas. Lord Bindon was insane. He was also a pirate who had little fear of who he attacked and this included his wife Frances.

Henry was imprisoned in 1580 for just a month and Queen Elizabeth I took in Frances as lady in waiting. The Queen sent a messenger to collect Frances. He was her brother, an effete individual named Hercules Meautys, and was accompanied by John Strangways, Sheriff of Dorset. Strangways reported much abusive behaviour from Henry Howard who was only too pleased to see the back of his wife, referring to her as a "filthy and porky whore".

After Bindon death, Frances married Edmund Stansfield. They were married before 2 Jun 1595.

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