17th century<\/a>, a time when religion and politics were inextricably linked, William was a key figure in trying to push through an \u2018Exclusion Bill\u2019. This sought to prevent Roman Catholic James, Duke of York, from succeeding his brother, who had no legitimate heirs. Protestants feared James\u2019s accession might lead to Britain becoming a Catholic country.<\/p>This was a dangerous move, as became clear when William was accused of plotting to kill Charles and James. Was this true? It\u2019s difficult to know considering William was sentenced to death in a propaganda trial. He was beheaded, but is now commemorated as \u201ca lover of constitutional liberty\u201d by a plaque at Lincoln\u2019s Inn Fields. He was also posthumously pardoned when William of Orange, who brought constitutional monarchy to Britain, took the throne in the Glorious Revolution.<\/p>
From where did William draw his personal courage? One answer may be in the example of his grandmother, Frances Howard. Married as a teenager to the Earl of Essex, she hated the match as letters from the era show. Remarkably, she decided to have the marriage annulled, claiming her husband was impotent and that she was a virgin, and submitting herself to examination by midwives and matrons to prove so. Essex, it\u2019s said, countered the impotency claim by showing his friends \u201cthe sufficiency of his matters\u201d.<\/p>
This didn\u2019t work. Frances remarried, to Robert Carr, the Earl of Somerset, a favourite in the court of James I. But more scandal lay ahead, when Frances was accused of plotting to murder Sir Thomas Overbury, who had tried to persuade Somerset not to marry her. She pleaded guilty, but insisted her husband played no part in the crime. It made no difference, he was sentenced to death.<\/p>
Both were later pardoned, but there\u2019s evidence that Somerset blamed his wife for ruining his career and the two were forced to live for several years in the Tower of London. The couple\u2019s daughter, Anne, would marry the Duke of Bedford.<\/p>
Celia has found both a principled politician and criminals in her family tree.\u201cI\u2019m so proud I\u2019m not related to wishy-washy people drinking tea all over the place,\u201d she says. \u201cQuite the reverse.\u201d<\/p> <\/body><\/html>\n
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