Mabel Harington

Mabel Harington, who died in 1603, was a courtier to Elizabeth I of England. She was the sixth daughter of Sir James Harington and Lucy Harington, née Sidney. Her maternal grandfather was Sir William Sidney of Penshurst, Kent.

Mabel Harington married Sir Andrew Noel of Dalby and Brooke, who died in 1607. Sir Andrew Noel was the son of Andrew Noel and Elizabeth Hopton. During her lifetime, Mabel was known as "Lady Noel" or "Lady Nowell." Her marriage to Sir Andrew Noel resulted in at least seven children.

She was present at the funeral of Mary, Queen of Scots, which took place at Peterborough Cathedral in 1587. She attended this event alongside her sister Elizabeth, Lady Montagu.

Sir Andrew Noel's brother, Henry Noel, was a poet and a patron of the composer John Dowland. Henry Noel was reputed to be a gentleman pensioner to Queen Elizabeth I. He died on February 28, 1597, after participating in a ball game called baloune at court with an Italian opponent.

A letter written by Rowland Whyte in April 1597 mentions Queen Elizabeth I's displeasure towards one of her maids of honor, Elizabeth Brydges, for observing a game of ballon rather than performing her duties. Elizabeth Brydges was the daughter of Giles Brydges, 3rd Baron Chandos, who was a probable patron of Henry Noel.

On February 23, 1600, Louis Verreycken, an envoy from the Spanish Netherlands, had an audience with Queen Elizabeth I. Among the court's noble women, including Mabel, Lady Noel, her sisters Sarah, Lady Hastings, and Theodosia, Lady Dudley (or her mother-in-law, Mary, Lady Dudley), waited in the presence chamber dressed in fine white attire.

Three letters written by Mabel to her sister Elizabeth Harington, wife of Edward Montagu of Boughton, are known to survive. Mabel Harington died in 1603.

Her children included:

- Edward Noel (1582–1643), who later became Viscount Campden. He married Julianna Hicks in 1605, a daughter of Baptist Hicks and Elizabeth May. Edward Noel sold the manor of Dalby to Mary Villiers, Countess of Buckingham, in 1617. Julianna Noel was associated with the disappearance of steward William Harrison, known as The Campden Wonder. Another steward, Endymion Canning, was buried at Brooke.

- Charles Noel (1591–1619), commemorated by a monument at St Peter's, Brooke, Rutland.

- Arthur Noel, also known as Alexander Noel of Whitwell, married Mary Palmer, daughter of Sir Thomas Palmer of Charlton.

- Lucy Noel, who married William Eure, 4th Baron Eure of Ingleby and Malton, in 1601. William Eure was a recusant, and he lived from 1579 to 1646.

- Elizabeth Noel, who married twice: first to George Tuchet, 1st Earl of Castlehaven, and later to Sir Piers Crosby.

- Theodosia Noel (1578–1618), married Edward Cecil, 1st Viscount Wimbledon.