The Life & Transactions of Mrs. Jane Shore, Concubine to King Edward IV
THE
LIFE & TRANSACTIONS
OF
Mrs. JANE SHORE,
CONCUBINE TO KING EDWARD IV.
containing an account of
Edinburgh: printed by J. Morren.
THE
LIFE AND TRANSACTIONS
OF
Mrs. JANE SHORE.
Mrs Jane Shore was the daughter of Mr Thomas Wainſted, a citizen of good repute, who lived in Cheapſide, by trade a mercer. She being the only child of her parents, was brought up with all care and tenderneſs imaginable ; not wanting any education that was thought neceſſary or proper for her ; her natural temper, which was very airy, being joined to her education, and that degree of pride which, as it is natural, ſome make neceſſary for the female ſex, helped to ſet her off to the beſt advantage. Fine feathers make fine birds ; and if the birds are fine without them, doubtleſs they make them ſo doubly
This lovely woman was the delight of her father, who clothed her richly, adorned her with jewels; and his trade lying among the court ladies, he often carried her with him to ſhew her the paſtimes, which were made there, frequently to divert the Queen, &c. which gave her an early longing after a greater genteelity than ſhe had ever yet attained to, or her pity breeding could produce.
When ſhe grew up to the age of fifteen, her competent ſtock of beauty and good carriage, cauſed many to fall in love with her, and ſome great Lords fixed their eyes upon her, to get her for a miſtreſs, which her father perceiving, ſent her to his ſiſter at Northampton, where ſhe remained about a year, till he ſuppoſed the enquiry after her was over, and that ſhe might return without any hazard of being any further tempted to lewdneſs. Yet ſhe was no ſooner returned but a deep plot was laid one night to have her carried away by Lord Haſtings; who, after the death of King Edward, he took her for his concubine, as will appear in the cloſe of this hiſtory. But the maid he had bribed with gold to get her abroad; repenting of ſuch treachery to her mailer, gave timely notice, and ſo prevented it.
Her father perceiving that, unleſs he took ſome ſpeedy courſe, her great ſtock of beauty would ſoon be her ruin, reſolved to have her married, ſo that having ſurrendered her virginity, and being in the arms of a huſband, thoſe that fought to crop her virgin roſe would not regard her, but give over the purſuit.
She had many ſuitors, and among thoſe that earneſtly ſought her in the way of marriage, was one Matthew Shore, a rich goldſmith in Lombard ſtreet, whom her father pitched upon as a husband, and acquainted his fair daughter with his intention to marry her to him, but ſhe appeared very averſe to it, alledging ſometimes diſproportion of years, he being above thirty: at other times his being diſfigured with the ſmall pox, and many other exceptions she made. However, her father's poſitive commands, and the rich preſents her love made her, won her conſent, or ſeemingly she yielded to the match, so married they were in great pomp; many of the court, as well as of the city, being invited to the wedding; which was kept with great feaſting, many days.
The wedding being now over. and the bridegroom having enjoyed his charming bride. grew exceedingly fond of her even to dottage, which ſickened and palliated her love toward him, and he perceiving it, ſtrove to wind himſelf more into her affections; and to this end he clothed her very richly, and adorned her with jewels, denying her nothing ſhe deſired, or that he thought would tend to her ſatisfaction or delight.
It was not long before Lord Haſtings, heard the unwelcome tidings, that his fair Jane was married; which however, did not make him give over his purſuit of enjoying her fair body, ſo that he often reſorted to ſee her, treating her at home, and her husband abroad; often inviting them both to court; and took his opportunities to pour out many amorous diſcourſes, endeavouring by all means to make her defile the marriage-bed. And one time, endeavouring to try his utmoſt efforts, he threw her on a bed, when they were alone; but ſhe got from him and ran to her husband, telling him plainly how rude Lord Haſtings had been; which angering Shore, he modeſtly rebuked him, forbidding him his houſe, which made him run away in a great heat, reſolving to be revenged.
This Lord being chamberlain to Edward the Fourth, having frequently his ear, and finding he was much inclined to Lady Elizabeth Gray, took an opportunity to tell him of Jane's beauty, extolling her wit above her features, which made the King hearken to this new adventure, and he reſolved to go to Shore's ſhop in diſguiſe to ſee her.
The King whoſe thoughts ſtill run on his intended miſtreſs, delayed not long to pay her a viſit; and in order to it, attired himſelf like a merchant, and withdrew privately from the court, only attended by a page.
And coming in to Shore's ſhop, then the richeſt in Lombard ſtreet, he found the good man employed in his buſineſs; and waiting till he was a little at leiſure, he deſired to ſee ſome plate, which being ſhewn him, he, under a pretence of carrying it beyond ſea, ſoon agreed for a conſiderable quantity. But yet no wife appeared, which made him delay the time with diſcourſing about what was then tranſacting in England and places abroad, where, he ſaid, he had travelled.
This delighted Shore mightily, ſo that he ordered his man to fetch up a bottle of wine, and they drank merrily, the goodman beginning with a health to the King, which the King pledged him in. So when ſome other healths had paſſed, the King aſked if there was not a miſtreſs to ſo fair a houſe? otherwiſe he could help him to a wife, rich and beautiful.
For this offer; Shore thanked him, but told him he was already married to ſuch a one as he deſcribed, whom he loved extremely. This diſcourſe made the King more deſirous to ſee her before he departed, and asked if he could not have a ſight of her. Shore little thinking that this was intended for his ruin, and proud of his wife's beauty, ſoon yielded to his requeſt, and ordered her to be called down; who came, attired in a sky coloured morning gown, flowered with gold, embroidered with pearls and ſpangles, her head attired with curious lace, under which her hair ſlowed wantonly, and her bluſhes made her appear ſtill more beautiful.
The king no ſooner ſaw her, but he ſtepped forth and ſaluted her coral lips, impreſſing on them many balmy kiſſes. Then by her husband's deſire, ſhe ſat down, and the King drank to her; ſhe pledged him, and paſſed it to her husband. Then much diſcourſe enſued, in which ſhe appeared ſo witty, that the King was reſolved to have her at any rate, and ſo preſented her with ſome curious things. He paid for his plate, which the goodman would have ſent home, but be refuſed it, ordering his page to carry it; and with many kiſſes, he took his leave of the charming fair one for that time.
The King had no ſooner departed, but Jane asked her husband, who that gentleman was that had been ſo liberal to her? he told her, he ſaid he was a merchant, but he knew him not Ah! ſaid ſhe, I rather take him for ſome lord in diſguiſe; therefore dear husband, if he ſhould come again, tell him that I am ſick, or any thing you can feign to diſapoint him.
Mr Shore was greatly pleaſed at her conduct, and more diſcourſe had paſſed, but people coming in to the ſhop on buſineſs prevented it, and ſhe retired
The King having arrived at court, where he had been miſſed by his nobles, ſoon changed his apparel, and came amongſt them with a chearful countenance, and though others were ignorant, Haſtings well perceived where he had been, and the ſatisfaction he had received; and no ſooner were they in private, but the King ſaid, well Haſtings, thou haſt good judgement in fine women; I have ſeen Shore's wife, and ſhe excels the praiſes you gave me of her; I like her well, and muſt enjoy her; but how muſt I bring it about? To court her in her huſband's preſence, as a private perſon, I ſhall be ſerved as you was; and to take her from his arms, that would cauſe a murmuring among my ſubjects, who would fear the like by their wives and daughters; but I muſt have her, and with her own conſent. Haſtings ſmilling, immediately ſaid, Take no care, for this ſhall be eaſy to your Highneſs; there is one Mrs Blague, your lace woman, has a houſe pretty near Shore's, and is very intimate with his wife—this woman is very fond of money, to ſuch a degree that it would make her do any thing. Her I will engage in this matter, and truſt me ſhe will ſoon bring it to paſs to your ſatisfaction. The King liked this advance, and it was agreed that he ſhould ſee her at this Mrs Blague's and have freedom to court her; but ſhe ſhould not know that he was the King, until he thought proper to have it diſcovered.
Lord Haſtings was not idle in promoting his maſter's happineſs, and with gifts and large promiſes ſoon made the lace woman pliable, ſo that many meetings were made at her houſe, the King coming in disguiſe as her friend; and though Mrs Blague often left them alone, and the King courted her with all his rhetoric, yet the appeared averſe to his love, and often blamed him ſharply for perſuading her to defile her huſband's bed; and then ſhe would chide Mrs Blague for ſuffering ſuch a rude man to come about her houſe, telling her the deſign he had oh her chaſtity; ſhe ſeemed very much ſurpriſed at it, bur intreating her to be at eaſe, for ſhe would not ſuffer him to come there again any more.
This pacified her, but the plot was ſtill deeper laid for her ruin; and at Chriſtmas time, ſhe got leave of Mr Shore for his wife to accompany her to the court, to ſee the ball there, to which he conſented with ſome unwillingneſs. And ſoon after ſhe was introduced, a man of a very comely port, entered with a maſk on; and Mrs Shore heard the ladies whiſper, That's the King; who looking round through his maſk, fixed his eyes upon her, immediately ſtepped up to her ſeat, took her out to dance along with him. At this ſhe bluſhed, but not to be unmannerly, ſhe complied, and the dance being ended, he took her to a ſingle light, and pulling off his mask to ſalute her, ſhe perceived it was the ſame man whom ſhe had ſeen at her own ſhop, and at Mrs Blague's houſe; and the King putting a letter into her hand, retired. She then coming to Mrs Blague, deſired to go home; to this ſhe conſented, and then read the letter, which was to this purppſe:
"My lovely Jane,
"Your beauty has enthralled my heart, 'tis a King ſues; you will be kind to him, and, by a line, tell him ſo his comfort'
When ſhe read this letter, ſhe left Mrs Blague abruptly, judging ſhe had a hand in the matter,
All that night the fair Jane was reſtleſs; her husband enquired the cauſe, but could not learn it. As ſoon as ſhe was up, ſhe went to Mrs Blague to conſult what ſhe muſt do in this ſtrait, well knowing the king's humour.
Mrs Blague ſeeing her thus penſive, ſaid, come my dear, you muſt not be coy, nor deny the King's requeſt; glitter near a throne, and enjoy a gallant bedfellow. I find he is reſolved to have you for a Miſtreſs, and therefore it is beſt for you, willingly to comply.
At this diſcourſe ſhe trembled; yet conſidering from the many attempts her beauty had cauſed, that it was not made to be enjoyed by one, in a fatal hour. ſhe contented; and inſtead of writing an answer to the King's letter, it was agreed that very night ſhe ſhould take her apparel, and put herſelf into the arms of the King This being concluded, Mrs Blague ſent the King notice, who ſent a chariot for them, and, in the mean time her clothes were conveyed away to Mrs Blague's However ſhe ſupped with her huſband; when, on a ſudden, ſome body came on a feigned errand, and ſaid, her mother was taken ill, and deſired to ſpeak with her. He would have gone with her, put ſhe put it off, and giving him the laſt kiss he ever received from him, ſhe left him.
And, coming where the chariot ſtood ready, ſhe and Mrs Blague got into it, and were admitted into the King's ſecret apartments, and they found him in his cloſet, he welcomeed them; but it now being late, Mrs Blague departed, and they went to bed.
Mr Shore ſitting up late, and his wife not returning, was very much troubled, and went to his mother-in-law; but they had not ſeen her, nor was her mother ill; ſo that her abſence troubled the whole family. the next day was ſpent in ſeeking for her amongſt her relations and friends, but found her not. Mrs Blague proteſted ſhe had not ſeen her, dropping ſome diſembling tears; ſo that her husband was almoſt diſtracted, and at laſt they concluded ſhe was taken away by ſome courtier; and in three days after a lady informed them that ſhe was with the King. This added more to their grief, and they kew not what courſe to take; they alſo knew if they went to croſs the King, it would be their ruin,
They made inquiry indeed if it was, her voluntary act, and finding it was, and ſhe quite unwilling to leave her new lover; ſo that Mr Shore, looſing all hopes of recovering her, grew melancholy, and ſold off all that he had and went abroad, but having ſpent his fortune, he returned in a poor condition, when he practiſe clippling and filing gold coin to maintain himſelf; for which he ſuffered death in the latter end of Henry VII's reign.
Jane Shore having rendered up her chaſtity to the King, pleaſed with the glittering of a court, and endeared by a monarch's love, was admired by the vulgar, towards whom ſhe behaved in a moſt courtious manner.
Her power was ſo great with the King, that when his courtiers durſt not intercede with the poor and miſerable that lay under his diſpleaſure, ſhe with her wit, would ſo abate his anger, ſo that ſhe ſaved the lives of very many, both rich and poor. And though ſhe could in a manner do all with him, but it was never known ſhe uſed her influence to the prejudice of any. And both in London and the progreſies ſhe made in the country; ſhe would cauſe poor people to be fought for, and relieved their neceſſities, inducing and perſuading others, who expected any good offices from the King, by her means, to do the ſame, never ſelling her favours; and by her ready wit, ſhe ſo baffled the court ladies, who envied her aſpiring, that they found themſelves unable to repartee. And though the King had another miſtreſs before her, namely, Lady Beſſy, yet he preferred our heroine much above her, and would often merrily ſay I have two miſtreſſes, of quite different tempers, one of the moſt religious and the other the merrieſt in England; and indeed ſhe was had in great favour all the reign of the King, having crowds of petitioners waiting at the chamber door, or at the chariot ſide when ſhe was to ride abroad, whoſe ſuits to the utmoſt of the preferred. As for Mrs Blague, who leaſt deſerved it of her, procured of the King a ſtately houſe and manor, worth about two hundred and eighty pounds per annum. The Romiſh prieſts were ſpighted at her, becauſe fhe sheltered many from their rage and fury, after they burned John Hall for a heretic.
As no wordly pomp nor greatneſs is of long continuance, ſo now her glory it was ended, and her days of inexpreſſible miſery began; for the King dying at Weſtminſter, in the 40th year of his age, no ſooner was he buried in the ceapel of his own founding, at Windſor, but Crook backed Richard, his brother, who murdered Prince Henry the VI. and Henry, his ſon, aſpiring to the throne, though Edward had left two ſons behind him, viz. Edward and Richard, and ſeveral daughters, all lawfully begotted, by the Queen, quarrelled with Lord Haſtings, who, after the death of the King, had taken Jane Shore for his concubine, as now free, becauſe he would not aſſiſt him in his wicked project of making away with his two nephews, whom he afterwards cauſed to be murdered in the Tower, alledging that the Queen and Shore's wife had bewitched him, ſhewing his withered arm, which all knew had been ſo from his cradle. And Lord Haſtings wiſhing to excuſe them, ſaid, if they have done ſo they ought to be puniſhed. Richard furiously replied, Thou traitor, doſt thou ſerve me with Ifs and Ands? I ſay they have done ſo, and that I will make good on thy body; wherefore, I arreſt thee, Lord Haſtings, of treaſon. And ſoon after he cauſed his head to be cut off in the Tower.
Jane Shore had no ſooner notice of the death of Lord Haſtings, her paramour, but ſhe perceived a ſtorm was falling on her own head, therefore, ſhe thought it neceſſary to provide in time, and ſo carried her jewels to her old confident, Mrs Blague, intreating her to conceal them for her; but ſhe, like a faithleſs woman, when Jane came, asking for them not only denying them, but when in the greateſt need, ſhe came to crave alms from her ſhe thruſt her out of doors, threatening to have her whipped for her impudence.
Richard, by means aforeſaid, having get to the crown, and to make bimſelf ſeem fair, by others fine, though he was a monſter by nature, publicly declaring his mother to be a whore, his brother and bis children to be baſtards; cauſed his Queen to be poiſoned, and would have wedded his niece. He ordered Jane Shore to be apprehended, ſtripped of all ſhe had and to do pennance, by ſeveral times walking in a white ſheet, and then to walk barefooted and bareheaded, in her ſhirt, before her proceſſion, with a croſs and a wax taper in her hand, through Cheapſide, which ſhe did, looking ſo lovely in her bluſhes, that many pitied her; he alſo ſtripped all her friends and relations of whatever they had, pretending that they got it all by her means from the crown, in King Edward's reign; which, with the diſgrace their only daughter had fallen into, cauſed her parent's death.
Richard not content with this, put out a ſevere proclamation, to this effect. That on the pain of death, and confiſcatiou of goods, no one ſhould harbour her in their houſes, nor relieve her with food or raiment. So that ſhe went wandering up and down, to find her food upon the buſhes and on the dung-hills, where ſome friends ſhe had raiſed, would throw out bones with more meat than ordinary, and cruſts of ſtale bread in the places where ſhe generally reſorted to, and a baker, who had been condemned to die for a riot in King Edward's reign, and ſaved by her means, as he ſaw her paſs along, in gratitude for her kindneſs, trundled a penny loaf after her, which ſhe thankfully took, and bleſſed him, with tears in her eyes. But ſome malicious neighbour informing againſt him, he was taken up and hanged, for diſobeying King Richard's proclamation; which ſo terrified others, that they durſt not relieve her with any thing, ſo that in miſerable rags, and almoſt naked, ſhe went about a moſt ſhocking ſpectacle, wringing her hands, and bemoaning her unhappy circumſtance.
Thus ſhe continued till the battle of Bodworth field, wherein Richard was killed by Henry Earl of Richmond, who ſucceeded him, by the name of Henry the ſeventh, in which reign ſhe hoped for better days; but fortune raiſed her another adverſary, for he married the eldeſt daughter of Edward the fourth; and King Edward's Queen, who mortally hated her, then bearing a great ſway, foon procured another proclamation to the ſame effect, and thus ſhe wandered up and down in as poor and miſerable a ſitution as before; till growing old, and utterly friendleſs, ſhe finiſhed her life in a ditch, which was from that time called Shore's Ditch, adjoining to Biſhopſgate Street.
Thus you may ſee the riſe and fall of this once ſtately and then unhappy woman, with whoſe dying lamentation we ſhall conclude.
HER
DYING LAMENTATION OF
Mrs JANE SHORE.
Good People,
Though by the rigour of the law you are forbid to give me any relief, yet you may pity my unhappy ſtate; for the ſcripture ſaith, 'That to the miſerable pity ſhould be ſhewh.' I am now putting a period to a miſerable life. a life that I have long been weary of What! would I deſire to live in the ſpendour, pomp, and glory of Edward's court? No, I am happier now on the dung hill than ever I was in his arms: For, oh! it was an adulterous bed indeed. Oh! wretch, that I knew King Edward, that ever I was betrayed by him? What floods of ſorrow have my ſins occaſioned? Oh! learn from me, good people, to beware of vain delights; they promiſe fair, but they leave bitter ſtings behind them. Alas! you know my puniſhment is grievous in this world, and ſo it is, for I have endured a thouſand deaths in one; but now my dying moments are come, I rejoice ſince repentance has ſecured my happiueſs above. But, O, where repentance is not given, what ſeas of torment rack the foul O happy dung-hill, how do I embrace thee! From thee my pardoned ſoluſhall ſoar to heaven, though here I leave this filthy carcaſe.
O that the name of Shore my be an antidote to ſtop the poiſonous and ſoul contagion of raging luſt for ever.
FINIS.
This work was published before January 1, 1929, and is in the public domain worldwide because the author died at least 100 years ago.
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