Elizabeth ‘Bess’ Throckmorton – Lady Raleigh
Elizabeth “Bess” Throckmorton was born on 16th April 1565.
Bess was the youngest child and only daughter of Sir Nicholas Throckmorton and his wife Anne Carew.
Bess’ family had deep rooted connections at court that started centuries before her birth.
The Throckmortons had been at court since the early reign of King Henry IV.
Bess’ great-great-grandfather, Sir Thomas Throckmorton, was High Sheriff of Warwick during Henry IV’s reign.
Bess’ father Nicholas, served in the household of Henry Fitzroy, Duke of Richmond – the illegitimate son of Henry VIII.
Bess’ mother Anne Carew, was the daughter of Sir Nicholas Carew and Elizabeth Bryan.
Lady Bryan was governess to all three of Henry VIII’s children.
Lady Bryan was also an aunt of Queen Anne Boleyn and Queen Catherine Howard.
Elizabeth was only six when her father died.
In 1584, she went to court and became a lady-in-waiting to the Queen.
She eventually rose to become a gentlewoman of the Privy Chamber, where she dressed and undressed Queen Elizabeth.
Bess is said to have been intelligent, forthright, passionate and courageous, and became a favourite of the queen.
In 1590, Bess caught the eye of another one of Queen Elizabeth’s favourites – Sir Walter Raleigh.
In November 1591, the couple secretly wed after Bess discovered she was pregnant.
For months, Bess kept her secret from the queen and withdrew to her brother’s house in London.
Here she gave birth to a son in March 1592.
Sadly, the boy died during infancy.
The queen came to discover what had happened and both Elizabeth and Raleigh were thrown into The Tower of London.
In December 1592, Bess and Raleigh were released.
Queen Elizabeth refused to see Raleigh for over a year, and never forgave Bess.
In 1601, an attempt to restore Bess at court failed.
Bess then spent most of her time at Sherborne, their country home in Dorset.
Throughout their marriage, Bess and Raleigh remained devoted to each other, and in 1593, Bess gave birth to another son named Walter.
After the ascension of James I in 1603, Raleigh’s enemies at court convinced King James that he was a threat, and Raleigh was imprisoned in the Tower, again.
In 1605, Bess gave birth to another son named Carew, either in or around the Tower of London.
Carew was christened within the walls of the Tower, in the church of St Peter ad Vincula.
In 1609, the King confiscated their house at Sherborne and Bess was given a small pension to live off.
Despite Bess’ many appeals, her husband was executed on 29th October 1618.
Legend says that Bess ended up keeping her husband’s head, which she had embalmed.
It is said that she carried the head with her, until her own death.
An account from 1740 claims that, after Bess’ death, Raleigh’s head was returned to his tomb in St Margaret’s, Westminster.
Bess worked tirelessly to re-establish her late husband’s reputation
In time, Bess went on to rebuild her life.
She was perused by creditors for the rest of her life but managed to clear her family’s name.
Bess earned back her fortunes and prospects, and died a very rich widow in 1647.
? Elizabeth ‘Bess’ Throckmorton, Lady Raleigh.
By Sir William Segar c.1595
