HONOR VICOUTESS OF LISLE GRENVILLE 13TH GTA
1476-1563
Born: CORNWALL COUNTY ENGLAND UK
Died: ENGLAND UK
1476-1563
Born: CORNWALL COUNTY ENGLAND UK
Died: ENGLAND UK
Honor Plantagenet, Viscountess Lisle<!-- /firstHeading --><!-- bodyContent --><div><!-- tagline --><div>From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia</div><!-- /tagline --><!-- subtitle --><!-- /subtitle --><!-- jumpto --><div>Jump to: <font color="#0645ad">navigation</font>, <font color="#0645ad">search</font> </div><!-- /jumpto --><!-- bodytext --><p><strong>Honor Grenville</strong> was an <font color="#0645ad">English</font> <font color="#0645ad">lady-in-waiting</font> during the reign of <font color="#0645ad">Henry VIII</font>. Honor was the daughter of Sir Thomas Grenville of <font color="#0645ad">Stowe</font> in <font color="#0645ad">Kilkhampton</font>, Cornwall and his wife Isabella. She was the wife first of <font color="#0645ad">Sir John Bassett</font> of <font color="#0645ad">Umberleigh</font>, Devon and then of the King Henry's uncle, <font color="#0645ad">Arthur Plantagenet, 1st Viscount Lisle</font>. With Sir John Basset she had seven children: Philippa Basset, born 1516 Katherine Basset, born 1517 John Basset, born 1518 <font color="#0645ad">Anne Bassett</font>, born 1521 Mary Basset, born between 1522-5 George Basset, born between 1522-5 James Basset, born between 1526-7</p><p>Honor was one of the ladies that attended <font color="#0645ad">Anne Boleyn</font> when she travelled to <font color="#0645ad">Calais</font> with Henry in 1532. Honor permanently moved to Calais with her second husband in 1533 when he was appointed <font color="#0645ad">Lord deputy of Calais</font>. They lived in Calais until 1540, where Honor succeeded in making good marriage matches for her daughters and placing her sons in the houses of other lords.</p><p>Her daughter, <font color="#0645ad">Anne Bassett</font>, was reputedly a <font color="#0645ad">mistress</font> of King Henry VIII.<sup><font color="#0645ad"><span>[</span>1<span>]</span></font></sup> Honor is notable for her surviving letters depicting sixteenth-century court life, published as the <font color="#0645ad">Lisle Letters</font></p></div>
<strong>Name:</strong> Honor Plantagenet<br><strong>Canon or Original:</strong> Canon<br><strong>Date of Birth:</strong> 5th July 1494<br><strong>Age:</strong> 46<br><strong>Title, Occupation, or Both:</strong> Viscountess Lisle<br><strong>Religion:</strong> Quietly Catholic<br><strong>Parents:</strong><br>Father: Sir Thomas Grenville, Sheriff of Cornwall, Lord of Bideford, Devon and Kilkhampton, Stowe, Cornwall.<br>Mother: Isabella Gilbert<br>Step-Mother: Jane Hill<br><strong>Siblings:</strong><br>Jane Grenville<br>Sir Roger Grenville<br>Katherine Grenville<br>Mary Grenville<br>Richard Grenville<br>Anne Grenville<br>Phillippa Grenville<br><br><strong>Other Important Relatives:</strong><br>1st Husband: Sir John Bassett of Umberleigh, son of John Basset and Elizabeth Budockshyde <br>Dau, Philippa Bassett, <br>Dau, Katherine Bassett<br>Son, John Bassett VII married Frances Plantagenet, dau. of Arthur Plantagenet. They had three children: Sir Arthur Bassett, Eleanor Bassett and Edward Bassett.<br>Dau, Anne Bassett<br>Dau, Mary Bassett<br>Step-Son, George Bassett of Tehiddye, married Jacquet Coffin of Portlich and had a son and two daughters: James Bassett of Tehiddye, Catherine Bassett and Blanche Bassett<br>Step-Son, James Bassett, married to Mary Roper <br>Dau, Jane Bassett married John Powell<br><br>2nd Husband: Sir Arthur Waite Plantagenet, Viscount Lisle, son of Edward IV Plantagenet, King of England, 4th Duke of York, 7th Earl of March, 9th Earl of Ulster and Elizabether Wayte in 1529. <br>Step-daughters: Frances, Catherine and Bridget Plantagenet<br>Step-son: John Dudley<br><br>Elder Sister<br>Jane Grenville married Sir John Arundell of Trerice, son of Sir John Arundel, Sheriff of Cornwall and Anne Moyle circa 1491. They had ten children:<br>Richard Arundell<br>Sir John Arundell of Trerice<br>Roger Arundell<br>Margaret Arundell b. c 1498<br>Mary Arundell b. c 1500<br>James Arundell b. c 1502<br>Philip Arundell,3 b. c 1504<br>Grace Arundell,3 b. c 1506<br>Margery Arundell b. c 1508<br>Anne Arundell,3 b. c 1510 <br><br>Jane then married Sir John Chamond, Knight of Launcells. They had a son, Richard Chambond of Launcells.<br><br>Elder Brother<br>Sir Roger Granville, Sheriff of Cornwall and Esquire of Stowe married Margaret Whitley of Efford and had three sons and seven daughters. <br>Sir Richard Grenville<br>Mary Grenville<br>Christian Grenville<br>Jane Grenville<br>Diggory Grenville<br>Amy Grenville<br>John Grenville<br>Phillipa Grenville<br><br>1st Younger Sister<br>Katherine Grenville married Sir John Arundell of Lanherne as his second wife. They had three daughters and Katherine was step-mother to Sir John Arundell, son of Eleanor Grey and Sir John Arundell.<br>Eleanor Arundell<br>Jane Arundell<br>Mary Arundell, Countess of Essex<br><br>2nd Younger Sister<br>Mary Grenville married Richard Bluet who died in 1509. She married Thomas St. Aubyn.<br>Mary had children with both husbands:<br>1. Husband: Richard Bluet of Holcombe<br>Jane Bluet<br>Sir Roger Bluet of Holcombe<br>Robert Bluet<br>Agnes Bluet<br>Philippa Bluet<br>Francis Bluet of Colan<br><br>2nd Husband: Thomas St. Aubyn<br>John of St. Clowance<br>Thomas<br>William of Carminowe<br>Margaret<br>Anne<br>Elizabeth<br><br>Youngest Brother, Richard Grenville<br>Richard, Knight of Stowe, Sheriff of Devon and Marshall of Calais married Matilda Bevil. They had five children:<br>John Grenville<br>Roger Grenville married Thomasine Cole, three sons<br>Richard Grenville<br><br>3rd Youngest Sister<br>Anne Grenville married John Roscarrock of Roscarrock. They had two boys:<br>Richard<br>William<br><br>4th Youngest Sister<br>Philippa Grenville married Francis Harris of Radford and had a son, Francis. When her husband died in 1509, she married Humphrey Arundell and had a son Humphrey also.<br><br>5th Youngest Sister<br>Margaret Grenville married John Hewson Atwood and had five children:<br>Margaret<br>William<br>Robert<br>Nicholas<br>Thomas<br><br>Great-Neice of William Yeo and Ellen Granville<br>Step-relation to all of the Plantagenet blood<br>Step and marriage relation to the Dudley and Grey families<br><br><strong>Physical Features (Eye colour, hair colour, etc.):</strong><br>Honor Grenville was recognised to be one of the most beautiful women of the English realm. Her beauty has grown more dignified as she aged; a jewel of magnificence as many noted. Her complexion a little weathered than was wont for to be considered as beautiful as she had been in her younger years, has only added to her regal nature. The Grenville beauty is still notable with the dark glossy features and pale complexion paired with a curvaceous body. Nevertheless, she is somewhat shorter than her daughters. <br><br><strong>Face Claim:</strong> Elizabeth Taylor, in Anne of a Thousand Days<br><br><div align="center"><u><span style="font-size: 21pt; line-height: 100%"><span style="color: purple"><strong><span style="font-family: impact">History</span></strong></span></span></u></div><br><strong>My Story:</strong> <br>Honor was born to Sir Thomas Grenville of Stow and Isabella Gilbert. At the age of 22 she was given to be married to John Bassett of Umberleigh, a man who more than twice her age and friends with her father. By him she had three sons and four daughters. <br><br>A year after he died, an arrangement to introduce Arthur Plantagenet and Widow Bassett by their mutual friends in order to settle a marriage between Frances and John had unexpected results. Both widowers decided to marry each other; indeed, the Viscount was searching for a mother for her children and she, Honor, needed means to raise her seven young children. And so this fixing together like torn pieces of cloth refashioned a new, Honor and Arthur provided a counterpoint for the other. Honor was a managing, ambitious and forceful woman who assisted all her step-children to marry well as well as her own, she knew all aspects of her estates and that of her Husbands and those in dire straits naturally gravitated towards her. In the other hand, Arthur tended towards a unoffensive, agreeable, pleasant and unambitious character and countenance. Both were a great lover of writing letters and their romantic intimacy is indicated in every scratch and caress of the pen. Indeed, the pair were greatly admired for their love which was so becoming of them. <br><br>Honor was also a notable figure of court, for her beauty and ambition. She accompanied Queen Anne Boleyn on a journey to meet Francois 1er and the voyage was populated with only the most beautiful women in England. She was a keen politician in the sense of knowing when to exchange or to gift, she knew who to call upon for aid and her presence within the London Court has often been remarkable considering she had not set foot in England for a very many long years.<br>
<p align="center"><strong><font face="Dauphin" size="7" color="#FF0000">Honor GRENVILLE</font></strong></p> <p align="center"><strong><font face="Dauphin" size="7" color="#FF0000">(V. Lisle)</font></strong></p> <p>Born: 1493</p> <p>Died: Apr 1566</p> <p>Buried: 30 Apr 1566, Logan, Cornwall, England</p> <p>Father: <strong> Thomas GRENVILLE (Sir)</strong></p> <p>Mother: <strong>Isabella GILBERT</strong></p> <p>Married: <u><strong>John BASSETT of Umberley (Sir)</strong></u></p> <p>1. <strong> Phillippa BASSETT</strong></p> <p>2. <strong> John BASSETT</strong> (b. 1518 - d. 1541) </p> <p>3. <strong><u> Catherine BASSETT</u></strong></p> <p>4. <strong><u> Anne BASSETT</u></strong></p> <p>5. <strong><u> Mary BASSETT</u></strong></p> <p>6. <strong> George BASSETT</strong></p> <p>7. <strong> James BASSETT</strong></p> <p>Married: <strong><u>Arthur PLANTAGENET (V. Lisle)</u></strong></p> <font face="arial"> <hr> </font> <p style="margin-: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt" align="center"><font face="Times New Roman" size="1"><img src="http://www.tudorplace.com.ar/images/Grenville,Honor_brass_small.jpg" border="2" alt="Grenville,Honor_brass.jpg (40600 bytes)" width="100" height="97"></font></p> <p style="margin-: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt" align="center"><font face="Times New Roman" size="1"><strong>Honor Grenville, Viscountess Lisle</strong></font> </p> <p style="margin-: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt" align="center"><font face="Times New Roman" size="1">Detail of the brass of <strong> Sir</strong> John Bassett and his two wives</font> </p> <p style="margin-: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt" align="center"><font face="Times New Roman" size="1">Church of St. Mary, Atherington, Devonshire.</font> </p> <font face="arial"> <hr> </font> <p><strong>Honor Grenville</strong> was the daughter of <strong> Sir Thomas Grenville of Stow</strong> in Kilkhampton, Cornwall; and his wife <strong> Isabella Gilbert</strong>. In 1515 she married <strong> Sir John Bassett of Umberley</strong> and by him had three sons: <strong> John</strong>, <strong> George</strong>, and <strong> James</strong>, and four daughters: <strong> Philippa</strong>, <strong> Catherine</strong> , <strong> Anne</strong>, and <strong> Mary</strong>. After his death she married <strong><u> Arthur Plantagenet, Viscount Lisle</u></strong>, an illegitimate son of <strong> Edward IV</strong>. He was a widower with three daughters, <strong>Frances</strong>, <strong>Elizabeth</strong>, and <strong>Bridget</strong>. The eldest, <strong>Frances</strong>, married <strong>Honor</strong>'s son <strong> John</strong> in 1538. </p><p>In 1532, <strong> Honor</strong> was one of the "<em>six beautiful ladies</em>" who accompanied <strong><u>Henry VIII</u></strong> and <strong><u> Anne Boleyn</u></strong> to Calais to meet <strong> King Francois I</strong> and in Jun 1533 the entire family settled there when <strong><u> Lisle</u></strong> was appointed Lord Deputy. They lived in Calais until 1540, where <strong>Honor</strong> succeeded in making good marriage matches for her daughters and placing her sons in the houses of other lords. The correspondence between Calais and England, much of it <strong> Lady Lisle</strong>'s, has been preserved and edited in six volumes by <strong> M. St. Clare Byrne</strong> as The Lisle Letters. </p><p>The formidable <strong>Lady Lisle</strong>, had attempted to secure a place for her two daughters, <strong>Anne</strong> and her sister <strong>Elizabeth Bassett</strong>) in the service of <strong><u>Queen Anne Boleyn</u></strong> several times, but to no avail. She persisted in her efforts to secure them positions. </p><p>Throughout <strong><u>Anne</u></strong>'s tenure as queen, <strong>Lady Lisle</strong> continued to ply her with presents. In early 1534, <strong><u>Sir Francis Bryan</u></strong> wrote to her about the dog she had sent '<em>which the Queen liked so well that she took it from him before it had been an hour in his hands</em>'. This was '<em>little Purkoy</em>' whose death from a fall a few months later no one but the <strong><u>King</u></strong> dared to reveal to her, an incident that seems to confirm a suspicion that <strong><u>Anne</u></strong> was unfortunate as a dog owner, for Urian, her greyhound, had earlier killed a cow. In the spring of 1534, the <strong><u>Queen</u></strong> was pleased with <strong>Lady Lisle</strong>'s gift of eighteen dotterels and a song bird. One agent wrote about her pleasure, informing <strong>Lady Lisle</strong> that <strong><u>Anne</u></strong> had promised to be '<em>good lady</em>' to her, and still another correspondent told his mistress that <strong><u>Anne</u></strong> had inquired about her health and whether she liked Calais. Even <strong><u>Lord Rochford</u></strong>, who had actually presented to his sister the dotterels that had only recently been killed at Dover, referred to her gratitude. <strong>Lady Lisle</strong> continued to search for gifts to picase <strong><u>Anne</u></strong>, one agent informing her in 1535 that the <strong><u>Queen</u></strong> would not like a monkey, for she '<em>loveth no such beasts ñor can scant abide the sight of them</em>'. </p><p> <span style="font-size: 10.5pt; letter-spacing: 0.15pt">The </span><strong><u>Queen</u></strong><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; color: black"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; letter-spacing: 0.15pt">'s servants, whose domestic offices put them in a better position than most outsiders to obtain </span></span><strong><u>Anne</u></strong><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; letter-spacing: 0.15pt"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; color: black">'s support, expected suitors to return their favo</span><span style="font-size: 10.5pt">rs. After <strong>George Taylor</strong> presented to the </span> </span><strong><u>Queen</u></strong><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; letter-spacing: 0.15pt"> a New Year's present and other gifts from </span><span><strong><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; letter-spacing: 0.15pt"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; letter-spacing: 0.15pt">Lady Lis</span>le</span></strong></span><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; letter-spacing: 0.15pt">, he asked the <strong>Viscountess</strong> to assist his </span><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; letter-spacing: 0.15pt">u</span><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; letter-spacing: 0.15pt">n</span><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; letter-spacing: 0.15pt">c</span><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; letter-spacing: 0.15pt">le</span><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; letter-spacing: 0.15pt"> </span><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; letter-spacing: 0.15pt"><strong>George Gainsford</strong></span><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; letter-spacing: 0.15pt">, who had long possessed a spear's room at Calais. <strong>Taylor</strong> further sought and obtained from the </span><strong><u>Queen</u></strong><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; letter-spacing: 0.15pt"> a letter, which was addressed to </span><strong><u> Lord Lisle</u></strong><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; letter-spacing: 0.15pt">, requesting favorable treatment for this aged relative. </span><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; letter-spacing: 0.15pt"><strong>Margery Horsman</strong></span><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; letter-spacing: 0.15pt"> also sent a man with whom she was not personally acquainted to the </span><strong><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; letter-spacing: 0.15pt">V</span></strong><span style="font-size: 10.5pt"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; letter-spacing: 0.15pt"><strong>iscountess</strong> for assistance. He was the friend of a </span></span><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; letter-spacing: 0.15pt"><strong>Horsman</strong></span><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; letter-spacing: 0.15pt"><span style="font-size: 10.5pt"> associate.</span><span> </span></span> </p><p><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; letter-spacing: 0.15pt">A serious shock came on 10 May 1536. <strong><u>John Dudley</u></strong>, </span><strong><u> Plantagenet</u></strong><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; letter-spacing: 0.15pt">'s stepson by his first wife, wrote to <em>Lady Lisle</em>:</span></p> <blockquote> <blockquote> <blockquote> <blockquote> <p><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; letter-spacing: 0.15pt">'<em>... As touching the news that are here, I am sure it needeth not to write to you nor to my lord of them, for all the world knoweth them by this time. This day was indicted Mr Norris, Mr Weston, William Brereton, Markes </em>[Mark Smeaton]<em> and my Lord of Rochford. And upon Friday next they shall be arraigned at Westminster. And the Queen herself shall be condemned by Parliament...</em>'</span></p> </blockquote> </blockquote> </blockquote> </blockquote> <p> <span style="font-size: 10.5pt; letter-spacing: 0.15pt">In mid-Jul 1537, </span><strong>Lady Lisle </strong><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; color: #222222; letter-spacing: 0.15pt">sent quails to the new Queen, </span><strong><u>Jane Seymour</u></strong><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; color: black; letter-spacing: 0.15pt">, then six months pregnant. The Countesses of <strong><u>Rutland</u></strong> </span><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; color: black; letter-spacing: 0.05pt"> and </span><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; color: black; letter-spacing: 0.15pt"><strong>Sussex</strong></span><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; color: black; letter-spacing: 0.05pt">, who were serving the </span><strong><u> Queen</u></strong><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; color: black; letter-spacing: 0.05pt">, took advantage of the </span><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; color: black; letter-spacing: 0.15pt">fact. They reminded her of </span><strong>Lady Lisle</strong><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; color: black; letter-spacing: 0.15pt">'s suit for her daughters by her </span><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; color: black; letter-spacing: 0.2pt">previous marriage, </span><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; color: black; letter-spacing: 0.15pt"><strong>Anne</strong></span><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; color: black; letter-spacing: 0.2pt"> and </span><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; color: black; letter-spacing: 0.15pt"><strong>Catherine Basset</strong></span><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; color: black; letter-spacing: 0.2pt">, to be taken into the </span><strong><u> Queen</u></strong><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; color: black; letter-spacing: 0.15pt">'s service. </span><strong>Anne</strong> was chosen, and <strong>Catherine</strong> joined the household of the <strong><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; color: black; letter-spacing: 0.15pt"><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; letter-spacing: 0.15pt">Countess of Rutland</span></u></span></strong>. </p><p>At the end of Nov, <strong>Lady Honor Lisle</strong>, again in England, was allowed to see the <strong><u>Prince Edward</u></strong>. She was enthusiastic in a letter to her husband:</p> <blockquote> <blockquote> <blockquote> <blockquote> <p>'<em>...I have seen my lord prince who is the goodliest babe that ever I set mine eyes upon. I pray God make him an oíd man, for I should never be weary of looking on him...</em>'</p> </blockquote> </blockquote> </blockquote> </blockquote> <p>Years later <strong>Honor</strong> was still asking for positions to her daughters. The new Queen was <strong><u> Anne of Cleves</u></strong>. '<em>Apply to Mrs. Loew</em>', the <strong><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; color: black; letter-spacing: 0.15pt"><u><span style="font-size: 10.5pt; letter-spacing: 0.15pt">Countess of Rutland</span></u></span></strong> advised her friend <strong>Lady Lisle</strong>, for she '<em>can do as much ... as any woman</em>' to secure the appointment of Catherine, as one of the Queen's maids. <strong>Mrs. Loew</strong> was a German gentlewoman, who had accompanied <strong><u> Anne</u></strong> from Cleves. Unlike most of <strong><u> Anne</u></strong>'s German entourage, who, as was the custom, were sent home soon after the marriage, she was allowed to remain in England. Efforts continued to be made to win a position for her as a maid of honor but it was not until <strong><u> Anne of Cleves</u></strong> was no longer queen that <strong>Catherine</strong> was placed in her household in Aug 1540. </p><p> In 1540, <strong><u> Lisle</u></strong> was arrested and charged with treason. <strong> Honor</strong> and her daughters <strong> Philippa</strong> and <strong> Mary</strong> were held under house arrest, in part because <strong> Mary</strong> had been hiding a secret betrothal to a Frenchman, something for which she needed the king's permission. <strong><u>Lisle</u></strong>'s complicity in the schemes of his chaplain, <strong> Gregory Botolph</strong>, could not be proven and in Mar 1542, he was told he would be set free. Unfortunately, the shock of this news was too much for him and he died that same night. </p><p><strong>Honor</strong> returned to England and lived in obscurity in the West Country until her death. <strong>Honor</strong> was buried at Logan, Cornwall 30 Apr 1566. </p><p><font face="Arial" size="1">Sources:</font> </p><p style="margin-: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt"> <font face="Arial" size="1"><span>Warnicke, </span><span>Retha M.</span><span>: <em>The Rise and Fall of Anne Boleyn </em></span><span style="font-size: 8pt"> (Cambridge University Press – 2008 – Cambridge)</span></font></p> <p style="margin-: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt"> <font face="Arial" size="1"><span>Wilson, Derek</span><span>: <em>The uncrowned Kings of England: The black History of the Dudleys and the Tudor Throne</em></span><span> </span> <span> (Carroll & Graf Publishers – 2005 - New York) </span></font></p> <p style="margin-: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt"> <font face="Arial" size="1"><span> Hutchinson, </span>Robert<span>: <em> The Last days of Henry VIII: Conspiracies, Treason and Heresy at the Court of the dying tyrant </em></span><span>(William Morrow – 2005 – New York) </span></font></p>