Lady Frances Brudenell

Lady Frances Brudenell (born before 1677, d. 23 February 1735/36), Countess of Newburgh, daughter of Francis Brudenell, Lord Brudenell and Lady Frances Savile.

She was famous for ruling "a social circle of tribades in Dublin" in the early 1730s, her primary lover being Lady Allen. She was herself bisexual.[1][2]

She was the subject of a debt action brought by an Oxford don, William King, who alleged she owed him several thousand pounds. He lost the case and in revenge, in 1732, wrote a satire against her, entitled "The Toast", which portrays her as "a promiscuous bisexual witch and lesbian named "Myra". It is notable for an early use of the word lesbian in the modern sense.[3]

She married twice, first to Charles Livingston, 2nd Earl of Newburgh (becoming Countess of Newburgh), then to Richard Bellew, 3rd Baron Bellew of Duleek (becoming Baroness Bellew of Duleek).[4]

She had several children including a daughter, Charlotte Maria Livingston (1694-1755), and a son, John Bellew, 4th Baron Bellew of Duleek (1702-1770).[4]

She died on 23 February 1735/36 in Dublin, Ireland, and was buried in St. Audoen's Church, Dublin.[4]

References

  1. ↑ Edward Shorter: Written in the flesh, a history of desire. 2005 p. 77
  2. ↑ Caroline Gonda, John C. Beynon: Lesbian dames, Sapphism in the long eighteenth century. 2010 p. 127
  3. ↑ Margaret Reynolds: The Sappic Companion. Palgrave Macmillan, 30 Jun 2002 p. 126
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 The Peerage

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