William Herbert, 3rd Earl of Pembroke - Scandal and Exile in 1601
- thedudleywomen
- 3 days ago
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Updated: 6 hours ago
In January 1601, Elizabethan courtier Lord William Herbert of Cardiff inherited the Earldom of Pembroke on the death of his father. Only weeks later, the newly-elevated Pembroke was disgraced and imprisoned, when news of his affair with the unmarried and heavily-pregnant Mary Fitton, one of Elizabeth I's Maids of Honour, became public knowledge, and he incurred the wrath of the famed unrelenting and often unforgiving monarch.
Henry Herbert, 2nd Earl of Pembroke, Lord President of Wales, and husband of poet and literary patron Mary Sidney, Countess of Pembroke, had suffered with ill-health since at least 1595. In June 1598, Pembroke petitioned to the queen to be allowed to retire from his duties in Wales due to "his infirmities" and "weaknesses". This caused him to withdraw from the Royal Court, and retire to Wilton House, the mid-16th century Tudor home, built on the site of the dissolved Wilton Abbey, near Salisbury, Wiltshire. His father's illness had initially recalled William to Wilton, his own ill health preventing his immediate return. However, two months later, in November 1599, the younger Lord Herbert returned to court, where he had an hour's private audience with the queen, the beginnings of his political career appearing to take shape, following in the footsteps of many male members of his immediate family (Stephen and Lee, 1891; Young, 1912; Folgerpedia [1], 2025).
On 16 June 1600, Lord Herbert participated in one of the most extravagant weddings held during the Elizabethan reign: the marriage between Lady Anne Russell, youngest daughter of the late John Russell, Baron Russell, and niece of Anne Russell, Countess of Warwick, of Elizabeth's trusted ladies of the privy chamber, 22-year-old Anne, known as 'Nan', had joined the royal household in 1595, appointed as one of the queen's six unmarried Maid's of Honour, with her formidable mother Elizabeth Cooke, Lady Russell, having led negotiations with her marriage to Henry Somerset, Lord Herbert, for the past three years (Laoutaris, 2014; Folgerpedia [2], 2025).
The wedding ceremony was held at St Martin's Ludgate, the procession to which is reportedly depicted in the famous painting Elizabeth I's going in procession to Blackfriars. The bride was escorted to the church by Cobham, Herbert and her uncle, George Clifford, 3rd Earl of Clifford. The queen was present for the celebrations, bestowing favour on the Russell family, in particular with the Countess of Warwick, to whom their relationship had recently been strained. After the ceremony, a dinner was held at Lady Russell's Blackfriars home, with celebrations later taking place at the nearby home of courtier Henry Brooke, 11th Baron Cobham, , of which Elizabeth remained in attendance. A 'stately...memorable masque of eight ladies' was held at Lord Cobham's home, which included the bride's sister Bess, as well as another of Elizabeth's Maids of Honour, Mary Fitton, who reportedly encouraged the queen to dance (Strong, 1999; Borman, 2009; Laoutaris, 2014).
By January 1597, 18-year-old Mary Fitton, the daughter of Sir Edward Fitton, a minor Cheshire knight, had joined the royal household, as one of the queen's unmarried Maids of Honour. Quickly, with her youth, vivacity and striking 'equine' features, Mary attracted the attention of Sir William Knollys, Comptroller of the Royal Household. Initially promising her father to take on a role of protector and mentor for Mary, over the following months Knollys found himself increasingly enamoured with his young charge, even wishing his wife dead, so that he could freely pursue Mary. When Mary refused his declarations of love, Knollys wrote to her sister, Anne Newdigate, confiding his feelings agony and heartache. His infatuation with the much younger Mary made him the focus of much court gossip and ridicule; it was said that William Shakespeare's character of 'Malvolio' in his play 'Twelfth Night, or What You Will', with its first recorded performance on Candlemas 1602, was based on Knollys (Haynes, 1999; Whitelock, 2014; Folgerpedia [2], 2025).
Lord Herbert's continued presence at court was interrupted from September 1599, due to initially his own bout of illness, in additional to his father's deteriorating health. His often prolonged absences had an impact on his ability to form important alliances within the dynamic court of the aging Elizabeth, in contrast to his peers. He was warned by Robert Cecil, Secretary of State, on 05 January 1601, that his ongoing non-attendance at court would cause him to lose favour with the increasingly-fickle queen; however, Herbert responded that he was unable to leave Wilton at that time, due to his father's terminal illness. Whilst his final illness is unknown, Pembroke was previously described as being very ‘pursife and maladise’, that it being wheezy and in a state of discomfort (Stephen and Lee, 1891; O'Farrell, 2011). His brother-in-law, Sir Robert Sidney, writing to Cecil on 12 January 1601, notes that whilst Pembroke's death was imminent, he "hath his memory and his senses as well as I have knowen them these many yeares" (Young, 1912, p.75). On 19 January 1601, the Earl of Pembroke finally succumbed to his deteriorating health, dying at Wilton (Folgerpedia [1], 2025).
The day before his father's death, on 18 January 1601, Herbert wrote to Cecil, advising that the ailing Earl was likely not to live another 48 hours. Herbert expressed concerns that given he was only 20-years-old, and therefore not of age, he would become a ward of the court on his father's death, which would bring significant legal and financial ramifications. In his correspondence, Herbert also wrote that he had been made aware that Elizabeth had been given information about him, which if believed, could lead the queen to withdraw her favour. Herbert therefore asked Cecil to speak on his behalf, recognising that in being away from court, he was unable to defend himself against the "false and scandalous reports forged of me", and that those who "maliciously" delivered this news took "advantage of my absence" (O'Farrell, 2011, p.16). Whilst not naming the 'malicious reports', news of his clandestine affair with Mary Fitton had started to spread.
The couple's paths had most certainly crossed at the Blackfriars wedding the previous summer, June 1600, when both played central roles in the celebrations. It was reported that their relationship continued in secret whilst both were at court, Mary still in the employ as a one of the queen's virtuous, virginal Maid of Honour, and still the object of desire from a besotted Knollys (O'Farrell, 2011). An anonymous newsletter printed in 1601 alleged that Mary, when "in great favour" with the queen, was witnessed "put off her head tire and tuck up her clothes and take a large white cloak and march as though she had been a man to meet the said Earl out of the court" (Folgerpedia [1], 2025). For many years, Mary has been considered by many scholars and historians to be a candidate for Shakespeare's "Dark Lady" in his sonnets, given the recurring theme of love and rivalry; however, on the discovery of Mary's portrait, and confirmation of her lighter-complexion, she is no longer believed to have been the playwright's muse (Schoenbaum, 1970).
On 26 January 1601, one of the newly-elevated Earl of Pembroke's friends, Sir John Stanhope, made reference in correspondence to Mary's "afflictions" - a euphemism for a pregnancy. Over a week later, on 04 February 1601, news of Mary's condition spread amongst the royal court, becoming wider knowledge; in correspondence the following day, 05 February, Cecil described a "misfortune befallen Mistress Fitton, for she is proved with child". He also confirmed that Pembroke, following an 'examination', had confessed to the affair, acknowledging paternity of Mary's unborn child. Despite his admissions, Pembroke had "utterly renounceth all marriage", refusing to legitimise his child by marrying Mary, thereby enraging Elizabeth. Cecil reflected that "I fear they will both dwell in theTower awhile, for the Queen hath vowed to send them thither" (O'Farrell, 2011; Folgerpedia [1], 2025).
O'Farrell (2011) believes that Mary's pregnancy was likely an attempt to entrap Pembroke into a marriage; there would have been a societal expectation for marriage, once pregnancy was known, to reduce scandal, and ensure legitimacy, especially if that child was to be a boy. However, Pembroke's repeated refusal to be coerced into marriage surprised those involved, as well as observers; he would not be pressured into an union despite the scandal that surrounded him, recognising Mary's unsuitability as a potential bride, with prospects of making a more advantageous match (Haynes, 1999; Targoff, 2024).
However, only days later, 08 February 1601, a significant event took place in London, which diverted Elizabeth and the court's attention, and gave the couple a much-needed reprieve. Pembroke's former mentor, Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, led allies, supporters and two hundred soldiers in an attempted coup against the government. This failed rebellion led to the queen's favourite being arrested, convicted and executed on charges of high treason within 17 days (Weir, 1999). [See THE DUDLEY WOMEN Post: The Execution of Robert Dudley, 2nd Earl of Essex - 25 February 1601].
On 09 February 1601, other noblemen who had stood alongside Essex in his attempted rebellion, including Henry Wriothesley, 3rd Earl of Southampton, were taken to the Tower of London. The cells of the Tower were soon filled, with members of the Privy Council now preoccupied with interrogations and subsequent trials of many of their peers, now accused of high treason (Weir, 1999).
Following news of her promiscuity and subsequent pregnancy in January 1601, Mary was removed from her position as a Maid of Honour in the queen's household, and was placed under the supervision of Margaret Vaughan, Lady Hawkins, one of Elizabeth's Ladies of the Privy Chamber. Mary remained in the charge of Lady Hawkins until May 1601, during which time she delivered her child, a boy, which was either still-born or died shortly after birth. In May 1601, she was taken back to Gawsworth, Cheshire, by her father, having been banished from Elizabeth's court
(O'Farrell, 2011; Folgerpedia [1], 2025; Folgerpedia [2], 2025).
On 05 March 1601, the elder Earl of Pembroke's funeral was held at Salisbury Cathedral. In his will, written a day before his death on 18 January, the Earl had made requests for his funeral service and internment: that his body be buried "with out anie sumptuous funerall or use of Heraldes", in a private ceremony at Salisbury (Young, 1912, p.78). By 21 March, Pembroke had returned from his duties in Wiltshire, and on the orders of the queen, had been committed to the Fleet Prison; by 25 March, it was reported that "his cause is delivered of a boy who is dead" (Folgerpedia [1], 2025). Haynes (1999) speculates that the child may have died from consequences of congential syphillis, with Pembroke's complaints of migraines, only resolved by smoking pipe tobacco, potentially symptomatic of this.
On 24 April 1601, a warrant was issued to the Warden of the Fleet Prison, for the release of Pembroke. Elizabeth had ordered Pembroke's release, being informed that his imprisonment had been detrimental to his health ("he is fallen into an ague...and may fall into further inconvenience...unless he may be removed to some other place where he may have more conviency of air and to minister other things necessary for his health"). However, he was still to remain a prisoner, as the warrant ordered that Pembroke should be "conveyed to his house of Baynard’s Castle...to remain there until her Majesty’s further pleasure be known"; Pembroke remained in London for a further four months, until banished by the queen, with whom he had had no direct contact with since his arrest, to Wilton (O'Farrell, 2011; Folgerpedia [1], 2025).
On 13 August 1601, Pembroke wrote to Cecil, from Wilton, confirming that he had arrived in Wiltshire the previous day. However, the slow-pace of his country estate was a significant change from life in the high-energy capital, despite his house-arrest, with the Earl reflecting "I have not yet been a day in the country, and I am as weary of it as if I had been prisoner there seven year". Pembroke sarcastically commented "If the Queen continue her displeasure a little longer, undoubtedly I shall turn clown, for Justice of Peace I can by no means frame unto, and one of the two a man that lives in the country must needs be" (Folgerpedia [1], 2025). In his correspondence with Cecil, Pembroke set out his apologies and reparations to Mary's brother Sir Edward Fitton, now the head of the family, recognising the impact of his actions on Mary's family (Young, 1912).
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