SEMPER FIDELIS.

MARY FITZROY (NEÉ HOWARD), DUCHESS OF RICHMOND & SOMERSET.

[cfnorfolk]

dukecfnorfolk‌:

Norfolk had mixed feelings when it came to the good fortunes of his daughter. To see one of his own blood advance in the world did its part to give him a measure of pride, to be sure. She was a Duchess, sister-by-law of the King of England, and now a mother. But there were sour notes to it that troubled him, too - her husband not least among them. The Duke of Richmond was like a thorn in Norfolk’s side, and it was only because the man provided a sure link between his family and the Crown that Norfolk deigned to tolerate him. It was hard not to see Mary as more Richmond’s wife than Norfolk’s daughter, and he found it a bitter note on top of the disappointment he already perceived in her.

Her unexpected visit was met with some consternation, not least because the events they were living through already prickled - but he found that he looked up to meet her gaze as she greeted him, his own tired. “I may be able to spare some moments - only some, if it is worth the doing. The King’s marriage has caused quite a load of work that cannot be avoided.” He pursed his lips, gaze dropping to the satchel she held. “….Go on.”

    For so many years Mary had wondered what it was that made her father dislike her so; could it truly only be that she was simply female? Was it that she reminded him of her mother? No, with every passing year her mother’s influence faded and she became even more of a Howard than her older brother was. Then it was the fact that she was not as useful as her brothers, perhaps? Though that should have changed as she rose to great heights at court and found herself seated with the Royal family, yet nothing ever changed. Not really. If anything she felt the heavy glare of her father intensify with every passing day and slowly but surely came to the conclusion that it was, in fact, an issue he held with himself, not to do with her or anything she had ever done directly for she had never acted against him. Not once. 

With a step closer to the desk, Mary placed the velvet pouch in front of her father before hands returned to their usual folded position over her stomach. Inside sat a golden trinket, proudly bearing the Howard family crosslets engraved into the surface, which proudly displayed two miniature portraits of Mary’s most beloved sons when opened. For a moment she watched for her father’s response in silence, lips bearing neither a smile of joy nor of smugness; it was faint and hopeful if anything. “ You are an important and busy man, I know and I respect this, which is why I have often shown my sons your portrait so that they might recognise their grandfather. Would it not be a shame if you were to not recognise them in return when they one day attend court as the King’s nephews? ”

[angelwhite2013-deactivated20200]

MARY FITZROY  (nee Howard), Duchess of Richmond  (c1519 – c1555) 

Mary was the headstrong daughter of the third Duke of Norfolk, who clashed with her father or eventually wore down the King in her battle to secure her widow’s jointure (property settled on a wife as provision for her widowhood)  after the death of her young husband, Henry VIII’s illegitimate son.  When her brother,  Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey, was arrested for treason in 1546, Mary testified against him and later became a patroness of reformers.   Her father’s weary assessment was that she was “but too wise for a woman.”  

[cfnorfolk]

eleanorbrandon‌:

Eleanor had been on a walk throughout the gardens and had spend some hours outside to enjoy the weather, however now she found the wind growing too cold and began her walk back to the castle. However as she walked by an opened window she heard something that caught her attention. Some men she would assume were nobles of higher rank was discussion something of which she wasn’t entirely sure of, but had been enough to trigger her curiosity. And so she walked to the window, close enough to allow her to take a peek inside to confirm her thoughts before hurrying to get out of sight, despite remaining by the window to listen in and considering if she should risk taking another look at what they were doing.

    With the day drawing to a close, Mary begun to make her return inside before the sun would bid farewell with its upcoming crescendo of brilliant red and oranges to make way for the moon and the stars that would follow. It was slowly becoming the Duchess’ favourite time of the day; once she had favoured the dawn but now, after her early hours had been claimed by the occasional cry of a young child, she found the peace of the evening to be much more soothing. Especially when she sought the time for contemplation. “ My Lady Brandon? ” The sight of a familiar figure lurking below a window peaked Mary’s interest, bringing her to slow down the pace of her steps as she pieced together the scene she stumbled upon. “ Have you stumbled upon something of intrigue? ”

[cfnorfolk]

    The Duchess of Richmond appeared as a vision of rest and youthfulness on the opposite side of her father’s desk after being announced by a steward, skirts sweeping with the gesture of a curtsy whilst hands clasped together carefully cradling a small velvet pouch. The well rested Duchess was only able to appear as such with thanks to her recent return to court, the lack of cries from children was entirely blissful during the late hours of the night and allowed for a courtier to present herself and more of a woman than a mother once more, though Mary found she would much prefer to appear dark under the eyes and out of place for the sake of keeping her sons close at all times. Richmond was not so far away and yet it felt as though it may as well be on the opposite side of the world when it came to being separated from her children; though she feared her own father did not share those sentiments when it came to his own children.

 “ My Lord Father, I hope that you are not too busy to receive me, ” she spoke with a smile of politeness but an absence of hope that woud once have been present - he always appeared too busy regardless of whatever matter she would present him with but that was never truly enough to deter her from putting herself in his way to be heard. “ I would not wish to take up too much of your time, alas I could not return to court without visiting my father first and I have a gift for you.  If I may? ”

@dukecfnorfolk

[cfnorfolk]

TWO YEARS LATER | HER GRACE, THE DUCHESS OF RICHMOND.

Over the past two years only a handful of months have been spent at court for Mary. Shortly after the King’s reappearance the young Duchess found that, much to her own surprise, her recent feelings of unease, tiredness and sickness were not solely down to worry for the King and the fate of her Husband - she was with child. In the Autumn of 1536, the Duke and Duchess of Richmond welcomed their son into the world with great joy. From that cool late September morning when her son came safely into the world with quite a pair of lungs on him Mary was instantly in absolute awe and the remainder of her confinement not so daunting when all she wished to do was gaze upon the most perfect little face she had ever seen without any interruptions.

In the January of 1537, after growing tired of solitude and bed rest, Mary was most eager to return to court life though she did struggle with separation from her son. Whilst it was natural to hand him to a wet nurse or nanny, she found herself compelled by the need for a moment longer to hold him in her arms, to feel his tiny hand wrapped around her finger or to kiss his eyelids shut stronger than she had ever been compelled before. She was entirely in love and fiercely proud of her new born son but duty called, at least it did until the following June. In the heat of the looming summer, Mary found herself to be pregnant once again though this pregnancy did not go so unnoticed as the first. She was much more unwell in the beginning and found herself feeling the fatigue more so than before, but she continued on at court until her time for confinement came and, in the early March of 1538, Mary delivered a second son - though the second labour was much longer and quite frightening for the mother.

In the June of 1538, Mary is returning to court after the baptism of her second son finishing her confinement just in time to attend the wedding of her brother-in-law; The King. Whilst opinions are quite mixed on his choice of bride, Mary is welcoming of the idea of a Queen from a protestant nation in the hopes that more tolerance might come of it. She knows there are dangers and that many courtiers would rather take up arms than worship a Protestant King, her own Kin included, but a great deal of Mary’s confinement had been spent reading and her own sympathies for the Protestant cause has only deepened - even if she does still remain a Catholic for the time being. 

[cfnorfolk]

elizabethsblount‌:

    She admired greatly the spirit forged within Mary Howard; it was too sincere to sour in the face of misdeeds and venomous whispers. Elizabeth found comfort in each inkling of filiality Mary displayed towards her; for as selfish a choice it was to harbor her daughter-in law as her own, the sweetness of her person commanded Elizabeth to desire such. Barely a fraction of her life had progressed as she intended - and so the sweeping unknown which took prisoner the court in a wave of hysteria, failed to claim her as a victim. A different sentiment was born inside Elizabeth’s breast, desires which had not been voiced since the days where the name Bessie Blount was well paired with the title, of mother to the King’s heir. She had long relinquished her affections for the late Henry, but her wishes for her son - time could never take those from her. 

  “I know I do not deserve such unconditional affection, but I am glad to hear of it.” Mary’s restrained reaction to her words of hearsay calmed the waves of anxiety that had begun to ripple through her stomach, putting her ill at ease. “He endures so finely underneath so much talk - I shall never cease to be so proud of him. Guarded, and united; always my sweet, for the two of you are my precious possessions. As for Henry’s fate, it would be an unbearable pain to by mounted to the throne, in the wake of so much loss. The Lord is a divine figure, but he is a father - there is no sin committed out of better intentions, then those of love.” Reason began to cloud selfish desire, and once more Bessie felt resignation to charitable feelings - and a desire for normalcy, whatever that may be underneath young Henry. “What does your father make of this? I lack the moral strength to seek audience with him, but I am inclined to believe no event transpires that he is not entirely privy to.” 

    “ You deserve every ounce of affection, I have yet to meet another soul as warm your own, and I cannot imagine anyone whom would welcome a stranger into their family as kindly as you have me is entirely deserving of affection. ” The ground on which they currently stood felt to be a bog; threatening to swallow them whole should they take a careless step, offering very little support and making any graceful or swift movements entirely impossible. Mary thought she might crumble under the weight of the court’s gaze and yet the example set by her mother-in-law continued to show that it was entirely possible to continue with great strength and to remodel one’s self, one’s reputation, and that alone inspired more than Elizabeth could possibly know.

“ The weight we would never wish upon Henry - to climb upon the throne of England in the wake of death and heartbreak - is the same which has befallen his Majesty; with that in mind I fear I cannot blame him for his absence. Even Kings are merely men and to lose a mother and a father so closely before losing one’s own self... It is an unbearable thought, I pray that the Lord’s will shall not pass the crown from one brother to another for that reason. I could not bear to lose our Henry to the curse it seemingly carries and I fear that makes me terribly selfish. ” It was the confession of a young woman raised at the core of nobility, who witnessed fine men turn sour at a mere glimpse of power and how a the heart turned black with desire for it, and how fearful she was of that same poison might continue to creep closer to her own door. “ He does not speak with me on such matters, I am under the same belief as you that none shall pass without his ever watchful eye seeing... The only things he cares to ask of me are whom I keep in my company, that I overlook his mistress and cease speaking of my mother. He does not care for me but I made peace with that long ago. An audience with him exhausts the soul and I would not wish such burden upon you. Stay, let us talk a while... I would meet with him on your behalf if you wish it but I have found that the best way to banish darkness is to keep a candle burning at all times and there is no greater light than that of family; mainly the family I have found in you. ...And in Henry, of course. ”

[cfnorfolk]

ladymegdouglas‌:

She instinctively scrunched up her nose at the use of her full name. “Do call me Meg, Mary, please do. We are family, after all, and friends as well. Margaret sounds…much too grown-up and old-fashioned, don’t you think? Not a name for a young woman.” Meg knew it was an honor to carry her mother’s name, a family name at that, but it always felt a bit too stuffy for her. She liked to think she was the very essence of youth, as she was sure many other young ladies did. “I am quite well! You need not worry. I positively adore the hustle and bustle of court. I do wish it were a bit more merry…” She leaned closer to her cousin’s wife now and spoke more softly. “Has your Henry spoken to his brother, Mary?”

“ You are right, forgive me, you certainly appear more a Meg than a Margaret - as beautiful as both are - Meg is much more suited for you. ” Mary nodded in agreement with a smile, she thought she might feel the same had she the pleasure of carrying her own mother’s name; Elizabeth was a fine name but there was a level of confusion when two of the same line held a name without any differentiation. Though her father clearly saw no quarrel when naming his son after himself, nor his own father who had two sons by his name. “ Indeed, the circumstances in which we find ourselves are not idea but, you know how court works, the atmosphere swells and falls; by that logic it must soon swell once again. ” With an attempt at making her smile reassuring, Mary shifted and placed a comforting hand upon Meg’s. “ In truth? I do not know, Henry has been so busy with these matters than he is preoccupied and when we meet I do not desire to press him further. I wish I could give you greater words of reassurance and a definite answer, alas I can only pray you do not worry too much. His Majesty will be well, if it were not for so many foreign eyes upon him and this court we surely would not be any wiser, everything just feels more critical with such pressure. Besides, if worry pushes you into distress, what would we do without a carefree presence such as your own? ”

[cfnorfolk]

princcssmary‌:

open

With her brother still as yet unmarried, Mary had been tasked with the role of playing the hostess at Hampton Court, greeting and dealing with all manner of dignitaries and guests in the palace which was, as ever, filled to the brim. It was a role she had been born into, very nearly, and one she would need to perfect when the crown of Spain fell to her husband’s hands. In Henry’s absence, it was all the more important that she stood in, almost in his stead - though she would never claim as much herself.

She looked up when yet another courtier was brought before her, her head held high to disguise the anxieties that had churned in her belly during the past weeks. “What news is it your bring to us?” She queried, voice authoritative and soft at once, formalities all carefully observed.

    “ Your highness, I fear it is not news I bring but well wishes. ” The young Duchess curtsied before the Princess Mary, trying so terribly hard to keep her smile polite and dignified in spite of the warmth it brought to see the King’s sister in her rightful place once again. Mary never made any secret of the fondness she had felt for the late Queen, given the kindness she had shown towards both Mary and her own mother during their time in her service, and such fondness naturally trickles down to the grace and poise that was Mary Tudor.

“ With such heavy words and itchy palms surrounding us I merely wished to express my joy at seeing your grace England with your presence once again; your absence has been greatly felt and your position far too admired to have been replaceable. Dare I ask - was your journey kind to you? ”

[roleplaymemesforyou]

Send 💬 + a rumor and my muse will react to it.

[cfnorfolk]

@francisweston @cfboleyn @jamesvstewart @cfmedici @demelzi

[cfnorfolk]

ladymegdouglas‌:

“Perhaps we could do with something biblical,” Meg mused. Always one for excitement and antics, it would be impossible for her to choose something better! “Have you never wondered what such a thing would be liked to see before your very eyes? I think it would do many a courtier a great deal of good to experience some wonder.” She spoke with the air of somebody who knew exactly what they were talking and who was always correct, which is precisely the type of person she presumed herself to be. “Of course you would be missed, Mary,” Meg answered truthfully - Mary Fitzroy was not a woman who could leave a room without someone wondering where that delightful young lady had done. “England will simply have to survive while you take your leave for the adventures that wait you. It would be delightful.” Such a thing could only happen, of course, if Meg’s cousin Henry was well… Meg had not voiced a concern that she was sure was on everybody’s minds - who was King Henry’s heir? Mary’s husband Henry could very well be, as half-brother to the king. But wouldn’t Meg’s own brother James have an even stronger claim? Meg chewed slightly on her bottom lip as she considered the options.

    -    “ I believe you are right! We could all use some wonder in our lives, it is in sadness that we are not all quite as brave as you to grasp it - even if it is merely kinder weather. ” With gentle laughter the apples of Mary’s cheeks rose and brought a delightful smile to her lips, not one of polite amusement for Meg only ever brought genuine happiness along with her presence. There were very few experienced courtiers who still walked with light steps and carefreeness in her heart, and yet Meg was such a breath of fresh air and Mary dared anyone to not find joy in conversation with her. “ You are too kind, Margaret, as ALWAYS, but I must inquire how you fare here. It must be a comfort to have His Majesty and the Dowager Queen with you also. ”

[cfnorfolk]

sarahtalbot‌:

Mary Fitzroy. Sarah knew very well that the woman before her was hardly to blame for her father’s actions, and yet her stubborn nature had caused Sarah only to avoid her presence as much as possible. In actuality, Mary herself had never shown her anything but kindness, but it was very much a painful reminder of when she might have been raised high, and perhaps even dared to claim happiness, and neither of these had come to fruition. 

“My Lady Richmond, I am not sure if I ought consider you wise or overly mistrustful.” She kept her tone light, her eyes down on the bushes that would soon bloom brightly with roses in order to avoid meeting the woman’s gaze. “Excited, perhaps, is the wrong word. I take no delight in the dangers. I only hope for something more…. I do not know. More stimulating, to occur.” Finally, she dared spare Mary a brief glance. “You are right, of course. Though some are clearly more dispensable than others. Between you and I, for instance?” She glanced away again, not finishing the sentence but letting it hang in the air. “At any rate. You look very well, Your Grace. I trust the winter months have not treated you harshly, despite all the chaos of the court?”

    -    “ I prefer the title ‘well versed at courtly matters,’ though I would not find either choice offensive. ” There had been a time when Mary had championed Sarah and spoke highly of her to both her father and brother, though the latter never needed very much convincing, and to see how sour Lady Talbot’s attitude towards Mary had become over the years was saddening. And yet she persisted. She wanted to show her kindness still in the hopes it might bring a scenario where the two might speak in honesty one day, make way for an apology on her father’s behalf as if that would make anything better; she could only hope.

“ I did not mean that - we are all dispensable. Maid, Lady, Duke, King; some merely have further to fall than others, I meant no offense. ” With the brief glance she was offered, Mary attempted to capture all of the eye contact she could with the offer of a rather weak smile as if it were an olive branch in the mouth of a dove. “ The winter months were exactly that - chaotic - but I believe we have all come out the other side quite well. We must always carry on whether we like it or not, stronger for it and with an odd sense of togetherness, but I wonder how you are. You too appear very well, as beautiful as ever, and I do regret terribly that we do not speak more often. I hope you are as well as you appear? ”

[cfnorfolk]

    -    “ Dear uncle Buckingham, I do so apologise for interrupting you during times such as these but I feel it is of the utmost importance. ” A graceful sweep of skirts as she curtsied curtsy was offered in the presence of the Duke of Buckingham, hands folded together more of out of uncertainty than propriety - which was certainly more nerves than she would usually express in the eyes of another. “ I come to inquire if you have heard recently from my Lady mother? Her words in reference to you are always so fond, she has always spoken highly of your person, but I have not received a letter from her in some weeks and I fear it may be time for concern. ”

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[cfnorfolk]

    -    The Duchess of Richmond curtsied at the sight of the Scottish Princess, a young woman who was now Mary’s cousin by marriage and yet she had so few encounters with her - in spite of how close her husband appeared to be with the Scottish King and at least had a positive history behind them. “ Your Highness, I hope you are still finding your time in England to be comfortable? Court has never been so eventful when between festivities, and during Lent of all times. ”

liked for by @gildedstewart

[cfnorfolk]

    -    “ My Lady Eleanor! Come, wont you sit a while? ” A pat of the window seat beside her gestured for Eleanor to join her if she wished, though Mary’s smile was quite a contrast to that of the other courtiers given the recent King’s disappearance. There were so many frowns and whispers that she felt almost obliged to attempt to counter it all, to offer hope in the great absence of it, or to find a conversation that didn’t surround supposed reasons for the King’s absence at the very least. “ There is so much gloom within this one room and your presence is always akin to sunlight; how do you fare? I hope the recent talk of court has not disheartened you terribly ”

liked for by @eleanorbrandon

[cfnorfolk]

elizabethsblount‌:

 Elizabeth paced up and down, thinking almost the same thoughts she had pondered years past; that her son would be privileged to advance towards the highest position known to man on earth; and although such sentiments had not been lately pursued, had never been truly abandoned. Henry’s sudden absence threatened to overwhelm Elizabeth with these thoughts, paired with a genuine concern for a man she longed to despise, yet felt love for in the most infuriating ways. The announcement of a visitor did well to break her endless anxiety, but more so, it was all but quieted when Mary’s lovely features entered the vicinity. Her warm affections for Mary never failed to recall courage and serenity to her own heart; with a brightened smile to caress her countenance, Elizabeth reached towards her daughter in law with open arms. “It pleases me endlessly to have my person thought of so kindly by you; the flowers are beautiful, and such presents of a newborn spring will never cease to bring me delight. You are not an intrusion, but a blessing.”

   The flowers were dealt with by a maid, leaving Mary’s hands freed to be held gently by Elizabeth, who led them to a pair of seat positioned by the window. The warmth of the sun replaced the roar of the fireplace, which lay desolate below the mantle piece. Elizabeth honored the younger woman with a sincerity of esteem, which made her heart ache on reflection of the wicked thoughts so recently crossing her mind. “I am glad to have your company in the wake of the King’s sudden retreat from the Court. It is shameful I have conflicting thoughts on the matter - and that our Henry concerns me, far more then King. Whether I wish for him to be sick, or on a private mission, I do not know. Sweet Mary, will you think ill of me for expressing such sentiments aloud?”

    There was truly nothing like the presence of a mother. Even as people grew and went out into the world alone, to thrive and rise in a world that threatened to topple the without a moment’s notice, as humans it was programmed in their very souls to be warmed by the comfort of the mother and Bessie Blout was no exception to that rule; in fact, she was a prime example. In the absence of her own mother, Mary could not have asked for a greater female influence in her life and there were simply not enough hours in the day for her to express how thankful she was for her. Even under the weight of her worries for the King, once her hands were freed of the flowers, Mary reached to embrace Elizabeth’s hands in her own with a smile of contentment. 

“ I could never think ill of you... ” It was not so much the musings of Elizabeth which surprised Mary, but her expressing them aloud certainly did. Many would cry treason over lack of care for the King’s wellbeing whilst Mary was guilty of the same sentiments, a fact made clear by the gentle squeeze given to her mother-in-law’s hands and the brief faltering of her gaze. “ I cannot say that I do not share your sentiments for I do, a lot of pressure rests upon Henry’s shoulders but never more so than now - in the absence of the King. The courtiers already whisper amongst themselves but we will remain strong and as a united family. ...I too must confess that my prayers for his majesty are entirely selfish; as I pray for his safe return I pray that our Henry need not suffer the weight of any crown or the loss a brother so soon after his father. Shall we both be seen as entirely wicked out of love for our beloved Henry? Surely God understands unconditional love... ”

[cfnorfolk]

The Double Duchess. ( MARY FITZROY. )            The Widowed Countess. ( ANNE BOLEYN. )                      The Rightful Duchess. ( CATERINA DE’ MEDICI. )

[cfnorfolk]

ladymegdouglas‌:

There were few people in the world whom Meg truly adored, but Mary Fitzroy was one them. She was a young woman who was genuinely kind, yet still had a strong mind of her own. Meg could not have handpicked a better wife for her cousin Henry, a cousin whose circumstances in life often echoed her own. “They must,” Meg agreed with a nod of her head. “It seems that there are only two extremes and nothing in between! I shall pray for the day that Spain experiences mild heat, England a dry spell, and Scotland a light breeze.” Meg unceremoniously swung her legs over the side of the chaise and reached for a small plate to offer her cousin’s wife. “Oh thank you, Mary,” she gushed at the compliment. “Yes, there are so many wonderful people in the world! Very welcoming and talented, the Spanish. Their courtiers know the most interesting dances! You must go sometime, Mary!”

    -   “ Could you imagine such a thing? If we were to experience any of the above I fear the church would go into a panic. England without its rains and Scotland with a gentle breeze? It sounds almost biblical! ” Laughter bubbled from Mary’s thin frame, a smile beaming in the presence of Meg who inspired absolutely nothing less and Mary thought that was almost a miracle. To be the sister of a King was enough to make even the most modest of women fluff their own egos, but Meg was one of the rare few who was still an absolute joy to be around and, given the whispers surrounding the King’s whereabouts, that was a true blessing. “ That would be a wonderful thing, would it not? Though I have no business in Spain... Do you think I will be missed if I board the ship returning to Spain after this summit? We could go together and you could show me all of the things Spain has to offer, wouldn’t that be a true wonder? ”