Question from Guy - Mary Seymour and crown wardship
I am interested to know why Mary Seymour, daughter of Catherine Parr and Thomas Seymour, wasn't made a ward of the crown, as aristocratic orphans usually were?
According to Susan James' book,"Kateryn Parr", Thomas Seymour himself, requested that custody of his daughter Mary was given to Katherine Willoughby, the Dowager Duchess of Suffolk from the Duke of Somerset.
Since the majority of Seymour's lands would have been forfeit to the Crown because of his execution, there was little financial incentive to be had from a wardship. Indeed, although Katherine was granted £500 from the Court of Wards, to keep young Mary Seymour in a style befitting royalty, this was not forthcoming and the Dowager Duchess was soon complaining about the cost of maintaining such a retinue. Mary disappears from the records in 1550 so it is assumed she died in infancy, a sad end for Katherine Parr's little daughter.
There is a legend that little Mary grew to adulthood and married a very minor knight. There has been no evidence found to prove this; but I hope it is true.
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According to Susan James' book,"Kateryn Parr", Thomas Seymour himself, requested that custody of his daughter Mary was given to Katherine Willoughby, the Dowager Duchess of Suffolk from the Duke of Somerset.
Since the majority of Seymour's lands would have been forfeit to the Crown because of his execution, there was little financial incentive to be had from a wardship. Indeed, although Katherine was granted £500 from the Court of Wards, to keep young Mary Seymour in a style befitting royalty, this was not forthcoming and the Dowager Duchess was soon complaining about the cost of maintaining such a retinue. Mary disappears from the records in 1550 so it is assumed she died in infancy, a sad end for Katherine Parr's little daughter.
There is a legend that little Mary grew to adulthood and married a very minor knight. There has been no evidence found to prove this; but I hope it is true.
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