Strutting his stuff

Sir Edward Monins was a dedicated follower of fashion – and he wanted everyone to know it, says Kate Williams. Bring on a commission for Court painter George Gower

Could there be a more handsome man than Sir Edward Monins? Aged 25 or so, resplendently dressed at the height of fashion, he is so opulent that even the ostrich feather in his hat is gold tipped. Painted by George Gower, leading artist of his time and a favourite of the Queen, Sir Edward is the epitome of Elizabethan magnificence. He would have been the height of fashion at court, as well as being the leading aristocrat in the Kent area. And Gower shows him brilliantly.

Gower’s glorious portrait of 1575, to be offered in July's Old Master Paintings in London, was painted to commemorate a milestone, most likely, Sir Edward’s investiture as a knight. It was a great elevation for Sir Edward, access to a new world of power and influence, and respect in his social circle. He is clearly delighted with the ring, displaying it prominently. And the sensational outfit, the gold and black of his doublet draw our eyes to the ring.

“This portrait of Sir Edward marked the beginning of his peak of power”

In 1575, Elizabeth I turned 42, and had been on the throne for 17 years. She surrounded herself with clever men and expected absolute loyalty. Yet she was sparing with her knighthoods. She did not knight Francis Walsingham, her loyal factotum until after well over seven years of service. Sir Edward clearly had powerful sponsors, she liked his family and perhaps she had hopes for him at court – and so he was chosen. A few years later, in 1582, he became a Justice of Peace of Kent, a great honour, chosen by the Queen. Justice of Peaces were responsible for local law and order, including collecting taxes and overseeing militia and defences. Sir Edward, whose country seat was near Dover, was in a key position to defend the country. The Monins family held high office throughout the period and were friendly with the court.

Sir Edward Monins was the second son of Richard Monins of Saltwood Castle in Kent (who died 1560-1) and Katherine Alefe (daughter of Thomas Alefe or Ayliffe of Colshill. Sir Edward succeeded his elder brother, John Monins of Swanton, in 1568. He married Elizabeth Lovelace, and they had one son, William, and four daughters, Elizabeth, Priscilla, Frances and Mary. The Lovelaces hailed from Hever, the castle of which was once the home of the Boleyn family, so perhaps there was some connection there that pleased Elizabeth. Elizabeth certainly remembered Boleyn associates when she gained the throne. In the summers, Elizabeth toured the country and visited her nobles. Perhaps she also visited Sir Edward and family on one of her progresses in Kent. The family motto was ‘Mediocria Maxima’ or The Middle Way is Best. Elizabeth, who favoured moderation in religious and political matters would have agreed.

“The family motto was ‘Mediocria Maxima’ or The Middle Way is Best. Elizabeth, who favoured moderation in religious and political matters would have agreed”

The family name has been spelt variously, Monyn, Monyns, Monyng, Monin and Monins. The first was Sir Symond de Monyn of the castle of Mayon in Normandy, who came with William the Conqueror to England in 1066. The family established themselves in East Kent. In 1422, John Monins bought the estate of Malmains, near Dover, and built a new mansion at Waldershare, about a mile south-east of Malmains.

Sir Edward’s son, Sir William was given a baronetcy in 1611 by James I, a reward for loyalty. A record remains in the National Archives where Sir William demanded the return of his right to choose the minister of Waldershare Church, which had been in his family since his great- grandfather had bought it from the dissolved monastery of Langdon. So Sir Edward chose the minister as well as being a JP. This portrait of Sir Edward marked the beginning of his peak of power. He died in 1602, one year before Elizabeth I. Sir Edward and his wife are buried at Waldershare Church and are commemorated in a monument on the south wall.

“The portrait of Sir Edward is luminous in its beauty, beyond grandiloquent ... the sensational black and gold outfit makes him rather resemble a handsome bee”

The portrait of Sir Edward is luminous in its beauty, beyond grandiloquent. It recalls Gower’s portraits of other aristocrats. The sensational black and gold outfit makes him rather resemble a handsome bee, one of the most magnificent outfits in Tudor portraiture, ornate with shockingly costly gold thread. It has aspects similar to the elite armour, namely the black and gold armour made at the famous workshop in Greenwich. In 1577, two years after Sir Edward, Gower painted Richard Drake, equerry of the stable to the Queen, splendid in black armour edged with gold. Other painters styled devoted knights in gold and black armour, such as Thomas Butler, 10th Earl of Ormond; it was the ultimate in fashion.

Elizabeth’s favourite knights showed off their armour at the Accession Jousts, commemorating Elizabeth’s accession day on 17 November. Perhaps Sir Edward hoped to feature one day, in gold and black armour as magnificent as his dress.

In 1579, Gower painted one of the greatest portraits of Elizabeth I, known as the Plimpton Sieve Portrait. She is resplendent in gold against a dark background, with her crest behind her, as in Sir Edward’s portrait, which shows us a noble with the potential to access the greatest circles in the land.

In his portrait of Sir Edward, George Gower has made the coat of arms stand out, glorious in the corner. The first quarter of the coat-of-arms, Gules, three crescents, and the motto, 'Mediocria Maxim’. The further 13 quarterings of the arms belong to Sir Edward’s ancestors before they separated into two branches (of Waldershare and of Dover). The remaining six quarterings belonged to the Waldershare branch from their marriages before they separated from the Monins of Dover and comprise respectively the arms of the heiresses of Leverick (or Laverick), Wolridge, Ayliffe of Coleshill in Milton, Chicke and Chickley, and Coleshill of Milton again.

As well as Sir Edward’s wondrous gold ring on his thumb, he also wears a seal ring on the fourth finger of his right hand, with the arms of Monins, Leverick, Chicke and Ayliffe. It is a tribute to his mother.

The inscription above and below the coat-of-arms reads: LUNA SUAE, PERFERT ARGENTEA, LUCIES ECLYPSIM;/AUREA, INEXTINCTO LUMINE, LUNA NITET. Below it, the inscription continues: Aloft appears St Phabus force, in goulden gleaming, spheare/The moone succeades then well, in armes, theis moones may/Moninges beare/Both sweetest soyles, and swelling seas the mone their Mistresse/have/Moninges thearfore in field of guels, three moonetz golden/gave. The inscription marries ‘Moninges’ and the moon and is all gold and golden, as is Sir Edward.

“[Sir Edward] is handsome, powerful, the pop icon of his day, who shows his loyalty to the queen in every way”

George Gower, from a Yorkshire family, was around 35 when he painted Sir Edward. In 1581, he was appointed Serjeant Painter to the Queen. He was responsible for paintings at the palace, and would copy or restore paintings, as well as painting Elizabeth’s nobles. He knew the great Sir Nicholas Hillard, who did so much to craft Elizabeth’s image. Hillard was first apprenticed to a goldsmith, practicing intricate work and the same care with gold is found in Gower’s painting. There are shadows of Hillard in the painting of Sir Edward. Behind the ear of Sir Edward is a sprig of green that reminds us of a rose. Greenery and roses are suggestive in Elizabethan portraits. In Hillard’s famous Young Man Among Roses, a young man, perhaps the Earl of Essex, is surrounded by roses and greenery. The portrait is youth, beauty and chivalric love – and the rose, the flower of the Tudors. It is exactly the type of man that Elizabeth liked to have in her court. Hillard painted the Queen with greenery and a rose in his famous Pelican portrait and in his Phoenix portrait, she wears a rose and carries one at her breast, and wears black material decorated with gold, like Sir Edward. The rose was her favourite symbol and a man who bears it was her loyal knight.

“Gower immortalises [Sir Edward] with dazzling grace... as you look at the painting, you could be at dinner with him”

Portraits are what we are and what we want to be. Sir Edward shows his loyalty and gratitude. He is handsome, powerful, the pop icon of his day, who shows his loyalty to the queen in every way, how he deserves to be a knight. Gower immortalises him, this scion of Elizabethan nobility, with dazzling grace. As you look at the painting, you could be at dinner with him, listening to him speaking of meeting the Queen.

Kate Williams is an NYT bestselling historian, author and TV broadcaster

Old Master Paintings | New Bond Street | 2 July 2025

For enquiries, contact Lisa Greaves on Lisa.Greaves@bonhams.com or +44 20 7468 8325