WHILE LETTICE BUSIED herself with spending time with her daughter, the Queen and Essex had other matters with which to occupy themselves. The threat posed by Spain as part of the ongoing Anglo–Spanish war was still present, and was becoming more alarming. In July 1595, several Spanish ships had made it into English waters, attacking the Cornish coast and burning Penzance. The Queen and her advisors were well aware that King Philip was still rebuilding his navy, in preparation for a further attempt at invasion. In turn, the Queen was readying her own fleet, and on 3 June 1596, the Earl of Essex set sail from Plymouth at the head of an expedition bound for Cadiz. It was not the first time he had journeyed abroad, but this time he faced infinitely more danger. In anticipation of Philip’s forthcoming Armada, Elizabeth hoped that her force would beat him to it, and crush the Spanish King’s fleet. Lettice was worried for her son, and wrote to him of ‘how fearfully we harken after the Spaniards, whose malice God bless us all from’.19 Blount was planning on joining his stepson, and Lettice assured Essex that he ‘prepares his arms and himself in readiness to do you service when time is. And so the Almighty bless you, and send, if they dare come, you may be a scourge to them.’20 Before long she had bid farewell to her husband and, much to Penelope’s relief, her husband, Lord Rich, who did not approach the mission with enthusiasm, joined them, too.
When Essex’s ships reached the wealthy Spanish port of Cadiz, his men rampaged through the city for two weeks, during which time they ruthlessly sacked and plundered, and took many important hostages. More importantly, they also ravaged some of the Spanish King’s ships, which were being kept there in preparation for the Armada. A Venetian envoy reported that
It is said that they have burned the five ships of the West India fleet which were ready to sail, fourteen beautiful galleons, and about twenty-five other ships, and rumour adds five guard ships besides. The loss is estimated at four millions of gold, including the value of the vessels that have been burned; a serious reduction of the naval forces belonging to his Majesty.21
The mission was an overwhelming triumph for Essex. So much so that it marked the peak of his career and popularity, and when he returned home it was as a hero. Essex revelled in his own glory, but the Queen, though delighted, never enjoyed sharing the limelight, and was jealous of his popularity. She was also disappointed that he came bearing little in terms of plunder to add to her coffers. Nevertheless, the raid on Cadiz had a great impact, and the Venetian ambassador in France wrote to his master, ‘The English have inflicted a very heavy blow upon Spain at Cadiz. It will be some time before his Catholic Majesty can put another fleet on the sea.’22 The Spanish King was naturally furious, and bent on vengeance. Lettice beamed with pride when she heard of her son’s success, but her joy was tinged with sadness.
The month after Essex left England, on 19 July, Lettice’s father, Sir Francis Knollys, died. He was in his eighties, but his age had not prevented him from continuing in his loyal service to Queen Elizabeth. By way of reward, three years previously she had made him a Knight of the Garter, and she too was left saddened by his loss. His death had not been wholly unexpected, for in March he had made his will. In this he touchingly acknowledged the fact that he had been blessed ‘with many children, whose advancement I am in fatherly care to regard and provide for’.23 He left the Queen a gold diamond ring worth £40 (£5,000), ‘as a poor remembrance of my humble duty to Her Majesty’.24 His foremost concern besides asserting his religious faith was the welfare of his children. Lettice’s brother William was his heir, and it was to him that the greater part of Francis’s estates, including Greys Court, now passed.
Sir Francis had also assigned lands to his four surviving sons; Robert, Thomas, Richard and Francis, though Richard did not live long enough to enjoy his – he died within days of his father, and was buried at Rotherfield Greys three days after Sir Francis. Neither were Francis’s daughters forgotten. Lettice and her sisters each received a piece of gold plate, weighing 30 oz, and there were likewise bequests to his grandchildren and loyal servants.25 Francis had been the constant figure in the lives of Lettice and her siblings, and he had also taken an active interest in the affairs of his grandchildren. For Lettice he had been a source of support through some of the most testing periods of her life, and had not wavered even when he risked the Queen’s displeasure. Now the Knollys family figurehead was gone, leaving a void in Lettice’s life that would never be filled.
Four days after Francis’s death, Lettice’s uncle, Henry Carey, also died.26 Camden asserted that he was ‘a man of great stomach, but very choleric, and somewhat discontented, that being somewhat of kin to the Queen, he attained but mean honours, and wealth, departed also’.27 The epitaph on his tomb commended him as ‘the best of fathers and dearest of husbands’. His kinship and closeness to the Queen ensured that he was given a funeral in Westminster Abbey that was paid for by Elizabeth in the same manner as for his sister; despite the regard in which he was held, Francis was to be afforded no such special treatment. On 18 August, Francis’s funeral procession, including his Lord Treasurer’s staff, helmet, coat and sword, made its way from Greys Court to the nearby church of St Nicholas. There Dr Holland, who had once served as Leicester’s chaplain in the Netherlands, conducted the service.28 Lettice’s brother William played the role of chief mourner, but it is unlikely that Lettice herself was present. Sir Francis was laid to rest in the church, but if he had cherished any hopes of his wife’s remains being moved to join him, he would have been sadly disappointed. The Queen made no attempt to move the remains of her kinswoman from Westminster Abbey, and therefore the couple who had been cruelly separated in the final months of Katherine’s life were also to remain separated in death; thus, the magnificent tomb that was later erected to the couple’s memory contains only the bones of Sir Francis. Nevertheless, the monument reflects the way in which Francis would have chosen to be remembered: a devoted husband and father, next to his wife and flanked by his children.
William Knollys was now the head of the family, and, as with his father, the Queen had ample faith in his abilities. Just days after his father died, William had heard that she intended to appoint him either Comptroller of the Royal Household or Vice-Chamberlain, and he informed Burghley’s son, Robert Cecil, honestly that ‘I wish rather to be Controller than Vice-Chamberlain. For as I desire to continue my father’s place if it be possible, so will I by all the means I may shun to be Vice-Chamberlain; persuading myself rather to a solitary country life than to remain a courtier in that place.’29 His wish was granted, and on 30 August he was made Comptroller and a Privy Councillor. In 1602, he would also be appointed Treasurer of the Household, although as time would reveal, this came at a price. William, though, was to prove himself a loyal and able advisor to the Queen.
THROUGHOUT THE 1590S Lettice had occupied herself with domestic matters in the countryside, and had taken pleasure in spending time with her children and grandchildren. In the aftermath of Cadiz, Essex was at the peak of his power and influence with the Queen. As the year turned to 1597 England was still at war with Spain, from where they were expecting an invasion fleet that summer. As usual, Essex urged the Queen to action, and she agreed that he would lead an expedition against them. Lettice watched as, once again, her son left home to brave danger. When Essex, accompanied by Blount, set sail in July the gales were so bad that the fleet was forced to return to Plymouth. They had no choice to remain there until the weather turned, but the gales had caused Lettice alarm. Assured that her ‘dearest Robin’ was safe, such news ‘doth more joy me than to have the King of Spain’s Indies’. She was still concerned, and expressed her feelings that
And much gladder shall I be if, with your contentment, her Majesty might stay you upon good terms for this year, the time being so far passed, and sea travel in winter so troublesome and dangerous. I can no more, but pray unto God to bless and prosper all your noble attempts and actions, now and whensoever.30
Her hopes of delay were not to be realiz
ed, and in August the fleet set sail once more. Penelope shared her mother’s worries, writing to Robert Cecil of who she longed ‘to hear that all the troubles of this voyage were past and some hope of his speedy return’.31 It was greatly hoped that the expedition would amount to, or surpass, the glory of Cadiz. However, the weather meant that the English fleet was unable to reach the port of Ferrol, where the Armada force was docked. Deciding to take the opportunity to win further plunder, Essex instead sailed for the Azores. But there was to be none of the success of Cadiz, for thanks to furious arguments with his rival, Sir Walter Ralegh, and Essex’s own ill-advised tactics, they missed the Spanish treasure fleet. As a result, Essex was forced to return to England both empty-handed and having failed to destroy the Armada. The Queen was angry at his disobedience, and at his having left England vulnerable to attack once more through his failure to obliterate the Spanish force. What she had not realized was that Philip, having heard that the English were sailing from the Azores, ordered the Armada to follow them, hoping to intercept them before they reached England. Once again, though, the weather intervened, and the Spanish ships were shipwrecked and scattered as a result of heavy storms. Three Armada attempts to invade England had now failed, and, feeling utterly broken and in a state of financial ruin, Philip was left with no choice but to permanently abandon his plans of invasion.
When Essex arrived in England at the end of October, the Queen’s fury at his failure meant that he retired from court under a dark cloud. But it was not long before Elizabeth forgave him and, for the time being at least, he was the favourite once more. In what became known as the Islands Voyage, the expedition left Essex deeply in debt, but that was the least of the family’s problems. That same year Penelope fell sick with smallpox, and although she survived it was greatly feared that she would be scarred for life. Much to the relief of Lettice and her family, Penelope recovered ‘without blemish to her beautiful face’.32 In December, she gave birth to Charles Blount’s son, Scipio, whose unusual name – taken from an ancient Roman general – was chosen in recognition of his father’s military prowess. The baby was baptized at Essex House on 8 December, but he is never mentioned again, presumably dying shortly after.
Lettice had now been estranged from the Queen for nearly twenty years, with neither hope nor indication of reconciliation. For many years she had accepted this state of affairs, but her letters to her son signify that she was hopeful of achieving a return to favour. Though in Staffordshire Lettice was miles from London, this did not deter her from writing to Essex regularly. She may have been optimistic that his position with Elizabeth, which was still strong, would translate into a thawing of the Queen’s attitude towards his mother. Whatever the truth of the matter, she had become restless and longed to return to London. She was fifty-four – old by contemporary standards – but she informed Essex that she would gladly come to the capital ‘to obtain that favour without which I live there as you know with greater disgrace’.33
Essex certainly did his best to convince the Queen to receive his mother, and while it is unclear how long he had been working on her behalf, by December 1597 his efforts had produced some results. He was then able to deliver Lettice the heartening news that ‘Her Majesty is very well prepared to hearken to terms of pacification’. It says much for his charm and powers of persuasion that after almost twenty years of estrangement between the two women, he had succeeded in some degree where others had failed. Essex had in that same month been appointed Earl Marshal of England – he believed that he was invincible.
These words of encouragement were all that Lettice needed to hear, and eager to seize upon the opportunity, she informed her son that she was prepared to set out for the court immediately. It was now winter and the roads were perilous, but Lettice was so desperate to be restored to Elizabeth’s favour that she had determined to brave the ‘foul travelling’ that the arduous journey between Staffordshire and London provided. She relayed her optimism to her son, declaring that she was ready to travel: ‘especially if matters stood so well as you might hope to obtain some favour for us, then would I come also presently up, otherwise a country life is fittest for disgraced persons,’ she wrote sadly.34 But, she added, ‘if you find reason to wish my coming then you must presently send some coach horses to fetch me for my own will never be able to draw me out of the mire’.35
With a renewed sense of confidence and full of expectation, Lettice left Drayton Bassett behind as she began her journey to London. There is no mention of Blount travelling with her, and it is safe to assume that he remained in Staffordshire during this time. She arrived in January 1598, and immediately took up residence with her son and his family at Essex House. On 14 January, it was observed that ‘My Lady Leicester is now come to town, and many went to meet her.’36 In addition to his eldest son Robert and the tragically short-lived Walter, Essex and his wife had also sired a daughter, Penelope, and a son named Henry, who had died in 1596.37 Lettice was therefore able to spend some time with her beloved grandson and granddaughter while she waited anxiously for Essex to play his part.
January passed, and while she waited she was able to participate in the magnificent party thrown by Essex on Valentine’s Day. It was a huge celebration, during which the Earl and his friends and family enjoyed a splendid banquet, followed by ‘two plays which kept them up till one o’clock after midnight’.38 All of Lettice’s children were in attendance, as was her daughter-in-law and Penelope’s lover Charles Blount, Lord Mountjoy. Shortly after the festivities, Lettice was delighted when her son delivered her some welcome news; after years of rivalry and estrangement, the Queen had at last agreed to grant her an audience. For Lettice this seemed to be the culmination of all of her recent hopes: she was willing to put the past behind them, but the question still remained: was Elizabeth?
CHAPTER 19
Some Wonted Unkind Words
ON 27 FEBRUARY, Lettice arrived at court for the first time in nearly two decades. She was full of optimism about her meeting with the Queen, but her hopes were about to be cruelly shattered. ‘I acquainted you with the care to bring Lady Leicester to the Queen’s presence,’ Rowland White wrote to Sir Robert Sidney: ‘it was granted, but the Queen found occasion not to come.’1 It is clear that Elizabeth had only agreed to meet with Lettice at Essex’s request rather than through her own desire, and at the last minute – in a style that was so typical of her – she changed her mind. Perhaps she had planned on doing so all along, for the result was that Lettice was left waiting in a snub that was humiliatingly public: nobody was left in any doubt that despite her presence at court, she was still in disgrace.
Lettice was disappointed, but determined not to give up. After all, she had braved the bitter winter weather for an opportunity to meet with her kinswoman, and she was resolved on doing so. By contrast, Elizabeth was equally eager to avoid Lettice’s longed-for meeting. The cancelled audience at court was not a one-off, for White reported to his master that
Upon Shrove Monday, the Queen was persuaded to go to Mr Controller’s at the Tilt End, there was my Lady Leicester with a fair jewel of £300 [£37,600]. A great dinner was prepared by my Lady Chandos, the Queen’s coach ready and all the world expecting her Majesty’s own coming; when upon a sudden she resolved not to go and so sent word.2
Essex was not there to witness this second snub to his mother, but when he heard of it he made it clear that he was not prepared to let the matter lie. He had defended his sister Dorothy before, and now prepared to do the same for his mother. White observed that the Earl ‘kept his chamber the day before, in his night gown went up to the Queen the privy way; but all would not prevail and as yet my Lady Leicester hath not seen the Queen’. Even his persuasive words could not move his royal mistress, and White was concerned, for by Essex ‘importuning in unpleasing matters loses opportunity to do good to his friends’.3 Elizabeth’s attitude towards Lettice was extraordinary, and her ability to hold a grudge astonishing – the anger she had felt towards her in
1579 was as fresh as ever. It is even more remarkable when one considers that Leicester – the cause of the women’s rivalry – had now been dead for a decade.
Surprisingly, Essex’s smooth words had some effect on the Queen. After much encouragement, he convinced her to agree to meet his mother on 2 March. Both Lettice and her son were anxious that Elizabeth might once more change her mind, but nevertheless Lettice dutifully arrived at court – perhaps more apprehensive than she had been before. On this occasion, though, whatever her reservations, the Queen was true to her word. After many years, ‘My Lady Leicester’ had finally been given the opportunity to speak to the Queen.4
What the two women felt as they observed one another can only be imagined, for in appearance they were much changed. At sixty-four, Elizabeth was no longer the most beautiful Queen in Europe, with tumbling red locks. She now wore a wig and heavy lead makeup, and her teeth had rotted from eating the sugary confectionaries of which she was so fond. Lettice was a decade younger, and though no descriptions of her appearance survive at this time, this can only have increased the Queen’s jealousy and animosity towards her.
The meeting was short – as Elizabeth no doubt intended. There is no record of the words that were spoken between the two kinswomen, but it was believed that after many years in disgrace, Lettice ‘kissed the Queen’s hands and her breast and did embrace her and the Queen kissed her’.5 Lettice was delighted by this, as was the Earl of Essex, who ‘is in exceeding favour here’.6 It was certainly an encouraging sign, and Lettice left court with good reason to hope that this was just the first step in rebuilding her relationship with Elizabeth. But could the tumultuous events of the past two decades really be forgiven and forgotten?
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