Anne Twysden

Anne Twysden (28 February, 1574 – 14 October, 1638) was a British writer. She was the mother of several notable children but she is known principally for one book and the original of this work is lost.

Life

Twysden was born in London in 1574 at Heneage House. Her parents were Sir Moyle Finch, 1st Baronet and his wife Elizabeth. Anne learnt four languages as a child at the court of Queen Elizabeth whilst in the care of her grandmother Elizabeth (born Heneage). Anne married William Twysden who was made a baronet. They had seven children before he died in 1629. She had her own ladies-in-waiting which included Isabella Saunder and Jane Thomlinson and she married these off to her son Roger in 1635 and to another son Thomas in 1639. She had two houses at East Peckham and Redcross Street in London.^[1]

Her children had to persuade her to pay Charles I's Ship money which she objected to.^[1] She wrote a book of devotions that was edited and published by her son Roger. Her son's notes show that this was published after her death in 1638. The Twysden papers and two of her letters are held by the British Library. Twysden's original copy of her devotions was known to have existed until 1849 but it is now lost.^[2]

Twysden died in Kent in 1638.^[1]

References