Elizabeth Lucar
Encyclopedia
Elizabeth Lucar (1510 - 29 October 1537) was an English calligrapher.
Lucar, born in London, was multi-talented. She was the author of Curious Calligraphy (1525) the first English essay on calligraphy
, she was also fluent in Latin, Spanish, and Italian, and an accomplished musician and needleworker.
She died in London and is largely known from an inscription on her tomb at St. Michael, Crooked Lane
church, London, (originally in St Laurence Pountney
, until that church was destroyed in the Great Fire of London
in 1666) written by her husband, Emanuel Lucar (1494–1574), a member of the Merchant Tailors Company.
and his wife Alyson, daughter and heiress of John à Gaunt of Cardiff
; that John Wythipoll of Bristol was the son of Robert Wythipoll of Wythipool
in Shropshire, origin of the surname. Elizabeth's mother was Ann, daughter of Robert Curson of Brightwell, Suffolk
. Elizabeth was the sister (possibly the only sibling?) of Edmund Wythipoll, who, after their father had purchased the site of the Holy Trinity Priory of Augustinian canons in Ipswich
, built Christchurch Mansion
as a private house there in 1548-50. In 1532 Elizabeth received a bequest of £50 from her extremely wealthy uncle Robert Thurne or Thorne, merchant of London and Bristol (who had married her aunt Ellen Wythipoll), in his will. Elizabeth married (as his second wife) Emanuel Lucar (b. Bridgwater, Somerset, 1494), the great-grandson of Richard Lucar, Steward to the Duke of Exeter in the time of Henry VI of England
(brother of William Lucar, Forester of the Forest of Exmoor
to Henry VI), from John Lucar of Bridgwater, son of John Lucar of Wythecomb. She was aunt to the 18 children of her brother Edmund Wythipoll of Ipswich and his wife Elizabeth Hynde (several of whom did not survive infancy). Her own children - Emanuel, Henry, Mary, Jane, and another daughter - and those of her husband's first wife (Joan Turnbull) are shown in the 1568 Herald's Visitation of London
Quarterly. 1 & 4, Per pale or and gules, three lions passant in pale within a bordure counterchanged. 2. Azure, three bars or, over all or a bend engrailed gules three pheons argent. 3. Azure, a cross moline between four crosses patté or.
Lucar, born in London, was multi-talented. She was the author of Curious Calligraphy (1525) the first English essay on calligraphy
Calligraphy
Calligraphy is a type of visual art. It is often called the art of fancy lettering . A contemporary definition of calligraphic practice is "the art of giving form to signs in an expressive, harmonious and skillful manner"...
, she was also fluent in Latin, Spanish, and Italian, and an accomplished musician and needleworker.
She died in London and is largely known from an inscription on her tomb at St. Michael, Crooked Lane
St. Michael, Crooked Lane
Coordinates: St Michael, Crooked Lane was an “antient” parish church situated on the east side of Miles' Lane, Great Eastcheap in Candlewick Ward in the City of London. It was rebuilt after the Great Fire of London by Sir Christopher Wren and demolished in 1831.-History:The church was in existence...
church, London, (originally in St Laurence Pountney
St Laurence Pountney
St Laurence Pountney was a former church in the City of London.The Mortality Bill for the year 1665, published by the Parish Clerk’s Company, shows 97 parishes within the City of London. By September 6 the city lay in ruins, 86 churches having been destroyed...
, until that church was destroyed in the Great Fire of London
Great Fire of London
The Great Fire of London was a major conflagration that swept through the central parts of the English city of London, from Sunday, 2 September to Wednesday, 5 September 1666. The fire gutted the medieval City of London inside the old Roman City Wall...
in 1666) written by her husband, Emanuel Lucar (1494–1574), a member of the Merchant Tailors Company.
Every Christian heart
seeketh to extoll
The glory of the Lord,
our onely Redeemer:
Wherefore Dame Fame
must needs inroll
Paul Withypoll his childe,
by love and Nature,
Elizabeth, the wife
of Emmanuel Lucar,
In whom was declared
the goodnesse of the Lord,
With many high vertues,
which truely I will record.
She wrought all Needle workes
that women exercise,
With Pen, Frame, or Stoole,
all Pictures artificiall,
Curious Knots or Trailes,
what fancy would devise,
Beasts, Brids, or Flowers,
even as things naturall:
Three manner hands could she
write, them faire all.
To speake of Algorisme,
or accounts, in every fashion,
Of women, few like
(I thinke) in all this Nation.
Dame Cunning her gave
a gift right excellent,
The goodly practice
of her Science Musicall,
In divers tongues to sing,
and play with Instrument,
Both Viall and Lute,
and also Virginall;
Not onely upon one,
but excellent in all.
Foe all other vertues
belonging to Nature,
God her appointed
a very perfect creature.
Latine and Spanish,
and also Italian,
She spake, writ, and read,
with perfect utterance;
And for the English,
she the Garland wan,
In Dame Prudence Schoole,
by Graces purveyance,
Which cloathed her with Vertues,
from naked Ignorance:
Reading the Scriptures,
to judge light from darke,
Directing her faith to Christ,
the onely Marke.
Family
Elizabeth Wythipoll was the daughter of the London merchant Powle Wythipoll, third son of John Wythipoll of BristolBristol
Bristol is a city, unitary authority area and ceremonial county in South West England, with an estimated population of 433,100 for the unitary authority in 2009, and a surrounding Larger Urban Zone with an estimated 1,070,000 residents in 2007...
and his wife Alyson, daughter and heiress of John à Gaunt of Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
; that John Wythipoll of Bristol was the son of Robert Wythipoll of Wythipool
Cleobury Mortimer
Cleobury Mortimer is a small rural market town in Shropshire, England. The town's parish has a population of 1,962 according to the 2001 census. Although sometimes regarded as a village, it is in fact the second smallest town in Shropshire , having been granted a town charter in 1253.Several...
in Shropshire, origin of the surname. Elizabeth's mother was Ann, daughter of Robert Curson of Brightwell, Suffolk
Brightwell, Suffolk
Brightwell is a village and a civil parish in the Suffolk Coastal District, in the English county of Suffolk. It has a place of worship. For transport there is the A12 road nearby. It is near the large town of Ipswich. Adjacent parishes include Foxhall, Bucklesham, Martlesham and Newbourne.John...
. Elizabeth was the sister (possibly the only sibling?) of Edmund Wythipoll, who, after their father had purchased the site of the Holy Trinity Priory of Augustinian canons in Ipswich
Ipswich
Ipswich is a large town and a non-metropolitan district. It is the county town of Suffolk, England. Ipswich is located on the estuary of the River Orwell...
, built Christchurch Mansion
Christchurch Mansion
Christchurch Mansion is a substantial Tudor brick mansion house within Christchurch Park on the edge of the town centre of Ipswich, Suffolk, England...
as a private house there in 1548-50. In 1532 Elizabeth received a bequest of £50 from her extremely wealthy uncle Robert Thurne or Thorne, merchant of London and Bristol (who had married her aunt Ellen Wythipoll), in his will. Elizabeth married (as his second wife) Emanuel Lucar (b. Bridgwater, Somerset, 1494), the great-grandson of Richard Lucar, Steward to the Duke of Exeter in the time of Henry VI of England
Henry VI of England
Henry VI was King of England from 1422 to 1461 and again from 1470 to 1471, and disputed King of France from 1422 to 1453. Until 1437, his realm was governed by regents. Contemporaneous accounts described him as peaceful and pious, not suited for the violent dynastic civil wars, known as the Wars...
(brother of William Lucar, Forester of the Forest of Exmoor
Exmoor
Exmoor is an area of hilly open moorland in west Somerset and north Devon in South West England, named after the main river that flows out of the district, the River Exe. The moor has given its name to a National Park, which includes the Brendon Hills, the East Lyn Valley, the Vale of Porlock and ...
to Henry VI), from John Lucar of Bridgwater, son of John Lucar of Wythecomb. She was aunt to the 18 children of her brother Edmund Wythipoll of Ipswich and his wife Elizabeth Hynde (several of whom did not survive infancy). Her own children - Emanuel, Henry, Mary, Jane, and another daughter - and those of her husband's first wife (Joan Turnbull) are shown in the 1568 Herald's Visitation of London
Heraldry
The following arms are recited for Elizabeth in the 1568 Visitation:Quarterly. 1 & 4, Per pale or and gules, three lions passant in pale within a bordure counterchanged. 2. Azure, three bars or, over all or a bend engrailed gules three pheons argent. 3. Azure, a cross moline between four crosses patté or.