Elizabeth Darrell

Elizabeth Darrell as played by Krystin Pellerin

Character's backstory:
Elizabeth Darrell (sometimes spelt Darrall) was the daughter of Sir Edward Darrell of Littlecote (Wilts), Chamberlain to Queen Katherine of Aragon, by his first wife, Jane Croft. She became Maid of Honour to Queen Katherine of Aragon, and like her, refused to take the Oath of Supremacy.
When Katherine died in 1536 she left Mistress Darrell with £200 for her marriage, though none was in prospect. She was among the mourners at Queen Katherine's funeral.

After 1537, she became the mistress of Sir Thomas Wyatt, the elder. She bore 3 sons to Sir Thomas. When Sir Thomas Wyatt died he left Elizabeth properties in Dorset with the right of reversion to her son Francis. In 1543, properties were confirmed as being held, by Elizabeth. She also received the estate at Tarrant given to her in 1544 by Sir Thomas Wyatt the younger. Elizabeth Darrell eventually married Robert Strowde in 1554, shortly after receiving a legacy from Queen Katherine of Aragon.

*The series inaccurately portrays Elizabeth Darrell as hanging herself directly after Katherine's death*

After story: Elizabeth requested to serve Queen Jane Seymour, her cousin, but instead went to the household of Gertrude Blount, Marchioness of Exeter. By January 1541, Elizabeth was openly living with Wyatt as his mistress at Allington Castle in Kent when Wyatt was arrested. Wyatt's will left Elizabeth and his children by him a substantial amount of property and grants. Queen Mary apparently granted Elizabeth a legacy which was left by her mother, Queen Katherine. Elizabeth eventually married to a gentleman named Edward Strode (or Strowde) by whom she had no issue. She died circa 1556; her widowed husband was still living in 1560 at the provost's house in Stoke.

Romance:
Sir Thomas Wyatt

Children (by Wyatt):
* Henry Wyatt, who died in infancy
* Francis, born in 1540, who took the name of Darrell
* Edward Wyatt, whose date of birth has not been traced and who was executed among the rebels after Wyatt's Rebellion in 1554

Marriage: Robert Strowde in 1543

Source: Kathy Lynn Emerson, A Who's Who in Tudor Women

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In Season 2 Episode 2, Wyatt recites 3 lines from the following poem which he puts in Lady Elizabeth Darrell's pocket.
It was not written by Wyatt at all.
It is a poem by Sir Walter Raleigh

"A poem put into Lady Laiton's pocket."

Lady, farewell, whom I in silence serve!
Would God thou knewest the depth of my desire!
Then might I wish though nought I can deserve,
Some drops of grace to slake my scalding fire;
But sith to live alone I have decreed,
I'll spare to speak, that I may spare to speed!"

Family:
Father: Sir Edward Darrell of Littlecote
Mother: Jane Croft
Paternal grandfather: Sir George Darrell of Littlecote; by his first wife Margaret Stourton they were the great-grandparents of Queen Jane Seymour.
Paternal grandmother: Joan Haute or Hawte, the great-grand aunt of Queen Catherine Parr and cousin of Queen Elizabeth Woodville, consort of Edward IV [parents to Elizabeth of York].

Source: The House of Commons, 1509-1558

Various authors and authorities give conflicting accounts of Elizabeth Darrell’s connection with the Wyatts:

After 1538 she bore 3 sons to Sir Thomas Wyatt:
-Henry, who died in infancy,
-Francis, born in 1540, who took the name of Darrell, and
-Edward, whose date of birth has not been traced and who was executed among the rebels after the Wyatt's Rebellion of 1554.

-Stanley Wyatt, in "Cheneys and Wyatts" Page 111, definitely states that she became the mistress of Sir Thomas, the younger [Wyatt], by whom she had a son Francis, with a passing reference to "another little Wyatt" who may be Edward.

-According to A. R. Simons in "The Queen and the Rebel", Edward was the natural son of Sir Thomas , the Younger, and he gives a full description of the boy’s attendance at the early meetings of the main conspirators, his torture in the Tower and his execution, probably at Maidstone, on the 17th, with Thomas Cobham.

-Muir, in his book "Life and Letters of Sir Thomas Wyatt", (the elder) 1503-1542, states she was the mistress of Sir Thomas Wyatt, the elder, quoting Letters and Papers of Henry VII, Henry VIII, No 674. Thomas the Elder visited Elizabeth in 1538, but the date could fit either father, aged 35, or the son aged 17, who had been ever persuaded by his parents into marriage with Jane Hawte when he was 16, and form whom he later became estranged.

-Dr William Hawte Wyatt, (Indiana University), states she had three children by Sir Thomas (the elder or younger is not given) Henry, Francis and Edward. He states that Edward was a boy of 13 or 14 when he was caught up in Thomas, the younger's rebellion, an age which makes either man the possible father.
Edward Wyatt was living at Allington with Sir Thomas, the younger, at the time of the Rebellion, and followed him in the march, was finally captured and tortured (to see what he knew of the suspected connection between Sir Thomas and Princess Elizabeth Tudor and executed, which seems to suggest he was the son of Sir Thomas the younger.
Edward Wyatt is mentioned by Loades in his edited version of George Wyatt’s papers as "the suppositious son of Sir Thomas Wyatt, the elder".

Cross references fit the cases of both men - is it possible that she became the mistress of both men?

[Source: tudorplace.com.ar -- unless noted and backed by sources is not 100% accurate]

UNFORGETTABLE CHARACTER QUOTES

DEFINING EPISODES | MEMORABLE SCENES

PHOTOS

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MarinadeChampagne

Her death

Nov 5 2011, 12:04 PM EDT by MarinadeChampagne

Thread started: Nov 5 2011, 11:18 AM EDT Watch

I have never understood why Elizabeth hanged herself in the show after Catherine's demise. Can someone explain it to me?

2 out of 4 found this valuable. Do you?

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