Mary Seymour (Chatsworth)
Encyclopedia
Lady Mary Seymour was the only daughter of Thomas Seymour
, Baron Seymour of Sudeley, and Catherine Parr
, widow of Henry VIII
of England
. Although Catherine was married four times, Mary was her only child. Complications from Mary's birth would claim the life of her mother on 5 September 1548, and her father was executed less than a year later for treason against Edward VI.
In 1549, the Parliament of England
passed an Act
(3 & 4 Edw. 6 C A P. XIV) removing the attainder
placed on her father from Mary, but his lands remained property of the Crown.
As her mother's wealth was left entirely to her father and later confiscated by the Crown, Mary was left a destitute orphan in the care of Katherine Willoughby Duchess of Suffolk, who appears to have resented this imposition. After 1550 Mary disappears from historical record completely, leading to the conclusion that she did not live past the age of two.
author Agnes Strickland
claims in her biography of Catherine Parr that Mary Seymour did survive to adulthood, and in fact married Sir Edward Bushel, a member of the household of Queen Anne of Denmark
, consort to King James VI of Scotland and I of England. Strickland's theory incorporates that perhaps the Dowager Duchess of Suffolk, after her marriage to Richard Bertie
in 1553, and before she fled England during the Marian Persecutions
which started on 20 January 1555, she provided an honorable marriage for Mary with Bushel. The problem with this theory is that Lady Mary would have been aged six at the time.
Mary was also believed to have been removed to Wexford
, Ireland
and raised under the care of a Protestant family there, the Harts, who had been engaged in piracy off the Irish coast under the protection of a profit sharing arrangement with Thomas Seymour. A lozenge-shaped ring inscribed "What I have I hold" reputed to have been an early gift to Thomas by his brother Edward passed down through her descendants the Seymour-Harts up to at least 1927.
There was reference found in old Elizabethan texts of 'The Late Queen's heir.' However, this could be various other women. Historian S. Joy states that "Mary definitely lived past the age of 10, but after that little is known."
The latest theory, comes from Linda Porter
who has done extensive research and written her own biography on Lady Mary's mother, Queen Katherine.
In an article in History Today, published in July 2011, Porter states:
to Queen Elizabeth I.
Thomas Seymour, 1st Baron Seymour of Sudeley
Thomas Seymour, 1st Baron Seymour of Sudeley, KG was an English politician.Thomas spent his childhood in Wulfhall, outside Savernake Forest, in Wiltshire. Historian David Starkey describes Thomas thus: 'tall, well-built and with a dashing beard and auburn hair, he was irresistible to women'...
, Baron Seymour of Sudeley, and Catherine Parr
Catherine Parr
Catherine Parr ; 1512 – 5 September 1548) was Queen consort of England and Ireland and the last of the six wives of King Henry VIII of England. She married Henry VIII on 12 July 1543. She was the fourth commoner Henry had taken as his consort, and outlived him...
, widow of Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
of England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Although Catherine was married four times, Mary was her only child. Complications from Mary's birth would claim the life of her mother on 5 September 1548, and her father was executed less than a year later for treason against Edward VI.
In 1549, the Parliament of England
Parliament of England
The Parliament of England was the legislature of the Kingdom of England. In 1066, William of Normandy introduced a feudal system, by which he sought the advice of a council of tenants-in-chief and ecclesiastics before making laws...
passed an Act
Act of Parliament
An Act of Parliament is a statute enacted as primary legislation by a national or sub-national parliament. In the Republic of Ireland the term Act of the Oireachtas is used, and in the United States the term Act of Congress is used.In Commonwealth countries, the term is used both in a narrow...
(3 & 4 Edw. 6 C A P. XIV) removing the attainder
Attainder
In English criminal law, attainder or attinctura is the metaphorical 'stain' or 'corruption of blood' which arises from being condemned for a serious capital crime . It entails losing not only one's property and hereditary titles, but typically also the right to pass them on to one's heirs...
placed on her father from Mary, but his lands remained property of the Crown.
As her mother's wealth was left entirely to her father and later confiscated by the Crown, Mary was left a destitute orphan in the care of Katherine Willoughby Duchess of Suffolk, who appears to have resented this imposition. After 1550 Mary disappears from historical record completely, leading to the conclusion that she did not live past the age of two.
Speculations of an adult life
VictorianVictorian era
The Victorian era of British history was the period of Queen Victoria's reign from 20 June 1837 until her death on 22 January 1901. It was a long period of peace, prosperity, refined sensibilities and national self-confidence...
author Agnes Strickland
Agnes Strickland
Agnes Strickland was an English historical writer and poet.-Biography:The daughter of Thomas Strickland of Reydon Hall, Suffolk, Agnes was educated by her father, and began her literary career with a poem, Worcester Field, followed by The Seven Ages of Woman and Demetrius...
claims in her biography of Catherine Parr that Mary Seymour did survive to adulthood, and in fact married Sir Edward Bushel, a member of the household of Queen Anne of Denmark
Anne of Denmark
Anne of Denmark was queen consort of Scotland, England, and Ireland as the wife of King James VI and I.The second daughter of King Frederick II of Denmark, Anne married James in 1589 at the age of fourteen and bore him three children who survived infancy, including the future Charles I...
, consort to King James VI of Scotland and I of England. Strickland's theory incorporates that perhaps the Dowager Duchess of Suffolk, after her marriage to Richard Bertie
Richard Bertie (courtier)
Richard Bertie was an English landowner and religious evangelical. He was the second husband of Catherine Willoughby, 12th Baroness Willoughby de Eresby, Duchess Dowager of Suffolk and a woman who Henry VIII was considering as his seventh wife shortly before his death; she also received a proposal...
in 1553, and before she fled England during the Marian Persecutions
Marian Persecutions
The Marian Persecutions were carried out against religious reformers, Protestants, and other dissenters for their heretical beliefs during the reign of Mary I of England. The excesses of this period were mythologized in the historical record of Foxe's Book of Martyrs...
which started on 20 January 1555, she provided an honorable marriage for Mary with Bushel. The problem with this theory is that Lady Mary would have been aged six at the time.
Mary was also believed to have been removed to Wexford
Wexford
Wexford is the county town of County Wexford, Ireland. It is situated near the southeastern corner of Ireland, close to Rosslare Europort. The town is connected to Dublin via the M11/N11 National Primary Route, and the national rail network...
, Ireland
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
and raised under the care of a Protestant family there, the Harts, who had been engaged in piracy off the Irish coast under the protection of a profit sharing arrangement with Thomas Seymour. A lozenge-shaped ring inscribed "What I have I hold" reputed to have been an early gift to Thomas by his brother Edward passed down through her descendants the Seymour-Harts up to at least 1927.
There was reference found in old Elizabethan texts of 'The Late Queen's heir.' However, this could be various other women. Historian S. Joy states that "Mary definitely lived past the age of 10, but after that little is known."
The latest theory, comes from Linda Porter
Linda Porter
Linda Porter is the name of:*Linda Porter *Linda Porter *Linda Lee Thomas, married name Linda Porter, wife of Cole Porter...
who has done extensive research and written her own biography on Lady Mary's mother, Queen Katherine.
In an article in History Today, published in July 2011, Porter states:
Fiction
The fictional story, The Red Queen's Daughter, by Jacqueline Kolosov, centres around Mary Seymour, and speculates a life in which she never marries, and becomes lady-in-waitingLady-in-waiting
A lady-in-waiting is a female personal assistant at a royal court, attending on a queen, a princess, or a high-ranking noblewoman. Historically, in Europe a lady-in-waiting was often a noblewoman from a family highly thought of in good society, but was of lower rank than the woman on whom she...
to Queen Elizabeth I.
Ancestry
External links
- History Today: Lady Mary Seymour, an Unfit Traveller by Linda Porter.