Anne Vavasour
Encyclopedia
Anne Vavasour was a Maid of Honour (1580-81) ) to Queen Elizabeth I of England
, and the mistress of two aristocratic men. Her first lover was Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford
, by whom she had an illegitimate son - Edward. For that offence, both she and the earl were sent to the Tower of London
by the orders of the Queen. She later became the mistress of Sir Henry Lee of Ditchley
, by whom she had another illegitimate son.
By 1590, she had married a sea captain by the name of John Finch. She later married John Richardson, while her first husband was still alive; and as a consequence, she was brought up before the High Commission on a charge of bigamy
, for which she had to pay a fine of £2000; however, she was spared having to perform a public penance.
She was the inspiration, protagonist, and possibly the actual author, of the Earl of Oxford's poem, Anne Vavasour's Echo.
, and Margaret Knyvet. Anne's maternal uncle was Sir Thomas Knyvet, 1st Baron Knyvet
. It was this family connection which likely secured her a place at court as one of Queen Elizabeth's Ladies of the Bedchamber.Her younger sister, Frances (1568 - c.1606), was also at court as a Maid of Honour to the Queen (1590-91), and who in 1591, secretly married Sir Thomas Shirley.
, the daughter of William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley
, the Queen's most trusted advisor. Oxford had separated from his wife in 1576.
On 23 March 1581, Anne gave birth to Oxford's illegitimate son, Edward, which resulted in their imprisonment in the Tower of London by the command of Queen Elizabeth. Oxford was released several months later, but was banished from court until June 1583. He had reconciled with his wife, Anne Cecil in January 1582.
Their love affair also led to open skirmishes and duels in the streets of London, between Oxford and Anne's uncle, Thomas Knyvet, which on one occasion led to the wounding of both men, and the death of one of Oxford's men. Anne remained in the Tower, but by 1588 she was free and had resumed her affair with Oxford.
Though her child, baptized Edward Vere, would survive to manhood, Oxford took no responsibility for his upbringing or education, and the boy was raised by Anne. In later years her son became a protege of Oxford's cousin, Sir Francis Vere
.
, Master of the Royal Armouries, by whom she had another illegitimate son, Thomas. They lived openly together at his manor of Ditchley
. The Queen apparently approved of their liaison, as the couple entertained her at Ditchley House in September 1592. In 1605, Lee pensioned off Finch, and left Anne an income of £700 per year in his will, some property, and instructions for their joint burial in the tomb he had had erected for them in Quarrendon, Buckinghamshire
. He had written an epitaph for the tomb which described her as having been: "a fair and worthy Dame". They remained together until his death in 1611. Anne outlived Sir Henry, but was forced to engage in a series of legal battles with Sir Henry's son over the property he had left her.
By 1618, she had married a second time to John Richardson, although John Finch was still living. She was therefore brought up before the High Commission on 8 August 1618 and charged with bigamy. On 1 February 1622, she was ordered to pay a fine of £2000, however she was spared the ordeal of performing a public penance.
She died in about 1650 at the advanced age of 90, and was buried at Quarrandon, near Aylesbury, in a chapel of which only a remnant of the outer wall now remains. Sir Henry’s monument showed him lying down in armour with an effigy of Anne kneeling at his feet.
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
, and the mistress of two aristocratic men. Her first lover was Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford
Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford
Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford was an Elizabethan courtier, playwright, lyric poet, sportsman and patron of the arts, and is currently the most popular alternative candidate proposed for the authorship of Shakespeare's works....
, by whom she had an illegitimate son - Edward. For that offence, both she and the earl were sent to the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
by the orders of the Queen. She later became the mistress of Sir Henry Lee of Ditchley
Henry Lee of Ditchley
Sir Henry Lee KG , of Ditchley, was Master of the Ordnance under Queen Elizabeth I of England.-Life:Lee became Queen Elizabeth I’s champion in 1570 and was appointed Master of the Royal Armouries in 1580, an office which he held until his death...
, by whom she had another illegitimate son.
By 1590, she had married a sea captain by the name of John Finch. She later married John Richardson, while her first husband was still alive; and as a consequence, she was brought up before the High Commission on a charge of bigamy
Bigamy
In cultures that practice marital monogamy, bigamy is the act of entering into a marriage with one person while still legally married to another. Bigamy is a crime in most western countries, and when it occurs in this context often neither the first nor second spouse is aware of the other...
, for which she had to pay a fine of £2000; however, she was spared having to perform a public penance.
She was the inspiration, protagonist, and possibly the actual author, of the Earl of Oxford's poem, Anne Vavasour's Echo.
Family
Anne was born circa 1560, the daughter of Henry Vavasour of Tadcaster, Copmanthorpe, YorkshireYorkshire
Yorkshire is a historic county of northern England and the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its great size in comparison to other English counties, functions have been increasingly undertaken over time by its subdivisions, which have also been subject to periodic reform...
, and Margaret Knyvet. Anne's maternal uncle was Sir Thomas Knyvet, 1st Baron Knyvet
Thomas Knyvet, 1st Baron Knyvet
Thomas James Knyvet, 1st Baron Knyvet was the second son of Sir Henry Knyvet of Charlton, Wiltshire and Anne Pickering, daughter of Sir Christopher Pickering of Killington, Westmoreland. His half-sister Catherine Knyvet was married to Thomas Howard, 1st Earl of Suffolk...
. It was this family connection which likely secured her a place at court as one of Queen Elizabeth's Ladies of the Bedchamber.Her younger sister, Frances (1568 - c.1606), was also at court as a Maid of Honour to the Queen (1590-91), and who in 1591, secretly married Sir Thomas Shirley.
Earl of Oxford's mistress
Shortly after her arrival at court, she became the mistress of Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford, who was married to Anne CecilAnne Cecil
Anne Cecil, Countess of Oxford was the daughter of statesman William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley, the chief advisor of Queen Elizabeth I of England, and the translator Mildred Cooke. In 1571, she became the first wife of Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford...
, the daughter of William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley
William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley
William Cecil, 1st Baron Burghley , KG was an English statesman, the chief advisor of Queen Elizabeth I for most of her reign, twice Secretary of State and Lord High Treasurer from 1572...
, the Queen's most trusted advisor. Oxford had separated from his wife in 1576.
On 23 March 1581, Anne gave birth to Oxford's illegitimate son, Edward, which resulted in their imprisonment in the Tower of London by the command of Queen Elizabeth. Oxford was released several months later, but was banished from court until June 1583. He had reconciled with his wife, Anne Cecil in January 1582.
Their love affair also led to open skirmishes and duels in the streets of London, between Oxford and Anne's uncle, Thomas Knyvet, which on one occasion led to the wounding of both men, and the death of one of Oxford's men. Anne remained in the Tower, but by 1588 she was free and had resumed her affair with Oxford.
Though her child, baptized Edward Vere, would survive to manhood, Oxford took no responsibility for his upbringing or education, and the boy was raised by Anne. In later years her son became a protege of Oxford's cousin, Sir Francis Vere
Francis Vere
Sir Francis Vere was an English soldier, famous for his career in Dutch service.He was the son of Geoffrey Vere of Crepping Hall, Essex, and nephew of John de Vere, 16th Earl of Oxford.-Military career:...
.
Bigamy
Sometime before 1590, Anne married a sea captain by the name of John Finch. Around this time, she had also taken another lover, Sir Henry Lee of DitchleyHenry Lee of Ditchley
Sir Henry Lee KG , of Ditchley, was Master of the Ordnance under Queen Elizabeth I of England.-Life:Lee became Queen Elizabeth I’s champion in 1570 and was appointed Master of the Royal Armouries in 1580, an office which he held until his death...
, Master of the Royal Armouries, by whom she had another illegitimate son, Thomas. They lived openly together at his manor of Ditchley
Ditchley
Ditchley is a country house and estate about northeast of Charlbury in Oxfordshire.-Archaeology:There are remains of a Roman villa on the Ditchley Park estate at Watts Wells, less than southeast of the house...
. The Queen apparently approved of their liaison, as the couple entertained her at Ditchley House in September 1592. In 1605, Lee pensioned off Finch, and left Anne an income of £700 per year in his will, some property, and instructions for their joint burial in the tomb he had had erected for them in Quarrendon, Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire
Buckinghamshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan home county in South East England. The county town is Aylesbury, the largest town in the ceremonial county is Milton Keynes and largest town in the non-metropolitan county is High Wycombe....
. He had written an epitaph for the tomb which described her as having been: "a fair and worthy Dame". They remained together until his death in 1611. Anne outlived Sir Henry, but was forced to engage in a series of legal battles with Sir Henry's son over the property he had left her.
By 1618, she had married a second time to John Richardson, although John Finch was still living. She was therefore brought up before the High Commission on 8 August 1618 and charged with bigamy. On 1 February 1622, she was ordered to pay a fine of £2000, however she was spared the ordeal of performing a public penance.
She died in about 1650 at the advanced age of 90, and was buried at Quarrandon, near Aylesbury, in a chapel of which only a remnant of the outer wall now remains. Sir Henry’s monument showed him lying down in armour with an effigy of Anne kneeling at his feet.