First Person Survey for: Rosalyn James, Royal Nanny

Name Given at Birth: Lady Rosalyn Marie Catharine Weston, James is the surname of my dear departed husband.

Nicknames: Rosalyn has grown foreign to my ears for I do have so many nicknames. The most common of which are: Nanny Rosie and Rosie. My late husband used to call me Rose. Edith still calls me Henny from her youth, but I shall go deeper into that story later. There is a certain guard that does love to anger me and he calls me Ninny

Hometown or where you were born: I was born on the Weston estate just outside of London in Middlesex.

Current Residence: Whitehall palace

Age: 32

Class: I was born into the noble class, but because of some decisions I made in my youth my position in society is now strictly determined by my position as royal nanny.

What do you do, your main function in life/society: I along with Lady Judith are in charge of the welfare of the six youngest princesses.

Have you ever gone skinny-dipping / do you know how to swim: Nay, I do not. You see my eldest brother, Thomas, did enjoy throwing me into the pond on the estate, when I was a young girl. Since then I have been very fearful of bodies of water. Oh dear heavens nay, I am most sure it is unlady-like. Besides I can not swim so if I were to do such an act I would sink to the bottom and then I would need to be rescued. I can feel my cheeks redden with just the thought of it.

Do you make fun of people: Since I do have young ones that look up to me I try to live by the “golden rule” but I am not perfect so I do slip every once in a while.

Favorite Color: Green for it was the color of my late husbands eyes. And red for red is the color most associated with Rosie, uh I mean a rose.

Have you ever committed or been convicted of a crime: Nay, I have not. If you ask my father how’ere he would tell you a different story

Closest friends/How did you meet: 

One Pillow or two: I have two of my own but I usually have several by daybreak. The princesses tell me I snore and put the pillows over me to silence me, but I don’t believe that one bit. Me, snore, that is impossible. A lady would never do such a thing.

Pets: I have none of my own but I do help the children take care of their pets. Also the children to have a tendency to leave me gifts on my pillow every once in a while, such as mice, frogs, toads... the list goes on and on.

Favorite Type of Music: I like all types of music, even gypsy (shhhh no one is supposed to know that).

Hobbies/Pastimes: I enjoy reading, writing poetry ( although I am not very good), needlepoint, and playing the penny whistle (much to the dismay of those around me).

Personal Hygiene: I do take measures as to not to offend those around me, but I do not go as far as to sin and be vain

Favorite Food: I do enjoy roast boar, pork and rabbit, apples, strawberries, oranges, and gooseberries. I also have an affinity for the sweets that the royal children are given. They can not possibly eat all the treats that they are given, so I finish what the can not. It would just a shame to let such delicacies go to rubbish. You know what they say “Waste not want not.”

Are your parents alive, do you get along with them: Yes, both of my parents are alive. As I alluded to before my father feels that I committed a great crime against him. You see I am the youngest child of the family. My father had great plans for my older brother and sister, but when it came to myself, he decided that the bride I should become is a bride of our Lord. Well one day when I was about six and ten, right before I was supposed to take my final vows, two young guards came to the convent, one was injured in a skirmish near the convent and had a raging fever. Mother superior felt that I should be responsible for the young soldier since I had shown great talents in the healing arts. As he grew stronger and stronger we spent more and more time together. By the time he was well enough to return to his post we were in love. When he left the convent I ran away with him. Three Sundays later we were wed in a very quiet ceremony. There were only two witnesses. My husband’s fellow guard and my friend and fellow novice nun Emily. Well once my father heard of this he was outraged and disowned me right on the spot. He no longer acknowledges my existence. Because of this when my husband died, I was very frightened. I had no place to go and no male family to see to my welfare. How’ere when my husband was alive I had gotten to spend a lot of time with the former royal nanny and the royal children. Because the King and Queen are so benevolent they took pity upon me and appointed me to the position of royal nanny, thus saving me from being cast out on to the street. It is this reason why I feel that my friends at court are more like my family. My mother, to my father’s face, says that she shares my father’s opinion of me , but in reality we send each other missives regularly and get along famously.

If your parents are dead, when and how did they die: see above

Favorite place to relax: There is a lovely tree on the court yard I love to sit under and read or do needlepoint. It is close enough to see the goings on at court, but far enough away that is quiet and peaceful

Favorite Holy Day / Why: Easter, for it is a high holy day and time of rebirth as it is the start of spring.

Favorite Drink: I like a good sweet wine, for the more bitter ones remind me of the sacramental wines that I take in mass. I also like honey mead, but I have found that the only thing that one should drink when in charge of the children water. One needs all their wits about them when it comes to my charges.

What's your bedtime: When all the children are in bed and the queen does dismiss me.

What, if anything, do you usually wear on your feet: If I am to stay strictly indoors then I wear silk slippers, but more oft than not you will find me in a soft leather low boot with a study sole suitable for running

Are you married or single: Widowed, my husband has been dead these 12 years past.

Do you have a family / who are they: My blood family is My father Thomas Weston, my mother Lady Catharine Weston, my brother Thomas Weston, the younger, and my sister Lady Sarah Laytrhrop, who currently resides on her husband Lord Marcus Laythrop’s estate in Surry. My late husband, Christopher James died these 12 years past while in service to the king.

Favorite Entertainment: I do love to read, and do so when I get the chance. I also enjoy the masks we perform at court. We also sing a lot at court which is quite entertaining.

Favorite Subject in School or Chore growing up: My favorite subject while I did study at the convent was languages. I currently am versed in Latin, French, German and of corse English. There is also another language I learned while I was away at convent that was not taught by any nuns. Back then, and well still have a problem keeping quiet, and when the mother superior did grow weary of my idle gossip she would force me to take temporary vows of silence. This could not stop me though for you see my friend , Emily, had a brother who was born not being able to hear nor talk. Because of this her family hired tutors that taught him and the rest of her family a language that is spoken by the use of gestures and an alphabet that is produced on the fingers. She in turn taught me the same language. Mother superior was ne’er the wiser. My favorite chore was needle point. When I can not sleep you will usually find me outside the door of the nursery needle in hand talking to the guard long into the night.

Least Favorite Subject in School or Chore growing up: Numbers, I just never could get my head around them. My least favorite chore would have to be gardening. If I have to pluck another weed from this earth I shall have to scream.

Favorite Sport:  I enjoy shuttlecock and I am quite good

Most Humiliating Moment: The first time the Spanish court came to White Hall I was given the opportunity to introduce myself to the Queen of Spain. Princess Elizabeth informed me that the best way to impress the Queen would be to greet her in her native tongue. As I am not versed in Spanish I sought Elizabeth’s counsel in such a matter. She taught me a phrase in Spanish that she informed me was a greeting of warmth and friendship. When I was introduced to the Queen of Spain I did greet her with “ Tu eres pescado morado.” Queen Eleanor gasp, Eric, Elizabeth, and Margaret were in fits of laughter, and the Queen of Spain stat there in shock. Realizing something was a miss so I asked , “Was that not a traditional greeting from Spain?” I was then informed that “Tu eres pescado morado.” means “You are a purple fish.” I almost caused an international incident. Thankfully both Queens were very forgiving and did not punish me: however they did give me a rule that when foreign courts come to call I am only allowed to speak the King’s English.

Proudest Moment: When I was given the position of the Royal Nanny.

Craziest Person or silliest you know: I am quite silly myself but I do believe that the Jester is far sillier than I.

What do you look for in the opposite sex: Kind, compassionate, intelligent, and a good sense of humor. These were all characteristics my late husband did posses.

In our Hierarchical Society everybody has somebody "over" them, Who is your immediate "overlord"   King Richard and Queen Eleanore of England

Favorite Sport to watch: 

Do you remember your first kiss: Ahh, yes it was my husband and it was a warm late spring evening and.... well may hap I shall finish the story once the sweetens are soundly asleep.

Do you keep in touch with your childhood friends: Nay, I am afraid my position does keep me very busy, but I do try to send missive to my friend Emily, sorry her name now is Sister Mary Robert, at least a few times a year.

Where is your favorite "Vacation" spot: As the children and there for I am not allowed to leave the sanctuary of the castle without large amounts of guards and disguises I do not get a chance for holiday all that oft, but at least once a season we do make trek to Princess Jane’s Estate Ingatestone. It is always full of revelry and friends. The children relish the chance to forget their more courtly manners, and to tell you the truth I do as well.

Have you ever been overseas: Nay, I have never been afforded that luxury

Do you have Dirt/Mud floors or Stone: the lower level of the palace has stone floors, the upper levels have wood.

What is your bed made of: Plush goose down. I also stuff lavender flowers in the feathers as well to make the bed smell heavenly.

How many people sleep in your bed: myself and three other princesses.

1. I am grateful for my position as the royal nanny

2. I am very religious and was schooled in a convent

3. I have done things in my life that have caused me some heart ache but I regret nothing

4. Because I am not perfect and was a bit of a mischievous child myself the royal children have a very difficult time pulling the wool over my eyes or bending me to their will. The exception to this rule would be Elizabeth, she is far more cunning than I ever thought to be and when her and Judith decide they want to do something I find it very hard to say “nay”. The two of them if they set their mind to it could probably talk me into going to one of those blasted gypsy revels.

5. I try to always look on the bright side of the situation, and remain optimistic.

6. I have been Widowed for 12 years now and yes I am looking for a new husband but really since I am the ward of the king it is up to him whether I marry or not.

7. I have a very distinct laugh.

8. If I am by myself I have gotten lost from the children’s court yet again

9. I am very loyal to the royal children and love them as if they were my own

10. I am NOT graceful by any sense of the word.