Tudor Bastard: Henry VIII's other son.

and his mother Elizabeth Blount

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Histories about Henry VIII tend to concentrate on his relationships with his wives and mistresses in his desperate quest for sons, and above all with his affair with Anne Boleyn and his revenge on her when she failed to give him a son. Yet Henry VIII did have a son, who was aged 17 when he was ordered to witness Anne beheaded, standing near her on the scaffold, while his father was getting ready for his wedding to Jane Seymour. This is the story, from the birth of Henry Fitzroy whose mother was Elizabeth Blount, a young maid of honour to Queen Katherine, to the mystery of his sudden death, just as an act had been passed in parliament enabling his father to nominate him the heir to the throne.

Elizabeth Blount's family at Knightley

With five daughters and another baby on the way, 31 year old Katherine Blount must have been pleased to have her two eldest daughters settled. The eldest Anne, was to be married to Richard Lacon, heir to a nearby estate, Willey, in Shropshire. Elizabeth, the second daughter, was to become one of Queen Catherine's maids of honour from May 1512, for which she was to be paid 100 shillings a year. (five pounds). Elizabeth, was forward, pretty and very lively. She was destined to attract the King himself and give him his only acknowledged son. She would become known as "the mother of the King's son".

Katherine, Elizabeth's mother, had been Katherine Pershall, until her marriage to John Blount of Kinlet, in August 1491. Katherine was then about ten years old, and John, born in 1484, was only seven. His parents, Sir Thomas Blount, and Anne (formally Croft) were to have twenty children, and John was the eldest.

Katherine's father had been Sir Hugh Pershall, who had had died in 1488. Her mother, had been Isobel Stanley. Sir Hugh Pershall had fought for Henry Tudor at the battle of Bosworth, in 1485, in which King Richard III was killed, leaving Henry with his large mercenary army, to seize the throne as Henry VII.

Katherine had two younger sisters, Joyce and Isabella, but no brothers, so was heiress of the family estate of Knightley Hall, in Staffordshire, ST20 0JS. But now she was to live with the Blounts, her young husband, and increasing numbers of his little brothers and sisters at Kinlet Hall, near Bewdley, DY12 3AY. Not much is now left from the 16th century. (see notes)

Katherine Blount lady-in-waiting to Catherine of Aragon

Katherine Blount now aged 20, was to be a Lady in Waiting to the Spanish Princess Catalina. Katherine's uncle, her mother's brother, was in service to King Henry VII, and they were related to the husband of King Henry VII's powerful mother Margaret, Countess of Richmond. These connections and also that she was the heiress to property nearby, would have helped secure her appointment.

For Katherine Blount life at the court in Ludlow, must have been a welcome escape from the crowded Blount nursery at Kinlet. Although Ludlow is not very far from Kinlet, the court of the Prince and Princess of Wales, must have seemed very exotic and interesting to Katherine. With the Spanish Princess's mainly Spanish retinue, a strange foreign language and new and different fashions and customs, life at Ludlow castle must have been an interesting experience for the younger English ladies in waiting. And great fun over the Christmas and New Year holidays with all the entertainments and games.

But this exciting time came to a tragic end. In April 1502 there was an epidemic of the Sweating Sickness", a highly infectious illness with severe flu-like symptoms, which tended to attack the lungs. The cause and nature of this disease which was first known in England in 1485, and last known in Europe in 1551, is still debated. Nearly everyone at the court of the Prince and Princess of Wales was affected.

Princess Catalina (now called Katherine or Catherine or Kateryn, by the English) recovered, but Prince Arthur died. (Contemporary observations noted that young, rich males were most likely to die from "The Sweating Sickness".)

A funeral cortege took Arthur's body to be buried in Worcester Cathedral and Catherine was left stranded at Ludlow. Only the Queen, despite her own grief, remembered her daughter-in-law and sent men with a litter somberly draped in black to convey her and her ladies in waiting, back to London.

Katherine Blount goes back to her own home of Knightley

The Spanish Princess, now Catherine, Dowager Princess of Wales, was left to an uncertain existence on the fringes of the English court. Her mother died on the 26th November, 1504, and while Henry VII still demanded the rest of her dowry, her father Ferdinand was not going to pay it. Since his son-in-law had died, he wanted a refund and return of the daughter to use again in another match. He was even more nasty to his oldest daughter Juana, who had suceeded her mother, as Queen of Castile, and gone to Spain with her husband Philip of Burgundy.

On the way to Spain, they were caught in a storm in the Channel and found shelter in an English harbour. Henry VII invited them to the court, and while he had meetings with Philip, Juana was able to see her sister. Henry VII was impressed by her. When her husband died suddenly in Spain in 1506, Henry VII was hoping to marry her. But Ferdinand had his pregnant daughter locked up with a horrible couple in charge who stole her clothes and jewelry. Her father claimed she was mad, but he just wanted to keep her out of the way. Unfortunately Juana's son who became the Emperor Charles V left his mother imprisoned in grim circumstances for the rest of her life.

Henry VII did not want to lose Catherine's dowry and kept her in England. While her father Ferdinand, refused to pay the remainder of her dowry or send anything for her keep. Catherine soon ran out of money to support and feed herself, her ladies in waiting and her confessor, Friar Diego Fernandez, who had all accompanied her from Spain.

After Prince Arthur's death, Henry VII had obtained a Papal dispensation to enable him to arrange to marry his daughter-in-law Catherine to his younger son Henry, when Henry reached the age of 14, but this was not then implimented, and Henry was kept to a strict regime imposed by his grandmother Margaret, to make sure he did not stray after any girls and any other fun activities usual for teenage boys.

Henry VIII Now Rules

The Royal Wedding took place on the 11th June, and they were crowned King and Queen together in Westminster Abbey, on the 24th June 1509.

The King's Grandmother and Regent, Margaret was invited to the banquet that followed in Westminster Hall. She took the precaution of bringing her favourite young protegèe Henry Parker (Baron Morley) as her cupbearer, and her own carver as well to attend her. Despite this she became extremely ill immediately after. A cygnet (baby swan) she ate was blamed. Cygnets were laid out on the plate, dismembered, but with all its parts including head and feet. Swans and cygnets were a dish reserved with official exceptions, for members of the Royal Family. At the time of the coronation, the fluffy little cygnets were newly hatched, so plenty of fresh ones would be available. It does not seem that anyone else at the banquet was taken ill with food poisoning.

Two days after the coronation, while his grandmother lay in her sick-bed in Westminster Palace, Henry VIII ordered the arrest of two of his father's favourite ministers, Sir Richard Empson and Edmund Dudley, on a charge of treason - but just because he wanted them out of the way so he could spend what he wanted, and they were executed the following year.

On the 29th June - Henry VIII's grandmother Margaret, died, it was the day after Henry VIII's 18th birthday, he was free to rule as he liked.

Court of the young King and Queen

Soon the Royal Couple were expecting their first child, but on 31st January, Queen Catherine miscarried. The King's affair with Lady Anne Hastings, Countess of Huntingdon and sister to Edward Stafford, Duke of Buckingham, had upset her.

The King's friend, and Groom of the Stool, (a job which meant great intimacy with the King since he was the one who attended the King when he was seated on his toilet with velvet covered seat, and wiped the royal bum), Sir William Compton, who was a few years older than the King, helped arrange for him to meet his mistress at his own house in Thames Street, London - not far from the Royal residences. The Queen was not the only one furious at this affair, so was Anne's brother and her new (2nd) husband married for less than a year. Her husband, George Hastings put her a convent, but they were eventually to have 8 children together, - although she also had an affair with William Compton.

birth and death of a prince

Once the Queen had been delivered of her baby, the new tiny prince was whisked away by staff to be fed, washed, changed and rocked to sleep in its grand carved cradle in its nursery in another palace. And the new mother was washed, padded with soft sanitary pads, her breasts bound with the best Dutch linen breast cloths edged with lace and embroidery, dressed in a pretty nightgown of finest soft linen edged with gold embroidery and lace. And expected to recover within the next six weeks ready to start the next pregnancy. She did not even have to be at her baby's grand christening when he was named Henry, and was also made Duke of Cornwall.

The happy parents celebrated the arrival of their heir with a spectacular tournament which lasted days. Henry, took part in the jousts, Catherine watched from a decorated stand, and gave prizes. Their only other concerns were about such things as the colour and fashion of the livery of the many different officials in the new baby's household. Catherine's "logo" or badge of a pomegranate cut to show the seeds (obvious indication of the promise of children) was seen everywhere on the royal residences, official buildings and even in the names of ships.

Meanwhile, their baby left to staff apparently still not fully organised, died. The festival ended in a three-day funeral, the new servants were issued with new black livery and the new little Prince Henry, Duke of Cornwall was buried on 27th February at Westminster Abbey.

1512

Elizabeth goes to Court as a Maid of Honour, her father is one of the King's Spears. And what they wore.

Elizabeth may have been only about 9 years old (see notes) when in May 1512, she left home for service to the Queen as a Maid of Honour. In the "King's Year-book" dated - from the Court at Greenwich, Sunday, May 8, 1513, it states that a hundred shillings is due to Elizabeth Blount "upon a warrant signed for hir last yeare's wages ended at thasuncacon (the Annunuciation) of Our Lady last passed".

John Blount, had been appointed one of the "King's Spears" or Royal Guard on a wage of £60, 16s. 8d. a year. This was a new band of royal bodyguard, established by Henry VIII when he came to the throne. They were all from more upper class and wealthier families than the Yeomen of the Guard founded by his father. They had to be handsome and well-born. And they had to be rich, as they had to provide their own horses, armour and weapons as well as be gorgeously dressed for official occasions and perform well at the court jousts. A suit of armour cost the equivalent of about a million pounds in today's values. They and their horses were apparelled in cloth of gold, silver and goldsmith's work, and also their servants. As well as providing their own servants and horses, and all the lavish dress and other gear themselves, they also had to maintain in their entourage an Archer, a Demilaunce (with a short spear), and a Custrell (armour bearer - also refers to a short sword or big knife).

An entry in the King's accounts:

" 23 July 6, Henry VIII. Sonday at Eltham. Item to John Blount one of the Kinges Speres of honour open a warrant for his wages at iij. s.iiij. d. (3s. 4d.) the day for two hole yeres whiche the King hathe avaunced unto him beforehand that is to say from the first day of this present monethe of July unto the iid of ij. (2) yeres next & immediatly ensuying cxxi li. xiij. s. iiij. d. (£121. 13s. 4d.) whereof deducted c. s. (100s.) for the moneth of Marche anno iiij (year 4 of Henry VIII's reign ie 1514) to which he received duble at that tyme more than he shuld have dun. cxvi. li. xiij. s. iii. d. (£116. 14s. 3d.)"

At the end of 1515, the Spears were disbanded, because of complaints from the men themselves, about the expense to themselves. So the accounts for wages and extras were made up at that time.

The girls and women in court service were also allowed their own attendants, according to their rank. So Elizabeth would have been allowed to take with her from Knightley, at least one maid, since she would need help dressing and doing her hair for court. She may have also had a laundress for washing and mending her clothes, and young girls might be accompanied by the nurse who had cared for them since they were born.

The Queen's younger Maids of Honour were at the court to be educated - it was like a very exclusive upper class girls school. They were the equivalent of the King's Henchmen or Pages.

Although Elizabeth Blount was to become famous as the King's mistress and the "mother of the King's son", we do not know what she actually looked like. No one at the time described her physical appearance and there are no clearly identified portraits surviving. We do not even know if she was dark or fair, tall or petite.

Since her father had to be tall, well-built, and good-looking as well as rich and well connected, to get a position as one of the "King's Spears", his daughter is likely to have grown up as tall, good looking and well developed. She was dancing partner to the King in 1514, when no more than 11, so it looks like she matured early and would have looked almost grown up by then. Henry VIII was a tall, hefty man, they would not have been paired up for a public dancing display at a court festivity, if they did not look good together.

However, we cannot be entirely certain about that. Nearly all the women associated with Henry VIII in his life were petite. Being tall, (6ft 2ins. or 1.88 m.)and increasingly bulky, he may have thought he looked more even more impressive next to a petite young woman.

Henry is also known to have preferred the company of intelligent, witty, women - and certainly Elizabeth is described as eloquent and lively. She was soon to come to the notice of the King and his friends and be given parts in the court entertainments.

What they wore:

What the girls and women in attendance on the Queen wore was strictly laid down, according to their position and rank, and Elizabeth's mother would have been sent a list. It was not unlike starting a new school which for Elizabeth it actually was. The most exclusive girls school in the country.

It was usual then, to have your children educated by sending them away to stay in another family. If Elizabeth had not had the opportunity - thanks possibly to the connections her mother had made at the time she was in attendance on Princess Catherine, now Queen, of being part of the Queen's court, she would have been sent to another upper class household, or had an arranged marriage as part of that deal as had happened with her mother, and then her elder sister.

When not in costume performing in a masque or play, or off duty, ladies in attendance at the court of Queen Catherine, were usually expected to wear the formal and complicated, triple layered and wired "Queen of Hearts" gabled hood, which concealed all the hair, and was fixed with wire springs and hair pins, over a black scarf which hang in two lengths, sometimes flung back over the head to look a bit more trendy. Otherwise they could wear the less formal and more becoming round style of formal bonnet which showed the hair in front and a scarf or veil at the back. This was a - then - less formal, continental fashion which even Catherine preferred when she had the choice. When not dressed for formal occasions, women still usually covered their hair with some sort of bonnet or hood, or a casual and attractive (would be still wearable today) floppy soft hat similar in style to that worn by men.

As a young girl, Elizabeth could wear her hair loose if she wished. Older girls and women wore their hair loose only on special occasions like their wedding, or court performances, otherwise it was plaited and tied or pinned into coils or pinned up or cut to shoulder length, since usually, you washed your hair and bathed once a month after your period. Clothes were protected from the not always very clean body by the linen shift worn under everything.

The court dresses, of pieces of very expensive fabric (sometimes given by the King or Queen as gifts), were not sewn up, but pinned or tacked, so the parts could be re-cycled to make different outfits. Three layers, dress, underdress and shift were arranged so embroidered edges and panels were revealed. Outer sleeves were very wide to show off the puffed and decorated undersleeves. And the overskirt may be split down the front to display the front panel of the underskirt of expensive brocade or embroidery - while the hidden rest of the underskirt was plain cheaper stuff. The foundation garment, was worn on top of the linen shift and was stiffened with iron or wood, for shape and support and laced (like we still have for trainers) up the sides to fit tightly (when you were pregnant or just got fatter, you let out the laces).

Skirts were made to stand out with a waist slip stiffened with wood or wire or padding. The cage-like waist-slip, called a farthingale was introduced by Catherine and her Spanish ladies when Catherine came to England to marry Arthur. The fashion began as a hooped skirt around 1470, then became an underskirt by the time Catherine was wearing it. It was to become became a standard part of English fashion.

The separate bodice of the dress, was fastened by laces either down the sides, back or front. Most women (who did not have a maid to help them dress), wore bodices laced up the front. The low wide neckline which showed off a pushed up bosom and a necklace, could be filled in more modestly with a "chest piece" giving the appearance of a blouse worn underneath.

The skirts were tied on to the bodice with laces. Round the waist, they wore decorative belts or chains, with decorative pomanders (perfume containers, handy in the public loos or in the mucky streets), small books with decorative covers, or watches - (a new invention, and a very expensive accessory which came more into use in the 1530s), hanging from them. Women also carried their keys, a small mirror (polished metal then), a knife, and other odds and ends they needed this way. They might carry a bag to hold their purse and all the things they needed with them but more usually they had separate pockets or bags which were tied round the waist often under the outer skirt, which was a safer way to stow your money.

Stockings, looked more like long socks and they were kept up by garters. They were cut and sewn from fabric - perhaps matching the dress. Knitted silk stockings were already known on the continent and became mass produced on knitting machines in England from the 1550s.

All sorts of shoes and boots were needed at court, for indoors and outdoors, for sporting occasions and riding, for dancing and for dressing up in masked performances. There were boots, shoes for different occasions, slippers, buskins (a bit like modern ugs they were also for casual wear). And if it was mucky, (as it usually was in the streets of cities like London) they tied clogs called patterns over their shoes to raise them above the mud, rubbish and the excrement from dogs, horses and humans, that covered the streets.

In addition the girls needed hats, gloves, coats, riding outfits, nightgowns (not just worn in bed but for casual wear indoors), "breast-cloths", or "brassieres". Rolls of soft fabric for making sanitary towels - (which had to be washed and reused). But knickers - which looked like shorts but in two parts joined by the ribbon threaded through the waist band - (gussets did not get in knickers until the late 19th century) were considered a rather indecent Continental fashion - useful though in case of riding mishaps, or when dancing with the King.

The court dress code was strictly enforced. It is unlikely that all Elizabeth's costs would have been covered by her salary, she must have relied on money sent by her mother.

As a junior maid of honour, she would have to share not only a room, but a bed with other girls. As the court moved every few weeks to another palace, everything would have to be kept in a locked chest identified with her name.

Elizabeth's father would have worn the royal livery (uniform) when on duty or specially ordered expensive clothes for state occasions - as mentioned above. Men at this time wore a flat floppy hat on their head for everyday, and at least two layers of coats over their shirt. They had long stockings, with linings of linen (to conceal their hairy legs), both of which were tied up to the waist like split tights, with "points", laces with metal ends to fasten clothes - (points survive today as shoe laces). To show that you were rich and stylish the metal ends could be gold and decorative. Also tied by points was the bit to fill the gap in front, (where modern men's trousers have a zip), called the cod-piece. This was padded and decorated with embroidery, to look more impressive and some men, Henry VIII especially, had huge amounts of padding, shaping and embroidery, in that place. In his iconic portrait by Holbein you really cannot miss it. It was also used by some men as a handy pocket for their purse, hanky, snacks, etc.

Men showed off their bums with slashed shorts on top of their hose which was called the upper hose. Other parts of their clothes were also covered with slashes to reveal what appeared to be a rich embroidered undergarment, but may have been faked with panels on more ordinary cloth to give the impression without the expense.

Men also wore trousers, which were then called slops - usually worn by working men at that time and tied round the knees, they were worn by the upper classes for casual wear at home, and could be smart-casual or sloppy-casual.

As one of the King's Spears, John Blount was ordered to be turned out as required and at his own expense, and also kit out his servants, and horses. The cost of a full suit of armour was equivalent to the price of a modern tank. And that doesn't include the cost of horses and their harnesses and protective armour, and kitting out, and paying wages to, the men who were employed by him and had to accompany him in tournments and in battle. And their accomodation. And medical expenses.

Henry VIII orginally bought his own armour from the workshops in Innsbruck who had supplied the Holy Roman Emperor Maximilian. Then he set up his own workshops at Greenwich, with imported craftsmen from the continent, mostly the Netherlands. His own armour was still being embellished with gold H-K 's in decorative bands. "Henry and Katherine".

"England Be Glad"

Ageynst the Frenchmen in the feld to fyght
In the quarel of the Church and in the ryght,
With spers and shedys on goodly horsys lyght,
Bowys and arows to put them all to Flyght:
Help now thi king
- and take his part!

Soon after the loss of his son, Henry VIII joined Catherine's father, Ferdinand of Spain, in a "Holy League" formed by Pope Julius II, with Venice, the Swiss Cantons, and the Emperor Maxmillian I, to drive the French King Louis out of Northern Italy.

Elizabeth Blount's father was one of those called on to fight on the continent. So Elizabeth would have been left on her own at the Queen's court. But there was plenty of excitment for the girls and women to deal with while the men and their officers battled to get their ships across the channel, then formed into an army and also dealt with all the home comforts that Henry VIII expected as he "led the battle". While hundreds of men shivered in muddy tents, searched for anything to eat and drink, and got fired on, many hundreds of other men in the army had to guard the king and carry and put up his portable palace complete with his own separate toilet, (covered in soft leather, finished off with velvet and silk ribbons, in its own carrying case) and drive and unpack at least five more wagons just containing the King's food and drink.

Henry VIII liked to see himself as a war-lord, but actually was not very good at organising wars. He made sure he was safe and comfortable, but most of the men in his armies, were not regular soldiers but mustered. That is all men aged between 16 and 60 could be called up to serve whenever the King wanted to have a war. They were paid, but half as much as Henry VII had paid them, which because of the financial inflation, meant even less in real terms. Since this also had to cover their equipment, weapons, and the food the drink they needed, most men who were mustered suffered a great deal. The musters were called by local officials and land-owners who were given that task, usually for training once or twice a year. Most of the men had only woollen padded jackets for protection - often old and worn passed down from their fathers and mended by their mothers. These jackets offered little protection and became wet and soggy in rain. Their main weapon was the bill-hook - a spiky thing fixed to a pole which doubled as a useful agricultural instrument for cutting shrubs and harvesting etc. Otherwise, since guns were expensive, they might have a bow and arrows. Which had little effect if they faced professional soldiers or mercenaries armed with the latest in guns. But archers were still a significent part of Henry VIII's fighting force. The Muster in London financed by city guilds could go on parade in smart colourful uniforms which looked great in processions. In other parts of England, only those wealthy enough, or supported by local guilds or landowners, had armour, horses, modern guns as well as swords, etc. and could afford to stop over in reasonably comfortable inns, or local houses, rather than camp out and forage for something to cook over a fire.

Elizabeth Blount at the Queen's Court

They also learnt how to do Spanish style cut out embroidery. Queen Catherine founded a school and industry to do this type of embroidery near her residences in Northamptonshire. The intention was provide employment to help women earn a living. It was so successful, this style of embroidery became extremely fashionable and called "Broderie Anglaise".

The Queen used to give her husband shirts she had made and embroidered with this sort of edging around the neck and wrists. Which made it a fashion you can see on many contemporary portraits. Unlike most modern Broderie Anglaise the cut-outs were usually edged with contrasting thread.

Flodden

Henry VIII left his wife to act as his Regent in England knowing she would have to deal with the expected invasion from the Scots. Led by their King, James IV, husband of Henry VIII's sister Margaret, not missing the opportunity of invading England from the North while the King and his army and navy were all fully occupied in fighting the French on the other side of the country and the Channel.

As the daughter of Isabella, Queen of Castile, Catherine was brought up to learning how to run military campaigns. As a young girl she had been with her mother to newly conquered Granada. Her husband must have known this, as he had the opportunity to know Catherine well during the 7 years she was his sister-in-law, and was confident leaving her as his Regent. Either that, or he had forgotten that with all his attention across the sea to the south, the King of Scotland was likely to take the opportunity to invade England from the north.

All the English ships were down south in the Channel. So Catherine sent an army north, overland against James IV's army, led by the aged and experienced Earl of Surrey (who had supported Richard III so had to work his way up again). And his son Thomas Howard.

The Scots were beaten at Flodden, on 9th September 1513, King James IV was amongst those killed.

His son, now King James V, born on 10th April, 1512, was not only King of Scotland but potential heir to the English throne. Queen Catherine had to send condolences to her sister-in-law, Queen Margaret, now widowed, and Regent of Scotland.

At the same time, Queen Catherine was triumphant. She had organised a war herself and won. On 16th September she wrote to her husband, asking what to do with James IV's body, and also sent bits of the coat James IV had been wearing when killed, to her husband in France.

Margarete of Austria, Governor of the Netherlands.

Born 1480, Margarete had been brought up as a girl in France as she was to marry the son of Louis XI. That did not happen, and in 1497, Margarete was married to Juan - only son of Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain, thus making her Catherine of Aragon's sister-in-law. Unfortunately Juan died after a few months of marriage, Margarete was left pregnant, but their daughter died. Her next husband died three years after marriage. Margarete, still childless, had enough of marriage, and did not need it. Life as a widow gave her independence.

In 1507 she was appointed Governor of the Netherlands (what is now Holland and Belgium) and also guardian of her young nephew Charles, who was to succeed Maximillian I when he died in 1519, while Margarete was his Regent while he was underage. He was to become the Emperor Charles V while his aunt remained as Regent and Governor of the Netherlands. She was the most powerful women in Europe. And also one of the most intellectual. Her court welcomed notable humanists and scholars like Erasmus, her library was well stocked and her palace contained collections of works of art, illuminated manuscripts, and music.

Charles Brandon, who had been brought up at the English court and was a close friend of Henry VIII although 7 years older, accompanied the King and Thomas Boleyn on the visit to Margarete, Governor of the Netherlands. He had flirted with her to the extent that rumours went about that they were to be married. Henry VIII had to make a formal apology, although he had in reality no problems with Brandon's advances to the Governor of the Netherlands, (it was his advances to his sister Mary he didn't like) and created him Duke of Suffolk in February 1514.

Charles Brandon's 7 year old daughter Anne (mother was Anne Browne) was also placed in the care of the Governor Margarete at her court and was there for about two years.

Thomas Boleyn was pleased when the Governor Margarete said she was willing to accept his daughter Anne to be placed in her care to be brought up and educated with her other wards and learn fluent French. In 1513, he arranged for his daughter to be escorted from her home at Hever, by Claude Bouton to the court based at Mechelin. Margarete wrote to Anne's parents: "I have received your letter by the Esquire Bouton who has presented your daughter to me, who is very welcome, and I am confident of being able to deal with her in a way which will give you satisfaction, so that on your return the two of us will need no intermediary than she. I find her so bright and pleasant for her young age that I am more beholden to you for sending her to me than you are to me".

Anne joined Margarete of Austria's other "filles d'honneur" and was assigned a tutor called Symonnet to teach her French. There has been confusion amongst historians as to which sister, Anne or Mary was placed with Margarete of Austria, and which one went to France with the King's sister Mary, but it looks like it was Anne, since she was not at the "Field of Cloth of Gold". Mary was, and she was also married to William Carey by then.

As mentioned, until 1539 there was no legal requirement to record children's births, so as with Elizabeth Blount and her sisters, it is not clear which Boleyn sister, Mary or Anne was the eldest - but there was not much difference in their ages. Their parents were married in 1499, and had five children. Two children died young, and the youngest child, George was born by 1505. Mary Boleyn would have been known to, and perhaps friends, with Elizabeth Blount as they were both maids of honour to Queen Catherine at the same time. But Mary was soon to travel to France in the entourage of the King's sister Princess Mary.

Anne Boleyn is not mentioned as being at the English court until 1522 when she was taking part in a masque, along with her sister and other ladies. Although many historians tend to accept that Anne Boleyn was in service to Queen Claude in France, there is apparently no evidence that either Boleyn sister was. The Queen of France that Mary Boleyn was in service to was the King's sister Mary. (see below)

Anne appears to have been in service to Margarete of Austria until her return to England by 1522 when arrangements had been made by her parents for her marriage to a cousin, James Butler. This seems to have been an on-going expectation but the negociations dragged on for years. James Butler was not very interested in Anne, and eventually married someone else. Anne, well trained by the independent Margarete and her court at Mechelin, was to make her own destiny in England.

Henry VIII comes home in bad mood and poor health.

Symptoms then and then later on in his life, indicate it could have been syphilis (not yet named as such, but was treated with new medicines containing mercury) which was rife amongst the armies of Europe, and their camp followers. And also was to infect a number of 16th century European Kings, including François I of France and later Ivan IV of Muscovy. But none of Henry VIII's children who survived infancy seem to have had any congenital symptoms of the disease, and none of his sexual partners seem to have had the symptoms. But that is not definite evidence since we do not have enough information and not much was known then about the disease and its effects. We just know he had something spotty and grew his beard to hide them.

Whatever had made Henry ill, when he recovered, he discovered that Ferdinand and the other allies had made a peace treaty with Louis XII without him.

Henry VIII was hopping mad. To get even with Ferdinand, he considered divorcing his daughter.

Henry was well versed in the Scriptures, wrote some religious tracts himself, and in 1521 the Pope was to award him the title of "Defender of the Faith". Henry knew that Leviticus Chapter 18, verse 16, and Chapter 20, verse 21, warn not to lay with your brother's wife, the liaison would be sterile, (and Henry was still at that time childless). Chapter 21, verse 14, forbids marriage to a widow or any but a virgin. However: Deuteronomy Chapter 25, verses 5 to 10, tells you it is a man's duty to marry his brother's widow, and the penalties if he refuses. (She throws a shoe at him).

Although there had been a papal dispensation to enable Catherine to marry Henry, (his father, Henry VII, had not wanted to lose her massive dowry), perhaps the marriage could still be declared null and void.

But Henry was still very fond of his wife, and she had defeated the Scots, while he was in France and the Netherlands. He shaved off the beard he had grown to hide the (now faded) spots, as Catherine did not like it. Soon she was pregnant again. The divorce scheme was filed away.

Henry did cancel the betrothal of his younger sister Mary to Ferdinand's grandson, Catherine's sister Juana's son, Charles (who was later to become Charles V, King of Burgundy and Spain and Holy Roman Emperor). France had a vacancy for a Queen. King Louis XII of France was mourning the recent death of his second wife, and had only a daughter, Claude, as heir. Henry VIII decided his sister would be the next Queen of France.

The Maids of Honour

They also had lessons in riding, music, singing and dancing, so they could play their part in the court entertainments, indoors and outdoor. The ones who were best at French especially, were chosen by Princess Mary to accompany her to France.

Elizabeth Blount, who was later to choose Palgrave as tutor to her son and remained in contact with him, was not one of the girls chosen to go with Princess Mary.

Who did go with Princess Mary to France - who remained with Queen Katherine and who stayed at home:

One of the young maids of honour who is said to have accompanied Princess Mary to France was Jane Seymour, but as she would have been only 6 or 7 that is unlikely. In fact Jane is not on any of the lists of those in attendance at court. The historians who have thought that probably confused her with her brother Edward Seymour who was on the list - he was then about 14 and served Princess Mary as a page.

A maid of honour who did accompany Princess Mary, was Mary Boleyn (who was to become Henry VIII's mistress), she was already fluent in French. Thomas Boleyn asked the Regent of the Netherlands to release his daughter Anne so she could join her sister Mary in France, but the request was refused.

Anne Boleyn remained in the Netherlands with the court in Mechelen, her sister Mary went to France along with the other attendants chosen to accompany Mary, Queen of France.

From the picture which shows Princess Mary being greeted by Louis XII, we can see the fashions that were worn by the young women at the court at that time. They all, including Princess Mary, have chosen to wear the round, more becoming "French" hood rather than the "English Gable" hood.

The maids of honour left behind in England received letters from those who were with Princess Mary. The channel crossing had been very rough, one boat sank, and the boat carrying Princess Mary beached. Pale and shaky in her dress of cloth of gold and crimson, with her bedraggled wet floppy hat falling over her left eye, she was carried ashore in the strong arms of Charles Brandon, the newly created Duke of Suffolk, who was to represent England in the tournaments to celebrate her coronation. (It may have been another man but she ended up with Brandon.)

In a letter written to the King in October 1514, Charles Brandon added: "I bysce your grace to tell mysstres Blount and mysstres Carru the next tyme yt I wreth un to them or send them tokones they schall odar wreth to me or send me tokones agayen".

It looks like Brandon was letching after both girls, (and it has been said that Henry VIII used Brandon to "break in" girls he fancied) but Brandon would have looked like an old dad to these two.

Elizabeth Carew, the girl mentioned with Elizabeth Blount, who appears to have been one of her best friends, was called "the young wife" as she was only twelve at this time.

Formerly Elizabeth Bryan and the sister of one of Henry VIII's closest friends (at that time), Francis Bryan, (who was to lose an eye in a Royal tournament at Greenwich in 1526), she was given a husband, Nicholas Carew, who was created "Esquire to the Body", which meant he was in personal attendance on the King in his bedroom, (this was a convenient arrangement).

The King gave Elizabeth Carew "the Young Wife" a diamond necklace, a mink coat and many other expensive gifts when she gave birth to a son.

And the King gave her mother, Margaret Bryan a gift of £500 cash. These gifts are all recorded in Henry VIII's Privy Accounts signed by him.

Margaret Bryan was later to oversee the nurseries of the King's two youngest children and keep an eye on their organisation. She was one of the few people who could speak bluntly to the King. And survive.

Elizabeth dances with the King

Elizabeth was chosen to partner the King in the "mummery" organised by Nicolas Carew husband of Elizabeth Carew, nèe Bryan, the King's ex-mistress and one of the masked dancers, she was still being referred to as "the young wife". Another dancer was Charles Brandon, back from France to take part in the Christmas celebrations.

The dancers were dressed in blue, white and yellow. The ladies all wore dresses of white satin lined with blue with mantles of blue velvet, bonnets of blue velvet, with coifs of damask piped with gold and fillets of damask gold (the three-tiered headress). The men were also in blue and white but lined with yellow satin.

It was not a great Christmas for the Queen who was recovering from the birth, soon followed by the death a few days later, of her new baby, and was still recovering in bed. She would have missed all the entertainment, but her husband arranged a special additional performance to cheer her up, in her bedroom. When they had finished and thrown off their masks, laughing, Catherine kissed her husband and thanked him for "her goodly pastime". He then left her to carry on partying.

Elizabeth's father was promoted to "Esquire of the Body". This meant he was in personal attendance on the King in his bedroom.

The King and Queen had separate suites or apartments wherever they were staying. If the King wanted to visit his wife he was accompanied with at least one of his Esquires of the Body since he did not dress and undress himself or wash himself, and also needed his "Groom of the Stool" to help him in the loo.

The job of the Esquire of the Body was " - to array the King and unarray him, and no man else was was to set hand upon the King. The Yeomen of the Robes were to take from the Esquires of the Body all the King's stuff, and an Esquire of the Body had to take charge of the cupboard at night." (The cupboard contained snacks and other things the King might need after he had gone to bed). The Esquires of the Body took precedence over all the other Esquires and Gentlemen at the Court and ranked above the Knights Bachelors.

The National Archives website has an account based on the Ordinances of 1526 on how Henry VIII was to be attended when he was made ready for bed, and when he got up in the morning.

The King's involvement with such young girls as Elizabeth Carew and Elizabeth Blount was criticized by some of his friends, including (ironically) Thomas and Elizabeth Boleyn. Meanwhile Elizabeth's father received a number of gifts from the King at this time.

However, the King may have taken notice of the critics. He replaced her with a more mature and experienced French mistress. At the repeat of the same masque on Twelfth Night at Eltham Palace, Elizabeth Blount's place as the King's partner was taken by 25 year old Jane Popincourt. She had been at the English court since 1509 and was a friend of the King's sister Mary, helping her with her French, but King Louis XII had struck her name off Mary's list of attendants to accompany her to France because of her "evil reputation". Jane Popincourt was currently also mistress to the duc de Longueville, who had been taken as prisoner of war in 1513, but was now being used as a French ambassador. Jane was also working for Henry VIII as a secret agent. (see notes)

The English Queen of France

Louis XII's daughter, Claude, aged 14, was married to her cousin, 20 year old François. A brother for Claude was just what her husband, his doting mother, Louise of Savoy, and sister Marguerite, all with big noses like vultures' beaks, did not want. They were not pleased to see Louis XII rejuvenated by his young bride and boasting of his night-time achievements.

At the tournaments in her honour, the new Queen had admired the hunky winner, Charles Brandon. He was though, not an ideal match for any teenage girl. Apart from his reputation as a womaniser from whom even the Regent was not safe. He was 34 years old, had been married three times so far, and was already a grandfather (his daughter was only 12 when married and had a baby). He had married Margaret Neville, formerly Margaret Mortimer, (a wealthy widow with a daughter) in 1506, then in 1508, he married Margaret's niece, Anne Browne (daughter of Anthony Browne, Governor of Calais,) and they had two daughters, Anne and Mary. However the eldest daughter Anne, had been born when he was married to Margaret - he had ditched her in favour of her rich widowed aunt. Anne Browne's family took legal action, the marriage to Anne was declared valid. But then Anne Browne died in 1512, and he then married Elizabeth Grey, 5th Baroness Lisle. This enabled him to be created Viscount Lisle. His new bride was born in 1505, so was only 7 years old when married in 1512. Elizabeth Grey divorced Brandon as soon as she was legally able, at age 12. Which left Brandon still legally married to Margaret Mortimer.

Meanwhile in France Louis XII found keeping up with his teenage wife, attempting to produce an heir to the throne, and enjoy the seasonal festivities, was too much for him. He become ill, and told his young wife he was to give her her best Christmas present yet, his death. This came on New Year's Day.

Mary, now Queen Dowager, was locked up in a white room, dressed entirely in white with white bed linen, to avoid any fraud, if she claimed to be pregnant. This was a French tradition and it made easier to reveal any tell-tale period stains. If she had a son, he would be the next King of France. On 25th January, Mary was able to tell François and his mother Louise, she was not pregnant with an heir to the throne, so François was now King of France.

Mary stayed on in France as Queen Dowager, still wearing the white mourning clothes, so she was called "The White Queen". She was joined by her friend, Jane Popincourt who left England with a gift of £100 from a grateful Henry VIII. Charles Brandon was sent by Henry VIII to France as his special agent. He moved in with Mary. The new King François had no problem with that. It took Mary off the international princess market.

1515 - 1517

Royal Mums and Babies

The Queen was not the only new Royal mum that year. The King's older sister Margaret, had fled from Scotland, with her second husband, Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus. And their daughter Margaret, born in September 1515. Baby Margaret was left in England, while her mother returned to Scotland to sort out her problems there and reclaim the Regency of her son King James V. Margaret was brought up with her cousin Princess Mary almost like another daughter of the King.

And now, the King's younger sister Mary, expecting her first child, was also back in England with Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk. Her English attendants in France had returned to England with her. And either remained in her service (but she could no longer afford the size of retinue she had been used to), had new appointments at court, or went home.

Mary gave birth to their son, Henry on the 11th March 1516, - so he was just a few weeks younger than Princess Mary, but was to die very young.

The King's sister Mary had a problem, she was married, although actually not legally, to Charles Brandon and pregnant. Marrying a royal princess without permission, was an Act of Treason, punishable with death. So Mary persuaded her brother that she was the one who had insisted on the marriage, and reminded him (as he did not remember saying it) that he had promised her that if she married the King of France, she could marry anyone she wanted next time.

As revenge (for his sister was now out of the Princess marriage market and of no use in future negociations and alliances with foreign states) Henry VIII made the couple pay for all the costs of Mary's wedding to Louis XII, and all the dowry he had sent to France.

This was to leave the couple permanently in financial difficulties. The following year 16th July 1517, Mary had her second child, a daughter Frances, and later they had another daughter, Eleanor and a son, Henry (the earlier Henry had died).

The financial problems of the Duke and Duchess of Suffolk were not helped by Suffolk's matrimonial mix ups. Charles Brandon's wife Anne Browne had died in 1512, his contract with Elizabeth Grey was cancelled by her when she was 12, and he could no longer help himself to her money and her title. That disposed of two of Brandon's wives, but he was still legally married to Margaret Neville formerly Margaret Mortimer. This was not sorted out until 1528 by a Papal Bull from Pope Clement VII, which assured the legitimacy of his daughters by Anne Browne and his children by Princess Mary. (see notes)

Wolsey helps out

Wolsey had already acquired a number of appointments and was to have many more including in 1514 being made Bishop of Lincoln, and Archbishop of York and in 1515, Pope Leo X made him a cardinal.

Wolsey was to become Henry VIII's right hand man and was to rebuild the residences he acquired, with the latest modern amenities and impressive architecture, including Hampton Court and York Place which was later called Whitehall. He imported artists and masons from Italy. Tsar Ivan III of Muscovy had also imported Italian craftsmen and artists to work on the Kremlin. On the long way home some of them stopped off in England where Wolsey employed them at Hampton Court and on his other building projects. Which is why Wolsey's orginal re-build of Hampton Court with its turreted walls and towers topped with minarets looks similar to parts of the Kremlin. It could have been one of the Russian/Italian artists who painted the picture mentioned later.

1517

The Sweat is back

According to Hall - page 602: "After this great triumphe, the king appointed his gestes for his pastyme this Sommer, but sodeinly there came a plague of sickenes, called the Swetyng sickenes, that turned all his purpose. This malady was so cruell that it killed some within three houres, some within two houres, some mery at diner and dedde at supper. Many died in the kynges Courte, the Lorde Clinton (whose son would become Elizabeth Blount's 2nd husband, the Lorde Grey of Wilton, and many knightes, Gentlemen and oficers. For this plague Michelmas terme (legal session - it meant the courts were not held) was adjourned and because that this malady continued from July to the meddes of December, the kyng kept hymself ever with a small compaignie and kept no solemne Christmas, willing to have no resort for far of infeccion: but much lamented the number of his people, for in some one town halfe the people died, and in some other tourne the thirde parte, the Sweate was so fevent and infeccious."

It was usual for the King to pick his special companions for his summer progress. In this case with the Sweat raging through England, as we can see in the above account, he reduced the number of people with him to a select few, enabling him to move around more easily and stay in smaller places - Henry VIII was very worried about catching any infection going, and the Sweat was nasty. Elizabeth Blount may have been on this select team offically still, as a Maid of Honour, in attendance on the Queen, but also because the King had been interested in her since 1514.

The "Sweat" was following by Plague. By the end of winter, the epidemic had cleared. But many of the King's courtiers, companions, and officials had perished, as well as much of the general population. Some towns lost nearly half their inhabitants.

1518

Clean Up

Infected houses in London should be marked by bundles of straw hung from their windows for 40 days, and those occupying an infected house must carry a white stick when they went out. The same orders were taken to Oxford by Thomas More and enforced there in April. The idea for the bundles of straw and the white sticks come from Paris which started using them in 1510.

Also in 1518, Wolsey founded the College of Physicians in order to improve standards of medicine in England.

The Treaty of London

The Treaty of London, called the "Treaty of Universal Peace", was a non-agression pact signed by the main countries of western Europe, against the threat from Ottoman Turkey.

Wolsey played a big part in arranging this.(BM 2 Oct. Vit. B. XX 92.)

Although of course it did not last more than a few years. And in 1536 François I of France and Suleimen the Magnificent ruler of the Ottoman Empire were to sign one of the most important political alliances of France which lasted until Napoleon invaded Egypt (port of the Ottoman Empire)

Princess Mary's first betrothal

Queen Catherine was pregnant again for the seventh time, and a letter (Cotton Ms. Vespasian F iii, f.73) Henry VIII wrote to Wolsey shows his concern for her health - here is part of the letter:

Two things there be which be so secret that they cause me at this time to write to you myself; the one is that I trust the queen my wife be with child; the other is chief cause why I am sloth to repair to London ward, by cause about this time is partly of her dangerous times, (referring to her likelyhood of miscarriage) and by cause of that, I would remove her as little as I may now. My lord, I write thus unto you, not as an ensured thing, but as a thing wherein I have great hope and likelihood, and by cause I do well know that this thing will be comfortable to you to understand; therefore, I do write it unto you at this time.

Baynard Castle and its surrounding buildings were being repaired and refurbished. The Queen was to give birth at Baynard Castle.

Henry VIII's concern for his wife does not seem to have kept him from playing around with other women. Presumably with the excuse of keeping things working while not disturbing his pregnant wife. And it looks like Elizabeth Blount was the main target of his passions at this time.

Six Courses at the Ring...

A mass was held at St. Paul's Cathedral, with Cardinal Wolsey officiating, then the King went to dine with the Bishop of London. Then returned to Durham House in the Strand, which was one of Cardinal Wolsey's palaces, as in 1523 he had been made Prince-Bishop of Durham.

From there they followed the Cardinal back to his newly rebuilt palace of York House (Whitehall) and there they sat down to what the Venetian ambassador described as: "a most sumptous supper, the like of which I fancy was never given either by Cleopatra or Caligula; the whole banqueting hall being so decorated with huge vases of gold and silver that I fancied myself in the tower of Chosroes, where that monarch caused divine honours to be paid him".

As the Queen was well advanced in pregnancy and she had lost yet another baby the year before, she did not want to risk losing this one and was resting as much as possible. She retired to bed after the banquet with one or two of her ladies, and missed the evening entertainments.

Hall describes it (p.595): "When the banquet was done in came six minstrels richly disguised and after them followed three gentlemen in wide and long gowns of crimson satin, everyone having a cup of gold in his hands. The first cup was full of angels and royals (10 shilling and 6s 4d pieces), the second had divers balls of dice and the third certain pairs of cards. These gentlemen offered to play at mumchance (a card game which had to be played without speaking), and when they had played the length of the first board, then the minstrels blew up, and then there entered into the chamber twelve ladies disguised as nymphs".

When dancing began, the first couple in the set was the King himself and the French Queen (his sister Mary). The second was the Duke of Suffolk and Lady Daubeny, then the Lord Admiral (later 3rd Duke of Norfolk) and Lady Guildford (Elizabeth Carew's sister), Sir Edward Neville and Lady St.Leger, Sir Henry Guildford and Mrs Elizabeth Walden, Captain Emery (always called "the Bastard Emery" in court records) and Mrs. Anne Carew (Nicolas Carew's sister), Sir Giles Capel and Lady Elizabeth Carew (still called "the young wife"), Nicholas Carew and Anne Brown (niece of Henry Guildford), Francis Bryan (brother of Elizabeth Carew) partnered Elizabeth Blount, followed by Henry Norris with Anne Wotten, then Francis Poyntz with Mary Fiennes (wife of Henry Norris) followed by Arthur Pole partnered by Margaret Bruges.

(Arthur Pole was the son of Margaret, Countess of Salisbury, daughter of the Duke of Clarence and sister to Edward, Earl of Warwick was had been imprisoned in the Tower by Henry VII until he had him executed).

This company was escorted by twelve knights in disguise and bearing torches. "All these 36 persons were disguised each in one suit of fine green satin covered with cloth of gold under, tied together with laces of gold and had masking hoods on their heads, the ladies had tires made of braids of damask gold with long hairs of white gold. All these maskers danced at one time - then they put off their visers".

"after which they all seated themselves apart from the tables and were served with countless dishes of confections and other delicacies. Having gratified their palates they then regaled their eyes and hands, large bowls filled with money and dice being placed on the table for such as like to gamble. Shortly after which, the supper tables being removed, dancing began and lasted till after midnight".

Costumes for these entertainments were often recycled ones imported from Italy. Venice especially was a source for costumes and cosmetics. This portrait dated to about 1518, and in egg-tempera on poplar wood, (materials used then by Italian and Russian artists, possibly one of those employed by Wolsey at that time), shows a girl about the same age, and wearing much the same costume as Elizabeth Blount had worn on this occasion, with the gold wire and damask head-dress. The nymph costumes did leave a breast bare. The posy conveyed a secret message. The 3 daisies: one facing, one turned away, one very small, - the daisy symbolised "loyal love". The anemone: unfading love, sincerity, expectation. The crocus or saffron: "abuse not", happiness, "results of pleasures".

(More about this picture in the notes.) A book of music and songs attributed to Henry VIII which includes songs by William Cornish and others, dates from 1518. It includes such surviving favourites as pastime with good company. And this one.

During the evening Elizabeth stood up to sing a song she had written herself and asked William Cornish, to set it to music for her to sing to the King. Who was to pay Cornish £200 afterwards. (See notes for more information about the song and composer). The song refers to the sport of "running at the ring", which took place in the palace tiltyard and was more harmless and fun than a real tournament. The competitors charged on horseback and aimed their lance through a hanging ring. Then they might gallantly present the ring to one of the girls or ladies watching. Henry VIII had enjoyed this game since he was a boy.

Little survives of the original background music for the song mostly only the refrain. But the clever double entendre in the words is clear to those who knew or could guess what had been going on.

Elizabeth's song

Whilles lyve or breth is in my brest
My soverayne lord I shall love best.

My soverayne lord, for my poure sake,
Six courses at the ryng dyd make,
Of which four tymes he did it tak;
Wher for my hart I hym beqwest,
And, of all other, for to love best
My soverayne lorde.

Whilles lyve or breth is in my brest
My soverayne lord I shall love best.

My soverayne lorde of pursantce pure
As the chefteyne of a waryowere,
With spere and sword at the barryoure -
As hardy with the hardyest
He provith hym selfe, that I say, best
My soverayne lorde.

Whilles lyve or breth is in my brest
My soverayne lord I shall love best.

My Soverayne Lorde, in everythyng
Above all other - as a kyng -
In that he doth no comparying:
But, of a tryewth, he worthyest is
To have the prayse of all the best,
My soverayne lorde.

Whilles lyve or breth is in my brest
My soverayne lord I shall love best.

My soverayne lorde when that I mete
His cherfull continaunce doth replete
My hart with joé; that I behete,
Next God, but he: and ever prest
With hart and body to love best
My soverayne lorde.

Whilles lyve or breth is in my brest
My soverayne lord I shall love best.

So many virtuse, gevyn of grace,
Ther is none one lyve that hace -
Beholde his favor and his face,
His personage most godlyest!
A vengeance on them that loveth nott best
My soverayne lorde.

Whilles lyve or breth is in my brest
My soverayne lord I shall love best.

The soverayne Lorde that is of all
My Soverayne lorde save, principall!
He hath my hart and ever shall,
Of God I ask - for hym request -
Of all gode fortunes to send him best
My soverayne lorde.

Whilles lyve or breth is in my brest
My soverayne lord I shall love best.

This was a very clever move for Elizabeth, who clearly wanted more than a diamond necklace, or a husband, by making the King's actions public. It did not take much skill to notice the double entendre and hidden agenda. And no doubt this was all reported back to the Queen by ladies who did not fail to notice that Bessie Blount was also plumper and blooming. And that the King was not going to bed until the early morning.

There was another pageant on the 8th of October, this time at Greenwich. The performers are not listed, so it is not known if Elizabeth Blount was taking part. Possibly not. Since:

The Queen was very upset by the news that Elizabeth Blount was pregnant by the King. She went into premature labour, and her tiny girl died after a few days. She never fully recovered her health and this turned out to be her last pregnancy.

Elizabeth Blount removed from the court

Cardinal Wolsey was given the orders to take care of Elizabeth. He arranged for Elizabeth to stay at Jericho Priory, Blackmore, Essex, to have her baby. This was a small Augustinian Priory (postcode is CM4 ORN) in a small village in Essex, turning off the main old Roman road (now the A12) to Chelmsford, at Ingatestone. (There was a convent at Ingatestone then). It is also accessible from the road turning off the M25 which leads to the Dartford Tunnel. To get there in the 16th century, from London, you would take the Roman Road going to Chelmsford and on to Colchester, and turn onto the narrow winding lanes (still there but surfaced better for traffic) through Ingatestone, past Margaretting, on to Blackmore.

The priory was only a small establishment with the Prior who when Elizabeth was there, was Thomas Goodwyn, and three canons, though at the time the 14th century steeple (still there see picture right) was built, there had been 12 canons.

It was one of 30 the smaller religious establishments that Wolsey dissolved in 1525, with the intention of using the funds saved to establish a college at Cambridge, and endow the grammar school in Ipswich (both still there). Blackmore (or Jericho) Priory was dissolved on 10th February 1525. The Prior and canons were then transferred to other places. (A History of the County of Essex: Vol.2(1907).

The house where Elizabeth was accomodated adjoined the Priory, and was known as Jericho. It was surrounded by a moat (you can see the remains of it and layout on Google Earth picture). The moat was fed by the local stream, called the Jordan.

It is still possible to see many houses in Blackmore village which might have been there when Elizabeth Blount lived there.

Little remains of the house and priory as it was when Elizabeth Blount would have been accomodated there. After Henry VIII had lost patience with Wolsey for not getting his divorce through, he had taken most of Wolsey's property to add to his own collection. He then despite the protests from most of the country, closed down all the religious institutions and took the properties for himself. Then he profited by the sales. In 1540 Henry VIII sold Jericho Priory to John Smyth (or Smith), who worked in the Treasury and must have eyeballed it for himself. His plans for a new home meant that he demolished the original house and a lot of the other buildings, including part of the church, until the locals complained and protested successfully to keep the church as their local Parish church and meeting place. That is why there is a huge wall around the actual house which cuts straight across the end of the church. It has changed owners and been rebuilt and updated a few times since then so hardly anything remains of the original house that Elizabeth Blount stayed in. But some idea of what it looked like can be worked out from the surviving houses in the village which are Tudor or older in origin. And traces of the original buildings survived and the remains of the moat which surrounded them.

1519.

Henry VIII critized by his Privy Council for going out on the town with the lads at night. Decides he should be addressed as "Your Majesty" as well as "Your Grace" and "Your Highness". Has a son.

Since Elizabeth must have missed at least two periods, to be certain she was pregnant, at the time she sung the song at the supper after the masque, in October, she would have been about 3 months gone, and her pregnancy would soon be showing. Hence her need to take action.

This means her son would have to have been due in in Spring 1519, about March or April. The exact day that that Elizabeth Blount gave birth to the King's son does not seem to have been recorded or at least the records have not been found. This was not unusual then. And if her baby had been a girl, perhaps mother and child would have been forgotten if the King had no further interest in Elizabeth Blount. But she had the son Henry VIII had yearned for. The baby was christened Henry after his father, and given the surname Fitzroy. This means "Son of the King" and was used for royal bastards. Cardinal Wolsey was the child's godfather, so he was certain this was the King's son.

The King visited Elizabeth Blount and their son so often, it become a standing joke at the court, that the King had "gone to Jericho".

Blackmore is not quite as remote as it looks even in Tudor times. Henry VIII used to go on hunting expeditions in Epping Forest, which was far more extensive than the bit that is left now. Just one of the Tudor hunting lodges now remains (near Chingford) but Henry VIII could stop off at a number of lodges or houses or inns, enroute for a break or even overnight on his journey, and kill a few deer on the way. He liked hunting so much he wore out those who accompanied him. His friend, the cleric and diplomat Richard Pace commented: "He spares no pains to convert the sport of hunting into martyrdom".

Henry VIII could have taken the opportunity to visit both his children while staying at Newhall, Boreham, near Chelmsford, to see his daughter Princess Mary. Newhall had been sold to him in 1517, by Thomas Boleyn, who had inherited it from his grandfather, Thomas Butler, 7th Earl of Ormonde (who had died there 2 years earlier), for £1,000, and rebuilt at a cost of £17,000. Henry VIII had the fortified manor house rebuilt into a magnificent palace. He intended it to be used to accomodate his daughter Princess Mary and any other children he might have. Remains of the carvings at the front, show the Tudor Rose, Catherine's Pomegranate, and a Pomegranate with a small Tudor Rose coming out of it - clearly referring to his child by Queen Catherine.

Despite all the possible claims, Elizabeth Blount's son, was the only bastard child that King Henry VIII he was to acknowledge as his and was to treat equally, even at times, better than, his legitimate children. There is a clue in the song written and sung by Elizabeth Blount: Henry VIII could have had no doubts at all.

The following summer the whole court was not very far away from Jericho Priory. Queen Catherine had a house at Havering atte Bower, where she had invited the King, and the French hostages. Here the King with his companions went hunting and shooting and would have had plenty of opportunities to call in to Jericho Priory to see his new son. And Elizabeth his mother.

In September the King was back nearby, with the Queen, and their court, at Newhall, which he had finished renovating and had renamed "Beaulieu" (beautiful place). Here they entertained with banquets and masque performances.

It is possible that Henry Fitzroy was not the only child Elizabeth had by Henry VIII. Her daughter, also called Elizabeth, is said to have been born in 1520 as she was said to be 43 when she died in 1563. Elizabeth's marriage to Gilbert Tailbois was not arranged until 1522, and took place in 1523, so it does look possible that Henry VIII had continued his affair with Elizabeth Blount until at least 1522. She was living with their child or children, and he was certainly visiting very frequently. The King's frequent visits to Jericho Priory were a standing joke at court.

Elizabeth Blount's daughter Elizabeth, was brought up as Gilbert Tailbois' daughter and eventually she was to become Baroness Tailbois in her own right after the deaths of her two Tailbois brothers (born in 1524 and 1526). So it seems that an alternative later birthdate - after her brothers, is a possibility otherwise her inheritance would have been questioned by Gilbert Tailbois' relatives. However it does seem that she could have been fathered by the King and Gilbert Tailbois had to accept her as his own.

Henry VIII going after other women

Henry VIII seems to have abandoned Elizabeth Blount as a mistress, or at least supplemented her with his new romantic interests, by 1520, when Elizabeth might have been pregnant again. Jane Parker, at the Field of Cloth of Gold in 1520, and in that masque in 1522, (see more on her below) was mentioned as having the King's attentions. And the King had definitely become interested in Mary Boleyn, Thomas Boleyn's daughter.

Certainly he was looking after himself to stay attractive to women and cut an imposing figure. He used sets of weights to build up his muscles and was fond of energetic sports like Real Tennis (ancestor of both lawn tennis and squash), for which he had special sports clothes.

His palaces were all equipped with sports facilities, tennis courts (indoor for Real Tennis), archery, bear baiting, cock-fighting, and in the surrounding or nearby parks and forests: for hunting and hawking.

Mary Boleyn replaces Elizabeth as mistress to Henry VIII

Mary Boleyn, daughter of Thomas and Elizabeth Boleyn, had returned from France, where as a Maid of Honour, she had accompanied the King's sister, Mary Queen of France who was now Duchess of Suffolk.

Mary Boleyn was married to William Carey on 4th February 1520. The King attended their wedding, and William Carey (often called "lytell Carrie" in the King's Privy Accounts) received frequent valuable gifts from the King. Especially when Mary gave birth to Katherine (in 1524) and Henry (in 1526). William Carey may have been chosen by the King himself as a "husband of convenience". A set-up Mary's sister when it was her turn to attract the King, would be determined to avoid.

Field of Cloth of Gold 7th to 24th June 1520

The newly wed couple, William and Mary Carey, were both on the guest list at the Field of Cloth of Gold event in Northern France, near Calais, later that year. As was Jane Parker, the 15 year old daughter of Henry Parker, Lord Morley. Lord Morley had acquired a reputation as a scholar and was translating a number of ancient books, travelled abroad, and had his portrait done by Albrecht Dürer. Jane, now appointed a Maid of Honour to the Queen, may have had the attentions of Henry VIII in 1520 as her name is mentioned in that connection. But it does not seem to have been a deep relationship although she eventually had her head cut off later along with his 5th wife. Her marriage to George Boleyn, Mary Boleyn's brother took place in 1524. Both Jane's and George's parents were also at the Field of Cloth of Gold.

Elizabeth Blount was not on the list of ladies and gentlewomen invited to attend the Field of Cloth of Gold. It is unlikely that Queen Katherine wanted her back in her entourage. Which was probably why Mary Boleyn was married off when she first became the King's mistress. She could still have a place at court as Mrs. Carey. And her new husband took part in the tournaments and competitions at the Field of Cloth of Gold. Elizabeth would not return to court until she was a married woman, and Henry VIII was planning to divorce his wife so no longer cared about her opinions.

Also missing from the list of people invited to the Field of Cloth of Gold, was Mary's sister Anne Boleyn. This was because she was still in service with the Regent (of the Emperor Charles V), Margarete of Austria, who ruled the Netherlands. Here she was being well educated as one of her wards, by an independent woman who was fond enough of her, and pleased with her progress, to refuse to allow her father to transfer her to France to join her sister Mary in the entourage of Mary Tudor. Anne may have been able to meet her family at Calais when Henry VIII and Queen Katherine followed their Field of Cloth of Gold meeting with the King and Queen of France by recycling the pavilions to entertain the Emperor Charles V and the Regent and could have travelled back home to England with them. But she is first mentioned at the English Court in 1522 when she was one of the ladies performing in an entertainment along with her sister, and Jane Parker, and others.

Mary Boleyn is said to have been warmly recommended to Henry VIII, by François I who called her - in words translating something like - "my favourite English filly always good for a ride". He also called her "a famous whore would go with anyone". So she appears to have made some impact while in France. Mary was not only attractive, she was an accomplished musican, well educated and fluent in French - and was said to be better natured as well as more attractive, than her sister.

Her husband William Carey had been made one of Henry VIII's "Esquires to the Body" so he was in daily personal contact with the King in the King's bedroom. (Which made it easy to bring his wife to the King at night). Carey was 24, slim and good-looking and intelligent (though "lytell") and a close friend and servant to the King. They had two children, Catherine (born 1524) and Henry (born 4th March, 1526). Both were always believed to be the King's although officially they were Carey's.

The presents Carey received from his grateful monarch of manors and estates, provided an increase in income which allowed him to collect art and sponsor artists. He introduced Lucas Horenbout, famous for painting miniatures, to the King.

The event at the Field of Cloth of Gold, was a great success, not least because the English side had brought along and installed a huge fountain with a continuous flow of red or white wine. This proved to be the main attraction and those who had no hope of getting into the event discovered where the outflow went. Bringing complaints of drunken louts littering the roads.

Catherine of Aragon dressed less formally than she usually would do on state occassions, her outfit topped by a round continental-style hat, from which her auburn hair was arranged to flow over one shoulder. Fluent in French as well as Spanish and Latin, she was able to talk to Queen Claude and the French Princesses, seated under canopies lined with pearls, watching their husbands and their teams competed against each other at jousting and other sports and activities.

The festival ended on the evening of 24th June, with a Mass given by Wolsey, Richard Pace read a sermon and Wolsey gave everyone an indulgence forgiving everyone's sins. But the congregation was distracted from this solemn event by an amazing blazing dragon shooting across through the sky. Someone had accidentally lit the firework display intended as a spectacular finale, too early.

A highlight of the festival had been the wrestling match between Henry and François. They were close in age, Henry was a little older, but a little bigger, and had been working out with his weights. He expected to win easily. François won. By a winning throw called the "flying mare" apparently. This left Henry rather grumpy.

Although the French had left, the English King and Queen and their entourage remained in Calais. On Tuesday 10th July Henry VIII, Wolsey, the Duke of Buckingham, the Duke of Suffolk, and about 300 others left Calais for Gravelines, across the border in territory ruled by the Emperor Charles V, who met them halfway. They all rode into Gravelines where the Regent Margarete was waiting to greet them. Two days later, it was the turn of Henry and Catherine to welcome the Emperor and the Regent in Calais, which had been decorated and the tents put up again for additional accomodation.

Charles V was Queen Catherine's nephew and the Regent was her sister-in-law as had been married to her brother. But despite all the wonderful banquets and entertainments, things did not go as well as the meeting with the King of France. The weather had become wet and stormy, and some of the recycled pavilions blew down. And also Henry VIII refused the demands of the Emperor and Regent to ditch the Treaty of London and the planned marriage of his daughter to the Dauphin. (2 years later he changed his mind and Princess Mary was betrothed to Charles V).

After this and a rough crossing home, Henry VIII was not in a good mood. And even more irritated by his second cousin Edward Stafford, Duke of Buckingham. He was extemely rich, well connected and powerful. His mother was the sister of Henry VIII's grandmother, Elizabeth Woodville (wife of King Edward IV). And he was directly descended from one of King Edward III's sons, with a much better claim to the throne by inheritance than Henry VIII's father Henry VII, who had become King of England only by winning his war against Richard III. Henry VIII did not only have his father's dodgy claim to the throne by conquest, he also had a more direct inheritance, through his mother Elizabeth of York, daughter of Edward IV. But there were still so many royal claimants and hostile foreign powers as well as people in England, willing to support them, that it was enough to make Henry VIII feel paranoid.

Buckingham's main home was Thornbury Castle but he never had a chance to complete his plans for building the new modern extensions. When he was on his way to the Field of Cloth of Gold, he had stopped off at his property at Tonbridge. He had to sack a steward there called Kynvett. Narked at losing his job, (his lawyer was Thomas Cromwell) Kynvett told Wolsey that Buckingham had made treasonable statements. That was enough for the King to feel threatened. Buckingham was with the King in Calais, but as soon as they were back in England, he was arrested and in 1521, executed on Tower Hill. Henry VIII bagged all his possessions, and was to stay at Thornbury in 1533. Thornbury, (postcode BS35 1HH) is now a hotel.

Buckingham's daughter Elizabeth Stafford was to become Henry Fitzroy's mother-in-law, when he married her daughter Mary Howard.

Elizabeth Stafford had been married in 1513, to Thomas Howard, Earl of Surrey (became Duke of Norfolk in 1524) as his 2nd wife, the first had been a princess, Anne, daughter of Edward IV and sister of Henry VIII's mother. But all their children died young and Anne followed them. Elizabeth Stafford, then 15, was betrothed to Ralph Neville, Earl of Westmorland, at the time Thomas Howard fancied her for his next wife, and she was not happy to be married off instead to a man who was much older, 39, short and weedy looking, and previously married. While her sister Catherine married Ralph Neville. They had five children, Katherine, Charles, Thomas, Henry and Mary. Charles and Katherine died young. Henry was to be one of Henry Fitzroy's closest companions, and Mary was to become his wife.

1523

Elizabeth given a husband

It is not clear if Elizabeth Blount was still living in Jericho Priory, or more probably was lodged by Wolsey at Durham Place with her son, when, in 1522 or 1523, Cardinal Wolsey arranged her marriage to Gilbert Tailboys, who was one of the young men placed with him.

The background of Elizabeth's husband

Two useful references:This is one of the references. Also: South Kyme, the history of a Fenland Village, by Margaret Newton. Has a lot of information on the history of South Kyme.

The Tailboys (Talbois, Tailboys, Talbois, Talboys etc.) family, originally of Durham and Northumberland, descended from Ivo de Taillebois, one of those Normans who had received large amounts of land and property from William the Conqueror. The family had acquired its Lincolnshire estates, together with the Northumberland lordship of Redesdale and a claim to the barony of Kyme and the earldom of Angus, in the 14th century, through the marriage of the heiress, Lucy de Kyme, to Robert de Umfraville, Earl of Angus.

Their son, Gilbert de Umfraville, Earl of Angus, rebuilt the house at South Kyme into an impressive stone castle, in the latest modern style, which took into account the possibilites of seige by guns. It was surrounded by a moat, fed by the Kyme Eau, a stream off the River Slea, which was the main waterway and transport system from Sleaford to Boston - and the North sea. Four fortified towers dominated the flat fen skyline manned by guards to look out over the landscape in all directions, and the building itself was dominated by its great hall, with painted ceiling and carved decorations. The house was abandoned in the 18th century, materials salvaged, including the magnificent fireplaces, (and plundered) and only one ruined tower and the some of the moat remain. The tower was still useful as a look-out and used in the 2nd World War. You can tell its height by the size of the people nearby. Of the Priory next to the castle, only the church remains (see picture right) as it was used by the local people as their parish church.

Having improved the channel of the river allowing the easy passage of boats carrying cargo to Boston and overseas, and the other way, Gilbert acquired from King Edward III a promise "to grant until him and his heirs forever, certain customs of the merchandize passing in ships through the same". He was also to receive a Royal Charter allowing him to collect the dues he asked for from each item of cargo from each ship. And was also to obtain the right to hold an annual fair in South Kyme from 1344. Each trader had to pay a fee to Gilbert. Modern versions of these fairs or festivals are still held at South Kyme. Like other land-owners at that time, Gilbert found the serfs were now demanding their rights and wages for their work. He was also challenged about now keeping the Kyme Eau clear enough for navigation although he took the tolls from the shipping. South Kyme was left to his niece Eleanor who had married Henry Tailboys.

About 1499 possibly about the time he was born, Gilbert Tailboys' father, Sir George Tailboys, who had been Sheriff of both Lincolnshire and Northumberland, contracted "the land evil", which affected his mind, at Berwick while Lieutenant of the East and Middle marches. He was badly enough deranged mentally, to be legally regarded as "a lunatic", however, he appeared to recover from his illness. He was created a Knight of the Body in December 1509, when he was licensed to appoint justices in Redesdale, and he fought in the French campaign of 1513. By this time, his condition had deteriorated, and he became increasingly uncontrollable. He had an obsession with massive entertainments with wild hunting parties and gambling and became famous locally as "the mad Lord Kyme".

His wife, Elizabeth, alarmed that he was squandering all the family wealth, leaving nothing for her and her children, had him certified as a lunatic. In March 1517, his property was placed under the custodianship of Cardinal Wolsey, (who was known to the Tailboys as he was Dean of Lincoln), with Lady Tailboys in control. The custody of his person and lands was entrusted to Cardinal Wolsey, and to eight of George Tailboys' Lincolnshire relations and neighbours, including the Dymokes, several of whom had been named executors in his will of five years before. These guardians appear to have been chosen in accordance with an agreement made with the Crown at the time of George Tailboys' first illness. Wolsey also took George Tailboys' eldest son Gilbert who was then about 17, into his service.

Gilbert's mother, Lady Elizabeth Tailboys was left to run the estates, and was proud of her successful cattle herds, and fussy about their pastures.

Elizabeth is married

This is probably because there was some concern by those in power, especially those of Henry VIII's cronies like William Crompton who had long-standing arguments over land boundaries with her father, John Blount, that Henry VIII might again consider divorcing his wife, this time to leave him free to marry the mother of his son. Which would make Elizabeth's father one of the most powerful men at court. If Elizabeth was already married, this could not happen. Henry VIII was persuaded to find a husband for Elizabeth, which was yet another task he passed on to Wolsey.

Gilbert Tailbois and his new wife Elizabeth were granted by royal warrant the manor and town of Rokeby in Warwickshire. Now Rugby, it was part of the possessions of the Duke of Buckingham who had been executed in 1521, for treason. (The real reason was that Henry VIII was persuaded he was a threat to him because of his wealth and power and ability if he wanted, to put in a valid claim to the throne.)

In the following year an Act of Parliament (14 Hen8 ch.34, 1523) set forth that: "Gilbert, son and heir apparent of Sir George Tailbois, Knight, had married and taken to his wife Elizabeth, daughter of John Blount, Esquyer , by whch marriage, as well the said Sir George Tailbois, Knight, as the said Gilbert Tailbois, have recyved not alonely great summes of money, but also many benyfittes to their right much comforte."

The same Act of Parliament also assured to the said Elizabeth a life interest in her new (and mad) father-in-law's property in the city of Lincoln, as well as the manors of Skellingthorpe (south-west of Lincoln), Bamburgh, Friskney, Sotby, and Faldingworth in Lincolnshire, Newton Kyme and Kesylle(sic), in Yorkshire and Yeirlton in Somerset.

Gilbert's mother was angry when the marriage settlement, which not only included her son's inheritance but additional property and income, (in Lincoln, Skellingthorpe, Bamburgh, Friskney, Sotby, Faldingworth etc.) was settled to remain with her new daughter in law, Elizabeth Blount in the event of his dying before her, and therefore, would never benefit her other children.

Picture is from a copy of one showing Henry VIII opening the 1523 Parliament- Wolsey - see hat - and the other clerics on one side, some of the members of the House of Commons, with the Speaker, Thomas More on the other side, with the Lords in front.

Henry VIII did not get what he wanted, the Commons, headed by their Speaker, Sir Thomas More, only allowed a small part of the money the King demanded to continue his war in France, began in 1522. He had spent a large part of the money on his own comforts while hundreds of his men had died of hunger and cold.

1524

10th March, 1524, Henry VIII finds jousting can be dangerous.

Henry VIII was hurt in a jousting accident, when he was testing his new armour. He was hit by a spear in the front of his helmet, and his helmet was full of splinters from the spear.

And according to the book mentioned above: If your opponent made contact with your helmet, the blow was something like being knocked about the head with a hammer weighing half a ton, wielded at a speed of 40 miles an hour.

Henry did not seem to have been badly hurt at the time, but for the rest of his life he was plagued by migraine headaches. He now started to realise that he was no longer so young, and to plan more for the future.

In 1524 Elizabeth gave birth to a son. And Gilbert Tailbois was made a Knight. The new baby was called George (after Gilbert's mad father). They had a second son - called Robert, a year or two later. The three children, Elizabeth, George and Robert were all brought up as Gilbert Tailbois' children. But Henry VIII now had other plans for their older brother Henry.

1525

Henry Fitzroy separated from his mother

Elizabeth had to leave her eldest son Henry Fitzroy at Durham Place. There was no place for his son's mother in the King's plans for his son. However, Elizabeth did have some contact with her son's tutors later, and was eventually to have more contact with her son.

Gilbert, his wife, and her younger children, now moved up to South Kyme.

South Kyme

When Elizabeth first saw the castle of South Kyme, her new home, she saw an impressive large building of the local golden white Ancaster limestone, but which had seen better days.

The walls surrounded a great hall with stained glass windows and impressive decorated fireplaces, joined to four tall, 4-storey, fortified towers, with spiral staircases, from which lookouts could see over the battlements, for miles. The castle and its outside buildings, kitchens and offices, stables, workshops, and housing for servants was surrounded by a moat with a draw bridge (you can see from the Google view how it extend further than what can be seen today).

And it was a double moat too, the outside one bringing the barges from the River Slea, through a passage with gate and a building where fees were collected for further passage, through the village and onwards to Boston and the North Sea. It also came with a deer park, a 15th and 16th century status symbol, walled with massive banks designed so deer could get in, but could not escape. Elizabeth was to find that useful when she entertained visitors.

The Augustinian Priory is close to the Castle. This, well endowed by the Tailbois family and their predecessors, was also an extensive range of stone buildings. The Prior at the time Elizabeth lived there was Ralf Fairfax. He had been elected in 1511, and was to be the last Prior. There were 9 canons still living there at the time of the Dissolution. Seven elderly and two younger men. The Priory and its lands were then sold. Part of the original Priory church was kept to serve the village as the parish church. This was originally very much larger, all that was left was part of the nave and south aisle. The church was largely rebuilt in 1805.

The house was demolished in 1725. Pieces were sold off and some reclaimed to build new buildings like the farmhouse which now stands to the east of the property. All that is still standing of the original house is one of the towers - and it can be seen that the building extended from that on two of the sides. It is in a ruined condition, only the lower floors are accessible to the public. The tower was used as a look out in World War II. It is now open at times to the public. (as in picture above). It can now be visited when the village has its May festival there. First held in 2011. Traces of wall and ceiling decoration give just a hint of what the building once looked like.

The moat, now mostly silted up and partly filled in, was fed by the Kyme Eau, tributary of the River Slea. The Slea gave direct access between Sleaford and Boston, and from Boston to the rest of the world accesible by its shipping. (Pilgrim fathers were to leave for America from there).

Elizabeth's father knighted

One of those he had appointed to carry out the terms of his will was Sir William Compton, very close friend of Henry VIII (and called his pimp as he used to help Henry out by accomodating his mistresses) who had already gained vast wealth and property, had been appointed Sheriff of Worcestershire for life, and had an issue with John Blount who hated him, (was that because Compton had something to do with the way his daughter had been treated either before or after she became pregnant by the King?) but Crompton was friends with John's younger brother Edward.

William Compton took over Thomas Blount's post of Keeper of the royal Parks at Bewdley and Earnewood, which had originally been guaranteed by royal warrant to John Blount to have after his father died.

John Blount, was supported by Wolsey's secretary Thomas Cromwell. And with Cromwell's assistance (helped by some payments or bribes) John Blount did get appointed as Parker of Cleobury Mortimer, (ref: Childe-Pemberton, Elizabeth Blount and Henry VIII, p. 193) another of the royal lands near Kinlet. The feud was carried on with fighting between their retainers - and between John and his younger brother Edward on Compton's side.

The situation was resolved in the summer of 1528, when John Blount's enemy William Compton suddenly died of "the Sweat". John Blount died in February 1530, and Katherine Elizabeth's mother, took over Kinlet and all the hassles involved in dealing with the property, land and neighbours. In this she was greatly helped by Thomas Cromwell, and she was one those who helped Cromwell in reporting all the local politics in her area.

1525

Elizabeth now Lady Tailbois, moves to South Kyme

Gilbert and his wife Elizabeth and their new baby son, were forced to move to Lincolnshire, into Gilbert's family home, now his and Elizabeth's, at South Kyme. So while her son was now to be recognised as the King's son, almost equal in status to the King's legitimate daughter Princess Mary, his mother and step-father were kept away and were intended to have no further part to play in his upbringing. (Events were to change this later).

Elizabeth's original home, her mother and the rest of her own family were on the other side of England. Elizabeth had now to establish herself as a woman of some power and authority in a place and with people completely strange and unknown to her.

Elizabeth's first action after she moved in to South Kyme, was to move her mother-in-law out - to the smaller but still substantial, red-brick manor house of Goltho, a good distance away on the other side of Lincoln.

Elizabeth's mother-in-law complained bitterly to Wolsey, that she been forced out of the home and estates, farms and cattle herds, that she had managed herself for years.

Another grievance was that her daughter-in-law now had a life interest in the estates that had been handed over to her and Gilbert, so that she would keep everything when Gilbert died, leaving his younger brothers and sisters without anything. And in addition, Elizabeth was trying to gain control of the remainder of the Tailbois estates that had been left to her mother-in-law, claiming that she had mismanaged them.

And in addition, her son, despite all his new excessive wealth, still had the gall to insist that "since his mother was the cause of his going to Court, she must pay for his Costs".

Having cleared the old house of her mother-in-law, Elizabeth then got in builders and decorators to turn the castle into a modern residence, and a suitable setting to accomodate huge numbers of guests and visitors to hunting parties in the restored deer park. They could arrive by road or by sea via Boston, then by boat up the river Slea, with direct access to the house.

Why Henry VIII was so worried about his succession and needed a son for his legitimate heir

Queen Catherine was 40 in 1525, and had not had another child, since the baby she lost on hearing of Elizabeth Blount's pregnancy. She had a number of health problems, and in 1525, her physicians reported to her husband, that it was unlikely that she could safely bear more children. Henry VIII's only legitimate child was his daughter, Princess Mary, and his only acknowledged son was the illegitimate Henry Fitzroy.

There was nothing in English law to prevent Henry VIII's only legitimate heir, his daughter, Princess Mary, succeeding her father and reigning as Queen of England. (As she was eventually to do after her half-brother Edward died.) However at this time, there had been no precedent for a reigning Queen of England. The only one known in English history had been the Empress Matilda, who had been usurped by her cousin Stephen - although her son eventually succeeded Stephen as King.

The only recent example of a woman successor to the throne was Henry VIII's own mother, Elizabeth of York. But not only was it never clear (or at least made public) that her brothers, especially the younger brother Richard, had died or been murdered in the Tower, there was also a cousin, Edward, who had been nominated by Richard III as his heir, when his own son died, which is why he was also imprisoned in the Tower. Here he stayed, until executed along with Perkin Warbeck who claimed to be Elizabeth of York's younger brother Richard. Henry VII had married Elizabeth of York to re-enforce his claim to the throne and the legitimacy of his own eldest son to succeed him.

Without legitimate sons of his own Henry VIII felt vulnerable. His father, Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond, had won the crown of England by defeating the existing and legitimate, King Richard III at the Battle of Bosworth in 1485, and that was only because Richard III had been killed during the battle. The Tudors had no other real claim to the throne. And as fast as claimants were murdered or executed, there were always others who could put in a claim to the throne as good as or better than Henry's father had.

That was because they were all decended from King Edward III. This king had a huge number of children, both by his wife and on the side. And most of them in turn had families. John of Gaunt, 3rd son of Edward III, had three families. It would seem that the royal family was making up for the ravages of the "Black Death" which it is estimated had reduced the population by a third in the mid 14th century. This meant that by the 16th century, a large number of people - just about the whole of the upper classes it is estimated, could claim descent from Edward III and a claim to the throne.

And like most families they fought amongst themselves. Apart from the battles - called later "the Wars of the Roses" - these internecine struggles had little impact on the general population who were managing to remake the economy and change the political structure of the country, after the ravages of the plague, called "the Black Death".

The improved communications to the Far East, made possible by the Mongol Empire, (which had also spread the Plague which knocked out a third of Europe's population), had woken Western Europe to the trading possibilities abroad. While the aristocracy fought each other, a new wealthy middle class of merchants, now held the real power in European countries. They provided the money.

Henry VIII's grandmother, Lady Margaret Beaufort, Countess of Richmond, was descended from John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, third eldest son of Edward III. But not from John of Gaunt's first wife, Blanche, nor his second wife, Constancia (Catherine of Aragon was descended from Constancia), but from his mistress Katherine Swynford - who did eventually become John of Gaunt's third wife, but only after all their children were grown up. Including the ones born after the death of Katherine's nominal husband Hugh Swynford, who were given the surname Beaufort.

Margaret Beaufort, born 31st May, 1443, was a great-grand-daughter of Katherine Swynford. She was first married in 1450 when she was 7 years old. Three years later this marriage was dissolved, and she was married on 1st November 1455 to Edmund Tudor, Earl of Richmond, a bastard half-brother of King Henry VI, whose father was Owen Tudor, lover of Henry VI's mother.

Soon after his wedding, Edmund went off to war (on red rose side), leaving his 12 year old wife pregnant. Was taken prisoner by the Yorkist (white rose) side; and died the following November, just two months before his son Henry was born which was on 28th January 1457. Margaret was to marry again twice more, but had no more children. In January 1462, she married Henry Stafford. He died in 1471, and in June 1472 Margaret married Thomas Stanley, Lord High Constable and King of Man. (He never went to the Isle of Man, but had to pay two falcons for the title at each coronation).

It was Stanley's second marriage. And a politically charged one. The death of Henry VI's son in 1471, had left Margaret's son heir to the Lancastrian claim to the throne, a claim, his mother was determined should be pursued. Her son stayed out of range of Richard III in Brittany, collecting an army of mercenaries, to invade at the right time. And since Margaret had access to the Tower, she is a suspect for arranging the murder of the two princes Edward and Richard as rivals for the throne with a better claim than her son. Their cousin, Edward, the Earl of Warwick, was imprisoned in the Tower by Henry Tudor, and was executed later by his orders. Edward, Earl of Warwick was the son of Richard III's brother, the Duke of Clarence who was executed by drowning in a butt of malmsey wine by the orders of their brother King Edward IV who himself was of doubtful legitimacy. When Richard III's son died, he made his nephew, the Earl of Warwick his heir which is one reason Henry Tudor, now Henry VII, put him in the Tower and later had him publicly executed - no doubt to avoid the speculation that followed the mysterious fates of his cousins, Edward and Richard.

Since Henry VII's claim to the throne of England was mainly by conquest with his mercenary army (who needed to be paid) and there were any number of people around with a claim to royal descent, who could get support from the countries that surrounded England, France, Scotland, Ireland, and other European countries, he could be easily challenged by a rival with a better claim to the throne. Since the crown was was inherited, however many were killed, there would still be others who could gather support to challenge the Tudors. Henry VII's only surviving son, now Henry VIII was brought up with a paranoid feeling of insecurity - that his rule could be challenged.

One major "white rose" challenge was to come from the sister of Edward, Earl of Warwick - Margaret, and her family. Margaret Plantagenet had been married off the to son of a half-sister of Margaret Beaufort whose idea it was. Margaret's husband was Sir Reginald Pole, he became Chamberlain to Prince Arthur, and died in 1504, leaving Margaret with 4 sons and relatively little to live on.

When Henry VII knew his life was coming to an end, he told his son that he had been in the wrong to have had the Earl of Warwick executed. When Henry VIII became king, he tried to compensate the Earl of Warwick's sister, Margaret. He gave her an annuity of £100, and in 1513, he had the attainder against Warwick reversed, and he created her Countess of Salisbury in her own right. (Earl of Salisbury was one of her brother's titles) and restored many of her Neville mother's family estates. That was on condition she did not seek revenge for her brother's execution. Margaret's eldest son was created Lord Montague, a Neville title. In 1516 Margaret was invited to be one of the godmothers to Princess Mary and appointed governess of the princess's household.

The husband of Katherine Plantagenet - one of Henry VIII's mother's sisters, Lord William Courtenay, now Earl of Devon, was released from the Tower. He died in 1511. His son Edward, who was a grandson of Edward IV was created Marquess of Exeter. The Marquess of Dorset was also set free.

Yet one day Henry VIII was to turn against his White Rose cousins.

One way Henry VIII could feel more secure on the throne was to generate huge numbers of sons of his own as his heirs. But this had not happened. Catherine had not become pregnant again, since she lost her baby in 1518. After at least 7, possibly 9, pregnancies in total, she had some health problems, and in 1525, her doctors told her husband that it seemed unlikely that she would have another child. So in 1525, Henry VIII had a legitimate daughter, and an illegitimate son. He had to make the best of it.

Mary was an attractive girl with fair to ginger curly hair and was very bright for her age. She was being very well educated. There was nothing in the English consitution to prevent a girl inheriting the throne as Queen in her own right (which Mary and her younger half-sister Elizabeth were each to do eventually). A number of examples of capable women rulers were still around in Europe, and Henry VIII had met at least one of them. But there was the fate of Catherine's sister Juana as well.

In English law it was (and is) legally possible for a man to make an illegitimate child his heir in his will. So Henry VIII could do that. As he was the King, he had another option of having his bastard son declared his heir by an Act of Parliament.

And it was important that England looked strong and secure because of the situation on the continent. The most powerful ruler in Europe was Catherine's nephew, Charles V, who in 1519, had been elected Holy Roman Emperor. His domains crossed around the world, covering Flanders (approximately present Holland and Belgium), the German States, Austria, Spain, the Spanish American colonies, the Philipines and other Spanish possessions in the Far East. His Empire was threatened only by conflict with the Ottoman Turkish Empire and with France, which challenged his takeover of Italy.

On 24th February, 1525, at the Battle of Pavia, in Italy, François I^e was defeated and taken prisoner by the Imperial Forces led by the Duc de Bourbon (who had defected to the enemy to escape François's mother Louise, 14 years older than him, who wanted to marry him).

Henry VIII wanted to take advantage of the defeat of the French King, by collaborating with Charles V. His daughter Mary had been betrothed to Charles V in 1522, when she was 6 and Charles 22. The picture of her shows her wearing a brooch with "L'Emperour" on it. But Charles V did not wait for Mary to grow up, he married his cousin Isabella of Portugal in 1526.

1525

Mary, Princess of Wales

Since Ludlow was traditionally the residence of the heir to the throne who had been invested as Prince of Wales, this recognized Princess Mary as the legitimate heir to the throne. It was the main base of the Council for Wales, even though it is not actually in Wales. With most of the hundreds in her retinue, Mary moved first to Thornbury, on her way to Ludlow, and the following year she was able to meet her parents again when they were touring in Oxfordshire and Gloucestershire.

1525

Henry Fitzroy, the Prince in the North.

Henry Fitzroy's nurse was Agnes Partridge. She may have been chosen by Henry VIII, since her husband and his brother were amongst his close friends. She may have originally been Henry Fitzroy's wet nurse since it was normal for all mothers who could afford it, to hire a wet nurse, there being no other safe alternative for feeding infants. Elizabeth had a wet nurse herself when she was born, and so did all her brothers and sisters. Often there was more than one wet nurse - like a choice of feeding bottles and formula. The nurse would have presided over junior nurses called "rockers" who used to clean up and change the baby.

Very young babies did not just have a nappy - they were totally wrapped up and bound to a padded board, and changed and bathed once a day. Toddlers wore dresses with no pants, and girls and boys were were dressed the same. Boys were kept in dresses until they were about 6 (by which time they really ought to be dry). Six was an important age for a little boy - he was dressed in grown up clothes, so apart from other considerations, Henry Fitzroy now would have been old enough - not just to go through the ceremonies which made him almost equal in status, to his half-sister Princess Mary, (Henry Brandon was only 2 at his investiture at the same ceremonies where he was created Earl of Lincoln) but considered old enough to be separated from his mother and receive a more formal eduation.

Agnes Partridge had a son of her own, called Harry, who would have been born just before Henry Fitzroy, this would how she was available to be chosen as Henry Fitzroy's nurse. Her son Harry was brought up with Henry Fitzroy.

Agnes Partridge was to continue to remain in Henry Fitzroy's household, until he was about 10. She was paid 50 shillings a quarter (£10 a year). The King also gave her other occasional generous gifts. She loved hunting (she was allocated the use of two horses from the stables) and gambling. So did her husband Hugh Partridge. They had their own family home of Amburyhill, Gloucestershire, and also a house in London. Hugh Partridge's older brother, Sir Miles Partridge was a close friend of Henry VIII and in a game of dice with the King won the bell-tower of St.Paul's Cathedral.

the King's son

At the same investiture ceremony, the King's nephew, Henry Brandon, younger son of his sister Mary (the older son also Henry had died young), was to be made Earl of Lincoln. It was noticed that Henry VIII gave his bastard son precedence over his nephew.

The ceremony at which Henry Fitzroy was to be made Duke of Richmond and Somerset and Earl of Nottingham, was planned for Sunday 18th June 1525.

At 9 in the morning, Henry Fitzroy was taken with a great company of knights and gentlemen, some his own servants in his new large household, and some sent by his father Henry VIII, to board the lavishly decorated barges at the quayside and go down the Thames to the King's palace of Bridewell, which was between the Temple (still here for tourists) and Blackfriars. It had been used to accomodate Charles V in 1522 when he was betrothed to Princess Mary, and was a large complex of buildings around 3 courtyards along the west bank of the Fleet from the Thames to Fleet Street. Now it was to be used for Henry Fitzroy's investiture and others at the same time.

To the crowds that were gathering to watch or participate in the ceremonies, it was obvious that Henry Fitzroy was the King's son. He was very big for his age, with reddish fair hair, and it was frequently remarked how much he looked like his father. Despite this, the patents coyly referred to Henry Fitzroy as "near in blood" to the King.

Henry Fitzroy was taken through the Great Chamber, and through the Chamber of State, which had been decorated for the occasio with rich hangings of gold and silk and tapestries depicting the Destruction of Troy, to a gallery called the New Gallery at the other end.

There were to be a number of investitures that day, that of Henry Fitzroy being the first and the most important. The New Gallery was used as a changing room for everyone taking part. Henry Fitzroy was given a room to himself, though, and there he was dressed in the robes of an Earl.

When everyone had taken their places and the King was ready, the trumpets blew, and Henry Fitzroy was led in, walking between the Earl of Arundel and the Earl of Oxford, with the Early of Northumberland in front, bearing the Sword, Garter King-of-Arms with the Patent, and the other Kings-of-Arms and Heralds, all with the King's Coat of Arms emblazoned on their clothes except Somerset Herald, who wore Henry Fitzroy's Coat of Arms as he was to be made Duke of Somerset today.

The room was filled with spectators, the relatives of those being invested and other members of the Court and officials. The people filled the room on both sides leaving a narrow passage, forced clear by the gentlemen ushers down the centre, for the small procession to pass down to approach the King.

Thee were two notable absences:

One was the Queen. She was used to her husband having mistresses and bastards, but was naturally anxious that Henry Fitzroy's investiture was to make him almost equal in status to her daughter. The implication was clear. Her husband was thinking that he could nominate his bastard son to succeed him to the throne of England, bypassing his daughter Mary. Certainly that was what others thought he was planning.

The other missing person was Henry Fitzroy's own mother. She had now been dispatched to Lincolnshire by Wolsey under Henry VIII's orders, having made her husband Sheriff of Lincolnshire, so they had to move back to live there, in addition his mother was forbidden to attend his investiture. It appears Henry VIII now wanted his son, but not his son's mother.

The King was standing under a canopy of cloth of gold in front of a chair covered in cloth of gold. On the King's right hand side stood the equally impressive figure of Cardinal Wolsey in his red robes. Next to him on his side were the bishops, abbots and other important church officials. On the King's left hand side stood the representatives of temporal power in England. Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk, and currently Treasurer. A small, thin, dark man, he was to play a major part in Henry Fitzroy's life. Henry Fitzroy was to marry Norfolk's daughter, and learn how to lead an army from him. Next to Norfolk, stood Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, Marshall of England and the King's brother-in-law. His small son was to be made Earl of Lincoln.

One this side of the room stood the other peers, Knights, including Henry Fitzroy's grandfather Sir John Blount (he at least was able to proudly watch his grandson), esquires and other members of the court.

When they were in front of the King, the Earls knelt down, then stood up again, with Henry Fitzroy standing between the Earls of Arundel and Oxford, while Garter King-of-Arms presented the Patent to the King. Cardinal Wolsey took it and handed it over to Sir Thomas More to read out loud. Meanwhile, the King took the sword and placed it over his son's right shoulder then under his left arm. Then he handed him the Patent. The trumpeters who were standing by the window blew a fanfare and the Earls went back to the New Gallery.

The new Earl of Nottingham was now dressed in the robes of a Duke, except for the mantle, and the Duke of Norfolk, and the Duke of Suffolk came in to lead him between them. This time the Marquis of Dorset carried the sword, the Earl of Arundel, the coronet, the Earl of Oxford, the rod of gold, the Earl of Northumberland, the mantle, and Garter King-of-Arms, accompanied by the other Kings-of-arms and Heralds, the Patent.

They went in a procession as before, and knelt bfore the King. Then they rose, Henry Fitzroy standing between the Dukes of Norfolk and Suffolk. Garter King of Arms resented the Patent to the King who handed it to Wolsey who passed it on to Sir Thomas More to read aloud, declaring all the titles and honours the King had given.

As More read the Patent which was in Latin (with 16th century spelling), when he came to the word investimus, the Earl of Northumberland presented the mantle to the King, who put the mantle on his son. At the words gladii cincturam, the Marquis of Dorset presented the sword to the King, who then touched his son with it on each side of his neck and hung it around him. When More came to the words cappe et circuli impositionem capite, the Earl of Arundel handed the cap with coronet to the King, who put it on his son's head. At the words traditionem virge auree the Earl of Oxford gave the gold rod to the King, who put it into his son's right hand. When More had finished reading the patent, Wolsey took it from him and handed it back to the King, who gave it to his son to hold in his right hand, while he transfered the gold rod into his left hand.

Henry Fitzroy was now Duke of Richmond and Somerset and his part in the day's ceremonies was over, he remained standing next to his father Henry VIII, to watch the other investitures.

The Earl of Devonshire was next, he was to be made Marquis of Exeter. He was related to the King.

If Henry Fitzroy had seemed very small and young, then Henry Brandon, the son of the Duke of Suffolk and the King's sister Mary, was even smaller and younger. Only about two he was to be made Earl of Lincoln. As he was just a toddler, Sir John Vere was appointed to carry him in his arms between the two earls to the King. (This Henry Brandon also died young, leaving his sisters Frances and Eleanor, and their children, in the line-up to the throne). The other investitures that day, were: Lord Roos, who was made Earl of Rutland, Lord Clifford, was made Earl of Cumberland, Sir Robert Radcliff, Lord FitzWalter was made Viscount Fitzwater - (he was later made Earl of Sussex and supported the claims of the Duke of Richmond as potential heir to the throne). And Sir Thomas Boleyn, whose daughter Mary had greatly boosted his career and wealth, by being the King's mistress after Elizabeth Blount, was created Viscount Rochford.

The main significance of the ceremonies on that day, lay in the status conferred on the King's bastard son, standing next to his father, seen by everyone present, for the rest of the day's ceremonies. A patent dated at the same time as the others, 18th June, 1525, gave the Duke of Richmond and Somerset, precedence over all but the King's legitimate issue. This was to be very important eleven years later.

There was more to come for the new Duke of Richmond and Somerset. On the 7th June, 1525, he had been elected to the Order of the Garter. After the ceremony at Bridewell, he was moved down to Windsor Castle, for his installation to the Order of the Garter on 25th June. For this he wore a gown of black satin with buttons and aglettes (the ends of the laces which tied up the clothes) of gold, and sleeves furred with sable. (Which was very expensive as it came from Russia).

This was taken off and given to the Garter King-of-Arms as was the custom, and he was dressed in the purple mantle of the Order of the Garter.

The cost for his installation to the Order of the Garter was £33. 5s. 0d.

His stall-plate in St.George's chapel, Windsor is missing. These small brass plates with the coat of arms on which are kept in the stall allocated to the Knight of the Garter, they are traditional kept in place as a memorial after the Knight of the Garter dies, but that of Henry Fitzroy appears to have been removed soon after his death.

There were more ceremonies to come. On the 16th July, the Duke of Richmond was made Admiral of England, Wales, Ireland, Normandy, Gascony and Aquitaine (see note) for life, with the appointment of commissioners, lieutenants, vice-admirals, etc.

On the 22nd July, 1525, Richmond was made Warden-General of the Marches towards Scotland, the King's Lieutenant-general North of Trent, Keeper of the City and Castle of Carlisle, Chief Justice of the Forests beyond Trent. (Forests were enclosed land under Crown regulations, not necessarily wooded, but did offer shelter to outlaws as well as as a legally used resource).

Wolsey also appointed Richmond as High Steward of the Bishopric of Durham and of the Liberties belonging to the Archbishop of York. Wolsey was Bishop of Durham and Archbishop of York.

To support his new titles and positions, the Duke of Richmond received, by letters patent and Acts of Parliament, a vast amount of estates, rents, honours, lordships and revenues. Amongst them: The sum of £20, to be received from the Sheriffs of Nottingham and Derby, as he was now Earl of Nottingham. As Duke of Richmond and Somerset, he received the sum of £40 from York, Somerset and Dorset.

By letters patent dated 11th August, 1525, he received the estates which had belonged to the late Margaret, Countess of Richmond, the King's grandmother, one of her husbands, the Earl of Richmond, and her father, the Duke of Somerset. (So it can be seen that Henry Fitzroy was getting Royal titles). These estates were in Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire, Hertfordshire, Southampton, Essex, Sorset, Somerset, Devon, Kent, Sussex, Gloucester, Westmoreland, Derbyshire, Rutland, Worcestershire, Staffordshire, Norfolk, Pembrokeshire, Cardigan and other parts of North Wales including the Castle of Holt which was his. He was also given Durham Place in London, where he had spent most of his life so far, and later was to acquire Baynards Castle, which at present belonged to Queen Catherine. Amongst his other palaces and castles were Canford in Dorset which had originally belonged to the Earls of Salisbury, along with Corfe Castle (then still intact and splendid). Two of the palaces and castles were not far from his mother at South Kyme, one was Collyweston in Northamptonshire, one of the favourite residences of the Countess of Richmond, his greatgrandmother. This was to become a favourite residence of the Duke of Richmond.

The other residence, also had belonged to Margaret Beaufort, so was in the King's portfolio ready to hand out to his son, and that was Tattershall Castle, only a few miles from South Kyme. Rebuilt after the castle of South Kyme had been rebuilt, extended and updated, it looks like the owner then (Cromwell) wanted to go one better. A bigger tower, (seen from miles) which was used mainly for receptions and guests, and linked to the original great hall, and other buildings, kitchens, offices, workshops, stables etc. surrounded by 2 moats, (in the 15th century the whole upper classes were fighting each other so security was an issue) and in the latest modern building material - brick - manufactured locally by an imported Dutch craftsman.

1525

Henry Fitzroy travels to Yorkshire

His half-sister Princess Mary was, at least nominally, allocated Wales. Henry Duke of Richmond, on much the same terms, had the North of England. And now had to go to live there.

With a retinue of several hundred he was dispatched in a royal procession taking nearly a month for the journey, to rule the King's Council in the North, from the castle of Sheriff Hutton, a few miles from York.

Escorted by the Duke of Norfolk, the entourage departed from William Jekyll's house in Stoke Newington on Wednesday 25th July, 1525. (There were some big houses in Tottenham and Walthamstow then). They mostly followed the old Roman road of Ermine Street.

Wolsey had provided an elaborate horse litter to carry the Duke of Richmond. It was upholstered in black velvet garnished with cloth of silver. The horses' reins were decorated with buckles of copper and gilt, and their harnesses with gold and silk buttons.

Richmond hated it. After only about 3 miles, he was sick over it and got his wish to ride the rest of the way on his little pony, provided by his Master of the Horse, Edward Seymour, (whose older sister Jane was to become Henry VIII's 3rd wife and mother of his son and successor Edward).

Amoung the surviving accounts of the Duke of Richmond was a charge for Richmond's stables, of £109. 8s. 7¼d. spent on "black velvet, buckles of copper, cloth of silver and other stuffs for garnishing a horse litter, given to the Duke by my Lord Cardinal". So Wolsey expected his money back.

The next night's stop was with Lady Maud Parr, a young widow, whose 9-year old daughter Anne was a maid-of-honour to the Queen. Her brother-in-law William Parr, was in charge of Richmond's household, so they collected her 8-year old son William to be one of Richmond's companions and share his lessons, and her 11-year old daughter Katherine, who was to travel with them as far as Gainsborough, where she was to be married to Lord Thomas Burgh's eldest son Edward, her first husband. (She was to have 4, the 3rd being Henry VIII).

The Council reported back to the King that at Lady Parr's house, "his grace was marvellousely well treated." The Duke of Norfolk left them here and went back to report to the King. Richmond refused to go back into the horse litter. He got his way and travelled the rest of the way on horseback like the grown-ups.

Thursday night was spent in Buntingford, and Friday night at Shingay, a manor house near Royston (near the A14). Saturday, they arrived in Huntingdon. They were met outside the town, and on the bridge over the river, the bailiffs presented Richmond with fish - "four great pikes and four tenches." The Abbot of Ramsey sent a present of swans, cranes and other wild fowl then considered edible, from the fens, and both the young prince and Richmond and his Council were given wine.

Richmond stayed in Huntingdon for the weekend, and continued on his way on Monday. The procession now followed the route of the Great North Road and stopped off Monday night at George Kirkham's house. (Can't find it). But the next house is easy to find. After Stamford, they stopped off at David Cecil's house. His five-year-old grandson William was to be one of Richmond's companions at Sheriff Hutton.

William Cecil did not stay with the Duke of Richmond for long. His father, was to withdraw his son, from his education with a prince, and sent him to the grammar school in Stamford instead. It certainly was a good move as far as his education went, since William Cecil was to become a major statesman, and was able rebuild Burghley house as a palace fit to accomodate and entertain Queen Elizabeth and then her successor, James I.

Richmond, now usually referred to as "the Prince" was taken hunting in the park, (which is still there, but the house is bigger and grander, than it was when they were staying there in 1525) and his Council reported that he killed a buck all by himself.

Greatly cheered by his successful kill, the Prince and entourage rode on to his palace of Collyweston.

Collyweston

Margaret Beaufort had a problem with the glaziers at Colyweston - she wanted yales in the stained glass - and complained what she got looked nothing like one, the glazier had no idea what a yale was - it is a mythical beast so no one has seen one and descriptions vary. And it now featured on the Duke of Richmond's coat of arms.

In the early 1970s when most of the orginal research was done, Mr. and Mrs. J.W. Shelton of Manor Farm kindly showed me the remains of Collyweston which stands on their land and gave me a lot of useful information about the place. And some information about the palace and its history. They showed us a sundial which had once been in the garden there.

Richmond was to spend the next week at Collyweston. "right merely" - "and in better case and more lusty of his body than his Grace was at his first taking of his journey" reported his Council. However, they still thought it a good idea to ask Wolsey to send a physician to the Prince. Wolsey sent Doctor William Butts, who later was to become physician to Henry VIII.

Collyweston is about half-way on the journey between London and York so they had a break there to rest from their journey. The abbots of Peterborough and Crowland sent presents of swans, cranes and other wild fowl which were eaten then. (Surviving menus from Henry VIII's kitchen show just about any bird was not safe from being eaten).

The Palace of Collyweston had been built of the local limestone and slate in the 15th century by Ralph Cromwell. It was later occupied and improved by Margaret Beaufort. When the Duke of Richmond owned it and stayed there it was a very large and fine palace. He was to later use it as one of his main residences.

After a week spent at Collyweston, the Prince and his Council and the rest of their considerable entourage set out once more for York. Although they travelled continously during the day, it took them 10 more days to reach York, which says something for the state of the Great North Road in the 16th century. (We can drive up to York from Lincoln for an afternoon at the Viking museum and other tourist attractions).

It is possible that they detoured to visit Richmond's mother, or to meet up with her, so she could see her son for a short while, before they continued on the journey north. That would account for the delay, and it would not have been reported officially to the King and Wolsey.

While they stayed at York, the Council was joined by John Uvedale, who was to be the Duke of Richmond's secretary. He had taken two weeks to make the journey from London. And he had brought the documents giving the Council its authority, the letters patent, commissions of oyer and terminer, (enabling the Council to take all criminal cases) equerry for officers, the book of diets, check roll and instructions signed by Henry VIII contained in a paper signed by Wolsey. The Council was given police jurisdictions in all the northern counties.

After ten days at York, Richmond and his Council left on 28th August 1525 for Sheriff Hutton, a few miles from York. This was to be Richmond's home and the base for the Council of the North.

Sherrif Hutton

In the early 1970s when I visited with my twins, Mr. and Mrs. J.K.Howarth kindly showed us Sheriff Hutton Castle which was part of their farm, there were friendly cows and calves all over it, and they had written a useful booklet on the castle. And pointed out interesting features to us.

In 2008, the castle was sold.

The ruins of four of the remaining towers, five stories high, loom above the landscape and the nearby village.

John Leland who was commissioned by Henry VIII to travel and report on his kingdom, had presented the Duke of Richmond with a copybook of large and small letters, wrote in his comment on Sheriff Hutton:

"I markid yn the fore front of the first area of the castelle self 3 great and high toures, of the which the gate house was the midle. In the secunde area ther be a 5 or 6 toures, and the stately staire up to the haul is very magnificent, and so is the haul it self, and al the residew of the house: in so much that I saw no house in the north so like a princely logginges."

There were three wards (courtyards) one inside the other. The inner one was surrounded by the main buildings in the form of a square, with four large towers at the corners. In the front in the centre was the main gateway with the coats of arms of the Nevilles - who had owned the castle, over it.

Outside, in the second courtyard was the stables. To the right of the gateway, the remains of a vast arch is what is left of the hall, which Leland had though "very magnificent". The kitchen, buttery -for beer, pantry, bakehouse, and other offices were to the left. Behind them was the princes's lodgings of which little now remains, since once the castle was abandoned it was robbed out. However, some of the features of the other towers, fireplaces, windows, staircases and guarderobes (toilets) can still be seen. Also the cellars and dungeons. There is a strongly built guard room by the iron gate, which was for locking up prisoners, as for around three centuries before Richmond had arrived there, the castle had been a centre for the control of the north of England and the border with Scotland. Edward III used the castle as his base for fighting the Scots. It was well fortified and completely self-contained with a very good well for water.

Henry Fitzroy was not the first young prince to occupy Sheriff Hutton. Richard III's son Edward, died there at the age of eleven. His tomb is in Sheriff Hutton church. When Henry Tudor invaded, Richard III kept his nieces and nephews safe here. The daughters of the late King Edward IV and the Earl of Warwick and his sister, whose father, the Duke of Clarence had been murdered by his brother Edward IV by drowning in a butt of Malmsey. When Richard III was killed at the Battle of Bosworth, August 22nd 1485, the princesses were taken to London, and the eldest Elizabeth, was married to Henry VII. The six-year old Earl of Warwick - as heir to the throne after the death of Richard III was taken to London separately and and imprisoned in the Tower, from which he was only to emerge and be seen again for his execution at the age of seventeen.

The Master-Builder of Sheriff Hutton Castle in the 14th century was John Lewyn of Durham, who also built Bolton Castle which is similar in plan but lasted better. Part of the reason for the ruinous condition of Sheriff Hutton Castle is the stone of which is was built. This is soft sandstone, which was quarried from Torrington, not far away, and was carried to Sheriff Hutton by means of a specially dug canal to take the barges carrying the stone.

When the Duke of Richmond and his entourage first arrived there it was to find that the castle was already dropping to bits. A lot of work was needed. The lead on the roof and much of the stonework was badly worn. Most of the chimneys needed repair. So did the curtain walls round the courtyards - the outer walls had nearly disappeared.

Much of the wall of the middle ward had also broken down. The outer ward, contained another bake-house, a horse-mill (worked by a horse drearily tromping round in circles), stables, barns and other offices. Most of the walls and gate had gone. Outside this were two ponds to provide water for baking and brewing, and the park.

In this castle of Sheriff Hutton, lived the Duke of Richmond, with his companions who shared his lessons and other activities, his nurse, Mrs. Agnes Partridge (and her husband and son who was one of Richmond's companions), his physician - Dr. Butts, his Almoner who was responsible for the distribution of left-overs to the poor and to charitable bequests, the Surveyer, Treasurer, Comptroller, Chamberlain, Vice-Chamberlain, and other members of his Council of the North, together with all their own families and servants. Then there were the chaplains, gentlemen ushers, cupbearers, carvers, stewards, gentlemen waiters, yeomen ushers, yeomen of the chamber, pages of the chamber, the Barber, Porters at the Gate, and carterers. And all the other servants in the pantry, cellars, buttery (for brewing beer), ewery - for washing hands before dinner - there were cisterns with taps called ewers, and basins and towels. And servants for the great hall, the kitchen, boiling house, poultry and scalding house (for getting the feathers off), pastery (to make pies), squiller (to store wood and coal), sausery (to make sauces), slaughter house, acatory (for storing meat), garderobe of robes and beds (where the household linen was stored), apothecary, spicery, wafery (for making wafers for puddings like we still have for ice-cream), bakehouse and brewhouse, laundry and stables.

The stables were under the Duke of Richmond's Master of the Horse, Sir Edward Seymour. Then about 25 years old, he had been knighted by the Duke of Suffolk during a campaign in France in 1523, and had been made an Esquire of the King's household the following year. He occupied a large apartment in one of the castle towers. Socially he was on the up and was to think of a way of ditching his wife and mother of his two sons (left with his parents John and Margery) so he could find someone further up the social ladder. (see below).

In the remains of Sheriff Hutton, it is still possible to see the remains of one or two of the shafts of the toilets on the outside walls, dropping into the moat. Tudor toilets had a seat over a pit or shaft leading into the moat or just into a midden or anywhere. There was usually a means of ventilation as well - so when you used them the main worry was to be sure not to drop your keys, purse or anything down them.

Wolsey's new buildings or rebuildings, like Hampton Court, were particularly advanced. At Hampton Court the shafts from the loos drained into sewers which led into the moat which was washed out by the twice daily tides of the Thames which connected with it.

Even there, the place soon got niffy after a few weeks of total occupation by the court, then everyone moved out somewhere else, and the Gong Farmers were called in to clean up. The Gong Farmers, who also cleaned the streets in places like London, did all right out of their disgusting work, as people tend to drop things things down the loo and they would find rings, brooches, coins etc. they could sell.

The picture shows one of the Tudor toilets at Gainsborough - one of the places where Henry VIII's 5th Queen, Catherine, admitted to meeting with her lover Culpeper, on the progress with the King around the North, other places they met were Lincoln and Pontefract. There are also renovated Tudor loos on view (but not for use!) at Tattershall castle.

Richmond and his entourage would spend some of the winter at Pontefract Castle in West Yorkshire. It is now ruins in a park with some of the surviving famous liquorice plants.

the Council of the North

As the Duke of Richmond's Council was now also the Council in the North, and nearly every member of the Council was either a cleric or a lawyer and had been employed by Wolsey.

At the Head of the Council as Chancellor was Brian Higden, Archdeacon and Dean of York. Thomas Dalby, Archdeacon of Richmond was Dean of the Chapel and Surveyor. He died the January after their arrival at Sheriff Hutton. Thomas Magnus, Archdeacon of East Riding, was Treasurer of the Chamber and Receiver-General. The Steward of the Household was Sir William Bulmer, the Captain of Norham and Lieutenant of the East March. The Comptroller, Sir Thomas Tempest was a Serjeant-at-Law, Seneshal and Comptroller of the Bishropric of Durham.

Members of the Council who were connected with the King's service rather than Wolsey's were Sir Geoffrey Foljamb, Sir William Parr, Richard Page and Sir George Lawson. Sir William Parr was employed at a salary of £26. 12s. 4d. a year plus the Stewardship of the Barony of Kendal. Sir George Lawson, the Cofferer, was also Treasurer of Berwick and became Mayor of York in 1530. Richard Page, the Vice-Chamberlain earned £8. 6s. 8d. a quarter (ie he was paid each 3 months). He became Recorder of York in 1527, until 1533, when the citizens of York gave him an annuity of £12 to get rid of him. In 1536 he was arrested as having been one of Anne Boleyn's lovers, but was released without charge.

John Palsgrave, Richmond's schoolmaster (who had also taught his mother) was a member of the Council for the first year, then he was replaced by William Babthorpe, a Yorshire landowner and lawyer. The other school master who did most of the teaching for the first two years was Richard Croke was was also Nottingham Pursuivant to Richmond. The Almoner, William Tate, and Secretary, John Uvedale, were also employed by Wolsey.

The Council members were there to manage the Duke of Richmond's household and estates and perform the public duties which were expected of the Duke of Richmond. The Council was also a Court of Requests in matters of civil and canon law. They held their first criminal court at Newcastle in September.

All the Duke of Richmond's servants wore a livery in blue, yellow and white. This was in velvet for the gentlemen and in damask or broadchoth for the others according to their rank.

As we shall see, there were many difficulties involved in the organisation of the huge household, the administration of the region, and at the same time the education and welfare of the King's son and his companions.

Things had settled down into some sort of routine by October, when one of Richmond's Councillors, William Frankleyn, wrote to Wolsey:

"I assure your grace, my lord of Richmond is a chylde of excellent wisdome and towardness; and, for his good and quyk capacities, retentyve memorie, vertuous inclination to all honor, humanitie, and goodness, I thinynk hard it wolde to fyende any creature lyving of twise his age hable to worthy to be compared to him."

Wolsey helped the Council compile the list of official New Year's presents to be distributed in Richmond's name, for the Christmas and New Year celebrations. When the Council was able to report to Wolsey that his godson was: "In good and prosperous helthe, and as towardly a young prince as ever hathe been sene in our tyme."

They were crawling of course, but note he was now being referred to as the prince. This means that it was generally expected that the King's son might also be his heir. In which case his care and education was now to be extremely important.

1527

Croke

In letters written in Latin, Croke complained to the King and Cardinal Wolsey about abuses in Richmond's household, by Sir William Parr, and by Richard Cotton, the Clerk Comptroller, who fixed the books, giving Parr, himself and his brother also in the household, many extras.

Croke complained that the Cottons and Parr changed the hours of the lessons in the summer so the boys could play out of doors, refused to allow the boys to rise before six in the morning, would not allow Croke to see the boys outside lessons, and "admitted fools and players who sang their obscene ballads before the prince in his privy chamber". (The accounts show many payments to actors and minstrels for entertainment).

He complained also that Richmond had been taught the secretary hand instead of the modern italic hand writing and he had to retrain him. Copy of letter shows example of Richmond's handwriting. Princess Mary, Richmond's elder half-sister had been taught to write in the secretary hand. Richmond, also his younger half-brother and sister, Edward and Elizabeth were taught to write in the the italic hand which is much easier to read today.

Croke wanted more priority and less interference given to lessons. He asked that "the prince" was not taken out for archery and other sports and games first and was then too tired for his lessons. He wanted more control over the discipline of the classes and to get rid of bullies like the son of Lord Henry Scrope, who beat up the other boys and shouted rude names at Croke whenever he or his Usher (teaching assistant) reprimanded him.

Trouble with the management of the household.

Many of the original accounts have been lost. Of those early accounts, the ones that remain, (at the time I saw them they were mostly in the Public Records Office) a large proportion was wages to staff. Some was on spending on furnishings, and clothes for the Prince. Most of the remainder was on food and other provisions for the household, the stables and the well trained and quite famous - hunting dogs. These were the accounts which had shocked Croke and led to Wolsey's actions.

See the print-out of the expenses from L&P Hen.8, Vol.4 (pp. 673-691).

(Money is in the pounds, shillings and pence, written as £. s. d., which lasted until 1971 - when replaced with the current decimal system. 20 shillings made one pound and 12 pence (pennies) made up one shilling.)

Meals were served on chargers which were large dishes usually made of pewter, and trenchers which by Tudor times were of wood rather than bread. plates, trenchers and wafers (including those made from sugar) used and eaten with the sweets and puddings.

The actual charges for the six months and 17 days between the 16th June 1525, and the end of December, were added up by Richard Cotton, the clerk Comptroller, to a total of £1,042. 19s. 11¾d. and the total of all the expenses, including £22. 6s. 8d., for Henry Fitzroy's installation in the Order of the Garter at Windsor, and £91. 9s. 10d., to Sir Edward Seymour, Master of the Horse, for buying horses and equipping the stables, amounted to £2,648. 6s. 5¾d. This was more than the estimate for the costs for the whole years.

The Clerk of the Green Cloth (whose name is unknown) insisted that the total weekly expenses of the Prince's household, apart from wages, fees and liveries, should amount to not more than £25. a week. On this he clashed with Thomas Magnus, the Prince's Surveyor and General Receiver. Magnus proved that it came to above £50 a week.

The struggle with the accounts and the conflicts it caused with the other members of staff, became too much for the (unnamed) Clerk of the Green Cloth, who collapsed and died. Thomas Magnus, Richmond's Surveyor and Receiver said that the strain of trying to put the Prince's household accounts in order had killed him.

Correspondence with the King of Scots (Richmond's cousin)

He knew Magnus well since in October 1524 Thomas Magnus along with Roger Radclyff, were sent by Henry VIII to Edinburgh to take letters and gifts to his sister Margaret and her son, James V of Scotland. He also visited Margaret at Perth in March 1525 to take her letters and news. And there had been other visits.

Magnus suspected that this was really an excuse to send a messenger to report on Richmond and his household.

James V was first in line as male heir to the English throne (in 1603 his grandson James VI did become King of England). So James V and his mother were not happy when Henry VIII started promoting his bastard son as his potential heir. Magnus suggested that Richmond should write to his cousin himself, and the Council approved. Richmond wrote to James V, telling him he was sending ten couples of hounds, and his "yeman hunte", Nicholas Eton to stay with them for a month to train the dogs.

James V replied to Richmond's letter, and with his letter sent a present of two brace of hounds (ie 4 dogs) for hunting deer and smaller creatures, and promising that if his cousin liked hawking he would send him at the right season, some of the best red hawks in his realm.

Fortunately attitudes have changed since then.

James V also wrote to Magnus thanking him for "the acquentence making beetuix us and our tender (young) cousing the duk of Richemonde."

1527

Henry VIII's new and increasing health problems would cause him think more about his future and his heirs again. And his tomb. When the Italian sculptor Pietro Torrigiano had completed the monumental tomb for Henry's parents in Westminster Abbey, Henry had commissioned him to make an even bigger one for himself and Katherine. But Torrigiano had enough of England and left for Spain in 1519 (where he was to fall foul of the Inquisition and died in prison in 1528). Early in 1527, Henry VIII commissioned another Italian sculptor, Jacopo Sansovino for a tomb for himself and Katherine at a price of 75,000 ducats. So he was not contemplating ditching his wife at that time.

1527

"We have enough bastards of our own".

In February 1527, negociations were being made with regard to a possible marriage between the Duke of Richmond and the Pope's "niece", the orphaned Catherine d'Medici. She was actually a second cousin of the current Pope, Clement VII. Her parents had died very soon after she was born, and she had been passed from one guardian to another and from one convent boarding school to another, eventually becoming part of Clement VII's family, being brought up with his two sons.

The opponents of the Emperor were trying to tempt Henry VIII into joining them in the war on their side. The Venetian ambassador reported: "It was agreed that Henry VIII would receive from enemy territory in Italy 30,000 ducats annually for his natural son who is to be his successor." Cardinal Wolsey was to get 10,000 ducats for arranging the alliance. The money was to come from the territories they were yet to reconquer.

When in March, 1527, the Imperial troops sacked Rome, Henry VIII looked to an alliance with the Emperor. In April Wolsey was informed that the King was proposing to give the Duke of Richmond and Somerset "who is near of his blood an of excellent qualities, and is already furnished to keep the state of a great prince, and yet may easily by the King's means exalted to higher things, to some noble princess of near blood to the Emperor, to strengthen the bond between them."

Henry's ambassadors were making enquiries about eligible young princesses for the Duke of Richmond. Amongst them, the Queen of Denmark's daughters, nieces of the Emperor. Another candidate as bride for Henry VIII's son, was the "daughter of Portugal", that was the Infanta Maria, Duchess of Viseu, born 18th June 1521. The daughter of King Manuel I and Eleanor, sister to Charles V, who was to become the 2nd wife of François I^er. However Maria's brother, John III, rebuffed the idea of Maria marrying Henry VIII's son, with the comment "we have enough bastards of our own". Maria was to remain unmarried. Her sister Isabella married Charles V on the 11th March 1526.

1527

Henry VIII plans to make his son his legitimate heir

Being paid to browse through Europe's greatest libraries may have seemed like a dream job for the academic Croke.

Henry VIII now thinks he could solve his problems of getting an heir, by divorcing his old wife and getting a younger one.

In March 1527, Pope Clement VII had granted Henry VIII's sister Margaret her petition to divorce her husband Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus, father of her daughter Margaret, and was able to marry Henry Stewart on 3 March 1528.

Encouraged by his sister's experience, in September, 1527, Henry VIII starting looking into the alternative possibility - instead of legitimizing his bastard son, he could divorce Catherine and marry a younger woman to provide himself with a legitimate son.

But unlike Margaret's 2nd husband, the Earl of Angus, Catherine had never behaved in any manner that would give her husband a reason for divorce. (Although she could have found plenty of legal reasons to divorce her husband under modern laws).

And Henry VIII would still have to find a young foreign Princess willing to take Catherine's place, if it were possible. Now 36, losing his hair and putting on weight, he was not quite the hunk he thought he still was. But no one at his own court in his own country was going to tell him. He was expecting that he would be able to chose his next queen, from a number of young and attractive foreign princesses, once he was back on the market.

Croke was ordered to look up any legal loopholes which would make the King's marriage to Catherine null and void.

This was not just a domestic matter for the King, it would affect foreign policy.

Rome and the Pope were now controlled by the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V, who happened to be Queen Catherine's nephew.

Not a champion of women's rights, he left his own mother locked up in solitary confinement in Spain, as she was the real heir to, and Queen of, the Spanish Empire.

But the situation with his Aunt Catherine was different. There politics were involved in the balance of power in Europe, between France and the Empire. Charles V had been formally betrothed to Princess Mary in 1522, when she was 6 and he was 22. But he was not going to wait for Mary to grow up, in 1526, he married his cousin Isabella of Portugal. In 1527 Mary, then 11, was to be betrothed to the Dauphin of France again, but the negociations stalled.

The sack of Rome, had destroyed many of its grand new buildings, and the fountains supplying clean water, and left squalid slums in the ruins. The streets were full of rampaging soldiers, looters and arsonists, muggers, destitute beggars and prostitutes. Those who could, left. Rome was not at present, a civilized city. Henry VIII's sculptor Jacopo Sansovino had scarpered, and found new commissions in Venice, leaving Henry with his plans and drawings, for a vast edifice of marble and rare oriental stones, gilded angels, life-size images of Henry and Katherine, and life-size statue of the King on horseback under a triumphal arch, St.George, and about 34 other saints, prophets, apostles, etc. But nothing was ever built.

And Rome was no longer a friendly and pleasant place for Croke either. Not only because the infra-structure had been destroyed, and then looted and occupied by foreign mercenaries. Croke found that he was being watched, he had been threatened, and he had to work undercover, with false names, secret addresses and disguise. What had seemed like an academic exercise was now dangerous espionage.

1527

Palsgrave and Holbein

Palsgrave had no problem getting Richmond to study subjects that looked useful. Palsgrave had taught French to the King's sister Mary, and to the maids of honour including Richmond's mother. He had written the first English-French text book: L'Claircissement de La Langue Francaise. Richmond became fluent in French - which was useful when he went to stay with the French Princes.

Richmond was interested in other practical skills like learning to fight.

Latin, though, seemed less useful. It had been essential. Education had been in the hands of the Catholic Church and there had been little else to read but religious texts. The invention of printing in Europe (came from China and was adapted) had changed this. There was a rapidly increasing demand for books in the reader's own language, and also, artists to provide the engraved illustrations. Which as the Catholic Church lost its power in northern Europe, and the new churches shunned decoration, provided alternative work for artists like Holbein and Durer. Local schools were being founded to teach children the reading, writing, and arithmetic now essential in everyday life. (My sister and I went to a school founded in 1512 and Latin was still compulsory.)

Palsgrave employed many tactics to inspire his pupil. Having managed to get the cooperation of the boy's father, he then resorted to bribery. It was not until January 1528 that Richmond was finally allowed to write to his father and to Wolsey, asking "for on harnes to exercyse my selff yn armys accordying to my erudition in the commentaryes off Caesar."

The Commentaries of Caesar, which start with De Bello Gallico - were written by Julius Caesar in such clear Latin that his works have been used since the Middle Ages to teach children Latin. (Did it at school myself).

The latest fashion for armour was covered with acid etchings filled with gold, very decorative and flamboyant. But even Henry VIII as an indulgent father might have balked at anything so expensive and flashy, which will soon be outgrown. Acid etching of metal was even more useful as a means of printing - artists were soon using it for illustrations. And Richmond's tutors would have welcomed new methods for illustrating books and making them more interesting for reluctant school boys.

Richmond had to wait until July before Magnus brought up his specially made suit of armour from the King to Sheriff Hutton, together with bows, arrows, quivers and spare bow strings which the King had ordered for his son from his own bowyers.

Palsgrave appealed to Richmond's mother, who had been one of his pupils to help use her influence on her son - clearly he felt Richmond's mother should have been given more part in her son's upbringing. And he knew her quite well since she had been one of his own former pupils.

He also asked the King to send a painter to illustrate words, so the Prince (as he was always referred to now) could learn the names of things in Latin by looking at the pictures.

The King recommended an artist from Basel, who had illustrated a book for Erasmus, painted his portrait, and was now staying with Thomas More working on the (now famous) portraits of his family.

Hans Holbein was to be sent up to Sheriff Hutton when he had finished this task to illustrate a Latin picture book for Richmond. And while he was there he was commissioned for some portraits and other work. (Holbein also became known for his many designs for gift items like jewrellry and elaborate silver and gold ware, ornamental clocks, as well as stage settings.)

The illustrated Latin text book does not seem to have survived. Unless it is still around somewhere and not identified. It is possible, perhaps, that Richmond might have let Palsgrave keep it to use at the small private school he established when he was no longer needed as tutor to the Duke of Richmond. It is difficult to trace such things, as many copies were made of some of Holbein's drawings and paintings, over the years. Many other works were attributed to Holbein or called "School of Holbein" by archivists ignorant of the real artist. Most of his surviving drawings have been wrongly labelled by secretaries and archivists or art historians.

This includes the coloured chalk sketch Holbein did of the Duke of Richmond (of which this is a copyright free version). Holbein took it with him when he returned to his wife and children in Basel. The original sketch is now in the Kunstmuseum and had been wrongly labelled as Edward VI. However Holbein died in October 1543, and his only known portrait of Edward is as a toddler of 18 months. And the style of clothes and hair is of the 1520s not the 1540s. In the 1520s, men and boys had long hair and their shirts had a low neckline, in the 1540s, hair was cut very short and collars were very high up the neck. The picture has now been re-labelled as a boy with a monkey. Holbein's earlier drawings in England were on white paper with black and coloured chalks (as this drawing is).

Holbein sketched the eight year old Henry Fitzroy, Duke of Richmond, using coloured chalks. In the picture Richmond is cuddling the marmoset which belonged to his music teacher William Saunders who was teaching him to play the virginals (which cost 40s. which is £2). There may have been a finished portrait, but all images of Richmond were later destroyed or disappeared, this small faded drawing only survived as it was in Basel.

Since Henry VIII was also hoping to legitimize his son, to make him his heir, and get him on the marriage market for a Princess, a portrait would have been needed. It was not just a spin-off from the illustrations for text books. Holbein also sketched some of the other people at Sheriff Hutton at the time, including Sir William Parr.

The finished portrait which Holbein would have brought with him on his return to England together with the others portraits commissioned, seems to have vanished. Most of the original versions of the other English portraits have had the same fate. Holbein had used oils on paper for these portraits which would have been easier to carry and deliver like that. The owners would then have had them mounted on boards for permanent display. However they would still have been fragile and perishable over the years.

Holbein was a friend not only of Erasmus and Thomas More but of Nicolas Kratzer, who had designed sundials at Oxford, taught some astronomer to Thomas More's daughters and was to become Henry VIII's astronomer as well as his friend and drinking partner.

Part of the inscription on a sundial that Kratzer did the calculations for at Oxford says: "Nicolas Kratzer, the Bavarian who was of Munich, caused me to tell all the hours. He also at that time lectured to his pupils on astronomy, and much learning he handed down. He was then the astronomer of King Henry, of that name the eighth, who held him very dear. The stone cutter was English, the other German, at the time when I was the admiration of the whole age. Both men drank ever in the German fashion, and could swallow all the liquor that there was."

Holbein and Kratzer spoke the same language since Kratzer was from Munich and Holbein originally from Augsburg - though his home was now Basel. This was convenient because Kratzer refused to learn English.

In February, 1527 Kratzer and Holbein collaborated on the ceiling for temporary royal theatre at Greenwich which was to show the universe. Kratzer did the design and Holbein painted it.

The occasion was a junket to be held at Greenwich Palace in May to celebrate the treaty between England and France which had been concluded by February that year. Work then began on assembling temporary structures at Greenwich to accomodate the visitors and entertainments, 2 large rooms, a banqueting hall and a theatre for the masques and pageants. Organised by Sir Henry Guildford, Controller of the Household (Holbein was commissioned for portraits of Guildford and his wife) and Sir Thomas Wyatt (whose mistress at that time was Anne Boleyn) and whose father Sir Henry Wyatt, was Treasurer of the Household. Holbein was responsible for painting a trompe d'oeil large mural on canvas with a triumphal arch above which was the seige of Therouanne Henry VIII's victorious battle of 1513 over the French. It was much admired (by the English) and Holbein was paid £4. 10s. for it.

The central design was more tactful. A map of the world with the map over the heavens over it on a dome. Kratzer had mapped out on canvas for Holbein to paint, the map of the world for the floor, and for the dome over it the heavens above. It was described in Hall's Chronicle: "on the ground of the roof was made the whole earth, environed with the sea, like a very map or chart, and by a cunning making of another cloth, the zodiac with the twelve signs and the five circles or girdles and the two poles appeared on the earth and water compassing the same, and in the zodiac were the twelve signs curiously made, and above this were made the seven planets, as Mars, Jupiter, Sun, Mercury, Venus, Saturn and Moon, every one in their proper houses made according to their properties, that it was a cunning thing and a pleasant sight to behold." For this work Holbein and Kratzer jointly received 4 shillings a day between 8th February and 3rd March.

On the 11th March, Henry VIII, visited the site to see how the work was getting on, and the large painted cloths were temporarily raised into their final positions so he could see what it would look like.

It would be very interesting if we could still see copies or sketches of paintings of the earth and heavens as they appeared in 1527. Because very soon the whole view of the earth and the universe would change. In Poland, Nicolaus Copernicus had already drafted the outline of his heliocentric theory, which was being circulated amongst other astronomers. And ships were needing more precise and detailed charts because they were travelling more than anyone from Europe had before, across the seas east and west to trade (or pillage) for spices, gold, and other things and discovering (and sometimes conquering) new places at the same time.

By May 1527, when the festivities at Greenwich were taking place and Henry VIII for the first time chose Anne Boleyn as his dancing partner without any thought then that she might be his 2nd wife, Holbein would have been free to travel north to work on the picture books and portraits at Sheriff Hutton.

Palsgrave's Latin dedication on the the picture book Holbein worked on for the Duke of Richmond has survived.

Ad illustrissimum Henricum ducem Richomontanium

But not as far as is known at present, the rest of the book.

Later the same year, Holbein finished his illustrations for an instruction book written by Kratzer on the use of an astronomical instruments intended to be given to Henry VIII as a New Year's gift. Kratzer had written the book "Canones Horoptri". It was then copied out by Pieter Meghen (who was then appointed Writer of the King's Books) on 16 vellum pages, and Holbein's job was to provide the illuminated capitals and embellishments (painted in tempera). It was then bound with covers of green velvet. (It is now in the Bodleian library.)

At that time although printed books and pamphlets were changing how people thought, by making them better informed, and increased the need for more widespread education, a few special books like some of those in the King's huge library, were still hand-written and elaborately bound.

By the end of 1527 or early 1528, Holbein returned home to Basel to work on the sketches of the portraits and other work. He also had commissions in Basel to fulfill. In August 1528, he bought a new house for his family. He now had a little daughter, born while he was away in England. He painted a portrait of his wife and two children in that year, which survives. (see notes).

1528

Long, Cold, Wet, Winter then Spring brings "The Sweat"

1528 brought the biggest ever epidemic of what was called "the English Sweating Sickness". Previous epidemics, such as the one in 1517 had been confined to England only. In 1528 the disease spread into Wales, and also around the Baltic and North Sea affecting the Netherlands, Poland, and other Baltic States and Denmark, Norway and Sweden. This must have been spread from London by the German speaking Hanseatic League merchants in their Headquarters in the Steelyard in London on their cargo ships carrying mainly English wool to the Baltic ports. (The last epidemic in 1551 was confined to England).

There was an outbreak of both "The Sweat" and smallpox at Pontefract, so Richmond was moved with just five attendants, to Ledestone, a house three miles away. His father took refuge with the Queen and Princess Mary (now back with her mother) in Tittenhanger, Hertfordshire.

Among the victims was William Carey who died on 23 June 1528 leaving his wife Mary, who was the King's mistress, and two children Catherine who was 4 and Henry, still a toddler (born March 1526). Legally Carey was the father, but it was well known that they could have been fathered by Henry VIII. To help her sister (though that does not sound convincing) Anne Boleyn asked the King for the wardship of Henry Carey. She was paid for it, it was not the caring instinct of an aunt. Little Henry was dumped into a boarding school in a Cistercian monastery. A few years later Mary managed to retrieve both her children and remake her life with a new husband - William Stafford.

Because of the epidemic, Anne was at her family home (one of them by now) of Hever. Here she also become ill, but soon recovered. Henry VIII stayed well away and wrote to her. These letters to and from Anne Boleyn from about this time have survived - they had turned up a long time later in the Vatican - it is still a mystery how they got there and why and if they are completely genuine. But certainly Anne's education under the Regent who used to organise "Courts of Love" was about to pay dividends.

The earliest mention of Anne Boleyn at the English court was in 1522, as having a part in a masque along with her sister Mary, future sister-in-law Jane Parker, and many other ladies of the court including the King's sister Mary. While Anne's planned betrothal to James Butler floundered, she met the son of the Duke of Northumberland, Henry Percy who was in service with Wolsey. They became betrothed secretly. Marriages were not formally registered then, and as they had slept together and had announced their intention to be married - it was more or less legally a marriage. Henry Percy was much younger than Anne, only 15, and his horrified parents, who had a suitable bride, Mary Talbot, lined up for him asked Wolsey to break up this relationship. Which is what happened. Anne also lost her place as a Maid of Honour to the Queen as a result. She later had a relationship (not a serious one) with Thomas Wyatt, and also had the odd fling with other men employed at, or associated with, the court. Meanwhile it was her sister Mary who was mistress to the King.

From the date of this letter written by Anne Boleyn at the end of 1526, she had made sure the King started noticing her as someone who could fill in while her sister, Mary Carey was still recovering from the birth of her son Henry born in March 1526. Note the clever wording. Now about 25 years old give or take a year or two, Anne Boleyn was now back at court officially, as a maid of honour to the Queen.

Sire, It belongs only to the august mind of a great king, to whom Nature has given a heart full of generosity towards the sex, to repay by favors so extraordinary an artless and short conversation with a girl. Inexhaustible as is the treasury of your majesty's bounties, I pray you to consider that it cannot be sufficient to your generosity; for, if you recompense so slight a conversation by gifts so great, what will you be able to do for those who are ready to consecrate their entire obedience to your desires? How great soever may be the bounties I have received, the joy that I feel in being loved by a king whom I adore, and to whom I would with pleasure make a sacrifice of my heart, if fortune had rendered it worthy of being offered to him, will ever be infinitely greater.

The warrant of maid of honor to the queen induces me to think that your majesty has some regard for me, since it gives me means of seeing you oftener, and of assuring you by my own lips (which I shall do on the first opportunity) that I am,

Your majesty's very obliged and very obedient servant, without any reserve, Anne Bulen.

Government Changes

The rising prices for food and the epidemics and deaths, led to complaints about the King and his government. The King deviated all blame upon Wolsey, who was to suffer.

With Wolsey's fall from power, the government of the country had changed, and this included the King's Council in the North. The new Warden of the Marches was the Earl of Northumberland, who invited Richmond to stay for a night at his house of Topcliff, near Thirsk. Richmond had behaved very well according to Magnus.

The Earl and Countess of Westmoreland brought their four-year old son and heir, Henry Neville to join Richmond's companions at Sheriff Hutton.

Richmond mentions this in a letter to his father: (SP dom. II, 119) In my mooste humble and mooste lawly maner I beseche your highenes off your daily blissynge, Advertisinge the same that, thankes be to God and to yowr said highenes, I have paste this last Sommere withoute any perelle or daunger off the regious swete that haithe dreigned in these partis and other, and myche the better I truste with the helpe off suche preservatives as your highenes did sende unto me, wheroff mooste humble and mooste lawly I thanke the same, Acertainynge yowre grace that at this present tyme be here withe me my lorde off Wistmoorlande and my lady his wyffe, and have broughte unto me to attend upon me the lorde nevelle thaire sonne and haire. And thus almightety God have you, my mooste dradde soveraine lorde, in his mooste blessyd preservacion. At my Castelle off Shereff hooton, with the hand of your lawly servant,

The Westmorelands were well rewarded for dumping their son so young. By 1546, he had gambled away his entire inheritance, was deeply in debt, and imprisoned in the Fleet, not just for unpaid debts but because he had tried to murder his father to get his money, and his wife, (although they had two children), so he could then find a richer woman to marry, by using witchcraft and magic. He was employing the same magicians who had promised him success in gambling with a magic ring. Which clearly had not worked. So he had not gained much from his priviledged education.

1529

Henry VIII looking for religious excuse to annul his marriage to Queen Catherine

He found and employed a new religious adviser, Jacobus Calchus, an Italian Carmelite friar, to address the crucial issues of the divorce and the break with Rome which seemed now needed to get it. Calchus finished his treatise in 1530, in a closely argued and handwritten text which concluded by stating that Henry could defy Rome and remain true to God. He was paid £23 6s. 8p. "by way of reward", as noted by Thomas Cromwell in his accounts.

The King now also organised more local help in Italy, for Richard Croke in investigating any religious loop-hole to justify him divorcing Queen Catherine. Jerome de Ghinucci, Bishop of Worcester, although he lived in Rome and had been Secretary to Pope Julius II. And John de la Fossa.

It was costing Henry VIII money for the German, Italian, Jewish, and other religious experts that they consulted in what is now mostly Northern Italy, needed paying for their help in their investigations in giving their interpretations of Leviticus and Deuteronomy. None of them seemed sympathetic to Henry VIII's desire to get rid of Queen Catherine, especially since her nephew now ruled over them. And Croke, De la Fossa, and Ghinucci also needed money to live on. The money sent by Henry VIII did not stretch very far. On the 2nd of March Croke complained to Ghinucci that De La Fossa was "miserably in want" and unable to insure the help of those whom he had already obtained for the King's side. He had received nothing. Ten days later Croke complained that De La Fossa refused to give Croke any more money, and he needed 70 crowns or he will perish from hunger.

Meanwhile in March 1530, Pope Clement VII and the Emperor Charles V, met in Bologna to discuss and sort out their affairs after the Peace of Cambray. John De La Fossa had been order by Henry VIII to to be there and report back. Croke and his colleagues had little sympathy from the Venetian authorities, or from other Italian city states like Perugia, Bologna, Milan. Croke complained that he could not get anything from the theologians in Milan and anywhere else without money. John De La Fossa would not give him any money without the authority of Ghinucci, while Ghinucci had told Croke in a letter that he would not get more than 25 gold pieces a week.

Croke had some positive results for Henry VIII from the Jewish scolars and Hebrew texts, he consulted, one being that the law in Deuteronomy related only to inheritance.

But by 1531, Croke had enough of Northern Italy and the King's matrimonial problems, and fled back to Cambridge University.

1529

Henry VIII now has his son with him at court, and his son's mother.

Henry VIII seized all Wolsey's possessions, including his palaces of Hampton Court and York Place, which the King had occupied since 1525. They had in fact been leased to Wolsey, not owned by him, but the King ignored any claims by the actual legal owners of the properties.

Wolsey's loyal servants remained in his service even though they could not be paid. Many of his officers were to be re-employed by the King. Thomas Cromwell, Wolsey's secretary took charge, and collected enough money to pay Wolsey's servants their outstanding wages. He was to take Wolsey's place as the King's right hand man.

The King did not have the power to remove every thing from Wolsey and his family. To give his partner Joan respectable security, Wolsey had arranged a "marriage of convenience" for her to George Legh of Adlington and they were to live in Cheshunt Great House near Waltham Abbey. His two children by Joan, also were provided for. Wolsey was still Archbishop of York and moved north to Yorkshire.

Henry VIII had also called the Parliament to consider how he could provide a legally convincing reason to get rid of his now ageing wife and replace her with a younger one.

Which means Henry VIII was not longer going to consider Queen Catherine's feelings about having his bastard son at the court. Since Richmond had to attend Parliament this gave Henry VIII the chance to bring his son back to his court to be with him. In addition, Richmond was made Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland.

One of the charges made against Wolsey in the Parliament by Lord Dacre and signed by Palsgrave, (despite Elizabeth having been his pupil and had recommended him as tutor to her son), was that Wolsey "had encouraged our young gentlewomen to become our concubines by the well-marrying of Besse Blount."

Now the same lady, Richmond's mother, was back at the court. Her husband, Gilbert, now Baron Tailboys, had been called to the new Parliament as a representative for Lincolnshire. So they moved into accomodation in London. Their three younger children were with them, and the two boys were now to be brought up with their brother, the Duke of Richmond.

1530

Although he was seriously ill, Wolsey was forced to make the journey South. On the way back, too ill to travel any further, he stopped at Leicester Abbey, where he was accomodated and cared for. On 29th November 1530, Wolsey died "of a bloody flux". He may have been suffering from cancer. He was buried in Leicester Abbey.

Wolsey's unfinished tomb, which he had commissioned from the Italian sculptor, Benedetto da Rovenzanno, in 1524, was now appropiated by Henry VIII. Whose plans in 1527, for a grand tomb by another Italian sculptor, Jacopo Sansovino, had been aborted by the sack of Rome and his sculptor fleeing that city with the money. By this time Henry VIII was not thinking of spending eternity with Katherine but of now ditching her for a younger woman.

(Henry VIII never did get a magnificent tomb - his coffin exploded and he was bunged into a vault at St. George's Chapel Jane Seymour's coffin was positioned beside him as he had wished, but he was also joined later by the beheaded Charles I, and a small daughter of Queen Anne).

Gilbert Tailbois, Richmond's step-father dies

Anne Boleyn and Henry VIII now an Item

Mine owne Sweetheart, this shall be to advertise you of the great ellingness that I find here since your departing, for I ensure you, me thinketh the Tyme longer since your departing now last than I was wont to do a whole fortnight. I think your kindness and my fervency of Love causeth it, for otherwise I wolde not thought it possible, that for so little a while it should have grieved me, but now that I am comeing toward you, me thinketh my pains by half released, and also I am right well comforted, insomuch that my Book maketh substantially for my Matter, in writing where of I have spent above IIII Hours this Day, which caused me now to write the shorter Letter to you at this Tyme, because some Payne in my Head, wishing my self (specially an Evening) in my Sweethearts Armes whose pretty dukkys I trust shortly to cusse.
Written with the Hand of him that was, is, and shall be yours by his will,
H. R.

In 1528, Anne's brother George, to whom she was much closer than to her sister, was made a Gentleman of the King's Privy chamber, an Esquire of the Body.

Note the astrolabe as part of her signature. She used that method of signing her name. She wrote it on her "book of hours" which is at Hever (where she used to live). Many people who saw Anne close enough, wondered why Henry VIII fell in love with her and was prepared to sacrifice so much for her. There were many more attractive women to choose from. Anne was dark-haired, skinny, and rather flat-chested, like her mother's side of the family, and rather hairy at a time when fashionable women would bleach their hair if not naturally blonde and plucked out all superfluous hair on their body. She also had an extra little finger on one hand, and her neck was described as "like a boy's" - but the bump in her neck was probably an enlarged thyroid gland. That would explain her increasing hyper-activity and her very prominent big brown eyes. She was called by those who did not like her much (she had a sharp, sarcastic and cruel wit) "the goggle-eyed whore". A nicer term is "doe-eyed". Hence the references to hunting a "hart" or "doe". As in the King's letters and also contemporary song like the still popular: Blow thy Horn Hunter by William Cornish. Full of double-entendre. (more in notes)

Many of Henry's love letters to her had astronomical references, which he knew she would understand. Anne had not only been well educated, she took an interest in the same things as Henry was (or made sure she learned about them). Living in Mechelin in Belgium then part of the Netherlands, she would have experienced a more technologically advanced society than in England. Church bells pealed automatically on the hours and the clock dials had figures which whirled round - all worked by automatic geared mechanisms. Portable table-top clocks, mechanical toys, and music boxes entertained indoors. And the same principle of punched rolls produced automated complicated musical rings of bells in the towers and well as music boxes, and street organs. (And was later used to work looms and the early computers). There was even mechanical cars - clock-work buggies, she may have driven one herself. (See notes).

Henry VIII gave Anne a small wall clock for her room. One such clock also appears in Holbein's portrait of Thomas More's family. Clocks, astrolabes and other scientific instruments as well as mysterious symbols like the perspective skull, appear in Holbein's mysterious portrait of the two ambassadors. There was always some hidden meaning in those portraits.

Anne used the astrolabe as part of her signature, but when she signed her letter to Henry she used it as a symbol. The words in French mean "the time has come - I (picture of astrolabe) Anne Boleyn". She was ready to be back at court as the King's mistress and future Queen.

But she was not the only woman at the court who interested the King.

Now a wealthy and independent widow, Elizabeth, Lady Tailbois, was back in London and at the court and seeing the King to discuss their son's education and welfare. Significantly, they also gave their son a joint New Year's Gift. A ship-shaped frankincense container in silver gilt with their intials H and E engraved on it.

Elizabeth's second son was now Baron George Tailboys and remained with his brother the Duke of Richmond, soon to be joined by their youngest brother Rober. Elizabeth's brother George Blount, was also one of Richmond's official companions.

They were now joined by the Duke of Norfolk's son, Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey, three years older than Richmond, but who was to become one of Richmond's closest companions and his brother-in-law. His sister Mary Howard who was to marry Richmond, was the same age as Richmond, and was now at the court as a Lady in Waiting, but was soon to be in attendance upon her cousin Anne Boleyn. Anne was now making sure her own family was now to become part of the new royal family.

Henry VIII, certain the annulment of his marriage was a matter which would soon be easily settled, had started to make changes to his personal situation at Christmas 1529.

This was celebrated by the King, Queen, and the rest of the Court at Windsor Castle. The Duke of Richmond was allocated the suite of rooms which previously had usually been given to the King's legitimate daughter, Mary, Princess of Wales. She was now given a less important suite.

Anne Boleyn was installed in suite of seven rooms with a bedroom which had originally been designed for one of Edward IV's mistresses with a pattern of small mirrors all over the ceiling. Here Anne could wait for the King to visit her, while resting on the massive eleven-foot square bed with silver embroidered drapes the King had ordered for her, in the black satin nightgown edged with fur he had bought her which matched the fur-lined mantle or dressing-gown, the King had ordered from his tailor Malt to make for her. Playing with fabulous necklaces and other jewelry Henry had spent twice as much as his annual gambling debts on. (Equivalent to billions today). And listening to the music provided by Mark Smeaton on the virginals, who was sometimes concealed in the cupboard where night-time snacks were kept, until (according to evidence given by the women who waited on her) she called her waiting woman on duty "Margaret! bring me a little marmalade".

Queen Catherine was still in her position and accomodation but had no power over her husband. She did however, have a great deal of sympathy and support. From important ladies like the King's sister Mary Duchess of Suffolk, and the Duchess of Norfolk, whose sister in law was Anne Boleyn's mother. And from most of the female population of England. And that support buoyed her strength for a very good defence of her position.

the King's son.

Richmond had now started taking a serious interest in learning about things directly relevant to his life and future ambitions. Military organisation, and politics. He was interested not only in learning how to fight and organise and control an army, but in building defensive fortifications and in military leadership.

He attended parliament in the House of Lords, nearly every day the sessions lasted, and he also accompanied his father in the Garter Procession at Windsor on St. Georges Day. By the age of fourteen, he was deputizing for his father on state occasions.

He learnt recreational skills, like hunting, shooting, jousting, music. His father had a lute made for him which cost 20 shillings. These skills were considered as important as learning about modern warfare, and politics.

But if Richmond's mother, had hoped, now she was free, that the King now planning his divorce, would marry the mother of his son (this was certainly suggested as a possibility at the court), she had a serious rival and enemy in Anne Boleyn.

And there were others. Anne's sister Mary, now widowed, had been the King's mistress for some years, since 1520, during which she gave birth to her two children, legally her late husband's but very likely by the King. But Mary, having been mistress to two Kings (François had taken an interest in her) had at last fallen in love and was married - her secret emerged later when she became pregnant.

1531

Anne installed in Queen's place, her rivals disperse

Elizabeth decided to return to South Kyme for the summer. Here she made full use of her renovated deer park and great hall, by holding hunting parties.

Elizabeth's father had died in February 1531. Her mother now aged 50, sent her three younger daughters, Isabella, Rosa, and Albora, to live with their sister and find local husbands. Two did. Elizabeth's sister Isabella married William Reade and Rosa married William Gresley.

Elizabeth herself had attracted the unwanted attentions of Lord Leonard Grey. This military man, (related to the King's mother) saw the wealthy widow as a way to solve his pressing debts. He came along to one of Elizabeth's hunting parties, and "just happened" to be stranded for the night, making full use of the time to chat up his hostess. Thinking she must have been bowled over by his charm, back in his guest bedroom at 12 o'clock on 24th May he wrote to Cromwell (who had by now taken Wolsey's place as Henry VIII's "right-hand man") asking him to press his marriage proposal, enclosing £5 in gold, and two more letters for the King and the Duke of Norfolk. Cromwell did write to Elizabeth, who told him she did not believe Grey was sincere.

Richmond in Anne Boleyn's Way

Once he was no longer needed in Yorkshire, the Duke of Richmond was usually placed in palaces convenient to the court, to be with his father.

Anne Boleyn saw both the King's two children as a threat to her own ambitions and she planned ways to separate them from their father and reduce their importance to him.

Mary was demoted from Princess to "the Lady" and forbidden to visit her mother. No longer to be called the Queen, but "Princess Dowager", Catherine was sent to live in Kimbolton, then Buckden, her own properties, given to her when she first married Prince Arthur. Anne Boleyn was now planning a new "logo" or badge to replace Catherine's pomegranate everywhere, as well as a coat of arms. Catherine had powerful support but could it be relied on, (see notes).

Anne was in a vulnerable position as she was not supported by the most influential ladies at the court. Following the example of two of the court's leading ladies, the King's sister, the Duchess of Suffolk, and the Duchess of Norfolk, they had refused to attend Anne. Thomas Howard, now Duke of Norfolk, and uncle to Anne Boleyn was annoyed at his wife's behavour and had ordered his servants to sit on his wife and hit her, until she was spitting blood. The Duchess had had enough. She left. Telling him he could take his own mistress Bess Holland to court to attend on Anne the King's mistress.

State Visit to France

Where the Queen's Pomegranate had been carved on the Palaces, Anne's Falcon was to replace it. (In fact workman never got round to changing all of them by the time, four years later, Anne's falcon was being chiseled out to replace by Jane Seymour's phoenix).

And it was Anne who was to accompany the King as his future queen, on the state visit to France October 1532. She was prepared by a ceremony creating her Marquess of Pembroke (in her own right). Mary Howard carried her train. Mary's mother, the Duchess of Norfolk, was supposed to do this, and the crimson dress with train that Mary wore for the ceremony had been sent to her, but she refused to have anything to do with the woman.

Henry VIII planned to meet François 1 with Anne, and his son. He also expected his sister Mary, Duchess of Suffolk, to be with him, as she had been Queen of France. But since Anne would have taken precedence over all the other ladies, which would have included the Henry VIII's sister, there was no way she would attend on Anne Boleyn. Mary gave the excuse of poor health. Although Anne may not have believed her convenient excuse, in fact she did not have to invent it, she really was not very well with a nagging pain in her side. Her health problems turned out to be serious and she died a few months later in June 1533.

François I's sister Marguerite, refused to meet Anne, and suggested that instead of Queen Eleanoré, François's second wife (and Catherine of Aragon's niece) who also understandably refused to meet Anne, François was accompanied by his own current mistress Anne d'Heilly.

Richmond normally travelled with an entourage of at least 600, and his total staff was much larger than that. But he was only allowed to take 60 into France with him. This was in fact, to be used as a convenient ploy to reduce the number of members of his staff and officers, in his household. For now, it meant that arrangements had to be made as to who would accompany him and for the accomodation with full board, of at least about a thousand of his staff who would left behind in England for an indefinite length of time.

Richmond now found he was short of money. As well as paying the wages and living expences for his employees left behind in England, Richmond and the sixty or so, men who would accompany him to France, had to be kitted out in new clothes and the other things needed, all of a quality and style to impress the French. That being one of Henry VIII's objectives for this expedition.

On Friday, 11th October 1532, at 5 in the morning, when it was still fairly dark, about 2,000 members of the King's court and just as many horses, crowded onto the quay at Dover, to embark on the ships anchored at the quay, to cross the channel to Calais.

Although the Duke of Richmond had held the post of "Admiral of England" since he was 6 years old, and wore the gold whistle the symbol of this position, hanging from a chain around his neck, this was the first time he had ever been to sea.

Richmond followed his father onto the Swallow (the ship in the picture to the right). Among the others on the passenger list were the two men who each hoped to become his stepfather and had been courting his mother. Sir Leonard Grey, who Elizabeth rejected via a correspondence with Cromwell as she suspected he was just after her money and property. And Edward, Lord Clinton, only six years older than Elizabeth's eldest son Henry, Duke Richmond. And who had the advantage not only of being young and handsome, and already established at court, but of already being a neighbour known to her, having inherited lands and property near hers. He and Richmond become friends. (When Richmond died Clinton was appointed his successor as Admiral of England). Richmond was assured of the support of his future stepfather, who by his marriage to Richmond's mother would own a large part of South Lincolnshire, besides other extensive lands and property.

Richmond was lucky with his first sea voyage as the sea was calm, and the wind just right, so that five hours later, at 10 the same morning, the Swallow docked at Calais.

Calais was the only part of France still belonging to England. One of the main buildings was the Staple Inn, where the wool merchants held their wool market. This building had been renovated to accomodate the King with Anne Boleyn. Anne had already arrived there, with 12 of her ladies, as she had arived on an earlier ship. One of the ladies with her was her cousin, Mary Howard, daughter of the Duke of Norfolk, Anne's uncle. Anne planned to marry Mary Howard to Henry, Duke of Richmond. They were the same age, and it would prevent Richmond marrying a foreign princess or a member of a family who opposed the Boleyns. Anne made sure the two young people would have the opportunity to get to know each other during the stay at Calais.

On arrival at Calais, Richmond was met by Arthur Plantagenet, Viscount Lisle, the Governor of Calais. They had something in common. Both were the only acknowledged bastard sons of English sovereigns around at that time. Viscount Lisle was the bastard son of Edward IV. He had been born in Calais and was brought up at the court of his father as Richmond was. Richmond was to stay with Viscount Lisle, his 2nd wife Honor, and his 3 daughters and 2 step-daughters.

Henry VIII did not leave the boat until 7 pm Sunday evening, then moved in with Anne Boleyn. The delay was because his accomodation was still not ready.

Richmond passed the time while they were waiting for the French King to arrive, looking at and studying the fortifications of Calais. He also found he was running out of money and had to borrow 500 marks (a mark was a third of a pound) from his father.

On the following Wednesday, the Duke of Norfolk with a group of other peers and their entourages, rode out to meet the Maitre d'Hotel or Grand Master of France, Anne de Montmorency, on the borders between Calais and France to fix the venue for the first meeting between the two Kings. Anne de Montmorency returned with them and dined with Henry VIII.

The French King and his delegation did not arrive at Boulogne (which was now French) until the 19th October - the following Saturday, having left Henry VIII in Calais, to wait for him.

Two days later, early on Monday, the Duke of Richmond, accompanied his father to meet and stay with François and his court. They and their entourages trailing behind them, were dressed to impress in their finest clothes and bling. Henry VIII was in russet velvet braided with gold and embroidered with pearls.

Henry VIII had raised Anne's independent social status by creating her Marquess of Pembroke. He had loaded her with new jewels. He had hoped to get Queen Catherine's off her - but not surprizingly she refused to hand them over. So he had to fork out. The cost of Anne's jewels was at least as much as Henry VIII's gambling debts (as can be seen in the King's Privy Accounts), and the equivalent of billions today.

However her costly gowns and fabulous bling still did not raise Anne's status in the minds of the wife, daughters, and sisters, and noblewomen, of the King of France.

Anne was left behind in Calais, as there had been no French lady of suitable rank who wished to meet her.

The two Kings met each other in the fields at St. Inglevert, in between Calais and Boulogne. After their formal greetings Henry VIII introduced his son to François.

Richmond was described by the French chroniclers reporting the occasion as "very handsome and accomplished" and as "a youth of great promise, so much does he resemble his father."

François had 3 sons and 2 daughters surviving from his first Queen, Claude, and a step-daughter Maria, one of the richest princesses in Europe, the daughter of Queen Eleanoré from her first marriage to the King of Portugal, and just one bastard son, despite his famous womanising.

His mistress Anne d'Heilly was suggested not only by his sister but by Queen Eleanoré, as more suitable than them to accompany him to greet Anne Boleyn. To avoid these issues of precedence and possible cat-fights, it was wiser and diplomatic, for François not to have any women at all in his entourage. He had not brought his wife, daughters, sister, mistress, not any members of his "petite band".

Before reaching Boulogne, Richmond and his father and entourage, were met and greeted by the three French Princes - all dressed in black velvet embroidered with silver.

After being presented to Henry VIII, they were then introduced to the Duke of Richmond, who was to stay in France with the two eldest princes.

The Dauphin, François, the eldest, was then 14, and Henri d'Orleans, was 13, only about 3 months older than Richmond. Both formally thanked the English King for helping to release their father from the Emperor. (more notes on this later)

The youngest and the most cheerful (actually he was a spoiled brat) was Charles d'Angouleme who was 10. Henry VIII kept coming back to talk to this young boy, between greeting and kissing in turn every great lord of France and all the Cardinals.

After the formal greetings were over, Henry VIII rode alongside the King of France into Boulogne with the remainder of their entourage, to the sound of a thousand gun salute. Henry VIII was to stay at the Abbey of Notre-Dame, in the citadel.

The Duke of Richmond was to return to Calais with some of the English courtiers. He had to prepare for the return visit of François to Calais in 4 days time.

Meanwhile in Boulogne, the two Kings passed their time gambling and talking, and watching François' sons play games like tennis.

On Friday morning, a Chapter of the Order of St. Michel (the equivalent of St. George in England) was held, at which the Duke of Norfolk and the Duke of Suffolk were made Chevaliers.

After this ceremony, the two kings set out on the journey to Calais, where the Duke of Richmond was waiting for them.

Richmond was with a large company of the men who had not gone with the king to Bologne. With this entourage, he rode out of Calais and met his father and François about two miles from the gates "and saluting the French King, embraced him in a most honorable and courteous manner". This time Richmond was described by the French chroniclers as "a goodly young prince and full of favour and beauty".

They all rode to Calais in a procession of expensively and gorgeously clad courtiers. As they arrived at Calais they were met by a deafening salute from the artillery mounted upon the walls. Richmond rode just behind the two Kings, through the streets which were lined on one side by English soldiers in their blue and red uniforms, and on the other by "the serving men of England" in coats of tawney and caps of scarlet with white feathers.

Anne Boleyn had been moved out of the Staple Inn as François was staying there. She and Henry VIII were moved into another house.

On his arrival, François sent Anne a large diamond as a gift, but had made no formal arrangements to meet her.

He would only meet her informally, and also her sister Lady Mary Carey, travelling with Anne, who he had called what can be translated as "his favourite English filly - always good for a ride".

On Sunday the Duke of Richmond went to the Staple Inn, where bull and bear baiting was being staged in the courtyard for the entertainment of everyone including the two Kings. This continued until evening.

It was followed by an immense supper. Richmond sat by his father who was gleaming in a suit of violet shot with cloth of gold, with a collar of huge rubies, diamonds and pearls and hanging from it the "Great Ruby" (really a garnet) of the Black Prince.

When the supper tables had been cleared away and the men sat around talking, the music began. To tactfully introduce Anne Boleyn to the King of France, a masque had been arranged. Eight masked ladies entered dressed in identical clothes of gold and crimson satin woven with silver thread and fastened with gold laces. And began to perform a carefully choreographed dance. Then each chose one of the men as a partner. Richmond was chosen by Mary Howard. Presumably she had been ordered by Anne to do that, but it looks like Mary did not mind. At the end of this dance, Henry VIII went over to the lady dancing with François and pulled off her mask, to reveal surprise surprise - Anne Boleyn!

François and Anne sat down together and talked for about an hour. Anne's sister Mary, who is supposed to have been François' mistress received no more attention than the other ladies who had all in their turn been presented, greeted, kissed and embraced by François, and danced with in turn. Mary had been in France and at the French court when a maid of honour to Henry VIII's sister Mary when she was Queen of France, but it does not look like the story that she was François' mistress when in France then, is necessarily true. If she was, it could not have been for long. François' rude comments about one of the Boleyn girls - the other translates roughly as: "a notorious whore would go with anyone" could have referred to either sister and may have actually been directed at Anne.

While this was going on Richmond was with Mary Howard, daughter of the Duke of Norfolk, cousin to Anne Boleyn and sister to Richmond's companion, the Earl of Surrey. They were the same age, and got on well, which was fortunate as Anne had managed to arrange a marriage between them. To make sure Mary's parents would agree, she arranged that Mary's father, the Duke of Norfolk did not have to hand over a dowry, or pay any other expenses out of his own pocket.

That marriage would get Richmond firmly into Anne's own family and away from the chance of making an alliance with a foreign princess or the daughter of another powerful aristocrat - either of which could threaten her own position and ambitions.

Richmond and Mary were given many opportunities to meet. After their French guests had departed, Henry VIII and his court were to remain another two weeks in Calais. Mary Howard was described as beautiful. She was lucky enough to have inherited her mother's good looks and figure, and smart intelligence and independent spirit. Like her elder brother Henry Earl of Surrey, she could also write, and turn out poetry in the latest forms, however she had not have his Howard horsey features and his arrogantly bad behaviour.

On the day after the party, the Richmond was at the Chapter of the Order of the Garter, at which Anne de Montmorency and Philippe Chabot the Admiral of France were made Knights.

François was to return to Boulogne on Tuesday. The Duke of Richmond rode by his side accompanying the French king through the streets of Calais. Richmond had helped to organise the English troops lined up along the route for inspection. They were joined at the Gates by Henry VIII and his retinue, and rode out of Calais towards Boulogne.

After about 7 miles, they stopped. Henry VIII had arranged a huge picnic banquet laid out in the fields. Fortunately the weather stayed fine.

After this the two Kings departed from each other "lyke lovynge brethern in great amytie". They had lavished presents on each other and had agreed to pay each other's costs for the event.

Henry VIII had hoped that François (who was not exactly a model of rectitude) would now help him in obtaining his divorce. However although François had been friendly and courteous, Anne had only been accepted as the King's mistress, not as a future Queen of England.

On the other hand the Duke of Richmond had been totally accepted by the French as an English Prince, the King's son, and on equal status with the French princes. Or so it appeared at the time. It turned out not exactly true.

end 1532

Richmond was very interested in warfare. As was fitting for someone who was expected to be destined to organise wars and lead his troops.

He had organised the personnel put on parade for the French King's visit - and it had all gone well.

At home he was starting to organise his own private army. As the King's son, he had a concesssion from the Laws of Livery and Maintenance which controlled the number of uniformed men-at-arms any nobleman may have on his staff. This was to enable him later to legally employ and equip his own armed forces of several thousand men.

But now he had to abandon most of his household in England, while he was in France. Normally, apart from the permanent staff in his many houses, palaces and castles, he travelled around with an entourage of about 500 - 600 men in his livery, plus their families who accompanied them. This was the start of the private army he was planning. And was legally free to do so.

The King was spending time with his son, as they were soon to be parted. While the King returned with Anne to England, Richmond would be left in France. It was time to arrange the accomodation for all those of his staff and their families to be looked after while he was away. He could not take more than 60 people with him.

On the 10th November 1532, Richmond sent a letter from Calais to the Prior of Tutbury. He wrote:

"I am required by the King to repair from hence tomorrow to France, and it is determined that such of my servants as remain behind in England shall be established in religious places,(monasteries etc. provided hotel accomodation) to have meat (meaning food generally not just steaks) and drink for themselves, horse-meat (meaning food for horses not horses for food) for their geldings (castrated horses), and chambers (rooms) for their lodgings; of whom Robert Amyas, clerk of my jewel house is appointed to abide at your monastery."

This could not have been arranged until after the meetings between the two Kings - as although a possibility - it had to be fixed between them. Until then Richmond could not have been certain that he would remain in France. But it was something he really wanted to do. Apart from the interesting experience, it would keep him safely out of England, and away from scheming Anne and her relatives and cronies.

Richmond saw his father, Anne Boleyn, Mary Howard, and the hundreds of others that had crowded into Calais, board the ships for England.

Two days later, Richmond left Calais to start his journey into France.

end 1532

Richmond stays in France

the Dauphin

Henri

Charles.

This arrangment was originally suggested to the King by Anne Boleyn as it would separate Richmond from his father. And get him out of her way. And would be accompanied by her own cousin Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey, to watch over him. However at the French court, were a number of princesses of about the right age that he could meet and might marry. Anne did not want Richmond with a royal bride as that could be a threat to her plans to have her own son as future King of England. Which is the reason she had already arranged a marriage for Richmond to her own cousin, Mary Howard, and also made sure they could have some time together in Calais.

The brilliant marriage scheme also reconciled the Duchess of Norfolk, Mary's mother, who had so far refused to attend on Anne at court. Anne had wanted her present at her investiture as Marquess of Pembroke, but she told her husband to take his mistress Bess Holland instead. This was great for Bess Holland, but humiliating for Anne.

Richmond with the Earl of Surrey and their retinue of staff, proceeded to Chantilly to join the French court. Surrey was ill with an "ague" - which could be malaria - still endemic in northern Europe at that time, but was also used for any other fever.

Richmond was not only fit and well, he was glad to be out of England, where he was feeling as threatened as his half-sister Princess Mary was. He was reported to be looking forward to his stay in France.

At Chantilly, François I embraced Richmond, saying that he thought himself now to have four sons, and esteemed him no less.

After all been greeted by all the princes and the nobles, Richmond was taken into the the King's Privy Chamber "where the King told him he should always be as one of his chamber."

In fact, his two eldest sons, François and Henri hated their father who had allowed them to be taken as hostages by the Emperor Charles V in exchange for their father who was captured at the Battle of Pavia in 1525. They were left as prisoners in Spain. Their mother Queen Claude died. Abandoned their living conditions became increasingly bleak and prison-like.

Their grandmother Louise of Savoy, colluded with Margarete of Austria, Regent of the Netherlands (they had grown up together as young girls in the French Court) to bring an end to the war in 1529, at the Treaty of Cambrai, and forced her son to pay the ransom. Both these formidable ladies died soon after this collaboration.

When the Dauphin and Henri came home, they had forgotten their French and could only speak Spanish.

Their father, not surprisingly, found them coarse and sullen. They never forgave him for leaving them in prison.

1533

Richmond in Paris

It would appear that Henry VIII's bastard son was regarded as equal in status to the French King's legitimate sons. But this turned out not to be exactly true.

The Dauphin nearly two years older than Richmond, was a serious type who liked dressing entirely in black, only drank water, was fond of the arts and played tennis. He had a girlfriend, one of the Queen's maids of honour, to whom he wrote poetry.

His brother, Henri d'Orleans liked fighting, drinking, tournaments, and had a rather dark, sadistic streak.

About the same age as Orleans, Richmond joined him in hunting, drinking, gambling, tournaments, watching tortures and executions, hiding rotting corpses in the beds of ladies at court to give them a fright, group-raping peasant girls, (those whose families were unable to obtain redress), beating up smaller boys, and riding horses in a noisy gang through the streets in the middle of the night firing guns and throwing stones and rubbish through windows.

Reporting to Cromwell, Richard Tate, in charge of Richmond's household there, wrote that Richmond got on well with the French princes. "My lord of Richmond has been in good health, and finds the country very natural unto him. Surrey has suffered from an ague which he had before he left Calais, but it is hoped the worst is past." He wrote in another more secret letter that he found "great fault in setting forward my Lord's train which as yet is out of frame."

The Venetian Ambassador observed that the Duke of Richmond was living at great expense. Richmond ran up great debts, trying to keep up with the fashions and life style of Henri d'Orleans and his friends.

Surrey was less able to join in these activities as he kept falling ill. He also hated the dirty conditions in the Chateaux. French Chateaux, although more impressive in architecture and decor than the English royal residences, were short on mod. con. and had few, if any, toilets, so servants and courtiers caught short just found anywhere.

1533

Richmond travels around France

The baths were great round tubs, the largest measured 14 ft. by 10 ft., and was 3.5 ft. deep. Hot and cold water came from great brass coppers. The walls were decorated with some of the King's favourite pictures and there were six "retiring-rooms" decorated by Primaticcio. Clearly these bathrooms were not intended merely for functional, solitary, practical purposes. The King made frequent use of them both for his pleasures, and to ease the results, his symptoms of venereal diseases which included syphilis which was to kill him eventually.

The courtiers, even if they had no chance of always being clean, always did look splendid. They were expected to wear as rich and fine clothes as possible on all occasions. Some carried most of the wealth on their person, not to mention their debts.

The Duke of Richmond wanted to make an equally good show and look trendy and cool, along with the other young men at court. He needed to dress in the French fashions - which seemed so much more up to date than the English clothes. Since his funds were limited - he went into debt, and avoided paying his staff wages. Which meant they became more and more unmanageable. Since they needed money for fashions to look good in too. And for other things they needed to live.

One of the functions in which the Duke of Richmond was needed to play an important role this time as a Knight of the Garter, was held at Fontainbleau on April 23rd., St. George's Day. When a Festival of the Order of the Garter, was held with much ceremony by François.

An English Herald had arrived two days before with the robes for the Grand Master and the Admiral, who had the Order of the Garter conferred on them by Henry VIII when he was in Boulogne.

The Herald also brought unwelcome news from England for the Duke of Richmond. Anne Boleyn was five months pregnant and the King was going to go ahead with her coronation regardless of the fact that he was still legally married to Catherine.

The next day, the Herald departed for England with the information for Henry VIII that François was going to meet Pope Clement VII, who was escorting his distant cousin Catherine d'Medici, for her wedding to Henri d'Orleans.

On 24th April, Richmond travelled with the French Court to Lyons. The journey was a slow tour as François was taking the opportunity to see his country and his subjects, and they did not arrive in Lyons until the middle of May.

Pope Clement VII was due to arrive at Marseilles in July, with his ward Catherine and arrangements had been already made to receive him and Catherine and for the wedding of Catherine and Henri.

These plans were to be disturbed by the actions of Henry VIII, now desparate to get his child by Anne born legitimately which was only possible if the Pope dissolved his marriage to Catherine before the baby was born.

Anne pregnant, crowned Queen

Cranmer would preside at Anne's coronation on the 1st June 1533, a grand public occasion in London with displays along the procession, designed by Holbein. But the King had still not been able to legally annul his first marriage. Anne never had a real public wedding, as the King was still legally married to Catherine. And he could only legally (in Europe) have one wife at a time.

The story of a secret marriage conducted by Cranmer, on the 25th of January 1533, after which Anne then "succumbed" to Henry, appears to have been calculated (not very well - Anne would have been about 3 months gone by then) many years later at least when her daughter was Queen so her mother's reputation got a whitewash. But the story keeps getting repeated.

Richmond and his companions missed Anne's coronation, but Richmond's fiancèe Mary played an important part, holding Anne's train. She saw all the displays by the City Guilds, some designed by Holbein, as she was conveyed with the other important ladies in the procession. And Richmond could have later seen the sketches which Holbein made showing the plans for the ceremonies. This is a copy of one showing Anne at her coronation banquet. She had to sit under a canopy in state for 6 hours without being able to get up and move about. Particularly stressful since she was now moe than six months pregnant. So she was attended by an additional four ladies. Two held napkins in case "she list to spit" or was sick, and two crouched under the table equipped with napkins and basins for an even worse job.

A highlight of the banquet was the Queen's champion riding in. This was the 18 year old Edward Clinton, who had met Richmond on the boat to Calais, and who would soon become Richmond's step-father.

Hunt the Pope

The Pope was not at home, he was escorting his ward (distant cousin) Catherine d' Medici to her wedding with Henri d'Orleans. The wedding was to be held in Lyons.

So since the Pope would be found in France, Henry VIII also needed the support of François I.

But where was the King of France and his court. He was on a tour of the south of France. Intending eventually to meet up with the Pope and progress to the wedding venue.

The Duke of Norfolk and George Boleyn crossed the Channel, but then they had to find the King and his court. The whole French court had packed up and moved out of Fontainebleau.

The King and his Court were slowly progressing south, to meet up with the Pope for the wedding of Henri and Catherine d'Medici. They were due to arrive at Marseilles in October.

The Duke of Norfolk's mission was to contact the Pope and persuade him to declare Henry VIII's marriage to Catherine null and void, so his niece, now Queen Anne, would be legally married to to the King, in time for the birth of her child.

The Pope heard about Norfolk's mission and stayed in Italy, to avoid a confrontation.

As the wedding between Henri and Catherine d'Medici was now postponed, François I continued on his tour in the south of France.

He left his sons with the Queen, and their sisters, and step-sister.

Richmond's father had tried to arrange his marriage to one of these princesses, as well as to Catherine d'Medici. Catherine was born on 13th April 1519, so was about the same age as Richmond.

Now Anne was expecting to have a child (and the various midwives, sorcerers, astrologers, etc. she consulted, assured her it was a son), Richmond was no longer a good marriage prospect.

To make sure he did not get too friendly with any his daughters, step-daughter and prospective daughter-in-law, François did not let him remain with his sons and daughters.

Richmond with Surrey and the rest of his entourage, remained with François on his progress in the Auvergne and the Languedoc regions. That meant he was no longer protected by the security and additional staff that surrounded him while living with the French princes.

Possible attempt to murder Richmond

They were met about one and a half miles outside Riom by Norfolk's son, Henry, Earl of Surrey, and the King's son, Henry, Duke of Richmond, accompanied by a number of members of the French Court. They escorted them into the Chateau where François, was waiting to receive them, and had laid on feasting and pagentry to entertain them.

During the journey across France, Norfolk had been trying to contact the Pope and had sent envoys to request an audience. Pope Clement VII refused to speak to them, and he refused to grant an audience with Norfolk.

This brush-off for Norfolk was followed with the startling news that he received on 11th July, 1533, when they were at Riom, that the Pope had excommunicated Henry VIII. That meant Henry VIII could not marry Anne, and he would not be able to marry anyone else either. (Not if he wanted to stay Catholic).

Norfolk asked Anne's brother, George Boleyn to return to England to give the bad news to the King.

It seems that George had some other agenda on his sister's behalf for it is just then that Surrey and Richmond became violently sick, at the same time. Richmond was so ill, that for a while, it was feared he might die. They had shared a cup of wine which had been found in Richmond's room when they had returned there together. The physicians thought the symptoms were characteristic of poisoning. Because he had shared the wine with his friend, Richmond had not taken enough to kill him. He recovered. But his fears of attack by the Boleyns were justified.

By the time Richmond had found the wine in his room, George Boleyn had already gone, he was found to have departed in such haste that he had left all his luggage and servants behind. He had been told to give the news of excommunication to the King as soon as possible, but it did seem suspicious that he left so suddenly, that he left his stuff and staff behind. So his servants were stranded with the luggage. No one expected him to do that. And that a cup of poisoned wine had just been left in Richmond's room. Later, at Anne Boleyn's trial, part of the evidence that George Boleyn's wife Jane gave the Court was that Anne and her brother had tried to poison the Duke of Richmond and Princess Mary.

Richmond Ordered to Return to England and Marry Mary Howard

Richmond now recovering from the attempt to poison him, wanted to remain in France. Now certain that Anne Boleyn was out to get him, he felt safer out of the country. Which also meant out of Calais as well.

This was not very convenient for François who wanted the Pope to return soon, for the wedding of Catherine d'Medici to Henri d'Orleans. Also King James V of Scotland, was coming over to choose one of his daughters for a wife.

He really did not want Richmond getting more than friendly with any of his daughters. Clearly he viewed Richmond as likely to attract one of those girls. Richmond must have been looking more grown-up and maturing by then and must have been good-looking enough for François to believe he could be a rival to the other princes.

But Richmond still refused to return to England and took his time in travelling back to Calais, going a very long and slow way. If Anne had a son, he knew he would not be safe, she would continue to attempt to eliminate him. He was going to remain in France.

One of his companions who went to France with him was Nicholas Throckmorton who was brought up with William Parr (brother of Katherine Parr) - who was also in France with the Duke of Richmond. They were both a few years older than Richmond - you get the impression in the extract below that Richmond was hitting a child, which was not the case, Throckmorton was about 20. Later in life Throckmorton's nephew wrote the story of his life in rhyme, (he was the 4th of 8 sons hence the winge about land) as dictated to him by his ghost! - and here is the bit on his life in France attendant on the Duke of Richmond:

"A brother forth, and far from hope of land,
By parents' hest I served as a page
To Richmond's duke, and waited still at hand,
For fear of blows that hapen'd in his rage.
In France with him I lived most carelessly,
And learned the tongue, though nothing readily.

September 1533

Its a Girl!

In France, the weddding of Henri to Catherine d'Medici went ahead on the 28th October, with the wedding night under the survey of the King checking that his son performed correctly, while Pope Clement VII visited the couple very early in the morning to check his ward had been properly serviced.

Duke and Duchess of Richmond

The couple had to have a dispensation from the Pope before they could marry because they were related. Though hardly closely. They both had the same great-great-grandmother. The Pope seems to have had no difficulty granting that particular dispensation quickly in exchange for the fee. The Catholic Church found a great source of income from dispensations, and they were originally needed for relationships up to 12 degrees apart. Of course only royalty and nobility could be bothered to trace their ancestors in such detail - but they were also the ones who could afford to pay.

The Vatican clearly had a political agenda in not allowing Henry VIII his dispensation.

This match of Henry Fitzroy to Mary Howard, although of no political interest to the Pope, was of political interest in England. Arrangements had already been made by her parents, to marry Mary Howard to the Earl of Oxford's son. It was Anne who had the idea to use her cousin (Anne's mother Elizabeth was sister to Thomas Howard, Duke of Norfolk) as bride to the King's son, and persuaded Henry VIII to accept it. To make sure, Mary's father, the Duke of Norfolk, agreed with it, Anne insisted he was relieved of the responsibility of providing his daughter with a dowry or any wedding expenses.

The last thing Anne had wanted was Richmond's marriage to a foreign princess or to any one likely to represent the opposition or superiority, to her own family. She was smart enough to see, judging from the reactions of people in the streets as her coronation procession passed, that she was not popular with the general public, and more important people too. Such as Mary's mother the Duchess of Norfolk, and the King's sister Mary, Duchess of Suffolk, who both refused to attend on Anne at court. The King's sister really had been ill some time, although originally it was just an excuse not to wait on Anne. She died on the 25th June, 1533.

Even if Anne gave birth to a healthy son for the King, Richmond would be a threat to the succession if the King died before the child was adult. As seemed increasing possible. Then there would be every chance that Richmond, as the King's son, would likely be chosen as Regent, rather than Anne, and probably take over.

(In fact what did happen was that by the time the Act of Parliament was passed to consider the Regency in the case of a minority succession, Anne had been executed and it was Jane who would have faced that problem.)

1534

Richmond takes King's Place on State Occasions

Richmond was to attend Parliament in the House of Lords, everyday. At the Garter ceremonies and feast at Windsor, in May 1534, Richmond, now 15, took the place of the King at the head of the procession.

Richmond Sent to Poole Harbour

One of Richmond's responsibilities there was to check on the harbour's defences. It would be a tempting target for attack, and not just in war, in the 16th century, towns all along the south west coasts were plagued by pirates who captured people as well as goods to take for sale in the markets of north Africa.

It is perhaps the industrial potential (therefore added income) of Canford - that was behind the campaign by Margaret Countess of Salisbury who insisted it was her property by right. She had been granted Canford in 1513 as part of the Earldom of Salisbury (which she held in her own right). She claimed that Sir William Compton contested her right to Canford because she had refused his offer of marriage. As Steward of Canford, Compton might really have noticed that Margaret's claim was not verified in the documentation. An added complication was the Master of St. Cross Hospital, Winchester, John Incent, who refused to had over documents, claiming that the lands had been bought with the purposed of endowing the hospital.

It was yet another factor that gave the Countess of Salisbury and her family - the "white rose" faction a grudge against the King's son and his increasingly important political role.

Hence the Duke of Richmond who had been given Canford along with everything else that went with his investitures in 1525, was now taking up residence. Canford was a desirable place for someone like him to live since it had many deer parks nearby for hunting. And it was time someone with authority moved in as the area had been neglected.

Richmond was made welcome at the places he stopped on his progress to Canford, via Salisbury, and when he arrived.

As George Cotton reported to Cromwell on the 2nd June, from Canford: "there mett hym before he cam to Salisbury many wurshipfull men of this cuntrey, And receyved his grace verye lovingly in offering them selffes to be at his commandement. And before his entrye into the said towne he was also receiyved with very gentill ffac'on of the maire and aldermen of the same, the whiche presented hym with there costely gifts. And in likewise the said wurshipfulle men have sense his said cumyng to Canforde made his said grace dyvers and costelye presentes".

There was good reason for the locals in Poole especially to be pleased to see the King's son there. This important harbour and the town's defences had been neglected. Henry VIII was now beginning to realise just how bad the situation was and how neglected England's sea defences were - not just in Poole but other important coastal areas. The country was in danger of invasion at any time and needed to be better prepared.

This was the sort of thing that interested Richmond. Here is one of his letters dictated to his secretary, written on the 13th June: where he reports to Cromwell:.... that he had "viewed a certayne breche above my towne of Poole called Northavyn poynte, and do perceyve by the same that by reason of the sea if will be not only in processe of tyme greate prejudice and hinderaunce to the kinges highnes in his customes there, but also enue and be to the great annoyaunce and decay of my said towne by reason of the same."

Being away from the court and London, checking up on England's border and sea defences was not a problem for Richmond. Since Anne was pregnant, and seeing Anne's brother appears to have tried to murder him last time Anne was pregnant, Richmond wanted to stay as far away from them as possible, preferably abroad. And it looks like his father also thought his son was safer well away from Anne and her brother.

At the end of June, Richmond heard that the King was planning a visit to France and asked to accompany him. But Henry VIII decided to stay at home waiting for the son he expected Anne to give him, and sent Stephen Gardiner as his representative instead.

1534

Anne's Rivals

Cromwell, always kind to the ladies, helped her. She left the court to live with her husband and children.

And was the luckiest of the Boleyns, since she escaped the terrible events about to happen.

The King had been having an affair with one of Anne's cousins Margaret (Madge) Shelton who was now married to one of his Esquires of the Bedchamber. And possibly also or instead, with her sister Mary - (since there has been some confusion amongst historians - was it "Marye" in the King's accounts or "Marge"). Their mother was the sister of Anne's father Thomas Boleyn, and little Princess Elizabeth's Governess. Both Mary and Margaret were amongst the brainy young women close to Anne at her court who collected poems, theirs and others into a folder (later known as the Devonshire manuscrip) - a group which included Mary Howard, Richmond's wife, and the King's niece Margaret Douglas.

The King had also shown an interest in the lively, intelligent, auburn-haired, widowed daughter-in-law of Anne's Chamberlain Lord Burgh. That was Katherine Parr who had travelled with the Duke of Richmond's retinue heading north, as far as her new husband's home in Gainsborough. Her brother and uncle (both called William Parr)were still with the Duke of Richmond.

When Lord Burgh's eldest son Edward, died, his 19 year old widow, Katherine, who had lived with her husband at Kirton Lindsay, now joined her her father-in-law and her sister Anne Parr, who was now a lady-in-waiting to Queen Anne. Anne Parr was to be married soon. And Katherine found a husband, John Neville, Lord Latimer, a Member of Parliament, now enobled and in the House of Lords. He had been married twice before, and had a son and daughter.

Eventually Katherine was widowed again, in time for Henry VIII to make her his 6th and surviving wife. She then married Thomas Seymour, one of Jane Seymour's brothers, who by then had twice unsuccessfully tried to arrange his marriage to the widowed Duchess of Richmond. Katherine Parr died after giving birth to their daughter Mary. Thomas Seymour was executed soon after, and the child was given to Katherine Willoughby to care for. She complained that she was not being paid and the fate of little Mary Seymour is not known.

Elizabeth Tailboys had decided it was time she remarried. It seems that the chance that the King would chose the mother of his son, rather than Anne Boleyn had passed. Elizabeth chose for her second husband, Edward Fiennes, Baron Clinton, whose father had died of the Sweat in 1528. He was younger than her, he was born in 1512, but his lands adjoined hers and they already knew each other quite well. Elizabeth may have first noticed Clinton as a grown-up man, who was very good looking, when he was the Queen's Champion at Anne's coronation. Scrivelsby, his family home, had an odd condition upon it, that the owners would be the Challenger on horseback at a coronation.

They were married in Feburary 1534 (or 1535). The King gave them as a wedding present a grant of 3 tuns of Gascon wine annually, part of the imports from Boston, which was local to both their properties.

They were to have three daughters. Elizabeth's two younger sons, George, Baron Tailboys, and Robert Taiboys were both now living with their half-brother the Duke of Richmond.

1534

Anne not doing well

The King had no need to postpone his summer progress, and left to tour more of his country.

It was also in 1534 that Edward Seymour, (who had once been in service with the Duke of Richmond as his Master of Horse, and was Jane Seymour's brother), now seems to have felt the need to ditch his wife Catherine, married in 1527, and mother of his 2 sons John and Edward, for a new one, Anne Stanhope. His excuse was odd.
Apparently :

" - having been formerly employed in France, he did there acquaint himself with a Learned man, supposed to have great skill in Magics: of whom he obtained, by great rewards and importunities, to let him see, by the help of some Magical perspective, in what Estate all his Relations stood at home. In which impertinent curiosity, he was so far satisfied, as to behold a Gentleman of his acquaintance, in a more familiar posture with his wife, than was agreeable to the the Honour of either Party. To which Diabolical illusion he is said to have given so much credit, that he did not only estrange himself from her society at his coming home, but furnished his next wife with an excellent opportunity for pressing him to the disinheriting of his former Children."

On this flimsy evidence, Edward Seymour's wife Catherine was dumped into a convent and her father expected to pay for it. At that time, if a wife or husband entered holy orders the marriage was dissolved. But her husband's relationship with both his parents John and Margery, appears to have remained unchanged. (When retiring to a convent to give up her place as Queen to Anne Boleyn was suggested to Queen Catherine, she refused to even discuss it.)

Edward Seymour was known to be very gullible when it came to magic and sorcery. What he may have seen was a camera obscura. These were already known and used by artists to get a more realistic picture, by astronomers to see the sun, and by showmen to show plays etc. - the first silent movies - performed by actors outside in the light, and watched by the audience inside in the dark - mostly fights and of course porn. Edward Seymour may have either interpreted what he had paid to see or more probably thought about it later as a way of getting rid of his wife and finding someone more upmarket, since it does not seem to have affected his relationship with his parents at all.

His sister Jane is said by some historians, to have been still single as the scandal of her brother's divorce put off her wedding arrangements to William Dormer, but actually Jane and William had fallen in love and become betrothed, when she was 14 and he was 19, which would have been in about 1522. William's parents did not approve of the match, and broke the engagement between the young couple, having arranged for William to marry Mary Sidney instead.

Edward Seymour had been in France in attendance on Mary Tudor in 1514 and on campaign in the war of 1522 - when he was just the right age to be interested in a saucy camera obscura show set up to entertain the troops. It could be possible this had been the inspiration to form an excuse to get shot of his wife when he met someone else. (Or he could have made the whole thing up anyway). The marriage plans for Jane's two younger sisters were not affected. Elizabeth, was married at the age of 13 to Sir Anthony Oughtred, Governor of Jersey, and Dorothy married Sir Clement Smythe (or Smith). Her brother Henry also married. Jane, the eldest daughter, was left still single and living with her mum and dad.

But Jane was not totally isolated, she did have had some friends, relatives, and contacts at the court. One of them was Francis Bryan, by now a Gentleman of the Privy Chamber (he had replaced William Carey). But although related to Anne Boleyn, he had fallen out with her, and he was also just as closely related to Jane Seymour. Not that close, second cousin to both women. Close enough to know about Jane. He felt sorry for Jane, still single and stuck at home, and tried to find her a husband. Or at least a place at Court with the new Queen. Better still, since he did not like Anne, he decided to help Jane attract the King herself.

The strategy worked. The King stopped off at Wolf Hall, the Seymour family home, on his summer progress. There was not enough room for all the royal entourage and Anne had to stay in another house.

Anne was annoyed when the King went back again to Wolf Hall, this time to collect Jane Seymour himself and bring her to court. Jane and Anne were also second cousins, so Anne (and others) knew the past scandal of her unofficial betrothal to William Dormer, (which also meant Jane had at least some experience with men). Henry not only brought Jane back with him, but had her installed her as a lady in waiting to Queen Anne. It made Anne feel sick and angry but there was nothing she could do about it. When she saw Jane wearing a necklace the King had given her, with his portrait on it, she tore it from the woman's neck, cutting her hand in the process.

Edward Seymour had been promoted to "Esquire to the Body". Edward Seymour's new wife Anne Stanhope, a pushy type of woman, seized the advantage. If Anne, now about 33 years old, continued to fail to provide Henry VIII with his male heir, she could be replaced. Edward Seymour's wife might be sister-in-law to the next Queen.

Along with Francis Bryan, she was also giving advice to Jane on encouraging the King's interest in her and sustaining it to become something more permanent than a quick screw. It seems though, it was Jane's apparent freshness and lack of sophistication that appealed to Henry VIII. He had his pick of the sophisticated, well educated, and fashionable, young ladies already. And he was worried about the adverse publicity and spiteful rumours and gossip his new relationship had generated: In a letter to Jane:

"My Dear Friend And Mistress,
"The bearer of these few lines from thy entirely devoted servant will deliver into thy fair hands a token of my true affection for thee, hoping you will keep it for ever in your sincere love for me. Advertising you that there is a ballad made lately of great derision against us, which if it go abroad and is seen by you; I pray you to pay no manner of regard to it. I am not at present informed who is the setter forth of this malignant writing; but if he is found out, he shall be straitly punished for it.
"For the things ye lacked, I have minded my lord to supply them to you as soon as he could buy them. Thus hoping, shortly to receive you in these arms, I end for the present,
"Your own loving servant and sovereign,
"H. R."

Jane and Henry shared a few interests. Both liked their food - Jane looks a little plump and double-chinned in her Holbein portrait. She particularly liked fattened little game birds like quail and ortalan. (Ortalan were traditionally eaten whole, bones, insides and all, stuffed into the mouth with just the head hanging out which was bitten off). Jane lacked Anne's education, but she was not dim. She was skilled at embroidery - she was now working on bed hangings and covers with a view to furnishing her new future. In fact one of Henry VIII's many interests was embroidery - he even did some himself. And she was also apparently something of an apothecary - being skilled in herbal medicines etc. This was an acceptable feminine accomplishment then. Women brewed medicines and adminstered first aid to their family and staff. And although women could not be doctors or surgeons in the 16th century, they could be apothecaries. Brewing up medicines was one of Henry VIII's main interests so it was worth Jane's efforts to show a keen interest as well.

Jane stayed with her brother and sister-in-law to give the appearance that she was chaperoned, but they were given apartments at court conveniently connected to the King's own accomodation.

Richmond called back to the court

He was lucky that he was too young to sign the Oath to the Act of Succession which said amongst other things:

" - that the said Lady Katherine shall be from henceforth called and reputed only dowager to Prince Arthur, and not queen of this realm; and that the lawful matrimony had and solemnized between your highness and your most dear and entirely beloved wife Queen Anne, shall be established, and taken for undoubtful, true, sincere, and perfect ever hereafter - "

While Richmond could delay making a decision, his half-sister Princess Mary had just turned 18, and the pressure was on her to sign. She refused.

On the 30th November, Richmond had to entertain the Admiral of France, in the place of his father. Not just because Richmond was Admiral of England and could speak French. This was because the French Admiral (Philippe Chabot de Brion), had irritated Henry VIII. Not only did he insist Mary was the King's legitimate daughter, he made it clear he was not interested in watching the King performing in entertainments and playing tennis. So the King left his son to look after him.

After Christmas, Richmond went to stay in Collyweston. But was soon was recalled to Court to take the King's place on more occasions. His father left him to talk to and dine with the Imperial Ambassador Eustace Chapuys who was concerned about the safety of Princess Mary.

Richmond needed his French language skills, and to have knowledge of the on-going political situation on other occasions as well. The King was leaving his son to stand in for him on some occasions where he would have been expected to have his own policies and actions challenged and now expected his son to give the right replies. It was clear Henry VIII was training his son to "follow in his footsteps".

Suspicions of attempt to poison Princess Mary

The descendants of the Plantagenets, the Courtenays and the Poles were central to the "White Rose" party who supported Queen Katherine while Henry VIII was trying to divorce her. They had a plan to marry Princess Mary to the Countess of Salisbury's son, Reginald Pole. This plan to make Mary her daughter-in-law, was probably why the Countess of Salisbury was desperate to remain with Mary. When Mary's household was disbanded and Mary had to move with only two attendants into her baby half-sister's household, the Countess of Salisbury pleaded to be allowed to remain with Mary even at her own expense. She also tried to hide away some of Mary's gold and silver plate.

Amongst Princess Mary's guests during 1533, had been Reginald's brothers, Lord Montague and Sir Geoffrey Pole, the Earl of Oxford and the Earl of Essex, and Lord Sandys (all supporters of Queen Catherine) and amongst the women visitors were Lady Bergavenny, the Countess of Derby and Lady Kingston - all of whom also shared these views as did their husbands. Their ideas had been backed by Bishop Fisher.

Now Princess Mary was to be isolated from her supporters, friends and even her mother.

Queen Catherine still managed to secrete letters to her daughter via friends and the French diplomat employed as the Imperial Ambassador, Eustace Chapuys, who was also her friend. She advised her daughter "to say very little and to obey the King's commandments, but not to lose her own soul. She was to play her virginals or lute for recreation. Especially she was to keep her heart with a chaste mind and her body from all ill and wanton company, not thinking nor desiring any husband until the troublesome time be past."

Henry VIII was still wearing the shirts that Catherine had embroidered for him, including the new ones she was still sending him. In return, Henry was continuing to send Catherine her favourite wines. That infuriated Anne. She had plans to poison the wines. Catherine was warned about that by friends. She took the warnings seriously, and was very wary of her food and drink, and only ate what was prepared separately for her in her own bedroom.

Mary was now under the control of Anne's aunt, her father's sister Lady Anne Shelton who was also Princess Elizabeth's governess. Mary was virtually kept a prisoner in her baby sister's household. She was kept short of clothes and other things, and just had the two women appointed to look after her.

Anne had even given Lady Shelton instructions to ill-treat Mary.

Lady Shelton, ignored this, she replied that "even if Mary were only the bastard of a poor gentleman, she deserved honour and good treatment for her goodness and virtues". Lady Shelton's two daughters Mary and Margaret, were not only ladies-in-waiting to Queen Anne at least one of them had been mistress to her husband the King, and both continued to attract his attention. So Lady Shelton was not going to listen too much to her niece. She could see and hear for herself that Anne's hold over the King was waning.

Meanwhile, while under Lady Shelton's care in her baby half-sister's household, Mary had become very ill. She suffered from painful heavy periods but her condition had worsened (perhaps due to stress), and Lady Shelton called in the apothecary, Mr. Michael who gave Mary some pills. But after taking the pills, Mary was very sick.

Chapuys, the Imperial envoy, was worried, and asked Henry VIII to help his daughter. Ex-Queen Catherine who was kept informed by Chapuys, pleaded with the King to send her daughter to live with her so she could look after her.

The King was himself very worried about his daughter, thinking she might be poisoned, as his son might have been. After all Lady Shelton was Anne's aunt. He sent his physician Dr. William Butts to examine Mary. He saw Mary on 2nd September, and concluded that Mary had had a bad reaction to the pills she had been given. Henry VIII then went to see Lady Shelton and questioned her himself. After this he told Chapuys that he was confident that Lady Shelton was experienced in "women's problems".

Neverthless he later believed Anne had attempted to poison both his older children.

The pills prepared for Mary, are likely to have contained ergometrine, which is still used to help with heavy periods and bleeding from miscarriages. Mary was having problems with her periods which were often late and very heavy. She also suffered from migraines. Ergometrine can help with both, but it also causes pains and cramps in the rest of the body, as it shrinks the blood vessels. It can even cause gangrene and other nasty side effects if too much is taken.

Horrible executions

A full account of the gruesome spectacle was taken back to Sir Thomas More and Bishop John Fisher in the Tower. Both these men who opposed Henry VIII were an embarrassment for him as they were internationally famous. Sir Thomas More, who had resigned as Chancellor hoping that would avoid the situation in which he now found himself, was famous as the author of Utopia and other works, a friend and patron of Erasmus and other famous scholars and artists (like Holbein). John Fisher, Bishop of Rochester, had recently been made a Cardinal - a deliberate move by the Pope to annoy Henry VIII. Influential friends did not help these two men. Both were beheaded at the Tower of London for refusing to concede to to the Act of Supremacy and accept the new Act of Succession. Both were much later canonised as saints by the Vatican, and the Carthusians who were executed (more were to follow) were made matyrs.

Surrey married, no longer attendant on Richmond

The Holbein portraits pictured here were from about this time as Holbein used pink paper on his return to England after 1533. Surrey's portrait was given his younger brother's name, Thomas Howard, (also his son's name) when the drawings were catalogued later, but although that could have been his younger brother, Henry Howard can be identified by the squint of his bad eye. Not long after Surrey was trying to grow a beard and his portraits show this, so the drawing must have been done before his wedding.

Richmond in Sheffield and Wales learning to command a large army to take to Ireland. To become King of Ireland.

The King and Cromwell decided to send Richmond over to Ireland as the head of a large, well equipped army. They planned that Richmond could be made King of Ireland.

That would get him out of England, and at the same time he would be helping subdue a country which had always been troublesome and threatening to England.

Richmond's entourage normally included about 600 armed mounted men, so with an army too, he must have now been accompanied by a very large and potentially powerful well-armed force of a few thousand men.

Richmond and his armed forces were to go to Ireland in stages. First they went to Sheffield. Here Richmond was accommodated at the Sheffield Castle, which belonged to the Earl of Shrewsbury.

On the 4th July, Richmond wrote to Cromwell complaining "her in this countrey where I lye I have no parke nor game to showe sporte nor pleasure to my frendes when they shall resort unto me."

Richmond and the armed forces were then to be moved further west nearer Ireland by way of Wales.

Richmond was joined at Holt Castle (have not yet worked out which Holt Castle since the one on the Welsh border was already in a derelict state by then while the one in Worcestershire was habitable) by the Duke of Norfolk, his father-in-law, who was an experienced military leader and would be training his son-in-law. From there they were expected to go to Ireland with the army.

The Duke of Norfolk had some experience with Ireland. In 1520, Henry VIII had sent him to Dublin with his family to reside there as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, and to sort out Gerald Fitzgerald, 9th Earl of Kildare, who had been officially the King's Deputy in Ireland since 1513, but was apparently running the place like his own kingdom with little regard for England's supposed sovereignty.

Thomas Howard did what he could, and was much appreciated there, but needed more backup from the King, with more armed forces and also more supplies. The country was chaotic, poverty stricken, and rife with epidemics. Much needed practical assistance was not forthcoming from Henry VIII, who also kept refusing his requests to be allowed to return to England with his young family. Meanwhile his wife's father, the Duke of Buckingham was executed. The Howards returned home after being in Ireland nearly 2 years.

When in 1534, Thomas Howard, now Duke of Norfolk, heard that he was to be sent to Ireland again, he said: "If the King really wishes to send me to Ireland, he must first construct a bridge over the sea for me to return freely to England whenever I like."

"The Irish Question" in 1534

In February 1534, Gerald FitzGerald, 9th Earl of Kildare, was summoned to London. He appointed his son, Thomas FitzGerald, who was was called "Silken Thomas" to be Deputy Governor of Ireland in his absence.

In June 1534, Silken Thomas heard rumours that his father had been executed in the Tower of London and as a result publicly renounced his allegiance to King Henry VIII. He staged a rebellion and in July, his army attacked Dublin Castle, but was defeated. He ordered the execution of Archbishop Alen at Clontarf who had tried to mediate.

On the 2nd September his father did die in England, and Silken Thomas was now the 10th Earl of Kildare.

In March, l535, Silken Thomas' stronghold at Maynooth, County Kildare, was taken by an English force under Sir William Skeffington.

In July, Lord Leonard Grey (who had wanted to marry Henry Fitzroy's mother when she was the widowed Lady Elizabeth Tailbois) was appointed Lord Deputy of Ireland and sent there to sort it out. In August, Silken Thomas surrendered and was taken to England as a prisoner and put into the Tower of London.

The Duke of Richmond was actually wanted in Ireland by the Irish - or at least some of them.

A letter from Connor O'Brien, to Henry VIII on 13th October 1535, asks the King "if it would please your highnesse to send your sonne the duke of Richmond to this poor country, I insure your grace that my kinsmen and all my friends shall right gladly receive him to our forster sonne after the custom of Ireland, and shall live and dye in his right and service for ever".

Richmond remains in England - and still with his own large army he has been trained to command.

In November, 1535, the Duke of Richmond, now re-united with his wife Mary, joined his father at the court at Windsor Castle.

One of the events he missed that his wife would have told him about was a visit at the court, from William Hawkins with "one of the savage kings of Brazil" he had brought back in his ship "Paul of Plymouth" in exchange for one of his men, Martin Cockeram as surety for his safe return. The ladies could admire and wonder at the bronzed hunk with body piercings (which were not usual in England then). Hawkins did return, but the chief died on the way - fortunately his people let him take Martin Cockeram home.

Henry VIII showed remarkably small interest in these overseas trading adventures. He seemed fixed in wars with the surrounding countries, and the shipping he planned and had built was for war, not trading ventures. He is called the founder of the British Navy, but it was his daughter Mary that started trading with Russia.

Now Richmond found that Anne was getting even more pushy and demanding. He had discovered that the King was going to give Collyweston, one of his main residences, to Anne. Was this anything to do with Richmond's armed forces being billeted there. Or was it a deliberate bit of spite on Anne's part to grab what she knew to be one of Richmond's favourite houses.

On the 6th November Richmond sent a letter to Cromwell, with Anthony Driland, stating that "having given to his servant Anthony Driland, the bearer, the reversion of the offices of the bailiwick and keeper of the park of Collyweston, and understanding that it was the king's pleasure that the queen's grace should have that manor, he requests that Driland's claim should be respected."

Catherine dies, Henry bangs his head, Anne miscarries

Queen Anne, was now legally the King's wife, which for her husband meant she could now be divorced, but she was pregnant, this might be the son he wanted.

Anne was given some of Catherine's houses and other possessions. One of these was Baynard's Castle. This was where Catherine was lying in for the birth of her last baby. It says something for her devastating grief at the death of what was to be her last child, since everything was still there which had been used for the birth and Catherine's recovery. It is all in the inventory made after her death.

Catherine must have felt very bitter and sad at her baby's death, and angry at her husband. Elizabeth Blount's song had been a clever way of announcing that the King had got her pregnant and now had to do something about it. But it had hurt the Queen, giving her such a jolt that she went into premature labour and lost her child. It is not surprising then, that Elizabeth Blount had been hussled away to a small village a long way from her own home, under surveillance, rather like being a prisoner, and not even sent home to her mother.

Queen Anne now helped herself to all the late Queen Catherine's things she thought pretty or useful. Even the two rolls of cloth from which her sanitary towels were made (thick fluffy for inside, fine linen for outside), linen and lace "breast cloths" (bras), and embroidered linen nightdresses. Anne changed her mind about taking the breast cloths in the end - probably they were too big for her.

At the same time Anne attempted a sympathetic and friendly letter to her stepdaughter Mary. But it was too late. Mary was already assured of the support of Jane Seymour who in Holbein's portrait which was painted some time in 1536, is wearing Queen Catherine's brooch pinned to the centre front of her dress, as Queen Catherine used to wear it. Henry VIII must have already given her some of Catherine's jewelry, but in this official portrait, (the original is in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna and was bought from the Duke of Arundel in 1654) the brooch is a political statement. Jane (not Anne) is now intended to take Catherine's place.

Anne was upset and furious when she caught her husband with Jane on his lap. Later Anne hit Jane, Jane hit back and there was a cat fight in front of the other women. Jane was obviously secure in her position with the King by now.

On the day of Catherine's funeral in Peterborough Cathedral, 25th January, Anne, her 2-year old daughter Elizabeth, and the King dressed in cheerful yellow, to show the public they did not care. But others did not share Anne's glee. The King's two nieces Frances and Eleanor, daughters of his sister Mary who had died, were among the many who made it to Catherine's funeral at Peterborough Cathedral. This day, was to be the last time Elizabeth saw her mother.

As part of the celebrations led by Henry VIII and Anne at court, Henry went off to enjoy himself hunting and jousting. Perhaps Catherine's death had upset him more than he wanted to show, for he fell off his horse. And the horse fell on top of him. He had a nasty bang on the head and was unconscious for two hours.

Anne received no sympathy from her husband, when after she was told about the accident by her uncle, the Duke of Norfolk, she miscarried.

As soon as he heard this news, the King his head still smarting, rushed into her bedroom. Anne blamed him for causing the miscarriage by scaring her with his fall, and also upsetting her with his behaviour with Jane. She shouted at him "I saw this harlot Jane sitting on your knees while my belly was doing its duty!". Henry shouted at her: "You shall have no more sons by me, Madam!" and left the room.

When Richmond went in to see his father, as was the daily custom when he was at court, the King, with tears in his eyes said that "both he and his sister ought to thank God for having escaped from the hands of that accursed whore who had planned their death by poison."

So the King had now convinced himself, that Anne had attempted to murder both his older children. And he had already been collecting evidence that would enable him to get rid of her and replace her with the younger woman he was already courting. While Catherine lived, then if he had jettisoned Anne he would still have been left with Catherine. Now Catherine was dead, he could replace Anne.

Anne is doomed.

But his father had not given up his attempts to have more sons. That need not have worried the Duke of Richmond too much since considering the state of the King's failing health, any son born to him soon or later would likely be still a child by the time his father died. Which would leave Richmond as Regent and in power. And most likely to be prefered as King.

Henry VIII was now spending more of his time with Jane. Being blonde, plump, unsophisticated and dowdy, Jane was a contrast to thin, dark, fashionable, intellectual, Anne. But she had a number of "friends" who had fallen out with, or never liked, Anne and had been helping Jane as a means to push Anne from her position as Queen. And with Catherine dead, were now hoping Jane would be an adequate replacement to restore the status quo in politics and religion. Jane acknowledged this and it become part of her plan once she had ousted and replaced Anne to get the King to re-instate his daughter Mary in her former position.

Cromwell had been ordered by Henry VIII to collect any evidence the could be found, to dispose of Anne, from anything Anne might have said or done that could incriminate her.

Anne had objected to the King's continuing gifts to Catherine of her favourite wines - now she was accused of poisoning the casks. In fact Catherine was afraid of poisoning to the extent that her few remaining trusted staff used to prepare her food themselves in her room.

Anne was now accused of attempting to poison not only Mary, and the Duke of Richmond, but ex-Queen Catherine. As we have seen Henry VIII believed that she would, and had investigated when he thought his daughter Mary was being poisoned. And there had been an attempt on poisoning Richmond when he was in France in which Anne's brother George is likely to have been involved. And Catherine had cause to worry about her own food and drink although she seems to have died of heart problems - no doubt at least partly brought on by anxiety.

On the 2nd May, Anne was sent to the Tower and charged with adultery with her musician, Mark Smeaton, Henry Norris, Richard Page, William Brereton, Francis Weston, Thomas Wyatt, and Anne's brother, George Boleyn Viscount Rochford, who were also imprisoned in the Tower.

Mark Smeaton who played the virginals for Anne, continues to be suspected as a possible father to Elizabeth. One of the stories gathered to use against Anne was: When Anne was on a summer progress with the King, she was housed separately in a place in Winchester. Mark Smeaton was concealed by one of her waiting woman who was in on the secret, in the cupboard where the snacks which might be wanted in the evening, were kept. When the other ladies were in their own room, all they could hear was Anne asking her attendant to bring her the marmalade. (Meaning Smeaton). Although it could not have been that particular contact with Smeaton that had led to Elizabeth since she was definitely conceived in December just after the trip to Calais.

Another suspected father of Elizabeth is the Duke of Richmond, old enough at 14, when they were both at the events in Calais. Anne intended to get him interested in her cousin Mary Howard while they were in Calais. But she might have shown him a few tricks when they were both left in Calais, with Richmond in charge, while Henry VIII was visiting the French King. That could give an additional motive for the attempt by Anne's brother George (who was very close to Anne and in her full confidence) to poison Richmond when he had the opportunity on the trip to France with the Duke of Norfolk. However again the dates do not match - although they are almost possible. Richmond left Calais to join the French court on 11th or 12th November, just after seeing his father and Anne embark on the ship to England on the 11th November. Very close but not quite close enough.

Richmond was convinced he was in danger from Anne. But there is no evidence that he was directly involved in Anne's downfall. He seems to have tried to keep well out of Anne's way, and stayed out of it until ordered by his father to take his place at the trials and executions.

Mark Smeaton had continued to benefit from Anne's favours, receiving many expensive gifts. This made him cocky and arrogant and irritated some of the courtiers, especially Sir Thomas Percy, brother of the Henry Percy Earl of Northumberland who Anne had once hoped to marry. Anne ordered Percy to make up his quarrel with Mark. This annoyed Thomas Percy, so he told Cromwell of his suspicions of the favours Smeaton was getting from Anne. Cromwell told Percy to watch for evidence. On 29th April, 1536, Percy was able to report that he had seen Smeaton, coming out of Anne's apartments at Greenwich, early in the morning.

Anne's account when she was questioned was that: "Upon Saturday before May day I found him standing in the round window in my Chamber of Presence and I asked why he was so sad, and he answered and said it was no matter then I said, "You may not look to have me seek to you as I should to a nobleman, because you be an inferior person." "No, no madam, a look suficeth me and thus fare you well."

Anne whose ego must have been without limit to have blinded her to what was going on, (or anxiety had driven her crazy) seems to have believed that Smeaton was declaring his love for her - but actually on this occasion Smeaton had been trying to warn her what was happening and that the King was collecting evidence to get rid of her.

He was unable to say more since Anne did not seem prepared to listen and understand, and he guessed they were being overheard anyway. He left Greenwich, and made the mistake of getting a ferry across the Thames, hoping to escape through London. (He might have had more chance heading the other way for a ferry to the continent.) He was caught, arrested and imprisoned in Cromwell's old 3-bedroomed house in Stepney, now occupied by his nephew Richard (ancester of Oliver Cromwell), since Cromwell moved upmarket. The following day, Smeaton was interrogated by Cromwell. Then he was sent to the Tower of London where he was tortured, and ordered to name other men he believed to be associated closely with Anne.

Smeaton, Norris, Page, Brereton, Weston and Wyatt, faced trial on 12th May. Only Smeaton pleaded guilty to the charges, but the jury returned a verdict of guilty against four of them and a traitor's execution. Adultery even then, was not normally a capital offence let alone a treasonable one. Wyatt was released after the executions. He actually had been having an affair with Anne, but this was before the King first became interested in her, and he had been well aware of it, especially since Anne had told him when he first showed his interest in her. Page was found not guilty of treason and was released.

Henry VIII stayed away from all the proceedings. He appointed his son, the Duke of Richmond, to represent him at all the trials and subsequent executions. Richmond had no choice but to be there in a prominent position, with his father-in-law, the Duke of Norfolk, at all the events.

Wyatt obviously shaken by what was going on, wrote a poem. Here is one of the verses:

These bloody days have broken my heart.
My lust, my youth did them depart,
And blind desire of estate.
Who hastes to climb seeks to revert.
Of truth, circa Regna tonat.
(thunder rolls around the throne)

Anne and her brother were tried separately and after the others on 15th May. There was an audience of at least 2,000 and they were to be judged by 26 peers, with Anne's uncle the Duke of Norfolk presiding over the trial. Richmond had to be there as his father's representative.

Bets were placed that Anne's brother George Rochford would be acquitted. But Anne had been overheard confiding to her sister-in-law Jane, George's wife, to the effect that the King was rubbish at making love and gave more details. Which delicate evidence was written down in Latin and translates as "was not skilful in copulating with a woman, and had neither virtue nor potency". This piece of evidence was given to Rochford in a written note with instructions just to say if it was correct or not. Rochford (who knew he was damned anyway) read it out loudly so everyone could hear.

On the 17th May, Rochford, Norris, Brereton, Weston, were all executed on Tower Hill, by having their heads cut off with an axe. As he was not upper class like the others Smeaton was to be hung, drawn (his body cut open and guts pulled out) and quartered - genitals, arms and legs cut off, then his head. But as he had confessed (after torture) he was executed like the others. As usual, the heads were dipped in tar for preservation and displayed on London Bridge.

The King's marriage to Anne was declared null and void, by Cranmer, on the grounds of the King's previous relationship with her sister Mary, who had been his mistress for several years. But there had actually been a papal dispensation for this at the time Henry VIII was trying to divorce Catherine to marry Anne! This was just a ploy to make Anne's daughter Elizabeth illegitimate. Henry would have been reluctant to claim he was not actually Elizabeth's father, especially after the embarrassing evidence read out aloud by Anne's brother.

On the 19th May, Anne was to be executed for adultery. Although if she had not been legally married, she could not have committed adultery! Anne saw the irony of her fate and knew she was being eliminated for the King's personal and political reasons.

Henry VIII's only remaining consideration for his second rejected wife, was to import an executioner, Jean Rombaud, from St. Omer - near Calais (in the part of France still English), who could cut off Anne's head quickly with a sword.

But this did mean that Anne's execution date was postponed for another day, while they waited for the executioner to arrive.

At Anne's execution, Richmond had to stand nearest to her on the scaffold.

Perhaps his father not only wanted his son to act as his representative but to take note on what he could do to his nearest and dearest if they annoyed him.

Many historians say that Henry VIII was having a lovely time at Wolf Hall, preparing for his wedding to Jane Seymour, which took place the day after Anne's execution. But actually Jane was still near London, staying with Nicholas Carew, brother-in-law to Francis Bryan, he was also distantly related to Anne Boleyn but resented her attitudes to Queen Catherine, and Princess Mary. So like Francis Bryan he had supported Jane as her replacement. Jane was then moved from his house to a house near York Place with a mooring by the Thames.

Meanwhile, Henry was making preparations for his marriage to Jane, and he chose to forget about Anne. When Anne's lady companions who were with her in the Tower, had the horrible task of placing her body and head in a coffin - they found there had been none made ready. Someone managed to find an arrow chest to fit her in. It is also said that Anne's head was first taken to show to Henry VIII who was playing tennis at the time. Then it was put back to join the rest of the body in the arrow chest. At least it was not put on display on London Bridge with the others.

Jane now Queen

After Anne had been executed, Henry VIII went to see Jane in his state barge and took her to Hampton Court. Here he showed Jane the new buildings still in construction, including the new apartments for the Queen, originally intended for Anne and still unfinished. Here she could see Anne's falcon being chipped off to replace with her phoenix. Now this would be her new home. And here at Hampton Court she and Henry were formally betrothed. They then returned to York Place for a quiet wedding ceremony with just a few selected guests. The marriage would ensure the legitimacy of their future children. And not being public, also be easier to repudiate if Jane did not produce the desired heir. On May 29th, Jane was proclaimed Queen.

Richmond's mother, Lady Clinton, is listed as one of "The Great Ladies" now to be in attendance on the new Queen Jane. The other "Great Ladies" included Richmond's wife, Mary Duchess of Richmond, and her friend, the King's niece, Lady Margaret Douglas. Richmond's mother clearly had a recognised status as "mother of the King's son".

One of the new Ladies of the Privy Chamber was Lady Jane Rochford, once Jane Parker, and one of the teenage mistresses of Henry VIII, now the widow of Anne's brother, George Boleyn, Viscount Rochford. She had been left with almost nothing, and had to appeal to Cromwell. With Cromwell's sympathetic help, since her evidence had helped in the trial which left her a widow, she now had a position at court and an adequate income. More on Jane.

Jane Seymour's younger sister Elizabeth had been widowed in 1534 and was living in York. She petitioned Cromwell for for financial help. What she got was a new husband. A marriage between her and Cromwell's son Gregory was arranged by her brother Edward Seymour and Cromwell.

Richmond was only going to benefit from Anne's downfall. He acquired new lands and positions, confiscated from the accused and condemned. Also Baynards Castle in London which had once been Queen Catherine's residence, then Anne's.

The Duke of Richmond and his wife were guests at the glittering turnout for the wedding of the year, a triple wedding. Lady Dorothy Neville, her brother, and her sister Margaret, were married respectively to Lord John de Vere, Lady Anne Roos and her brother. The King was present, dressed up in Turkish costume, performing in a masque. Richmond took part in the jousts.

This spectacular was sponsored by the King as a substitute for his quiet wedding to Jane Seymour.

Jane had to give the King his male heir or she could end up like Anne. It was not going to be easy, as the King was now middle-aged and no longer in good health. Since his accident, he had headaches, bad temper, a nasty supporating ulcer on his leg, had put on weight, gone bald, and needed glasses for reading. Anne and Jane, were not the only women that had discovered the King's huge codpiece was mostly padding, and that he expected his partner to do most of the work.

Jane was already familiar with Henry's ways, but despite her efforts, each month passed as usual. A false alarm when she was a few days late shows how much emphasis was placed on her function to produce a male heir.

Jane was already trying to extend friendship with the King's daughter Mary and to get her re-instated with her father as a princess. This was part of her personal agenda. But she did not succeed in getting Mary back at court until she was pregnant.

When Jane could give the King a son, there would be another problem for the Seymours and their allies. His existing son, the Duke of Richmond. The new Act of Succession would enable Richmond to be nominated the Regent if the heir to the throne was still an child when Henry VIII died. Which with the King's increasingly poor health and age, looked likely to be the case. Already well known as the King's son, the Prince, Richmond was now almost grown up and with his own large army. Jane's son, if she had one, would have no chance of becoming King of England if Richmond was still around. (see notes)

New Act of Succession would allow Richmond to become heir to the throne

On the 30th June, the new Act of Succession was presented in Parliament, which would have enabled the King to nominate his son to be his heir. Among the members attending at this Parliament was the Duke of Richmond's step-father, Edward, Lord Clinton, who would have had a personal interest in his step-son becoming heir to the throne. Both Richmond's half-brothers now lived with him, and the elder one, George, Baron Tailbois was now old enough to attend parliament representing Lincolnshire.

Henry VIII had intended to nominate his son immediately as his heir, but Cromwell warned the King that if he did this, his son was "very likely to fall into inobedience and rebellion".

He may have been worried that Richmond was leader of a large army, not in Ireland, as originally intended, but in England.

Cromwell who had a network of informers, knew that there was considerable opposition to the King, especially in the part of England where Richmond had the most property, relatives, friends and now a large number of armed men. Lincolnshire and Yorkshire.

Cromwell was now seen as friend to the Seymours and about to be related to them as well. His son Gregory was soon to marry Jane's widowed sister Elizabeth. If Richmond was the King's heir, there would be little chance for any child of Jane's to inherit.

The Duchess of Richmond in Trouble

The Master Mason John Molton, was also commissioned to rebuild part of Hampton Court, including the clock tower. Which is why the clock towers look similar. Around the new palace was swampy marsh land in which men hunted ducks, geese etc. Which is why the park has lakes and water-birds to this day, though the flamingoes came later.

Henry VIII intended the new palace to accommodate his now grown-up children, Henry Fitzroy and his wife, and the King's niece who had been brought up as his daughter, Lady Margaret Douglas. Mary was to move in later. Elizabeth eventually. He does not seem very short of a family for a man who seemed desperate to have heirs. But tragic events were to happen here soon.

Margaret had fallen in love with the Duchess of Richmond's uncle, Thomas Howard, a younger brother of the Duke of Norfolk. Mary, Duchess of Richmond and Margaret were friends and Mary helped arrange their secret romantic meetings. When this was discovered, on the 8th July 1536, both Margaret and Thomas were imprisoned in the Tower. And kept apart. But they managed to send notes to each other with lines of verse: for example:

"Alas that ever prison strong
Should such two lovers separate!
Yet though our bodies sufferth wrong
Our hearts shall be of one estate."

Thomas was to be executed however he had not committed a crime. This had to be changed first. A new Act of Parliament was compiled put through making it treason for anyone to "defile or deflower" any female member of the royal family "those being lawfully born or otherwise". (It still applies today!).

In October 1537, while still waiting in prison for the Act allowing his execution to come through, Thomas Howard fell ill and died. It could have been natural causes but he could have been poisoned since the King and the Seymours wanted him dead. Jane had just died after giving birth to a healthy son. The Seymour heir to the throne. The Seymours did not want any potential Howard heirs to the throne. They would have wanted to make sure Thomas Howard really had no chance of ever making the King's niece Margaret pregnant.

Margaret did marry some years later and have children who eventually were in the line up as heirs to the throne. Her son was married to Mary Queen of Scots, so her grandson became James VI of Scotland and was to be the first Stuart King of Britain in 1603.

Cromwell (whose wife had died a few years earlier) had become fond of Princess Mary, giving her expensive presents like watches (then worn by women hanging from a girdle round the waist). This Act would have dashed his hopes if he really had any, of making her his wife. In fact Mary had already been warned by her mother in her last letters to her, to be careful as the King might appreciate an excuse to marry her to a "commoner". However, Cromwell, whatever his enemies thought of him, had no intention of marrying Mary or he would not have been behind the new Act of Succession. In fact he seems to have had no intention of marrying again after he lost his wife as he never did remarry. However he did engineer the marriage of his son Gregory, to the new queen's newly widowed sister Elizabeth. And this linked his family to the now dominant Seymours.

What was in the minds of Cromwell and Henry VIII, when planning the Act of Succession, was the possibility of the "white rose" plot to marry Mary to the Countess of Salisbury's son, Reginald Pole. And any other unofficial suitors for either Mary the King's daughter, or Margaret the King's niece that might be inappropiate or politically designed.

The Duke of Richmond's unexpected death

In the report John Husee wrote up on the 18th July to send to Lord Lisle in Calais, he added in a note "My Lord of Richmond very sick."

Arrangements had been made for the King, Queen Jane, and the rest of the court to be moved out of the city, as soon as Parliament had closed, to Sittingbourne in Kent. This was near to Chatham and Henry VIII wanted to oversee the new ship-building he was planning as well as the updating of his existing ships. Henry VIII's main achievement was to build up what was to become the British Navy.

The King also liked to move out of London in summer as it was a smelly and unhealthy place to live in the summer heat. The epidemic of the Sweating Sickness in 1528 had cost him many of his friends and supporters.

As with the 1919 epidemic of swine flu (but SARS or perhaps bird flu are also likely contenders for "The Sweat"), young fit people were even more likely to be overcome fatally as their stronger immune systems can overdo it and actually destroy the body, especially attack their lungs. Young men, it was observed at that time, especially it seemed well off young men, were particularly vulnerable to "the Sweat". There had already been a number of casualties over the past years to this disease amongst the King's courtiers, relatives and friends. Including possibly, Prince Arthur who had died 5 days after falling ill from symptoms similar to those now afflicting the King's son, Henry Duke of Richmond.

In "Wriothesley's Chronicle" p.53 he writes: "It was thought that he was privelie poysoned by the meanes of Queene Anne and her brother Lord Rotchford". They do look behind the attempt to poison Richmond in France. But if Richmond had been poisoned again, and it had killed him this time it could not have been by Anne and George Boleyn as they were both dead. The Boleyns as a political power were now history.

Henry VIII used the fear of an epidemic as an excuse to postpone Queen Jane's coronation - and probably never intended to commit himself to the new marriage until or unless, a healthy male heir was produced.

However it seems that there was no great epidemic of "The Sweat" or any other serious epidemic disease in London in 1536. It was still possible for the Duke of Richmond to have caught it, and the known symptoms - cough, sudden onset, death within a few days, etc. do fit the symptoms of "The Sweat", so it is likely, but not completely certain, it was that or probably a similar acute infection, that caused his death.

Richmond and his wife were to have moved to Tonge in Kent not far from where the King and Queen had moved in Sittingbourne. The medieval moated manor house which was there on the site of the earlier castle, was being prepared for his stay there. Most of Richmond's staff and his furniture had already been moved to Tonge. And are listed in the inventory of his possessions made following his death.

Richmond was too ill to go anywhere and remained at St.James's Palace with his worried wife Mary. Despite the efforts of the physician, Dr. William Butts, on 23rd July, after being increasing ill for 5 days, he died.

The King's strange reaction to his son's illness and death

The King and Queen went straight to Hackney where the King's daughter Mary was staying and told her to move into her brother's apartment at St. James's Palace. She was now to be regarded as "Second Lady of the Kingdom", next in importance to Queen Jane, although it was not until Jane was pregnant, that she was able to obtain the King's permission for Mary to be presented at court.

It was usual to have an autopsy when a prominent royal died, and a public funeral. Even Catherine had an autopsy and a decent funeral suitable to her demoted rank as Princess-Dowager, in Peterborough Cathedral, attended by her nieces, Frances and Eleanor, amongst many others.

Richmond was the King's son, with the status of a royal prince, and would have been heir to the throne, a state funeral might have been expected.

Instead the King gave orders to the Duke of Norfolk to bury his son-in-law as secretly as possible.

His young widow Mary, the Duchess of Richmond, appears to have been overcome not only with her sudden bereavement but with fear. She immediately loaded four ponies with as much as she could carry, and headed for her father's home of Kenninghall. She had only been able to take smaller items, such as silver spoons.

She had to leave the furniture, carved oak beds draped with cloth of gold, and crimson velvet, yellow and blue damask, chairs covered in velvet, fringed with silk, cushions of cloth of gold. She left behind the large pieces of gold plate, such as the gold salt, with a black dragon and pearls and sapphires. She had to leave the jewels which were in the care of George Cotton, the garter chains with diamonds, the gold whistle, that her husband had as Admiral of England, two bracelets of gold, with roses of rubies, pearls and diamonds, a collar of gold, with enamelled white roses, that had been given to him by his father.

She left his clothes, many of them new colour co-ordinated suits in satin and velvet. One of the outfits with a green coat was passed on to his younger brother Baron Tailboys.

When the Duchess of Richmond later wrote to the King about her widow's pension, she was shocked to be told she would receive nothing.

The King claimed they had not been really married and their marriage had not been consummated.

Unless Richmond was gay, this would be very unlikely. In fact they had been living together at St.James's Palace and on earlier occasions. But were often apart when Mary had to stay with Queen Anne, while Richmond was ordered to another part of the country. Unfortunately since Mary had not become pregnant, there was nothing to prove without doubt that their marriage had been consummated except her word for it. Her father-in-law Henry VIII now thought he could escape allowing her the income and property to which she had a right as Richmond's widow.

Possible proof that the King was just being mean to his daughter-in-law and she had a normal sort of married relationship when she was with her husband, is in this part of the poem Richmond's close friend and brother-in-law the Earl of Surrey, wrote at Windsor when he was imprisoned there in the year following Richmond's death. And remembered happier times spent there as Richmond's companion. (He is said to have been imprisoned at Windsor for punching Edward Seymour in the face). The poem does seem to show that they were both trying to attract, and chase after, girls. Here is a relevant extract - there is more of the poem later.

..."The large green courts, where we were wont to hove,
With eyes cast up into the Maiden's tower,
And easy sighs, such as folk draw in love.
The stately seats, the ladies bright of hue.
The dances short, long tales of great delight;
With words and looks, that tigers could but rue;
Where each of us did plead the other's right.
The palme-play, where, despoiled for the game,
With dazed eyes oft we by gleams of love
Have miss'd the ball, and got sight of our dame,
To bait her eyes, which kept the leads above.
The gravel'd ground, with sleeves tied on the helm,
On foaming horse, with swords and friendly hearts;
With chere, as though one should another whelm,
Where we have fought, and chased oft with darts."...

Mary's father the Duke of Norfolk regretted that he had been keeping the couple apart too much (while he was training Richmond to lead an army), otherwise his daughter could have had a child by now. Then the King would not be able to dispute that the marriage was valid, and would have been pleased to have a grandchild.

Mary's claim was not settled by Henry VIII until 1538. Thomas Seymour (Edward Seymour's younger brother, and so also uncle to the new baby prince Edward) was to propose to her twice but to the annoyance of her father, Mary refused all offers of marriage. She was also horrified at her elder brother's suggestion that she could become the King's mistress.

Like her mother Mary prefered to be an independent woman. And she could do that better when she retained her status as Duchess of Richmond and Somerset, and the King's daughter-in-law. She may also perhaps have missed her husband and was not prepared for another man to take his place.

Following the King's orders to take care of his son's burial, Norfolk had asked the Cotton brothers, still in Richmond's service and personal friends of the King, to arrange for the body to be taken 8 days after his death, according to the King's orders, in a plain lead coffin in an enclosed cart covered with straw, to the Howard family burial place at Thetford Priory.

Henry VIII then had second thoughts over his intital reaction to his son's death. He now complained to Norfolk, that his son's funeral had not been secret enough, and threatened him with the Tower. Norfolk, was already shattered from being forced to condemn his niece and nephew, Anne and George, to death earlier that year, and now the loss of his son-in-law and the King's mystifying orders to him for his son's burial. But he had been brought up in the intrigues of court life and had learned how to protect himself as best as possible. He wrote to Cromwell. His letter reveals his extreme anxiety but also his political acumen:

"This night at 8 o'clock came letters from my friends and srrvants about London, all agreeing in one tale, that the King was displeased with me because my lord of Richmond was not buried honourably. The King wished the body conveyed secretly in a closed cart to Thetford and at my suit thither, and so buried. Accordingly I ordered both the Cottons to have the body wrapped in lead and a close cart provided, but it was not done, nor was the body conveyed very secretly. I trust the King will not blame me undeservedly. It is further written to me that a bruit (rumour)doth run that I should be in the Tower of London. When I shall deserve to be there Tottenham shall turn French. I would he that began first that tale of mine, he being a gentleman, and I, were only together on Shooter's Hill, to see who should prove himself the more honest man. I pray you pardon my foolish writing. If I had not intended to come to Court, these news would have spurred me."

Cromwell had placed his son Gregory, in Norfolk's household, and Norfolk was well aware that this was not just for the value of the education Gregory would receive, but also for the value of the information in his letters home. Norfolk continued his letter:

"your son is in good health here sparing no horseflesh to run after the deer and hounds. I trust you will not be discontent that I now cause him to forbear his books. Be sure you shall have in him a wise quick piece."

Norfolk signed his letter:

"Kenninghall Lodge, Saturday at 10 at night 5 August, with the hand of him that is full, full, full of choler and agony.

P.S. I have at this hour finished my will and written it twice, and shall leave one part with you as my principal executor whom I trust next my master, whom I have made supervisor of the whole. I trust when I die you both will consider I have been to the one a true servant and to the other a faithful friend. Sic transit gloria mundi."

Norfolk had carefully thought out this letter. He reminded Cromwell that he was looking after his son who was living with him. He made Cromwell an executor to his will, and therefore likely to benefit when Norfolk met a natural death. If he was executed the King would get the lot. Realising his weak political position now his niece and nephew had been executed, and his son-in-law was dead, Norfolk was doing his best to climb back into favour.

When the Priory was dissolved two years later, most of the family coffins but not the actual tombs, were transferred to St. Michael's Church, Framlingham, Suffolk. Possible remains of Richmond's original tomb have recently been excavated at Thetford.

Richmond's mother, Elizabeth, Lady Clinton, must have been devastated by the sudden death of her eldest son. But like his widow, Mary, she was given no say or choice in the arrangements for his funeral.

Mary Fitzroy remained the Duchess of Richmond for the rest of her life. As mentioned she refused to marry again, despite her father's wishes to match her with Thomas Seymour, the younger brother of Jane Seymour, and hence uncle to the King's heir, Edward. Thomas Seymour was hunky and handsome (he eventually married the King's last Queen, Katherine Parr). But Mary refused all offers, and when she died wanted to be buried with her husband Henry Fitzroy, Duke of Richmond and Somerset.

Richmond's later tomb or memorial to him and his wife, can be seen near other Howard memorials by the side of the altar. It is a carved stone sarcophagus decorated with biblical scenes, and shields and lozenges for male and female coats of arms to be added as appropiate in this case, Richmond's in the shields and his wife Mary's in the lozenges. Or combined as was done for married couples as in this picture showing their combined shield on their tomb - Richmond's has the "bar sinister" across it showing he was illegitimate.

The tomb is clearly a standard design from the same mason as the tomb nearby for the wives of Surrey's eldest son Thomas, who had ordered the new tombs in Framlingham. The first of Thomas Howard's wives, died in October, 1557 but they are both buried elsewhere, although both their effigies lie on top of the tomb.

On top of Richmond's tomb, are four slightly damaged figures around the edges, similar to those on the other tomb. The top of the tomb, where there should have been effigies of Richmond and his wife who died in December 1557 and was buried with her husband, is rough and damaged and it is not clear if any effigies had ever been fixed on there and removed or destroyed, during the occupation of Framlingham by troops in the Civil War. Or if it never had been finished.

There are no bodies inside the tomb, but we were told that during the Civil War when the church had been used as a billet, the bodies were cleared from the tombs so they could be used to store weapons etc. Do not know if this is just a story or fact.

More recently, both Richmond's tomb and that of his father-in-law, the 3rd Duke of Norfolk are being examined as it appears that they received a later makeover. The article on the BBC website dates from 16 June, 2011.

Surrey in trouble over his portrait

Surrey wrote a poem remembering "With a Kinges sonne, my childishe yeres did passe". An extract has been mentioned, a version of the full text, is at the end.

Surrey never forgot he was friend and brother-in-law to the King's son.

In 1546, Surrey commissioned a portrait of himself, from the artist William Stretes. In the centre of a large Mannerist style painting which had his coats of arms on each side. He was to be in the centre, leaning on a broken column. On the column was painted a portrait of his late brother-in-law, the Duke of Richmond.

Then Surrey wrote to the artist William Stretes, to black the portrait out. Probably because he was already in trouble with Henry VIII for his arrogance and using a new coat of arms (shown in the complete painting, copy below) allegedly showing a royal connection, although it has been argued later, as he did at the time, that he was entitled to display all the heraldic emblems shown. Surrey was arrested before the work was completed, and still in the artist's studio. This picture shows the centre part of a copy of the original in which you can see the blacked out portrait on the plinth of a symbolic broken column. Each side was embellished with Renaissance figures, masks, and so on in monochrome to resemble relief carving, apart from the two brightly coloured shields with his controversial coats of arms on either side. Only copies still survive. A copy is shown at the end, with Surrey's poem.

(From: L&P Vol.9, pt.1, no.1426). Surrey wrote to his Servant, Hugh Ellys:

"Hugh Ellys, it will be iij or iiij days or Catelyn com, who shall bryng yow money. I pray delyver this letter with all spede to Mrs. Hevingham, whom yow shall fynde at Jeromes Shelton's howse in London, or eles will be ther within iij days. Commawnd the paynter to leve owt the tablet wher my lord of Richmondes picture shuld stand; for I will have nothyng ther, nor yet the tablet, but all dowbet. From Kenyngale, this Wedensday. H. Surrey.
Delyver this letter to none but her own handes".

This letter was used as part of the evidence collected to accuse Surrey of treason as written below on this letter was a note by Sir Richard Southwell:

Yt maye please your good Lordshippez to examyn Mes Henygham, late Marye Shelton, of the effect of th'earle of Surrey his lettre sent unto her; for yt ys thowght that menye secrettes hathe passed betwen them before her maryag and sethens.

Mary Shelton (now Mrs. Hevingham) - picture left, and Surrey had been close friends, perhaps lovers. They were both poets and had many interests in common. Cousins to Anne Boleyn, their parents were in charge of her daughter's household, and Mary's sister Madge had been Henry VIII's mistress. Both girls were part of the intellectual circle of women around Anne which included Mary, Richmond's wife, and Margaret Henry VIII's niece.

From the above communications, it also looks certain there was at least one portrait owned by the Earl of Surrey or his sister, Richmond's widow, from which Stretes could make a copy, of the Duke of Richmond.

Surrey leaning on the broken column with the portrait of the Duke of Richmond on it, would have been an obvious symbol of Surrey's lost hopes of power under his brother-in-law. And clearly Surrey suddenly found out it was not actually, a good idea, since the painting - still in Stretes' studio was being used as evidence to get rid of him. Hence the instructions to Stretes to cover it up. But as the original painting apparently does not survive, only copies, it is unlikely to be found under the paint.

By this time Henry VIII was past mistresses or even trying to have a child by his last wife Catherine Parr. His health had declined to the extent that all offical documents were signed with a stamp. And in the jostle for power over the 9 year old heir, Edward, son of Jane Seymour, the Howard family was on the losing side. Both Norfolk and his eldest son, were imprisoned in the Tower of London. Surrey was caught trying to escape down the guarderobe shaft and was executed for treason just before Henry VIII died. His father only escaped the same fate because Henry VIII died the day before his execution was scheduled. So he was left imprisoned in the Tower of London, until his release in 1554,when Mary Tudor became Queen.

Surrey's five children had taken from their mother Frances, and given to Richmond's widow Mary to bring up. However they were all living together at Framlingham. Frances later remarried but still lived near Framlingham, she had a child by her second husband, and was buried at Framlingham in 1577. Surrey's body was moved from London to join his former wife in a new tomb built in 1614.

1536 continued

"One of the most brute and beastly shires in the realm"

Richmond's sudden death just then, might just have been a coincidence, or an arranged murder. There may be a clue in the Lincolnshire uprising against the King, October 1536.

In May 1536, when Anne was executed, it was not just simply a personal whim of her husband. It was a political execution. There were no organised political parties as we have today, but there were political factions at the King's court. Anne represented one, Jane Seymour and her brother Edward, another, and the Duke of Richmond, another faction.

In Lincolnshire, where Richmond and his mother had much influence, opposition to the King was becoming organised. The greatest part of the wealth of Lincolnshire was in the hands of the Church, the great abbeys were the chief landowners and employers. Now church possessions and finances once sacrosanct were exposed to the scrutiny of the King's commissioners sent to audit their affairs.

The Church first, others next. The clerics were joined in their protest meetings by tradesmen who saw their livings threatened. Not only did they lose valuable custom and employment if the Church establishments, such as abbeys, and priories were closed and their wealth confiscated. Once the King's commissioners had audited and dealt with the Church they could move on to investigate everyone else's financial affairs and tax them accordingly. There was also the personal connection people had with the religious establishments in their locality. Their children were educated there, the sick were treated in the hospitals, the frail, elderly and disabled were cared for there. Memorials to loved ones and ancestors had been donated and were part of the treasures in these places. And they took pride in having a particularly grand local church or cathedral. The inhabitants of Louth had recently commissioned the building of a magnificent tall steeple for their church which can still be seen from miles away.

On Saturday 30th September, these same citizens in Louth, feeling threatened by the imminent arrival of the commissioners, collected the keys of the church and handed them to a shoemaker, Nicholas Melton to keep safe. He thus became "Captain Cobbler" the leader of a rebellion against the King. By Monday 2nd October, men from Horncastle and East Rasen arrived in Louth. By then a large crowd, they marched to Caistor where the King's Commissioners were at present taking inventories of church property. Here they were joined by Sir Robert Dymoke and his sons, and friends who "just happened to be staying with them at that time". From Goltho, home of Richmond's step-grandmother, Lady Tailboys' chaplain arrived with a large group of armed men. More than 500 armed retainers from South Kyme joined the rebels, under the leadership of Sir Thomas Percy, a relative of the Tailboys family, (who "just happened to be there for the hunting") and a similar number headed by Edward Dymoke.

The same Monday, 2nd October, Edward, Lord Clinton who had been step-father to the Duke of Richmond, left home on horseback, with just one servant. He headed first for Sleaford, and Lord Hussey. Hussey had been Princess Mary's Chamberlain, and his wife had been imprisoned for continuing to refer to her as "Princess Mary" not "The Lady Mary". Hussey had been assured of the support of the Emperor (Mary's cousin) and seemed a natural leader of the rebellion against the King. But he was not their leader.

Clinton galloped on to Nottingham, then on to Lord Huntington at Ashby. By Friday, he reached the Earl of Shrewsbury at Hardwick Hall in Derbyshire. He carried letters from Cromwell.

Meanwhile the rebels were joined by other groups of armed men, alerted by beacons, and had spread across the Humber to Yorkshire. The MP for Lincoln, Thomas Moigne met Robert Aske, who led the rebellion in Yorkshire where it was called the Pilgrimage of Grace and marched under banners showing the "4 wounds of Christ".

Sir John Russell and Sir William Parr, who had both had been in the service of the Duke of Richmond, and could therefore occupy Collyweston, blocked the Great North Road at Stamford, with a large force of armed men, they were in the way of anyone coming up from London.

The only substantial Lincolnshire landowner that the King might be able depend on was his ex-brother-in-law, Henry Brandon, Duke of Suffolk. The King's sister Mary had died and Suffolk had married his young ward Catherine Willoughby, but he was still deeply in debt to the King. Suffolk arrived at Stamford with a large, well equipped army. The rebellion in Lincolnshire, lacked a positive leadership and was easily dispersed, however it was not the only centre of the rebellion which had moved to Yorkshire and found new leadership there.

The Duke of Suffolk was given Tattershall Castle, which had been Richmond's property though he may not have used it, unless he visited his mother, it is not far from South Kyme, but recently it had been used to house a large number of the Lincolnshire rebels.

Henry VIII's answer to the grievances that had been put to him was read out in the Chapter House of Lincoln Cathedral by Moigne. The King had never yet heard that a prince's counsellors and bishops should be appointed by ignorant common people, and least of all by the "rude commons of one of the most brute and beastly shires in the realm".

At the celebratory re-enactment in Lincoln Castle in 1986, this was greeted with cheers. As they went in, the audience could choose whether to back Melton the Cobbler or the King, (and were given a badge). Most chose to back the Cobbler. It ended with fireworks.

The real rebellion was put down with punishing retribution lasting some years, and many executions.

The story can be read in "The Lincolnshire Rising 1536" by Anne Ward, ISBN 0901977063, 1986. and a more complete recent account in: "The Pilgrimage of Grace": by Geoffrey Moorhouse, which shows how much the people in England were upset and disturbed by the King's actions and behavour.

The rebellion failed because there was no one uniting leadership and cause. Had the Duke of Richmond still been alive, then he would have been there, at his palace of Collyweston, by Stamford, with his trained army of at least 7,000 (larger than the 5,000 men the Duke of Suffolk mustered), and a following very much larger still. The fact that Russell and Parr were there with an army blocking the route north, shows that this had already been planned, Richmond had left the bulk of his army billeted at Collyweston, when he was summoned back to the Parliament in London.

As the King's son and the heir to the throne, he would have provided an alternative to his now unpopular, sick and ageing and dangerously unpredictable, father.

It is possible that this been the original motivation for the rebellion, which started in the part of England in which Richmond had the most influence, in which he had stayed most often in recent years, and in which he had the greatest number of contacts and relatives including his mother.

Elizabeth, Lady Clinton, escaped retribution, thanks to her mother, Katherine Blount, who was a valuable friend and informer to Cromwell and intervened on her daughter's behalf.

Jane had tried to plead with the King to be merciful with the rebels, but even when pregnant had little control over him and little power. She did manage to get Mary back at court but did not succeed in persuading her husband to restore her as a Princess. It was Mary and Lady Bryan who intervened to help the neglected little Elizabeth, still with the Sheltons but they were running the place for themselves with little regard for the toddler.

Both sisters had a part to play in the christening of their new baby brother Edward. Edward Seymour carried little Elizabeth, but after the actual chritening he went off with out her and it was left to Mary to take the abandoned tot by the hand and look after her.

Their new brother was taken off to his own household under the care of his wet nurse Sybil Penn. The King went off too, leaving Jane at Hampton Court with instructions to the women who attended her she was to have anything she wanted. There were none left in attendance with the authority to dispute any unsuitable demands from Jane. At 10 o'clock one night she demanded a dish of ortalans. The only ones to be found in the palace were a few days old and the kitchen fires had to be restarted to cook them quickly for the hungry Queen. After which she became ill and died. Henry received the reports on Jane's final illness from the doctors including Dr. Butt, and at the same time lists of possible replacements from his councillors. More details.

Elizabeth Lady Clinton, her final years:

Elizabeth was to have three daughters by Clinton: Bridget, Katherine and Margaret.

When his brother, the Duke of Richmond died, George, Baron Tailboys was given some of his clothes including a coat of "great taffeta, welted with green velvet, and lined with sarcenet", and was appointed to be one of the King's henchmen.

In May 1539, he was married to Margaret Skipworth from another Lincolnshire family. She had been Henry VIII's mistress in 1538, and rumours spread that she or the King's other mistress Margaret Shelton, might be the next Queen. But Margaret Shelton was now married.

Then Henry VIII decided on a new marriage driven by politics. He sent Holbein to paint the portraits of eligible princesses. It doesn't seem to have occured to him that his treatment of his three former wives was unlikely to endear him as a Prince Charming to any young princesses. In Brussels Holbein painted a lovely picture of the 16 year old, widowed at 13, Christina of Denmark who said if she had two heads she would let the King of England have one. Henry's demand that the eligible French princesses would be collected together so he could choose one, was greeted with comments that they were not mares to be mounted until he found one that suited him and ruder comments. Henry was eventually to pick on Anne of Cleves, Holbein had painted a magnificent picture, mostly of her fine clothes. At 24 (the same age as Henry VIII's daughter Mary) she was glad to escape the stifling influence of her mother.

George Tailboys was one of those appointed to meet Anne of Cleves at Calais. At that time he was also employed as a guard to Margaret's cousin William Fitzwilliam, Earl of Southampton. George died in 1541, leaving no children. His wife was eventually to marry twice more. If George had been born after the marriage of his mother to Gilbert Tailboys, then he would have only been 15 in 1539, so the earlier date of birth seems more likely to be the right one. When he died his younger brother Robert, then became Baron Talboys. But he died not long after.

Their sister Elizabeth was now Baroness Tailboys of Kyme in her own right. Her first husband was Thomas Wymbish. As a peer she qualified as a member of the House of Lords. But she was not allowed in Parliament, (women could not be members of Parliament until the 20th century). She tried to get her husband accepted as her representive, but even that was refused by Henry VIII, as they did not have children - if they had a son, then her husband could represent that son in Parliament. Her second marriage was in September 1553 to Ambrose Dudley, Earl of Warwick, the eldest son of John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland, who had just been executed.

The list of appointed ladies for Queen Jane was brought out in 1539 to sort out the retinue for the next Queen, Anne of Cleves. Lady Clinton is on that list. But not long after the birth of Margaret in 1539, the next Lady Clinton was Ursula Stourton, Clinton's second wife (he was to get through three). The date of birth of her son by Clinton which took place at Tattershall is given as 1539 or 1540, and in 1559 he was a member of the House of Commons (he was to become the 2nd Earl of Lincoln). So it looks like Elizabeth had died soon after the birth of of her daughter Margaret. Her two younger sons, George and Robert, both seem to have died in 1541.

Although she was on a memorial brass with her first husband at the priory at South Kyme, (the actual brasses which were made from recycled older ones, are in the British Museum, the stone slab is in the priory church but repositioned to the vestry) - she was not buried there, as when she died she was the wife of Edward Clinton. She was either buried somewhere else in Lincolnshire, or in Hounslow, at the Holy Trinity Church. This was not the current church but in the Priory. This was demolished, and although the church was left for local use, this was later vandalised and burnt down, and the current church built. The earlier burials have all been lost. So her exact date of death is not known, neither does there seem to be a record of when Ursula Stourton became the next Lady Clinton.

Henry VIII had a hunting lodge at Hounslow (Hansworth) which survives - it was used for hunting parties from Hampton Court. And the Clintons had a house there also. Mostly Heathrow Airport now, it was conveniently situated for many of the palaces like Richmond, and Hampton Court as well as not far from Westminster.

Lord Clinton took his late stepson's title of Admiral of England, his first marriage had been a good career move.

Of Elizabeth's three daughters by Edward Clinton:

Bridget was to marry Robert Dymoke of Scrivelsby. The Dymokes were traditionally King's champions at the coronations. They were involved in the Lincolshire Rising and Pilgrimage of Grace. Bridget had ten children. In 1580 Dymoke as a Catholic was carried off to Lincoln prison where he died. And was made a martyr.

Katherine married William, Lord Burgh, (also spelt Borough) 3rd son of Thomas Burgh of Gainsborough. The eldest brother Edward had been married to Katherine Parr. The second son, Thomas, married Elizabeth Owen, but his father threw her out and declared her childen bastards. It is suspected he abused his daughter-in-laws and may be why Katherine soon re-married to Lord Latimer. All his children lived in fear of their father. There is a Holbein drawing labelled by someone else later as "Lady Borough". It could not be Katherine, who would only have been a small child. The drawing is clearly of a lady at Queen Jane's court since she insisted that her ladies wear the already old-fashioned gable hood. They never wore them again. The same person who labelled it, also labelled other Holbein drawings (including the one as "Thomas Howard" which might just possibly be the Earl of Surrey's younger brother but has the Earl of Surrey's bad eye). It is possible that the drawings were labelled on the basis of physical resemblance. So there is a slight possibility that this drawing could be of Elizabeth Blount when Lady Clinton aged in her mid-thirties.

Margaret, the youngest daughter, would have never known or remembered her mother. Only her stepmother Ursula Stourton. She was to marry Charles, Lord Willoughby of Parham who was her cousin and also cousin of Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk's last wife, Catherine Willoughby whose mother had been one of Catherine of Aragon's closest friends who had came from Spain with her and made sure she was with her when she died.

Was Richmond Poisoned, if so, By Whom

There are odd facts surrounding the sudden death of the Duke of Richmond:

• The timing - just as an Act has been passed in Parliament enabling the King to name his successor.

• The secret rushed burial without ceremony. His father-in-law the Duke of Norfolk, was left to try to make it suitably dignified and then Richmond's father Henry VIII, complained it was not secret enough.

• Knights of the Garter have their coats of arms kept on display after their death. Only if that Knight had brought dishonour to the Order and been thrown out, is their stall plates with their coat of arms removed. But Richmond's was removed. Yet no serious complaints about him exist.

Similar cases

Edward did not have the same physicians as his brother, and Butts who attended Richmond, had died some years before.

The cause of the deaths of Prince Arthur, and later of the Duke of Richmond were each reported by Spanish envoys at the time as tisis. Later called phtisis- it refered to any lung disease then. Later historians have all too readily attributed these deaths to "consumption" - also known as "phtisis" common, almost fashionable, in 19th and early 20th century Britain, especially in the crowded industrial towns and cities, and by which is usually meant pulmonary tuberculosis.

However after Edward VI's death allegations were made that he had been poisoned. The autopsy on Edward's body was not done until a month later. Since this was mid-summer very little must have remained for a 16th century autopsy to be of any use. All the allegations were made by Catholic sources supportive of Mary, against the Protestant government of Edward under John Dudley, now Duke of Northumberland. As a child John Dudley had seen his father executed on the orders of Henry VIII, he had been educated at court and was now the most powerful man in the country. He stood to lose everything by Edward's death. It was Princess Mary (her title finally restored by Dudley who had been her friend in the past) and her supporters who benefitted.

Edward's terminal symptoms were described in detail and appear to have been caused by septicemia which may have followed the initial infection but could also have been caused by toxic substances like lead, antimony, arsenic, etc. commonly used in 16th century poisons, but also in medicines at that time - so it may not have been deliberate.

These sorts of chemical medicines were a recent innovation in Henry VIII's reign. The King himself was very interested in these new compounds and made up many of his own medicines and ointments and other preparations. He sent Cardinal Wolsey a medicine of his own preparation when he was ill following his fall from power. But Wolsey died.

On 10th August, soon after Richmond's death, the Dauphin François died. Poisoning was suspected as he had fallen ill four days earlier after drinking from a pitcher of water to cool off after playing tennis. The page who filled and carried the pitcher and the steward who supervised him, were interrogated. The steward Count Sebastiano di Montecuculi, confessed after arsenic and other poisons were found in his lodging, and was sentenced to be torn apart by horses, which horrible death was watched by the whole court on 7th October. The only person who benefited from the Dauphin's removal was his brother Henri. His wife's Medici relatives were suspects, but they had sponsored Montecuculi who had been a doctor of medicine.

Far more important in Henri's life than his wife, was his mistress Diane de Poitiers, old enough to be his mother, who had been with him since his return from captivity and was to dominate and control his life, to the exclusion of his wife. When Henri had a daughter by a younger mistress, Diane adopted the child and dumped her mother into a convent. Diane would do anything to maintain and increase her own wealth and power.

The Dauphin had been betrothed to Princess Mary, he was not married to anyone else, perhaps because there was still a possibility that he would marry Mary if she were reinstated as heir to the throne. So there may have been others who wished to eliminate him now Mary was back with her father at court, to avoid such a possibility.

The Dauphin may have died of natural causes. 19th and early 20th century historians have attributed the Dauphin's death (as with the Duke of Richmond) to "consumption". But he would hardly have been up to a strenuous game of tennis in the summer heat, 4 days before his death if he was terminally ill with tuberculosis. And as mentioned that disease was not nearly so common in the 16th century, as it was to become in the crowded cities of the 19th century. The deaths of Prince Arthur, the Duke of Richmond, and the Dauphin, had all been reported by foreign envoys in their dispatches as "tisis" (phtisis) which was later called "consumption" and then refered to any lung disease. Since in all three cases the victim died in 4 or 5 days, it could not have pulmonary tuberculosis (which was usually meant in the 19th century) which takes some time to finish off the sufferer, but more likely "the Sweat" as that seems to have been similar to the 1919 epidemic - which could also fatally affect the lungs.

In all 3 cases, with the present state of knowledge, assasination cannot be ruled out.

There is one more similar case - with the involvement of someone who was still around at the time - see below: "The White Rose" faction. Margaret, Countess of Salisbury was at Ludlow Castle at the time Prince Arthur suddenly fell ill and died. She was eventually to be executed secretly without any warning, at the Tower by the order of Henry VIII.

Who would have benefitted if Richmond was out of their way?

• The Seymours

  In the case of the Duke of Richmond, Jane Seymour and her brother Edward, stood to gain from his timely death which would clear the way in the royal succession, for any children by Jane. Richmond seems have been neutral (or not very interested) with regard to the religious disputes, his wife was later to go with the "reformers". Richmond was an alternative rallying point to his half-sister Mary, for those who wanted England to return as it was, before Henry VIII's divorce plans split the church from Rome. It was not expected that Mary could lead an army (although she was later to prove that she could) and she would marry a foreign prince who would rule the country (she did but did not let him rule with her).

  Richmond was trained to lead an army and already had an army – others would join, and the force would be strong enough to overthrow the King and replace him by his son. Cromwell, who ran a network of spies, might have heard rumours of such a conspiracy. That would not be welcomed by the new Queen Jane and her brother Edward, although Jane herself was in sympathy with the rebels and their cause - to prevent the King destroying and looting the monasteries, churches and other traditional religious institutions.

• The "White Rose" faction

  There was also the family of Margaret, Countess of Salisbury, sister to Edward, Earl of Warwick, the 3rd prince in the Tower, who had been executed by Henry VII, along with Perkin Warbeck, who claimed to be Richard, his cousin, just for being who he was.

  While her brother Edward, Earl of Warwick was imprisoned in the Tower of London, when Henry VII became King, Margaret had been married off to Sir Richard Pole, a nephew of Henry VII's mother Margaret Beaufort, he was the son of her half-sister. When Catherine of Aragon was married to Prince Arthur, and they lived at Ludlow Castle, Sir Richard Pole was Arthur's Chamberlain and Margaret was one of Catherine's Ladies in Waiting at Ludlow. So they were there when Arthur suddenly became ill - with symptoms much like those later suffered by Richmond. And died 5 days later - as Richmond was to do.

  Margaret had many grudges to bear in life, and one of those (though she had worse things to worry about) was over her claim to Canford, which had been given to the Duke of Richmond. And the Duke of Richmond was in the way of her plans to support Princess Mary and, she had hoped, marry her son Reginald to her. He could then be the next King, or at least consort to the Queen.

  Her son Reginald Pole, who had been educated abroad partly at the King's expense, had blown any of his mother's plans somewhat in June 1536, (when he was 36 years old) by sending the King a treatise he had written for him "A Defence of the Church's Unity". In this he first thanks Henry VIII for providing for his good education. The remainder is critical of Henry VIII. And blunt. Too blunt.

  He pointed out that the King scruples about the validity of his marriage to Queen Katherine, was just a disguise for his lust for Anne Boleyn. The King, he wrote, had repaid with death those who tried to teach him. He went on: During the last 26 years he had wrung more money out of his people and clergy than any king in 500 years. He also commented: No one thought of pouring expensive wine into an old empty barrel without cleaning it first, and Henry's mind was like a dirty barrel. He had destroyed his lords on flimsy pretexts - . His public works were pleasure-houses for himself, and ruined monasteries and wrecked churches. His ghastly executions had turned England into a slaughterhouse for innocent people. Yet this was the man who claimed the Pope could not be head of the church because of his moral turpitude. He had made civil war inevitable by disinheriting the Lady Mary, because so many English noble families would fight for her rights.

  The King invited Pole to return home and put his points of view in person. Reginald Pole realised he had blown it and could be trapped like the others Henry VIII had destroyed. Henry VIII saw yet another enemy which he had to destroy - Margaret, Countess of Salisbury and her family. The "white rose" faction. And they had also held a grudge against the Duke of Richmond who had made sure they did not get Canford. They would have been pleased to see him out of their way.

• Richmond's father, King Henry VIII

  The King himself might have now wanted his son out of the way. He might have felt threatened now he saw his son almost grown up, a military leader of a large army, and now almost the same age as he had been when he became king.

  A planned coup, to overthrow the King, and place his son on the throne, could have been the real intention, or at least the possible outcome, of the uprising which began in Lincolnshire, where much of Richmond's army had been left, and where he had family and property. Richmond's death left the uprising against the King which spread to Yorkshire, without its main focus for the many causes and grievances against the King and his chief minister Cromwell.

  Anne Boleyn had just been brutally killed on what appears to have been trumped up charges, by the husband who had once loved her so passionately, that he had alienated his family and much of his country, as well as countries who might otherwise have been his allies in order to get his own way regardless of thought for the outcome.

  Richmond had not committed any crime either. And it would be difficult to invent one. Richmond seems to have played no part in the religious disputes, and had been a dutiful son to Henry and a popular prince. If Richmond had been suspected by his father, of being involved in the unrest in part of the country in which he had spent most time and had family - might his father have arranged for something lethal to be put in his son's lunchtime drink on the last day of Parliament.

  Henry VIII's suspicions may have been real. When Richmond died, there would have been a rush to destroy evidence, notes burnt, etc. and there was this sort of activity in the south of Lincolnshire where Richmond's stepfather, Edward Clinton was dashing round to his neighbours. A desperate attempt to stop the rebellion and cover up. But the the unrest had many causes and reasons and was still going ahead.

  This would account for Henry VIII's refusal to acknowledge his daughter-in-law, the Duchess of Richmond's rights as Richmond's widow. It would also account for the disappearance or destruction of Richmond's portraits, and his missing stall-plate in St. George's Chapel, Windsor. Henry VIII seems to have been determined not to remember his son that he had loved so much, but to destroy all evidence that he had one.

  It was not the first time, and certainly not the last time Henry VIII would destroy someone who had been very close to him. That would account for his orders for the secret burial and lack of autopsy, which might have revealed the cause of death.

Earl of Surrey's poem remembering better times at Windsor when he was imprisoned there:

So cruel prison how could betide, alas,
As proud Windsor, where I in lust and joy,
With a Kinges son, my childish years did pass,
In greater feast than Priam's sons of Troy.
Where each sweet place returns a taste full sour.
The large green courts, where we were wont to hove,
With eyes cast up into the Maiden's tower,
And easy sighs, such as folk draw in love.
The stately seats, the ladies bright of hue.
The dances short, long tales of great delight ;
With words and looks, that tigers could but rue ;
Where each of us did plead the other's right.
The palme-play, where, despoiled for the game,
With dazed eyes oft we by gleams of love
Have miss'd the ball, and got sight of our dame,
To bait her eyes, which kept the leads above.
The gravel'd ground, with sleeves tied on the helm,
On foaming horse, with swords and friendly hearts ;
With chere, as though one should another whelm,
Where we have fought, and chased oft with darts.
With silver drops the mead yet spread for ruth,
In active games of nimbleness and strength,
Where we did strain, trained with swarms of youth,
Our tender limbs, that yet shot up in length.
The secret groves, which oft we made resound
Of pleasant plaint, and of our ladies' praise ;
Recording oft what grace each one had found,
What hope of speed, what dread of long delays.
The wild forest, the clothed holts with green ;
With reins availed, and swift y-breathed horse,
With cry of hounds, and merry blasts between,
Where we did chase the fearful hart of force.
The void vales eke, that harbour'd us each night :
Wherewith, alas ! reviveth in my breast
The sweet accord, such sleeps as yet delight ;
The pleasant dreams, the quiet bed of rest ;
The secret thoughts, imparted with such trust ;
The wanton talk, the divers change of play ;
The friendship sworn, each promise kept so just,
Wherewith we past the winter night away.
And with this thought the blood forsakes the face ;
The tears berain my cheeks of deadly hue :
The which, as soon as sobbing sighs, alas !
Up-supped have, thus I my plaint renew :
'O place of bliss ! renewer of my woes !
Give me account, where is my noble fere ?
Whom in thy walls thou d[id]st each night enclose ;
To other lief ; but unto me most dear.'
Echo, alas ! that doth my sorrow rue,
Returns thereto a hollow sound of plaint.
Thus I alone, where all my freedom grew,
In prison pine, with bondage and restraint :
And with remembrance of the greater grief,
To banish the less, I find my chief relief.

Dates of births: Dates of births of girls are rarely recorded, as no legal obligation to register all births until 1538. Frequently only the date of birth of boys are usually recorded presumably as the oldest would inherit property and titles. So although their family would remember their birthday when they lived, it is rare that a record of the date of birth before that date, survives to help historians.

Dates of birth for Mary and Anne Boleyn also unrecorded but would probably bebetween 1500 and 1504, since their parents were married in 1499, and George the youngest was born in 1504 or 1505, and there were 5 children in total, but two died young. It might be that Anne was the elder, brighter, but plainer sister, as she was the first to be placed for her employment and education - and it was abroad, with the Duchess Margarete Regent of the Netherlands. The Duchess, who praised Anne's progress, refused to let Anne go when her father asked if she could join her sister in France as maid of honour to the King's sister Mary. Margarete, who had been twice widowed and had lost her only child, took a personal interest in the progress of her wards, and was and example to them of a powerful and independent woman. Anne acquired an excellent education, and an independence of attitude, both being part of her attraction for Henry VIII.

Jane Seymour's date of birth, and that of her brother needed working out from all the different versions. If she had gone with Princess Mary to France as traditionally asserted by 19th century historians, then she would have been rather too old to interest Henry VIII as a replacement for Anne Boleyn, since he wanted more children. He was not going marry a woman as old as or older than the one he had already. Anyway it was Jane's brother Edward Seymour that went to France with Princess Mary. So Edward must have been older than Jane. And the story that Jane's marriage to William Dormer was aborted by her brother Edward's divorce does not seem to tie in with the actual dates.

No definite description exists of Elizabeth Blount's appearance, and no certain identifiable portrait. Elizabeth Blount's early life and debut at court in W. Childe-Pemberton: Elizabeth Blount, also Hall's Chronicle Vol.2, p.49, Henry VIII's accounts, L & P (Letters and Papers) Vol.1, pt.2, no 3387; p. 1501, Vol. 4, no. 3036; and in J.G. Nicols, Memoir and Letters of the Duke of Richmond.

Kinlet was totally rebuilt in the 18th century and the entire village demolished so not to spoil the view of the landscaped park. In the 19th century, the, by then, cash-strapped estate had a coal mine there, in WWII the house was used by the American Army, and after the war became a school.

By the 16th century, men wore floppy hats, usually wool for every day - those at the top of the food chain had hats of velvet with embellishments including ostrich feathers. The floppy hat (ancestor of soft caps) came in fashion because Europe had run out of beavers whose fur provided the raw material for felt from which the stiff hat, with tall crown, could be made. They had been hunted to extinction. However the discovery of more beavers in Canada led later in the 16th century to the export of their pelts to Europe and tall felt hats were back in fashion.

Jane Popincourt left for France with a gift of £100 from the grateful monarch when Louis XII died. She had been mistress to the Duc de Longueville, who was proxy for Louis XII at Mary's wedding before she went to France and met her husband.

This was to have an impact years later in 1547 since by then, the Suffolk's daughter Frances, Henry VIII's niece, was the heir to the throne, after Mary and Elizabeth, Henry VIII's daughters (who had both been declared illegitimate by their father, but he later inserted them in the succession after their brother). King Edward VI wrote a will by-passing his half sisters Mary and Elizabeth in favour of the male heirs of his cousin Frances. Which led to her eldest daughter, Henry Brandon's 15-year old, grand-daughter, Jane, becoming Queen of England for a few days, and executed the following year.

Elizabeth Blount's partner at the event in 1518, Francis Bryan, brother of her close friend Elizabeth Carew, was more than 10 years older than her. And a close friend of Henry VIII. He still had both eyes at that time, - he was to lose one in a tournament in 1527. He was also a friend of Jane Seymour - helping her find a husband after the scandal caused by her brother Edward's accusations of his wife's adultery with his father led to her previously arranged marriage with William Dormer being called off. The husband Jane got in the end was Henry VIII.

Elizabeth's song from: "Some account of unpublished collection of songs and ballads by King Henry VIII and his contemporaries" By William Chappell, Esq. F.S.A. Read May 16th,1867. This is on page 378 to page 379. "Now there is one love-song in the manuscript addressed to the King by some lady for whose sake, she tells us, the King had tilted at the ring, and in six courses had taken it four times"... "If any excuse could be made for Henry it would be from his receiving such amative addresses as this ... "there is in this a frankness discoverable on the lady's part, not warranted by the manners of the present time."

More on the manuscript.

Cornish was paid £200 by Henry VIII, in Henry VIII's accounts.

William Cornish (or Cornysh) Henry VIII's "Master of the Children for the Chapel" famous for prophecies and for satirical ballads, which had landed him in the Fleet Prison in 1507, when he upset Henry VII. He has been confused with his son also William Cornish, who was the composer of much of the popular music enjoyed at court. And it is probably the younger William Cornish who wrote this song.

Have found the song on this CD which has some of the other popular songs enjoyed at Henry VIII's court.

This portrait was painted with egg tempera on poplar wood, a technique still in use in Italy, Greece and Russia in the early 16th century. In North West Europe by then, artists (like Holbein) preferred to use oil paints. The date, artist and sitter are still not known. It was once thought (wrongly) to be of Lucretia Borgia, later (also wrongly) thought to have represented the goddess Flora. It has been dated about c. 1515-1520, the date is thought to be very likely, 1518. It is currently but not certainly, attributed to Bartolomeo Veneto, who had been a pupil of Bellini. Mostly known for his portraits full of symbols. This attribution is in doubt. It is not signed by him - he always painted his signature as if on a piece of paper or small scroll, in his paintings. It is also not in his style, the women in his paintings tend to be slightly doll-like, and although wired wigs and hair pieces freqently appear in his female portraits, they were a current Italian fashion. Original is now in the Städel Museum, Frankfurt am Main, this illustration is from a copy. The bared breast, is characteristic of contempary "nymph" costume in masques. The artificial looking, posy of open flowers is likely to have added for symbolic reasons for the portrait, and they convey a message. Her pretty garnet pendant is typical of the type of jewrellry worn in England then. Pictures of the goddess Flora usually showed flowers coming out of her mouth and dripping all over. This is not Flora. Italian artists were employed by Henry VIII and Wolsey at that time (1518), however the history and provenance of this portrait is still not fully known. It is very unlikely to have been Lucretia Borgia who was born in 1480, had 12 or 15 pregnancies, and died June 1519, following the birth of a daughter who also died.

All we can say for certain, is that Elizabeth Blount must have looked something like that picture at that event as she was about the same age as the girl in the portrait, and wearing an identical or at least, a very similar costume. The costumes for the masques at Henry VIII's court, were often bought (sometimes second-hand) from Italy, especially Venice, wire wigs and hair-pieces were a contempory Venetian fashion and seen in some of Veneto's pictures (hence perhaps the attempt at that attribution) and Italian artists were employed at that time by Henry VIII and Wolsey.

Symbolic meanings of the flowers (according to European traditions):
the 3 daisies: one facing, one turned away, one very small: the daisy symbolised "loyal love"
the anemone: unfading love, sincerity, expectation
the crocus or saffron: "abuse not", happiness, "results of pleasures"

- which would have fitted in well if this had been Elizabeth Blount...

Act of Parliament settling Tailbois lands on Elizabeth, 14 Hen.8 ch.34, 1522. Gilbert Tailbois' knighthood L & P Vol.4 p.307, account on pp.cxlvi and lxlv. South Kyme's history in Margaret Newton: South Kyme The History of a Fenland Village.

After the deaths of her brothers, Elizabeth Tailboys, became Baroness Tailboys in her own right, and campaigned unsuccessfully to take her place in the House of Lords, or at least be allowed to have her husband Thomas Wymbush, represent her. (She might be the first woman to campaign for the right to sit in Parliament.) Henry VIII would only allow her husband to represent her in parliament if he was the father of her son, but they had no children. She married the second time, in 1553, to Ambrose Dudley, Earl of Warwick. She died in 1563. She had no surviving children.

Marriage and clergy: It was not unusual for clerics to have partners and children although they were expected to be celibate. But this was not always strictly enforced. Especially with the standards recently set by Popes like Alexander Borgia, famous for his seven children especially Cesare and Lucretia, and for the "chestnut banquet" held in the papal palace. His successor Pope Julius II, had just one daughter, Felice, and commissioned Michelangelo Buonarrotti to paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel. (Michelangelo's orginal works of art had much more virile men than we see today - certain parts were later to suffer added strategic drapes, figleaves or being re-structured smaller.) The next Pope, Leo X - a Medici, did not have children as he was gay. He was far more cultured and liberal minded, than many of the subsequent popes. And also had a famous white elephant as a pet called Hanno.

Marriage of convenience. Being a gay man (usually only men were targeted) was not yet illegal, (the "Buggery Act" was passed in 1533, penalty was hanging) but was still condemned by the church (despite the behaviour of certain Popes and other clerics). Hence the "marriages of convenience". Possibly Jane Parker was to find herself unwillingly in that situation as the wife of George Boleyn. And Wolsey was to find a suitable husband for Joan. One of the earliest charged under the Buggery Act, was the headmaster of Eton, Nicolas Udall, in 1541, for abusing his pupils, but he got away with imprisonment. The act was repealed by Queen Mary in 1553, but came back again a few years later in the reign of her sister Elizabeth, it was still a hanging offence until 1861, and did not get repealed again in Britain until 1967. That only applies to consenting adults. Udall would still have been imprisoned.

Wolsey's plans for governing the marches in R.R.Reid: the King's Council in the North, Ch.5.

Ireland and the other three places in France had not been English territory for many years but Henry VIII's foreign policy was stuck in a time-warp of trying to regain long lost territory.

Richmond's progress to Yorkshire, L & P Vol.4, pt.1, no.1540.

Richmond's household listed in Memoir p.xxiii-xxvi. Livery L&P Vol.4, pt.1 no.530.

Palsgrave's book mentioned L&P Vol.3, pt.2, no.3680. Croke's letters Memoir, pp.xxvii. Richmond's letters: BM cotton Vesp.F.III.f.44, PRO SP 1/40, f.210, SP 1/46, f.169. The illustration is from copy of letter written aged 7 to his father from Pontefract. Household accounts of Duke of Richmond in PRO. Listed in L&P Vol.4, pt. 1, nos. 1512, 1513, 1514. Ineffectual economy drive L&P Vol.4 Pt. 2 no. 2861.

Death of auditor caused by Richmond's household accounts, L&P Vol.4, pt.2, no.2885. Accounts give the diets of Richmond and his household - to compare with average at this time see W.G.Hoskins: The Age of Plunder, 1976. Letters from Council, L&P Vol.4, pt.2 no.2729. Richmond learning music, L&P Vol.4, pt.2, no.2801. New Year Gifts & letter, Memoir p.xxxi, SP 1/40, f.210 (original), (picture copied from a copy). Letters with James V, Memoir xxxii, L&P Vol.4, pt.2, no.2578, also letters of James V. Marriage negs.: L&P Vol.4, pt. 2, nos. 2875 & 6, Catherine d'Medici, Cal.SP.Ven.(Calendar of State Papers, Venetian).Vol.3, no.1289, Portugal, L&P Vol.4,pt.,2, no.3052,3105, 3015, 3271. Denmark, Cal.SP.Ven.Vol.4, pp.93-95.

The King's divorce is dealt with in detail in many books, so details are not given here. He may have been inspired by his elder sister Margaret who in 1527 divorced her second husband, the Earl of Angus, to enable her to marry her third husband. Angus and their daughter Margaret took refuge in England and Henry VIII treated Margaret like a daughter (which was not always a good thing seeing how he treated his own daughters).

Croke's letter of reference Memoir p.xlvii. More on Croke in Dictionary of National Biography.

Richmond's letters asking for armour (Public Records Office) PRO SP/40 f.169.

Weather and economy 1528/9 in Hoskins: The Age of Plunder.

Sir William Parr describes The Sweat (Memoir p. liv-lv. Topcliff Memoir lvi-lvii.)

Also Neville to stay.

Holbein also did a drawing for a portrait of Sir William Parr who was at Sheriff Hutton with the Duke of Richmond. In same year Holbein did a wonderfully detailed portrait of Nicolas Kratzer, astronomer, sundial maker, and astronomer and drinking partner to the King, complete with his sun dials and other instruments. On one of his sundials it says:

"To one thousand five hundred and three years add twice ten, and you will discover the time at which I was placed here. Thomas Mosgrave 2 (then) professed medicine at Oxford, and was skilled therein. William Aest the stone cutter set me up fairly with his own hands, and placed me in this spot. Nicolas Kratzer, the Bavarian who was of Munich, caused me to tell all the hours. He also at that time lectured to his pupils on astronomy, and much learning he handed down. He was then the astronomer of King Henry, of that name the eighth, who held him very dear. The stone cutter was English, the other German, at the time when I was the admiration of the whole age. Both men drank ever in the German fashion, and could swallow all the liquor that there was."

Holbein visited England again in 1532, when he did his signature masterpiece "The Ambassadors", but did not become the King's painter until 1536, when did the iconic portrait of Henry VIII. Also drawings survive of Duchess of Richmond, and Earl of Surrey, but not of Richmond. (Although may be unidentified).

The coloured sketch which is very probably of the Duke of Richmond, Holbein took back to Basel with him when he returned to his wife and children in 1528, which is now in the museum there, was very likely the sketch for a finished portrait,which had either disappeared or never was finished. Both times that I saw it, it was labelled as King Edward VI. However it was clear to me that it could not have been Edward VI since the style of clothes are earlier and the child is chubbier. And Holbein died in 1543, his only known portrait of Edward shows him as a toddler. Could not have been the only one who noticed this, since the picture now has the undisputable label of young boy with monkey.

Anne Boleyn: No orginal portraits, only later copies, made when her daughter was Queen and later, survive of Anne Boleyn but there were many contemporary verbal descriptions. These indicate that she had inherited the Howard short and thin, dark swarthy looks from her mother, sister to the Duke of Norfolk. She was slim, almost flat chested and rather hairy, her brown eyes prominent (her most striking feature) and a swelling in her neck - which with her lively nature becoming increasingly agitated and aggressive as she grew older and more stressed, indicates that she may have suffered an enlarged and overactive thyroid. If so, since this can affect a developing foetus, it might have contributed to the subsequent miscarriages following the birth of Elizabeth. Since Anne herself had at least one of these typical defects, an extra finger, she may have inherited the condition from her mother, who did have five children but two died very young. Just stress, though, perhaps also damage to the womb, would have made her more likely to miscarry after her first child, especially if they were boys.

A good and easy source for for information about Anne Boleyn is: theanneboleynfiles.com - about Anne and her life with links to the rest and books and references etc.

Catherine's nephew, the Emperor Charles V, was the most powerful man in Europe. But could she depend on his support. He treated his own mother Juana, Catherine's sister, abysmally. On the death of her mother Isabella, her father Ferdinand tricked her and her husband into coming to Spain from Burgundy to claim her inheritance of Aragon. There he poisoned her husband, and imprisoned Juana, pregnant with her fifth child, giving out that she had gone mad and was incapable of ruling. After fourteen years her daughter managed to get a letter to her brother complaining how they were imprisoned in a room without windows, and ill treated by their gaolers. Charles V removed his sister, leaving his mother to rot in prison for the rest of her life. He would champion his aunt's cause if it was convenient for him. (Fate of Juana of Aragon in Calendar of State Papers, Spanish, supplement.)

Wolsey had blocked Anne Boleyn's choice of Eleanor Carey, sister of her brother-in-law, for position as Abbess of Wilton Abbey, on the reasonable grounds that this nun was the mother of two children by different men and was now the mistress of another man, so not the best choice for an Abbess. His own nominee was more respectable and also the choice of the nuns residing at Wilton Abbey. Anne complained to the King that Wolsey had offended her. She already blamed Wolsey for intervening in her marriage plans to Henry Percy. And for not making enough effort to secure the King's divorce which would lead to her becoming Queen.

Acts of Parliament referring to the Duke of Richmond L&P Vol./5, no.48,148,394,720. Information on presents to Richmond etc. in Henry VIII's accounts in PRO and British Library, inc. BM Arundel 97, and BM Add.MS.2030.

Gilbert Tailboys' original tomb was moved when the priory was dissolved and only a small part remains in the reconstructed church. The present monument is much more recent. There were brasses but even these had been recycled from earlier ones.

Norfolk's ambitions for his children Cal.SP.Span.Vol.5.p.228. Garter ceremony in Anstis.Vol.2,app.VII. Palsgrave in DNB. (Dictionary of National Biography). Many biographies of Mary.

Surrey's poems. Jessie Childs: Henry VIII's Last Victim. His poem on his life with Richmond in Memoir and other places.

Description of Elizabeth Blount and comments on King's possible marriage to her: L&P Vol.5 no.114. William Parr complains about unpopularity of Richmond and his friends in letter to Cromwell 20th April, 1532. Cromwell has many biographies. Elizabeth courted by Grey in Childe-Pemberton. Grey later became Lord Deputy of Ireland and executed in purge of 1540. (As Cromwell was soon after).

Richmond at Hatfield L&P vol.5, no.905. Visit to France: Chronicle of Calais, p41, L&P vol.5, nos. 1484, 1485, 1474. Hall's Chronicle, F.ccvii. Richmond's debts, L&P Add.pt.1,1532, no.830. Description of Richmond and his part in ceremonies in Calais, Cal.SP.Ven.Vol.5, nos.694,795,832,824. Richmond's arrangments to go into France, L&P Vol.5, nos.1529, 1538, 1616. Journey into France: L&P Vol.5, nos.1625, 1538, 1618. and BM.Calig.E.1.f.42.

Richmond in France: Cal.SP.Ven.Vol.5, nos. 876,973,1036,1076. H.N.Williams: Henri II, has some details about stay in France. Norfolk in France: L&P Vol.6, nos.811, 831. Chronicle of Calais p.44. George Boleyn's murder attempt from his wife's evidence at trial and L&P Vol.6, no.845. Richmond return from France: L&P Vol.6, no.1069, Cal.SP.Ven.Vol.5,no.973, Chronicle of Calais, p.44.

Anne and Henry VIII never went through a public marriage ceremony, it is possible that the wedding was thought of later when their daughter Elizabeth was Queen and her mother's reputation was then cleaned up. Anne did have a splendid coronation with street decorations designed by Holbein. Anne had the opportunity to own and drive a car after she was Queen, when Henry VIII was offered one for her, as a reward for payment of a debt. (Original PRO 163/15/36, this came from paper: The Invention of a Self-Propelled Vehicle in the 16th century, by James Alsop, 1981.)

Anne's problems with Henry VIII, L&P Vol.6, no.1069. Treatment of Princess Mary L&P Vol.6, nos. 1125, 1126, 1558 and Catherine, 1571. Marriage of Richmond to Mary Howard L&P Vol.6, no.140. Memoir p.lxii. More on Mary Howard: L&P Vol.11, no.1138, L&P Vol.4, pt. 1, no.1355, L&P Vol.12 pt.1, nos. 3,42, L&P, Vol.4, pt.1, no.1355, L&P Vol.12 pt.1, nos.3, 43, L&P Vol.12, pt.1, p.119, footnote and no.142. Gentleman's Magazine Vol.23, May 1845. Henry VIII was offered a mechanical car for his new Queen, , by John Marmin, imprisoned in Ludgate because of a debt he owned John Gresham.

Parliament of January 1534, Lords Journal Vol.1, & S.E. Lehmberg: The Reformation Parliament 1529-36. Richmond attends along with Duke of Norfolk, on 38 out of possible 45 days.

Anne's argument with her sister who was expecting her third child which was to be a daughter she called Mary. Her second child Henry was assumed to be by the King, though not officially acknowledged, this may be why Anne adopted him as her ward. L&P Vol.8, no.567, L&P Vol.4, preface, p.ccxxv.

Elizabeth's marriage to Lord Clinton and their children in Childe-Pemberton.

Another challenge to Anne in her own household was Catherine Parr, in 1533, a 19-year old widow, whose father-in-law, Lord Burgh was Anne's Chamberlain. Catherine attracted notice by her intelligent participation in discussions around Anne's dinner table, she soon married Lord Latimer who shared her reformist views.

Her 3rd husband was to be Henry VIII, and she was his 6th and final wife. She then married Thomas Seymour, but died after given birth to their daughter Mary, her only child. When her father was executed Mary was given to Catherine Willoughby to care for, but she complained she was not given money to pay for it. Nothing is known of Mary after the age of 4.

Cromwell's plan to send Richmond to Ireland: L&P, Vol.6, no.1528, L&P Vol.9, no.613, L&P Vol.7, no.1141, L&P Vol. 7 no.1107. Chapter of the Garter where Richmond appointed the King's deputy, Anstis Vol.2, p.393, and L&P vol.7, no. 682. There is a picture of the Duke of Richmond heading the garter procession at Windsor. Also a picture of Henry VIII and the Knights of the Garter, 1534, Black Book of the Order of the Garter.

Richmond's progress to Poole, Memoir, p.xcx and L&P Vol.7, no.772. Richmond's furniture in described in J.G.Nicols: Inventory. 16th century Poole described in Victoria County History of Dorset, Vol.2, pt.2, pp.209-212. Letters to Cromwell by Richmond in Public Records Office.

Bridget was to marry Robert Dymoke of Scrivelsby and later lived at South Kyme. Katherine was to marry Thomas Burgh, youngest brother of Catherine Parr's first husband, and only surviving son and successor of Lord Burgh of Gainsborough. Margaret was to marry Charles Lord Willoughby of Parham.

Entertaining the Admiral of France: Cal.SP.Span.Vol.5 pt.1, pp. 331,376. At Westminster, Memoir, p.lxxi, entertaining Chapuys, L&P Vol.7, no.1482, 1507.

Princess Mary's troubles, Linda Porter: Mary Tudor, C. Erickson: Bloody Mary, and other books on Mary. In fact the pills to bring on her periods probably contained ergometrine, an ancient remedy for inducing contractions of the womb. People prone to migraines, as Mary was, may be allergic to ergometrine.

Execution was of three Carthusian and one Brigettine monk, in L&P Vol.8, no. 666, Cal.SP.Span.Vol.5, pt.1, no.156. Also in L&P, Vol.8, no.895, BM Harl.MS.530, f.54. Richmond's letter to Cromwell from Sheffield, PRO SP.1, no.93. It was dictated to a secretary and signed by him. His removal to Holt, L&P, Vol.9, no.599. Complaints: L&P Vol.9, no.510.

Letter from Surrey to Stretes, 1546, L&P Vol.21, pt. 1, no. 1426. Clothes in Inventory. Cancellation of Parliament, Lehmberg.

Here is a copy of a miniature in the Queen's collection at Windsor. Lettering on the original says in capitals: "HENRY DUCK OFF RICHMOD" "AETIS SVA XV".

When I enquired about this, one reply was from Oliver Millar. Copy of his letter on right.

The miniature was purchased from the collection of Horace Walpole in 1845, and later purchased for Queen Victoria. I had queried the attribution of the miniature to Henry Fitzroy, Duke of Richmond and Somerset, because it shows a youth wearing only an open night-gown and a night-cap in the style of the early 17th century. The style of the black-work embroidered night cap does not appear until the late 16th century. (Reign of Queen Elizabeth). When long hair styles for men started to come back into fashion. A number of these embroidered nightcaps survive in museums. They continued during the 17th century, as casual headwear for men when they were not wearing their wig.

It was the custom in the 17th century for lovers to commission miniatures for their beloved of themselves in their nightclothes. Which along with the nightcap, does set the portrait in that period. And the lettering is a bit suspect. Horace Walpole was a wealthy 18th century poser and trend-setter for the "Gothick" style. He is famous for his collections to embellish his house at Strawberry Hill, Twickenham, which he used to open to the public as a tourist attraction, and was himself a talented artist and writer. In pioneering the romantic "Gothick", he was not above a spot of forgery or "improvement". As John Gough Nicols pointed out in 1845, "so many of Horace Walpole's appropriations were imaginary that some further evidence of the identity of this portrait is desirable".

Henry Fitzroy was Duke of Richmond and Somerset. The first Duke of Richmond to be created, was Ludovic Stuart in 1623, born 1574, died 1624. He was a favourite of James I and involved in the colonization of Maine in New England. Next was in 1641 - James Stuart 4th Duke of Lennox, was made 2nd Duke of Richmond, then 1675 one of Charles II's bastard sons was the 3rd creation of the Duke of Richmond.

Anne's raid on Catherine's possessions: Inventory. Grants of land to Richmond, L&P Vol.10, no.380. His father tried to get the Duchy of Milan for him, L&P Vol.10, no. 687. Jane Seymour, L&P Vol.10, p. 248.

Richmond's meeting with his father after Anne's arrest, L&P Vol.10, no.908, Cal.SP. Span.Vol.5, 19th May 1536. E.W.Ives's article in History, June 1972, suggested the arrest and execution of the men associated with Anne was to eliminate her faction at court. Richmond claimed Norris (one of accused) stewardship, L&P Vol.10, no.891. Richmond made Chamberlain of Chester and North Wales and received Baynards Castle, L&P Vol.6, no.1057. Description of Baynards Castle, Stows Survey of London. Letter from Emperor L&P Vol. 10, no.888.

Anne's aspersions of Henry VIII, L&P Vol.10, p.378. Call for Richmond to be the King's heir, L&P Vol.10, no.1069, Cal.SP.Span.Vol.5, pt.1, p.61. Cromwell's gifts to Mary in his accounts. Mary a bastard, so Richmond can be made the heir, L&P Vol.10, no.147. Act of Succession, L&P Vol.11, no.105, Add. MS. BM 4507, f.4; also S.E. Lehmberg: The Later Parliaments of Henry VIII, 1536-1547. Wedding celebrations, illness of Richmond: Cal.SP.Span.Vol.5, p.196, L&P Vol.9, no.40. Comparison to illness of King Edward VI made by Edward's physicians.

Affair of Margaret Douglas: Cal.SP.Span.Vol.5, p.214, L&P Vol.12,

no.48. Act against seducing princesses, Lehmberg. Richmond to go to Sittingbourne, L&P Vol.9, no.1249. He is listed by Cromwell, as one of the persons to accompany the King with his own entourage of 20 persons. Most of his furnishings were at Tonge near Sittingbourne when he died.

Henry VIII's fears that the Duke of Richmond would usurp the claims of any younger children he may have were valid. His mother's brothers Edward and Richard and cousin Edward Earl of Warwick were put in the Tower of London before the coronation of Richard III and never emerged. Edward Earl of Warwick was executed years later by Henry VII. Warwick's sister Margaret, Countess of Salisbury, who had been governess to Princess Mary was brutally executed in 1541. In the 17th century, the bastard son of Charles II, the Duke of Monmouth was to make two attempts to claim the throne with a rebel army.

Act of succession, BM. Add. MS. 4507, f.4. Attendance of Richmond in Parliament, Lords Journals. Letter to Lisle, L&P Vol.11, no.108. There was an elegiac poem on Richmond's death by Nicolas de Bourbon. (In Memoir). Letters from Norfolk about his orders for Richmond's funeral and the King's displeasure L&P Vol.11, no.233. Gostwyk's report L&P Vol.11, no.174. Carriage of coffin to Thetford, L&P Vol.11, no.221. Surrey ill L&P Vol.11 no.233. Bequests in Inventory which has full details of Richmond's clothes etc. Duchess of Richmond's pension, Augmentation Book 23, f.339. Paper on her in Gentleman's Magazine, Vol.23, May 1845, by J. G. Nicols.

Surrey has many biographies, including more recently: "Henry VIII's Last Victim" by Jessie Childs. His poem remembering his life with the Duke of Richmond in Memoir also on websites and many other sources.

Richmond's widow was to join her husband in his tomb in 1557. The tomb at Framlingham is not the original. Richmond was buried at Thetford with other members of the Howard family. Fragments have been found from recent excavations, of a once impressive tomb. The Howard tombs were moved with the reformation. The present sarcophagus was made later, clearly by the same mason who made other new tombs for the dead family members. It is not even likely that much remains of the bodies as the tombs were to be much disturbed and damaged later and the effigies which had been on top are missing, and there is other damage.

Masses were ordered for Richmond L&P Vol.12, pt.1, no.947. Richmond's tomb in Parish Church of St.Michael, Framlingham.

The Lincolnshire Rebellion is in many books, including "The Lincolnshire Rising 1536" by Anne Ward, ISBN 0901977063, 1986. We discussed the possible connection with Richmond in 1985/6 when she was working on the booklet and the celebrations and she pointed out inaccuracies in other books, so this should be a correct version of events. (Sadly Anne died soon after at only 50).

Gathering of people in Lincolnshire, M.H. & R. Dodds: The Pilgrimage of Grace. An excellent more recent book on the Lincolnshire Rebellion and Pilgrimage of Grace is "The Pilgrimage of Grace" by Geoffrey Moorhouse. Part played by Richmond's family also in Childe-Pemberton.

Tattershall Castle was used to accomodate a large number of the rebels. As this had been one of Richmond's properties, it does link him to the rebellion - at least to the earlier beginnings. The reconstruction of Tattershall as it was when first rebuilt, comes from The National Trust who who have restored the castle which is open to the public. Henry VIII gave Tattershall to his brother-in-law, Charles Brandon, in 1537, as a reward for his part in putting down the Lincolnshire rebellion.

About the website and book.

This website, is being used as a draft of the book ISBN 9781871443400 - which I have put on-line unfinished, so readers and researchers can access the information and make comments, while the book is in progress. So it will keep growing and changing. And will stay in a revised form as useful for updates etc. Probably being born at Hampton Court made me interested in Tudor history. Was also interested in astronomy since a little girl. Worked in television and publishing etc. While looking after twins born 1967, I was researching for the booklet on the Hampton Court Clock in 1969, and also writing a paper on King Edward VI's Defence of Astronomy. There were a number of mentions of Henry VIII's other son, Henry Fitzroy. When looking into the background of Edward VI's education and upbringing I decided to compare it with that of his brother. It took 12 years before a book was ready in 1981. But then publishers told me "no one is interested in the Tudors now". They were already out of date, at that time teams of divers were finding parts of the "Mary Rose", in the Solent, a tragic wreck (one of the divers died as well) which would give an amazing insight into Tudor life. Meanwhile my main interest continued to be the history of astronomy and time keeping, and was getting articles published each month on that. And had lots of other real life things to get on with and to worry about. However felt that this was an aspect of history which had been missed. Henry Fitzroy was no more than seventeen and a half years old when he died, but has left a number of unexplained mysteries. Why for example, when he had been to all intents and purposes publicly acclaimed for eleven years as the King's son and potential future heir, was he given a secret funeral? Far from being on the sidelines of history, Henry Fitzroy, Duke of Richmond, was deeply involved in the politics and conspiraces of the government. If he had not suddenly and unexpectedly died when he did, he may even have succeeded in overthrowing his father as King of England, since in 1536, there was massive opposition to Henry VIII's policies. And that rebellion came back into the news in 1986. When we were celebrating the anniversary of the Lincolnshire Rebellion. The Tudors were back. Could there have been any connection with the possibly suspicious sudden death of the Duke of Richmond, just as an act of Parliament had gone through which would enable Henry VIII to nominate his successor. I discussed this with Anne Ward who was writing the booklet and organising the event. I was at the time writing about the history of astronomy and teaching astronomy. But it looked like there was rather more to the story of Henry VIII's bastard son. During the 1990s I wrote a short article for the Lincoln website of Roger Parsons. Then as there was a lot of interest, published a short version of the book. Both versions have been used by other writers as reference. Now there is so much more interest in Tudor history, the book is going out as a website as a more complete work. As I have done with earlier work on the history of astronomy and early timekeeping, and the history of Siberia. This enables links to others work and feedback. A multidimensional linked sort of work, which would not have been possible in the 1960s and 70s. This is still not complete but getting near. The full updated list of references, notes, and acknowledgements is still in progress. A website will stay as part of the book - ISBN 9781871443400, and eBook - to provide extra illustrations, links and updates. The written work is copyright and some of the pictures used here - please ask first, if you want to use any material including illustrations. Can then give you more information about source etc. and if you are free to use them or if there might be restrictions. Translations from English into other languages of part of the material can be made - please ask me first to make sure it is ok. Links to information from relevant websites welcome - contact me and you will also get a link in return from relevant part of cosmicelk.net. Relevant queries, comments and suggestions always welcome and acknowledged. Send feedback to: mail@cosmicelk.net

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