Elizabeth Lucar

Who was Elizabeth Lucar?

Elizabeth Lucar, was an English calligrapher.

Lucar, born in London, was multi-talented. She was the author of Curious Calligraphy the first English essay on calligraphy, she was also fluent in Latin, Spanish, and Italian, and an accomplished musician and needleworker.

She died in London and is largely known from an inscription on her tomb at St. Michael, Crooked Lane church, London, written by her husband, Emanuel Lucar, a member of the Merchant Tailors Company.

Every Christian heart seeketh to extoll The glory of the Lord, our onely Redeemer: Wherefore Dame Fame must needs inroll Paul Withypoll his childe, by love and Nature, Elizabeth, the wife of Emmanuel Lucar, In whom was declared the goodnesse of the Lord, With many high vertues, which truely I will record.

She wrought all Needle workes that women exercise, With Pen, Frame, or Stoole, all Pictures artificiall, Curious Knots or Trailes, what fancy would devise, Beasts, Brids, or Flowers, even as things naturall: Three manner hands could she write, them faire all. To speake of Algorisme, or accounts, in every fashion, Of women, few like in all this Nation.