Elizabeth Jane Weston
Elizabeth Jane Weston was an English poet and writer born around 1581, who faced significant challenges in her early life, including the death of her father and the subsequent financial difficulties experienced by her family. After her mother remarried, the family relocated to Prague, where Weston received a private education that fostered her love for classic literature and honed her writing skills. Following a dramatic turn of events that left her family impoverished, Weston began writing poetic letters to Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II, seeking financial support and advocating for the release of her stepfather's seized assets. In 1602, she published these letters in a collection titled *Poemata Elisabathae Joannae Westoniae Anglae*, which garnered attention and helped her family's financial situation. Weston's work was later recognized by editor Georg Martinius von Baldhoven, leading to further publications that established her reputation throughout Europe. In addition to her literary pursuits, she married Johannes Leo in 1603 and had seven children, which limited her writing time but did not prevent her from continuing to advocate for political causes through her poetry. Tragically, Weston died in childbirth in 1612 at approximately thirty-one years old, leaving a legacy that was not fully appreciated during her lifetime.
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Subject Terms
Elizabeth Jane Weston
Poet
- Born: c. 1581
- Birthplace: England
- Died: c. 1612
Biography
Poet and writer Elizabeth Jane Weston was born in England around 1581. Her father died when she was six months old, making her mother the sole provider for Weston and her older brother, John Francis. Unable to financially support her children, her mother immediately married Edward Kelley. In 1583, Kelley moved the family to Prague, Bohemia (now in the Czech Republic), where he served as the court alchemist to Holy Roman Emperor Rudolf II. He was eventually knighted and acquired great wealth. Kelley was a devoted father to his two stepchildren, and with his wealth he provided an education for both Weston and her brother. Through the benefits of a private education, Weston developed an appreciation for classic literature, adeptness in Latin, and a talent for writing.
In 1597, Weston’s life underwent a dramatic change. Her stepfather participated in a duel in which he killed a member of the royal court. As a result, his land and assets were seized and he was imprisoned. He died during his imprisonment, leaving Weston and her family impoverished. One year later, Weston’s brother, John Francis, died from a disease. At this time, Weston turned to her writing as a means to support her mother and herself.
Weston began writing poetic letters to Rudolf II, appealing for his financial support. In these letters, Weston asked for the release of Kelley’s assets in order to provide her with a dowry. In 1602, she collected and published these letters under the title Poemata Elisabathae Joannae Westoniae Anglae. In this work, she boldly made public her plea to the emperor by stating that true nobility was best shown by response to the undeserved suffering of widows and orphans. The emperor, unable to deny her public claim, released Kelley’s assets. Weston’s poetic petitions caught the attention of editor and publisher Georg Martinius von Baldhoven. He began to act as a literary representative for Weston and published her works under the title Parthenica Elisabathae Joanna Westoniae in 1608. These publications eventually earned Weston recognition throughout Europe.
In 1603, Weston married Johannes Leo, a German jurist and agent to the imperial court. During the next decade, Weston bore seven children. Her domestic duties left her with less time to write. However, she continued to use her work in order to gain recognition for political causes in which she believed. She wrote several poems directed to King James I of England and King Matthew II of Hungary. The full extent of Weston’s literary achievements were never fully recognized as she died in childbirth in 1612, when she was about thirty-one years old.