Cecily of York facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cecily of York |
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| Viscountess Welles | |
Cecily in stained glass, probably 1482–83, formerly Canterbury Cathedral, now Burrell Collection.
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| Born | 20 March 1469 Westminster Palace, London, England |
| Died | 24 August 1507 (aged 38)
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| Burial |
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| Issue | Elizabeth Welles Anne Welles Richard Kyme Margaret Kyme |
| House | York |
| Father | Edward IV of England |
| Mother | Elizabeth Woodville |
Cecily of York (born March 20, 1469 – died August 24, 1507), also known as Cecelia, was a princess of England. She was the third daughter of King Edward IV of England and his wife, Elizabeth Woodville.
After her father died, her uncle, King Richard III, took the throne. Cecily and her brothers and sisters were declared illegitimate, meaning they were no longer considered rightful heirs. Her mother, Queen Elizabeth, worried for their safety. She moved them to Westminster Abbey, a church that offered protection. They stayed there for about a year.
Richard III promised not to harm the children. So, Cecily and her sisters went to live at court. There were rumors that the king might marry one of his nieces, either Elizabeth or Cecily. However, before he died, Richard III arranged for Cecily to marry Ralph Scrope. Ralph was a supporter of the king but had a much lower social status than a princess.
When Richard III died in the Battle of Bosworth, Henry Tudor became king. The law that called Edward IV's children illegitimate was cancelled. Cecily's marriage to Ralph Scrope was also cancelled. This was because it wasn't good for the new royal family.
In 1488, Cecily married John Welles, 1st Viscount Welles. He was a relative of the king's mother, Lady Margaret Beaufort. Cecily and John had two daughters together. In 1499, John Welles died, and Cecily became a widow.
After several years, Cecily married Sir Thomas Kyme, a gentleman from Lincolnshire. She did this without the king's permission. They had two more children. The king did not approve of this marriage or their children. Cecily was sent away from court and lost the lands she inherited from her second husband. However, she remained friends with the king's mother, Lady Margaret Beaufort. Lady Margaret even helped pay for Cecily's funeral in 1507.
Contents
Early Life and Family
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Cecily was born on March 20, 1469, at Westminster Palace. She was the third daughter of King Edward IV of England and Queen Elizabeth Woodville. She had ten brothers and sisters in total.
Cecily also had two older half-brothers from her mother's first marriage. Their names were Thomas and Richard Grey. Out of her six full-sisters, four lived to be adults. These were Elizabeth, Anne, Catherine, and Bridget. Her sister Mary, who was two years older, died at age 14. Her younger sister Margaret died as a baby.
None of Cecily's three full-brothers lived to be adults. George died around age two. Her other two brothers, Edward V and Richard, disappeared from the Tower of London in 1483. This happened during the reign of their uncle, King Richard III. They are known as the Princes in the Tower.
Cecily's grandparents on her father's side were Richard of York, 3rd Duke of York and Cecily Neville. Her mother's parents were Richard Woodville, 1st Earl Rivers, and Jacquetta of Luxembourg. Cecily was likely named after her grandmother, Cecily Neville.
Life During Edward IV's Reign
Political Challenges (1469–1471)
Cecily's birth, as the third daughter, was a bit of a disappointment for her father. King Edward IV had hoped for a son to inherit the crown. Soon after Cecily was born, a big political problem started in England. The Earl of Warwick, a powerful supporter of the king, became unhappy. He joined forces with Edward's younger brother, George, Duke of Clarence.
Warwick and Clarence brought their soldiers to England. They announced that George should be king. During this time, Cecily's mother and at least two of her daughters visited Norwich. They were welcomed with big celebrations. It's likely Mary, not baby Cecily, went with her mother.
Warwick soon captured the king. He also had Cecily's grandfather and uncle, Earl Rivers and John Woodville, executed without a trial. Cecily's grandmother, Jacquetta of Luxembourg, was arrested. She was accused of using magic on the king. Jacquetta was found innocent, but this showed how far the king's enemies would go.
By late 1469, Edward IV was free again. Warwick and Clarence fled to France. They teamed up with the House of Lancaster, who were rivals to Edward's family. In September 1470, the king prepared for an invasion. Cecily, her sisters, and her mother were moved to the Tower of London for safety.
In early October, King Edward IV and his brother Richard fled the country. Queen Elizabeth, her mother, and three sisters quickly left the Tower. They found safety at Westminster Abbey. The abbot, Thomas Milling, gave them his house inside the abbey. It had three rooms and everything the royal family needed. Londoners also helped them, providing food like meat and fish.
While in hiding, the princesses spent time with their nannies. In November 1470, Cecily's brother, Prince Edward, was born. Queen Elizabeth was busy taking care of him. Cecily and her family stayed in the abbey for five more months.
In April 1471, Edward IV returned to England. He first went to Westminster Abbey to get his family. That night, Cecily and her family were moved to Baynard's Castle. This was the home of her grandmother, Cecily Neville. On April 11, Cecily went to the royal rooms in the Tower of London. She was with the King's mother, her uncle Anthony Woodville, and the Archbishop of Canterbury Thomas Bourchier. Her father went north to fight for his crown.
On April 13, Warwick was killed at the Battle of Barnet. On May 4, Edward IV finally defeated the Lancastrian army at the Battle of Tewkesbury. The Lancastrian heir was killed, and Margaret of Anjou was captured. However, on May 12, while Edward IV was on his way to London, Lancastrian supporters attacked the Tower. They wanted to put Henry VI back on the throne. Two towers, including the one where Cecily and her family were, were attacked. The attack was stopped. After this, the king decided to have Henry VI killed. On May 21, 1471, King Henry VI was killed in his prison. With Henry VI's death, Cecily was once again the daughter of a legitimate and recognized king.
Marriage Plans with Scotland
In 1474, when Cecily was about five years old, plans for her marriage began. Edward IV discussed marrying his daughter to the heir to the Scottish throne, James, Duke of Rothesay. The official engagement happened on October 26 or December 26, 1474, in Edinburgh. Representatives stood in for the young bride and groom.
Cecily was promised certain lands and income if James died before his father. If James became King of Scotland, or if his mother died, Cecily would get a third of the queen's lands and income. If either Cecily or James died early, another daughter of Edward IV would marry James's second son, if they were close in age.
Cecily's father gave her a dowry of 20,000 marks. This money was to be paid in parts over several years. Edward IV and James III were supposed to meet in Berwick in 1475 to hand over the first payment. This meeting likely happened, as Edward IV later signed a will stating his successor must pay the remaining 18,000 marks. From this time, Cecily was called the "Princess of Scotland."
In 1481, when Cecily was old enough to marry, James III wanted the wedding to happen. An embassy was sent to England to bring the princess to Scotland. But Edward IV thought the Scottish king only wanted the rest of the dowry money. So, Cecily's departure was delayed.
A year later, Cecily's older sister Elizabeth's engagement to the French prince was broken. James III decided to do the same. The official reason was that James III's brother, Alexander, Duke of Albany, was accused of treason and hiding in England. The Scots demanded that Albany be handed over. They also made raids on English border lands.
Because of this, Edward IV broke off Cecily's engagement in June 1482. He then thought about marrying Cecily to the Duke of Albany instead. The English king wanted to help Albany become king of Scotland. On June 11, the Treaty of Fotheringhay was signed. It included the marriage of Cecily and Albany, if Albany could end his current marriage within a year. By 1482, Edward IV had helped Albany become regent in Scotland. Albany gave up his claim to the crown and was forgiven by his brother.
The Scots were unhappy with the English soldiers in their country. They pressured James III to restart the engagement between his son and Cecily. Edward IV agreed, but only if he got back the part of Cecily's dowry he had already paid. However, negotiations never restarted. The Duke of Albany again asked the English king for help, and his marriage to Cecily was considered again. But Edward IV died suddenly in April 1483, and all marriage talks stopped.
Court Life and Father's Death
We don't know much about Cecily's daily life during these marriage talks. Until December 1475, Lady Margaret Berners likely raised the princess. Lady Margaret had also educated Cecily's older sisters, Elizabeth and Mary.
In 1476, Cecily attended the reburial of her paternal grandfather, the Duke of York, and his son Edmund, Earl of Rutland. Two years later, she went to the wedding of her younger brother Richard, Duke of York, and Anne de Mowbray, 8th Countess of Norfolk. In 1480, Cecily and her older sister Mary became Ladies of the Garter.
On April 9, 1483, when Cecily was fourteen, Edward IV died suddenly. This led to a big political crisis. Cecily's younger brother, Edward V, became king. But his uncle, Lord Protector Richard, Duke of Gloucester, captured him. Cecily's uncle, Anthony Woodville, and half-brother, Richard Gray, were arrested. Edward V was taken to the Tower of London. Later, his only full brother, the Duke of York, joined him there.
Queen Dowager Elizabeth, along with Cecily and her other children, sought safety in Westminster Abbey. Elizabeth planned for one of her older daughters, Elizabeth or Cecily, to escape abroad. They hoped this princess could find foreign help to rescue Edward V and Richard of York from the Tower. If the princes couldn't be saved, this princess would claim the throne. However, a "traitor in the queen's camp" told Richard of Gloucester about the plan. Gloucester sent guards to Westminster. They watched everyone who entered and left the abbey day and night.
Life During Richard III's Reign
On June 22, 1483, the marriage of Edward IV and Elizabeth Woodville was declared illegal. All of the late king's children were declared illegitimate by a law called Titulus Regius. This meant they lost their rights to the throne and all their titles. A few days later, Cecily's uncle, Anthony Woodville, and half-brother, Richard Gray, were executed.
The Lord Protector, Richard of Gloucester, was offered the crown. This was because his brother's marriage was said to be invalid. On July 6, he was crowned King Richard III. Soon after, Cecily's brothers, Edward V and Richard of York, disappeared from the Tower. Their fate is still a mystery, but they are thought to have died in late 1483.
On Christmas Day 1483, Henry Tudor made a promise at Rennes Cathedral. His mother had been planning with Elizabeth Woodville against King Richard III. Henry swore he would marry Edward IV's eldest daughter, Elizabeth. If that wasn't possible, he would marry Cecily after he became King of England. However, the rebellion led by the Duke of Buckingham failed before Henry's promise.
After the rebellion failed, Richard III began talking with his brother's widow. On March 1, 1484, the king publicly promised that Edward IV's daughters would not be harmed. He also promised they would not be imprisoned. They would be placed "in respectable places" and later married to "men of noble birth." They would also be given lands with an income.
On the same day, this promise was given to the Queen Dowager. The princesses left the abbey and moved into the king's palace. A historian named Edward Hall wrote that Richard III "made all the daughters of his brother solemnly arrive at his palace." He said it was as if they were supposed to forget the "trauma" they had suffered.
Some historians disagree about how Richard III treated his nieces. Many say that Edward IV's daughters were in a very difficult situation. Their legal rights were taken away, and their brothers were likely killed. Cecily also saw her former fiancé, the Scottish Duke of Rothesay, become engaged to her cousin, Anne de la Pole.
First Marriage
After Edward IV's daughters, now considered illegitimate, came to court, rumors spread. Some said Richard III would marry one of his older nieces, Elizabeth or Cecily. Richard III also thought about marrying Cecily to someone of lower status. This would prevent her from claiming the throne.
His plans worked. When Henry Tudor landed in England to take the throne, he learned that Cecily was already married. Shortly before Richard III's defeat and death, Cecily married Ralph Scrope. This marriage had the support of her uncle, the king. Ralph was the younger brother of the 6th Baron Scrope of Masham.
Life During Henry VII's Reign
At the Tudor Court
In August 1485, Richard III was killed at the Battle of Bosworth. Henry Tudor became King Henry VII. His mother, Lady Margaret Beaufort, had agreed with Queen Dowager Elizabeth that Cecily's older sister Elizabeth would marry the new king.
After becoming king, Henry VII cancelled the Titulus Regius law. This law had taken away the titles and rights of Edward IV's children. The law and all its copies were removed from official records. Henry VII also paid attention to Elizabeth's sisters. The princesses needed to marry supporters of the new king. However, they could not be in a position to claim the throne. Cecily's marriage to Ralph Scrope was cancelled in 1486. It was not in the interest of the new Tudor royal family.
As the queen's sister, Cecily played an important role at court events. She carried her first nephew, Arthur, Prince of Wales, at his christening on September 24, 1486. Nobles like her half-brother Thomas Grey and her cousin John de la Pole were with her. Cecily's long dress was carried by Cecily Bonville.
After the baptism, Cecily led the procession to return the prince to his parents. On November 25, 1487, Cecily was the only one of the queen's sisters to carry her train at her coronation. She was the second most important woman at the ceremony, after her aunt Catherine Woodville. Cecily rode to and from the ceremony with her aunt in a carriage right behind the queen's.
At the coronation dinner, Cecily and Catherine Woodville sat at the queen's table. During this time, Cecily received money from the queen. She also had many privileges. When she accompanied her sister as a Lady-in-waiting, she had her own ladies with her. Before her second marriage, Cecily served her sister as First Lady of the Bedchamber.
Second Marriage
Among the nobles at the Queen's coronation was John Welles, 1st Viscount Welles. He was the younger half-brother of the King's mother, Lady Margaret Beaufort. John and his family had supported the House of Lancaster. However, he had gained favor with Cecily's father, Edward IV, at the end of his life. John was among those who guarded Edward IV's body at night.
During Richard III's reign, John opposed the king. He took part in a failed rebellion and fled to Brittany, where Henry Tudor was hiding. He later helped Henry win the throne. Because of his service and family ties, John was favored by Henry VII. The king made him constable of two castles and gave him estates. John also got back his father's noble title and was given a new one: Viscount Welles.
We don't know the exact date or details of Cecily's marriage to John Welles. He was about 20 years older than her. It happened before December 1487 or on New Year's Day 1488. Some historians say the royal couple was at the wedding. In December 1487, Cecily joined Christmas celebrations at Palace of Placentia with her husband. On New Year's Eve, the Welles couple attended a dinner. John Welles gave the king a gift of twenty shillings from himself and his wife.
Historians disagree on who arranged the marriage. Some believe Henry VII arranged it. He might have wanted to marry his wife's sister to his uncle. This would prevent Cecily from marrying a more powerful noble. Cecily was the next in line for the throne from the House of York if her sister Elizabeth and her children died.
Others say Henry VII didn't want Cecily to marry at all. But she chose the king's uncle herself. Cecily was also close to the king's mother, Lady Margaret Beaufort. Lady Margaret was close to the Welles family and might have arranged the marriage. No matter who started it, the marriage was good for both families. It strengthened the ties between the Lancastrians and the Yorkists. Cecily, a potential heir from the York family, was married to a man close to the king. This meant she wouldn't be used in plots against Henry VII.
After the celebrations in early 1488, Cecily's activities are not well recorded for a while. She likely left court and stayed at one of her husband's estates. Despite the age difference, the marriage was happy. They had two daughters: Elizabeth, named after the queen, and Anne, named after Cecily's younger sister. Some say they had three children, but there's no clear proof. Cecily raised and educated her children herself. She stayed home when her husband was at court.
In 1491, John Welles was going to go with his nephew on a trip to France. A special law allowed Cecily to receive royal payments for her husband and use his property during this time. The king also named Cecily's husband as one of his close advisors in his will. In 1492, John attended the funeral of Cecily's mother, Queen Dowager Elizabeth Woodville. Cecily herself was not there, probably because she was ill or pregnant.
Little is known about Cecily's life until 1498. Around this time, her oldest daughter, Elizabeth Welles, died. This was shortly before she was to be engaged to John Stanley. In 1494, Cecily was mentioned in the will of her grandmother, Cecily Neville.
Becoming a Widow
In 1498 (or 1499), Cecily, who was about thirty, became a widow. John Welles became sick with pleurisy, a lung illness. It was not well understood at the time. On his deathbed, Viscount Welles made a will. He left all his property to his wife for her lifetime. He also asked to be buried where Cecily, the king, queen, and the King's mother thought best. Welles died on February 9, 1498.
Cecily arranged a grand funeral for her husband. She made some changes to the usual burial ceremony. The viscount's body was brought to Westminster by land, not by river. Bells rang along the entire route. The coffin was accompanied by very important people. The funeral was attended by dukes and earls. The memorial service was held at St Margaret's Church, Westminster.
Some sources say Cecily's youngest daughter, Anne Welles, died shortly after her father. However, other historians say Anne died before her father. This is supported by the fact that she is not mentioned in Viscount Welles' will. She was buried at Austin Friars, London.
After her husband and youngest daughter died, Cecily decided to return to court. She wanted to be with her older sister, Queen Elizabeth, with whom she had a very close relationship. Cecily was also supported by the King's mother, Lady Margaret Beaufort. Lady Margaret helped Cecily keep her rights to John Welles' property. This property was claimed by John's half-sister from his father's first marriage.
According to John's will, Cecily received four large houses and income from other properties in Lincoln. She also received three estates with a total of 1540 acres of land in Essex.
Cecily mourned for three years. After that, she became active in court life again. She attended the wedding of her eldest nephew, Arthur, Prince of Wales, and Catherine of Aragon on November 14, 1501. Witnesses said Cecily, who had the honor of carrying the bride's train, wore expensive, fashionable clothes. She looked like a young woman ready for marriage, not a widow.
After the wedding, the court went to the bishop's palace for celebrations. During a jousting tournament, Cecily was in the queen's gallery with her sister, the newlyweds, and other noble ladies. At a state dinner the next Sunday, Cecily sat next to her sister, the queen. In May 1502, Cecily lent money to her sister.
In 1503, Cecily's life changed again when Queen Elizabeth died. Cecily lost not only her sister but also a close friend and supporter. Some say Cecily was so sad that she couldn't attend the funeral. Although mourning clothes were made for her, her name was not on the list of mourners. Another idea is that Cecily didn't attend because she was out of favor with the king. This might have been because of her new marriage, which she entered without his permission.
Third Marriage
Some time after her sister's death, Cecily married for the third and last time. Her husband was Sir Thomas Kyme of Friskney, a gentleman from Lincolnshire. This was a very unusual marriage for a royal princess, as Thomas was not of high noble birth.
The exact date of the marriage is not known. Some sources say 1502, others between spring 1502 and early 1504, or a few months after Queen Elizabeth of York died in 1503, but before Parliament met in January 1504.
At a Parliament meeting in January 1504, Cecily, along with others, asked the king for something. Cecily knew Henry VII would be suspicious of her actions. She said she wanted to choose a husband for "convenience, not profit." However, she feared her marriage might be used as an excuse to take away the property she had from her second husband, Viscount Welles. She thought the king might pretend to be unhappy with her to seize her lands.
To avoid this, Cecily decided to give the king a small part of her income as a bribe. She also promised to return the rest of the property ten years after her death. This way, most of her husband's inheritance would stay with her. In her request, she asked to keep her husband's possessions if she outlived the king. If she died earlier, the Welles heirs would get them for ten years. The other Welles heirs joined the request, likely because they would benefit if Cecily kept the inheritance. The request ended with everyone asking for the King's mercy.
Historians describe the king's reaction differently. Some say Henry VII approved the request. Others, however, say the king reacted very harshly. He was angry that Cecily married without his knowledge and permission. He took away all the property she received from John Welles' will and removed her from court.
Some historians say that Lady Margaret Beaufort helped Cecily. Part of the Welles estate was returned to Cecily for her lifetime. The King's mother also allowed the couple to live at her own property, Collyweston Palace. However, other sources say the couple lived in one of Cecily's late husband's estates and managed all the property together.
There is little information about Cecily's third husband's family. His name appears in only one official document. At court, he was called "Kyme of Lincolnshire." He might have been from an old Kyme family. However, some sources say the Kyme Cecily married was from the Isle of Wight. This might be true because Cecily is said to have died on that island. These sources call him John, not Thomas.
Cecily spent the first years of her marriage to Kyme on the Isle of Wight. They had two children, Richard and Margaret. These children did not receive any royal titles or special treatment. They did not get any royal lands or positions at court. Richard married a woman named Agnes and had a daughter. Margaret married John Weatherby and also had a daughter. Cecily's descendants from her third marriage can be traced for a hundred years later.
Some sources say Cecily died childless. This might be because neither her third marriage nor the children from it were recognized by the king. In official documents about Cecily's death and burial, she was called "the late wife of the late John, Viscount Welles."
Later Life and Death
We don't know much about Cecily's last years or her life in her third marriage. Some historians say that after marrying Thomas Kyme, the princess did not live in luxury. She also did not receive any help from the king. The only money linked to Cecily was given by Henry VII on December 11, 1506, for someone to visit her. However, in 1506, the King's mother, Lady Margaret Beaufort, saved a room for Cecily at Croydon Mansion. Lady Margaret later paid part of the cost of the princess's funeral.
Cecily died on August 24, 1507. The exact place of her death is not known. One idea is that she died on the Isle of Wight and was buried at the local Quarr Abbey. According to this idea, her grave monument was destroyed later. However, other historians disagree. They point to records that say Cecily died at Hatfield, Hertfordshire. She had stayed there for three weeks. She was buried at a local place known as "The Friars." This might have been the friary at Kings Langley, which was connected to the House of York.
In Art
A stained glass portrait of Cecily is now in Glasgow's Burrell Collection. It was originally part of a larger "royal window" showing Edward IV's family. A modern copy is in Canterbury Cathedral. This portrait was also engraved in a book called Acta Historica Reginarum Angliæ. These, along with another window at Great Malvern Priory, Worcestershire, are the only surviving memorials of Cecily.
Images for kids
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Cecily in stained glass, probably 1482–83, formerly Canterbury Cathedral, now Burrell Collection.
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Portrait of Edward IV, now at the National Portrait Gallery, London, c. 1597 – 1618
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Portrait of Elizabeth Woodville from the collection of Queens' College, Cambridge, c. 1471
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Daughters of King Edward IV. Stained glass window of the northwest transept of Canterbury Cathedral, 16th century. Cecily is depicted third in the left.
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Ruins of the old Quarr abbey.
