{{Short description|London-based investor (–1644)}} '''Rebecca Romney''' (died 1644) was a London based investor.<ref>Misha Ewen, ''The Virginia Venture: American Colonization and English Society, 1580-1660'' (Philadelphia, 2022), p. 51: Misha Ewen, 'Women Investors and the Virginia Company in the Early Seventeenth Century', ''Historical Journal'', 62:4 (December 2019), pp. 857-8, 860-4, 870-1: Theodore K. Rabb, ''Enterprise & Empire: Merchant and Gentry Investment in the Expansion of England, 1575-1630'' (Harvard University Press, 1967), p. 368.</ref> [[File:Anne of Denmark 1605.jpg|thumb|right|Lady Romney took some jewels of Anne of Denmark to be pawned for a loan]]

==Family background== She was a daughter of Robert Taylor, a London merchant, and Elizabeth, daughter of Hugh Hatton of Cheshire.<ref>Misha Ewen, 'Women Investors and the Virginia Company in the Early Seventeenth Century', ''Historical Journal'', 62:4 (December 2019), p. 860.</ref> Robert Taylor was Sheriff of London with the haberdasher John Garrard in 1593. After his death, Elizabeth married James Danvers of London.<ref>William Phillimore Watts Phillimore, ''The London & Middlesex Notebook: A Garner of Local History and Antiquities'' (London, 1892), pp. 58-9.</ref>

==Marriage and widowhood== Rebecca married the London haberdasher and merchant adventurer Sir William Romney of Ironmonger Lane (died 1611).<ref>''The London & Middlesex Notebook: A Garner of Local History and Antiquities'' (London, 1892), pp. 58-9.</ref> He was a governor of the English East India Company. His family was from Tetbury, where his executors founded a school.<ref>Alfred Theophilus Lee, ''History of the Town and Parish of Tetbury, in the County of Gloucester'' (London, 1857), p. 177.</ref> The phrasing of his will shows that he was a committed Puritan.<ref>Nicholas Tyacke, ''Aspects of English Protestantism'' (Manchester, 2001), p. 114.</ref>

An edition of Paul Baynes's ''A helpe to true happinesse'' includes a dedication to "the Lady Rebecca Romeney" from her "loving Nephew. E. C.", Ezekiel Charke.<ref>Paul Baynes, [https://quod.lib.umich.edu/e/eebo2/A06030.0001.001/1:2?rgn=div1;view=toc ''A helpe to true happinesse'' (London, 1618). EEBO]</ref> Baynes's ''Christian Letters'' were similarly dedicated by Charke to Elizabeth, Lady Lennard, a daughter of the Lord Mayor of London, Stephen Slaney, and Mary, Lady Weld, widow of the Lord Mayor, Sir Humphrey Weld, acquaintances of Charke who were probably well known to Lady Romney. Charke's wife Margaret was a daughter of Richard Hooker.<ref>Nicholas Tyacke, ''Aspects of English Protestantism, 1530-1700'' (Manchester, 2001), p. 117: Paul Bayne, [https://archive.org/details/christ00bayn/page/n9/mode/2up ''Christian letters of Mr Paul Bayne'' (London 1618).]</ref>

Henry Hudson named the "Romney Islands" near Cape Smith north of Mosquito Bay (Nunavut) after her or her husband.<ref>Miller Christy, ''Voyages of Captain Luke Foxe of Hull and Captain Thomas James of Bristol'', vol. 1 (London, 1894), p. 149.</ref> After the death of her husband, Rebecca, Lady Romney, was named among the "Merchants Discoverers of the North-West Passage" in a charter granted to that company by James VI and I on 26 July 1612.<ref>G. M. Asher, ''Henry Hudson'' (London: Hakluyt Society, 1860), p. 255.</ref> Prince Henry was "Supreme Protector" of the Company of Discoverers,<ref>Martin Butler, ''The Stuart Court Masque and Political Culture'' (Cambridge, 2008), p. 175.</ref> according to the grant made to the investors, including Lady Romney, in July 1612. The grant narrates the sixth voyage of the partnership, when Henry Hudson sailed in search of a passage by the North-West of America to the "Sea of Suz" or South Sea to China, Japan, and the Philippines.<ref>W. Nöel Sainsbury, ''Calendar of State Papers, Colonial Series, East Indies, China and Japan'' (London, 1862), pp. 238-241.</ref>

Rebecca Romney was the "Lady Rommeny" of "Fishmonger Lane" involved with George Abercromby, a gentleman of the queen's robes,<ref>William Arthur Shaw, ''Letters of denization and acts of naturalization for aliens in England and Ireland'' (Lymington, 1911), p. 33.</ref> and the goldsmith George Heriot, in pawning one of the jewels of Anne of Denmark in March 1613 for £1,200.<ref>Archibald Constable, [https://archive.org/details/b22019054/page/198/mode/2up ''Memoirs of George Heriot'' (Edinburgh, 1822), p. 198]: Sir George Abercromby (died 1632) also had a post as "provider" in the wardrobe of Henrietta Maria and may have been the "Mr Abercromby" noted as a dancer in masques, including ''For the Honour of Wales''.</ref> Anonymous city investors petitioned Anne of Denmark in 1610 to intercede with James VI and I to fund the search for a northern passage to China and Japan.<ref>Nandini Das (ed), [https://library.oapen.org/handle/20.500.12657/53682 ''Lives in Transit in Early Modern England: Identity and Belonging'' (Amsterdam University Press, 2022), pp. 49-50]</ref> Anne of Denmark has been linked with voyages of discovery and investment in voyages by aristocratic women in her close circle, while Romney had her own connections with commerce in the city.<ref>Misha Ewen, 'Women Investors and the Virginia Company in the Early Seventeenth Century', ''Historical Journal'', 62:4 (December 2019), p. 859.</ref>

Rebecca Romney, as a philanthropist, founded four exhibitions (scholarships) for the sons of haberdashers in 1629, two at Emmanuel College, Cambridge and two at Sidney Sussex College, Cambridge.<ref>Charles Henry Cooper, ''Memorials of Cambridge'', vol. 2 (Cambridge, 1861), p. 362: ''The endowed charities of London'' (London, 1829), pp. 502-3.</ref> She also loaned money to the Virginia Company,<ref>Misha Ewen, ''The Virginia Venture: American Colonization and English Society, 1580-1660'' (Philadelphia, 2022), pp. 53-4: Susan Myra Kingsbury, ''Records of the Virginia Company of London'', vol. 2 (Washington, 1906), p. 427.</ref> and this has been connected with a charitable initiative to send poor children from London to the colony.<ref>Misha Ewen, 'Women Investors and the Virginia Company in the Early Seventeenth Century', ''Historical Journal'', 62:4 (December 2019), p. 871.</ref>

==Family== Her children included:<ref>''Visitation of London: Anno Domini 1633, 1634, and 1635'', vol. 2 (London, 1883), p. 212.</ref> * Joseph Romney (died 1646) * William Romney, who married Margaret Bowater * Isaac Romney, who was admitted to Gray's Inn on 7 February 1604, as a reward for helping to save the building from fire.<ref>''The Register of Admissions to Gray's Inn, 1521-1889'' (London, 1889), 81.</ref> * Daniel Romney (died 1635) * Susanna Romney, who married Sir Francis Carew (died 1649) of Beddington and Walton-on-the-Hill * Elizabeth Romney, who married Sir John Wild or Weld of Willey, Shropshire, and was the mother of John Weld MP.

==References== {{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Romney, Rebecca}} Category:1644 deaths Category:17th-century English businesswomen Category:17th-century English businesspeople Category:17th-century women philanthropists Category:17th-century philanthropists