Lady Elizabeth FitzGerald, Countess of Clancarty

She was a "fierce Protestant isolated in a Catholic family.". (1)

• from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Davys

Having reached the height of his career, Davys damaged his standing by his second marriage to Elizabeth FitzGerald, daughter of George FitzGerald, 16th Earl of Kildare Whether it was for love or social position, the marriage offended both the Archbishop and Elizabeth's family, who were engaged in a law suit with the Ormonde family, which came before Davys as Chief Justice. The FitzGeralds accused Davys of bias and threatened to have him removed from the Bench: Davys replied that he feared to do wrong, but did not fear the consequences of doing justice.

Possibly Davys was attracted by the wealth of his teenage stepson Donough MacCarthy, 4th Earl of Clancarty, while Donough's uncle Justin MacCarthy, later Viscount Mountcashel was close to the future James II. Unfortunately Justin quarreled irrevocably with Lady Davys, when in an episode that caused some scandal, he virtually kidnapped the young earl and forced him into an underage marriage with Elizabeth Spencer, daughter of Robert Spencer, 2nd Earl of Sunderland. The marriage, which turned out badly, caused Davys' wife much grief, and suggests that he had little influence at Court.

Links

• http://www.thepeerage.com/p6156.htm#i61560

Citations

1. Kenyon, J.P. Robert Spencer, Earl of Sunderland 1641-1702 London: Longmans, Green and co. 1958. Page 102

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2. A Genealogical History of the Dormant: Abeyant, Forfeited, and Extinct ...  By Sir Bernard Burke. Page 161. "DAVYS, VISCOUNT MOUNTCASHEL.". Married 1st, Martha, third daughter of Michael Boyle, archbishop of Armaugh, died 14 May 1680. Daughter Mary buried 20 Aug 1683. Married 2nd, Lady Elizabeth Fitzgerald, widow of Callaghan McCarthy; no issue.