Lewes (the queen's physician)

Also known as: maister Lewes / sir Lewes · Family: House of York · Role: physician · First appears: Richard III 8

Life events

c. 1483 · Lewes was charged to approach Elizabeth Woodville about the proposed marriage.(Richard III 8 · 📍 Westminster)
- With: Elizabeth Woodville
- “required him to go to quéene Elizabeth (with whome in his facultie he was of counsell) not as a messenger, but as one that came fréendlie to visit and consolate hir”
c. 1483 · Lewes proposed marrying Elizabeth Woodville's eldest daughter to Henry VII, uniting Lancaster and York against Richard III.(Richard III 9)
- With: Elizabeth Woodville Henry VII Elizabeth of York
- “If you could agrée and inuent the meane how to couple your eldest daughter with the yoong earle of Richmond in matrimonie, no doubt but the vsurper of the realme should be shortlie deposed, and your heire againe to hir right restored.”
c. 1483 · Elizabeth Woodville accepted the proposal and urged Lewes to pursue the marriage alliance with Margaret Beaufort.(Richard III 9 · 📍 Westminster)
- With: Elizabeth Woodville
- “When the quéene had heard this friendlie motion (which was as farre from hir thought, as the man that the rude people saie is in the moone) lord how hir spirits reuiued, and how hir heart leapt in hir bodie for ioie and gladnesse!”

with Elizabeth Woodville (Lewes was her counsellor in his medical capacity) “required him to go to quéene Elizabeth (with whome in his facultie he was of counsell)”

allies with Elizabeth Woodville “And first giuing laud to Almightie God, as the chiefe authour of hir comfort, secondarilie to maister Lewes, as the deuiser of these good newes & tidings”
allies with Margaret Beaufort, Countess of Richmond “Maister Lewes with all dexteritie so sped his businesse, that he made and concluded a finall end and determination of this enterprise betwene the two mothers.”
enemies with Richard III “he was the common curror and dailie messenger betwéene them, aiding and setting foorth the inuented conspiracie against king Richard.”
with Elizabeth Woodville (Lewes acts as her physician and adviser.) “When the quéene had heard this friendlie motion ... secondarilie to maister Lewes, as the deuiser of these good newes & tidings”

Extracted from the original text of Holinshed's Chronicles — the reigns Shakespeare dramatized. Made with Rho MD.