Biography of Elizabeth Pickering 1642-1728

In 1642 Elizabeth Pickering was born to Gilbert Pickering 1st Baronet (age 31) and Elizabeth Montagu (age 16).

Pepy's Diary. 19 Feb 1664. After dinner I to the office, where we should have met upon business extraordinary, but business not coming we broke up, and I thither again and took my wife; and taking a coach, went to visit my Ladys Jemimah and Paulina Montagu, and Mrs. Elizabeth Pickering (age 22), whom we find at their father's new house1 in Lincolne's Inn Fields; but the house all in dirt. They received us well enough; but I did not endeavour to carry myself over familiarly with them; and so after a little stay, there coming in presently after us my Lady Aberguenny (age 34) and other ladies, we back again by coach, and visited, my wife did, my she cozen Scott, who is very ill still, and thence to Jaggard's again, where a very good supper and great store of plate; and above all after supper Mrs. Jaggard did at my entreaty play on the Vyall, but so well as I did not think any woman in England could and but few Maisters, I must confess it did mightily surprise me, though I knew heretofore that she could play, but little thought so well.

Note 1. The Earl of Sandwich had just moved to a house in Lincoln's Inn Fields. Elizabeth Dickering (age 22), who afterwards married [her future husband] John Creed, was niece to [her uncle] Lord Sandwich (age 38).

Pepy's Diary. 23 Mar 1664. Thence home, and all the afternoon at the office, only for an hour in the evening my Lady Jemimah, Paulina, and Madam Pickering (age 22) come to see us, but my wife would not be seen, being unready. Very merry with them; they mightily talking of their thrifty living for a fortnight before their mother came to town, and other such simple talk, and of their merry life at Brampton, at my father's, this winter.

Pepy's Diary. 22 Jan 1665. Thence home, and in my wife's chamber dined very merry, discoursing, among other things, of a design I have come in my head this morning at church of making a match between Mrs. Betty Pickering (age 23) and Mr. Hill (age 35), my friend the merchant, that loves musique and comes to me a'Sundays, a most ingenious and sweet-natured and highly accomplished person. I know not how their fortunes may agree, but their disposition and merits are much of a sort, and persons, though different, yet equally, I think, acceptable.

Pepy's Diary. 25 Jan 1665. Up, and busy all the morning, dined at home upon a hare pye, very good meat, and so to my office again, and in the afternoon by coach to attend the Council at White Hall, but come too late, so back with Mr. Gifford, a merchant, and he and I to the Coffee-house, where I met Mr. Hill (age 35), and there he tells me that he is to be Assistant to the Secretary of the Prize Office (Sir Ellis Layton), which is to be held at Sir Richard Ford's (age 51), which, methinks, is but something low, but perhaps may bring him something considerable; but it makes me alter my opinion of his being so rich as to make a fortune for Mrs. Pickering (age 23).

Pepy's Diary. 03 Feb 1665. So home, and among other letters found one from Jane, that is newly gone, telling me how her mistresse won't pay her her Quarter's wages, and withal tells me how her mistress will have the boy sit 3 or 4 hours together in the dark telling of stories, but speaks of nothing but only her indiscretion in undervaluing herself to do it, but I will remedy that, but am vexed she should get some body to write so much because of making it publique. Then took coach and to visit my Lady Sandwich (age 40), where she discoursed largely to me her opinion of a match, if it could be thought fit by my Lord, for my Lady Jemimah, with Sir G. Carteret's (age 55) eldest son; but I doubt he hath yet no settled estate in land. But I will inform myself, and give her my opinion. Then Mrs. Pickering (age 23) (after private discourse ended, we going into the other room) did, at my Lady's command, tell me the manner of a masquerade1 before the King (age 34) and Court the other day. Where six women (my Baroness Castlemayne (age 24) and Duchesse of Monmouth being two of them) and six men (the Duke of Monmouth (age 15) and Lord Arran (age 25) and Monsieur Blanfort, being three of them) in vizards, but most rich and antique dresses, did dance admirably and most gloriously. God give us cause to continue the mirthe! So home, and after awhile at my office to supper and to bed.

Note 1. The masquerade at Court took place on the 2nd, and is referred to by Evelyn, who was present, in his Diary. Some amusing incidents connected with the entertainment are related in the "Grammont Memoirs (chapter vii.).

Pepy's Diary. 24 Apr 1665. After dinner alone, my Lady told me, with the prettiest kind of doubtfullnesse, whether it would be fit for her with respect to Creed to do it, that is, in the world, that Creed had broke his desire to her of being a servant to Mrs. Betty Pickering (age 23), and placed it upon encouragement which he had from some discourse of her ladyship, commending of her virtues to him, which, poor lady, she meant most innocently. She did give him a cold answer, but not so severe as it ought to have been; and, it seems, as the lady since to my Lady confesses, he had wrote a letter to her, which she answered slightly, and was resolved to contemn any motion of his therein. My Lady takes the thing very ill, as it is fit she should; but I advise her to stop all future occasions of the world's taking notice of his coming thither so often as of late he hath done. But to think that he should have this devilish presumption to aime at a lady so near to my Lord is strange, both for his modesty and discretion.

Pepy's Diary. 26 Apr 1665. Up very betimes, my cold continuing and my stomach sick with the buttered ale that I did drink the last night in bed, which did lie upon me till I did this morning vomitt it up. So walked to Povy's (age 51), where Creed met me, and there I did receive the first parcel of money as Treasurer of Tangier, and did give him my receipt for it, which was about £2,800 value in Tallys; we did also examine and settle several other things, and then I away to White Hall, talking, with Povy (age 51) alone, about my opinion of Creed's indiscretion in looking after Mrs. Pickering (age 23), desiring him to make no more a sport of it, but to correct him, if he finds that he continues to owne any such thing. This I did by my Lady's desire, and do intend to pursue the stop of it.

Pepy's Diary. 26 Apr 1665. So to dinner to my Lady Sandwich's (age 40), and there after dinner above in the diningroom did spend an houre or two with her talking again about Creed's folly; but strange it is that he should dare to propose this business himself of Mrs. Pickering (age 23) to my Lady, and to tell my Lady that he did it for her virtue sake, not minding her money, for he could have a wife with more, but, for that, he did intend to depend upon her Ladyshipp to get as much of her father and mother for her as she could; and that, what he did, was by encouragement from discourse of her Ladyshipp's: he also had wrote to Mrs. Pickering (age 23), but she did give him a slighting answer back again. But I do very much fear that Mrs. Pickering's (age 23) honour, if the world comes to take notice of it, may be wronged by it.

In 1668 John Creed of Oundle in Cambridgeshire and Elizabeth Pickering (age 26) were married.

Pepy's Diary. 26 Sep 1668. Could sleep but little last night, for my concernments in this business of the victualling for Sir Prince, so up in the morning and he comes to me, and there I did tell him all, and give him my advice, and so he away, and I to the office, where we met and did a little business, and I left them and by water to attend the Council, which I did all the morning, but was not called in, but the Council meets again in the afternoon on purpose about it. So I at noon to Westminster Hall [Map] and there stayed a little, and at the Swan [Map] also, thinking to have got Doll Lane thither, but elle did not understand my signs; and so I away and walked to Charing Cross [Map], and there into the great new Ordinary, by my Lord Mulgrave's, being led thither by Mr. Beale (age 36), one of Oliver's, and now of the King's Guards; and he sat with me while I had two grilled pigeons, very handsome and good meat: and there he and I talked of our old acquaintances, W. Clerke and others, he being a very civil man, and so walked to Westminster and there parted, and I to the Swan [Map] again, but did nothing, and so to White Hall, and there attended the King (age 38) and Council, who met and heard our answer. I present, and then withdrew; and they sent two hours at least afterwards about it, and at last rose; and to my great content, the Duke of York (age 34), at coming out, told me that it was carried for Prince at 6d. 8d., and 8 3/4d.; but with great difficulty, I understand, both from him and others, so much that Sir Edward Walker told me that he prays to God he may never live to need to plead his merit, for D. Gawden's sake; for that it hath stood him in no stead in this business at all, though both he and all the world that speaks of him, speaks of him as the most deserving man of any servant of the King's in the whole nation, and so I think he is: but it is done, and my heart is glad at it. So I took coach and away, and in Holborne overtook D. Gawden's coach, and stopped and went home, and Gibson to come after, and to my house, where Prince did talk a little, and he do mightily acknowledge my kindness to him, and I know I have done the King (age 38) and myself good service in it. So he gone, and myself in mighty great content in what is done, I to the office a little, and then home to supper, and the boy to read to me, and so to bed. This noon I went to my Lady Peterborough's (age 46) house, and talked with her about the money due to her Lord, and it gives me great trouble, her importunity and impertinency about it. This afternoon at Court I met with Lord Hinchingbrooke (age 20), newly come out of the country, who tells me that Creed's business with Mrs. Pickering (age 26) will do, which I am neither troubled nor glad at.

Pepy's Diary. 28 Sep 1668. By and by comes Sir W. GoDolphin to see Mr. Sidney, who, I perceive, is much dissatisfied that he should come to town last night, and not yet be with my Lord Arlington (age 50), who, and all the town, hear of his being come to town, and he did, it seems, take notice of it to GoDolphin this morning: so that I perceive this remissness in affairs do continue in my Lord's managements still, which I am sorry for; but, above all, to see in what a condition my Lord is for money, that I dare swear he do not know where to take up £500 of any man in England at this time, upon his word, but of myself, as I believe by the sequel hereof it will appear. Here I first saw and saluted my Lady Burlington (age 55), a very fine-speaking lady, and a good woman, but old, and not handsome; but a brave woman in her parts. Here my Lady Hinchingbroke tells me that she hath bought most of the wedding-clothes for Mrs. Pickering (age 26), so that the thing is gone through, and will soon be ended; which I wonder at, but let them do as they will. Here I also, standing by a candle that was brought for sealing of a letter, do set my periwigg a-fire, which made such an odd noise, nobody could tell what it was till they saw the flame, my back being to the candle.

Pepy's Diary. 20 Oct 1668. Up, and to the office all the morning, and then home to dinner, having this day a new girl come to us in the room of Nell, who is lately, about four days since, gone away, being grown lazy and proud. This girl to stay only till we have a boy, which I intend to keep when I have a coach, which I am now about. At this time my wife and I mighty busy laying out money in dressing up our best chamber, and thinking of a coach and coachman and horses, &c.; and the more because of Creed's being now married to Mrs. Pickering (age 26); a thing I could never have expected, but it is done about seven or ten days since, as I hear out of the country.

In 1701 [her husband] John Creed of Oundle in Cambridgeshire died.

[her daughter] Dorothy Creed was born to John Creed of Oundle in Cambridgeshire and Elizabeth Pickering.

[her son] Major Richard Creed was born to John Creed of Oundle in Cambridgeshire and Elizabeth Pickering.

Royal Ancestors of Elizabeth Pickering 1642-1728

Kings Wessex: Great x 19 Grand Daughter of King Edmund "Ironside" I of England

Kings Gwynedd: Great x 23 Grand Daughter of Maredudd ab Owain King Deheubarth King Powys King Gwynedd

Kings Seisyllwg: Great x 25 Grand Daughter of Hywel "Dda aka Good" King Seisyllwg King Deheubarth

Kings Powys: Great x 23 Grand Daughter of Maredudd ab Owain King Deheubarth King Powys King Gwynedd

Kings England: Great x 11 Grand Daughter of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England

Kings Scotland: Great x 17 Grand Daughter of Malcolm III King Scotland

Kings Franks: Great x 15 Grand Daughter of Louis VII King Franks

Kings France: Great x 16 Grand Daughter of Louis "Fat" VI King France

Ancestors of Elizabeth Pickering 1642-1728

GrandFather: John Pickering

Father: Gilbert Pickering 1st Baronet

Elizabeth Pickering 11 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: William Ladde Montagu 5 x Great Grand Son of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: Thomas Montagu 6 x Great Grand Son of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England

Great x 2 Grandfather: Edward Montagu 7 x Great Grand Son of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: William Dudley

Great x 3 Grandmother: Agnes Dudley

Great x 1 Grandfather: Edward Montagu 8 x Great Grand Son of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: John Roper

Great x 3 Grandfather: John Roper of Well Hall

Great x 2 Grandmother: Helen Roper

GrandFather: Sidney Montagu 9 x Great Grand Son of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England

Great x 4 Grandfather: John Harrington

Great x 3 Grandfather: John Alexander Harrington

Great x 2 Grandfather: James Harrington

Great x 4 Grandfather: Robert Moton of Peckleton in Leicestershire

Great x 3 Grandmother: Elizabeth Moton

Great x 1 Grandmother: Elizabeth Harrington

Great x 4 Grandfather: Nicholas Sidney

Great x 3 Grandfather: William Sidney

Great x 4 Grandmother: Anne Brandon

Great x 2 Grandmother: Lucy Sidney

Great x 4 Grandfather: Hugh Pakenham

Great x 3 Grandmother: Anne Pakenham

Mother: Elizabeth Montagu 10 x Great Grand Daughter of King Edward "Longshanks" I of England

Great x 3 Grandfather: William Pepys of Cottenham

Great x 2 Grandfather: William Pepys of Cottenham

Great x 1 Grandfather: John Pepys of Impington

GrandMother: Paulina Pepys