Now I'm back after a trip to London (my wife's 70th birthday present for me). There I saw a fascinating exhibition of documents relating to WS including the most famous will (very punny) in the world at Somerset House.
If, as noted in my last blog, Mary Fitton, one of Queen Elizabeth I's maids-of-honour was not the Dark Lady, could this person have been Emilia Bassano-Lanier, a past mistress of the queen's cousin Lord Hunsdon?
One of the first people to put this idea forward was A.L. Rowse in 1973 in Shakespeare the Man.If Rowse was correct, who was thus elusive and mysterious lady? Here are the facts.
A possible portrait of Emilia on a locket.
Emilia Bassano was born in London in 1569 and was the daughter of Baptiste Bassano, a court musician originally from Venice. This gentleman was (possibly) Jewish and if you take that into account together with the fact that he came from southern Europe, this may account for his daughter's dark complexion, i.e. she was no typical fair English rose. Despite this possible Jewish background, Emilia was baptised in St. Botolph's Church, Bishopsgate and this may have been done to hide her and her family's background. Jews were not officially allowed to live in England since Edward I had exiled them in 1290. (Cromwell would allow them to return in 1656.)
Baptiste Bassano died in 1576 and young Emilia was sent off to live with the Countess of Kent, Susan Bertie, who gave her a good education which included Latin. Eleven years later, in 1578, Emilia's mother died and the 18 year old Emilia found herself living with the Countess of Cumberland, Margaret Clifford.
Soon after this, our heroine became the mistress of Henry Carey, Baron Hunsdon, who was the queen's cousin. He was 45 years older than her and according to Simon Forman, a contemporary doctor and astrologer, Hunsdon gave her 40 pounds p.a (over 10,000 pounds in today's money). Emilia had a good life with him but this came to an end in 1592 when now pregnant with his child, he paid her off. She was then married to her first cousin, Alphonse Lanier, who was also a court musician.
According to Forman, this was not a happy marriage but it lasted for 21 years. It ended in 1613 with Alphonse's death. During this period Emilia had two children, Henry and Odillya but the latter died when she was only 10 months old.
Now on her own, Emilia opened a school but this was not altogether a successful venture. It involved court-cases etc. to obtain fees and she also had financial problems with her dead husband's brother, Clement.
After the late 1630s we hear no more about her except that she died as a 'pensioner' aged 76 in 1645 and was buried at Clerkenwell, London. When I went to visit her grave I found that time and the weather had eroded all the details from the gravestones preventing me from knowing which one was hers.
Emelia is possibly buried somewhere near here in Clerkenwell.
Next time I'll say more about this lady as a writer in her own right. She was also the first published poetess in England. In the meanwhile, if you wish to read a fictional account of how she was involved with our William, then read my novel, "Welcome to London, Mr. Shakespeare."(Obtainable from Amazon)
If, as noted in my last blog, Mary Fitton, one of Queen Elizabeth I's maids-of-honour was not the Dark Lady, could this person have been Emilia Bassano-Lanier, a past mistress of the queen's cousin Lord Hunsdon?
One of the first people to put this idea forward was A.L. Rowse in 1973 in Shakespeare the Man.If Rowse was correct, who was thus elusive and mysterious lady? Here are the facts.
Emilia Bassano was born in London in 1569 and was the daughter of Baptiste Bassano, a court musician originally from Venice. This gentleman was (possibly) Jewish and if you take that into account together with the fact that he came from southern Europe, this may account for his daughter's dark complexion, i.e. she was no typical fair English rose. Despite this possible Jewish background, Emilia was baptised in St. Botolph's Church, Bishopsgate and this may have been done to hide her and her family's background. Jews were not officially allowed to live in England since Edward I had exiled them in 1290. (Cromwell would allow them to return in 1656.)
Baptiste Bassano died in 1576 and young Emilia was sent off to live with the Countess of Kent, Susan Bertie, who gave her a good education which included Latin. Eleven years later, in 1578, Emilia's mother died and the 18 year old Emilia found herself living with the Countess of Cumberland, Margaret Clifford.
Soon after this, our heroine became the mistress of Henry Carey, Baron Hunsdon, who was the queen's cousin. He was 45 years older than her and according to Simon Forman, a contemporary doctor and astrologer, Hunsdon gave her 40 pounds p.a (over 10,000 pounds in today's money). Emilia had a good life with him but this came to an end in 1592 when now pregnant with his child, he paid her off. She was then married to her first cousin, Alphonse Lanier, who was also a court musician.
According to Forman, this was not a happy marriage but it lasted for 21 years. It ended in 1613 with Alphonse's death. During this period Emilia had two children, Henry and Odillya but the latter died when she was only 10 months old.
Now on her own, Emilia opened a school but this was not altogether a successful venture. It involved court-cases etc. to obtain fees and she also had financial problems with her dead husband's brother, Clement.
After the late 1630s we hear no more about her except that she died as a 'pensioner' aged 76 in 1645 and was buried at Clerkenwell, London. When I went to visit her grave I found that time and the weather had eroded all the details from the gravestones preventing me from knowing which one was hers.
Next time I'll say more about this lady as a writer in her own right. She was also the first published poetess in England. In the meanwhile, if you wish to read a fictional account of how she was involved with our William, then read my novel, "Welcome to London, Mr. Shakespeare."(Obtainable from Amazon)
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