Elizabeth Carew

The Carew coat of arms. Or, 3 lions passant in pale sableA daughter of Sir Thomas Bryan and Margaret Bourchier, Elizabeth became the wife of Henry VIII's close friend Sir Nicholas Carew, an influential statesman who was eventually executed for his alleged involvement in the Exeter Conspiracy. She is described as being beautiful by many historians.

Her brother, Sir Francis, a member of the Privy Chamber and one of the king's closest friends, sat on the jury that convicted his sister's husband, who was sentenced to death, and thus reduced her to penury.

Relations She was a first half-cousin of both Anne Boleyn and Catherine Howard and a second half-cousin of Jane Seymour, which increased her standing at court. Her only brother was Sir Francis Bryan, called "the Vicar of Hell" for his lack of principles. She is said to have been friends with Bessie Blount, Henry's mistress who produced an illegitimate son in 1519. Her mother, Margaret Bourchier, was a half-sister of Anne Boleyn's mother, Elizabeth Howard, and also of Catherine Howard's father, Edmund Howard, sharing the same mother but different fathers. Through her mother she was also related to Edward III, Anne Plantagenet, and was the step-granddaughter of Thomas Howard. With Jane Seymour they both shared a great-grandmother; their grandmothers were half-sisters who shared the same mother but had different fathers. Her sister, Margaret Bryan, was married to Sir Henry Guildford.

Through her granddaughter, Elizabeth Throckmorton, Carew is related to Sir Walter Raleigh.

Life Carew had been raised at court because both of her parents held offices in the royal household. Her father was vice chamberlain of the queen's household and her mother was a lady-in-waiting to Queen Catherine of Aragon.

In the early, halcyon days of Henry VIII's reign, Elizabeth and her future husband were members of the king's inner social circle and performed regularly in the masques and dances that were among his favorite pastimes.

Elizabeth also showed an interest in literature. She is credited with persuading her uncle, John Bourchier, to translate the Spanish tale The Castle of Love into English. Like The Castle of Love and Huon of Bordeaux, Recuyell of the Histories of Troye falls under the genre of romance.

According to a letter written by Cardinal Wolsey, on March 27, 1518, "Mr.Carew and his wife returned to the King's Grace" while the court was in Abingdon. In addition to the £500 grant and the 50 marks' worth of land that preceded and succeeded her wedding, Henry is also known to have presented her with other such gifts. These include a diamond necklace, a fur coat, lengths of velvet, cloth of silver and damask, an emerald, and "beautiful diamonds and pearls and innumerable jewels." Records show that the king gave Lady Carew extremely expensive gifts for New Year and on the birth of her son. This may have been because she was the wife of his close friend, although Henry was not usually so generous with the wives of his friends. There is no evidence that Henry and Elizabeth had an affair, but this pattern of gift giving is reminiscent of similar items given to Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn when the king was wooing them.

Alternatively, Henry may have favored Elizabeth so much because he had affection for the whole Bryan family. Elizabeth's mother was one of Henry's most trusted family servants and was charged with caring for his children. Elizabeth's brother, Francis, was also one of the king's close friend. In her book, A Who's Who of Tudor Women, Kathy Lynn Emerson notes that "Queen Jane was very fond of Elizabeth Carew and left her several pieces of jewelry when she died. This gift, described as 'many beautiful diamonds and pearls and innumerable jewels,' seems to be the source of a totally unfounded story that Elizabeth Bryan, as a young teenager, was Henry VIII's mistress."

Issue

Elizabeth's children with Nicholas Carew were: Anne Carew (about 1520 – 1581) Married the diplomat Nicholas Throckmorton. Their daughter Elizabeth married Sir Walter Raleigh. Sir Francis Carew of Beddington (1530 – 1611) Was restored to Nicholas' estates, though he preferred to stay out of politics. Unmarried. Adopted his nephew, Nicholas Throckmorton, who adopted his name. Mary Carew (born about 1520) Married Sir Arthur Darcy. They had ten sons and five daughters. Elizabeth Carew Isabel Carew (born about 1530) Married Nicholas Saunders. They had three sons and four daughters.