2013/02/04 by J. Pitcher
Arts and Humanities · Medicine · #Advice (programming) #Art history #Classics #Computer science #Daughter #Historical Art and Culture Studies #History #Law #Literature Analysis and Criticism #Negotiation #Philosophy #Political science #Shakespeare, Adaptation, and Literary Criticism #Theology #Wife
paper · doi:10.1093/res/hgs138
openalex publication_date 2013/02/04 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/23
A manuscript has been found in the Folger Shakespeare Library that sets out the terms for a marriage between Edward Seymour (1587–1618), grandson of Edward, first Earl of Hertford (1540–1621), and Lady Anne Clifford (1590–1676), daughter of Margaret, Dowager Countess of Cumberland (1560–1616). The articles, significant in their own right, allow us to understand a letter written in London by the poet and historian Samuel Daniel (1562–1619) at the end of May 1608. It appears from this that Hertford summoned Daniel urgently to meet Lady Cumberland and Lady Anne to persuade them to continue with the proposed marriage. The essay begins with a corrected history of the attempts to negotiate a marriage for Lady Anne. In the second part there is a description of the Folger manuscript, and the role Lady Cumberland played in shaping the articles. The third part deals with two letters Daniel wrote in May 1608, the second of which refers to the Earl and his household, and to a secret visit Daniel made to two unnamed women, here identified as Lady Cumberland and Lady Anne. The fourth part describes Daniel’s dealings with Lady Cumberland and her daughter before and after 1608. From this, and from what Daniel says in the second letter, we can be sure what advice he gave about the proposed marriage. New information is added in the third and fourth parts to what is known of Daniel’s connections with Lord Hertford and Lady Cumberland. The essay ends with a text of the articles.