Elizabeth, Lady Bernard ( née Hall, formerly Nash) (

baptised Baptism (from grc-x-koine, βάπτισμα, váptisma) is a form of ritual purification—a characteristic of many religions throughout time and geography. In Christianity, it is a Christian sacrament of initiation and adoption, almost inv ...

21 February 1608 – 17 February 1670) was the granddaughter of the English poet, playwright and actor

William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...

. Despite two marriages, she had no children, and was his last surviving descendant. Elizabeth was closely associated with the Royalist cause during the

English Civil War The English Civil War (1642–1651) was a series of civil wars and political machinations between Parliamentarians (" Roundheads") and Royalists led by Charles I ("Cavaliers"), mainly over the manner of England's governance and issues of re ...

. Both her husbands were dedicated supporters of

Charles I Charles I may refer to: Kings and emperors * Charlemagne (742–814), numbered Charles I in the lists of Holy Roman Emperors and French kings * Charles I of Anjou (1226–1285), also king of Albania, Jerusalem, Naples and Sicily * Charles I of ...

Early life

Elizabeth Hall was born to Susanna Hall and Doctor John Hall. She was baptised in the Holy Trinity Church of Stratford-upon-Avon,

England England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Wales to its west and Scotland to its north. The Irish Sea lies northwest and the Celtic Sea to the southwest. It is separated from continental Europe b ...

. She was the only grandchild William Shakespeare ever knew, because her three cousins were born after his death in 1616.

First marriage

In 1626, Elizabeth Hall married Thomas Nash, who was a member of the Manor and Lordship of Shottery. Nash was an ardent Royalist, a supporter of

and indeed a donor to the king's cause to the tune of £100. In July 1643 the queen

Henrietta Maria Henrietta Maria (french: link=no, Henriette Marie; 25 November 1609 – 10 September 1669) was Queen of England, Scotland, and Ireland from her marriage to King Charles I on 13 June 1625 until Charles was executed on 30 January 1649. She was ...

stayed with the Nashes at

New Place New Place () was William Shakespeare's final place of residence in Stratford-upon-Avon. He died there in 1616. Though the house no longer exists, the site is owned by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, which maintains it as a specially-desig ...

. Thomas made his will on 25 August 1642, in which he left his house in Chapel Street and two meadows to Elizabeth. However, he left the bulk of his fortune to his cousin, Edward Nash. On 4 April 1647, Thomas died, leaving Elizabeth a widow.

Second marriage

On 5 June 1649, eighteen months after her husband's death, Elizabeth married John Bernard (1604–74) of Abington, near Northampton. Bernard was a widower with several children. It is not known how they met, since he did not live near Stratford, but it was most likely through Elizabeth's Royalist connections. Like Nash, he had been a strong supporter of the Royalists in the Civil War. Five weeks after the marriage, Elizabeth's mother Susanna died. As a result, Elizabeth inherited the Shakespeare family property. The couple moved to Stratford, to live in New Place. As a staunch Royalist, Bernard's social position improved dramatically after the Restoration in 1660. He was knighted on 25 September 1661,William A. Shaw, ''The Knights of England'' (London, 1906) vol. II
p. 235
thus giving his wife the title Lady Bernard. They left Stratford to move into the Bernard family home in Abington. The couple had no children. Joseph Quincy Adams, ''A Life of William Shakespeare'', Wildside Press, 2007 (reprint from 1923), pp. 485–88. In February 1662,

Judith Quiney Judith Quiney ( baptised 2 February 1585 – 9 February 1662), , was the younger daughter of William Shakespeare and Anne Hathaway and the fraternal twin of their only son Hamnet Shakespeare. She married Thomas Quiney, a vintner of Stra ...

died in Stratford-upon-Avon, making Elizabeth Bernard the last descendant of

. She wrote her will on 29 January 1669, which did not give much to her husband, Sir John Bernard. Elizabeth died at

Abington, Northamptonshire Abington is a district of the town of Northampton, Northamptonshire, England, situated about east of the town centre. The population of the ward of Northampton Borough Council at the 2011 census was 9,668. The name 'Abington' means 'Farm/settl ...

on 17 February 1670. There is a memorial plaque in the Church of Saint Peter & Paul, Abington, where she is buried. The family home of Sir John and Lady Bernard is now a museum, Abington Park Museum, and the grounds are now a park in the town of Northampton.

References

External links

Shakespeare's Granddaughter and the Bagleys of Dudley

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bernard, Elizabeth 1608 births 1670 deaths Shakespeare family People from Stratford-upon-Avon People from Abington, Northamptonshire

Early life

First marriage

Second marriage

See also

References

External links