Mary Radcliffe

Mary, was the first born. She grew up to be a beautiful accomplished girl.

New Year's Day was the most important day of the year at Court, for on it, according to established custom, the sovereign received gifts from the chief subjects of her realm. The presentations took place in the presencechamber, where Elizabeth in regal finery took her seat on a velvet canopied, jewel-encrusted throne, whilst whiteclad Maids of Honour grouped themselves to form an effective background. In 1561 Sir Humphrey Radcliffe brought forward his daughter Mary and laughingly presented her as a New Year's gift.

Elizabeth, being in high good humour, replied graciously that she would take Mary to be one of her Maids of Honour, for by the death of Lady Jane Seymour, the imprisonment of Lady Catherine Grey and the marriage of Lettice Knollys, there were several vacancies in the privy chamber.

She actually came to court as a maid of honor in 1564 at the age of fourteen. Mary soon became a great favourite with her royal mistress, the more so because it really seemed as if at last she had found a Maid of Honour of like thinking with herself on the subject, of matrimony. From the first Mary refused to take the courtiers at their own valuation, making shrewd estimation of the facile flatterers, who in the Queen's presence professed to be dazzled by her beauty, but directly her back was turned made ardent protestations of love to the Maids of Honour. Thomas Dekker, in "The shoemakers Holiday", said:

"With 'lovely lady,' 'mistress of my heart,'

'Pardon your servant,' and the rhymer play,

Railing on Cupid and his tyrant's dart."

Mary laughed at their flowery phrases, saying straightly to one whose attentions wearied her, "that his wit was like custard, nothing good in it but the sop, and when that was eaten you might throw away the rest".

John Farnham was one of her admirers. Many men wooed Mary Radcliffe, but after a tepid love affair with a gentleman of the temple she settled down to obdurate virginity, serving the Queen as Keeper of the Jewels "honourably, virtuously, and faithfully for forty years", earning a stipend of £40 a year.