Mary (Bertie) Lee (abt. 1615 - bef. 1669)

Born about 1615 in Lincolnshire, England

Ancestors

Wife of John Hewitt D.D. — married about 1649 in England

Wife of Abraham Shipman — married about 1661 in England

Wife of Thomas Lee — married 18 Feb 1667 in Islington, Middlesex, England

Died before 2 Mar 1669 before about age 54 in Newington, Surrey, England

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Biography

1615 Birth and Parents

Lady Mary Bertie was the daughter of the Earl of Lindsey. ^[1]

Mary Bertie was born in 1615 in Lincolnshire, the daughter of Robert Bertie, Earl Lindsey, who was in turn the second son of Peregrine Bertie, Baron Willoughby de Ereby. ^[2]

First Marriage to Dr John Hewitt

Mary Bertie married first Dr John Hewitt. The date of this marriage is uncertain. One account says "After the King's death [Hewitt] became chaplain ... to the Earl of Lindsey, whose sister he subsequently married"^[1] which would place the marriage after 30 January 1648/49. Another says "by 1649 [Hewitt] was serving as chaplain to his brother-in-law, Montague Bertie, second earl of Lindsey; Hewitt had recently married Lady Mary Bertie (1618–1669)"^[3] which might imply that the marriage took place slightly earlier. The best estimate is probably about 1649.

They had at least two children:

• Marye Hewytt, who was buried on 20 October 1658 in St Gregory By St Paul, London.^[4]
• Elizabeth Hewytt, who was buried on 8 November 1660 in St Gregory By St Paul, London.^[5]

Dr. John Hewytt, D. D., was "one of the most distinguished preachers of the Commonwealth. ^[1]

He was the son of Mr. Thomas Hewitt, of Eccles, in Lancashire. ^[1]

John Hewitt was the fourth of seven sons. He was baptised at Eccles, September 4, 1614 (Parish Register). At an early age he was sent to Merchant Taylors School, London; the register of this school shows his birth as January 3, 1614. He then proceeded to Pembroke College, Cambridge, where he matriculated July 4, 1633. ^[1]

In 1643 he was Chaplain to Charles I and at the king's wish was created D. D., October 17, 1643. (Wood's Fasti, ed. Biles). ^[1]

After the King's death he became Chaplain, at Havering House, co. Essedx, to the Earl of Lindsey, whose sister he subsequently married. ^[1]

He then moved to London when he was chosen by the parish of St. Gregory, near St. Paul's, to be their pastor. "His preaching was popular and was attended by the elite of society during the Commonwealth. Cromwell's own daughters the Ladies Falconbridge and Claypole privately came to his church and were both married by him. He never disguised his loyalty to his late Sovereign and used to excite his auditory from the pulpit to a generous contribution to the exiled monarch's exigencies... ^[1]

His meetings with persons in communication with Charles II came to the attention of Oliver Cromwell, who had him tried, hanged, drawn and quartered. ^[1]

Second Marriage to Sir Abraham Shipman

Lady Mary Bertie, married secondly Sir Abraham Shipman.^[3] The date of this marriage is also uncertain. After Hewitt's execution in June 1658, she remained a widow until at least late 1660, as Dame Mary Hewytt, daughter of the late Robert, Earl of Lindsey, petitioned the House of Lords on 21 June 1660 that the justices who made an order on 2 June 1658 for the execution of her husband Dr John Hewytt should be excepted from the Act of Oblivion,^[6] and "Elizabeth ye daughter of ye Ladye Marye Hewytt widdowe" was buried on 8 November 1660.^[7] Her second husband Abraham Shipman made his will on 24 March 1661/62 which mentions only "my wife" without naming her,^[8] but as the will would have been voided by a subsequent marriage, they must have been married by then. Her second marriage therefore took place about 1661.

Mary married secondly Sir Abraham Shipman, Governor of Chester. ^[2]

Estimate his birth as, say, 1610.

Sir Abraham Shipman acted as governor of Chester in November and December 1643.^[9]

Wikipedia reports that Sir Abraham Shipman was appointed governor of Bombay on 19 March 1662, arriving there September or October 1662. The Portuguese governor disagreed that the city had been ceded to the English, however, and Shipman was prevented from landing. He died on the island of Anjediva in North Canara, October 1664. ^[10]

In 1639 Captain Abraham Shipman was sent with a troop of one hundred men and ammunitiion to Edinburgh Castle. ^[11]

As Sir A. Shipman he is mentioned as having some charge at Chester, September 1643. ^[11]

Sir Abraham Shipman married Marie, fifth daughter of Montague Bertie, afterwards Earl of Lindsay, and widow of John Hewitt, D. D., who suffered death for his loyalty to Charles I in 1648. ^[11]

He was given a commission to be Governor and Commander-in-Chief in the island of Bombay on 14 March, 1661-2. This reflected a provision in a secret agreement between the Kings of England and Portugal to supplement Portugal's East India forces with those from England. A series of disagreements and misunderstandings on-site prevented his taking Bombay, and Abraham died of fever on 6 April 1664. ^[11]

Third marriage to Thomas Lee

Thomas Lee (or Leigh) of Newington, Surrey, aged about 40, widower, and the Right Honorable the Lady Mary Shipman of St Bartholomew the Great, London, widow, aged about 28 [actually 48], were granted a marriage licence on 18 February 1666/67 to be married at either St Andrew's Holborn or Islington, Middlesex. ^[12] They were married the same day in St Mary, Islington, Middlesex.^[13]

Lady Mary Lee of Newington, Surrey, late wife of Sir Abraham Shipman knight and now wife of Thomas Lee esquire, made her will on 8 September 1668 and it was proved on 2 March 1668/69,^[14][1] so she died late 1668 or early 1669.

Research Notes

Alleged Marriage to Peregrine Smith

Mary Bertie, born 1615, was previously shown as the wife of Peregrine Smith, alleged son of Captain John Smith and Pocahontas. Actual records, however, show Mary Bertie as the wife in two other marriages commencing in 1640, and their existence makes it impossible that she also married Peregrine Smith. ^[2]

Children

Mary Bertie was previously shown as the mother of Peregrine Smith's children; they had now been disconnected.

William Smith has previously been shown as a son of Peregrine Smith and his wife Mary Bertie. Research has demonstrated that William Smith was born in Glastonbury or Butleigh, Somersetshire, the son of Thomas Smith.

Sources

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 1.7 1.8 1.9} J. P. Earwaker, Editor. Local Gleanings Relating to Lancashire and Cheshire, Reprinted from the "Manchester Courier". Volume I, April 1875-December 1876. "Dr. John Hewitt, a Lancashire Worthy," pages 267-269, and 277-278.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2} Teri Hiatt. Genealogy.com Forum. Re: John Smith and Pocahontas, July 13, 2012, reply to Larry Anderson note of the same date. Hiatt's sources: (1) butleigh. org, under Butleigh People for Hiett, Smith; (2) en.wikisource.org/wiki/Bertie,_Richard_(DNB00) Info on Richard Bertie; (3) zipworld.com.au/~nbdds/home/smythwinchester.htm Info on Peregrine Bertie, John Smith,and Pocahontas (4) rotherhamweb.co.uk/h/jhewett.htm About Dr. John Hewitt. (5) archive.org/stream/captainjohnsmith00braduoft/captainjohnsmith00braduoft_d Full Text of Capt. John Smith (6) womenshistory.about.com/od/mythsofwomenshistory/a/pocahontas.htm About Pocahontas; (7) encyclopediavirginia.org/Smith_John_bap_1580-1631 John Smith; (8) cappyzeb.freeyellow.com/ancestors/pages/hiatt/jspoc/smith-poc.htm John Smith, Pocahontas; (9) 1609chronology.blogspot.co/2009/04/god-wants-you-to-colonize-virginia.html (10) teenslibrarypoint.org/queene_of_pomonkey Cockacoeske and John West (11) "Burke's Peerage, Baronetage, and Knightage" 107th ed. 3 vol. Wilmington,Del 2003. Accessed 5 March 2020. jhd
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} Peacey, J T. "Hewitt [Hewytt, Hewett], John (bap. 1614, d. 1658)." in Oxford Dictionary of National Biography. (Online: Oxford University Press, 2004.) DOI: 10.1093/ref:odnb/13147.
4. ↑ "London, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812"
   London Metropolitan Archives; London, England; London Church of England Parish Registers; Reference Number: P69/Gre/A/002/Ms10232
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry uk Record 1624 #7079404 (accessed 29 September 2023)
   Indexed as: Marye Hewytt burial (died in about 1658) on 20 Oct 1658 in St Gregory By St Paul, City of London, London, England.
   Transcription: Marye ye daughter of ye Honourable ye Ladye Marye Hewytt widdowe Buryed 20 October 1658.
5. ↑ "London, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812"
   London Metropolitan Archives; London, England; London Church of England Parish Registers; Reference Number: P69/Gre/A/003/Ms10233
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry uk Record 1624 #7101632 (accessed 29 September 2023)
   Indexed as: Elizabeth Hewytt burial (died in about 1660) on 8 Nov 1660 in St Gregory By St Paul, City of London, London, England.
   Transcription: Elizabeth ye daughter of ye Ladye Marye Hewytt widdowe Buryed 8th November 1660.
6. ↑ Seventh report of the Royal Commission on Historical Manuscripts. Part I: Report and Appendix. (London: Her Majesty's Stationery Office, 1879.) Pages 102-103.
7. ↑ "London, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812"
   London Metropolitan Archives; London, England; London Church of England Parish Registers; Reference Number: P69/Gre/A/003/Ms10233
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry uk Record 1624 #7101632 (accessed 29 September 2023)
   Indexed as: Elizabeth Hewytt burial (died in about 1660) on 8 Nov 1660 in St Gregory By St Paul, City of London, London, England.
   Transcription: Elizabeth ye daughter of ye Ladye Marye Hewytt widdowe Buryed 8th November 1660.
8. ↑ "England & Wales, Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills, 1384-1858"
   The National Archives; Kew, Surrey, England; Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Series PROB 11; Class: PROB 11; Piece: 317
   Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry uk Record 5111 #988012 (accessed 1 October 2023)
   Will of Abraham Shipman, granted probate on 18 Jul 1665. Died about 1665.
9. ↑ Rev. Daniel Lysons and Samuel Lysons. Magna Britannia Being A Concise Topographical Account of the Several Counties of Great Britain. Vol II, Part II, Containing the County Palatine of Chester. London, 1810. Sir Abraham Shipman page 565. Accessed 7 March 2020 jhd
10. ↑ Wikipedia Contributors Wikipedia: Abraham Shipman Accessed 7 March 2020 jhd
11. ↑ ^{11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3} Major Arthur Mainwaring. Crown and Company: The Historical Records of the 2nd Batt, Royal Dublin Fusiliers, formerly the 1st Bombay European Regiment, 1662-1911. London: Arthur L. Humphreys, 1911. &pg=PA3&lpg=PA3&dq=Bertie+%22Sir+Abraham+Shipman%22&source=bl&ots=hK3JNm680Y&sig=ACfU3U0ZtPBXe6m_K0DJKs8IfaG7xUZe8Q&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwj1hpCOmonoAhWYmHIEHb7MAXMQ6AEwAnoECAkQAQ#v=onepage&q=Bertie%20%22Sir%20Abraham%20Shipman%22&f=true Reports from Sir Abraham Shipman Pages 1-17. Accessed 7 March 2020 jhd
12. ↑ Chester, Joseph Lemuel, Armytage, George J. Allegations for marriage licences issued by the dean and chapter of Westminster, 1558-1699; also, for those issued by the vicar-general of the Archbishop of Canterbury, 1660 to 1679. The Publications of The Harleian Society, volume 23. (London, Harleian Society, 1886.) Page 131.
13. ↑ "London, England, Church of England Baptisms, Marriages and Burials, 1538-1812"
    London Metropolitan Archives; London, England; London Church of England Parish Registers; Reference Number: P83/MRY1/1167
    Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry uk Record 1624 #1315596 (accessed 29 September 2023)
    Indexed as: Tho Lee Esquire marriage to Mary Shipman on 18 Feb 1666 in St Mary, Islington, Islington, Middlesex, England.
    Transcript: [1666/67] Tho: Lee Eqr et Dame Mary Shipman Married ye 18th day of february 1666.
14. ↑ "England & Wales, Prerogative Court of Canterbury Wills, 1384-1858"
    The National Archives; Kew, Surrey, England; Records of the Prerogative Court of Canterbury, Series PROB 11; Class: PROB 11; Piece: 329
    Ancestry Sharing Link - Ancestry uk Record 5111 #803619 (accessed 29 September 2023)
    Will of Maria Lee, granted probate on 2 Mar 1668. Died about 1668.

• The Virgina magazine of history and Biography for the year ending 1899 pages. 250-260 tells of this family a genealogy letter written by a Lancelot Lee: "His second wife was Lady Mary Hewit, widow of Doctor Hewit and daughter of the Earl of Lindsey; she brought no children."

Acknowledgments

Thank you to Thomas Allen and Kitty Smith for contributions to this profile.