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blackswaneuroparedux · 3 years

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Anonymous asked: I read a past answer that you gave on the greatness of Shakespeare and I admit it was an almost convincing argument - if he had written his own plays. But now we’re supposed to celebrate the 400th anniversary of the death of Moliere? Why? I don’t see why the French are making a big deal about Moliere. I would have kept quiet about it. Like Shakespeare he was an imposter who didn’t write his own plays, and the reason he was so popular was because he was best friends with Louis XIV who backed Moliere financially. He has nothing to say about us today (nothing about gender or race or social justice). I don’t understand why the French venerate him.

I don’t even know where to begin in answering all this. So let me try unpack some of the questions I think you’re asking when you’re not being a tad rude to Molière. Good manners are a prerequisite to civilised conversation. There’s no point winning an argument if you fail to win over the person first.

Let’s get the authorial question out of the way first because it is - frankly speaking - ignorant. Anyone who believes this nonsense even after looking at the whole evidence is just confirming just how intellectually illiterate they really are.

You may be be aware - and I’ll give you the benefit of the doubt that you do - that one of the more persistent prejudices has been did Molière write his own Molière repertoire? The criticism has been that Molière did not write his work, which was attributed to others, in particular Pierre Corneille. This is the thesis of the poet Pierre Louÿs in articles in Comœdia published in 1919 - in two articles entitled respectively Corneille est-il l'auteur d'Amphitryon ? and L'imposteur de Corneille et le Tartuffe de Molière. He claimed that Molière was just the pen name for Corneille. In this Louÿes was parroting the ideas of Abel Lefranc, an established scholar on Rabelais,

LeFranc, for some reason also believed William Stanley, 6th earl of Derby was the true author of the Shakespearian plays in his largely forgotten work, Sous le masque de William Shakespeare: William Stanley, Vie comte de Derby (2 vol., 1918). Lefranc in turn was parroting the exact same ideas as James Greenstreet first spouted this outlandish theory in the 1890s.

So let’s get this ‘Shakespeare never wrote his own plays’ trope out of the way first because as a Shakespearian lover I can’t just let it slide as the yanks say. And who knows I may even educate some who reads this to put this tired parlour game to bed. The same for Molière. I hope in doing so I can also kill two birds with one stone.

The case for William Stanley (Derby) as Shakespeare rests primarily on two 1599 documents, one describing him as “busied only in penning comedies for the common players,” and the other, by his wife in a letter to Sir Robert Cecil, as “taking delight in the players.” It is worth pausing to note that Derby’s wife was Elizabeth Vere Stanley, Countess of Derby and Lord of Mann (1575–1627), the eldest daughter of Edward de Vere, 17th Earl of Oxford - the other candidate to have been the real author behind Shakespeare’s plays - the so-called Oxford School.

This documented evidence, that Oxford’s own son-in-law was one of the closeted aristocratic playwrights of the period, serves, as some critics have suggested, to confirm how secretive much literary activity associated with the theatre remained. Despite the two letters which record his theatrical activities, no public documents of any sort acknowledge that Derby was a closeted playwright.

But no one, not even Shakespearean conspiracists, seriously consider Derby as the real author. there is the inconvenient fact that Derby (like Francis Bacon, anther candidate as the real Shakespeare) lived far too long - until 1642 - to fit with the known chronology of the author’s career. Did Derby just fall unaccountably silent for the last 30 years of his life? That’s almost the last 38 years, more than 80% of his adult life, if one considers the sudden drop-off in new Shakespearean publications after 1604.

The most persistent and popularised theory is of course that Edward de Vere, the Earl of Oxford, was the true author and Will was just a front man. This is the so-called Oxford School.

It is established beyond doubt that Edward De Vere did have literary ability. Edward wrote and published a considerable number of poems and a good amount of prose under his own name. Having studied Edward De Vere, I believe that Edward De Vere was genuinely proud of his poems since he defended these quite violently when other aristocrats mocked or criticised them. In all honesty, I think his poems and prose are good and make enjoyable reading. But I would also concede that they do not match the soaring brilliance of Shakespeare. So why would Edward De Vere publish “good” literature under his own name, with great pride, and yet conceal the fact that he was writing plays of unrivalled brilliance?

Here I am not alone, computer experts have performed “stylometric” analysis. They have fed all the known prose and poetic writings of Edward de Vere and all the plays and poems of William Shakespeare into a computer, and looked for similarities, There are absolutely no crossovers whatsoever.

Everything that we know of Edward de Vere, Earl of Oxford, is that he was a real shit. Alan Nelson’s 2003 meticulous biography called him a ‘monstrous adversary’. Edward was a proud, arrogant, self-centred man, convinced of his own greatness, who became angry if criticised in any way. He frequently challenged people to duels, killing some of his opponents: had he not been an Earl, and well-connected, he might have been hanged for murder. He got his own retainers to beat up, even kill servants of those he did not like.

Are we to believe that the proud, arrogant, self-obsessed, self-seeking Edward De Vere would have been likely to conceal the fact that he was writing plays of unrivaled brilliance? And why would he spend twenty years writing plays, expend all that time and energy to produce these great works of literature, then take elaborate measures to conceal the fact that he was writing them?

In the sixteenth century, England was an incredibly class-conscious society. Edward De Vere was an Earl, the heir to the longest line of Earls in England. He would have expected 99% of the population, even many of his fellow aristocrats, to defer to him. If the self-aggrandising, aristocratic Edward De Vere spent twenty years of his life writing plays, wouldn’t you have expected him to show the plays to his fellow aristocrats to prove what a brilliant writer he was, rather than conceal them as the work of a mere plebian glover’s son, a mere commoner, a person, whom Edward De Vere would probably have considered it beneath his dignity to speak to?

Would Edward De Vere, an Earl, give all these plays, his life’s work, to William Shakespeare, a mere commoner, somebody who, by the protocols of the time, could not even have been called an “esquire” or even a “gentleman”, and silently stand by for over ten years, letting William Shakespeare receive all the plaudits, praise, and adulation for writing these plays?

Edward De Vere was a patron of other writers. He was a leading sponsor of John Lyly (c.1553–1606): Lyly dedicated some of his books to Edward. Edward De Vere was related to Arthur Golding (1536–1606), the poet and translator: Edward De Vere did much to advance Golding’s career. One of Golding’s great achievements was his translation of Ovid’s Metamorphoses, which Shakespeare used as source material. Well, if Edward De Vere was so close to these literary figures, wouldn’t you think he might have discussed his plays with them, or that they might have suspected that he was writing these plays?

Edward De Vere was a patron of the dramatist Robert Greene (1558–1592), who wrote several popular plays: one, entitled Gwydonius, was dedicated to Edward. But, nowadays, Robert Greene is best known to history because he wrote a vitriolic attack on Shakespeare, calling Shakespeare an “Upstart Crow”, complaining that Shakespeare’s plays were not really all that good, and did not deserve the popularity they had attracted, because they were full of “gimmicks” and lacked true literary quality. Robert Greene said that Shakespeare was just an actor, and actors had no business to write plays. Yet if Robert Greene was familiar with Edward De Vere, might Robert Greene have known that it was really Edward De Vere who was writing the plays? And if Edward De Vere wrote these plays, by attacking the author of the plays attributed to Shakespeare, Robert Greene was rather “biting the hand that fed him”!

Yet, for all Edward De Vere’s involvement in the literary world of Elizabethan (and early Jacobean) England, there is no record or mention that Edward De Vere and William Shakespeare were in any way acquainted with each other, or that they ever met. There is a large amount of source material for William Shakespeare's life, all of which has been subjected to the most minute analysis. Yet not one single historical source suggests that William Shakespeare ever met Edward De Vere, or that the two of them even once shared even the remotest connection. I find that this is especially puzzling if Edward De Vere was really writing Shakespeare’s plays.

Shakespeare belonged to a theatrical company called “The Lord Chamberlain’s Men”, and it is established that The Lord Chamberlains Man performed many of Shakespeare’s plays. Yet there is no record that Edward De Vere was even remotely connected with any of the people in “The Lord Chamberlain’s Men”. Instead, Edward De Vere financed a group of players called “Oxford’s Men” or “The Earl of Oxford’s Men”.

If Edward De Vere was writing plays, and he wanted to conceal his identity by pretending that somebody else was writing them, wouldn’t he have been more likely to pass them off as the work of one of the actors from “Oxford’s Men”, his own theatrical company, rather than that of somebody with whom he had no connection whatsoever?

Surely, if Edward De Vere was really writing Shakespeare’s plays, wouldn’t you have expected his own personal troupe of actors to perform some of the Shakespeare plays? But while the activities of Oxford’s Men are well documented, there is no record that they ever performed a Shakespeare play.

This brings me on to another point: Edward De Vere would have been on familiar terms with Queen Elizabeth I, He married Anne Cecil, the daughter of William Cecil, Lord Burleigh, who was Elizabeth’s chief minister. He was related to many of the other leading aristocrats of the day. He officiated at the coronation of Elizabeth’s successor, King James I. Edward De Vere must have been on speaking terms with all “the great and the good” of Elizabethan and early Jacobean England. And none of these people were even remotely aware that Edward De Vere was writing all these incredible plays?

Edward De Vere died in 1604, leaving an 11-year-old son, Henry, who held the title of 18th Earl of Oxford until his death in 1625, aged 32. Well, wouldn’t Edward De Vere’s son have known that his father was writing Shakespeare’s plays? Wouldn’t Henry De Vere, Edward's own son, have mentioned this fact, just once in his lifetime?

Henry De Vere had no children, so the title of Earl Of Oxford passed to a distant cousin, Robert De Vere, who became 19th Earl of Oxford, leaving a son, Aubrey De Vere, the 20th and last Earl of Oxford, who died in 1702. Thus, for 98 years after Edward De Vere’s death, the De Vere family was still playing a role in English (and foreign) affairs. Wouldn’t just one member of the De Vere family have just once mentioned that it was really their kinsman who wrote these plays? Wouldn’t one of them have once made just one faint protest that William Shakespeare had stolen the De Vere family’s rightful claim to fame?

William Shakespeare died in 1616. To ensure that his genius survived, in 1623 some admirers produced what is now known as “The First Folio” giving the full text of 36 of his plays. More importantly, 18 of these plays, practically half of Shakespeare’s known work, were first published in “The First Folio”. The “First Folio” includes a long introduction by some of Shakespeare’s admirers, constantly praising his brilliance. It even features Shakespeare’s woodcut engraving.

The “First Folio” is, more than anything else, THE work that ensured that these incomparable plays would be preserved for posterity and that Shakespeare would come to be regarded as the world’s greatest playwright.

Well, the “First Folio” is dedicated to Philip Herbert, Earl of Montgomery, who was married to Edward De Vere’s daughter, Susan. So are we to believe that Edward De Vere’s own daughter and his son-in-law, members of the very elite of English aristocratic society, would allow themselves to be implicated in a fraudulent attempt to attribute Edward De Vere’s literary genius to William Shakespeare, a mere commoner, and never once quibble or protest about this?

Not only that, but Ben Jonson (1572–1637) the poet and dramatist, (a candidate for England’s second-best playwright) was personally acquainted with William Shakespeare. There are stories that Jonson and Shakespeare conducted a “friendly rivalry” in which they subjected each other to what might be termed “affectionate sarcasm”. Yet for all their supposed differences, after Shakespeare’s death, Ben Jonson collaborated in producing the First Folio, writing a poem praising Shakespeare’s genius at the start of the book. I find it hard to believe that, if Shakespeare was not really writing the plays, but was only acting as a “front” for Edward De Vere, that Ben Jonson, the second-best playwright of the age, never suspected this.

So, not only did Edward De Vere conceal the fact that he was writing these fantastic plays while he was alive. But, after his death, there was a comprehensive effort, backed by the leading writers of the age, and Edward De Vere’s own family, to mislead the whole world, by publishing all the plays in a book that attributed the authorship to a total imposter, while not even alluding to the true creator of the plays? Again, if Edward De Vere had really written the plays, would not one person who was involved in producing the First Folio have even suspected this? Would not just one person have made just the faintest protest that they were giving the glory to the wrong person?

There was a historian, author, and pioneer archaeologist called John Aubrey, who lived between 1626 and 1697. John Aubrey compiled a work, now called “Brief Lives”, which was a collection of biographies of famous contemporary or near-contemporary people. Aubrey’s Brief Lives includes information about both Edward De Vere and William Shakespeare (as well as Ben Jonson). Now, Edward De Vere and William Shakespeare both died before John Aubrey was born. But John Aubrey sought out old people who knew, or whose parents or grandparents had known, Edward De Vere and William Shakespeare. People who have studied Edward De Vere and William Shakespeare think that Aubrey’s Brief Lives is the very last “oral” record, the very last source of “first-hand information” about these two people. Yet not only does John Aubrey never even vaguely suggest that Edward De Vere wrote Shakespeare’s plays; John Aubrey also seems to have been fully convinced that William Shakespeare had written these plays.

If Edward De Vere had really written William Shakespeare’s plays, it seems wholly incredible to me, that, during the whole of the Elizabethan and Jacobean era, not one single member of the De Vere family, or the literary establishment, or the political elite, or the court circles in which the Earls of Oxford moved, or that one of the hundreds and thousands of manuscript sources that have survived from the Elizabethan era, or that one of the hundreds of books that were printed during the Elizabethan era, or any of Edward De Vere’s literary friends, or any of Edward De Vere’s many enemies, or even Edward De Vere himself, never once made even the vaguest murmur that all the glory of writing an entire body of literature that ranks among the highest achievements of humanity had been completely and unjustly attributed to the son of a glover from Stratford Upon Avon.

Our reasons for believing that William Shakespeare of Stratford wrote the plays published under his name are the same type as the reasons for believing that any other Elizabethan author wrote the works ascribed to him; indeed, as I've said many times before, the evidence for Shakespeare's authorship is more extensive than the comparable evidence for the great majority of Elizabethan authors, especially playwrights. If you insist on disbelieving in Shakespeare's authorship, fine, but then you'll have to also disbelieve in the authorship of most other Elizabethan and Jacobean drama, if you're going to be consistent.

And why Oxford? Why not other candidates who could have authored Shakespeare plays? Even I could also make a damn good case for the Earl of Essex or Marlowe. And of course, the "evidence" for Bacon has long been presented by Baconians, even though most Oxfordians seem unaware of its extent. In fact, many Oxfordians seem to be under the impression that Oxford stands alone as an alternative to Shakespeare, when actually he's a relatively weak member of a rather large pack of potential "candidates". Oxford's candidacy is so widespread for essentially political reasons: an English schoolteacher just happened to latch on to Oxford rather than somebody else 80 years ago (based on a poem that Oxford probably didn't write), and the Oxfordians found some elements of Oxford's biography that they could construct into a romantic version of the person they thought should have written Shakespeare's plays.

Bah! Humbug! As my grandfather would say.

The whole question of Shakespeare authorship, much like the Molière question is about proper scholarship, or the lack thereof. I am dismissive of Derbyites, Oxfordians, Baconians, or even Marlovians (Marlowe lovers) because in all their respective cases they almost entirely make their argument solely on the internal evidence from the plays, when orthodox scholars have often used evidence from the plays to speculate on such aspects of Shakespeare's life as the Lost Years. The difference - and it is a big fucking deal - is that orthodox scholars do not use such speculation as evidence as to who wrote the plays; rather, they use it to supplement and flesh out the external evidence, all of which indicates that William Shakespeare of Stratford was the author. The contrarians on the other hand,, treat such internal reconstructions as primary "evidence" (despite their inherent subjectivity), simply rationalising away all the considerable external evidence when it does not agree with their impressions of who the author must have been.

In his book, Contested Will: Who Wrote Shakespeare? James Shapiro, the Larry Miller Professor of English and Comparative Literature at Columbia University, traced the history of the authorship question. Interestingly, he noted that by the early 1980s the Oxfordian theory was largely moribund. It was revived partly through the ceaseless efforts of Charlton Ogburn (a more capable soldier than he was a scholar).

It also received a great deal of media exposure through two mock trials, one before American Supreme Court Justices William Brennan, Harry Blackmun and John Paul Stevens and one before three British judges, Lord Oliver of Aylmerton, Lord Templeman and Lord Ackner. Oxford lost both cases, but the trials gave the theory media attention and legitimacy, especially since both Blackmun and Stevens showed some sympathy for the Oxfordian cause, although, since the burden of proof was on the Oxfordians, they did not feel enough evidence for his authorship had been presented. Stevens has subsequently decided that Oxford did indeed write the plays. Certain elements of the Oxford theory are unlikely to be generally compelling except to those who are fond of conspiracy theories, but these elements tend to be missing or downplayed when the theory is mooted in the popular media mainstream.

The idea that Shakespeare was too ill-educated to write the plays is arrogant elitism in my view - intellectual masturbation of so-called higher minds. The idea that Shakespeare’s experience and personality do not match his writings is denying that writers imagine and inhabit characters very different from their own - it’s called fiction. The fact that Oxford died before a significant number of the plays was apparently written is difficult if not laughable to explain. And it is far easier to imagine middle class Shakespeare observing courtly manners than it is imagining Oxford learning about the fauna and flora of the Forest of Arden.

It is also true that Shakespeare probably did not go to Oxford or Cambridge, but then, neither did a number of other playwrights of the time, including some, like Ben Jonson, who were more classically-inclined than Shakespeare. We have no documentary evidence that Shakespeare attended grammar school, but that is because enrolment records from the King’s New School in Stratford do not survive. Because Shakespeare’s father John was an alderman and later High Bailiff, his son would have been eligible to attend the school for free.

According to Shapiro, “Scholars have exhaustively reconstructed the curriculum in Elizabethan grammar schools and have shown that what Shakespeare…would have learned there…was roughly equivalent to a university degree today, with a better facility in Latin than that of a typical classics major”.

Either way you look at it it’s both a condemnation of our current woeful education system and our hubris of how superior we think modern education is compared to the past. I say let’s give King’s New School its due for the quality of its education in the 16th century and Shakespeare for his creative skills.

I digress. Back to Molière.

In more recent years this literary paternity has had the gloss of ‘scientific’ verification by the academic Dominique Labbé who, on the basis of computer processing of the texts, established it was indeed it was Cornielle was the real author of Molière’s plays in his book ‘Corneille dans l'ombre de Molière’ (2003). The argument he makes in his own book is that 16 of Molière's plays are in fact by Corneille's hand. But, like Shakespeare, the most recent textual analysis work confirms, using methods from stylometry, that Molière's plays and Corneille's were written by two different authors.

Other fanciful studies see Molière as the nominee of Louis XIV himself. This is the thesis of the canon and astronomer Georges Lemaître, which he sets out in Une Paire de Molière(s) (2013), in which he attempts to demonstrate that 'Molière is a double star', around which the Sun King, the author, according to him, of almost half of his plays, particularly the first ones, gravitates.

Again, like Shakespeare, people disregard the historical method of scrutinising the external evidence over the subjective internal evidence from within the plays. I also think people are not using their common sense to think properly about historical context. At a time when the performance of plays generally preceded their publication - which depended on their success on stage - when intellectual property and copyright were not yet guaranteed by law It is understandable that Molière, primarily an actor and troupe leader, took little care in publishing his comedies, which he only signed at a later date without having managed to compile them into complete works.

Nevertheless, the way in which he fought, from the Précieuses ridicules onwards, against pirate editions and counterfeits of his works, as well as against the extent of the profits amassed on some of his plays, do not allow us to doubt the authorship of his repertoire.

Molière's statements, in the preamble to the publication of some of his works, affirming the primacy of performance over printing, are more a matter of posture than of real conviction. Thus, the Avis au lecteur (Notice to the reader) of L'Amour médecin, published one year after its creation in 1666, states: "Everyone knows that comedies are made to be performed, and I advise reading this one only to people who have eyes to discover in reading all the play of the theatre”. And while it is likely that Louis XIV did suggest the addition of the hunter's scene to Les Fâcheux - after its premiere at Fouquet's castle in Vaux-Le-Vicomte in 1661 according to Molière - this does not make him the secret writer of all or even part of his work.

Was Molière privileged writer favoured by King Louis XIV? Yes, of course he was but were they bosom buddies? I think not.

Molière's prominent position at court from the 1660s onwards, as well as his position as the king's upholsterer, inspired the idea of a poet-courtesan, a favourite of the king, with whom he was supposed to maintain a close relationship. The fact that Louis XIV was the godfather of his first son, Louis Poquelin, lends credence to this ill-founded conception. This benevolence, according to legend, earned him both the king's privacies and the enmity of the domestic staff and the court, who were jealous of such familiarity outside of all protocol.

This trope crystallises around a dramatic scene of political fiction, that of the famous 'dinner' between Molière and Louis XIV. This iconic dinner was set up by Louis XIV himself, who ostensibly invited Molière, the in-vogue man of the theatre, to his table in order to make up for the insult he had received from the king’s valets by refusing to eat with him.

According to this account, which inspired several famous paintings, the two men shared a chicken leg, served by the king himself, in front of the astonished eyes of the eminent members of the court, who would then have shown him all the respect required by his rank. This political vision of Molière as a friend of kings was taken up by many subsequent monarchs in office, first and foremost Louis-Philippe I, who was anxious to include the line of the Dukes of Orléans, the youngest branch of the French monarchy, in the prestigious heritage of the legitimate branch of Louis the Great.

However we know this dinner never happened. Royal court protocol formally forbade a comedian, an infamous profession in the Church, to sit at the table of a king. The meal, like all the ritualised moments of court life, was taken in public. It was governed by dozens of articles from various regulations inherited from Henry III.

It’s clear that it was a scene of pure invention which nevertheless has inspired the great historical paintings of famous artists such as Jean Auguste Dominique Ingres with Molière à la table de Louis XIV (1857), Jean-Léon Gérôme with Louis XIV and Molière (1862), Jean Hégésippe Vetter with Molière reçu par Louis XIV, scène de fiction (Salon of 1864) or Jean-François Garneray with Molière honoré par Louis XIV (1824).

At the Grand Couvert, however, only the royal family is invited, and at the Petit Couvert, the king dines alone in his room, served by the officers of the Bouche.

This legend was inspired, during the 19th century, by a confusion over the prerogatives of Poquelin's position as upholsterer and valet, which was certainly part of the chamber service, but it did not make him a valet in the service of the monarch. It is amplified by a fantasy based on the figure of the jester or the king's fool. This rather Shakespearean vision alters the understanding of the relationship between the pensioned artist and the prince who commissioned him, which is part of the very strict framework of royal patronage.

The numerous eulogies of the king that punctuate the prologues, interludes and epilogues of Molière's plays, not to mention the prefaces and dedications of the printed versions, particularly in the comédies-ballets resulting from royal commissions, are less a spontaneous tribute to a friendly and personal relationship than an exercise in style imposed by the rules of patronage, which require artists to show their gratitude to their protector, especially when they benefit from a pension and the privileged status of a royal troupe, as was the case for Molière from 1665 onwards.

The written compliment to the sovereign in the prefaces of Molière’s works was in accordance to the established practice and codes from which the writer could not deviate. This is not to say that Louis XIV and Molière were kindred spirits who shared values and beliefs of gallantry and worldly pleasures within a libertine culture that was in vogue the court. Louis XIV's practical support for Molière, during the controversial theatre run of of L'École des femmes from 1662, especially Tartuffe, between 1664 and 1669, and Dom Juan, in 1665, was real. It was all the more admirable because the monarch never disowned his artist, even though it did put Louis into hot water with the austere authority of the Catholic Church.

I would also agree with you that Molière was a populist writer, up to a point. But can you hold it against him or even Shakespeare that he became so popular amongst the masses because they could recognise something of themselves in his plays? Molière did something different - he made his plays popular at the royal court.

Such was the universal appeal of Molière across society that many easily believed that its author, Molière, was close to the working classes. Observers tend to latch onto his manservant, Lafôret. The French poet and critic, Boileau, is credited with creating the striking image of a writer testing the humour of his plays by reciting them to his maid in the first reading, cutting out the passages she disapproved of. Some accounts even suggest that this wise servant was invited to the literary dinners that the playwright organised in his house in Auteuil.

The iconic value of such a scene inspired, in the following centuries, plays such as Le Souper d'Auteuil (1795) by Charles-Louis Cadet-Gassicourt, Le Ménage de Molière (1822) by Jean-Marie Alexandre Justin-Guensoul and Jean-Aimé-Nicolas Naudet, La Servante de Molière (1867) by Maurice Millot or Molière à Auteuil (1876) by Emile Blémont. This vision of servants sharing the creative secrets of the genius, immortalised by Émile-Jean-Horace Vernet in the painting Molière consultant sa servante (1819), was taken up and amplified by Romantic and socialist writers throughout the 19th century, and then by militant leftist artists during the 20th century, who were quick to outline a Marxist reading of Molière's comedies.

The truth is that Molière, coming from a bourgeois background, lived comfortably, and lead a career in direct contact with the social elite, the literary salons, and the aristocratic circles of the court. But he wasn’t remote from every day grind of life either. He was after all born in the Halles district, with the Pont-Neuf next door. It was the liveliest district in Paris. So he met the water carriers, the workers in the printing workshops, and so on. He had his ear to the ground in a manner of speaking.

Molière was not a populist writer in this context. If his work can be considered a true human comedy, by virtue of the social diversity of his characters, there is nothing in his values or in his way of life to suggest a particular sensitivity to the people.

This received idea of the benevolent master, who listens to his servants, is reinforced by another stereotype, that of the "love of humanity" advocated by Dom Juan, who is wrongly presented as the author's spokesman character in the famous scene of the poor man in Peter's Feast or the Atheist struck down (1665). It inspired the painter Édouard-Henri Pingret to paint Molière faisan l'aumône (1834). The blasphemous dimension of the line is interpreted, at the cost of a misinterpretation, as a proof of charity and deference towards the poor on the part of a man of the theatre who is presented as being concerned with the subsistence and respect of the people. It does not stand up to a reading of the work, which remains relatively conventional in terms of the relationships between masters and servants, unlike the theatre of his successors such as Marivaux and Beaumarchais.

I know critics carp, as they do with Shakespeare, that Molière was a modern invention of the 19th Century. Partly true but hardly the point. For his works still stand the test of time. He’s not responsible for how different generations have seen him or shaped him. It was the 19th century that made Molière a romantic hero and especially the second half of the 19th century that made Molière the national hero, the one who would carry the French spirit. France was licking its wounds after the humiliation of defeat at Sedan by Prussia, which was itself in raising the flag of German nationalism with the unification of Germany. France stood politically and militarily defeated and so it sought solace in its cultural domination throughout Europe as a response to national chauvinism being seen in both England and Germany.

It’s no wonder in Molière that France found both its hero and herald. Molière was seen as the heir to the Gallic tradition dating back to the Middle Ages, to this rebellious and uniquely French spirit of populist resistance. Within Molière’s comedies the foibles of society could be laid bare and even addressed. It was the bourgeois elites that got the most stick on stage.

In Molière’s time it was the Church and the aristocracy that he mocked and their codes, customs, and hypocritical behaviour with the middle classes laughing in the stalls. By the 19th Century it was the the caricatures of the ruling haute bourgeois and the professional classes - taking the place of the church and the aristocracy - that was mocked on stage but with now with the masses looking in and laughing at their social masters.

Molière remains one of the most widely performed authors in France. So how does one explain the longevity of his success if there wasn’t an element of greatness to his works?

One obvious answer is that Molière's comedic power was truly exceptional. A comic power that no other French author of comedies has ever had, and with a continuity in the reception - of Molière's comedy - that hasn’t changed. In other words his comedy, despite the changing times and customs, has not lost their power or meaning down the ages to our current generation.

The second reason is that the very subject of his plays, i.e. the fact that Molière stages contemporary characters in order to satirise their behaviour and values, has an echo in all eras. Because satirising the behaviour of pedants, snobs, and especially people who want to convert everyone around them, concerns every period. At the same time, it gives the impression of touching the depth of human nature. So all eras can recognise themselves in Molière's plays.

Molière is still contemporary and his work still resonates with us through his characters: Tartuffe, Harpagon, le malade imaginaire…all are the creation of timeless and universal archetypes.

In the case of Tartuffe, for example, originally it was a question of making fun of what were called zealous people, i.e. people with a zealous conception of religion, with the will to impose their religious ideas in his time. Religious zealotry was obviously talked about and seen with some concern wether in the salons or in the wider society. So by playing on this, by satirising devotion and devotees, Molière is obviously putting into a humorous perspective a way of making fun of a certain type of character, a certain type of values. And in the same way as in The School for Wives, he mocks certain values that come from the Catholic religion, there too, in particular marriage as the Catholic religion conceives it, that is to say, a conception that comes from Saint Paul, with the man presented as the heart and the centre of the household, and the wife who owes absolute obedience to her husband.

Obviously the place of religion has fallen away in society but doesn’t mean other extremely rigid forms of beliefs demanding our conformity haven’t taken the place of religion. An explosion of ‘isms’ have taken the place of formalised religion - rationalism, scientism, socialism, Communism, feminism, secularism, religious fundamentalism, and more recently, woke-ism. Much of Molière’s comedies and the characters therein can be seen through the prism of his plays.

You might think Molière has nothing to say to us today then you would be sorely wrong as I have shown. I wonder what Molière would have made of our woke culture of weaponising language and compassion (race and social justice) and censoring those who took issue with its core ideas?

"To make someone’s weakness a laughing-stock is to deal them a mighty blow. People easily endure criticism, but they cannot endure mockery. People are happy to be seen as wicked, but not ridiculous." These are the words of Molière, and I think that is worthy to stand alongside anything that Shakespeare or Sophocles may have written. He used these words to defend his controversial play “Le Tartuffe”, a biting satire which attacked the hypocrisy and weaknesses of so many in Molière’s day. Almost immediately after its performance before Louis XIV, it was banned due to the perceived attack on religion. As Molière explained at the time, it was not an attack on the Church, but on hypocrites and impostors who use religion to their own selfish ends. Whatever ‘ism’ is in the ascendency and however idealistic or laudatory (as they see it) human nature doesn’t change.

Thanks for your question.

#question #ask #moliere #shakespeare #literature #theatre #france #england #arts #genius #history #culture

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catherinesboleyn · 3 years

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The line of succession at the time of Elizabeth I’s death on March 24th 1603

Lady Anne Stanley - Elizabeth I’s first cousin twice removed

Lady Frances Egerton - Elizabeth I’s first cousin twice removed

Lady Elizabeth Hastings - Elizabeth I’s first cousin twice removed

William Stanley, 6th Earl of Derby - Elizabeth I’s first cousin twice removed

Despite this, it was James VI of Scotland who succeeded the throne after Elizabeth I. Neither Anne, Frances, Elizabeth or William disputed this.

#idk if i got the cousins right so don’t bully me #elizabeth i #history #the tudors #16th century #henry viii

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venicepearl · 4 years

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Elizabeth Smith-Stanley, Countess of Derby (née Hamilton; 26 January 1753 – 14 March 1797) was an English peeress. As the eligible eldest daughter of the 6th Duke of Hamilton, she married the 12th Earl of Derby in 1774, giving birth to three children. Lady Derby was popular among society and considered a leader of fashion alongside the Duchess of Devonshire.

Five years after the marriage, Lady Derby embarked in a very public affair with the 3rd Duke of Dorset. She eventually separated from her husband, which caused a scandal and led to her effective exile from society, especially after it was learned that she would not be marrying the Duke. Lady Derby moved abroad, only returning once her husband attracted embarrassing press attention for his very public relationship with the actress Elizabeth Farren, whom he married soon after Lady Derby's death in 1797.

#Elizabeth Smith-Stanley #Lady Derby #Elizabeth Hamilton #XVIII century #people #portrait #paintings #art #arte

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kingedwardvi · 4 years

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Calendar of State Papers Foreign: Edward VI 1547-1553

1551

June 6. Florence. Francis Peyto to the Earl of Warwick. With his last of the 23d May, had sent to his Lordship the plot of Dragut's escape, and divers occurrents of these parts. Since then nothing is heard but the daily increasement of Parma's matters. Don Ferrante Gonzaga is ordered to Castello Guelfo, eight miles from the city, there to attend and waste the country.

The Pope wages many soldiers and commands them all to Bologna. The Duke here gave licence for 3,000 of his subjects, who have already departed, and it is said he will forthwith despatch 2,000 foot and 200 horse under the conduct of Signor Radulpho Baglione, one of his chiefest captains.

No man passes through his dominions unsearched of letters and whither he repairs. He is a Prince who wisely governs himself in all occasions. Good store of ammunition is sent to Bologna. Hard shift has been made of the Pope to have money; besides good surety, he gives two per cent., and so he takes one half-year at this interest; nevertheless he should be but simple furnished, were not the Emperor more his aid.

Yesterday arrived some Frenchmen from Rome, who say that M. de Thermes looks for his licence daily, and goes to Parma, and Cardinal Tournon to Venice. The French in Rome are but homely welcome. Dondego [Don Diego], the Emperor's Ambassador, singularly serves his master with the Pope. M. de Monluc, who is sent to the Pope from the French King, passed this way two days ago.

The Spanish Prince is daily expected in Italy, and to embark at Lerizzi [Lerice], not trusting to come to Genoa for the business that has been lately in these parts. A plot to give the town into the Emperor's hands had been discovered there, and Spinola, one of the chief actors therein, taken and imprisoned. It is reported that Dragut has taken two galleys off Sicily, and that for fear of the Turk's navy many soldiers are sent to the river of Apulia. Sends herewith the news from Rome, whereby his Lordship will see whether they be truly advertised.

If Stafford comes this way his Lordship shall have knowledge. Returns thanks for his reward, the receipt of which he had acknowledged in his last letter. [One page and a half.] Annexed,

370. I. "From Rome of the 23d of May." Latest news from Flanders bear that betwixt the noblemen of the realm (of England) is like to be great sedition, especially in the north, by reason of changes among the wardens; that the Marquis of Dorset with a great company is sent thitherward, and to be immediately followed by the Earl of Warwick with all his power.

The Earl of Shrewsbury is put out of his office; and the Earl of Derby commanded to renounce his title of the Isle of Man to the King, which he has plainly denied, and prepares himself. All men out of wages are taken up, but whereunto it is not known. 500 or 600 men waited on the Mayor and Aldermen of London, complaining of the late influx of strangers, and that by reason of the great dearth theg cannot live for these strangers, whom they were determined to kill up through the realm, if they found no remedy.

To pacify them the Mayor and Aldermen caused an esteame to be made of all strangers in London, which showed an amount of 40,000, besides women and children, for the most part heretics fled out of other countries. Details of precautionary and restrictive orders issued by the municipal authorities accordingly.

The war proceeds against Ireland. The Scots molest England on the north. A ship laden by the English at Antwerp with harness, weapons, and much gold, had been arrested for the Emperor: they are likely to lose all and many of their men be imprisoned. They play bankrupt many of them in Flanders.

There is chopping and changing of them of the Council. The gentry are obliged to fortify themselves in their houses, except those who are obliged to go to the wars, and the common people die for hunger. The Emperor has sent to the King and Council that he would have his nephew (sic) Lady Mary to marry with the King of Polonia, whose wife died lately: the answer thereto not yet known.

The French take their time, but as yet they keep peace with them. There be of their knot Lord Shrewsbury, Lord Dacre, the Constables, Mr. Bowes, knight, and all their retinue, and the Earl of Derby. The end of this heavy tragedy of that realm, with the ruin of the King, will be shortly seen, as it was never other like with this Government.

Morysine has left the Emperor's Court with great rebuke and shame, and is replaced by Dr. Wotton. As they fear sore the Emperor in this travail within the realm, it is thought they will consent to the sending of the Lady Mary. The fourth of September shall be the first sitting of the Council.

370. II. "In letters of the 29th of May." News concerning Parma are clean contrary to what he formerly wrote. The Pope and French King are at utter defiance. Don Ferrante Gonzaga has already wasted Campania with 800 horse and 6,000 foot.

The Emperor has lent the Pope 3,000,000 crowns, and says he shall lack neither men nor money to defend the Church. The Pope is marvellously offended with the message brought by his nephew Sig. Ascanio della Cornia from the French King, that he swears he will lay his triple crown with all the rest to pledge, but he will have Parma.

Imminent danger of great wars. The Emperor and his son the King of Spain reported to be very sick. News from France of the embassy for marriage of the King of England with the French King's daughter, and of the exchange of the Orders of the Garter and St. Michael. If the marriage goes forward, it is thought the Pope will excommunicate both. Two days ago here was taken and put in prison Sig. Aurelio Fregoso, a Genoese, a great captain of the French party, who came privily from Duke Octavio.

Note on back: "Mr. Thomas Stafford, my Lord's nephew, will pass by you shortly, and perchance move you for a certain Partito, wherein take heed what you do, nor in nowise disclose to him of the matter I wrote you of the hospital. And as for all other things you may talk at large, he hath good fancy towards you." [Three pages.]

---- June 6. Angers. Sir John Masone to the Council. In consequence of the receipt of their letter of the 25th May, he had a conference with the Constable relative to the conduct of Senarpont at Sandingfeld, and was assured by him that the King had so written his mind to the former that they should hear no more of it, and that the ground had not been given to Senarpont, or was by any means so meant. M. de Chastillon moreover was shortly to go to these frontiers, and if he found anything there out of square, should have commission to see a full redress therein.

This evening M. de Chastillon came to him on part of the King to notify the election of King Edward into the Order of St. Michael on the preceding day, and that M. de St. André was to repair forthwith to England for the purpose of investing his Majesty. Chastillon goes to Picardy shortly.

The affair of Parma still hangs upon the answer looked for from the Bishop of Rome; but it is thought the end thereof shall not be so unquiet as it was feared. The Scottish Queen makes as though she would gladly be in Scotland, but he believes she will make no such haste, being desirous of bringing all the forts in Scotland into the hands of the French, which as yet has not been obtained, and were the Scottish noblemen at home again, she knows there would be no possibility in the matter.

The Scot that should have poisoned the (young) Scottish Queen arrived here yesterday. The King left for Chateaubriand to-day. About Thursday or Friday next the Marquis of Northampton will be at Nantes, and if no alteration is made in the plan will come from thence to Chateaubriand. By this time he is probably within a day's journey from Orleans. [Four pages. Indorsed by Cecil.]

----

June 8. Orleans. The Marquis of Northampton to Sir John Masone. Thanks him for his letters of the 4th and 6th inst., and proposes that instead of Masone going to Nantes, they shall meet at his last loading between this and Nantes, called Engrand, where he intends to be on Sunday or Monday night at farthest, considering that coming down the water they shall be in more quiet and have better time for conference. Refers to the discretion of Masone his reply to the Constable's wish for Marshal St. André's tarrying, but he should be reminded of the mutual understanding that there was to be no delays in the reciprocal departure of the Ambassadors. Sends list of those who compose the embassy with the number of their servants, as follows:— Marquis of Northampton, with 62 servants. The Bishop of Ely " 21 " Sir Philip Hoby " 30 " Sir William Pickering " 30 " Sir Thomas Smith " 7 " Dr. Oliver " 4 " William Thomas, Secretary " 2 " The Earl of Worcester " 8 " The Earl of Rutland " 9 " The Earl of Ormond " 3 " Lord Fitzwalter " 4 " Lord Lisle " 8 " Lord Abergavenny " 7 " Lord Braye " 3 " Lord Rivers " 4 " Mr. Throgmorton " 4 " Mr. Sydney " 4 " Sir William Cobham " 2 " Sir Joseph Cutts " 2 " Sir John Perrott " 4 " Sir Anthony Guidotti " 3 " Sir Gilbert Dethick, Garter King of Arms " 4 " Mr. Fitzwilliams " 3 " Mr. Cary " 4 " Mr. Knolles " 1 " Mr. Edmund Vernay " 2 " Mr. Francis Vernay " 2 " Mr. Young " 4 " Mr. Nicholas Alexander " 2 " Chester Herald at Arms, [William Flower] " 2 " Rouge Dragon poursuivant [Martin Maroffe] " 1 " Lucas Fringer " 1 " [Two pages and a half. Copy in Sir J. Masone's Letter-Book.] ---

June 16. The Council to the Marquis of Northampton. Had received his letter of the 6th. On Sunday last the French Ambassador notified to his Majesty his election into the Order of St. Michael, and yesterday requested audience again that he might receive an official acceptation thereof in order to certify the King his master of the same; wherein, as they can conjecture, he is a very precise and circumspect man, intending to write even the same words that he should receive. Desire him to explain to the French King the high gratification of their master, which was perhaps not so apparent to the Ambassador. "The King's Majesty's young nature being of such modesty that in his most gladness hath not much outward show thereof, and besides that his Majesty's French speech being not natural to him, cannot so abundantly express the joy of his heart as if he should have answered in his natural speech as the French King did in his." Are informed that the English Commissioners and the Scots have agreed upon a treaty, the particulars of which in writing they expect to receive by Sir Thomas Chaloner in four days, and request him to notify this to the French King. [Three pages. Draft.]

--- June 26. Chateaubriand. The Marquis of Northampton and the other Ambassadors to the Council. On Wednesday last, after dinner, they had another conference with the French Commissioners respecting the amount of dowry to be settled on the Princess Elizabeth in the event of her marriage with his Majesty, the particulars of which are minutely detailed. After long discussion they reduced their original demand of 1,500,000 crowns to 800,000; and the French raised their offer of 100,000 to 200,000 crowns.

Desire to have farther instructions, and that they may be sent speedily by the bearer, William Thomas, as the King leaves for Nantes on Monday next, minding to tarry on the way, and there not above eight or ten days, intending to conduct the Queen where she shall be brought to bed. Such removings greatly add to their charges, and they have already troubled the country so much with the furniture of their numerous horses, that if they have to wait till the King's removing from Nantes, they believe it shall not be possible for them to be supplied, the train of the Court being so great as it is.

"Garter's reward was a chain weighing 200 crowns and somewhat more, and the gown which the King wore that morning, which was of damask, set with agletts esteemed between 20 and 30 pounds." Have received the reply of the French Commissioners in writing, and send it herewith. [Six pages.]

----

(....)

Mr. Nicholas Wotton, Ambassador with the Emperor at Augsburg, had audience of him, and having declared his instructions unto the Emperor, his answers were:— "1. That my Lady Mary's matter concerning mass was of importance, and therefore he said he would think of it and speak with D'Arras, of whom he should know his answer in it.

"2. That as for the request for the King's Highness' Ambassador to have the communion secretly, &c., he knowing in his conscience that the communion, used as it is in England, is not good, but contrary to the order used by all the Church so many hundred years, he should offend God if he permitted it, and that therefore he may not and would not do it.

"3. That as for the arrests made in the Low Countries, the Emperor made strong at it, and said he knew nothing of it. 'Marry,' quoth he, 'the French at Dieppe had staid some of my subjects' ships, whereupon the French ships were staid again in the Low Countries; and unless there were some of the English merchantmen's goods in their ships, he knew not what it should mean.' He could say no more to it at this time, but he said he would write to the Queen his sister of it, who shall certify and satisfy the English Ambassador there in this point.

"4. That the Emperor did remit Mr. Wotton for an answer for the licence for the powder to Mons. D'Arras, whereupon he was earnest with Mons. D'Arras for it. His excuses were, that the King of England had no need at that time of it; that the Emperor had need of it, and should lack for himself, for now the Turk hath opened the war again."

----

June 30. [Greenwich.] King Edward VI. to Sir John Masone, recalling him from his embassy in France. [One page. Draft.]

---- June 30. [Greenwich.] Same to Sir William Pickering, intimating his appointment as resident Ambassador in France. [One page. Draft.]

---

June 30. [Greenwich.] Instructions from King Edward VI. to Sir William Pickering, to be observed by him on entering upon his duties as Ambassador after the departure of Sir John Masone. [Five pages. Indorsed by Cecil. Draft.]

---- June 30. Greenwich. Second instructions given by the King and Council to the Marquis of Northampton and his colleagues. They may accept of 600,000 crowns, but no less; shall agree to no relinquishment of his Majesty's titles, rights, or claims to anything in France or Scotland; shall decline any offensive and defensive war treaty; and shall listen to no alterations of religion in England, that "perchance may be moved by the practices of the Romans and their adherents." [Two pages. Copy in Sir J. Masone's Letter-Book.]

----

July 2. Greenwich. Third instructions from King Edward VI. and the Council to the Marquis of Northampton and his colleagues. They shall ask 400,000 crowns, and may agree to take 200,000, with the transportation at charges of the French King, rather than break off the treaty. [Six pages. Draft.] ---

July 3. Brussels. Sir Thomas Chamberlain to the Council. Details a conversation which he had this evening with the French Ambassador in relation to the ceremony used by the Marquis of Northampton in investing the French King with the Order of the Garter, and the treaty of marriage between King Edward and the Princess Elizabeth, god-child of his father King Henry VIII., now only seven years of age, which is concluded, and the Marquis on the eve of returning.

The Emperor is not expected here for two months, although one of the Council a few days since said that he was to leave Augsburg for this place on the 10th inst. It is reported that the Turk does nothing as yet in Transylvania, and that the inhabitants of that country are treating upon articles to be wholly at the devotion of the King of the Romans.

The Prince of Spain has not yet embarked, and it is now said he will take shipping at Spezzia, beside Leghorn, under the Duke of Florence, for that at Genoa they have but little mind at this time to him and his train. The States of Brabant are here assembled. The Duke of Arschot has been slain by one of his own gentlemen through folly. The Prince of Orange now marries the daughter of Count Buren. Hears that four or five ships of war have left Zealand, said to be for the conducting of the herring fleet. Still great military preparations are being made. [Four pages. Partly in cipher, deciphered.]

----

July 17. Nantes. The Marquis of Northampton to Cecil. The inclosed packet is from a Scot in the French Court, who seems to bear good will to the English, and has written to some of his friends to apprize the Marquis from time to time of what happens in Scotland. Requests Cecil to read them, and if he thinks good to forward them to Berwick for delivery. [Half a page.]

-----

July 19. Angers. Treaty of marriage between King Edward VI. and Elizabeth, daughter of Henry II., King of France.

--- July 20. Beaufort. Henry II., King of France, to King Edward VI. Recredentials of the Marquis of Northampton and his colleagues, and expressive of his Majesty's satisfaction at the conclusion of the treaty. [Countersigned by De l'Aubespine. Broadside. French.]

---- July 20. Beaufort. Same to same. Re-credentials of Sir John Masone, approving of his conduct while Ambassador, and expressive of his Majesty's pleasure at the appointment of Sir William Pickering as successor. [Countersigned by De l'Aubespine. Broadside. French.]

---- July 20. Inventory of silver and gilt plate delivered to Sir William Pickering on entering upon his duties as Ambassador-Resident in France, amounting to 2,697 ounces. [Two pages.] ---

Aug. 29. John Dominic Panizonus, the Emperor's Secretary, to King Edward VI. Informing his Majesty of the death of William Panizonus, and requesting that his sons Constantine and Christopher, whom on his death-bed he had recommended to his Majesty, may be taken into his service. Two of the same family,—Francis, a physician, and John Baptist, a valet (domicellus),—had previously died while serving the Crown of England. [Latin. One page.]

--- Aug. 30. Fontainebleau. Sir Anthony Guidotti to the Earl of Warwick. Last Wednesday the 26th inst., in a private interview, the Duke of Guise suggested that, during the trouble between the French and the Emperor, England should arm by sea for the defence of her coast; whereby the Emperor might be put in some doubt, and yet could have no occasion to be offended. And thus England keeping one side, and the French having a strength on the other, the Emperor would not be too hasty to adventure into the canal between both. If he may offer an opinion, it would be well to do this, even though they should expend 50,000 or 60,000 crowns, as by such a step they would secure for ever the good will of France. The Duke also mooted a marriage between the Duke of Ferrara's son, who is one of the goodliest young men of all Italy, and the Princess Elizabeth. The Duke of Florence's son is 11 years old. If this party were liked, it were an easy matter to be concluded without any excessive dote. [Two pages and a half.] Contemporary translation of the above. [Two pages and a half.]

---- Aug. 31. Hamburg. Colonel William Wallerthum to King Edward VI. Requesting his Majesty's interference towards procuring payment from Henry and John Albert, Princes of Magdeburg, and John Margrave of Brandenburg, for a body of cavalry which he had raised for their service; and begging his Majesty to recommend him to the King of France for employment. [Latin. Three pages.] ---

Sept. 1. Augsburg. Sir Richard Morysine to Cecil. Is it not possible, that seeing dickers will not be granted, somewhat else, as able to stretch to the payment of his debts as dickers, may be obtained? Still to sue, and never to speed, is a life for hope and not fit for an Ambassador, that must have and not still hope to have. He must else make his men learn to hope for meat, and to miss of it. If they bar the Ambassador of massings, and thereupon the Emperor calls for him home, prays that he may be called for too, or else they may hope to call when he shall be where he cannot hear them. Thought it would have been his turn to come home first, but he must do as he is commanded, because he cannot do as he could have desired. Yet he does think his abode short here, and Cecil by the next shall do him pleasure to give him some light. He might send his wife a piece of the way, while fair weather lasts. [One page.]

--- Sept. 3. Augsburg. The Emperor Charles V. to King Edward VI. Re-credentials of Dr. Wotton. Countersigned by Bavé. [Broadside. Indorsed erroneously 13th.]

--- Sept. 4. Brussels. Sir Thomas Chamberlain to the Council. It is reported that the Bishop of Rome and the Farneses are in communication will small hope of agreement. What the Turk's army has done at Tripoli is not yet known, but it is believed it will winter at Tolne. News have arrived that the French have captured 17 great hulks going to Spain, richly laden, to the extent of 800,000 ducats; which news hath dashed the talk of Parma, Magdeburg, and all others. Six ships are lately sent out of Holland to waft the herring fleet, it is said. Letters from Rouen state that the French King appoints a parliament at Paris to determine upon the supremacy of the Church within his own realm. The Prince of Spain is reported to have been in Navarre, where they have sworn and done homage to him. [One page.]

--- Sept. 4. Melun. Sir William Pickering to the same. Last Tuesday the 1st instant had received their letters of the 28th July, which thus had been a month on the way. Next day had an interview with the King, and thereafter with the Constable; of which the details, chiefly on-the affairs of the Continent, are minutely narrated. Requests an increase of salary, not having half enough to defray his ordinary expenses, inasmuch as, one day with another, he spends 13 or 14 French crowns, and all that he receives does not amount to seven. [Fourteen pages and a half. Printed by Tytler, Vol. i., p. 408.]

---- Sept. 5. Venice. Peter Vannes to Francis Yaxley. [One page. Torn perpendicularly, like the letter from Vannes to the same party of 25th July 1551, so as to be unintelligible.]

--- Sept. 5. Strasburg. Christopher Mount to the Council. The continuation of the Council summoned for the 1st of September at Trent is deferred by the efforts of the Emperor. The Bishops of Treves and Mentz have arrived there; those of Cologne, Strasburg, Besançon, and Constance are daily expected; and almost all the German Bishops are forced to go to them by Imperial mandate. On the other hand, Duke Maurice and the Elector of Brandenburg and their theologians, with some learned in the law. The theologians of Wittenberg have lately drawn up a confession of faith, which has been received and authorized by a great number of Saxon theologians and preachers. In Upper Germany, Brentzen, with the assent of the divines of Tubingen and Strasburg, has also prepared a confession, which has been signed and approved by the Duke of Wirtemberg and the community of Strasburg, and now theologians on both sides in the dominions of Duke Maurice agree that out of both one confession shall be formed, to be exhibited to the Council and defended to their utmost. The Duke of Wirtemberg, and Strasburg take up the subject warmly, but Nuremberg, Augsburg, and Ulm are very remiss and cool on the matter. De Fresne is said to be sent by the French King to the maritime cities, and Maurice to have interceded for easier conditions of peace to the people of Magdeburg. But the Emperor holds to his first determination. The treaty between England and France will produce much good if persisted in. The question of the Duchy of Wirtemberg is still unknown, but the result, it is feared, will be very grievous to the Duke. [Latin. One page and a half.

----

Sept. 22. Augsburg. Sir Richard Morysine to Cecil. If Cecil has leisure, prays shortly to have some inkling what he shall do; whether he has to tarry any long time, or shortly to come away. Does he think, though dickers do not come, anything else may be sued for? Can Cecil help his friend to nothing? Is sorry if he cannot, knowing his good will. Money is shrunk in this town; those that make the wars will let men of peace enjoy but that they have already bor rowed. Money is now at 25 on the 100 better than himself. Must have his own sent him in season, else it may chance to do him but a little pleasure. Thinks they reckon at home that he has found some treasure, that they think he can live without his diets. Has prayed Cotton to take some pains to solicit; hopes small suit will serve, and yet he that has so long sued, and still must, may fall in error in thinking due easy to be come by. Is sure Cecil might in a month steal one quarter of an hour to write a few lines this way. Are all his desires so great that he is to be barred of them all? Neither dickers, nor diets, nor letters, nor any kind of comfort? He still looks for Francis; if he does not come, prays he may hear somewhat from Cecil. Mr. Cheke, Mr. Wrothe, and everybody has so much to do with themselves, that he can be no man's care but his own. Beseeches he may see that he has some one that thinketh him, for pity's sake, worthy to be comforted. [Two pages.]

---- Sept. 29. Hampton Court.The Council to Sir William Pickering. His Majesty having resolved in compliment to the French King to hold the Feast of St. Michael, had invited the French Ambassador, who came here last night, and has been very well entertained both by the King and the Council. "This day he was present in the chapel at the whole service of the communion, where he saw the King's Majesty reverently with us of his Council communicate the sacrament, wherein as we perceive he seeth and understandeth great difference betwixt our reverence in our religion and the slanders thereof usually spread by evil men." He dined with his Majesty in the privy chamber, and at a Council held thereafter preferred a request from his master touching regulations to be made for the trade in wines between France and England, which would serve to the mutual advantage of these countries. Inform him of the points thereof to enable him to confer with the Constable thereon. [Three pages and a half. Draft.]

--- Oct. 8. Melun. Sir William Pickering to Cecil. Writes to him both in French and English, hoping to induce Cecil to write; if neither of these two languages can purchase two lines from his hand, will think himself little in his grace. Has detained Francis, the courier, three days to no avail, expecting to have had some news of this Cardinal Verallo (fn. 1) Romano, on whom he invokes la Verole Francaise for not having yet arrived. Desires that he may remember the money due for the post, and the passport for John Lord Erskine, with a train of 20 persons, concerning which he had written. Had been honourably entertained by the King and the Constable at the recent feast of St. Michael, which was held at Bois de Vincennes, and "endured for three days, very solemnly celebrated with the presence of many Popish prelates, and consecrated with a company of un comely Cardinals, seeming by their countenances to care more for the custom than for their corpus Domini. At last with divers benedictions and many cumbersome courtesies this pageant was played; and the matter ended with a masking mass of Romish regimen." [One page and a half. The first portion in French. Indorsed by Cecil.]

---- Oct. 9. Brussels. Copy proclamation by the Emperor Charles V. prohibiting commercial intercourse with France and her allies. [French. Nine pages.]

---

Oct. 16. Westminster. King Edward VI. to the Senators and Magistrates of Lucca. Credentials in favour of Peter Vannes, native of that city, and Latin Secretary to his Majesty. [Latin. Broadside. Indorsed by Cecil. Copy.]

---- Oct. 16. The Council to Sir Richard Morysine. In consequence of the Emperor persisting to Dr. Wotton, that Lord Paget had promised on behalf of his Majesty that the Lady Mary should hear mass privately, although the same has utterly denied that he ever spoke to the Emperor on the subject, and they are disposed to believe him, they have secluded Lord Paget from the Council and the Court, and committed him to his house, where he has remained these 14 days, prohibited to speak or confer with any but those of his own family. Instruct Morysine to take an opportunity of apprizing the Emperor hereof, that he may see the respect paid to his assertion, and at the same time how far from truth it is that his Majesty and they were ever parties to such alleged promise. [Copy. Two pages.]

---

Oct. 25. Memorandum of letter from the Council to Sir William Pickering, informing him that Sir Jacques Granado is to be sent to France to present some geldings from his Majesty to the French King, the Dauphin, the Princess Elizabeth, (fn. 2) and the Constable, and desiring that he will instruct Granado as to the forms of presentation. [Half a page.]

--- Oct. 25. Instructions given by King Edward VI. to Sir Jacques Granado, Knight, one of the Esquires of the stable, sent by appointment of the Earl of Pembroke, master of the King's Majesty's horse, to convey to the French Court certain geldings and hackneys with their apparelling and furniture, presented by his Majesty to the French King and others. [Two pages. Draft.]

--- Oct. 26. Westminster. King Edward VI. to Henry II., King of France, requesting his acceptance of some horses sent by Sir Jacques Granado. [One page. Indorsed by Cecil. Copy.]

----

Oct. 27. Paris. Sir William Pickering to the Council. Acknowledges receipt of their letters of 29th September and 16th inst. Between these dates had seen the Constable, who assured him that the objectionable regulations of the Bordeaux merchants relative to the wine trade should instantly be cancelled. On receiving their last letter had instantly set off to Paris, for the purpose of congratulating the French King on the birth of the young Prince, [Duc d'Angoulême, afterwards Henri III.], and notifying the appointment of Lord Clinton, the Lord High Admiral, to act as King Edward's representative in the capacity of godfather at the baptism. His conversations with the King and the Constable on the affair of the Duke of Somerset. [Sixteen pages. Printed by Tytler, except the page relating to the wine trade. Vol. ii., p. 86.]

--- Oct. 27. Paris. Same to Sir William Cecil. Congratulates him on his "good fortune to be found undefiled with the folly of this unfortunate Duke" of Somerset. [One page. Printed by Tytler, Vol. ii., p. 67.]

---- Oct. 30. Castle of Koningsburg. Albert, Marquis of Brandenburg, to King Edward VI. Sends him a present of eight falcons, his Majesty having been gratified with those which he had sent in the preceding year. [Latin. Broadside.]

---

Nov. 4. Hamburg. John Brigantyne to the Duke of Northumberland. The like information, and in almost precisely similar words, as transmitted in his previous letter to the Council, except that the cause of offence given to the Emperor by Sarcerius is stated to be "for that he hath newly inveighed against the Papists." [One page.]

---- Nov. 5. The Council to Sir William Pickering. On the 22d ult. the Queen Dowager of Scotland arrived at Portsmouth, being escorted thither by the Baron de la Garde, with 10 ships of war. As soon as her arrival was known, orders were given to Sir Richard Wingfield, the captain there, to wait upon her Majesty and ascertain whether she intended to continue her journey by sea or land.

Presuming she would adopt the latter course, orders were given to Sir Richard Cotton, Mr. Paulett, brother to the Marquis of Winchester, with the county gentlemen, to wait upon her and her retinue. Thereafter she despatched a messenger to the King notifying her coming, to which his Majesty immediately responded by congratulations, and giving directions for her honourable entertainment.

Her progress hither was from Portsmouth to Southwick, a house of one Mr. White, where she remained two days; next to Warblington, the residence of Sir Richard Cotton, where she lodged; next day to dinner at the Earl of Arundel's house, called Stanstead, and to her lodging at Cowdray, Sir Anthony Browne's house; and on the following day to Guildford; to all which places she was conducted by the noblemen and gentlemen of the respective counties in great state.

At Guildford she was met by Lord William Howard, with the nobility and gentry of Surrey, who conducted her to Hampton Court, at a mile from which the Marquis of Northampton, with other nobles, came on part of his Majesty to congratulate her, and at the house she was received by the Marchioness of Northampton and other ladies.

There she abode Allhallow-day, and on the following went by water, accompanied by numerous barges, to London, where she was lodged at the Bishop of London's palace. Next day the Duke of Suffolk, the Earl of Huntingdon, and others visited her from his Majesty, and on the following, which was yesterday, the 4th inst., her Grace, accompanied by Lady Margaret Douglas, the Duchesses of Northumberland and Suffolk, and others, came to the Court, where, being met by the Lord Chamberlain and other officers of the household, she was most honourably and princely received and welcomed by the King's Majesty in the hall, and led up to her chamber on the Queen's side, where his Majesty dined with her, and in the afternoon departed; she taking her leave of him with most hearty and earnest thanks for the kingly usage of her and hers.

To-day she rests herself, and to-morrow departs northward. His Majesty has written to the Sheriffs of the various counties through which she will pass that due honours may be paid to her, and Mr. Edward Dudley and Mr. Shelley are appointed to attend on her through her whole journey, to see things conveniently and agreeably served.

The French King having by medium of his Ambassador applied for the delivery of a murderer who had escaped to England, the malefactor has been apprehended, and is sent to Calais to be handed over to the proper authorities. The ratifications of the late treaty are to be mutually received during the Lord High Admiral's visit to France, whither he purposes to go shortly, and about the 20th or 22d inst. be in Paris. [Eight pages. Draft.]

---- Nov. 6. Brussels. Sir Thomas Chamberlain to Sir William Cecil. Thanks him for his continued attention in soliciting his private affairs, and requests him to command reciprocal good offices. [One page.]

---- Nov. 7. Venice. Peter Vannes to the Council. Parma, in the absence of Don Fernando, is well furnished with victuals. They in Mirandola show no manner of fear, and in consequence of the country being low and miry, the Papists' army are not able to do any hurt. As the weather serves they have occasional skirmishes. The Emperor, it is said, intends to take all manner of occasions to bring these towns to his purpose this winter, so that they shall not interfere with his plans next summer; but many suppose that he shall have much to do before he can bring that to pass. They of Mirandola have informed the French King that they want nothing but money. A number of the 4,000 landsknechts, intended for service in Italy, have arrived. Here men of all sorts, as well temporal as spiritual, charge the Bishop of Rome as author of all the mischief, and men judge this to be the time that he shall be scourged with his own rod. Letters to the Seigniory from Constantinople of 26th September mention the arrival there of Mons. de Raimond, Ambassador for the French King, with two galleys. The Turk was going to Adrianople, both for health's sake and to be nearer the occurrents of Hungary. Friar George of Transylvania, although he was confederate with the King of the Romans, has sent an Ambassador to the Turk with such a tribute as yearly he was wont to pay. The Turk has caused a large quantity of timber to be cut for the building of galleys this winter. He has ordered the General of his army to return to Constantinople and bring with him the pirate Dragut, and to have in the island of Prenice a captain of his, named Sala Reis, with 40 galleys. In consequence of this the Seigniory have revoked their General and army, leaving only 35 galleys in their gulf, under the command of their providetor there. The Prior of Capua, as a Knight of that order, was going from the French King's service with his two galleys to Malta, to serve there; but the Grand Master has not accepted his service, on the ground that he did not wish by receiving him to offend such mighty Princes as the Emperor and the French, with whom the Prior is in disfavour. Wherefore it is said that the Prior has set up the sails of his galleys, seeming to become a rover of the sea. The Emperor arrived at Isborroughe [Inspruck] on the 31st of October, and his navy, with the King of Bohemia, and other Spaniards, had already arrived at Villa Franca, not far from Genoa. ----

Nov. 14. Brussels. Sir Thomas Chamberlain to the Duke of Northumberland. The English merchants here are molested and slenderly regarded in all their suits, which he rather and chiefly imputes to their own insatiable greediness, wilfulness, and disorder than any other. Instances in support of this opinion, that whereas they promised him to stand earnestly in defence of the liberties secured by the treaty, and that no more ships should come till the six already there had sailed and reached home, six others richly laden have arrived, so that neither the one can be permitted to sail or the others to discharge except upon payment of 10s. upon every 100lbs., both of the one and the other. It is reported, that now the Emperor has a wonderful treasure arrived in Spain out of the Indies, and that in Spain they have granted the Prince 1,700,000 ducats a year towards the wars. [Two pages.]

---- Nov. 15. Memorandum of articles delivered to the Lord Clinton, Lord High Admiral of England, to be presented by him as the gift of King Edward VI. at the christening of the French King's son. These were: one pair of pots of gold, fair wrought and enamelled, weighing 165½ ounces. One pair of flagons of gold, wrought according to the said pots, weighing 165¼ ounces. And one bowl of gold, wrought with divers devices of astronomy, and "Phismanyes," weighing 108 ounces. In all 438¾ ounces, which at 60s. the ounce amount in money to 1,316l. 5s. (Sic in Orig.) [One page.]

----

Nov. 16. Instructions given by King Edward VI. to Lord Clinton, the Lord High Admiral of England, and Sir William Pickering, to receive the formal ratification by the French King of the Treaty of marriage between his Majesty and the Princess Elizabeth. [Two pages and a half. Draft.]

--- Nov. 18. Brussels. Sir Thomas Chamberlain to the Council. Although until he should hear from their Lordships, he had not intended to make any suit to the Regent in the merchants' affairs, yet because contestation was here pretended against certain old French wines that two of them had brought out of England to Dunkirk and Middleburg, he had submitted the cases to the President. The Regent allowed the one who had arrived and sold his wines prior to the publication of the placard to have his money therefor, as reason would; but would not permit the other who had arrived subsequent to the proclamation, either to discharge or sell his wines, but ordered that he should return with them to England. Wherefore, regarding this latter, he had an audience of her Majesty last Friday evening, when she at length consented, not on the ground of the treaty but of personal regard to the King of England, to allow the merchant to sell his wines, though at a price exceeding not 6l. per ton. [Two pages.]

--- Nov. 19. [Westminster.] Reply by King Edward VI. to the Envoy from the Elector Maurice, the Marquis of Brandenburg, and the Duke of Mecklenburg, sent to invite his Majesty to join the confederacy of Protestant Princes. [Latin. Two pages. Draft, autograph of Cecil. Printed by Tytler. Vol. ii., p. 95, and in the Literary Remains of King Edward VI., Vol. ii., p. 366.]

---- Nov. 19. Westminster. Letter from King Edward VI. to the Elector Maurice and the other Princes. [Latin. Draft, autograph of Cecil. One page.]

---- Nov. 24. Westminster. Letter from King Edward VI. to the same Princes. Recredentials of the Envoy. [Latin. One page. Copy.]

----

Nov. 24. Westminster. King Edward VI. to Sigismund-Augustus, King of Poland. Acknowledges his Majesty's urgent recommendation of Albert Bischoff, a nobleman of Dantzic, who had faithfully in arms served the King's father, and now seeks to be employed by himself. Although, after the long absence of Albert, the King has no recollection of his services and claims, yet on his coming to England in spring, attention will be paid to such statement of his losses as he shall set forth. [Latin. Broadside. Countersigned by Sir Thomas Chaloner. Copy.]

---- Nov. 26. Gratz. Copy reply by the Emperor Charles V. to the Envoys of the King of Denmark and other Princes, sent to demand that the Landgrave of Hesse should be set at liberty. His Majesty eludes the application, declaring that he will communicate his resolution thereof to Duke Maurice, on his arrival at Inspruck, where he is shortly expected. Letters from the camp in Transylvania of the 11th inst. state that Castaldo has resolved to dismantle the castle of Lippa. Calderon, the Spanish captain, who brought the news of the capture of that fortress to the King, was presented with a chain of 300 ducats, and then was sent into Italy to bring Spaniards hither, but he will first go to the Emperor to determine the number to be brought. The members of the Diet have resolved to give his Majesty a fourth of their income for a year, and to maintain 600 horse armed for three years; they have not agreed to the tax on wine, for the same reasons as the Austrians, but should his Majesty not be satisfied with a fourth, it is believed that he will obtain the same concession from them as he has from the Austrians. The result of the diet, it is said, will be for three years much more than half a million of florins, and with this subsidy his Majesty will set out for Vienna within two days, after despatching the Commissioners to Carinthia and Carniola. [Latin and Italian. Two pages.]

---- Nov. 26. Brussels. Sir Thomas Chamberlain to Sir William Cecil. Returns thanks for Cecil's attention to his private affairs, and requests Cecil to be mean for him to Lord Pembroke, that he may enjoy the money of his warrant stayed by his Lordship for the thing of which he is as ignorant as the child to-night born; as he has written to his Lordship long since. [One page.]

---- Nov. 25. Paris. Sir William Pickering to the Duke of Northumberland. Had intended to have despatched Mr. Elrington with these letters, but considering that he would meet Francisco on the way, travelling with the Lord Admiral, and that they are of great importance, has written to the Admiral requesting that he will allow Francisco to carry them with the utmost expedition to the Council. [One page.]

---- Nov. 28. Paris. Same to Sir William Cecil. Requesting that a passport may be sent by the next courier for John Lord Erskine, who stayeth only for the coming thereof, and crieth out upon him. [One page.] ----

Dec. 2. The Council to the Lord High Admiral Clinton. Francisco arrived with his letters on Monday forenoon. Request that, if his health will permit, he will personally present his Majesty's gift to the Princess Elizabeth, now at Blois. Acquaint him with the proceedings of the trial and sentence of the Duke of Somerset. The French Ambassador has this day received from his Majesty the ratification of the treaty. The King sends by the bearer a chain of gold of the value of 300 crowns and upwards, to be presented by the Admiral to Mons. De l'Aubespine, the French King's Secretary, with his Majesty's thanks for the goodwill and diligence always used by Mons. De l'Aubespine towards the affairs of this realm. [Three pages. Draft. Printed, disjointedly, by Tytler, Vol. ii., pp. 63, 97.]

----

Dec. 4. Fontainebleau. Henry II., King of France, to King Edward VI. Thanking his Majesty for the handsome present of horses brought by Sir Jacques Granado. [Countersigned by De l'Aubespine. French. Broadside.]

---- Dec. 4. Brussels. Sir Thomas Chamberlain to Sir William Cecil. Thanks him for his letter just received, and refers for particulars to his common letters until he has more leisure to reply, meanwhile will not forget the things which he recommended to him. Requests him to be mean unto Lord Pembroke for his money stayed by his Lordship in Mr. Mildmay's hands, for he has great need thereof, and especially now that the Queen doth remove, which will cost him every day 12 shillings in lodgings only, besides carriage. If his Lordship will take his bill to answer the thing claimed at all times, so far as can it be proved he received ought of the same iron mill, and so let him enjoy his money, he would be much bound to his Lordship. [One page.]

--- Dec. 5. Venice. Peter Vannes to the Council. Concerning the loss of the ship Ragazona. [Two pages. This letter is a verbatim copy of that to the Council of 24th November previous.]

---

Dec 15. The Lord High Admiral Clinton to the Council. On Monday se'ennight left the Court, and came to Paris in the hope of recovering his health, but has been compelled to substitute Sir William Pickering for presenting the King's gift to the Princess Elizabeth, and this day takes his journey towards Calais, being evil able to travel, having a double quartan. The gift presented to him by the French King is in value 3,400 crowns, all in gilt plate, saving two small cups of gold, which make up the just sum aforesaid. [Two pages. Printed by Tytler, Vol. ii., p. 100.]

---- Dec. 15. Paris.Sir William Pickering to same. With reference to the contents of their letter of 24th October last, relating to the complaints of certain English merchants in Normandy, the Constable has directed the Baron de la Garde to inquire into the circumstances and give redress. In consequence of his continued illness, the Lord Admiral is obliged to leave Paris this day, and has delivered to Pickering a diamond ring, to be presented by him to the Princess Elizabeth as a token from his Majesty, likewise a chain of the value of 300 crowns for M. De l'Aubespine. It is rumoured that M. de Vendôme has received an overthrow in an enterprise he made upon a town on the frontiers. [Two pages.]

----- Dec. 15. St. Denis. Same to Sir William Cecil. Has presently put to binding for him three books: Euclid with the figures in a small volume, and two discourses, one of Machiavelli, the other of Mons. Long. Does not know of any new works, but of one out of Italy, which is not got abroad, but shall be sent as soon as it comes into his hands. If the logical demonstration whereof Cecil lately wrote were converted into geometrical, he should surely have good cause to praise much that metamorphosis. Seeing he is but a curse craver, and a much worse beggar, reason requireth the plan should be considered; and he thinketh high time, for here all things pass pour l'argent comptant; and though he has hitherto deserved nothing, yet that he sink not before he may deserve, prays Cecil to procure that he may have the one, or that he may shortly be quit of the other. Has just received Cecil's and Hoby's letter touching a Scottish suit, which he shall attend to at convenient season. Requests a passport for Lord Tillebarne [Tullibardine], with 10 servants and their baggage. [One page]

---- Dec. 19. Harburg. Baron Joachim Maltzan to King Edward VI. Had been sent to England as Envoy from the Duke of Mecklenburg, but when about 20 German miles from Harburg had encountered such a storm as drove them back. Being unwilling at this season of the year to expose himself again to the like danger, he has sent his credentials to Master Alasco. [Latin. One page. Indorsed by Cecil.]

---- Dec. 21. Vilna. Sigismund-Augustus, King of Poland, to same. John à Werden, Burgrave and Consul of Dantzic, has complained that the factor of Adrian and Michael Koesler, his sons-in-law, whom they maintained at the public Hanse house of London, called the Schtalhow [Steelyard], had been maliciously accused of having, when alive, traded contrary to the privileges of the Teutonic Hanse, and in derogation of the King of England's customs; wherefore all the goods which they have in the cities of London and Hollen [Hull] had been arrested. Of this they are quite innocent, relying on the integrity of the proceedings, and desire to clear themselves not only by the mandatory whom they have sent for that purpose, but also personally if needs be. His Majesty therefore requires a safe-conduct and audience for them, and if they have in any way through ignorance offended, begs that they may be forgiven. [Latin. One page.]

--- Dec. 24. Strasburg. Christopher Mount to Sir William Petre and Sir William Cecil. It appears that the Emperor will return from the deliberations of the Council to arms in Germany. It is now a year since a similar tragedy seemed to be in preparation for the country of Bremen; but the first actors of that play were engaged to sustain the tragic and heroic characters, the present performers seem to have stronger thews and sinews. The unexpected denouement of this play is, that they who took up arms for the clergy now seem about to oppose the bishops, but it is this change for which they have peremptorily cited the Lutheran fathers to Trent. [Latin. Half a page.]

---- Dec. 25. Paris. Sir William Pickering to Sir William Cecil. The books whereof he wrote in his last are now converted into a New Testament in Greek; l'Horloge de Princes; le Discours de la Guerre de Laugnay, and notes to the Ethics of Aristotle in Italian, which will be conveyed by this merchant courier. Had the bookbinder kept faith, others would have accompanied them, which for lack of leisure could not be finished according to Pickering's mind, as the binder's haste may be perceived by one of those sent being neither ruled nor washed. God give him the quartan! This day he departs by two posts to Blois, to deliver the King's token; this should have been done sooner, if it had not been for lack of a good shift in coming by crowns to convey him thither. Many letters have promised him plenty one day, but qui spe aluntur pendunt non vivunt; neither may such promises bring a man two leagues towards his next bait in this country. If he were where he might sell his land he would not lack; but fac ut revertat, aut ut hic vivere possit, like his man whose he is. Incloses the French King's letter in behalf of the two merchants concerning whom Cecil and Hoby wrote. Also copy of the Constable's letter, whereby he may perceive the speedy dispatch of the English merchants' matters in these quarters. His lean uncle Sir Robert Ughtred returns with the next despatch, both on business of his own and Pickering's. Recommends him strongly to Cecil's attention, as "the King hath many bigger bodies, but a truer heart in my conscience he hath not in his realm, nor a meeter man to serve in any charge he shall be commended to." The bearer hereof is "the merchants' post and a very knave withal. He would by no means carry these books under six crowns, which I have given him. He would have persuaded me that these were only the occasion of his going by the posts; when I knew him to have received his hire of these merchants before, to be in London upon New Year's Even. If he arrive not in time, hang him, according to the bargain made with me. Faustum tibi precor hunc novum annum futurum cum ceteris omnibus." [Two pages.]

---- Dec. 29. Bruges. Sir Thomas Chamberlain to Sir William Cecil. Had received his two letters. Hears that the ships are safely arrived in England. Being of Cecil's opinion that no more wealth can be devised for England than peace and quietness while the King is young, does all in his power to persuade to amity both here and everywhere. Hears that the Queen will now lead him to Antwerp, where he hopes to find the figures Cecil wishes, and which he has been unable to procure either here or at Brussels. Requests that he may have instructions from the Council how to answer some of the English merchants at Calais and London, who desire to have the Queen's safe-conduct to carry herrings and other wares hence to France, which are here prohibited as well to their own subjects as to the English, except by special licence and paying eight in the 120 shillings upon a last besides over and above the ordinary customs. From this by the Intercourse the merchants should be exempt, and have their traffic free. [Three pages.]

---- Dec. 29. Paris. Sir William Pickering to same. Had received with his letter of the 22d that of his Majesty's addressed to the French King, which shall shortly be delivered. The reason of his long absence from the Court may be seen by his letters to the Council, whereby will be understood his just need. Hopes the books sent by a merchant's courier arrived in good time. As for Euclid and Machiavelli, they were so buggerly bound that he burnt them both. The King returns from Blois on the 22d of January. Cecil's friendly letters to Mr. Barnaby [Fitzpatrick] were no less praiseworthy, than a very sign of his good affection towards him. His good and gentle nature, so much inclined to virtue, promises the utter performance of all that the letter requires at his hands. Doubts not a deal but that he will follow to the uttermost point all the good exhortations. [One page and a half.]

---- Dec. 31. Bruges. Sir Thomas Chamberlain to Sir William Cecil. Recommends the bearer, Peter Paule, a mariner of this country, who during the last wars before Boulogne served the King with his ship, conveying things to and fro, for which he does not complain to be unpaid and unsatisfied, but because at one time he chanced to be taken by the French, which has been costly to him diverse ways, would crave either the King's licence to carry out certain beer or otherwise. [One page.] Notes of the several points negotiated by Sir Thomas Chamberlain in Flanders in 1551. (Extracted from the correspondence of Chamberlain between 23d October and 31st December 1551, in comparatively modern writing.) [Three pages.]

"Summaria Relatio Controversiæ inter Cæsarem et Regem Romanorum." Statement of the claims advanced by the King of the Romans in reference to his rights arising out of the succession of his father and mother, and answers thereto on part of the Emperor. [Latin. Nine pages. Copy.]

The names of the colonels and number of cavalry which Albert Marquis of Brandenburg has retained for the service of the King of England, in all 3,900. [German. One page.]

Annexed, The same in French. [One page.] Indorsed, "The names of the men of warr and coronnells of Brandenb."

#Edward VI

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whenharrymetsallys · 6 years

Quote

Kill me with kisses, if thou wilt destroy me.

Sonnet 5 (dedicated to William Stanley, 6th Earl of Derby), Richard Barnfield

#richard barnfield #poetry #quotations #GAY

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mea-gloria-fides · 7 years

Photo

HM The Queen returning from the paddock with 6th Earl of Rosebery, at the Derby, 5th June 1957

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nellygwyn · 7 years

Text

Covent Garden Lovers

courtesy of Hallie Rubenhold’s “The Covent Garden Ladies”

A list of the notable and famous frequenters of London’s brothels in the latter half of the 1700s. “Patrons du peche” (patrons of sin)

Look out for the royalty, and the great and the “good.”

Lord Chief Justice Henry Addington, 1st Viscount Sidmouth

Admiral George Anson, 1st Baron Anson

Sir William Apreece

Sir Richard Atkins

Sir John Aubrey, MP

Richard Barry, 7th Earl of Barrymore

Allen Bathurst, 1st Earl of Bathurst

Sir Charles Bingham, 1st Earl of Lucan

Captain George Maurice Bisset (yes, THAT George Bisset, of Lady Seymour Worsley’s scandal)

Admiral Edward Boscawen

Hugh Boscawen, 2nd Viscount Falmouth

James Boswell (diarist, great friend of Samuel Johnson)

Sir Orlando Bridgeman

Thomas Bromley, 2nd Baron Montfort

Captain John Byron (Lord Byron’s grandfather)

John Calcraft, MP

Archibald Campbell, 3rd Duke of Argyll

John Campbell, 5th Duke of Argyll

John Campbell, 4th Earl of Loudoun

George Capell, 4th Earl of Essex

David Carnegie, Lord Rosehill

John Cleland (writer of the pornographic novel “Fanny Hill: Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure”)

Henry Fiennes Clinton, 9th Earl of Lincoln.

Robert “Cock-a-doodle-doo” Coates

Charles Cornwallis, 1st Marquess of Cornwallis

Colonel John Coxe

William Craven, 6th Baron Craven

His Royal Highness, Prince Ernest, Duke of Cumberland

His Royal Highness, Prince Henry Frederick, Duke of Cumberland

His Royal Highness, Prince William Augustus, Duke of Cumberland

The Honourable John Damer

Sir Francis Dashwood, Lord Despenser (founder of “The Hellfire Club” and Chancellor of the Exchequer)

Francis Drake Delevel

Reverend William Dodd

George Bubb Doddington, Lord Melcombe

William Douglas, 4th Duke of Queensbury

Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville

George Montagu Dunk, 2nd Earl of Halifax

Sir Henry Elchin

Richard Edgecumbe, Lord Mount Edgecumbe

Sir Charles Fielding, son of the Earl of Denbigh

The Honourable John Finch

John Fitzpatrick, 1st Earl of Upper Ossory

Samuel Foote (theatre manager and dramatist)

Charles James Fox (prominent Whig statesman, arch-enemy of William Pitt the Younger)

Stephen Fox, 2nd Baron Holland

George Fox-Lane, 3rd Baron Bingley

John Frederick, 3rd Duke of Dorset

His Majesty, King George IV (oh, what a surprise)

Sir John Graeme, 3rd Duke of Montrose

Charles Hamilton, Lord Binning

Charles Hanbury-Williams (British envoy to the court of Russia, introduced Catherine the Great to her lover, Stanislaw Poniatowski)

Colonel George Hanger

Count Franz Xavier Haszlang, Bavarian Envoy to London

Judge Henry Gould

Robery Henley, 1st Earl of Northington

Augustus Henry Fitzroy, 3rd Duke of Grafton (great-great-great-great grandson of King Charles II)

Henry Herbert, 10th Earl of Pembroke

Joseph Hickey

William Hickey

William Holles, 2nd Viscount Vane

Rear-Admiral Charles Holmes

Admiral Samuel Hood, 1st Viscount Hood

Charles Howard, 11th Duke of Norfolk

Thomas Howard, 3rd Earl of Effingham

Admiral Lord Richard Howe, 4th Viscount Howe

Thomas Jefferson (not that TJeffs; manager of the Drury Lane Theatre)

John Phillip Kemble

Augustus Keppel, 1st Viscount Keppel

William John Kerr, 5th Marquess of Lothian

Sir John Lade

Penistone Lamb, 1st Viscount Melbourne

William Longhorne (the poet laureate)

Lord Edward Ligonier

Field Marshall John Ligonier, 1st Earl of Ligonier

Simon Luttrell, 1st Baron Carhampton

Thomas Lyttleton, 2nd Baron Lyttleton

Kenneth Francis Mackenzie, 4th Earl of Seaforth

Charles Macklin

The Honourable Captain John Manners

John Manners, 3rd Duke of Rutland

Charles Maynard, 1st Viscount Maynard

Captain Anthony George Martin

James Macduff, 2nd Earl of Fife

Captain Thomas Medlycott

Isaac Mendez

Major Thomas Metcalfe

Sir George Montgomerie Metham

John Montague, 4th Earl of Sandwich

Alexander Montgomerie, 10th Earl of Eglinton

Arthur Murphy

Richard “Beau” Nash (famous dandy, popularised ballroom etiquette at the assemblies in Bath)

Francis John Needham, MP

Henry Nevill, 2nd Earl of Abergavenny

John Palmer (actor)

Thomas Panton

William Petty, 1st Marquess of Landsdowne

Evelyn Meadows Pierrepoont, 2nd Duke of Kingston

Thomas Potter

John Poulett, 4th Earl of Poulett

William Pulteney, 1st Earl of Bath

William Powell (manager of Drury Lane)

Charles “Chace” Price

Richard “Bloomsbury Dick” Rigby

Admiral George Brydges Rodney, 1st Baron Rodney

David Ross (actor)

Francis Russell, 5th Duke of Bedford

Frederick John Sackville, 3rd Duke of Dorset

Sir George Saville

George Selwyn (politician and wit)

Edward “Ned” Shuter (actor)

John George Spencer, 1st Earl of Spencer

Charles Stanhope, 3rd Earl of Harrington

Philip Dormer Stanhope, 4th Earl of Chesterfield

Sir William Stanhope, MP

Edward Stanley, 12th Earl of Derby

Sir Thomas Stapleton

John Stewart, 3rd Earl of Bute

Frederick St John, 2nd Viscount Bolingbroke

Colonel Sir Banastre Tarleton

Commodore Edward Thompson

Lord Chief Justice Sir Edward Thurlow

Robert “Beau” Tracy

John Tucker, MP

Arthur Vansittart, MP

Sir Henry Vansittart, MP

Robert Vansittart

Sir Edward Walpole

Sir Robert Walpole (Britain’s first Prime Minister)

John Wilkes

His Majesty, King William IV

Charles Wyndham, 2nd Earl of Egremont

Henry Woodward (actor)

His Royal Highness, Edward, Duke of York

His Royal Highness, Frederick, Duke of York

Lieutenant Colonel John Yorke

Joseph Yorke, 1st Baron Dove

Extra information is my own

#;0 #named and shamed!!! but not really shamed #just named #noah fence tho but hrh henry frederick is on here and that makes me excited #also!!! queenie!!!! (queensbury)#that artful roue #long post #but I put it under the cut so it won't look cloggy #also I wouldn't have had sex with Charles james fox if y'all paid me a million trillion pounds but like...someone must have #let's pray for them #covent garden ladies #history

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travelcafemt-blog · 5 years

Text

What's Happening Around Montana This Weekend

New Post has been published on https://www.montanastravelagency.com/whats-happening-around-montana-this-weekend/

What's Happening Around Montana This Weekend

Itching to get out and around this weekend? There’s a ton going on around the state. Check it out.

Libby Logger Days Sat, Jun 22 – Mon, Jun 24 J. Neils Memorial Park, 1301 MT-37 Libby, MT

JUN

MISSOULA SUMMER MADE FAIR

Tomorrow, 10 AM – 5 PM

Caras Park, 123 Carousel Dr

Missoula, MT

JUN

Festival of Cultures

Tomorrow, 10 AM – 4 PM

Billings

Billings, MT

JUN

Missoula Saturday Market ‑ June

Jun 1 – 29

Missoula People’s Market, and 59801, E Pine St & N Higgins Ave

Missoula, MT

JUN

Watershed Festival & Fishing Derby

Today, 9 AM – 3 PM

Bozeman Fish Technology Center, 4050 Bridger Canyon Rd

Bozeman, MT

JUN

Big Sky Pride 2019

Wed, Jun 19 – Sun, Jun 23

Helena

Helena, MT

JUN

Pint and a Half

Tomorrow, 6 PM

MAP Brewing Company, 510 Manley Rd

Bozeman, MT

JUN

Jim James + The Claypool Lennon Delirium

Today, 7 – 10 PM

KettleHouse Amphitheater, 605 Cold Smoke Lane

Bonner, MT

JUN

Pride Parade Social @ Blackfoot

Today, 11 AM – 5 PM

Blackfoot River Brewing Co, 66 S Park Ave

Helena, MT

JUN

Riverbend Concert Series “John Dunnigan”

Tomorrow, 7:00 – 8:30 PM

Sliter’s Park, 291 Bridge St

Bigfork, MT

JUN

Gallatin Valley Farmers Market ‑ June

Jun 22 – 29

Gallatin County Fairgrounds, 901 N Black Ave

Bozeman, MT

JUN

Billings Biggest Garage Sale

Today, 7 AM – 3 PM

MetraPark Arena, 308 6th Ave N

Billings, MT

JUN

Patty Griffin

Tomorrow, 8 PM

The Wilma, 131 S Higgins Ave

Missoula, MT

JUN

Red Lodge Songwriter Festival

Today, 10:30 AM – 11:59 PM

Red Lodge

Red Lodge, MT

JUN

Circus

Sun, Jun 23 – Mon, Jun 24

MetraPark Arena, 308 6th Ave N

Billings, MT

Western Ranch Spectacular

Fri, Jun 21 – Sun, Jun 23

Western Ranch Supply, 7305 Entryway Dr

Billings, MT

JUN

Virginia City Bus Tour

Tomorrow, 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM

Gallatin History Museum, 317 W Main St

Bozeman, MT

JUN

Unseen Missoula: Basements & Back Alleys – SOLD OUT

Today, 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM

Caras Park, 123 Carousel Dr

Missoula, MT

JUN

SOLD OUT! Naturalist Field Day: Tour the Bison…

Today, 9 AM – 5 PM

Montana Natural History Center, 120 Hickory St # A

Missoula, MT

JUN

Big Sky Pride Parade

Today, 11 AM – 12 PM

Helena

Helena, MT

JUN

Sun Dogs

Tomorrow, 6 PM

Rumour Restaurant & Tap House & Tapas, 1855 Stephens Ave

Missoula, MT

JUN

Soul Food: A Creative Celebration of Freedom …

Sat, Jun 22 – Sat, Jun 29

Feathered Pipe Ranch, 2409 Bear Creek Rd

Helena, MT

JUN

The Ringling 5 at Flathead County Fairgrounds

Today, 7 PM

Flathead County Fairgrounds, 265 N Meridian Rd

Kalispell, MT

JUN

Brent Cobb at Live From The Divide

Tomorrow, 9 PM

Live From The Divide, 627 E Peach St

Bozeman, MT

JUN

From Tents to Town: Bozeman’s Historic Main Street

Today, 10 – 11 AM

234 E Mendenhall St

Bozeman, MT

JUN

Montana Mission 22/IGY6 Project

Today, 10 AM – 10 PM

Silver City Saloon, 5940 Lincoln Rd W

Helena, MT

JUN

Big Sky Vintage Trailer Rally

Thu, Jun 20 – Sun, Jun 23

KOA Rd

Montana

JUN

The Big Sky Tonight

Today, 3 PM

Museum of the Rockies, 600 W Kagy Blvd

Bozeman, MT

JUN

Big Sky Montana Kids Adventure Games 2019

Fri, Jun 21 – Sat, Jun 22

Big Sky Resort, 50 Big Sky Resort Rd

Big Sky, MT

JUN

Living History Farm

Today, 10 AM – 4 PM

Museum of the Rockies, 600 W Kagy Blvd

Bozeman, MT

JUN

Smoke on the Water: Cigar Cruise on Flathead Lake

Today, 2 – 9 PM

Volunteer Park, 7225 US-93

Lakeside, MT

JUN

Mega Monster Truck Show

Today, 7:00 – 9:30 PM

Flathead County Fairgrounds, 265 N Meridian Rd

Kalispell, MT

JUN

Bozeman Conservation Convention

Fri, Jun 21 – Sun, Jun 23

Emerson Center for the Arts & Culture, 111 S Grand Ave

Bozeman, MT

JUN

MTWOW Clinic Billings Motorcycle Club

Today, 9 AM – 12 PM

Billings Motorcycle Club, 3630 Old Blue Creek Rd

Billings, MT

JUN

Living History Farm

Tomorrow, 10 AM – 4 PM

Museum of the Rockies, 600 W Kagy Blvd

Bozeman, MT

JUN

Locksaw Cartel

Today, 7 PM

Top Hat, 134 W Front St

Missoula, MT

JUN

Built To Spill – Keep It Like A Secret Tour

Tomorrow, 8 PM

Emerson Center for the Arts & Culture, 111 S Grand Ave

Bozeman, MT

JUN

Missoula Osprey opening Weekend Festival

Tomorrow, 2 – 4 PM

Ogren Park at Allegiance Field, 700 Cregg Ln

Missoula, MT

JUN

Tom Kirwan

Tomorrow, 12:00 AM – 11:59 PM

Bozeman

Bozeman, MT

JUN

2019 ICCC Annual Convention June 20 thru 22…

Thu, Jun 20 – Sat, Jun 22

Gallatin County Fairgrounds, 901 N Black Ave

Bozeman, MT

JUN

Symphony in the Park, Billings MT

Tomorrow, 1 – 7 PM

Pioneer Park, Parkhill Dr & 3rd St W

Billings, MT

JUN

The Organism

Today, 9 PM

Haufbrau House, 22 S 8th Ave

Bozeman, MT

JUN

Megaton Gypsies Play Osprey Festival June 22 1 pm

Today, 1 – 3 PM

Ogren Park at Allegiance Field, 700 Cregg Ln

Missoula, MT

JUN

21st Annual Watershed Festival

Today, 9 AM – 3 PM

MOSS – Montana Outdoor Science School, 4056 Bridger Canyon Rd

Bozeman, MT

JUN

Kimberlee Carlson Jazz

Tomorrow, 5 PM

Draught Works, 915 Toole Ave

Missoula, MT

JUN

Daniel Harvala

Today, 7 PM

Red Tractor Pizza, 1007 W Main St

Bozeman, MT

JUN

Crafty Sisters Sale @ MetraPark

Today, 9 AM – 4 PM

MetraPark Arena, 308 6th Ave N

Billings, MT

JUN

Yoga & Cider

Today, 10:30 AM

Western Cider, 501 N California St

Missoula, MT

JUN

The MAX

Today, 9:30 PM

J R’s Lounge & Casino, 203 W Madison Ave d

Belgrade, MT

JUN

USACi National Record Event

Today, 10 AM – 4 PM

Jarrett’s Stereos, 2271 Eldorado Dr

Billings, MT

JUN

Great Falls Voyagers at Missoula Osprey in Missoula

Today, 1 PM

Ogren Park at Allegiance Field, 700 Cregg Ln

Missoula, MT

JUN

Champagne Sunday

Today, 5 PM

Mighty Mo Brewing Co, 412 Central Ave

Great Falls, MT

JUN

Yellowstone Writing Project Invitational Summer…

Jun 18 – 27

Montana State University, Culbertson Hall, 100

Bozeman, MT

JUN

My1FitLife “Family Friendly” Adventure Big Sky, MT

Thu, Jun 20 – Sun, Jun 23

Big Sky Resort, 50 Big Sky Resort Rd

Big Sky, MT

JUN

Mark Stuart at Live From The Divide

Today, 9 PM

Live From The Divide, 627 E Peach St

Bozeman, MT

JUN

Robert Earl Keen at The Old Saloon

Tomorrow, 8 PM

Old Saloon, 210 Railroad Lane

Emigrant, MT

JUN

June 22nd! Taproom OPEN for BONUS Hours! Private…

Today, 12:00 – 11:59 PM

The Pub Station, 2502 1st Ave N

Billings, MT

JUN

Whiskey Myers at The Old Saloon

Today, 8 PM

Old Saloon, 210 Railroad Lane

Emigrant, MT

JUN

Summer Education Series – Hawks

Today, 10 AM

Montana Raptor Conservation Center, 161 Bent Wing Rd

Bozeman, MT

JUN

June Commissioner Schedule

Jun 1 – 29

Powell County School Superintendent, 409 Missouri Ave

Deer Lodge, MT

JUN

Block Party Auto Show

Today, 10 AM – 3 PM

Circle

Circle, MT

JUN

‘Art’

Jun 21 – Jul 7

Livingston

Livingston, MT

JUN

Zorro!

Today, 7 PM

Virginia City Opera House, MT-287

Virginia City, MT

JUN

The Big Sky Tonight

Tomorrow, 3 PM

Museum of the Rockies, 600 W Kagy Blvd

Bozeman, MT

JUN

Zestrio

Today, 7 PM

Shane Lalani Center for the Arts, 415 E Lewis St

Livingston, MT

JUN

Plein Air Glacier: Paint Out 2019

Today, 5 – 8 PM

Hockaday Museum of Art, 302 2nd Ave E

Kalispell, MT

JUN

Secret of the Cardboard Rocket

Today, 12 PM

Museum of the Rockies, 600 W Kagy Blvd

Bozeman, MT

JUN

Make a Smoke Cleansing Wand

Tomorrow, 12:00 – 2:30 PM

Zero Gravity Floating, 702 W Main St

Bozeman, MT

JUN

Loose String Band

Today, 6 PM

Draught Works, 915 Toole Ave

Missoula, MT

JUN

Brunch Live Music – Neil Filo Beddow

Today, 11 AM – 1 PM

Pine Creek Lodge, 2496 E River Rd

Livingston, MT

JUN

National Youth Leadership Training

Sun, Jun 23 – Sat, Jun 29

K-M Scout Ranch, 1066 K-M Rd

Hilger, MT

JUN

Paige & The Peoples Band

Today, 7 – 10 PM

Pine Creek Lodge, 2496 E River Rd

Livingston, MT

JUN

2nd Annual Cornhole Tournament

Today, 12 – 3 PM

Marantette Park, 133 13th St E

Columbia Falls, MT

JUN

Secret of the Cardboard Rocket

Tomorrow, 12 PM

Museum of the Rockies, 600 W Kagy Blvd

Bozeman, MT

JUN

Used Book Sale

Today, 9 AM – 5 PM

Bozeman Public Library, 626 E Main St

Bozeman, MT

JUN

Bingo at the Kalispell Eagles

Tomorrow, 2:00 – 5:30 PM

1st St W

Kalispell, MT

JUN

The Big Shindig

Today, 12:00 AM – 11:59 PM

The Desoto Grill, 227 1st St W

Kalispell, MT

JUN

Summer Family Sip & Paint

Today, 10 AM – 12 PM

The Art Of Play, 605 24th St W #1

Billings, MT

JUN

Walking Tour – Bozeman Bon Ton District

Tomorrow, 1 PM

The Story Mansion and Story Park, 811 S Willson Ave

Bozeman, MT

JUN

Billings Biggest Garage Sale 6/22/19 in Billings

Today, 7 AM

Billings Hotel and Convention Center, 6391, 1223 Mullowney Ln

Billings, MT

JUN

The Flick

Jun 20 – 27

Verge Theatre, 2304 N 7th Ave # C1

Bozeman, MT

JUN

2019 Convention…..Blast Throughout the Past!

Fri, Jun 21 – Sun, Jun 23

Hilton Garden Inn Billings, 2465 Grant Rd

Billings, MT

JUN

DISASTER!

Jun 14 – 30

HAMILTON PLAYERS, 9523, 100 Ricketts Rd

Hamilton, MT

JUN

June Cozumel Dive Trip Week 2

Sat, Jun 15 – Sat, Jun 22

Sports Cove, 4055 Valley Commons Dr ste c

Bozeman, MT

JUN

Women in Engineering

Today, 11 AM – 2 PM

Montana Science Center, 202 S Willson Ave

Bozeman, MT

JUN

Rosewater Open House

Sat, Jun 22 – Sun, Jun 23

1535 Rose Crossing

Kalispell, MT

JUN

AvengeHER EndJam

Today, 7 – 10 PM

Four Seasons Arena, 400 3rd St NW

Great Falls, MT

JUN

2019 Intermountain Champions Cup

Fri, Jun 21 – Sun, Jun 23

Fort Missoula Regional Park, 3401-3499 South Ave W

Missoula, MT

JUN

Shakespeare in the Parks – Merry Wives of Windsor

Today, 8 PM

Montana State University Alumni Foundation, 1501 S 11th Ave

Bozeman, MT

JUN

PTA 5K for the Kids

Today, 11:30 AM – 1:30 PM

Village Loop

Montana

JUN

ADVENTURES OF AN AUTHENTIC SOUL

Fri, Jun 21 – Sun, Jun 23

River Pines Horse Sanctuary, 120 River Pines Rd

Missoula, MT

JUN

SunsAh406 in Helena

Today, 7 PM

Lakeside on Hauser, 5295 York Rd

Helena, MT

JUN

Jaime Wyatt

Today, 6 – 8 PM

The Garage at Yellowstone Valley Brewing Co, 2123 1st Ave N B

Billings, MT

JUN

Seeley 50, 25 &10K

Today, 8 AM

Seeley Creek Trail, Morrell Creek Rd

Seeley Lake, MT

JUN

University of Montana Music Camp (resident…

Sun, Jun 23 – Sat, Jun 29

University of Montana, 32 Campus Dr

Missoula, MT

JUN

CRAZY MOUNTAIN BILLIES in Bozeman

Tomorrow, 6 PM

Bunkhouse Brewery, 1216 West Lincoln Street a

Bozeman, MT

JUN

REFINE. The Technique Course

Sun, Jun 23 – Fri, Jun 28

Movement Montana Arts Academy, 925 Broadwater Ave

Billings, MT

JUN

Great Falls Voyagers at Missoula Osprey

Tomorrow, 1 PM

Ogren Park at Allegiance Field, 700 Cregg Ln

Missoula, MT

JUN

Tricia Decker Big Timber – McLeod, Montana 59052…

Sun, Jun 23 – Tue, Jun 25

Mimanagish, 4003 Main Boulder Rd

Mc Leod, MT

JUN

LEARN MORE

Jun 1 – 30

Bankers Life, 1350 Avenue C

Billings, MT

JUN

Prairie Grass Ranch Sushi Workshop

Today, 2 – 4 PM

48444 Rudd Ln

Havre, MT

JUN

Regal Cinemas

Today, 12:00 AM – 11:59 PM

Regal Cinemas Gallatin Valley Stadium 11, 2825 W Main St

Bozeman, MT

JUN

Hike Mount Helena with the Montana Club

Today, 7:30 – 9:00 AM

Mount Helena, Dump Out Trail

Helena, MT

JUN

MAN IN THE MIRROR

Sat, Jun 22 – Sun, Jun 23

MontanaQuest, 120 River Pines Rd

Missoula, MT

JUN

USATF Region 11 Junior Olympic Track & Field…

Thu, Jun 20 – Sat, Jun 22

Montana State University, Culbertson Hall, 100

Bozeman, MT

JUN

2019 Montana Intensive Wrestling Camp

Sun, Jun 23 – Fri, Jun 28

Flathead High School, 644 4th Ave W

Kalispell, MT

JUN

Open Mic Night

Today, 6 – 8 PM

Wild Joe*s Coffee Spot, 18 W Main St

Bozeman, MT

JUN

Alex Williams (Helena)

Tomorrow, 7:00 – 11:59 PM

1517 Dodge Ave

Helena, MT

JUN

4 Week Intro to AcroYoga Series

Tomorrow

Inner Harmony Yoga, 214 E Main St Suite B

Missoula, MT

JUN

Plane Pull 2019

Today, 12 – 3 PM

Neptune Aviation Services Inc, 1 Corporate Way

Missoula, MT

JUN

Books & Babies

Today, 10 AM

Bozeman Public Library, 626 E Main St

Bozeman, MT

JUN

Little Jane and the Pistol Whips

Tomorrow, 11 AM

Pine Creek Lodge, 2496 E River Rd

Livingston, MT

JUN

Baby Wildlife and More! #2

Wed, Jun 19 – Mon, Jun 24

Holiday Inn Express & Suites Kalispell, 275 Treeline Rd

Kalispell, MT

JUN

2019 Seminar

Thu, Jun 20 – Sun, Jun 23

Carroll College, 1601 N Benton Ave

Helena, MT

JUN

Herron Park Equestrians Mini Event & Working…

Today, 9 AM

Herron Park, 2310 Foys Lake Rd

Kalispell, MT

JUN

Acoustic Roll

Today, 7 PM

Norris Hot Springs Campground

Norris, MT

JUN

Montana’s Longest Table

Today, 5:30 – 8:30 PM

2nd Ave S

Lewistown, MT

JUN

CLASS

Today, 1 PM

Paris Gibson Square Museum of Art, 1400 1st Ave N

Great Falls, MT

JUN

FREE Life Coaching Session

Tomorrow, 4 PM

2901 Brooks St

Missoula, MT

JUN

FREE Life Coaching Session

Today, 4 PM

2901 Brooks St

Missoula, MT

JUN

Fins & Feathers Fly Fishing 101 in Bozeman

Today, 9 AM

Bozeman Pond, 700 S Fowler Ave

Bozeman, MT

JUN

Summer Reading Block Party!

Today, 11 AM – 2 PM

510 N Broadway

Billings, MT

JUN

RATPOD (Ride Around the Pioneers in One Day)

Sat, Jun 22 – Sun, Jun 23

University of Montana Western, 710 S Atlantic St

Dillon, MT

JUN

Prenatal Yoga

Today, 11 AM – 12 PM

Your Yoga Bozeman, 20 E Main St

Bozeman, MT

JUN

Feathered Friends Fundraiser

Today, 11 AM – 2 PM

Fish Wildlife & Parks, 490 N Meridian Rd

Kalispell, MT

JUN

Celebration of life

Today, 12 PM

Grace Bible Church, 3625 S 19th Ave

Bozeman, MT

JUN

2020 Beartooth Basin IFSA FWQ 2* Summer Shredfest…

Thu, Jun 20 – Sat, Jun 22

Beartooth Basin Summer Ski Area, US-212

Cody, WY

JUN

8 Day ‘Soul Food’ Freedom Yoga & Meditation…

Jun 21 – 28

Feathered Pipe Ranch, 2409 Bear Creek Rd

Helena, MT

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english-royal-history-1455-1603 · 7 years

Text

The death of Thomas Grey, 2nd Marquess of Dorset

Thomas Grey, 2nd Marquess of Dorset (22 June 1477 – 10 October 1530) was an English peer, courtier, soldier and landowner.

Early life Grey was the third son and eventual heir of Thomas Grey, 1st Marquess of Dorset (c. 1456–1501), at that time England’s only marquess, and his wife, Cecily Bonville, the daughter and heiress of William Bonville, 6th Baron Harington of Aldingham. His mother was suo jure 7th Baroness Harington of Aldingham and 2nd Baroness Bonville, and the richest heiress in England. The first marquess was the eldest son of Queen Elizabeth Woodville, so a stepson of King Edward IV and a half-brother of Edward, Prince of Wales, later King Edward V.

According to some reports, the young Grey attended Magdalen College School, Oxford, and he is uncertainly said to have been taught (either at the school or else privately tutored) by the future Cardinal Wolsey.

Grey’s father was opposed to King Richard III, and after the older Thomas joined Buckingham’s failed rebellion of 1483, father and son fled to Brittany, joining Henry Tudor. Five months after Richard lost the crown to Henry at the Battle of Bosworth Field on 22 August 1485, the new king married the first Dorset’s half-sister Elizabeth of York, but Henry VII was also suspicious of Dorset, who was imprisoned during Lambert Simnel’s rebellion of 1487. In 1492, Dorset was required to give guarantees of loyalty to the crown and to make the young Thomas Grey a ward of the king.

Courtier Amongst the Queen of England’s closest relations, Grey and his younger brothers Leonard and Edward were welcome at court and became courtiers and later soldiers. In 1494, Grey was made a knight of the Bath and in 1501 a knight of the Garter. Also in 1501, his father died and the younger Thomas inherited his titles and some of his estates. However, much of the first marquess’s land went to his widow and not to his son, who did not come into his full inheritance until the death of his mother in 1529, shortly before his own death.

Later in 1501, he was ‘chief answerer’ at the marriage of Arthur, Prince of Wales and Catherine of Aragon and was presented with a diamond and ruby Tudor rose at a court tournament. But in 1508 he was sent to the Tower of London, and later a gaol in Calais, under suspicion of conspiracy against Henry VII. Although he was saved from execution in 1509 by the accession of King Henry VIII, Grey was attainted and lost his titles. However, later in 1509 he was pardoned and returned to court, and was summoned to parliament as Baron Ferrers of Groby. In 1511, he was summoned as Marquess of Dorset.

From 1509, Dorset was again an active courtier and took part with great distinction in many court tournaments, on one occasion in March 1524 nearly killing the king.

In 1511, Dorset sold land near Althorp, Northamptonshire, to John Spencer. The sale included the villages of Little Brington and Great Brington, as well their parish church of St Mary the Virgin.

In 1514, with Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk, Dorset escorted Henry VII’s daughter Princess Mary to France for her wedding to King Louis XII.

Dorset owned land in sixteen English counties and was a justice of the peace for several of them. In 1516, during a rivalry in Leicestershire with George, Baron Hastings, and Sir Richard Sacheverell, Dorset unlawfully increased his retinue at court and was brought before the Star Chamber and the Court of King’s Bench. He was bound over for good behaviour. As part of this rivalry, he greatly enlarged his ancestral home at Bradgate, Leicestershire.

In 1520, at the Field of Cloth of Gold, Dorset carried the sword of state. In 1521, he met the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V at Gravelines on the coast of France and escorted him on a visit to England. He helped with the entertainment of the court by maintaining a company of actors.

In 1521, Dorset sat in judgment on the Duke of Buckingham, despite being related to him by marriage. After his father’s death, Dorset’s mother had married a brother of the Duke. Henry VIII rewarded Dorset with three of Buckingham’s manors.

From 17 June 1523 until his death in 1530, Dorset was Justice in Eyre south of Trent. As such, he presided at the triennial Court of justice-seat, which dealt with matters of forest law.

In 1524, Dorset’s Leicestershire feud with Lord Hastings turned into a fight between hundreds of men, and Cardinal Wolsey took action. Both rivals had to put up a bond for good behaviour of one thousand pounds, and Dorset was sent to Wales as Lord Master of Princess Mary’s Council.

In 1528, Dorset became constable of Warwick Castle, and in 1529 of Kenilworth Castle.

In 1529, recalling his role as 'chief answerer’ at the marriage of Arthur, Prince of Wales, Dorset was a critical witness in favour of Henry VIII’s divorce of Catherine of Aragon. He strongly supported the King’s contention that Arthur and Catherine’s marriage had been consummated.

In 1530, in the final months of his life, he assisted the King in the condemnation of Cardinal Wolsey.

Soldier In 1512, Dorset led an unsuccessful English military expedition to France to reconquer Aquitaine, which England had lost during the Hundred Years’ War. Unhappily, Ferdinand of Aragon gave none of the support he had promised. While Ferdinand delayed and tried to persuade Dorset to help him to attack Navarre instead of Aquitaine, the English army’s food, beer, and pay ran out, many took to wine and became ill, and the army mutinied. Back in England, Dorset had to face a trial.

In 1513, he fought at the siege of Tournai and the Battle of Guinegate (also known as the Battle of the Spurs), and fought again in 1523 in the Scottish borders. These all gave him chances to make amends for the debacle of Aquitaine. To help Dorset in dealing with the Scots, he was appointed Lord Warden of the Marches, restored to the Privy Council, and became a gentleman of the chamber.

Family Grey was the son and heir of Thomas Grey, 1st Marquess of Dorset (c. 1456–1501), and his wife, Cecily Bonville, daughter and heiress of William Bonville, 6th Baron Harington of Aldingham and of Lady Katherine Neville (1442–1503) and granddaughter of Alice Neville, 5th Countess of Salisbury (1407–1462). Cecily Bonville’s maternal uncles included Richard Neville, 16th Earl of Warwick (called 'Warwick the Kingmaker’), John Neville, 1st Marquess of Montagu and George Neville, Archbishop of York and Chancellor of England, while her aunts had married Henry de Beauchamp, 1st Duke of Warwick, William FitzAlan, 16th Earl of Arundel, Thomas Stanley, 1st Earl of Derby, and John de Vere, 13th Earl of Oxford. Cecily Bonville succeeded her father as Baroness Harington in 1460, and two months later succeeded her great-grandfather William Bonville as Baron Bonville. After the death of her first husband, Cecily Bonville married her late husband’s first cousin Henry Stafford, 1st Earl of Wiltshire, the younger son of Henry Stafford, 2nd Duke of Buckingham and of Catherine Woodville, Dorset’s aunt.

The younger Thomas Grey’s paternal grandparents were Queen Elizabeth Woodville (c. 1437–1492) and her first husband Sir John Grey of Groby (c. 1432-1461), son and heir of Elizabeth Ferrers, Lady Ferrers of Groby, so his father the first marquess was a stepson of King Edward IV and a half-brother of King Edward V. His grandfather Sir John Grey was killed at the Second Battle of St Albans (1461), fighting on the Lancastrian side. His grandmother Elizabeth Woodville was the eldest daughter of Richard Woodville, 1st Earl Rivers, and Jacquetta of Luxembourg, widow of John of Lancaster, 1st Duke of Bedford. Following his grandmother’s marriage to Edward IV, members of her family gained advantages and made prosperous marriages. Elizabeth’s brother John Woodville, at the age of twenty, married Catherine Neville, dowager Duchess of Norfolk, then in her late sixties.

Through Jacquetta of Luxembourg, Dorset was descended from Eleanor of England (1215–1275), the daughter of King John and Isabella of Angoulême, and from several other European royal families.

Marriages and descendants Thomas Grey was contracted in 1483 to marry Anne St Leger (1476–1526), the daughter of Anne of York, Duchess of Exeter and her second husband Sir Thomas St Leger. Remarkably, Anne St Leger had been declared the heiress to the Exeter estates, but the marriage did not take place.

In the event, the young Thomas Grey’s first marriage was to Eleanor St John, a daughter of Oliver St John of Lydiard Tregoze, Wiltshire and of his wife Elizabeth Scrope, daughter of Henry le Scrope, 4th Lord Scrope of Bolton (1418–1459). Grey’s father-in-law Oliver St John (also known as Oliver of Ewell) was the son of Margaret Beauchamp (c. 1411-1482), the great-great-granddaughter of Roger Beauchamp, 1st Lord Beauchamp of Bletso, Keeper of Devizes Castle, and heiress to the Beauchamp estates. After the death of her first husband, another Oliver St John (died 1437), she married John Beaufort, 1st Duke of Somerset (1404–1444), producing Margaret Beaufort, Countess of Richmond. Eleanor St John was therefore the first cousin of Henry VII.

In 1509, Thomas Grey (now known as Lord Ferrers of Groby) married secondly Margaret Wotton (1487–1541), daughter of Sir Robert Wotton (c.1463–1524) of Boughton Malherbe, Kent, and the widow of William Medley. She had two notable brothers, Sir Edward Wotton (1489–1551), Treasurer of Calais, and Nicholas Wotton (c. 1497–1567), a diplomat who in 1539 arranged the marriage between Henry VIII and Anne of Cleves. With Margaret, the younger Thomas Grey had four sons and four daughters, including Henry Grey, 1st Duke of Suffolk (1517–1554). Their daughter Elizabeth married Thomas Audley, 1st Baron Audley of Walden and was the grandmother of Thomas Howard, 1st Earl of Suffolk. His second wife survived him and died in or after 1535.

His younger brother Leonard Grey, 1st Viscount Grane (c. 1479 - 1541) served as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland from 1536 to 1540.

Dorset’s son Henry succeeded him as Marquess of Dorset, married Lady Frances Brandon, a granddaughter of King Henry VII, and in 1551 (on the death of his brother-in-law Charles Brandon, 3rd Duke of Suffolk) become Duke of Suffolk, by way of a new creation. Dorset’s granddaughter Lady Jane Grey was the designated successor of King Edward VI by his will, and for nine days in July 1553 briefly sat on the throne of England. In 1554, together with Dorset’s other surviving sons, Lord John Grey and Lord Thomas Grey, Suffolk took part in Wyatt’s rebellion against Mary I’s marriage to Philip of Spain and in support of Lady Jane Grey. When this rebellion failed, all three were arrested, and Suffolk and his brother Thomas were executed, as were Lady Jane herself and her husband Lord Guilford Dudley. Lord John Grey survived, and in July 1603 his youngest son, Henry Grey, was restored to the House of Lords by King James I as Baron Grey of Groby.

Death Dorset died on 10 October 1530, and was buried in the collegiate church at Astley in Warwickshire. When he died he held estates in London and in sixteen counties, amounting to over one hundred manors, and was one of the richest men in England. His grave was opened in the early seventeenth century and measurement of his skeleton suggested a height of 5 feet 8 inches.

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