Biography of Frances Kitson -1586
Maternal Family Tree: Margaret Donnington Countess Bath 1509-1561
Frances Kitson was born to Thomas Kitson and Margaret Donnington Countess Bath.
Before 1511 [her father] Thomas Kitson (age 26) and [her mother] Margaret Donnington Countess Bath (age 1) were married. The difference in their ages was 24 years.
On 11 Sep 1540 [her father] Thomas Kitson (age 55) died.
In 1541 Richard Long (age 47) and [her mother] Margaret Donnington Countess Bath (age 32) were married.
On 04 Dec 1548 a double wedding of a father and son, and a mother and daughter, was celebrated at Hengrave Hall, Bury St Edmunds.
John Bourchier 2nd Earl Bath (age 49) and Margaret Donnington Countess Bath (age 39) were married. She by marriage Countess Bath. He the son of John Bourchier 1st Earl Bath and Cecily Daubeney Baroness Fitzwarin. He a great x 4 grandson of King Edward III of England. 
John Bourchier (age 19) and Frances Kitson were married. She the daughter of Thomas Kitson and Margaret Donnington Countess Bath (age 39). He the son of John Bourchier 2nd Earl Bath (age 49) and Eleanor Manners Countess Bath. He a great x 5 grandson of King Edward III of England. 
On 28 Feb 1556 [her husband] John Bourchier (age 27) died. He was buried at the Church of St John Lateran, Hengrave.
Around Sep 1557 William Barnaby and Frances Kitson were married. He was land agent to her former father-ine-law the John Bourchier 2nd Earl Bath (age 58); the marriage as a consequence gave great offence to her friends. She the daughter of Thomas Kitson and Margaret Donnington Countess Bath (age 48).
On 29 Sep 1557 [her son] William Bourchier 3rd Earl Bath was born to [her former husband] John Bourchier and Frances Kitson.
On 12 Dec 1561 [her mother] Margaret Donnington Countess Bath (age 52) died at Stoke Newington [Map]. She was buried on 12 Jan 1562 at the Church of St John Lateran, Hengrave.
On 15 Dec 1578 [her son] William Bourchier 3rd Earl Bath (age 21) and [her daughter-in-law] Mary Cornwallis Countess Bath were married. The marriage, apparently, taking place secretly at night. She by marriage Countess Bath.
On 28 Apr 1581 the marriage of [her son] William Bourchier 3rd Earl Bath (age 23) and [her daughter-in-law] Mary Cornwallis Countess Bath was annulled. A letter of Sir Thomas Cornwallis, dat. Brome, 10 June 1601, states "By deposition of 10 witnesses, it was most manifestly proved in the Arches, that the marriage was lawfully, clearly, and honestly compassed," that the Earl's mother "did by great means attempt to corrupt the then Judge of that Court ... but not prevailing that way, all course of law was then broken, for they appealed to the Delegates, slne gravamlne ... who thereupon proceeded in so violent a course as the like hath not been heard of .... Her adversaries effected the end of their desire ; and yet the Commissioners' Sentence was with this corrective, viz. leaving the Earl to his own conscience." (Hist. MSS. Com., Hatfield MSS., Part xi, p. 223). This Mary was a legatee, 25 June 1601, in the will of Sir Thomas Kitson (age 40), her sister's (age 40) husband, who mentions her said marriage, and that it afterwards proved most unfortunate and to her great hindrance. W. Lewyn, also, speaks of this Earl as having "made an untimely marriage by night with the da. of Sir Thomas Cornwallys, which was undone and the Earl since married to another, the [her future daughter-in-law] da. (as I think) of the late Earl of Bedford (age 54)." (Letter to Lord Cobham, 29 May 1596). V.G.
On 07 Aug 1583 [her son] William Bourchier 3rd Earl Bath (age 25) and [her daughter-in-law] Elizabeth Russell Countess Bath were married at St Mary Major Church, Exeter. She by marriage Countess Bath, Countess Eu. She the daughter of Francis Russell 2nd Earl Bedford (age 56) and Margaret St John Countess Bedford.
On 03 Apr 1586 Frances Kitson died. She was buried at St Peter's Church, Tawstock [Map].
On 04 Apr 1586 Frances Kitson was buried at St Peter's Church, Tawstock [Map].
Scire ne vis lector quænam suit ista sepulta hic, Ex patre aurato milite quata suit Uxor erat domii Fitzwaren et auia tandem Bathoniæ comitis inclita mater erat. Quæ suit (o lector) quo coniuge quoq parente. Quen sobolem peperit sunt tibi dicta satis. Qualis erat tibi linor et indignatio dicant. Quæ mala si vellent dicere nulla queunt. Prosuit hæc multis nulli nocuisse notatur. Hanc terris demptan dives inopsq dolent. Non ego te longo cupio sermone morari. Plena decore suit plenaq honore suit. Terrea Franciscæ tibi mors, en debita pars est. Fama manet mundo mens animusq deo. Here lieth buried Francis lady Fitzwaren ye daughter of Sr Thomas Kitson Knight & wief to John lord Fitzwaren the sone & heire apparant of John Erle of Bath By whom she had Issue Thomas, John, Margaret & Willm (age 28) now Erle of Bath she patintly departed the mortality of this lyf in ye trew faith on Ester day Ao 1586. Elizabeth Regine XXVIII
Wilte thou o reader know what wighte she was thats buried here even of a famous worthie Knighte the childe and dawghter deare she wife unto fitzwarren Lorde at lengthe and grandam was and Mother to the Earle of Bathe erre she from life did passe O reader what she was whose wife whose childe & whom she bore my former words doe unto she sufficientlie declare. Let spite & malice speake the truthe what was this worthy wife Whoe if they would some will say yet cannot for their life She many noted was to helpe and to doe hurte to none Whom taken from the earth her death bothe riche & poor doe mone To hold thee here wth speaches longe is not ye thinge I crave of honor vertue and renowne none could more plenty have O Death this Frauncis earthlie parte is to they lotte befell In worlde her fame remayne her mind & soule wth God do dwell
George Bourchier and Martha Howard were married. The difference in their ages was 20 years. He the son of John Bourchier 2nd Earl Bath and Eleanor Manners Countess Bath. He a great x 5 grandson of King Edward III of England. 
Father: Thomas Kitson
GrandFather: John Donnington of Stoke Newington
