{{Short description|English courtier}} [[File:St Mary's, Hampton, Penn memorial.jpg|thumb|right|Effigy and epitaph of Sybil Penn, St Mary's Hampton]] thumb|left|Effigy of Sybil Penn, St Mary's Hampton. '''Sybil''' or '''Sibel Penn''' (died 1562) was an English courtier. Her roles at court included nurse and teacher to Edward VI of England and Lady of the Bed Chamber to his sisters, Mary I of England and Elizabeth I of England.<ref>David Loades, ''Mary Tudor: A Life'' (Oxford, 1992), p. 355.</ref>
==Family background== She was a daughter of William Hampden of the Hill and his wife Audrey Hampden, an heiress of Kimble.<ref>Ernest Law, ''A Short History of Hampton Court'', 1 (London, 1885) p. 196 fn. citing the will of William Hampden.</ref> Her aunt, Sibill Hampden, married Thomas Hawtrey, whose son William Hawtrey (died 1597), was custodian of Lady Mary Grey at Chequers in 1565.<ref>George Lipscombe, [https://archive.org/details/historyantiquiti02lips/page/192/mode/2up ''History and Antiquities of Buckinghamshire'', 2 (London, 1847), pp. 193, 346]</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1558-1603/member/hawtrey-william-1520-97 |title='HAWTREY, William (c.1520-97), of Chequers, Bucks', ''History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1558-1603'', ed. P.W. Hasler, 1981 |access-date=2023-09-16 |archive-date=2023-09-18 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230918223640/https://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1558-1603/member/hawtrey-william-1520-97 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
The genealogical detail of her family is variously reported. Her brothers were Richard Hampden of Dunton and Missenden Abbey, Clerk of the Kitchen to Elizabeth I,<ref>George Lipscombe, ''History and Antiquities of Buckinghamshire'', 2 (London, 1847), pp. 346, 373.</ref> Griffith Hampden (MP), who entertained Queen Elizabeth at Hampden House, and William Hampden, who married Elizabeth Cromwell, and was the father of John Hampden. Sybil Penn married David Penn, of Penn in Buckinghamshire.<ref>F. Gordon Roe, 'Portrait of a Ghost, Mrs Penn: Edward VI's Foster Moster', ''The Connoisseur'', 112 (December 1943), pp. 84–86: [https://archive.org/details/visitationofcoun5859byuphil/page/96/mode/2up ''The visitation of the county of Buckingham made in 1634'' (London, 1909), p. 97]</ref>
==Career== [[File:Edward VI of England c. 1546.jpg|thumb|right|Edward VI with a view of Hunsdon House, attributed to William Scrots, Royal Collection.<ref>[https://www.rct.uk/collection/search#/25/collection/404441/edward-vi-1537-53 Portrait of Edward VI, RCIN 404441]</ref>]] Penn was appointed Mistress Nurse to Prince Edward, the son of Henry VIII and Jane Seymour, probably as a "dry nurse" in October 1538. When she was nurse to Prince Edward, according to family tradition, Henry VIII gave her a pearl necklace, which survives.<ref>Diana Scarisbrick,''Tudor and Jacobean Jewellery'' (London: Tate, 1995), p. 76: Maria Hayward, ''Dress at the court of Henry VIII'' (Maney, 2007), p. 199.</ref>
Princess Mary gave a gift to the nursery staff and midwife at Edward's christening at Hampton Court (perhaps before Penn's appointment), and later gave the "Mistress Nurse" a bonnet and a length of yellow satin damask, and gilt spoons to the four ladies employed to rock the cradle.<ref>Maria Hayward, ''Dress at the court of Henry VIII'' (Maney, 2007), p. 199: John Gough Nichols, ''Literary Remains of Edward VI'', 1, p. xxxv fn: ''Privy Purse Expenses of the Princess Mary'', pp. lxxx, 54, 85: John Strype, ''Ecclesiastical Memorials'', 2 (London, 1816), p. 4.</ref> Mary also gave clothes to Blanche Milborne, Lady Troy, who was in charge of Edward's care. Later, Mary gave a gold brooch depicting Saint George to the Mistress Nurse's daughter, perhaps her namesake Mary Penn.<ref>Frederick Madden, [https://archive.org/details/privypurseexpens00maddrich/page/184/mode/2up ''Privy Purse Expenses of the Princess Mary'' (London, 1831), pp. 54, 184]</ref> [[File:Beamond_End_-_geograph.org.uk_-_5153689.jpg|thumb|right|Beamond at Little Missenden was among the former properties of Godstow Abbey given to Sibyl Penn]]
Sybil Penn wrote a letter of recommendation to Thomas Cromwell for her brother-in-law Griffith Richards (husband of Audrey Hampden), in the hope that he would also be employed in the service of Prince Edward.<ref>''Letters & Papers Henry VIII'', 13:2, no. 1257: TNA SP 1/141 f.170.</ref><ref>Mary Anne Everett Green, ''Letters of Royal and Illustrious Ladies of Great Britain'', 3 (London, 1846), pp. 66–67.</ref> She wrote to Cromwell again in 1539 or 1540, from Hunsdon House one of Edward's residences, asking for the lease of Missenden Abbey, in response to Cromwell's promise to do her "some good".<ref>''Letters & Papers Henry VIII'', 14:2 (London, 1895), p. 372 no. 55.</ref> In 1553, Edward VI rewarded "Sibella Penne" with two manors, Aufries (Affricks) and Beamond, and other property in Little Missenden, confirming a grant of 1541, for her work as a nurse and educator.<ref>''Notes & Queries'', 4th series XII (16 August 1873), p. 137: ''Notes & Queries'', 7th series X (15 November 1890), p. 383: George Lipscombe, ''History and Antiquities of Buckinghamshire'', 2 (London, 1847), p. 395: ''Calendar of the Patent Rolls Preserved in the Public Record Office: 1553'' (London, 1926), p. 72.</ref>
In the records of New Year's Day gifts known as "Gift Rolls", it was noted that Edward VI gave "maistres Penn in Bukinghamshire" a reward of 10 shillings.<ref>John Gough Nichols, ''Literary Remains of King Edward the Sixth'', 1 (London: Roxburghe Club, 1857), p. cccxv.</ref> In the reign of Mary I, "Mrs Penn", the former nurse, gave half a dozen handkerchiefs edged with gold passamyne lace in 1556. The gift rolls also mention [Lucy Chevall] Mrs Barlee ''alias'' Penne, the widow of Henry VIII's barber John Penne, and heiress of Codicote.<ref>[https://archive.org/details/collectionofordi00soci/page/166/mode/2up ''Collection of Ordinances'' (London, 1790), p. 169]</ref> A drawing by Hans Holbein is labelled "Mother Jak, King Edward's nurse". The identity of this person is unclear, and possibly "Mrs Jak" was a nickname for Sybil Penne or another worker in the Prince's household.<ref>Ernest Law, ''A Short History of Hampton Court'', 1 (London, 1885) p. 196 fn: John Gough Nichols, ''Literary Remains of Edward VI'', 1, p. xxxiii fn.</ref><ref>John Nichols, [https://archive.org/details/illustrationsofm00nich/page/n391/mode/2up ''Illustrations of the Manners and Expences of Antient Times in England'' (London, 1797), p. 9]</ref> Juliana or Julian Penne, the mother of Michael Hicks and Baptist Hicks, and an active money lender in Tudor court circles, has been confused with Sybil Penne.<ref>Alan Gordon Rae Smith, ''Servant of the Cecils: the life of Sir Michael Hickes'' (New Jersey, 1977), p. 194 no. 16.</ref>
==Mary I== Sibyl Penn rode in Mary I's Royal Entry on 30 September,<ref>Mark Noble, ''A History of the College of Arms'' (London, 1805), p. 116.</ref> and attended the Mary's coronation on 1 October 1553, wearing a scarlet gown furred with "lettice" fur. Other ladies and chamberers given this costume included Susan Clarencieux, Mrs Jerningham (Elizabeth Jerningham,<ref>''English Baronetage'', vol. 1 (London, 1741), p. 456.</ref> or her niece, later Mary Southwell), Mary Finch, Mistress Russell, Mistress Golborne, and Mistress Sydney (a relation or the wife of Henry Sidney). Lettice is a grey weasel fur.<ref>Janet Arnold, 'Coronation Portrait of Queen Elizabeth I', ''Burlington Magazine'', 120 (1978), pp. 726-741: Valerie Cumming, C. W. Cunnington, P. E. Cunnington, ''The Dictionary of Fashion History'' (Bloomsbury, 2010), p. 121: The National Archives, TNA SP 46/8 f.5., 'to ... Mrs Penne ... to everye of them, one furre of lettes for furreing everye of them one gowne of scarlett ageinste our sayde coronacion'.</ref><ref>David Loades, ''Mary Tudor'' (Basil Blackwell, 1989), p. 192.</ref>
Penn also attended Mary's funeral on 14 December 1558.<ref>Joseph Stevenson, ''Calendar State Papers Foreign Elizabeth, 1559–1560'' (London, 1865), p. cxxiii.</ref> In the procession, she rode in a chariot or carriage with Susan Clarencieux, Mistress Tynnes, and Mistress Southwell.<ref>Mark Noble, ''A History of the College of Arms'' (London, 1805), p. 117.</ref> They wore morning clothes with "barbes" (veils) under their chins.<ref>Thomas Hearne, [https://archive.org/details/b30528100_0005/page/316/mode/2up ''De rebus Britannicis collectanea'', vol. 5 (London, 1774), p. 317]</ref>
==Smallpox and the Sidney connection== [[File:Hans Eworth Mary Dudley Lady Sidney.jpg|thumb|right|Mary Sidney, by Hans Eworth. Sidney attended the coronation of Mary I with Sybil Penn, and they both caught smallpox in October 1562]] As a New Year's Day gift in January 1562, "Mrs Penne" gave Elizabeth I a pair of "silk knytt hose". These were perhaps knitted silk stockings.<ref>Elizabeth Clarke, Elizabeth Goldring, Faith Eales, Jayne Elisabeth Archer, ''John Nichols's The Progresses and Public Processions of Queen Elizabeth'', 1 (Oxford, 2014), p. 249: John Nichols, ''The Progresses and Public Processions of Queen Elizabeth'', 1 (London, 1823), p. 116.</ref>
Sybil Penn died on 6 November 1562, probably from an outbreak of smallpox at this time. Queen Elizabeth and Mary Sidney were seriously ill but recovered.<ref>Tracy Borman, ''The Stolen Crown: Treachery, deceit and the death of the Tudor dynasty'' (Hodder & Stoughton, 2025), pp. 48–51.</ref> Elizabeth was ill at Hampton Court between 10 and 20 October.<ref>Donald Hopkins, ''The Greatest Killer: Smallpox in History'' (University of Chicago, 2002), pp. 1–3: Simon Adams, Ian Archer, George W. Bernard, 'A Journall of Matters of State', ''Religion, Politics, and Society in Sixteenth-Century England'' (Cambridge: Camden Society, 2003) p. 120.</ref> William Cecil noted the queen's illness under the date 4 October 1562.<ref>Murdin, ''Collection of State Papers'', p. 773.</ref>
Historians seem to have been confused about Mrs Penn's identity due to letters of recommendation to Cromwell from William Sidney on behalf of members of the Sidney family hoping to serve in Edward's household.<ref>John Nichols, [https://archive.org/details/literaryremains00clubgoog/page/n63/mode/2up ''Literary remains of King Edward the Sixth'', 1 (London, 1857), pp. xxxiii–xxxiv]</ref> Mary Sidney's husband Henry Sidney later wrote that his mother (Anne Pakenham d. 1544) had been Prince Edward's governess, a near kinswoman his nurse, and a maternal aunt had been Edward's "dry nurse", in the years when the prince "remained in woman's government" before starting with a schoolmaster.<ref>J. S. Brewer & W. Bullen, ''Calendar of the Carew Manuscripts preserved in the Archiepiscopal Library at Lambeth'', vol. 2 (London, 1868), p. 359 no. 501: [https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/6acf2d9d-62d1-4499-b97d-74a44be131bb Letter from Henry Sidney, Lambeth Palace Library]</ref> Sybill Penn may have been the maternal aunt described as the "dry nurse", invited to serve in the prince's household as a connection of William Sidney.<ref>Michael G. Brennan, ''The Sidneys of Penshurst and the Monarchy, 1500-1700'' (Ashgate, 2006), p. 20.</ref>
Mary Sidney gave Elizabeth a pelican jewel as a New Year's Day gift in 1573, possibly as a reproach for Elizabeth's perceived ingratitude for nursing her in 1562 when she had smallpox. Elizabeth, apparently indifferent to this gesture, soon gave the pelican brooch to Sidney's sister, the Countess of Huntingdon.<ref>Kate McClune, 'New Year and the Giving of Advice at the Stewart Court', Steven J. Reid, ''Rethinking the Renaissance and Reformation in Scotland'' (Boydell, 2024), 206: Catherine Howey Stearn, 'Lady Mary Sidney's 1573 gift to Elizabeth I', ''Sidney Journal'', 30:2 (2012), 109–127.</ref>
==Monument at St Mary's Hampton== Penn was buried at St Mary's Hampton, Middlesex, where there is a monument. The rhyming epitaph declares, referring to the death of Jane Seymour and Penn's employment by Mary and Elizabeth, "To court she called was, to foster up a king ... Two queens that sceptre bore gave credit to this dame".<ref>Daniel Lysons, [https://archive.org/details/parishesincounty00lyso/page/76/mode/2up ''An Historical Account of Those Parishes in the County of Middlesex'' (London, 1830), p. 77]</ref>
==Hampton Court ghost story== Sibyl Penn's monument was moved when the church was rebuilt in 1829, and this gave rise to a ghost story. It was said the noise of spinning wheel was heard at nearby Hampton Court and that soon afterwards the Board of Works found a closed-up room with a spinning wheel.<ref>Ernest Law, ''A Short History of Hampton Court'' (London, 1897) pp. 97–99.</ref> The story of Sybil Penn as the "Grey Lady" haunting Hampton Court continues to be told.<ref>[https://www.independent.co.uk/tech/ghost-of-the-grey-lady-at-hampton-court-how-image-aliasing-allows-iphone-cameras-to-photograph-spectres-10069536.html Andrew Griffin, 'Ghost of the Grey Lady at Hampton Court', ''Independent'', 25 February 2015]</ref>
Sybil Penn's body was not found buried under the monument in 1829, but only, according to one report, a hair-pin and some hair.<ref>Ernest Law, [https://archive.org/details/shorthistoryofha00lawerich/page/98/mode/2up ''A Short History of Hampton Court'' (London, 1906). p. 98]</ref> The body had been moved soon after burial at Hampton to the chancel of Holy Trinity, Penn, following the instructions in her husband's will.<ref>Henry J. Lee, [https://archive.org/details/genealogicalglea00leaj/page/6/mode/2up 'Genealogical Gleanings, Contributory to a History of the Family of Penn', ''Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography'', 14 (1890), p. 55, and p.6 in offprint]</ref><ref>[https://www.pennchurch.uk/history/ History, Monuments and Memorials of Penn]</ref>
==Family== Sybil married David Penn or Penne.<ref>W. C. Richardson, ''The Report of the royal commission of 1552'' (Morgantown, 1974), p. 14.</ref> Their children included:<ref>''Notes & Queries'', 4th series XII (16 August 1873), p. 137.</ref> * John Penn, who married Ursula Walliston.<ref>[https://archive.org/details/visitationofcoun5859byuphil/page/98/mode/2up ''The visitation of the county of Buckingham made in 1634'' (London, 1909), p. 98]</ref> * Mary Penn, who married George Peckham.<ref>''The visitation of the county of Buckingham made in 1634'' (London, 1909), p. 98: Henry J. Lee, 'Genealogical Gleanings, Contributory to a History of the Family of Penn', ''Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography'', 14 (1890), p. 55.</ref> * Margaret Penn, who married Thomas Gifford of Middle Claydon, her father bequeathed her the apparel worn by Sybil Penn at court. * Edward Penn.<ref>''Notes & Queries'', 7th series X (15 November 1890), p. 383.</ref> * Thomas Penn
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [https://bulletin.ukahn.org/musings-sybil-penn-nurse-to-prince-edward-and-queen-elizabeth-i/ Sue Hawkins, Musings: Sybil Penn, nurse to Prince Edward, UKAHN Bulletin, 10 (1) 2022] * [https://blog.heathershanette.com/index.php/2025/12/02/edward-vi%e2%80%99s-nurses-mistress-penn-and-mother-jak/ Heather Shanette: Edward VI’s Nurses: Mistress Penn and Mother Jak] * [https://www.twickenham-museum.org.uk/detail.php?aid=192&cid=5&ctid= Penn's Place: Twickenham Museum]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Penn, Sybil}} Category:Court of Elizabeth I Category:Court of Mary I of England Category:Court of Edward VI Category:Court of Henry VIII Category:Royal nurses Category:1562 deaths Category:Deaths from smallpox Category:Hampton Court Palace