Mary Fitton facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Mary Fitton
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Portrait of Mary Fitton circa 1595
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| Born | June 1578 Gawsworth, Cheshire
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| Died | 1647 |
| Spouse(s) |
William Polwhele
(m. 1606–1609)John Lougher
(m. 1612–1636) |
| Parent(s) | Sir Edward Fitton Alice Halcroft |
Mary Fitton (baptized June 24, 1578 – 1647) was a lady who lived during the time of Queen Elizabeth I. She became a special attendant, known as a maid of honour, to the Queen. Mary Fitton is remembered for her relationships with important people like William Herbert, 3rd Earl of Pembroke and Vice-Admiral Sir Richard Leveson. Some people even believe she might be the "Dark Lady" mentioned in Shakespeare's sonnets.
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Mary Fitton's Family Life
Mary Fitton was the daughter of Sir Edward Fitton and Alice Halcroft. Her family lived in Gawsworth, a place in Cheshire, England. She had at least three brothers and sisters. One of her older sisters was named Anne. Anne married John Newdigate when she was only twelve years old in 1587.
Life at Queen Elizabeth's Court
Around 1595, Mary Fitton became a maid of honour for Queen Elizabeth. This meant she was a young lady who served the Queen directly. Mary's father asked Sir William Knollys to look after her. Sir William was in charge of the Queen's household. He promised to care for Mary as if she were his own daughter.
However, Sir William Knollys, who was about fifty years old and already married, soon developed strong feelings for Mary. He even wrote about his feelings to Mary's sister. His affection for Mary was well known and often joked about at court.
In January 1599, Mary had to leave the court and go back to her father's home. She was feeling unwell with a mix of physical and emotional symptoms. When she returned to court later, she did not return Sir William Knollys's feelings.
In June 1600, Mary Fitton took a leading role in a special dance performance called a masque. This masque celebrated the wedding of Lady Anne Russell and Henry Somerset. Mary and other maids performed an allegorical dance. Afterward, they chose people from the audience to dance with. Mary bravely chose the Queen herself. She told the Queen that she represented "Affection," which meant passionate love at the time. The Queen replied, "Affection? Affection's false." This masque was quite unusual because noble dancers, especially women, rarely spoke during these events.
William Herbert, who later became the Earl of Pembroke, was at this dance. Mary Fitton and William Herbert became close. Mary soon became pregnant. In February 1601, William Herbert was sent to the Fleet Prison. This happened because he admitted he was the father but refused to marry Mary. Mary Fitton was then placed with Lady Margaret Hawkins during her pregnancy. Both Mary and William Herbert were asked to leave the Queen's court after this event.
Mary's Life After Court
Mary's father was very upset by what happened, seeing it as a social disaster. However, Mary herself did not seem as ashamed. Sir William Knollys tried to win her over again, but Mary remained firm. He later left her some money after he died in 1605.
Mary had a son who was believed to be William Herbert's child. Her mother was very disappointed, writing to Mary's married sister that it was "such shame as never had a Cheshire woman." Mary later married William Polwhele in 1606. Even this marriage did not completely calm her mother's feelings.
When her husband, William Polwhele, died in 1610, Mary had a son and a daughter to care for. She married again in 1612 to a captain from Pembrokeshire named John Lougher. John Lougher was a "gentleman lawyer" and a former member of Parliament. He passed away in 1636. Mary Fitton died in 1647 and was buried in Gawsworth. She left some property to her daughter, who was married and had children of her own. It is said that Mary Fitton's ghost still haunts Gawsworth Old Hall.
Mary Fitton and Shakespeare
Mary Fitton's relationship with William Herbert is why some people believe she was the "Dark Lady" in Shakespeare's sonnets. The idea was first suggested by Thomas Tyler in 1890. It was also supported by Frank Harris in his books, including The Women of Shakespeare. Harris even claimed that Mary Fitton had ruined Shakespeare's life.
However, more recent scholars do not usually agree with these claims. Experts like Paul Edmondson and Stanley Wells have noted that the theory became less popular when it was found that Mary Fitton was not actually "dark" in appearance. There is no clear evidence that Mary Fitton ever met or knew Shakespeare.
Mary did have some connections to the literary world. William Kempe, a famous clown who worked in Shakespeare's acting company, dedicated his book Nine Daies Wonder (published in 1600) to "Mistress Anne Fitton." This might have been a mistake, as Mary, not her sister Anne, was the Maid of Honor to Queen Elizabeth I at that time. Also, a poem addressed to Mary Fitton can be found in a book by Anthony Munday called A Womans Woorth defended against all the Men in the World.
Fitton Family Letters
Letters written to Mary Fitton's sister, Anne Newdigate, were kept safe in the Newdigate family records. In the 1890s, these letters were copied and published by Lady Newdigate-Newdegate.
