Elizabeth Carey, Lady Berkeley facts for kids

Lady Elizabeth Berkeley (born Carey, later Chamberlain; 24 May 1576 – 23 April 1635) was an important English lady who lived in the time of Queen Elizabeth I and King James I. She spent time at court and supported artists and writers.

Life of Lady Elizabeth Berkeley

Elizabeth Carey was the only child of George Carey, 2nd Baron Hunsdon, and Elizabeth Spencer. Queen Elizabeth I herself was one of her godmothers. Elizabeth grew up in different places, including Blackfriars, London, Carisbrooke Castle on the Isle of Wight, and West Drayton, Middlesex.

First Marriage and Family Life

Elizabeth married Sir Thomas Berkeley on 19 February 1596. She was nineteen years old. Her family supported Shakespeare's theatre company. Some people think that Shakespeare's play A Midsummer Night's Dream might have been performed for the first time at her wedding.

In 1606, Elizabeth was one of the dancers in a special play called a masque. This masque, named Hymenaei, was written by Ben Jonson. She danced at the wedding party of the Earl of Essex and Lady Frances Howard. There is even a painting of her wearing her costume from this masque.

Elizabeth and Sir Thomas had two children:

• Theophila Berkeley (1596–1643): She married Sir Robert Coke. Theophila was taught by her mother and could speak French, Italian, Latin, and Greek. She was a friend of the king's daughter, Elizabeth. Theophila was also a bridesmaid at Elizabeth's wedding.
• George Berkeley, 8th Baron Berkeley (7 October 1601 – 10 August 1658): He was taught by Philemon Holland. George later married Elizabeth Stanhope and had children.

Managing Family Finances

Elizabeth and her husband lived in several Berkeley family homes. These included New Park in Gloucestershire, Claverdon in Warwickshire, and Caludon Castle near Coventry. However, Sir Thomas was not good with money and built up many debts.

In 1606, Elizabeth took charge of their money problems. She sold her own family land in Tonbridge and Hadlow, Kent, to help pay off some of the debts. In 1609, Sir Thomas gave Elizabeth full control over managing their household. When Sir Thomas died in 1611, Elizabeth paid off all the remaining debts.

Later Life and Second Marriage

In 1618, Elizabeth bought the estate of Cranford, Middlesex, for £7,000. She also bought the manor of Durdans in Surrey, which she gave to her daughter Theophila.

In February 1622, Elizabeth married again to Sir Thomas Chamberlain. He was a judge. When he died in 1625, he left a large amount of money, £10,000, to Elizabeth's son from her first marriage.

Elizabeth died on 23 April 1635. She was buried two days later in Cranford parish church. Her tomb has a white marble statue of her, made by Nicholas Stone.

Learning and Supporting the Arts

Elizabeth's mother was well-educated and supported artists, and Elizabeth learned these traits from her. Elizabeth was taught by Henry Stanford. When she was 18, in 1594, she translated two poems by Petrarch from Italian into English.

Supporting Writers and Scholars

In 1594, a writer named Thomas Nashe dedicated his book The Terrors of the Night to Elizabeth. He praised her "sharp mind" and "religious devotion." Another book, The French Garden (1605), which was a French textbook, was also dedicated to her. Some people think Elizabeth was the inspiration for a character in that book.

In 1610, Elizabeth supported Philemon Holland's translation of William Camden's book Britannia from Latin. She planned to give money for the book. A poem even praised her for being the reason for this translation. However, she later became unhappy with Holland's work and stopped her support. Her name is not in the published book, but it is in a later edition. She is also mentioned in Camden's Annales (1625).

Donations to Libraries

Elizabeth gave many books to Coventry school and the city library. These books were in Latin, Greek, French, Italian, and English. Later in her life, a friend described her living at Cranford "amongst her thousands of books."