Elizabeth's Rival

by Nicola Tallis

  All of the Queen’s ladies dined at the monarch’s expense at a table in the Great Chamber that was reserved especially for their use, and they were at the very centre of court life. They were, however, forced to share living quarters, which were often cramped and uncomfortable. Lettice and her family became well acquainted with other noble families, and the court was the perfect place to make new alliances. Blanche Parry, for example, one of the Queen’s closest ladies and the keeper of her jewels, became close to both Francis and Katherine Knollys, and later the friendship was cemented by marriage when Blanche’s niece, Katherine Vaughan, was married to Lettice’s younger brother, Robert.32 Lettice, too, was fond of Blanche, and would be the recipient of a fine diamond when the latter died in 1590.33 Friendships aside, the court was never a peaceful, relaxed place to live, for the rivalry between various parties as they vied for the Queen’s favour was constant.

  As Lettice was Katherine Knollys’s daughter, the Queen was naturally inclined to look favourably upon her, and the two shared a great deal in common. Not only did they resemble one another in looks – like Elizabeth, Lettice had the flame-red hair of the Tudors – but they also had a similar temperament. As time would reveal, both could be arrogant and stubborn, but at this point in their lives such traits do not appear to have caused a problem. The description on Lettice’s epitaph of her being Elizabeth’s ‘Darling’ suggests that the two shared a good relationship. In a further sign of her favour, in 1564 Lettice was among other women of the court to whom the Queen would make a gift of black velvet to be made into a gown, and there would have been other gifts of a similar nature that have gone unrecorded.34

  The Queen’s favour was an honour, but it came at a high price. Elizabeth was a jealous and demanding mistress who expected to be the foremost priority to those who served her. As such, she did not like the idea of her ladies marrying, and frequently lectured them on the subject. Determined to preserve her own single state, her feelings on matrimony in turn came to impact upon her household. Her godson, Sir John Harington, later related that ‘She did oft ask the ladies around her chamber, if they loved to think of marriage? And the wise ones did conceal well their liking thereto; as knowing the Queen’s judgement in this matter.’35 Little wonder, then, that many of her ladies were often too afraid to tell her if they wanted to do so. When, in 1563 for example, the Queen learned of the betrothal of her Chamberlain, Lord Howard, to Lettice’s cousin Katherine Carey, she was initially so outraged that she banished them both from court.36 They were later forgiven, but it was a lesson that would surely have stuck with Lettice: one wonders how many of the Queen’s lectures on marriage she was exposed to while in her service. Elizabeth did, though, give her ladies permission to marry if she believed the match to be advantageous to them.

  Many ladies also indulged in sex before marriage, often resulting in pregnancy. There are many examples of this throughout the course of Elizabeth’s reign, and it was inevitable that the Queen would discover the truth. The result was always the same: Elizabeth was left seething and the guilty couple would be banished from court, and sometimes imprisoned. Very rarely did Elizabeth forgive such importunities, and those who committed them had to be prepared to face the consequences. When a married member of the Queen’s ladies became pregnant, she let it be known that it was an inconvenience to her to allow them to be released from her service. She always expected them to return to court immediately after they had given birth, and Katherine Knollys was no exception. It is certainly possible that this may explain the gaps between the births of Katherine’s daughter and namesake, born on 21 October 1559, and Dudley in 1562. The Queen hated to be parted from her, and although Katherine presumably left court in order to give birth to Katherine, Dudley and the unnamed daughter in 1563, it was not long before she was back. By this time, she and her husband had been granted the lease of Syon House in Middlesex – the former abbey in which Katherine’s brother had spent part of his childhood.37 Syon was closer to court than Greys, and it seems that the Knollyses chose to install their younger children here while they fulfilled their royal duties. Although this ensured that they were nearer, it did not make the separation any easier.

  Elizabeth’s constant demand for Katherine’s presence put a huge strain on the Knollys’s family life, and meant that Katherine did not have the time she craved – and had once enjoyed – to devote to her family. Although Lettice and her sister Elizabeth saw their mother on a daily basis as part of the course of their everyday duties to the Queen, the same could not be said for the rest of the Knollys family. It was this that later caused Lettice’s father to lament to his wife that ‘happy were we, if we were disgraced, I from my trust and you from your love, that we might retire us by just occasion to lead a country poor life abased from our courtly countenance: whereunto I thank God I am ready to prepare myself for my part if you shall like thereof’.38

  Fond of Katherine though she may have been, this did not prevent Elizabeth from lashing out at her during one of her frequent temper tantrums. Sir Francis later reminded his wife that ‘for the outward love that her Majesty bears you, she makes you often weep for unkindness to the great danger of your health’.39 Lettice would have likely witnessed these displays, and may also have been a victim of Elizabeth’s tongue. Neither was it just Lettice’s mother who was burdened by the Queen’s demands. Her father was also kept exceedingly busy, and was regularly sent both abroad and across the country on royal business. Though he claimed that ‘I am proud to live in the court’, Francis also later told his wife that ‘I can humble myself without shame to abase my countenance as low as my living, and to imprint in my children an example thereof to keep them from the gallows and all worldly shames.’40

  IT WAS FOLLOWING the advice of the renowned astrologer John Dee that, on 15 January 1559, Elizabeth was ‘with great solemnity crowned’ in a ceremony of the utmost splendour in Westminster Abbey, ‘most renowned for the Inauguration of the Kings of England’.41 All of the peers of the realm were there to witness it, including the Queen’s family, who revelled in her glory. The day prior to the coronation, the Queen had processed through the city with ‘Royal Pomp’ in order to be seen by her people, who cheered rapturously as she passed.42 The citizens had spared no expense in preparing a whole host of lavish entertainments for the delight of their monarch, in order to ‘express their love and joy’ for her.43 Elizabeth had the common touch in the same way that her father had done, and took the time to gracefully acknowledge their appreciation. For coronation day the Knollys family were present in full force, and Lettice, her sister Elizabeth and their cousin Katherine Carey were among the ladies who were granted coronation livery. For Lettice this consisted of beautiful crimson satin and gold tinsel, which complemented her red hair perfectly.44 Lettice was among the procession accompanying Elizabeth that included ‘a notable train of goodly and beautiful ladies, richly appointed’.45 Foxe, who was a great admirer of Elizabeth’s, noted that as she entered the city, the Queen was greeted by the people’s ‘prayers, wishes, welcomings, cries, tender words, and all other signs’.46 As Elizabeth journeyed from Westminster Hall to the Abbey she walked along a rich blue carpet. No sooner had the Queen stepped on a piece than eager souvenir seekers began tearing it apart, causing the Duchess of Norfolk, who was walking behind her, to keep tripping in the holes. Elizabeth’s popularity was at its peak, and Lettice was there to witness it.

  QUEEN ELIZABETH WAS unmarried, and the most eligible bride in Europe. Even before her succession, suitors had vied for her hand, but now she was Queen of England in her own right and an infinitely more attractive prospect. However, not everyone was impressed with her, and in October 1559 the Imperial ambassador, Bishop de Quadra, sniffed that she was ‘a spirited and obstinate woman’.47 Immediately after she became Queen the matter of Elizabeth’s marriage intensified, and offers for her hand began to appear. It was not only assumed but also expected that Elizabeth would take a husband. The concept of female rule in England was stil
l a new one – despite the brief queenship of Lady Jane Grey, the only real precedent for a queen regnant had been set by Elizabeth’s half-sister, Mary, and even she had had the support of her husband, Philip of Spain. At twenty-five years old at the time of her succession, Elizabeth was still young enough to produce a male heir to succeed her, and in the eyes of her male councillors there was no time to be wasted. Although she was young, the fragility of life meant that the succession was a constant worry, and bearing an heir was of paramount importance. She was barely able to adjust to her new-found status before her advisors began to pile on the pressure. It was an issue that would be raised time and again throughout the course of her reign, as Elizabeth herself proved to be more than reluctant. Numerous candidates were suggested, including the former husband of her half-sister, Philip, who would later become one of Elizabeth’s most dangerous enemies. Philip’s nephews, the Archdukes Ferdinand and Charles, were also put forward, as was Prince Eric of Sweden.48 Elizabeth refused, though, to commit herself. Her behaviour was extraordinary, and few of her councillors truly believed that she intended to remain single. Moreover, it was not just her male advisors, but also her female attendants who attempted to persuade her to the contrary. Kate Ashley was particularly eager to see her royal mistress joined in matrimony. But Elizabeth had already learned some important lessons about royal marriage during her childhood, chiefly that it was laden with danger and uncertainty. These experiences had left her with scars that would never fade. Her reasons for wishing to remain single were more than just personal, though. In the sixteenth century, wives – even those of royal standing – were still expected to be subservient to their husbands, an idea that on a political level Elizabeth abhorred. The example of her half-sister Mary, who, although a queen regnant, had shared much of the burden of government with her husband, loomed before her; Elizabeth was of stronger character than Mary, and was determined not to share her power in the same way. She was resolved on being the sole mistress of her realm.

  In the first Parliament of her reign in February 1559, at which Sir Francis Knollys was present, the Commons had drafted a petition in which they begged the Queen to marry. They were anxious for her to do so as soon as possible in order that she might produce an heir to safeguard the succession. Elizabeth, however, had other ideas. She made her feelings on the matter of her marriage very clear, and, in Camden’s words, she addressed those present thus: ‘to satisfy you, I have already joined myself in marriage to an husband, namely, the Kingdom of England. And behold the pledge of this my wedlock and marriage with my kingdom.’49 At that she took her coronation ring from her finger in an indication that this was indeed her marriage ring. Everyone was astonished, and more so when she added, ‘And, in the end, this shall be for me sufficient, that a marble stone shall declare that a queen, having reigned such a time, lived and died a virgin.’50 It was a claim that few believed, and the matter of the Queen’s marriage continued to be a hot topic of conversation. While the Queen remained unmarried the question of her heir and who would succeed her would be one that led to both speculation and strife: Elizabeth refused to name anyone. It was widely believed that her cousin Lady Katherine Grey, sister of the executed Jane, would be named as her heir, and Katherine also seems to have harboured hopes in this quarter. In March, the Spanish ambassador Count de Feria recalled a conversation he had had with Katherine:

  lady Katherine, who is a friend of mine and speaks confidentially to me, told me that the Queen does not wish her to succeed, in case of her (the Queen’s) death without heirs. She is dissatisfied and offended at this, and at the Queen’s only making her one of the ladies of the presence, whereas she was in the privy-chamber of the late Queen, who showed her much favour. The present Queen probably bears her no goodwill.51

  Given the fate of her elder sister, Katherine’s behaviour was unwise. It is little wonder, therefore, that Elizabeth disliked her. Even so, her refusal to name an heir placed Elizabeth under great pressure to marry and produce a child of her own. Moreover, despite her hardened declaration to Parliament of her intention to remain married to her country, as the course of her reign progressed Elizabeth’s attitude to marriage wavered on more than one occasion as potential suitors presented themselves.

  Following the coronation, as Elizabeth tried to find her feet and adjust to life as Queen of England, so too did Lettice begin to settle into life at the royal court. Elizabeth was a popular queen, who was at the very centre of court life. She not only needed, but also expected to be admired and revered by all of those around her – particularly the men, with whom she would frequently flirt. In spite of her desire to remain single, Elizabeth enjoyed the company of men and had a naturally flirtatious nature. This never, though, went beyond the bounds of decorum, and was all conducted according to the practice of courtly love. The Queen was the unobtainable mistress who all men admired and adored, paying court to her even though they knew that to do so would prove fruitless. Elizabeth happily played along, and while she graciously accepted the compliments of her male courtiers, that was as far as it went. It was a display that Lettice would have witnessed on many occasions.

  Devotion to the Queen was compulsory, and her courtiers were constantly showering her with gifts and compliments in an attempt to win her favour. In November 1559, a year after her accession, the Venetian ambassador had been told that Elizabeth ‘lives a life of magnificence and festivity such as can hardly be imagined, and occupies a great portion of her time with balls, banquets, hunting, and similar amusements with the utmost possible display’.52 The Queen was particularly fond of dancing, and Lettice was expected to participate in much of this merriment. She was probably among those who took part in ‘a double mummery [a form of entertainment involving music and dancing]’, whereby ‘one set of mummers rifled the Queen’s ladies, and the other set, with wooden swords and bucklers, recovered the spoil’.53 Lettice would also have been exposed to the flirtatious atmosphere of the court, and there were plenty of young men from whom she could receive courtly compliments. Despite such attentions, a woman’s virtue was still her most prized possession – the Queen had a strong sense of morality, and neither Lettice nor her watchful father would have allowed any flirtations to develop any further. Similarly, flirtatious behaviour had to be conducted subtly and away from the Queen’s eye: it was very much Elizabeth who was the star of the show, and she never let any of those at court forget it.

  THE QUEEN TOOK great care of her appearance – she was particularly fond of fine clothes and jewels, and also liked perfume. Throughout the course of her reign the size of the royal wardrobe dramatically increased, as did the number of jewels entering the royal collection. Like Elizabeth, Lettice was striking in looks. She sat for her portrait as many as seven times throughout the course of her life, and some of her likenesses survive, the best of which now hangs in Longleat House. What is remarkable is Lettice’s resemblance to the Queen. Her portrait shows an attractive woman with the same red-gold hair inherited by Elizabeth. She has a slim frame with long hands, like Elizabeth’s, delicate features, dark eyes and a high forehead. Even allowing for some artistic licence, by most standards Lettice was very attractive. At fifteen, moreover, long before this portrait was painted, she was growing into a beautiful young woman. At court her manners would have become more refined, and her tastes more sophisticated; her charm and her personality were developing. She was also approaching marriageable age, and it was little wonder that, like the Queen, she drew admiration from many of those who saw her. Although neither of Lettice’s elder siblings, Henry and Mary, were yet married, it is probable that their parents had begun to give some thought to her prospects. Lettice’s post in the Queen’s household meant that she was well placed to make a good marriage – with her royal mistress’s permission – and it was not long before she had caught the eye of a suitor.

  WALTER DEVEREUX, VISCOUNT Hereford, was the eldest son of Sir Richard Devereux and his wife, Dorothy, the daughter of George Hastings, Earl of Hunt
ingdon.54 His portrait shows a handsome man with a brown beard, dressed in armour with his hand proudly placed on his helmet in a demonstration of his military prowess. According to Walter’s biographer, Walter Bourchier Devereux, who was writing in 1852, the house from which Walter was descended ‘was of high rank in Normandy’.55 Bourchier Devereux was a descendant of Walter’s, and compiled biographies of Walter and several of his direct descendants having consulted a number of primary sources – some of which were contained in private archives. He also collated a large number of letters written by Walter and his heir, which were printed in his first and second volumes of Lives and Letters of the Devereux Earls of Essex. The papers show how the Devereux ancestors, part of the Evereux family, had accompanied William the Conqueror on his mission to England in 1066. They had settled in Herefordshire, but as time wore on, the family gradually began to edge their way into Wales.