Elizabeth Richardson, 1st Lady Cramond facts for kids

Elizabeth Richardson, also known as the 1st Lady Cramond, was an English writer. She lived from about 1576 or 1577 to 1651. She is best known for the special prayer books she wrote. She was also a "peeress," which means she held a noble title.

Early Life and First Marriage

Elizabeth Beaumont was born in 1576 or 1577. She was the oldest child of Sir Thomas Beaumont and his wife, Catherine. Her uncle was Huntingdon Beaumont.

On November 27, 1594, Elizabeth married John Ashburnham. They were married in Stoughton, Leicestershire. John Ashburnham became a knight in 1604. Together, they had ten children. One of their sons was also named John Ashburnham (MP). Their daughter, Elizabeth, married Frederick Cornwallis, 1st Baron Cornwallis.

Influence at Court

When Sir John Ashburnham died in 1620, his family faced money problems. However, Lady Ashburnham had a lot of influence at the royal court. This was because she was a cousin of Mary Villiers, Countess of Buckingham. Mary Villiers was the mother of George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham. He was a favorite of King James I.

Lady Ashburnham used her connections to help her family. In 1627, she helped her son-in-law, Edward Dering, get a special title called a "baronetcy." A baronet is a noble rank, below a baron but above a knight. Letters from that time show she enjoyed spending time with important people. These included Katherine Villiers, the Duchess of Buckingham, and Lady Carlisle. She also spent time with Queen Henrietta Maria.

Second Marriage and Noble Title

On December 14, 1626, Lady Ashburnham married Sir Thomas Richardson. He later became a very important judge, the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales. They were married in St Giles in the Fields.

Because of her new husband's influence, Elizabeth received her own noble title. On February 29, 1628, she became Lady Cramond. This title was part of the Peerage of Scotland. This meant she was a Scottish noblewoman. She was also given a yearly payment, called a pension, of £300. This payment was for the rest of her life.

Her Writings

Lady Cramond was a writer. She is known for her collection of prayers called A Ladies Legacie to her Daughters. She wrote this book in three parts. The parts were written in 1625, 1635, and 1645. She had started writing even earlier. In 1606, she wrote Instructions for my children or any other Christian.

Later Life and Family

Lady Cramond passed away in 1651. She was buried next to her first husband on April 3, 1651. Her burial place was at St Andrew, Holborn.

Her noble title, Lady Cramond, passed to her step-grandson. This was because her stepson had died before her. Her step-grandson was Thomas Richardson. She was also the grandmother of Charles Cornwallis, 2nd Baron Cornwallis.