Anne Dormer's Hungerford marriage

Anne Dormer (1525-1603) became the second wife of Walter Hungerford (1526-96) in May 1558 and the couple had four children; Susan (b.1564), Edmund (1562-85), Jane (b.1566) and Lucy (b.1560). However this was not a happy marriage, and within ten years Walter was suing his wife for a divorce.

In 1568 Walter Hungerford sued his wife for a divorce on the grounds of adultery and attempted murder. He claimed that Anne had tried to poison him in 1564, as well as her having had an affair with their neighbour William Darrell (1539-89) from 1560 to 1568 and having a child by him. 

William Darrell, known as 'Wild Will', was a notorious scoundrel already having a mistress at his home when he began his affair with Anne Hungerford. Many of her letters to her 'dear Dorrell' still survive and provide evidence that the accusations of her husband were not unfounded. Despite one quite damning letter from Anne saying "I, by the oath I have sworn upon the holy evangelist, do acknowledge that if Sir Walter Hungerford, my husband now living, do depart out of this life ... I will take you to my husband". The court case for the divorce stated that "in Easter term 1565 Walter Hungerford was sick in London...during his sickness William Darrell frequented his house at Farley and sojourned there...with Dame Anne careless of his sickness". Indicating that perhaps a poisoning wasn't too far fetched.
Anne and William had a son together, also named William Darrell. From the divorce case submitted by Walter Hungerford it stated that there were several eyewitnesses from the Hungerford household to the affair - William Jones, Hugh Richards, Alice Jones. "William Darrell was wont to enter the bedchamber of Dame Anne in the absence of Sir Walter Hungerford and lie down with her 'solus cum sola familiariter jocando, ridendo, osculando, palpando, et amplectando' (alone together, familiarly talking, laughing, kissing, touching and embracing). One Christmas time Darrell had broken a bone and had it set in a plaster cast - "the said plaster was found in Dame Anne's bed between the sheets". "John Golif...wente to my ladies chamber dore and there harkening hard Mr Darrell and my Lady in bedd together. Wheruppon he called Alice Check, in the nurcery chamber going to bedd, who came forth unto him and they two went togetheres to my Ladies chamber and secretlie conveyed themselves into the chamber behind the portal and the hangings of the chamber when they hard and sawe the saide Darrell and Lady in bedd together". One witness, Hugh Richards, who was appointed to serve William Darrell while he was staying at the Hungerford house testified that William Darrell was often at the house, especially when Sir Walter was away, and he would stay over and would spend the night in Anne's bed rather than his own and his bed was often unslept in. An example from the testimony which seems to exemplify the couple's relationship was that; "when Mr. Hungerford the same Xmas time hath byn absent a hawking she hath come into my ladie's chamber. Darrell lyeing on the bedd by my Lady dalieng with her and embrasing, kissing and toying. And when Sir Walter hatli come in he hath slipt away to his own chamber at a back paier of stayres towards the nurcery and then by and by has fayned to cum up the other staires and call to Sir Walter asking him if he wer up as though he had not known him to be abrode".
In 1567-8 it was said that William would visit Anne in London in secret and that he wore "pore man's apparell because he would not be knowen in as secret sort and maner as possible he could because they would have no evell suspicion conceyved of their lewd cumunyng or resorting together."

Two years later the case seemed to be resolved finally as on April 19th 1570 Sir Francis Englefield, a cousin of Sir Walter, reported that 'my Lady Hungerfords great suit has ended by sentence to her sufficient purgation, though neither sufficient for her recompense nor his punishment'. Sir Francis seems to have been on Anne's side during this case and tried to help her. He was sympathetic to her situation and that although she had friends to help her financially as much as they could, he thought that she would be stuck in this miserable situation "untyll God send that the justyce of her cause may be better hearde,and that greate beaste my cosen compellyd bothe to recompensthe injuryes doone her, and to furnyse her wythe yerely lyvyng accordyng to the portion that she brought hym". Surprisingly, Walter had failed to prove his case in court. He was ordered to pay Anne £250 compensation and told to support her financially despite the couple being separated; he refused to do either of these things but said he was willing to take her back as his wife. For this, Walter then spent three years in Fleet prison. 

By 1570 Anne was living in unhappy and impoverished circumstances, as evidenced in letters she wrote on the 25th March to Dorothy Essex, lady in waiting to her sister Jane Dormer. Anne had had to sell her possessions to afford her accommodation; "I have byn in that nesessete y' I have solde all my weringclothes and my tabell clothe and suche linens as you knowe I hade " and all to helpe me to maintane my sute in lavve inclering me of myn innoseence..O my deare Doll what endelles messeres do I live in ! O what frendes had I that this most vrechedly hathe utterly caste me and all mine away. I am not abell to write ye one quarter of my trobeles whiche I have indured". Anne claimed she had not seen her children in more than a year; "My cheldrene I have not harde of this xj mountes and more. Y? ar loste for wante of good plassing; Susane is as I hear clen spoilled, she has forgotten to rede and hur complexsione clengone w' an yeche, and she hathe skante to shefte her w' all. Jane is a semster in Malboro very evel to [do]. Surly I werhappy if God wolde take them out of this Hfe."

In 1571 Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, obtained for Anne a licence to travel to Louvain to visit her dying grandmother, Jane Dormer, nee Newdigate (b.1487). Jane Newdigate had become a prominent figure in the English Catholic exiles community in Louvain since her arrival there in 1559. After her grandmother Jane Newdigate's death on the 7th July 1571, Anne took over her household in Louvain and remained living there until her own death.  In August 1571 Anne's sister Jane Dormer, Duchess of Feria, wrote to Queen Elizabeth requesting that Anne's licence be extended from six months to two years so that she could live at a safe distance from her husband. In 1573 Anne was granted a pension of 1100 livres a year by the King of Spain and in 1583 a further 50 escudos per month; this may have been due to her sister Jane's influence as her husband was a close confidant of the Spanish King. Anne became involved in Flanders politics, often in collaboration with her sister Jane in Spain.

After Anne and Walter's only son Edmund died in 1585, Anne was convinced that Walter was trying to defraud their three daughters of their marriage portions and she wrote many letters to her daughters as well as other family members in England. On the 29th March 1586 Anne wrote to Sir Francis Walsingham asking for him to protect her daughters from their father's attempts to disinherit them. Anne's fears may not have been unfounded; around this time Walter made a deed of conveyance to his half-brother Edward, which contained the clause that the property in question would pass to any sons that he may have in the future by any woman - legitimate or not - which suggests that Walter did intend to have more children and make them his heirs in place of his daughters with Anne.

Whilst Anne was living in Louvain, her husband Walter Hungerford in England had taken a mistress who lived with him; Margery Bright who was a 'poor tenants daughter'. Walter and Margery had four children together; two sons, a daughter and another son born after Walter's death.

On the 14th November 1596 Walter Hungerford wrote his will. He left two farms to Margery Bright, and the residue of his estate to his half-brother Edward Hungerford and his heirs. Soon after, Walter heard rumours that his wife Anne had died in Louvain, and therefore he believed himself a widower, and as such he married Margery just weeks before his death 'for her better colour or excuse of ill life'.

When Walter Hungerford died in December 1596 there were then two claimants to his estate, as both Anne and Margery claimed their rights to inherit as his widow in place of Edward Hungerford. Margery also demanded financial support for her youngest son until he reached his age of majority. She claimed that Walter had given Edward lands worth £3000 a year during his lifetime - a claim which supports Anne's previous claim that he was defrauding their daughters - and the remainder he received at his death was worth either £20,000 or £80,000. Unsurprisingly Anne won and was granted a 'generous dower'.

Anne Hungerford died in Louvain in 1603, never having returned to England.

The lucky fourth wife

Anne of Cleves, the fourth wife of King Henry VIII, was the second of his divorces. However, this divorce was vastly different to his first. In hindsight, it was this wife who best survived Henry and his matrimonial games.

Henry's treatment of his previous wives Catherine of Aragon and Anne Boleyn may have been known by Anne, and she would have feared the same; either a trial and beheading or a cruel banishment back to her home in Cleves, where she lived in fear of her brother. Therefore, when Henry demanded a divorce from Anne, she must have known that it was important how she responded to it. Like Queen Catherine, she could have refused him and insisted their marriage continue and involved foreign politics in the matter, concerning the relationship between England and Cleves. Yet, Anne chose to act humbly and admirably; she accepted the annulment of her marriage with grace. Her response to his request was one of respectful submission to his will, something which Henry clearly admired as he granted her a generous divorce settlement.

This letter was Anne's response to King Henry's request for an annulment;

Pleaseth your most excellent majesty to understand that, whereas, at sundry times heretofore, I have been informed and perceived by certain lords and others your grace's council, of the doubts and questions which have been moved and found in our marriage; and how hath petition thereupon been made to your highness by your nobles and commons, that the same might be examined and determined by the holy clergy of this realm; to testify to your highness by my writing, that which I have before promised by my word and will, that is to say, that the matter should be examined and determined by the said clergy; it may please your majesty to know that, though this case must needs be most hard and sorrowful unto me, for the great love which I bear to your most noble person, yet, having more regard to God and his truth than to any worldly affection, as it beseemed me, at the beginning, to submit me to such examination and determination of the said clergy, whom I have and do accept for judges competent in that behalf. So now being ascertained how the same clergy hath therein given their judgment and sentence, I acknowledge myself hereby to accept and approve the same, wholly and entirely putting myself, for my state and condition, to your highness' goodness and pleasure; most humbly beseeching your majesty that, though it be determined that the pretended matrimony between us is void and of none effect, whereby I neither can nor will repute myself for your grace's wife, considering this sentence (whereunto I stand) and your majesty's clean and pure living with me, yet it will please you to take me for one of your humble servants, and so determine of me, as I may sometimes have the fruition of your most noble presence; which as I shall esteem for a great benefit, so, my lords and others of your majesty's council, now being with me, have put me in comfort thereof; and that your highness will take me for your sister; for the which I most humbly thank you accordingly. 

Thus, most gracious prince, I beseech our Lord God to send your majesty long life and good health, to God's glory, your own honor, and the wealth of this noble realm. 

From Richmond, the 11th day of July, the 32nd year of your majesty's most noble reign. 

Your majesty's most humble sister and servant, Anne the daughter of Cleves.

She was to remain in England, but as long as she did she would live the life of a wealthy dowager. She was granted several estates, including Hever Castle, a yearly allowance of £3000-£4000 and she would there after be titled 'the King's sister' and would have precedence over all other women in England except for the king's wife and daughters. Anne's brother insisted that Anne return to Cleves, but this would not have been desirable to her due to his own actions towards her as well as the fact that once divorced, in a sense rejected, she would not be sought out for marriage by other ruling houses and she would have to live off her brother's generosity for the rest of her life.

Hever Castle

Anne never returned to Cleves, nor did she remarry. However, she enjoyed a close relationship with King Henry and his children, and was frequently at court with them. She received many visits from her step-daughters Mary and Elizabeth for the rest of her life and made a respected and well liked position and home for herself in her adopted country. Anne outlived King Henry, his dowager Queen Katherine Parr, her step-son Edward, and lived to see her step-daughter Mary become Queen. When Anne died in 1557, she was the only one of King Henry's wives, excepting Jane Seymour, who was buried in Westminster Abbey; a sign of the respect and love that existed between the Tudors and herself.

Narford heiress abduction

Margery de Narford was a young heiress whose attempt to divorce her husband resulted in her abduction.

She was born in 1358 as the only child and heir of John de Narford (1295-1363) and his wife Agnes de Bereford (1300-60). Thomas was the son of Thomas de Narford (d.1344) and his wife Alice (d.1394), who married secondly John de Neville in June 1345. Thomas was the son of William de Narford and his wife Petronilla de Vaux, who was the daughter and co-heiress of her father John de Vaux (d.1288).

Narford Hall,, Norfolk

Margery de Narford was an incredibly wealthy woman; she had inherited through the descent of her great-grandmother Petronilla; Narford Manor, which had been in John de Vaux's holdings since at least 1275, as well as Shottesham in Henstead, the moieties of Holt and Cley, the whole advowson of Holt, with diverse knights fees in Thorpe, Winch, Beechamwell, Thurneton and Mourningthorpe. However in 1394 Narford Manor was given by Margery to the descendants of her sister and co-heir Maud, who had married Lord Roos. Margery also inherited the Narford family home of Panworth Hall.

John de Braose

Margery had been the ward of John de Braose's father Peter de Braose/de Brewes since 1363 when she was five years old as both of her parents had died, leaving her an orphaned heiress. As Peter's ward she was then betrothed to his son and heir John in 1364. 

Margery was not pleased by this contract of marriage and wanted it broken off. Margery left de Braose family home of Wiston Manor in Sussex and went to the London home of her grandmother Alice, Lady Neville. In 1378 Margery de Narford made an appeal to the Papal courts to grant her a divorce from her husband, John de Braose.

John would not agree to the annulment; it would mean that he would lose the property and wealth that Margery brought to the marriage as well possibly some of his own inherited wealth. 

John enlisted the help of his maternal cousins Sir Robert Howard and Thomas Howard to abduct the young Margery from her grandmother's house; in order to stop the appeal for divorce by objecting to the proceedings while his wife would be unable to make her case in person, and therefore the case would be dismissed. 

Robert Howard took Margery firstly along the Thames to the Bishop of Norwich's house in Chelsea, where Howard hid with her, and later she was moved to several different houses in multiple counties to avoid capture.  

Alice, Lady Neville was outraged at the kidnapping of her granddaughter and she petitioned the King and Parliament to find Margery and punish those who had had a hand in her abduction. Fortunately action was taken and warrants for the arrests of the participants in the crime were made. Parliament also recognised that John de Braose would probably continue to force Margery to remain as his wife and that her life was at possible risk; court protection orders were made for Margery throughout the following two years to protect her from her husband. 

Robert Howard was arrested by Sir John Le Strange on his first royal commission after recently being knighted. Howard was sent to the Tower of London for several months. He was bound under recognizances to do no harm to Lady Neville of his captor Sir Le Strange. This case was brought to the attention of Parliament, however it does not seem that there was much punishment inflicted onto Howard as by the following year he is back integrated into court life. In fact, soon after Richard the Earl of Arundel has both Robert Howard and John Le Strange act as witnesses to a transaction of his.
Robert Howard became involved in this affair as it is possible he was the cousin or uncle of John de Braose through John's mother Joan Howard. Robert (1336-88) was the son of Sir John Howard, Admiral of the Navy, and his wife Alice De Bois and therefore was a direct descendant of King John of England. He married Margery Scales (1339-1416) and had five children.

Margery was successful in obtaining her divorce from John, as records show that by 1383 Margery was alone in dealing with her financial affairs.

John de Braose married a second time to Margaret Poyntz.

In 1394 when Alice, Lady Neville died she bequeathed to her granddaughter Margery; the furniture of her chapel, several silver utensils and all her goods and chattels living and dead in her manor of Panworth in Norfolk.

Perhaps due to this ordeal at such a young age, Margery took a vow of chastity and never married. She died in 1417 and her cousin Lord Cobham was her heir. 

Joan of France 1464-1505

Queen Joan of France (1464-1505)

I came across this Queen of France while I was looking up medieval royal divorces, and this woman's story caught my attention. Queen Joan was not a woman to  agree to a divorce without a fight.
Joan was the daughter of King Louis XI, the sister of King Charles VIII and the wife of King Louis XII of France; she was a woman whose life was ruled by kings.

Joan and Louis had been married at a young age in 1476 on the orders of King Louis XI - Joan's father - after being betrothed since Joan was only eight days old for dynastic reasons.
It was rare for the women to put up a resistance to the divorce being implemented, only two others spring to mind; Catherine of Aragon and Ingeborg of Denmark, and these were due to the fact that they had outside, powerful support. Joan was a pious woman and although she would have objected to an annulment to end her marriage, it seems to be the manner in which her husband conducted the proceedings which offended her more.
Upon Louis XII's accession to the throne in 1498 he began annulment proceedings by petitioning the pope for a bull; the negotiation was "anything but honorable"(Guizot). Their marriage had so far been childless and Louis held little affection for his wife, but more importantly, he already had plans to marry his predecessor Charles VIII's widow. Anne of Brittany was an heiress whose Duchy of Brittany was greatly desired by the crown. This annulment however would not be quick or easy; it has been described as "one of the seamiest lawsuits of the age". The marriage between Louis and Joan had been made for political reasons by their elders, and his planned second marriage was also for these reasons; there was no strong affection expected or experienced in either marriage. Louis was not a kind husband to Joan, however despite this, she remained loyal to him and when Charles VIII wanted to execute Louis for organizing a rebellion against him it was Joan who fought for him and his life was spared.
Her husband King Louis XII was not implementing the usual grounds for divorce that were common at the time for papal annulments; consanguinity due to being so closely related or that he was below the age of consent (14). While he was able to provide witnesses and testimonies to these facts there was no official documents to verify theses claims; Louis' age at the time of the marriage was difficult to prove as no one was sure when he was actually born. It may be due to the failure of these claims that he used alternative arguments.
Louis made his claims for a dissolution of his marriage on the basis that his wife Joan was physically deformed, giving extensive details, and stating for this reason he was unable to consummate the marriage. Joan has since been described as "an excellent and worthy princess, but ugly, ungraceful, and hump-backed"(Guizot) by historians, however the description of being deformed in medieval times was often an exaggeration on the fact that a woman was plain and short. It is plausible that Joan was indeed suffering from a physical handicap as it is thought that "her father was unable to feel any affection for her because of her appearance and at one point even tried to kill her"(Butler).
Faced with these claims, Joan produced witnesses of her own who had heard Louis state on previous occasions that their marriage was indeed consummated; fellow men with whom he had boasted about his nightly activities. Louis then attempted to claim that he had been prevented from having sex with his wife, or the ability to father children, due to witchcraft performed by Joan; to which she responded that how did he know what it was like to try to have sex with her, if he claims to never have.
Due to the weakness of Louis' claims and the manner in which his own arguments cancelled each other out, it  seemed sure that Joan's case would win, and she would halt the annulment. However the Pope, Alexander VI the Borgian Pope, ruled against Joan and granted the annulment due to his own political reasons rather than the validity of Louis' case; "the pope granted his bull in consideration of the favors shown to his unworthy son, Caesar Borgia, by the king"(Guizot).

Joan may have been unsatisfied with the losing her argument and the annulment being granted in 1499, however she stepped aside, stating that she would pray for the king. Louis then married Anne of Brittany.
After the annulment Joan went to live in Bourges and devoted her life to religion and acts of charity, she also helped to establish a charitable foundation called the Annonciades of Bourges which educated young girls from the town. For the remainder of her life she was "regarded by the people as a saint, spoken of by bold preachers as a martyr, and still the true and legitimate Queen of France and treated at a distance with profound respect by the king who had put her away"(Guizot). On the day of the feast of the Pentecost in 1504, the nobility from the area came to pay homage to her, as tradition, in her position as duchess; there was a banquet and Joan wore the royal insignia, however she then went into the church and renounced her title and worldly possessions and became a nun.

Joan was a woman who had little control over her own life, as she was following a kings orders all her life, however despite this fact she argued with the proceedings of the annulment; she believed she was his true wife and loved him as such and also the claims Louis was making were damaging to her and her reputation, something which, admirably, she fiercely defended. Joan spent the rest of her life as she had done in all the years before, with modesty and a devotion to helping others.

Sources;
Francois Pierre Guillaume Guizot, A popular history of France from the Earliest times Vol 3, 2004
Alban Butler and Paul Burns, Butler's Lives of the saints Vol 2, 1998