Susanna Howard, Countess of Suffolk

Susanna Howard, countess of Suffolk born Lady Susanna Rich (1627 – 1649) was a Countess. She was known for being devout and as an example of a godly life. Life Howard was born before May 1627. Her parents were Isabel Rich, Countess of Holland (born Cope) and Henry Rich, 1st Earl of Holland. She showed talents for, and interest in, learning, poetry and religion. Her father probably knew poets from the court of Henrietta Maria and she had a remarkable memory. She was a particular fan of George Herbert and his best known work "The Temple". Herbert was both a church of England minister and a poet and he was known as "Holy Mr Herbert". He was someone who had given up preferment to devote himself to God. She would learn sections of the bible and, it was said that, she could recall a sermon she had heard almost word perfect. Every day she would use the notes of Giovanni Diodati to assist her in reading six chapters of the bible. She was said to always wear black and to not where any adornment, although a portrait reveals that this was not always the case. Howard went to live in Essex at the mansion of Audley End after she married James Howard, 3rd Earl of Suffolk on 1 December 1640 in Kensington. He had inherited a debt of £132,000 from the previous Earl and he married her, in part, to reduce that burden.