Cecily / Cecyll Bulstrode

Cecily Bulstrode (1584 – 4 August 1609) was a courtier and subject of poetry. She was the daughter of Edward Bulstrode (1550–1595) and Cecily Croke; she was a cousin of Lucy Russell, Countess of Bedford, (nee Harrington) in whose household she was a member in 1605. Two years later, she served as a Gentlewoman of the Bedchamber to Anne of Denmark

She was born to Edward Bulstrode (1550-1595) of Hedgerley in Buckinghamshire and Cecily or Cecill Croke (fl. 1575-1608), the daughter of Sir John Croke of Chilton, in Beaconsfield. Her parents Edward and Cecily produced nine other children, amongst them Edward (1588-1659), who served as a judge in the courts of chancery, king's bench, the Oxford assize circuits, and the Warwickshire quarter sessions throughout his lifetime. Cecily was the fourth of six daughters, the names of her nine siblings are recorded on her father's tomb at St Laurence's Church, Upton-cum-Chalvey

Bulstrode was baptized at Beaconsfield on 12 February 1584, Spelling variations on her first and last name include "Cecilia", "Celia", and "Boulstred".

In June 1608 Bulstrode's mother Cecily married again, to Sir John Brown of Flamberds, at Cold Norton, Essex. Her grandfather Sir John Croke died at Chilton in February 1609.

Life at Court Bulstrode followed in the footsteps of her ancestors as a courtier. In 1605, she became part of the entourage of her mother's first cousin Lucy Russell, Countess of Bedford. When King James I came to the throne, the countess of Bedford became First Lady of the Bedchamber to the queen. Bulstrode and her youngest sister Dorothy, later Lady Eyre, moved up with Lucy Russell, becoming Maidens of the Queen’s Bedchamber. There, Bulstrode "became a noted wit in the court of James I." As a good friend of the countess of Bedford and servant of the Queen, Bulstrode was a lady of consequence at court.

During her time at the court of Anne of Denmark, Bulstrode became the subject of works by poets such as Ben Jonson who threatened her reputation with rumours of promiscuity.[7] Other writers, including John Donne, used the event of her death as an opportunity to gain favor with her friend and patron of the literary arts, the countess of Bedford.[The only known work of Bulstrode’s is News of My Morning Work, probably written in 1609.

While at court, Bulstrode became the topic of scandalous rumour. She had a brief courtship, and possible engagement, with Sir John Roe in 1602. The reason for their breakup is unknown, but in To Mistress Boulsted, 1602 an elegy ghost-written for Roe by his friend Ben Jonson, Bulstrode seems accused of sluttish behavior:

Shall I go force an elegy? abuse My wit, and break the hymen of my Muse For one poor hour’s love?... I’ll have a Succuba as good as you! -An Elegy to Mistress Boulsted, 1602 lines 1-3, 2 ]
This poem circulated at court as a letter to Bulstrode from "J.R." presumably John Roe. The poem takes the viewpoint of a man who rejects the advances of his female friend because he doesn’t want to ruin their friendship "for one poor hour’s love." Although the speaker claims to be a sincere friend who will keep the poem secret to protect her reputation, the poem was not kept secret and was most likely an attempt to ruin Bulstrode's reputation and allege, according to Donald Foster, “that Boulstred solicited Roe for sex, which caused him to reject her as unfit for marriage.” In 1628, Ben Jonson revealed that he actually ghostwrote this poem for Roe.

Boulstred eventually started a relationship with Sir Thomas Roe, Sir John Roe's cousin. This relationship most likely would have led to marriage if she had not become very sick in 1609. In 1609 over a few months, Bulstrode fell ill and died. Her illness was diagnosed by doctors of the College of Medicine as "the mother" also called the "wandering womb", an imprecise diagnosis for ailments thought to attend upon feminine frailty. Her symptoms included stomach pain, sleeplessness, fever, and vomiting. No cure could be found, and she wasted away at the countess of Bedford’s house, Twickenham Park,[9] unable to hold down food or liquids. In a letter to Sir Henry Goodyere, John Donne reported on her condition;

"I fear earnestly that Mistress Boulstred will not escape that sickness in which she labors at this time. I sent this morning to ask of her passage of this night; and the return is, that she is as I left her yesternight... fear that she will scare last so long as that you, when you receive this letter, may do her any good office in praying for her.”

According to Dr. Francis Anthony, who was called upon by Bulstrode's mother after treatment under the College of Medicine physicians was unsuccessful, she showed improvement in symptoms in her final days, "for in all the other administering of this medicine ... her spirits were relieved! She daily recovered strength. All passions, symptoms, and accidents of disease ceased. Her sickness fully left her, and she recovered perfect health!"

But in regard to her “perfect health,” Anthony exaggerated. Although he gave her doses of potable gold in an attempt to cure her, Bulstrode died within days.[7] As Jongsook Lee puts it, Anthony was "a quack." Bulstrode's brother in-law, James Whitlocke noted her death, “Cecill Bulstrode, my wife’s sister, gentlewoman to Queen An, ordinary of her bedchamber, died at Twitnam in Middlesex, the erl of Bedford’s house, 4 August 1609”, and she was buried at St Mary's, Twickenham two days later.

Although Sir Thomas Roe missed his chance to marry Bulstrode, his love for her remained, and he carried a miniature watercolour portrait of her around with him for the rest of his life, even after he married.

In death, Bulstrode's body became a theme of court poets who competed for the literary matronage of her Lucy Russell, countess of Bedford. Lucy Russell's favour was highly valued, as she had a large amount of power and leverage at court as first Lady of the Queen's Bedchamber.

ABOVE COPIED FROM https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cecily_Bulstrode - Cecily / Cecyll Bulstrode is my 12th great aunt and I was born within walking distance of her birthplace as was my mother. She is also myh 4th Cousin x 11 removed - descended from my 15th Gt Grandfather, William Bulstrode b 1400 Hedgerley, Buckinghamshire, England.