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Knight of the Garter； all in a very few years。 It was in 1607 that he fell
from his horse； under the King's nose。 In 1613 he was at the height of his
power in England。
Return we for a moment； however； to that day in the Whitehall tilt…
yard。 It is related that one woman whose life and fate were to be bound
with Carr's was in the ladies' gallery。 It is very probable that a second
woman； whose association with the first did much to seal Carr's doom；
was also a spectator。 If Frances Howard； as we read； showed distress
over the painful mishap to the handsome Scots youth it is almost certain
that Anne Turner； with the quick eye she had for male comeliness and her
less need for Court…bred restraint； would exhibit a sympathetic volubility。
Frances Howard was the daughter of that famous Elizabethan seaman
Thomas Howard； Earl of Suffolk。 On that day in September she would
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be just over fifteen years of age。 It is said that she was singularly lovely。
At that early age she was already a wife； victim of a political marriage
which； in the exercise of the ponderous cunning he called kingcraft； King
James had been at some pains to arrange。 At the age of thirteen Frances
had been married to Robert Devereux； third Earl of Essex； then but a year
older than herself。 The young couple had been parted at the altar； the
groom being sent travelling to complete his growth and education； and
Frances being returned to her mother and the semi…seclusion of the Suffolk
mansion at Audley End。
Of the two women； so closely linked in fate； the second is perhaps the
more interesting study。 Anne Turner was something older than the
Countess of Essex。 In the various records of the strange piece of history
which is here to be dealt with there are many allusions to a long
association between the two。 Almost a foster…sister relationship seems to
be implied； but actual detail is irritatingly absent。 Nor is it clear whether
Mrs Turner at the time of the tilt…yard incident had embarked on the
business activities which were to make her a much sought…after person in
King James's Court。 It is not to be ascertained whether she was not
already a widow at that time。 We can only judge from circumstantial
evidence brought forward later。
In 1610； at all events； Mrs Turner was well known about the Court；
and was quite certainly a widow。 Her husband had been a well…known
medical man； one George Turner； a graduate of St John's College；
Cambridge。 He had been a protege of Queen Elizabeth。 Dying； this
elderly husband of Mistress Turner had left her but little in the way of
worldly goods； but that little the fair young widow had all the wit to turn
to good account。 There was a house in Paternoster Row and a series of
notebooks。 Like many another physician of his time； George Turner had
been a dabbler in more arts than that of medicine； an investigator in
sciences other than pathology。 His notebooks would appear to have
contained more than remedial prescriptions for agues； fevers； and rheums。
There was； for example； a recipe for a yellow starch which； says Rafael
Sabatini； in his fine romance The Minion；＇7＇ ‘‘she dispensed as her own
invention。 This had become so widely fashionable for ruffs and
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pickadills that of itself it had rendered her famous。'' One may believe；
also； that most of the recipes for those ‘‘perfumes； cosmetics； unguents
and mysterious powders； liniments and lotions asserted to preserve beauty
where it existed； and even to summon it where it was lacking；'' were
derived from the same sources。
＇7＇ Hutchinson； 1930。
There is a temptation to write of Mistress Turner as forerunner of that
notorious Mme Rachel of whom； in his volume Bad Companions；＇8＇ Mr
Roughead has said the final and pawky word。 Mme Rachel； in the
middle of the nineteenth century； founded her fortunes as a beauty
specialist （？） on a prescription for a hair…restorer given her by a kindly
doctor。 She also ‘invented' many a lotion and unguent for the
preservation and creation of beauty。 But at about this point analogy stops。
Both Rachel and her forerunner； Anne Turner； were scamps； and both got
into serious troubleAnne into deeper and deadlier hot water than Rachel…
…but between the two women there is only superficial comparison。
Rachel was a botcher and a bungler； a very cobbler； beside Anne Turner。
＇8＇ Edinburgh； W。 Green and Son； Ltd。； 1930。
Anne； there is every cause for assurance； was in herself the best
advertisement for her wares。 Rachel was a fat old hag。 Anne； prettily
fair； little…boned； and deliciously fleshed； was neat and elegant。 The
impression one gets of her from all the records； even the most prejudiced
against her； is that she was a very cuddlesome morsel indeed。 She was；
in addition； demonstrably clever。 Such a man of talent as Inigo Jones
supported the decoration of many of the masques he set on the stage with
costumes of Anne's design and confection。 Rachel could neither read nor
write。
It is highly probable that Anne Turner made coin out of the notes
which her late husband； so inquisitive of mind； had left on matters much
more occult than the manufacture of yellow starch and skin lotions。 ‘‘It
was also rumoured；'' says Mr Sabatini； ‘‘that she amassed gold in another
and less licit manner： that she dabbled in fortune…telling and the arts of
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divination。'' We shall see； as the story develops； that the rumour had
some foundation。 The inquiring mind of the late Dr Turner had led him
into strange company； and his legacy to Anne included connexions more
sombre than those in the extravagantly luxurious Court of King James。
In 1610 the elegant little widow was flourishing enough to be able to
maintain a lover in good style。 This was Sir Arthur Mainwaring； member
of a Cheshire family of good repute but of no great wealth。 By him she
had three children。 Mainwaring was attached in some fashion to the suite
of the Prince of Wales； Prince Henry。 And while the Prince's court at St
James's Palace was something more modest； as it was more refined； than
that of the King at Whitehall； position in it was not to be retained at ease
without considerable expenditure。 It may be gauged； therefore； at what
expense Anne's attachment to Mainwaring would keep her； and to what
exercise of her talent and ambition her pride in it would drive her。 And
her pride was absolute。 It would； says a contemporary diarist； ‘‘make her
fly at any pitch rather than fall into the jaws of want。''＇9＇
＇9＇ Antony Weldon； The Court and Character of King James （1651）。
％ II
In his romance The Minion； Rafael Sabatini makes the first meeting of
Anne Turner and the Countess of Essex occur in 1610 or 1611。 With this
date Judge A。 E。 Parry； in his book The Overbury Mystery；＇10＇ seems to
agree in part。 There is； however； warrant enough for believing that the
two women had met long before that time。 Anne Turner herself； pleading
at her trial for mercy from Sir Edward Coke； the Lord Chief Justice； put
forward the plea that she had been ‘‘ever brought up with the Countess of
Essex； and had been a long time her servant。''＇11＇ She also made the like
extenuative plea on the scaffold。＇12＇ Judge Parry seems to follow some
of the contemporary writers in assuming that Anne was a spy in