The Life and Death of Jane Shore, Concubine to Edward IV/Chapter 1
The
History
of
Mrs. Jane Shore.
CHAP. I.
Of her Birth and Parentage; together with a description of her person when full grown.
Mrs. Jane Shore was daughter to 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 the care and tenderness imaginable; not wanting any education that was proper for her; and 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 always 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 frequently here to divert the Queen, &c. which gave her an early ⟨longing⟩ after a greater gentility than she ⟨had⟩ ever yet attained to or her city ⟨breeding⟩ was to produce.
When the grew to the age of fifteen ⟨her⟩ competent flock of beauty and good carriage, caused many to fall in love with her, and some great Lords fixed their eyes upon her, and to get her for a ⟨mistress⟩, which her father perceiving sent her ⟨to⟩ his sisters 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 plot was laid one night to have her carried away by Lord Hastings, who after the death of King Edward took her for his concubine, as will appear in this history: but the maid he had bribed with gold to get her abroad repenting such treacery to her master, gave timely notice, and so prevented it.