As a sub-plot, there is within the letters a story of unrequited affection. In the only letter from John Browne, he writes to Sir Henry Gawdy in response to a letter (sadly not in this bundle) informing him that Henry’s son Edward “hath ben a suitor & well wisher of my daughter And wold have had her to have ben his wife”. This comes as a surprise to John, as he had visited the Gawdy family in Norwich and at Claxton and the subject had never been mentioned. Also, Edward had visited John and his daughters at Poringland the previous summer and had talked with Elizabeth “diverse tymes But he could never obtayne her good will”. John advises that he should let the matter rest, stating that he “ment not to make my daughters choyce But have given her leave to choose for her selfe”, that she is young and “her porcion is butt little & that she cannot dispose therof until she be of full Age”. He continues that he will not compel his daughter “to match her selfe against her will & good likeinge”.

Nevertheless, the door is not completely closed and if Edward can gain Elizabeth’s good will, then John will be content. However, the matter doesn’t end there, as other parties become involved, continuing to intervene on Edward’s behalf. In an undated letter Richard Baspoole, gentleman of Bungay, has learned that John has taken offence against Edward and that he is barred from talking with both Elizabeth and her father. He entreats John to allow Edward to continue his pursuit of Elizabeth, emphasising both the financial aspects and Edward’s character, commending “him unto you both for his behavioure & many other qualities & partes of a gentleman that he hath in him” and that he would be a credit to Elizabeth and the family. He concludes “This I know to be the best course both for your selfe & your daughter”. This seems not to be the end of the matter though, as months later a letter from Sir Edward Coke, then Chief Justice of the King’s Bench, related to the Gawdy family, and calling himself a loving friend of John Browne, also intervenes on behalf of Edward encouraging John to approve of the match as Edward’s father is happy to maintain his son financially as well as provide a jointure for Elizabeth. This letter is dated 28^th November 1614 by which time Elizabeth has married William Doughty of Hanworth.

As with any marriage proposal, financial matters almost always play a part. Edmund Browne on behalf of the son of Anthony Shardelou states that “he shall have betwixt two hundred or thre hundred powndes by the year & shall have no legaseye to be gevene out of it”. Gregorie Buttall’s brother, whose attention has shifted to Elizabeth ‘s sister Mary, can only offer a small estate and a house near London “built with faire large rooms for an old building”, but “he is a gentleman well discended”. Arthur Browne, no relation to John, proposing a match with his son, seems to have accrued a large amount of debt, which he assures Elizabeth’s father would be paid off if the marriage were to take place. Charles Heveningham is considered of good disposition and very frugal. Edmund Doyley, assures that his friend, having been relieved of his mean estate’s debt now intends to “bestowe himself in marryage”.

Financial marriage settlements could be complex, balancing the bride’s portion (dowry) and a settlement upon her by the groom’s father. In Arthur Browne’s proposal he can assure £300 a year to Elizabeth, if her father can agree upon her portion of £200 a year, or £100 per annum depending on her portion. This will also be a feature of the marriage arrangement and jointure settlement for Elizabeth and William Doughty.

Financial arrangements aside, respectability, a good name, advantageous connexions, carrying on the family name, were all offered as bargaining inducements. Charles Heveningham was “well desended and wer no swaggerer” and John Browne is asked to respect the Heveningham house and name before any other. Arthur Browne states that if Elizabeth marries his brother she will keep the Browne name and will also meet with “greate  knightes Ladies and gentlemen of all sortes which ar nere alies unto me”. Edward Colfer who has met Elizabeth and wants some reassurance of her love and affection, does not want his pride and social standing dented by her rejection of him, fearing that he will “be bounded with the infamous name of an unfortunate suitor”. For the Buttall family with a number of male relations that have not produced an heir, marriage to Elizabeth may be a last chance to continue the male line as “Ther is nowe none Lefte of the name to raise seede”.

Despite all these letters offering everything from love to financial security, Elizabeth marries none of them. On 27^th September 1614 she marries William Doughty, only son and heir of Robert and Mary Doughty of Hanworth, in Poringland parish church. There are no letters from William, so how they met, how any arrangements were made or the details of any courtship is not known. As her father had insisted that he “meynt not to make my daughters choyce” and that she should have “good likeinge”, as well as the parents in any match, then this may well have been a marriage with love and affection on both sides. The Doughty family lived at Hanworth Hall and had extensive property in Hanworth, Thurgarton, Alby and the surrounding area.

There is a draft of a marriage agreement between John Browne and Robert Doughty, not dated ¹⁰. Elizabeth is granted the use of land, tenements and hereditaments that once belonged to William Playford, a Hanworth yeoman farmer, for the term of her life. Then after her decease to the use of William and his heirs. Also, a covenant that Robert Doughty would within ten days of the marriage surrender all the copyhold land which had been surrendered to him, to the use of Elizabeth again for the term of her life and after to William’s heirs.

There is provision for Elizabeth, should William die without any heirs, she “shall not medall or have anything to doe with the saide lande and tenements appointed for her Joynture” during the lifetime of Robert Doughty, but he would pay or cause to be paid to Elizabeth every year the sum (amount left bank) of good and lawful English money twice a year in equal portions at the Feasts of St Michael the Archangel (29^th September) and the Anunciation of Our Lady (25^th March)

In addition, there are lands, tenements etc. passing to William and Elizabeth after Robert’s death, plus rents to the couple from a number of leases. Other copyhold and customary land and tenements in Hanworth would be passed down to William. John Browne is to convey to Robert Doughty and his heirs, most of his property and land in Poringland Magna and Poringland Parva and also is to grant to William and Elizabeth during his lifetime one annual rent of £20 per annum from his other land in Poringland Magna payable twice a year as above. Other customary and copyhold he retains for his lifetime, then after his decease to William and Elizabeth and to the heirs of Elizabeth.

There is also a draft copy dated 10^th September 1614, of the settlement of premises in Hanworth, Thurgarton and Alby to secure the jointures of Mary, wife of Robert Doughty and Elizabeth Browne intended wife of William Doughty ⁹ Their jointure would be the estate settled on them to provide an income should they become widowed. Both women’s jointures are in lieu of a dower. There follows a detailed description of numerous messuages, land, tenements, closes, pastures and orchards for the “use and behooffe” of Robert and Mary during their lifetime and “the longest liver for the Joynture of the said Mary” then after their decease to William and Elizabeth and their heirs. Much property is then settled upon the couple after Robert and Mary’s decease.

Neither of these documents is dated. It is possible they were re-written, as attempts to add extra clauses and information in the margins and between lines, has made the documents almost illegible in places and look very untidy.

After their marriage, Elizabeth and William initially lived in Poringland, probably in the Browne family home, before moving to Hanworth. They had three children – Robert, born possibly in 1616, William, who dies young and Mary. However, their marriage is short lived, perhaps just seven or eight years. The exact date of the Elizabeth’s death is unknown, as is how or why she died. Extant parish registers for Hanworth do not begin until 1721. William re-marries in October 1622. His second wife is Frances Kemp of Heydon with whom he has two more children, Frances and William. William, senior, dies in 1651.

Perhaps as a sign of enduring affection for Elizabeth, when William’s will is written in September 1644 and at least twenty years after her death, he commends his “Body to the earth to be buried in Hanworth Church neare the Body of my loving lately deceased wife”. ¹¹   As Frances does not die until 1667, it is very likely that this is a reference to Elizabeth. Although other members of the Doughty family are commemorated in Hanworth church, there is no ledger stone or any lasting memorial to mark Elizabeth’s final resting place.

Researched and written by Jenni Southernwood, NRO Research Blogger

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Bibliography