THE first wife of Sir Thomas Thynne, daughter and co-heir of Lord Audley, by Lucia, daughter and heir of Sir James Mervin of Fonthill. Strange enough, there had been a negotiation of marriage between Miss Mervin and Sir John Thynne, father of Sir Thomas. We are not told why the owner of Longleat disapproved of the match for his son, but the families were destined to be united.
Maria, Lady Thynne, had five children,—John, who died unmarried; Thomas, seated at Richmond in Surrey, died v.p.; James, who succeeded his father; and two daughters,—Stuart, married to Sir Edward Bayntun of Bromham Bayntun, county Wilts, and Elizabeth, married to John Hall of Bradford, in the same county.
The reason assigned for Lady Thynne having sat for her portrait in an interesting, rather than a becoming condition, is as follows: she had a dream that she should not survive her confinement, and told her husband, if he wished to possess a picture of her no time must be lost. It is possible that her fears may have hastened the event, for the story goes that the foreboding was fulfilled at the appointed time, but we have only family tradition as our authority.
No. 43.
CATHARINE HOWARD, THE HONOURABLE
LADY THYNNE.
By Mytens.
DIED 1650.