Winifred Wells
Encyclopedia
Winifred Wells was a courtier at the Stuart
Restoration court as a Maid of Honour to Queen consort Catherine of Braganza
. She was also one of the many mistress
es of King Charles II of England
. Samuel Pepys
refers to her as the King's mistress in his diary, and she also features in Philibert de Gramont's famous Mémoirs.
. The Wells family members were staunch Royalists during the English Civil War
. She came to court early in the reign of King Charles II as she was one of Queen Catherine's original Maids of Honour. She became a mistress to King Charles sometime in 1662. Winifred is referred to in Philbert de Gramont's Mémoirs in which he wrote of her:
"As her father had first served Charles I, she thought it would ill become his daughter to decline to be served by Charles II".
Winifred was described by Gramont as having been a "big, splendidly handsome creature who dressed well", with the "carriage of a goddess and the physiognomy of a dreamy sheep"; however, Barbara Villiers, the King's chief mistress, compared her to a goose.
In his diary entry for 8 February 1663, Samuel Pepys reported that it was said that Winifred had "dropped a child during a court ball held on 31 December 1662". The child was allegedly fathered by the King. Pepys later went on to record that it was rumoured King Charles had given her £1,500 or £2,000 on 20 February 1663.
Nine years later in September 1672, Charles made her another present of £2,150 as a marriage portion. Sometime before 14 July 1673, she married Thomas Wyndham, one of the King's equerries. Queen Catherine appointed her as a dresser, and she remained in Catherine's service until 1692, seven years after the death of King Charles
.
House of Stuart
The House of Stuart is a European royal house. Founded by Robert II of Scotland, the Stewarts first became monarchs of the Kingdom of Scotland during the late 14th century, and subsequently held the position of the Kings of Great Britain and Ireland...
Restoration court as a Maid of Honour to Queen consort Catherine of Braganza
Catherine of Braganza
Catherine of Braganza was a Portuguese infanta and queen consort of England, Scotland and Ireland as the wife of King Charles II.She married the king in 1662...
. She was also one of the many mistress
Royal mistress
A royal mistress is the historical position of a mistress to a monarch or senior Royal. Some mistresses have had considerable power. The prevalence of the institution can be attributed to the fact that royal marriages were until recent times conducted solely on the basis of political and dynastic...
es of King Charles II of England
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
. Samuel Pepys
Samuel Pepys
Samuel Pepys FRS, MP, JP, was an English naval administrator and Member of Parliament who is now most famous for the diary he kept for a decade while still a relatively young man...
refers to her as the King's mistress in his diary, and she also features in Philibert de Gramont's famous Mémoirs.
At the royal court
Winifred Wells was born about 1642, as the youngest daughter of Gilbert Wells of Twyford, HampshireHampshire
Hampshire is a county on the southern coast of England in the United Kingdom. The county town of Hampshire is Winchester, a historic cathedral city that was once the capital of England. Hampshire is notable for housing the original birthplaces of the Royal Navy, British Army, and Royal Air Force...
. The Wells family members were staunch Royalists 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...
. She came to court early in the reign of King Charles II as she was one of Queen Catherine's original Maids of Honour. She became a mistress to King Charles sometime in 1662. Winifred is referred to in Philbert de Gramont's Mémoirs in which he wrote of her:
"As her father had first served Charles I, she thought it would ill become his daughter to decline to be served by Charles II".
Winifred was described by Gramont as having been a "big, splendidly handsome creature who dressed well", with the "carriage of a goddess and the physiognomy of a dreamy sheep"; however, Barbara Villiers, the King's chief mistress, compared her to a goose.
In his diary entry for 8 February 1663, Samuel Pepys reported that it was said that Winifred had "dropped a child during a court ball held on 31 December 1662". The child was allegedly fathered by the King. Pepys later went on to record that it was rumoured King Charles had given her £1,500 or £2,000 on 20 February 1663.
Nine years later in September 1672, Charles made her another present of £2,150 as a marriage portion. Sometime before 14 July 1673, she married Thomas Wyndham, one of the King's equerries. Queen Catherine appointed her as a dresser, and she remained in Catherine's service until 1692, seven years after the death of King Charles
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
.