The Ladies of Rouen

The Ladies of Rouen

The garrison of Rouen was probably very much like any modern  day garrison town with soldiers of all ranks going about their soldierly business with their wives and children if not living within the garrison, certainly living close by.

Jaquetta of Luxembourg had married John, Duke of Bedford, brother of Henry V in 1433 but he had died in 1435.  He was previously married to Ann of Burgundy but she had died in 1432. After Jaquetta was widowed, she was not allowed to remarry without the permission of Henry VI. However she did remarry, in secret and she was fined a 1000 pounds by Henry but she was a wealthy widow and could afford it. The man she married could certainly not afford it, Richard Woodville was a man at arms of modest means.  Woodville's father was chamberlain to Bedford and Woodville reportedly served as a Captain under Bedford, although,  I can only find one record of him in the Medieval soldier database and that is in 1442. Of course Woodville would have known John Clay as he served as an attorney alongside Woodville in 1428 ( see the history of Sir John Clay) and like Clay he had served under both Bedford and York.  (see the medieval soldier database) Both Clay and Woodville, prior to his wedding an heiress, would probably have shared the same social standing at the garrison. This secret marriage was possibly revealed as Jaquetta may have been pregnant in late 1436. The first born of this marriage was Elizabeth c1437 and she like many of her siblings was probably born in Rouen as like Clay he spent most of his time there. Richard and Jaquetta went on to have a lot more children. But Elizabeth, like her mother would marry in secret, only she would secretly marry Edward IV.

Richard had accompanied York back to Normandy in 1441, Jaquetta and Cecily and the Countess of Eu and the Countess of Oxford and many other ranking members of the English aristocracy, also travelled to Normandy. (ref) Jaquetta and Cecily were the highest ranking ladies in this group and know doubt held court and set the social rules.

The fifteen year old future bride and queen consort to Henry VI, Margaret of Anjou arrived in Rouen in 1445, on her way to England. Margaret would probably have been taken under the wing of Cecily, as she was the highest lady of social standing. As part of Margaret's procession to England, York organised the ceremonies at Rouen including a banquet at the town hall and the guests included Cecily, Lady Talbot, the Countess of Salisbury and many other titled ladies. Jaquetta was probably included in the list, she also accompanied Margaret on her journey across the channel to England. ( P. Erlanger, Margaret of Anjou, Queen of England,1970, p75)