Frances Newton, Lady Cobham (1539 – 17 October 1592) was an English aristocratic woman who served Queen Elizabeth I of England as a Lady of the Bedchamber, and was one of her closest female friends.[1]
She was the second wife of Sir William Brooke, 10th Baron Cobham.
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Frances was born in 1539, one of the 19 children of Sir John Newton, Knight, of Barr's Court, Gloucestershire and East Harptree, Somerset, who lived in Gloucestershire and died before November 1568 with will probated on 17 November. Her mother was Margaret Poyntz, a daughter of Sir Anthony Poyntz and Elizabeth Huddersfield. Sir John Newton's surname was originally Cradock and he was of Welsh origin.
Frances entered the service of Elizabeth Tudor before 1558, and following the latter's accession to the English throne as Queen Elizabeth I, she continued in her service, becoming one of her Ladies of the Bedchamber.[2] Later in Elizabeth's reign, Frances's sister, Katherine also entered the Queen's service.[3]
On 25 February 1560 at Westminster Palace, Westminster, London,[4] Frances married Sir William Brooke, 10th Baron Cobham, whose first wife, Dorothy Neville had died, leaving him one daughter.
Upon her marriage, Frances was styled Lady Cobham as her husband had succeeded to the title of Baron Cobham two years previously.
They made their home at the Brooke family seat Cobham Hall in Kent where Queen Elizabeth paid them a visit on 17 July 1560 during her summer progress,[5] and many years later on 4 September 1573.[6] Frances was one of the Queen's closest female friends, and Frances preferred to remain at court; however, she returned to Cobham Hall to give birth to her children.[7]
Together William Brooke and Frances had seven children:
Frances died on 17 October 1592 at Cobham Hall, Cobham, Kent, and was buried in the Cobham Parish Church.
In 1567, Frances was painted along with her husband, children and deceased sister-in-law Elizabeth Brooke in a Cobham family memorial portrait by the Master of the Countess of Warwick.