THE COURT, LADY'S MAGAZINE,

MONTHLY CRITIC AND MUSEUM.

A Family Journal

OF ORIGINAL TALES, REVIEWS OF LITERATURE, THE FINE ARTS, MUSIC, DRAMA, FASHIONS, &c., &c.

QUEEN-CONSORT OF EDWARD THE FOURTH, AND MOTHER OF EDWARD PRINCE OF WALES AND RICHARD DUKE OF YORK. THE PRINCES MURDERED IN THE TOWER OF LONDON.

Embellished with a full-length Portrait, from an illuminated MS. in the British Museum; drawn and engraved exclusively for this Magazine

(No. 96 of the Series of full-length Authentic Ancient Portraits).

This portrait of Elizabeth Wydeville is taken from a fine miniature which decorates a splendid MS. chronicle, in the British Museum, written and illuminated for King Edward the Fourth, and decorated in several places with his arms. The subject of the limning, which embraces several figures, represents the public introduction of Elizabeth Wydeville by Clarence and Warwick, to the peers and nobility assembled in Reading Abbey at Michaelmas 1464, and her recognition as Queen of England and the lawful consort of their sovereign, Edward the Fourth. Elizabeth's stately person appears to great advantage in the magnificent robe of gold and purple tissue-a glittering manufacture which the gorgeous Edward—immoderately attached to the fopperies of dress-refused to allow any person below the rank of prince of the blood to wear. With the exception of the heavy train of costly ermine which, from its length and weight must have imposed no slight duty upon the attendant lady,—the form of the robe, with its close-fitting sleeves, very nearly approaches the mode at present prevailing in London and Paris-as will be seen by a glance at most of our recent plates of fashions. This massively-trained O-MARCH, 1841.

gown, it must be remarked, was at that time only worn as a robe of estate-for, during the period of Edward's reign, Monstrelet informs us that the fashion of female dress underwent a considerable alteration., 'The ladies and damsels,' says the historian, 'laid aside their long trains to their gowns, and in lieu of them had deep borders of furs of minever, martin and others, or of velvet, and various articles of a great breadth. They wore silken girdles of greater breadth than formerly (a rich sash of this description encircles the queen's waist), with the richest shoes, with golden necklaces much more trimly decked in divers fashions than they were accustomed to wear them.' Thus far, the foregoing description of a contemporary writer follows so closely the costume of Elizabeth Wydeville as to form a most appropriate illustration of the plate. The ornaments are few but costly-a necklace (termed a device), fancifully set with precious stones-similar to those mentioned by Monstrelet; while from out the circlet of a magnificent crown, ornamented with numerous points tapering into fleurs de lis, her fair hair streams unconfined down her back and reaches to her knees: her shoes, which are seen projecting below a petticoat of blue satin are the monstrous pigaces or poulaines-a most absurd fashion, carried to such extravagance by the beaux of this period that it was customary to wear the beaks or points so long as to render it necessary to tie them up to their knees with laces or chains, to enable them to walk without stumbling. This ridiculous custom was shortly afterwards (A.D. 1467) prohibited on forfeiture of twenty shillings and pain of cursing by the clergy. This prohibition, however, had the effect of urging fashion to the opposite extreme of folly-instead of the pointed pigaces, other shoes of most ridiculous width at the toes-denominated duckbills-became the rage at the English Court, in the early part of Edward's reign. Modern absurdities in dress have, certainly, never exceeded this folly of our ancestors.

It was a singular freak of fortune which, by the spell of beauty alone, raised the impoverished widow of a Lancastrian knight to share the throne of England with the royal chief of the opposite and predominant faction-the victorious Edward of York. Though the sudden and absorbing passion of the young monarch for the lovely Elizabeth Wydeville may assume, on the majestic current of history, all the coloring of fiction, yet in the secret and impolitic marriage to which it led, may be traced the source of that dark and irresistible tide of events which speedily swept Edward from his throne to wander for a season a suppliant at foreign courts, and which ultimately brought destruction upon his innocent sons.

Elizabeth Wydeville* was the eldest daughter of Jacquetta of Luxemburgh, by her second husband Sir Richard Wydeville, a brave but landless esquire of Henry the Fifth. The circumstances attendant upon this second marriage of the Princess of Luxemburgh with the poor English esquire strikingly contrast with those under which she was contracted to the great Regent of France-John Plantagenet, duke of Bedford, third son of King Henry IV. When only seventeen years of age, the beautiful but wily Jacquetta had gained over the warlike Regent into making her a precipitate offer of his hand, and by such alliance she became-after the death of the two queens, Joanna of Navarre and Katherine of Valois, in 1437, the first lady in England-by her second marriage, celebrated too speedily for decorum some few months only after her husband's death, the Duchess not only became

* Widville, or Woodville for the name is variously spelled in official documents and private evidences.

estranged from her relations, but incurred the weighty displeasure of the English Council, which declared her dower forfeited, and imprisoned Sir Richard Wydeville for his temerity in wedding a tenant of the Crown without a royal license. In the following year (a petition being presented to King Henry in Parliament, setting forth "how Jacquete, late wyf to John Duke of Bedford, your noble uncle, to whose soule God do mercy, toke late ago to husband your trewe liegeman born of your realm of England, Richard Wydevile, knight, not having thereto your royal license and assent;" for which offence they had suffered right grete strictnesse, as well in their persons as their godes" from her dower having been wholly taken to the king's use, and that she had neither lande nor gode her to susteigne') the king "out of his abundant grace" for a fine of one thousand pounds, pardoned the transgression, ordered the duchess an ample assignment of dower, and restored Wydeville to favor.

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The date and place of birth of Elizabeth, their eldest child, cannot be exactly ascertained; but it seems probable that she was born about the year 1438, at Grafton, in Northamptonshire, a manor belonging to her father. Whilst the sword of the brave Sir Richard Wydeville cut the way to honorable distinction in several hardfought campaigns under Suffolk and York and for his prowess upon the plains of France, he was, in 1448, created Baron Rivers, and, subsequently, a Knight of the Garter, Jacquetta, who had slowly but steadily regained her former footing at court, succeeded in obtaining for her portionless daughter, in early girlhood, the appointment of maid of honour to Queen Margaret of Anjou. Conspicuous for her beauty and increasing grace amongst the train of noble damsels attendant upon that unfortunate and magnanimous queen-whose throne, by a remarkable destiny she was one day fated to fill the youthful Elizabeth captivated the heart of a brave but simple-minded Welsh knight, a favorite retainer of Richard Duke of York. Sir Hugh John, too bashful to woo the lovely maid of honour in person, or may be anticipating a more favorable issue to his suit if backed by the powerful Protector of England-prevailed upon the duke to become his proxy in making her a declaration of his love; and if the copies of two letters preserved in the Harleian collection may be considered as genuine transcripts of original documents, the fair Elizabeth was in the first instance thus addressed :

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Right trusty and well beloved. We greet you well. And for as moche as we are credibly informed that our right hearty and well-beloved knight Sir Hugh John for the grete womanhode and gentillesse approved and known in your person-Ye being sole and to be married his herte wholly have-whereof we are right well pleased. How it be of your disposition towards him in that behalf as yet to us is unknown. We, therefore, as for the faith, love and good lordship, we owe, unto him at this time-and so wol continue, desire, and hertily pray for you ye wol in your pitie be to him well willed to the performing of this our wryting and his desire. Wherein ye shall do not only to our pleasure, but we doubt not to your grete wele and worship in tyme comyng. Certifying you, if ye fulfille our intent in this matter we wol and shall be to hym and you such lorde as shall be to you both grete wele and worship of the grace of God. Who preserve and guide you in all felicitie and welfare.

TO DAME ELIZABETH WYDEVILLE.

WRITTEN BY RICHARD DUKE OF YORK.

This quaint but courteously-worded billet-doux, the orthography of which we have somewhat modernised, though assuming from the relative position of the proxy and principals, all the character of a royal command, proved nevertheless, unavailing; and a second was indited by no less a personage than the renowned 'king-maker,' Richard Nevile, Earl of Warwick.

TO DAME ELIZABETH WYDEville,

Worshipful and well-beloved. I greet you well, and for as much my right well-beloved Sir Hugh John, Knight, (which now late was with you unto his full great joy and had great cheer, as he saith, whereof I thank you,) hath informed me how that he hath for the great

love and affection that he hath unto your person, as well for the great sadness and wisdom that he hath found and proved in you at that time, as for your great and praised beauty and womanly demeanour, he desireth with all haste to do you worship by way of marriage before any other creature living, as he saith. I considering his great desire and the great worship that he had which was made knight at Jerusalem, and after his coming home, for the great wisdom and manhood that he was renowned of, was made knight-marshal of France, and after, knight-marshal of England unto his great worship; with other his great and many virtues and desert, and also the good and notable service that he hath done and daily doth to me; write unto you at this time, and pray you effectuously that ye will the rather (at this my request and prayer) to condescend and apply you unto his said lawful and honest desire, wherein ye shall not only purvey right notably for yourself unto your weal and worship in time to come, as I hereby trust, but also cause me to show unto you such good worship as ye by reason of it shall hold you content and pleased, with the Grace of GOD; which everlastingly have you in his bliss, protection, and governance.

WRITTEN BY THE EARL OF WARWICK.

Assuming the fact of the genuineness of these transcribed letters, it may be remarked as a curious coincidence that, in this wooing by deputy of the timid Welshman, his proxies should have been--the one, the father of the future monarch, whose queen Elizabeth afterwards became; the other, that "king-maker," by whose exertions the royal idol" was set up, and whom, exasperated by Edward preferring an humble beauty in neglect of his own daughter, the affronted nobleman, by a counter-revolution, so vindictively sought to demolish.

Warwick's overtures in behalf of Sir Hugh John proved as unsuccessful as had those of the Duke of York-the Wesl knight's suit was rejected, and, at the age of sixteen, Elizabeth Wydeville gave her hand to Sir John Gray, son and heir of the wealthy Lord Ferrers, of Groby.

Withdrawing from the gaieties of the court, in the quiet seclusion of Bradgate*, in Leicestershire,-afterwards so celebrated as the residence of their illustrious, but unfortunate descendant the Lady Jane Gray, the youthful pair tasted, for a brief period, all that unalloyed bliss which results from a well assorted union, until the disastrous strife of the rival ROSES fiercely rent asunder the ties of domestic comfort, crushed the lovely charities of human nature and drenched the kingdom with native blood.

A staunch adherent of the house of Lancaster, the heir of Ferrers was amongst the first to rally round the standard of the Red Rose, and share in the various defeats and successes of his party, until in 1461, at the battle of St. Alban's the gallant Sir John Gray fell covered with wounds ere he had scarcely attained the prime of life, at the very moment the fortunes of the day declared in favour of King Henry.

On the accession of the victorious Edward, a few months afterwards, the estates of the zealous Lancastrian were confiscated to the crown, and the desolate widow with her fatherless children found an asylum in her paternal home at Grafton Manor. For three years after his accession, the youthful monarch had to face all the horrors of civil war, ere the blood-stained diadem was firmly set upon his brow. In the third year of his reign, however, the active efforts made by Warwick and his brother Clarence to extinguish the flame of rebellion which smouldered feebly in the north, relieved Edward from further necessity of confronting his enemies personally in the field, and afforded him an opportunity of adopting measures of pacification. The English nation manifestly favoured the change of dynasty; and, by a judicious clemency, Edward earnestly sought to render himself popular amongst all classes of his subjects in the attainment of which object his remarkable beauty of person, kindness and familiarity of manner proved powerful auxiliaries. Out of the forfeited estates of his adversaries he liberally rewarded those who had faithfully served him, and with a generous magnanimity and wisdom proclaimed a general amnesty to all who would submit to his rule. Amongst other partisans of the opposite faction, who early experienced the merciful consideration of the young sovereign, were the parents of Elizabeth Wydeville. By an entry in the Issue Rolls of the Exchequer, it appears that "the King, affectionately considering the state and benefit of Jacquetta, Duchess of Bedford, and Lord Rivers, of his especial grace, orders her to be paid * For description of Bradgate Manor, see Memoir of Lady Jane Gray. February, 1840.

the annual stipend of her dower-three hundred and thirty-three marks, four shillings and some odd farthings”—and, moreover—one hundred pounds in advance.

Although this act of friendly consideration evinced by Edward towards such firm adherents to the cause of Lancaster appears too remarkable to be attributed solely to political expediency-lord Rivers and his son Anthony having proved themselves not only zealous and active opponents to the succession of the line of York, but having rendered themselves, during the contest personally obnoxious to young Edward Plantagenet,*— yet there are no grounds for believing that such royal favor was in any way connected with the event which, three years later, allied the Wydeville family so unexpectedly to the crown.

Several matches had been speculated for the king at this period. The princess of Scotland, the king of Castile's daughter, and the lady Bona of Savoy are mentioned by the chroniclers in projects of this sort; but it seems an error to state that they were formally applied for. The pleasure-loving Edward, relieved awhile from inquietude, and rather disposed to be the easy gentleman than the king of state, in the matter of marriage, made his own feelings too exclusively his guide, without duiy adverting to the expediency of his high station and the perilous consequences of his actions.

Passionately fond of sylvan sports, during the spring of 1464 Edward for a short interval quitted his gorgeous but polluted court, for Stony Stratford in Northamptonshire, on a hunting excursion; and whilst pursuing the chase in the woody environs of Grafton manor, first saw-and "no sooner saw than loved"-the beautiful lady Elizabeth Gray. Holingshed and others affirm, that the first interview took place at Grafton-house whither Edward repaired to refresh himself; but this is scarcely consistent with probability: whilst the tradition of the neighbourhood is, says a county historian, that the lovely widow, accompanied by her fatherless boys, sought the young monarch in the adjacent forest of Whittlebury for the purpose of petitioning for the restoration of her husband's lands, and met him under the tree still known by the name of the Queen's Oak.+ Ignorant of the king's person, Elizabeth enquired of the young stranger if he could direct her to him, and was informed that he himself was the object of her search. She threw herself at his feet and implored his compassion. Her person, her manner, her voice, her modesty, her lovely smile and graceful carriage arrested his attention and affected his heart. Gazing on the fair suppliant with eyes of love and admiration, he raised her from the ground with assurance of good will, and accompanied her home: but when, in turn, Edward became a suitor for favors she could only grant at the price of honor, he was told by the lady, that "though too humble to be his queen she was too good to become his concubine." This resistance, as novel as it was unexpected by the amorous monarch, gave birth to a new sentiment in his bosom a sentiment which exactly corresponded with his wishes for a queen. She was, it appeared, too virtuous to be seduced, and too interesting to be forgotten. Finding, therefore, her virtue inflexible, and that all he could expect from her was

“That love which virtue begs, and virtue grants,"

In 1459, Earl Rivers and Sir Anthony Wydeville, whilst fitting out ships at Sandwich for the Lancastrian navy, were, by a bold plan laid by the earl of Warwick, made prisoners and carried to Calais, of which place the redoubtable king-maker was the governor. Landing in the night-time, they were carried, amidst the light of four-score torches, before the Yorkish lords-the earls of March, Warwick and Salisbury, who assailed them with the bitterest reproaches. The undaunted Rivers boldly retorted by calling them traitors to their lawful king; "whereupon my lord of Salisbury rated him, calling him knave', in that he should be so rude to call him and these other lords traitors; for they should be found the king's liege-men, when he should be found a traitor. And my lord of Warwick rated him, and said that his father was but a squire, and brought up with king Henry V., and had since been made himself by marriage and also made a lord; and that it was not his part to have such language of lords, being of the king's blood." And my lord of March (afterwards king Edward IV.) rated him in like wise. And Sir Anthony was rated for his language of all the three lords in like wise. PASTON LETTERS.

+ Of Grafton Manor-house, which formerly stood on the brow of the hill on which the village is situated, and must have formed a very conspicuous object in the approach from Northampton, not a vestige remains; but the venerable oak still rears its hollow trunk and branching arms in a hedge-row between Pury and Grafton parks.