Dau feirch cad o farchog gwych: | Two battle-steeds issuing from an outstanding knight[1] : |
Syr Siarls o hil Syr Wiliam, | Sir Charles of the line of Sir William, |
Mor wych cawr â'r Marchog Cam. | A giant as great as he Marchog Cam[2] |
Arhowch cloi aur Marchog Glas | (And) delay the sealing of the Blue Knight's[3] wealth |
Tros wart Hvmr, Meistr Tomas. | On account of the Humber's defender, master Thomas. |
Dau filwr y'u dyfelynt | Two soldiers whom they compare |
Wrth wŷr o gwrt Arthur gynt. | With men of Arthur's court of yore. |
Oes hir, eleirch Syr Wiliam! | Long live the swans of Sir William! |
Yn fyw maent. Mae nef i'w mam. | They are alive - heaven awaits their mother. |
Lewys Morgannwg's poem describes Lady Troy as in charge of Queens and responsible for the proper accomplishments of the court ladies. This suggests that her position included the teaching of good manners, basic education, etiquette, protocol and perhaps the enjoyment of music and dancing. The 1557 elegy dates from before the death of Queen Mary I so the queens mentioned do not include Elizabeth as her elevation was not certain before 1558. The phrase may refer to Lady Troy having responsibility in the household of Queen Anne Boleyn. It certainly refers to Queen Mary, 1553–1558, who had lived with Elizabeth and Edward for a time. The line that Lady Troy gave service all her life to the one who is Queen today refers to Queen Mary.
It may be that Lady Troy was put in charge of Mary's household as early as 1531, when Mary's father separated her from her mother, Catherine of Aragon. Perhaps Mary's brief stay in Ludlow Castle (1525-1526) gave Mary and Lady Troy some common ground. Lewys Morgannwg's choice of words when he says that Lady Troy was the guardian... of Henry VIII's household and his children yonder shows not only how careful one had to be in mentioning Elizabeth before her accession but also how tenuous Elizabeth's position was right up to the very moment that her sister died. The only one of Henry VIII's children named in the elegy is King Edward and here there is no equivocation: To King Edward she was a true and wise lady of dignity, in charge of his fosterage – she was pre–eminent – and she waited upon (looked after) his Grace.
Prince Edward later wrote in his Chronicle (or journal) that until the age of six years he had lived among the women and this was the household presided over by Lady Troy. The evidence suggests that it was Lady Troy who taught both the little Elizabeth and then Edward, her half-brother, their letters. Kate Champernon / Ashley or Askley was only appointed as Elizabeth's governess in 1536, so it was Lady Troy who taught Elizabeth the rudiments of education for her first 3 years. Edward was born in 1537 and male tutors were appointed for him in 1540 so again Lady Troy taught him for his first 3 years. Both children started their more prescribed education at the same age.
A formal household was arranged for the prince in 1538 with Sir William Sidney as his chamberlain. Lewys Morgannwg states that Lady Troy was in charge of Prince Edward's fosterage. She was eminently suitable to be the second Lady Mistress to Elizabeth and Edward,
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[1] The original has freich, a mutated form of braich / arm, which could be used metaphorically as 'defender', in which case this line would be Two defenders in battle, instead of Two battle-steeds.
[2] Sir Dafydd Gam (Davy Gam in Shakespeare's Henry V), great-great-grandfather to Sir Charles and Sir Thomas (and Blanche Parry's great-great-great-grandfather through her Stradling grandmother). Marchog Cam translates loosely as 'the crooked knight', apparently on account of a physical peculiarity (possibly attained in battle).
[3] Sir William ap Thomas Herbert, great-grandfather to Charles and Thomas, known as the 'Blue Knight of Gwent'.
©Ruth E. Richardson 2012