Anne Halkett
Encyclopedia
Lady Anne Halkett (1623–1699) was a religious writer and autobiographer
.
was tutor to King James I's
children. He later became Provost
of Eton College
. Her mother was governess
to the king's children. When Thomas Murray died, Halkett was educated by her mother. She learned French
, dancing, medicine, music, needlework, religion and surgery. Her religious education was extensive, and she read the Bible, said daily prayers and regularly attended church.
Halkett had a relationship with the Royalist
Colonel Joseph Bampfield
. She collaborated with him in several daring manoeuvres on behalf of the Royalist cause during the English Civil War
. They rescued James, Duke of York, (who later became James II
) from Parliamentary captivity. Halkett disguised him as a woman to effect his escape to the European continent. Halkett seems to have lived with Bampfield under the promise of marriage. However, Bampfield had been pretending to be a widower and Halkett later learned that his wife was alive.
Halkett practised medicine in Scotland. She later became a governess in the household of Sir James Halkett, a widower with two daughters. She married him in 1656. During her first pregnancy she wrote The Mother's Will to her Unborn Child, the manuscript of which is now lost.
Halkett was happily married to Sir James for 20 years. When he died she was left with insufficient funds to support her family, and made her living by teaching children of nobility in her home. Her financial difficulties eased when James II provided her with a pension for her services to him during the English Civil War.
When she died, Halkett left behind 21 folio and quarto manuscript volumes that had been written between 1644 and the late 1690s. These manuscripts are now housed in the National Library of Scotland
.
Halkett’s autobiography (which can be titled as Autobiography or Memoirs, depending on the editor) is a candid record of personal and political events during the English Civil War. It appears to have been written between 1677 and 1678. In it, Halkett gives a detailed account of her courtships and marriage. It is written with narrative suspense, and dialogue is used to capture both Halkett’s own emotions and those of her lovers.
Autobiography
An autobiography is a book about the life of a person, written by that person.-Origin of the term:...
.
Early life
Halkett's father Thomas MurrayThomas Murray (provost of Eton)
Thomas Murray was a Scottish courtier, at the end of his life Provost of Eton.-Life:He was the son of Murray of Woodend, and uncle of William Murray, 1st Earl of Dysart. He was early attached to the court of James VI of Scotland, and soon after James's accession to the English throne was appointed...
was tutor to King James I's
James I of England
James VI and I was King of Scots as James VI from 24 July 1567 and King of England and Ireland as James I from the union of the English and Scottish crowns on 24 March 1603...
children. He later became Provost
Provost (education)
A provost is the senior academic administrator at many institutions of higher education in the United States, Canada and Australia, the equivalent of a pro-vice-chancellor at some institutions in the United Kingdom and Ireland....
of Eton College
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
. Her mother was governess
Governess
A governess is a girl or woman employed to teach and train children in a private household. In contrast to a nanny or a babysitter, she concentrates on teaching children, not on meeting their physical needs...
to the king's children. When Thomas Murray died, Halkett was educated by her mother. She learned French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
, dancing, medicine, music, needlework, religion and surgery. Her religious education was extensive, and she read the Bible, said daily prayers and regularly attended church.
Personal life
Halkett's first romantic relationship was with Thomas Howard. Although Howard was from a distinguished family, he was not wealthy. This meant that marriage between them would be economically damaging to both families. Halkett's emotions were caught between the economic difficulties the marriage would result in, and the pain and loss of credibility that Howard would suffer if she did not marry him. To prevent Halkett from making an imprudent decision, her mother guarded her by having another person sleep in Halkett's room and forbidding her from seeing Howard again. Rather than disobey her mother, Halkett said goodbye to him while wearing a blindfold. Her relationship with Howard created a rift between her and her mother that lasted for fourteen months. Although Howard vowed never to marry another woman, he later broke this promise. Halkett reported in her writing that his marriage was known to be unhappy.Halkett had a relationship with the Royalist
Cavalier
Cavalier was the name used by Parliamentarians for a Royalist supporter of King Charles I and son Charles II during the English Civil War, the Interregnum, and the Restoration...
Colonel Joseph Bampfield
Joseph Bampfield
Joseph Bampfield , was a royalist colonel greatly involved in the turbulence of the English Civil War period.-Life:Bampfield was, according to Clarendon, an Irishman, his real name being Bamford; but the assertion is not corroborated by any other authority...
. She collaborated with him in several daring manoeuvres on behalf of the Royalist cause during the English Civil War
English Civil War
The English Civil War was a series of armed conflicts and political machinations between Parliamentarians and Royalists...
. They rescued James, Duke of York, (who later became James II
James II of England
James II & VII was King of England and King of Ireland as James II and King of Scotland as James VII, from 6 February 1685. He was the last Catholic monarch to reign over the Kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland...
) from Parliamentary captivity. Halkett disguised him as a woman to effect his escape to the European continent. Halkett seems to have lived with Bampfield under the promise of marriage. However, Bampfield had been pretending to be a widower and Halkett later learned that his wife was alive.
Halkett practised medicine in Scotland. She later became a governess in the household of Sir James Halkett, a widower with two daughters. She married him in 1656. During her first pregnancy she wrote The Mother's Will to her Unborn Child, the manuscript of which is now lost.
Halkett was happily married to Sir James for 20 years. When he died she was left with insufficient funds to support her family, and made her living by teaching children of nobility in her home. Her financial difficulties eased when James II provided her with a pension for her services to him during the English Civil War.
When she died, Halkett left behind 21 folio and quarto manuscript volumes that had been written between 1644 and the late 1690s. These manuscripts are now housed in the National Library of Scotland
National Library of Scotland
The National Library of Scotland is the legal deposit library of Scotland and is one of the country's National Collections. It is based in a collection of buildings in Edinburgh city centre. The headquarters is on George IV Bridge, between the Old Town and the university quarter...
.
Written work
Halkett’s writings include an extensive autobiography (c. 1677), religious meditations, and Instructions for Youth. For Halkett, writing about what she had read, her dreams, and her hopes for her children were apart of her daily domestic devotions as well as for pleasure. Her religious writings seem to have been composed over a fifty-five year period (1644-99).Halkett’s autobiography (which can be titled as Autobiography or Memoirs, depending on the editor) is a candid record of personal and political events during the English Civil War. It appears to have been written between 1677 and 1678. In it, Halkett gives a detailed account of her courtships and marriage. It is written with narrative suspense, and dialogue is used to capture both Halkett’s own emotions and those of her lovers.
External links
- Text of Anne Halkett's Biography
- The Literary Encyclopedia
- Goucher College
- http://www.jimandellen.org/halkett/memoir.show.html
- Questa: The Autobiography of Anne Lady Halkett