Elizabeth Danby born Elizabeth Wentworth (died 1629) was an English recusant noblewoman. She was the wife of Sir Thomas Danby. She managed the family fortune when her son inherited at the age of eight.

Life

Danby's parents were Thomas Wentworth and Margaret Gascoigne or Gascoyne. Her mother was the heiress of Gawthorpe. She married Sir Thomas Danby who was the son of another Sir Thomas Danby (1530-1590). He died on 3 Jan 1582 and she continued to be based at Pott Grange. She was a widow when her father-in-law died and her son Christopher Danby (1582–1624) inherited his fortune although he was eight years old. Her son's wardship was initially assigned to Thomas Cecil who was the eldest son of

Lord Burghley William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley (13 September 15204 August 1598), was an English statesman, the chief adviser of Queen Elizabeth I for most of her reign, twice Secretary of State (1550–1553 and 1558–1572) and Lord High Treasurer from ...

, but this was changed so that Elizabeth could take on the responsibility. She was said to be a benefactress. She was a Catholic and she did not hide her beliefs. She had her own priest and she employed a tutor who did not take communion. She and her household did not have a home and this may have been to avoid the attention of anyone who wanted to report her recusant behaviour. This did not work as in time she was fined for harbouring other recusants. Her son was 21 years old in 1603. Her son did not appear to be a good landlord. The family lost a lot of money due to a manager that they employed who, like her son, was also called Christopher Danby. The manager used his authority to allow the family's tenants to renew their tenancies without paying any rent increase. In return they would make sure he benefitted. Their manager had not maintained the family's mansion and he had defrauded them of £7,000 over the period of 1608–1609. The case went to the

star chamber The court of Star Chamber () was an English court that sat at the royal Palace of Westminster, from the late to the mid-17th century (), and was composed of privy counsellors and common-law judges, to supplement the judicial activities of the ...

in 1610. Her son sold land and gathered debts. He married and was to have received a £1,000 dowry but the money never arrived. Her son Christopher died in 1624 and he was succeeded by her grandson, (another) Thomas Danby. Elizabeth died in 1629. There is a plaque on the wall of Church of St Mary the Virgin in

Masham Masham ( ) is a market town and civil parishes in England, civil parish in North Yorkshire, England. It had a population of 1,205 at the 2011 census. The town is located northwest of York and was in the former Borough of Harrogate, Harrogate ...

that records the lives of her and her husband.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Danby, Elizabeth 1629 deaths British landlords People from Masham Recusants Year of birth unknown