Lucy Russell, Countess of Bedford facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Lucy Russell |
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| Countess of Bedford | |
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| Spouse(s) | Edward Russell, 3rd Earl of Bedford |
| Noble family | Harington |
| Father | John Harington, 1st Baron Harington of Exton |
| Mother | Anne Keilway |
| Born | 1581 |
| Died | 1627 |
| Occupation | Lady of the Bedchamber to Anne of Denmark |
Lucy Russell, Countess of Bedford (born Lucy Harington; 1581–1627) was a very important and influential lady in England during the reigns of Queen Elizabeth I and King James I. She loved and supported artists, writers, and poets. She was also a talented performer in special court shows called masques. Lucy was even an investor in a company that explored Bermuda, where a place called Harrington Sound is named after her.
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Early Life and Marriage
Lucy Harington was born in 1581. Her father was Sir John Harington and her mother was Anne Keilway. She was christened on January 25, 1581. Lucy received a very good education for a girl of her time. She could speak French, Spanish, and Italian.
Lucy grew up connected to important families. She was friends with Penelope Rich and Dorothy Percy, Countess of Northumberland. Dorothy even named one of her daughters Lucy after her.
Her Marriage to Edward Russell
Lucy Harington married Edward Russell, 3rd Earl of Bedford, on December 12, 1594. She was thirteen years old, and he was twenty-two. Their wedding took place at St Dunstan's on Stepney Green. Sadly, her first child did not survive in 1596.
Life at Court
Lucy and her husband, the Earl of Bedford, faced some challenges. In 1601, the Earl got into trouble for joining a rebellion against Queen Elizabeth I. However, their luck changed after Queen Elizabeth died in 1603. This was when King James I became king of England, uniting the crowns of Scotland and England.
Meeting Queen Anne of Denmark
Many English nobles wanted to gain favor with the new royal family. The Countess of Bedford was very bold! She skipped the late queen's funeral and quickly traveled to Scotland. She wanted to meet the new king's wife, Anne of Denmark, before anyone else.
Lucy succeeded and met Queen Anne. The Queen was impressed and made Lucy a Lady of the Bedchamber. This meant Lucy became a trusted friend and helper to the Queen. Lucy traveled south with Queen Anne and her children, Prince Henry and Princess Elizabeth.
Performing in Masques
Lucy was a talented performer in court masques. These were special plays with music, dancing, and costumes, often performed for the royal family. She appeared in many famous masques, including:
- The Masque of Blackness (1605)
- Hymenaei (1606)
- The Masque of Beauty (1608)
- The Masque of Queens
- The Vision of the Twelve Goddesses (1604)
Lucy also helped produce some of these shows. For example, she helped organize The Vision of the Twelve Goddesses in 1604. In 1617, she arranged a masque called Cupid's Banishment. This show was performed by students from the first English girls' school, the Ladies Hall in Deptford.
A drawing of her costume for the Masque of Queens still exists today. It shows her dressed as Penthesilea, an Amazon queen. The famous designer Inigo Jones created this costume.
Supporting Artists and Writers
Lucy Russell was a very important supporter of artists and writers. She helped many talented people during her time.
Supporting Ben Jonson
She was a special friend and supporter of the famous writer Ben Jonson. He dedicated his play Cynthia's Revels (1600) to her. He also wrote several poems praising her kindness and support.
Other Writers and Poets
Besides Jonson, Lucy supported many other important poets. These included Michael Drayton, Samuel Daniel, George Chapman, and John Donne. She was the godmother of Donne's second daughter, who was also named Lucy.
Lucy also supported other writers, like the translator John Florio. He thanked her for her help with his translation of the essays by Montaigne. She received more dedications from writers than almost any other woman of her time.
Lucy was a strong believer in Calvinism, a type of Protestantism. She supported many Calvinist writers and thinkers. Sometimes, her relationships with poets like Donne and Drayton were complicated. Poets who dedicated their works to her could also complain if they felt she no longer favored them.
Her Own Poetry
Lucy also wrote poems herself. Only one of her poems is still known today. It is an epitaph (a poem for someone who has died) for her cousin Cecily Bulstrode. The poem is called "Death be not proud, thy hand gave not this blow." Some people thought it was written by John Donne, but now most scholars believe it was Lucy's own work.
She also wrote an elegy (a sad poem) when her cousin Bridget Markham died in 1609.
Supporting Musicians
Lucy didn't just support writers; she also helped musicians. A famous musician named John Dowland dedicated his Second Book of Songs (1600) to her.
Designing Gardens
Lucy was also very interested in designing beautiful gardens and country estates. Her main estates were Twickenham Park and Moor Park. An Italian writer, Giacomo Castelvetro, even dedicated a book about fruits and vegetables to her.
She loved her home at Moor Park. She wrote in a letter that she was "still adding some trifles of pleasure to that place I am so much love with."
Later Life and Challenges
As one of the most important women at King James's court, Lucy was involved in many political matters. Later in the king's reign, she was a strong supporter of Elizabeth of Bohemia. Elizabeth had grown up in Lucy's father's home.
Family and Financial Issues
In July 1613, Lucy's husband, the Earl of Bedford, was seriously injured after falling from his horse. Lucy had planned to travel for her health but gave up her trip to be with him.
Both Lucy and her husband faced serious financial problems throughout their lives. In 1618, she transferred her shares in the Bermuda Company to the Marquess of Hamilton.
Lucy, Countess of Bedford, passed away in May 1627. Her husband died in the same month. Sadly, none of their children survived past infancy.
Portrait Medal
Around 1625, Lucy had a special portrait medal made by an artist named Nicholas Briot. The oval medal shows her face from the side, wearing a crown and a feathered jewel. The back of the medal shows a snake biting its tail, which is a symbol called an "ouroboros". A silver version of this medal is now kept at the Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge.
In Fiction
- Lucy Russell is the main character in The Noble Assassin (2011), a historical novel by Christie Dickason.
- In Margaret Edson's play Wit, a character briefly refers to herself as Lucy, Countess of Bedford.
