History

Arbella Stuart - part 2

In 1597 when Arbella was 22 and her grandmother, the Countess of Shrewsbury, in her 70s, the pair moved into the newly completed Hardwick Hall.

(One of the many striking features of this magnificent Elizabethan Hall is Elizabeth's initials along the roof line.

 They found each other irritating in the extreme, and Arbella dreamt up a wild escape plan which whilst never materialising provoked  Bess into writing to Queen Elizabeth 1 asking her to take her wilful grand daughter off her hands.

After an agonising 3 week wait, the reply arrived from London saying Arbella was to remain at Hardwick.  For a while the young woman went on hunger strike.  Whilst once Bess had described her as her 'dearest jewel' now she was excluded from her Will.

On the 24th March 1603 Queen Elizabeth I died, naming James IV of Scotland as her successor.  Travelling down to London, where he would be crowned James I of England, the young royal stopped at Worksop with Gilbert and Mary Talbot.  Mary was Arbella's aunt and godmother, as well as her staunch friend, and she took the opportunity to discuss her niece's future with the King.

He agreed she should come to London. At last Arbella could leave rural Derbyshire, never to live there again.  She was an eligible young woman at the royal court.

However, the years passed and she realised that she was as restricted marriage-wise now as before.  James wanted her unmarried and at Court so he could watch her liaisons.

Foolishly in 1610 when Arbella was 35 she began seeing William Seymour, grandson of the Earl of Hertford.  The King summoned both before the Privy Council when both had to explain their actions, and whilst William appears contrite, Arbella certainly was not.  On June 21st, at 4 in the morning and in Arbella's home, with the servants as witnesses, the couple married.  

Their secret lasted just 17 days.  Then servants betrayed them to the King.

How would he react to their disobedience?  What would become of Arbella and William?

Read part 3 - coming soon

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