Saturday, July 09, 2022

July 1571: Edward de Vere becomes engaged to Anne Cecil.

A letter of Sir John St. John II to Edward Manners, the Earl of Rutland, informs us that an agreement existed as of July of 1571 between the Baron Burghley and the Earl of Oxford for the hand of Burghley’s daughter Anne.

1571, July 28. Fetter Lane.— Th'Erle of Oxenforde hathe gotten hym a wyffe—or at the leste a wyffe hathe caught hym—that is Mrs. Anne Cycille, whearunto the Queen hathe gyven her consent, the which hathe causyd great [weeping], waling, and sorowfull chere, of those that hoped to have hade that golden daye. Thus you may see whylst that some triumphe with [olive] branchis, others folowe the chariot with wyllowe garlands.[1]

St. John may have known Rutland to have a personal interest in the matter. Like Edward de Vere, the Earl of Oxford, he, too, had been a Royal Ward under the care of Anne Cecil’s father, William.

By law, William Cecil had every right to marry his daughter off to Oxford, Rutland or any other of the wards committed to his care, so long as the Queen consented. Instead he was actively negotiating with the father of Philip Sidney. Cecil not being a nobleman, it likely seemed to be the best that was within reach.

A subsequent letter from Cecil himself to Rutland makes clear that he understands the confusion he may be causing.

1571, August 15. Hatfield. — I thynk it doth seme strange to your Lordship to here of a purposed determination in my Lord of Oxford to marry with my doughter, and so before his Lordship moved it to me might I have thought it, if any other had moved it to me than hymself. For at his own motion I cold not well imagyne what to thynk, consideryng I never ment to seke it, nor hoped of it. And yet reason moved me to thynk well of my Lord, and to knolledg my self gretly beholdyng to hym, as in dede I doo. Truly, my Lord, after I was acquainted of the formar intention of a mariadg with Mr. Phillipp Sydney, whom allweiss I loved and estemed, I was fully determined to have of my self moved no mariadg for my doughter untill she shuld have bene nere xvjth [16 years old],  that with moving [the match] I might also conclude [the match]. And yet I thought it not inconvenient in the meane tyme, being free to herken to any motion made by such others as I shuld have cause to lyke. Truly, my Lord, my good will served me to have moved such a matter as this in an other [direction than this] is, but having some occasion to dout of the issew of the matter, I did forbeare, and in myn own concept I cold have as well have lyked [there] as in any other place in England. Percase your Lordship may gess wher I meane, and so shall I, for I will name nobody.

Now that the matter is determyned betwixt my Lord of Oxford and me, I confess to your Lordship I do honor hym as much as I can any subject, and I love hym so derely from my hart as I do myn own sonne, and in any case that may touch hym for his honor and weale, I shall thynk myn own interest therin. And suerly, my Lord, by dealyng with hym I fynd that which I often hard of your Lordship that ther is much more in hym of understandyng than any stranger to hym wold thynk. And for myn own part, I fynde that wherof I take comfort in his wytt and knolledg groven by good observation.[2]

What Cecil doesn’t mention is surely the operative point. On the 25th of February, 1571 [N.S.], the Queen had created him Baron of Burghley.

Philip’s father, Sir Henry Sidney, and mere Sir William Cecil had been negotiating for some two years in preparation for Anne reaching the marriageable age of 16. In a letter from Sir Henry dated Feb. 24, 1570 [1571 N.S.], just short of the goal, we find the following:

I am sorry, that you find coldness anywhere in proceeding where such good liking appeared in the beginning, but for my part I never was more ready to perfect that matter than presently I am, assuring you for my part if I might have the greatest Prince's daughter in Christendom for him, the match spoken of between us on my part should not be broken.[3]

About to become a nobleman, and his daughter the daughter of a nobleman, Cecil detects a “coldness” in Sir Henry. The negotiations are suspended.

It is difficult to believe that the timing of the Queen’s gift of noble status could have been a coincidence. Nor Cecil’s finding “coldness” in Sir Henry and breaking off negotiations.

Edward de Vere, the Earl of Oxford, was as proud and headstrong as any young Earl. He would likely have answered a demand from the Queen to marry Anne with the same words Shakespeare puts in Bertram’s mouth in his All’s Well that Ends Well.

Bertram. But follows it, my lord, to bring me down

Must answer for your raising? I know her well;

She had her breeding at my father's charge.

A poor physician's daughter my wife! Disdain

Rather corrupt me ever!

And the Queen would have appeared to answer in much the same words of the King in the play.

King. 'T is only title thou disdain'st in her, the which

I can build up.

No. Surely it could not have been a coincidence that all revolved around Elizabeth having created her most valued servant Baron of Burghley.

 



[1] Manuscripts of his Grace the Duke of Rutland (1888). I.94.

[2] Rutland. I.80-1.

[3] Wallace, Malcolm William. The Life of Sir Philip Sidney (1915). 92.


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