[82] He must have left Norfolk in a great hurry, for he had to borrow a sum of money from Sir William Stonor, Lieutenant of the Tower, to buy a dark suit of clothes in which to appear before the Council. The documents connected with this transaction are still preserved in the British Museum, Additional MSS 24459, fol. 1497.
[83] Spanish Chronicle of Henry VIII, translated by Major Martin Hume, and the Calendar of Spanish State Papers, vol. viii., by the same Editor.
[84] These “night-gowns” were most probably what we should now call “evening dresses” or “dress suits.”
[85] This lady was a rather interesting personage, being the first British peeress who was ever reduced to earning her living by her needle. She was the widow of that Earl of Oxford who was killed during the Wars of the Roses and whose estates were so carefully confiscated that his widow was left penniless.
[86] A list of the names of persons in the Earl’s retinue is extremely curious. In the first place, we find that one John Holland was private secretary. He was the father of George Holland, who in his turn was the father of the husband of that Mrs. Holland who figured in the Surrey trial. Then we have Mr. William Sappeworth, Mr. Widdow, Mr. Hairbottle, and Mrs. Ingliss. We learn that the company was often regaled with boiled neck of mutton; and a very favourite dish appears to have been boiled capon with sauce and a roast breast of veal basted. Occasionally they indulged in rabbit pie, and there was a bountiful supply of tarts, custards, and sweetmeats.
[87] Hunsdon, in Worcestershire, was one of the numerous seats of the Duke of Norfolk, which he lent on rental to Princess Mary, who first came there in 1536, having in her company Mistress Elizabeth Fitzgerald or Garret. The house, according to William Worcester, was built in Henry VI’s reign by Sir William Oldhall at an expense of 7000 marks. It had four towers and was mainly built of brick.
[88] Lady Kildare’s frequent petitions to King Henry for money generally contain some mention of her being his kinswoman and “of his most Royal blood.” See Cottonian MSS, Titus B. xi. 342. It will be remembered that Lady Elizabeth Grey attended the christening of the Lady Frances at Hatfield Church as a sponsor.
[89] It has frequently been stated that the Lady Elizabeth Fitzgerald—or Garret, as she was generally called—was educated with Princess Mary, but this is obviously incorrect, since she was born when her future royal mistress was fully fourteen years of age. But she was certainly in Mary’s service, and not in that of her sister Elizabeth, as stated by Bapst.
[90] There is a fine portrait of her by Kettel at Woburn Abbey, and a copy at Carton.
[91] Princess Mary’s present to Mistress Elizabeth Garret on her marriage was “A gold broach with one bolace of the history of Susanne.” Another gift is mentioned in her list of jewels in the following entry: “A broach of gold enamelled black, with an agate of the story of Abraham—with iii small rock rubies—Given to Sir Anthony Brown, drawing her Grace as his valentine.”