In 1674, Herbert was created Earl of Powis, and his wife became a countess. Her portrait, painted around 1674 by John Michael Wright, is held in the Powis Castle collection.[3]
His wife's frantic efforts to secure his release led her into unwise dealings with such unsavoury underworld characters as the notorious informer and confidence trickster Thomas Dangerfield. She had hoped that Dangerfield would discredit her husband's accusers: but Dangerfield, who was "faithless to all" turned on Lady Powis and her friend, the prominent Catholic midwifeElizabeth Cellier , instead and accused them of treason. Fortunately, by the time they came to trial in the summer of 1680, Dangerfield's reputation had sunk so far that they were both easily acquitted.[4]
Later life
On 24 March 1686, her husband was created Marquess of Powis, and his wife became a marchioness. A Catholic, he was loyal to King James II and VII, whom he followed into exile. James created him 1st Duke of Powis and 1st Marquess of Montgomery on 12 January 1689, in the Jacobite peerage. He was subsequently outlawed from England.
^G.E. Cokayne; with Vicary Gibbs, H.A. Doubleday, Geoffrey H. White, Duncan Warrant and Lord Howard de Walden, editors, The Complete Peerage of England, Scotland, Ireland, Great Britain and the United Kingdom, Extant, Extinct or Dormant, new ed., 13 volumes in 14 (1910-1959; reprint in 6 volumes, Gloucester, U.K.: Alan Sutton Publishing, 2000), volume X, page 647.
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