#lord seymour of sudeley

[tudorqueen6]

4 JUNE 1547: Lady Mary writes The Lord Admiral

Lady Mary (later Queen Mary I) writes to the Lord Seymour of Sudeley, Thomas Seymour on 4 June 1547. The letter was addressed in two different hands: “The Lady Mary to the Lord Admiral, 4th June.” “From the Lady Mary’s Grace“ Addressed to: “To my Lord Admiral” My lord, After my hearty commendations, these shall be to declare to you, according to your accustomed gentleness, I have received six…

[kingedwardvi]

Curiously enough, I’ve only recently watched “Becoming Elizabeth” as I’ve concomitantly read Edward VI’s biography.

It is hardly a surprise to observe there were great differences between the show and the book, specially concerning Katheryn Parr and Thomas Seymour’s own relationship.

Admittedly, though I know little of this matter myself, came across the excerpt below which gave me a lot to think about. For those who are little familiar with the first Dowager Queen of England in an almost a century (the last being Queen Elizabeth Wideville), the following content might actually come a surprise—or not.

What matters here is to promote not only a healthy discussion about their union, but showing that whereas Katheryn did love the man, she was not his first option to marry and she was not a “fool” completely blinded by her affection for him: she hesitated at first, unwilling to remarry in at least two years before becoming Lady Seymour out of respect for the king of England. However, Lord Thomas was a persuasive man, writing as far as a poem to claim the dowager queen’s heart—and he eventually succeeded it, as we are seeing next.

“Katherine moved into her dower house at Chelsea - away from the eyes at court, it was the ideal setting for Seymour to pay secret visits by night. Letters were sent and received, their contents, upon Katherine's urging, were quickly burnt: 'Your letter being finished ... I remembered your commandment to me’, Seymour wrote, ‘wherewith I threw it into the fire, be minding to keep your requests and desires’, yet the survival of both their letters suggest that neither was quite so willing to part with these tokens of love and affection.

Katherine confided her feelings to her friend Lady Paget, who urged marriage. But Katherine was hesitant. She wished 'it had been her fate to have him for a husband' but she was mindful of her position as queen. She had even kept the affair secret from her sister Anne who, when Katherine finally revealed the news, 'did not a little rejoice'.

As a growing number of friends discovered the secret of the affair, it became increasingly difficult to keep it hidden and rumours soon abounded. Meeting Seymour in St James's Park, Princess Elizabeth's servant Katherine Ashley challenged him over his marriage plans. Seymour boasted 'he would prove to have the queen', to which Ashley retorted that she thought this 'was past proof as I had heard he was already married to her'.

Ashley was right, for sometime between mid May and the beginning of June the couple had wed in secret, with one commentator believing the marriage had taken place as early as thirty-four days after Henry's death.

If this was true, then Katherine was playing a dangerous game - if she had become pregnant, there would have been no certainty that the child was Seymour's or Henry's. Katherine remained unwilling to commit herself, having doubts to the last.

She claimed she was his 'loving wife in her heart' but was determined 'never to marry, and break it when I have done, if I live two years'. Nevertheless, Seymour got his way. News of their marriage could not stay secret for long.

'I wish the world was as well pleased with our meaning as lam well assured [of ] the goodness of God's’, Katherine had lamented, 'but the world is so wicked that it cannot be contented with good things’. Instead she suggested that they find support for their union amongst the most powerful members of the council and court.

Seymour tested Princess Mary's reaction. It was not good. Mary considered it 'strange news', writing that if Katherine was keen, there was little she could do. In any case, 'being a maid' she was 'nothing cunning' about 'wooing matters'.

Instead, Mary appealed to her dead father's memory: if Katherine was not willing, certainly she would not 'persuade her to forget the loss of him, who is as yet very ripe in mine own remembrance’. Privately Mary was horrified at the prospect, and blamed Katherine for the affair. She possibly even appealed to Elizabeth to discourage the queen, but her half-sister, not wishing to stir up trouble, told her that they lacked any influence at court and should suffer with patience what was impossible to prevent.

Seymour would have to look elsewhere for support and he knew precisely whom to turn to. His confidence rested in the fact that he had managed to remain in regular contact with Edward through John Fowler, a Gentleman of the Privy Chamber, whom Seymour gave a bribe of £10 (£3,000) shortly after the coronation and before long was in his regular pay. Despite being almost continually in the presence of other gentlemen of the chamber, Fowler was soon able to converse with Edward and soon struck up a close friendship with the king, speaking to him alone.

It was not long before Seymour was calling in the favours. At the end of February he had met with Fowler over a drink and asked whether Edward had mentioned him - and in particular whether the king had ever wondered why he had remained unmarried. Would Edward be happy for him to marry? And who should he take as his bride?

Without asking too many questions, Fowler approached Edward a few days later, somewhat unsubtly repeating Seymour's queries. Edward's first reply was to suggest Anne of Cleves, but then, giving the matter more serious attention, answered that he thought Mary to be the best choice, if only 'to change her opinions'.

When Seymour heard, he laughed. 'I pray you, Mr Fowler, if you may soon, ask his Grace if he could be contented I should marry the Queen.’ He also wanted to know if Edward would write a letter on his behalf in support of the marriage.

It was at this time that Seymour, without Fowler's knowledge, began to visit Edward in private. It was not long before he had persuaded him to write a letter to Katherine, dated 25 June. Despite Edward writing to Katherine at the end of May urging her to 'continue to love my father', now the king seemingly endorsed her relationship with Seymour, since the letter ingeniously made their marriage appear as Edward's personal request to Katherine.

Moreover, it gave specific assurance that Edward would safeguard Katherine against any reaction from Somerset, who the couple knew would be furious at their secret union: 'Wherefore ye shall not need to fear any grief to come, or to suspect lack of aid in need; seeing that he, being mine uncle, is so good in nature that he will not be troublesome ... if any grief shall befall, I shall be a sufficient succour.'

The entire letter was no doubt composed by Seymour, who probably dictated it to the king.(…) When news of his brother's marriage leaked out, Somerset was furious. Edward's blessing made Somerset all the more enraged, and the king was not immune from the brunt of his anger, noting in his journal that 'the Lord Protector was much offended’.

But it was his wife Anne, the Duchess of Somerset, who took the greatest offence to the union. Described as 'a woman for many imperfections intolerable, and for pride monstrous, subtle and violent' who held Somerset under her sway 'by persuasions cunningly intermixed with tears', she detested Katherine.”

SKIDMORE, C. “Edward VI: The Lost King of England”.

[pastedpast]

A woman in the Tudor History group I'm a member of recently recommended to me what sounded like a very readable book about Catherine Parr, the wife who survived Henry VIII, written by an academic called Dr Elizabeth Norton. I name-checked her only yesterday when posting about the Elfrida book, not realising they were the same author. Turns out she's written several books about queens (link here). I will keep an eye out for her work in charity shop finds and, as she is also a broadcaster, also on TV documentaries. Nice one!

Will have a more in-depth look at the link later and add info re. each book to the 'queens an' tings' blog in more detail.

And talking of Tudor women, I've finally been getting to grips with a few Tudor men (not as exciting as that might sound!). Essentially, working out who's who in the Seymour and Dudley families.

Seymour - the queen Jane Seymour had three brothers:

Edward, 1st Earl of Somerset, a biography about whom I mentioned in a recent post, who became Lord Protector of England during the minority of his nephew Edward VI, who was eventually executed after being accused of treason by John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland.

Thomas, 1st Baron Seymour of Sudeley, who was also executed for treason (and suspected of engaging in sexual relations with Elizabeth I when she was 14 and while she has married to Henry VIII's surviving wife, Catherine Parr).

Sir Henry Seymour - he was actually the second surviving son but I've placed him after Thomas on the list as he led a generally quiet life (although he was an MP at one point) living to a good age in relative obscurity.

The Seymour family lived at a large manor house called Wulfhall or Wolfhall, which was the inspiration for Hilary Mantel's prize-winning masterpiece, 'Wolf Hall'.

Dudley - the father-in-law, husband and brother-in-law of Lady Jane Grey.

John Dudley, 1st Duke of Northumberland. Married his son off to Lady Jane in the hopes of ruling by proxy via the young couple. Executed for high treason when Mary I took the throne. Had several children - so far I've only read about the following two.

Lord Guildford Dudley, husband of the young Jane - I need to read up more about him, I think he was only a year older than her and perhaps also a pawn in his father's plans?? He was too executed for high treason.

Robert Dudley, 1st Earl of Leicester - he was older than Guildford and a favourite courtier of Elizabeth I, also sentenced to death for treason, but freed. I will read more about him later. I think he hoped to marry Elizabeth, but married someone else who later died in suspicious circumstances (was he accused of pushing her down a flight of stairs??) I think at one point Elizabeth suggested he marry Mary, Queen of Scots and they all live together - that way Elizabeth could maintain her unmarried status and therefore ensure her sole power, while keeping tighter reins on Mary by controlling her choice of partner, plus stay in close proximity to her favourite man - however, the plan came to nothing. He married many years later to a lady called Lettice Knollys, much to Elizabeth's displeasure. She is one of the subjects of my 'queens an' tings' project I will address in more detail later. [Her son, Robert Devereux, 2nd Earl of Essex, became another favourite of Elizabeth's later in life, but he was involved in a plot to try to oust her from the throne, for which he was executed by beheading in 1601].

The painting on the front of the book is 'The Cholmondeley Ladies', painted by an unknown artist circa 1600–10. Perhaps a strange choice as a cover seeing as Elizabeth died in 1603 and the throne was brought under the rule of the House of Stuart?

[thedudleywomen]

On This Day (05 Sep) in 1548, Katherine Parr died at Sudeley Castle, a week after giving birth to her only daughter Mary.

The pregnancy had been a difficult one for Katherine, being an older first-time mother, as well as the recent scandal involving her husband Thomas Seymour and step-daughter Lady Elizabeth. Katherine developed puerperal fever soon after the birth, presenting as agitated and paranoid towards her husband, before succumbing to the infection. Katherine was buried at St Mary's Church, Sudeley on 07 Sep 1548, in what was believed to be the first funeral of a royal performed in English, and reflecting her religious Reformist beliefs. Thomas Seymour's ward, Lady Jane Grey, was the chief mourner.

Over the years Katherine's coffin was opened many times, which significantly damaged her bones. In 1863, on the restoration of the chapel, a marble tomb effigy was erected, and Katherine's coffin was finally reburied. Following the death of Katherine, Thomas Seymour sent Mary away from Sudeley; she was initially taken into the care of his family, including his brother Edward Seymour, Lord Protector at Syon House, before being moved to Grimsthorpe Castle, Lincolnshire, under the guardianship of Katherine's old friend, Katherine Willoughby, Dowager Duchess of Suffolk. Mary disappeared from records in 1550, presumed deceased.

[intriguingpeoplebyangelafloyd]

THOMAS SEYMOUR, 1ST BARON SEYMOUR OF SUDELEY

c.1508-1549

            Thomas Seymour was the brother of Queen Jane Seymour the third wife of King Henry VIII of England and the uncle of King Edward VI.

            Seymour was said to have been attractive and a favourite to the ladies at court. When Henry VIII died, Seymour married the king’s wealthy widow Catherine Parr in 1547.

            Parr was living with Lady Jane Grey, 11, and Princess Elizabeth, 14, when Seymour, 40, started preying on Elizabeth. He would flirt with her, tickle her, slap her bum and go into her bedroom when she was in bed. Her governess didn’t approve of his beheavior and the situation got so dire that Elizabeth had to wear clothing to bed so he won’t find her in her bedwear. Parr who was so in love with Seymour, she did very little to stop him. At one point Parr held Elizabeth down whilst Seymour cut the princesses black gown ‘into a thousand pieces.’ When Parr was pregnant in 1548 she had to send Elizabeth away due her husband’s activities with the young teenager. Parr gave birth to a daughter Mary and Parr died not long after and all her wealth went to him. After her death, Thomas pursued Elizabeth and wanted to marry her, Elizabeth wisely avoided him.

            His brother Edward was the Lord Protector to the young king Edward VI. Seymour wanted the control and favour of the king, and became so irratic that in January 1549 he broke into King Edward’s apartments. The king’s spaniel woke up and started barking and Seymour panicked and shot and killed it. One of the king’s gentlemen who slept in the king’s chamber awoke and screamed out, ‘Help! Murder!’, Seymour was arrested and sent to the Tower of London. Seymour was executed on 20 March 1549 on Tower Hill and his property was seized by the Royal Crown. His daughter Mary died before she reached adulthood.

#thomasseymour1stbaronseymourofsudeley #thomasseymour #catherineparr #elizabethIofEngland #EdwardVI

[dailytudors]

Katherine Parr was the sixth and final consort of King Henry VIII of England and Ireland sixth and final consort. She came very close to sharing Anne Boleyn and Kathrine Howard's fate but a possible warning from doctor Butts or one of Henry's councilors who was sympathetic to her plight, or shared her faith, saved her from this. She knelt before Henry and told him that whatever she had caused to displease him was only doing it so she could learn from him, this moved Henry and according to a much later account, he chastised Gardiner and others who had come for her. Katherine was the only other wife besides the first queen Katherine to be appointed Regent during his absence. Henry gave her the authority over all of his subjects and armies. As regent she remained a kind mistress but a firm one. She was an accomplished writer and scholar with two of her books becoming best-sellers. The first one "Prayers and Meditations" was published during his reign in 1545 and it was as the title suggests, a manual for praying. The second one -while written during his reign as well and depicting the king in a divine light, equating him to Moses leading his people out of superstition- had a very Evangelical tone to it and since her brush with death, she chose to keep it hidden and publish it a year after his death.

Joely Richardson (The Tudors) captured her kindness but also her firmness and her religious devotion. The only thing the series missed though was her relationship with her friends and family. She was loved by the people and well thought of by foreign ambassadors. She also enjoyed a good relationship with all her step-children, primarily her royal step-children. For that reason, the only bone to pick with her portrayal in The Tudors is her relationship with the Lady Mary. The show depicted them quickly turning into enemies due to differences in religion. While they certainly were on different sides of the political and religious spectrum, there's no indication that there was ever animosity with them while her tenure as her Queen. Mary was known to be friends with Anne Seymour nee Stanhope an other known reformers. Their friendship broke after Katherine Parr married Thomas Seymour, Baron Sudeley, months after Henry VIII's death.

The last years of Katherine Parr's life were plagued with emotional distress and personal betrayal. Shortly after her union with Thomas Seymour became known, the enmity and ambitious rivalry between Thomas and his older brother Edward (turned Lord Protector and elevated to Duke of Somerset) grew. Anne Stanhope, quickly demanded that Katherine hand over the crown jewels. This did little to diminish her influence. Katherine's erudition continued to be praised and she remained one of the leading voices in the English Reformation. Among her many admirers was the new King of England, Edward VI, her stepdaughter, Lady Elizabeth Tudor and Lady Jane Grey. The latter got their wish to be placed in her household. Jane soon became Katherine's favorite pupil while her relationship with her stepdaughter became fractured by the improper attentions she received by Thomas Seymour. To prevent a major scandal, she sent her stepdaughter away. The whole ordeal took a heavy toll on Katherine who was pregnant at the time.

Katherine Parr died on the 5th of September 1548, six days after she'd given birth to a daughter she named Mary. Thomas Seymour dug himself to an early grave less than a year later when he was executed for high treason. As for her infant daughter, she disappears from the records after 1549 leading to the conclusion that she died before her second birthday.

Katherine's legacy remains her scholarship, (best appreciated through her two books: "Prayers and Meditations", published during Henry VIII's reign, & "Lamentations of a Sinner" published during the reign of Edward VI) and her example as a model of ideal femininity, diplomacy and religious virtue which heavily influenced Lady Jane Grey and Queen Elizabeth I.

[minervacasterly]

Jane Grey, Protestant Prodigy

There is no question that Jane Grey was for all intent and purposes a prodigy, even for her times. Today we expect children to learn the basics. But back in the sixteenth century, things were different, especially for noblewomen, who were expected to make their families proud by finding a suitable husband who’d make a powerful ally. In the case of Jane Grey, being the eldest of her sisters, meant she had to meet most of society’s expectations. Having royal blood, and being related to the King through her mother, meant that she had to work harder than Katherine and Mary, and just as hard -if not more- than her bastardized cousins, Ladies, Mary and Elizabeth Tudor.

But Jane Grey exceeded everyone’s expectations, especially her father whose continual indulgence made her appreciate him more than her mother who was stricter. When her thirst for knowledge became evident, she became a ward in the Parr household. Queen Dowager Kathryn Parr had recently remarried, for the fourth and last time to her true love, Sir Thomas Seymour, Baron Sudeley. The couple’s manor, Sudeley Castle, became a safe haven for many intellectual curious girls like Jane. Among them was Jane’s cousin, and Kathryn’s favorite royal stepdaughter, lady Elizabeth Tudor. Elizabeth Tudor was nearly Jane’s equal, but after she fell from grace, Jane took her place in Kathryn’s heart.

Jane lamented the Queen Dowager’s death, and after she was returned to her parents, she berated them and begged them to send her back. She wrote how unfair they were treating her. Several historians and novelists have taken this as ‘proof’ that Jane Grey’s mother was a wicked woman and her husband, an indolent fool, or her partner-in-crime who saw their daughter as nothing more than tool in their quest to gain more power. As easy as it is to turn this into a dualistic tale of good and evil, heroes and villains and so on; the truth is that her parents were neither of these things.

Lord Henry Grey, Marques of Dorset and (after the fall of Somerset) Duke of Suffolk, and Frances Brandon, were self-serving aristocrats. This is not unusual given that a family’s number one interest was in promoting their children to other courtiers in the hopes that they would marry into equally or more powerful families to further their riches. Family mattered more than everything else, and this is where religion comes into play as well because it was believed that the best way to raise successful wives and lords, was to instill the fear of god in them. As a result, Jane’s intelligence became highly by Reformers in England and abroad.

Read the rest here: https://tudorsandotherhistories.wordpress.com/2017/08/12/jane-grey-the-early-years-an-outstanding-prodigy-evangelical-leader-in-the-making/

[shalebridge-cradle]

Historical References in What Are You Going to Do With Your Life? Chapters 1-3

Because I can’t not do that. Small warning for a mention of animal death.

Chapter 1

The others are familiar, and she can guess who they are – but there shouldn't be any pictures of them left. After Anne’s and Katherine’s executions, all portraits of them were removed or destroyed. There are no surviving portraits of Anne Boleyn from when she was alive;  the picture we normally associate with her was made during the reign of her daughter (though it may be a copy of a lost original portrait). There is no conclusive evidence that any of the portraits meant to depict Katherine Howard are actually her.

The woodcut referenced. I just like it.

 Anne of Cleves was referred to as “The King’s Beloved Sister” after the annulment. This granted her a status at court just below the king’s children.

Catherine Parr’s previous marriages were to Sir Edward Burgh (pronounced and sometimes spelled as Borough), and to John Neville, the third Baron Latimer. She does not introduce herself as Lady Seymour/Sudeley for reasons.

Katherine Howard and Anne of Cleves were reported to have danced with one another during 1541’s New Years’ celebrations, after a politeness duel where each was overly gracious to the other. They both won.

Lamentation of a Sinner’s original title page reads Lamentacion of a synner, made by the moſte vertuous Lady quene Caterine, bewailyng the ignoraunce of her blynd life: ſet fourth + put in print at the inſtant deſire of the right gracious lady Caterine ducheſſe of Suffolke, and the erneſt requeſt of the right honourable Lord William Parre, Marqueſſe of Northhampton. With that capitalisation. Not sure how to feel about the fact we got rid of the long ‘s’ (ſ).

Leading on from the above, how do you spell any of the Catherines’ names? Who knows? Catherine of Aragon (christened Catalina) was known to spell her own English name as Katherine, Katherina, Katharine and Katharina, and her first husband and daughter spelt it Katerine and Kateryn respectively.

Chapter 2

The only thing of note to interpret is Catherine’s weird dream.

A council of lords surrounds a young boy in a crown. She knows this boy. He dips his fingers in ink, runs them over parchment. A robed man – her brother-in-law, Edward – takes it, and weeps. Edward VI signs Thomas Seymour’s execution warrant.

She sees her husband, Thomas, Elizabeth close by. Watches as the order whips in the wind, flies straight and true through her once-beloved’s neck. The execution of Thomas Seymour.

Her ward, Jane Grey, pats the ground in front of her, blindfolded and lost. Mary, her stepdaughter, grey and stern, looms above, clutching a crucifix to the point of drawing blood, dripping down on Jane. Behind them, England burns on a pyre. The execution of Lady Jane Grey, and the reign of Mary I. More on the latter at another time.

Elizabeth, resplendent in pearls and gems, but so much older. Looking forward. The reign of Elizabeth I.

A rose withers and dies, its remains left in an old, dusty tome. She blinks, and all are gone. Nothing more than blood and ash. End of the Tudor dynasty.

But she is iron, and feels nothing./But she is marble, and feels nothing/But she is a memory, and feels nothing. All references to Catherine Parr’s memorial, which was commissioned at some point during the 1850s (the marble effigy was unfinished in 1859).

Chapter 3

Jane’s cough is a reference to both Edward VI’s death of suspected tuberculosis, and a possible cause of death for herself; a pulmonary embolism.

“He’s… at school. Christ’s Hospital School! In Sussex!” He isn’t. Edward VI is buried in Westminster Abbey, along with his grandparents and half-sisters. If the truth was told, and Edward spent his time in the place where all the kings are buried, the worst would be assumed. Christ’s Hospital was founded by Edward, and the school left a stone to mark his grave in 1966. He does spend all his days in the chapel, though.

Dr. Gray and Dr. Carter, whoever they may be… They wrote Gray’s Anatomy – the book. A slightly damaged first edition went for $4800, which ties into chapter 4.

Lamentation of a Sinner was written in the autumn of 1546 at the latest, then published in 1547.

Thomas Seymour attempted to kidnap his nephew in a laughably incompetent coup, where the only casualty was one of King Edward’s dogs (it barked, so Thomas shot it). Thomas was convicted of treason and executed.

[thetudorslovers]

† On this day in history queen Catherine Parr died shortly after giving birth to her daughter †

"Catherine was a daughter of Sir Thomas Parr of Kendall, an official of the royal household. She had been widowed twice—in marriages to Edward Borough (b. c. 1508–d. c. 1533) and to John Neville, Lord Latimer (b. 1493–d. 1542/43)—by the time she married Henry on July 12, 1543. Her tactfulness enabled her to exert a beneficial influence on the king during the last years of his reign. She developed close friendships with the three children Henry had by previous marriages and devoted herself to their education. A humanist, she was friendly with Protestant reformers. Timely access to the king saved her from conservatives, especially Stephen Gardiner, who were bent on her destruction in 1546.

After Henry’s death in January 1547 Catherine married a former suitor, Thomas, Lord Seymour of Sudeley, who was admiral of England from 1547 to 1549, but she died shortly after giving birth to a daughter. A learned and deeply religious woman, she wrote A Lamentacion or Complaynt of a Sinner in the last year of her life."

[Source: Britannica.com ]

[early20thcenturynerd]

Queen Victoria’s Diary, Two Versions: 8th February 1840. The first photo shows Princess Beatrice’s copy of the diary, while the second shows Lord Esher's typescript.

“She [Queen Victoria] instructed Princess Beatrice to re-write the Journal, after her death, omitting or modifying passages which she considered unsuitable for preservation [...] The original volumes [in Victoria’s own handwriting], once copied, were destroyed, also on the Queen's instructions [...] There are 13 red and gold volumes of the typed transcript of the original Journals which was made for Lord Esher, the first Keeper of the Royal Archives, covering the period from 1832 to February 1840 when Queen Victoria married Prince Albert. (The transcript actually goes up to 16 February, six days after the wedding, as this was the day on which the original volume which included the wedding ended.) This transcript was made without the knowledge of Princess Beatrice.”

- Royal Collection Trust

Princess Beatrice’s Version:

“After my breakfast, signed, wrote letters, & my Journal. - Ld Melbourne came to me after 1. Talked of the Lord Chancellor’s coming to Albert, & of the latter's Commission; of the Trainbearers, & where they were to go, - of other arrangements, &c. - Saw Ct Sebastiani, who was introduced by Ld Palmerston, then saw Mme Sebastiani. Saw Ld Uxbridge, & had a little rest, waiting upstairs, & then went downstairs. At ½ p. 4 the carriage & Escort appeared driving through the centre gate, & up to the door, at which I stood. 

First, stepped out Ernest, then Uncle Ernest & lastly my dearest precious Albert, looking beautiful, & so well. I embraced him & took him by the hand, leading him up to my room, Mama, Uncle Ernest & Ernest, following. Seeing dear Albert's face again put me at rest about everything. After a little while Mama & Uncle must down, Ernest & Albert remaining, with me, the latter soon going to the Ld Chancellor. - I rested, & Albert returned to me at 6, remaining some time. — Besides dearest Albert, Uncle & Ernest, Ld Melbourne, the Dss of Sutherland, Ld Byron, Ld Torrington, (being in waiting) Ld Uxbridge Ld Erroll, Ld Albemarle, Mr Byng, Col: Grey, Stockmar, Kolowrath, Alvensleben, Baron von Löwenfels, Herr von Gruben, Pölnitz, & Mr Seymour, dined. Dearest Albert, wearing his ribbon of the Garter, led me in, & I sat between him & Uncle Ernest. I felt so happy at having him near me again. 

I drank wine with Ld Melbourne when Albert's health was given out: His Royal Highness Pce Albert. After dinner Albert & Ernest shook hands with Ld Melbourne. In talking to me afterwards he said he thought Albert looked very well, & that he considered it such a good thing that Albert had attended Service in Canterbury Cathedral. I sat on the sofa with him, Ld Melbourne sitting near us. He admired the diamond Garter Albert was wearing, saying it was ‘very handsome’, & I told him it was my gift. I had also before dinner, given a diamond star & badge, I had worn.”

Lord Esher’s Version:

“Got up at ½ p.9 and breakfasted at 10. Wrote to Lord Melbourne and the Duke of Cambridge. Saw dear Eos, who arrived with dearest Albert's valet last night. Signed. Wrote my journal. Played and sung. At 10 m. p.1 Lord Melbourne came to me and stayed with me till 10 m. to 2. He was very well; I returned him a letter from the Duke of Sussex he had sent me. Talked of a note from Anson about Gardner he had sent me; ‘I've seen Lord Carrington,’ he said, ‘he's very reasonable on both sides’, and had told him it would be ruin to Gardner to resign now, though he saw the necessity of the case; that what I had heard was only alleged (which is true), and one can't know if he never said to Lady G. that he disapproved of her conduct. 

This is all true; Lord Carrington will try and stop his attending the Wedding, and that he mustn't take his Waiting at present; talked of the Chancellor's coming to Albert; of A.’s commission; Eos &c.; of the Train-bearers and where they were to go to; Lord M. had been to Lady Stanhope's for half an hour last night, which I scolded him for; she rather hinted at being in the Chapel; talked of Drawing-rooms; Parties &c.; of the Duke of Sussex; and of inviting Lord Sudeley and Lord and Lady Lurgan to the Chapel; of seeing the Sebastianis; of letting Lord M. know when M. know when A. arrived. - Saw Count Sebastiani, who was introduced by Lord Palmerston. I then saw Mme. Sebastiani. Wrote my journal. Saw Lord Uxbridge. Lay down. Remained waiting upstairs,- then downstairs. 

At ½ p.4 the Carriage and Escort appeared, drove through the centre Gate, and up to the door; I stood at the very door; 1st stepped out Ernest, then Uncle Ernest, and then (my dearest precious) Angel, looking beautiful and so well; I embraced him, and took him by the hand and led him up to my room; Ma., Uncle Ernest, and Ernest following. I embraced him now again, and he looked so dear and so well; seeing his dear dear face again put me at rest about everything. I gave him a fine new Ivory and Enamel stick; they remained a little while, and then Uncle and Ma. went down and then Ernest and dearest Albert stayed; then he went down to see the Chancellor. Wrote to Lord M. Lay down. 

My beloved Albert came to me at 6 and stayed with me till 5 m. to 7. So dear and kind; but he still felt giddy from the seasickness. Wrote my journal. At 10 m. to 8 we dined. Besides dearest Albert, Uncle, and Ernest,- Lord Melbourne, the Duchess of Sutherland, Lord Byron (Lord Torrington being in waiting), Lord Uxbridge, Lord Erroll, Lord Albemarle, Mr.Byng, Col: Grey, Stockmar, Kolowrath, Alvensleben, Baron de Lowenfels, M. de Grüben, and M. de Pölnitz, and Mr.Seymour, dined here. These six last stay in the house. Dearest Albert with his ribbon and Garter on, led me in, and I sat between him (to my left) and Uncle Ernest. Lord Melbourne sat next Lady Sandwich who sat near Albert. Dearest Albert, I felt so happy to have him near me again. 

I drank wine with Lord M.; when dearest Albert's health was given: His Royal Highness Prince Albert - Lord M. was much affected. The gentlemen got up with the ladies. After dinner Albert and Ernest shook hands with Lord Melbourne. ‘I think they look very well,’ Lord M. said, when he came up to me, ‘I think he (A.) looks very well.’ Talked of their passage; Lord M. said it was such a very good thing that Albert attended service in the Cathedral at Canterbury. I sat on the sofa with my beloved Albert, Lord Melbourne sitting near me. Talked of the gentlemen who Uncle had with him. Lord M. admired the diamond Garter which Albert had on, and said: ‘Very handsome’. I told him it was my gift; I also gave him (all before dinner) a diamond star, I had worn, and badge. 

I said to Lord M. I feared this cold would end in a cough; ‘God! you should keep very quiet tomorrow,’ Lord M. said anxiously and earnestly; I said I had been lying down; ‘You should as much as you can,’ he said. Talked of young Seymour being like his family. Lord M. made us laugh excessively about his new Coat, which he said laughing: ‘I expect it to be the thing most observed.’ Talked of Uncle Leopold; his walking so much, &c. I pressed Lord M. not to go to the party of his sister,&c. Stayed up till 10 m. p.11. I kissed my precious Albert.”

[tudorqueen6]

7 September 1548: THE FUNERAL of the Dowager Queen

Evesham Journal 7 September 1548: THE FUNERAL of the Dowager Queen Katherine Parr. It was the first Protestant funeral held in English. Her chief mourner was Lady Jane Grey. She was buried in St Mary’s Chapel on the grounds of Sudeley Castle, Gloucestershire, England. ‘A Breviate of the Internment of the lady Katherine Parr, Queen Dowager, late wife to King Henry VIII, and after, wife to Sir…

[kingedwardvi]

“I would not have you to think that this mine honest goodwill towards you to proceed of any sudden motion or passion.” For her mind “had been fully bent the other time I was at liberty to marry you before any man I know.”

—Katheryn Parr, Dowager Queen of England, in a letter to Thomas Seymour, Lord Admiral of England and Baron Sudeley.

This excerpt is found in “Edward VI: The Lost King of England”.

[terrifictudor]

The family of Jane Seymour

Sir John Seymour of Wolf Hall in Wiltshire was an English solider and courtier who served Henry VII and Henry VIII until his death in 1536. Not much else is know about him, other than the fact that he was knighted in June of 1497, for his bravery and services, fighting against the Cornish rebels at blackheath.

John Seymour married Margery Wentworth in October of 1478. The couple would go on to have ten children together.

Funnily enough, it is through Margery Wentworth that Jane Seymour is related to Anne Boleyn and Katherine Howard. Anne Say [janes grandmother] married Sir Henry Wentworth and produced six children, including Margaret Wentworth, mother of Queen Jane Seymour. While Anne says half-sister, Elizabeth Tylney, married Thomas Howard, Earl of Surrey. This marriage produced nine children, including Edmund Howard, father of Queen Catherine Howard, and Elizabeth Howard, mother of Queen Anne Boleyn.

Jane Seymour was the eldest daughter of Sir John Seymour of Wolf Hall in Wiltshire and Margery Wentworth. Jane seymours birthdate is unknown. Most historians believe her to be born around 1504 - 1509. Jane was one of four children, the most notable ones being her brothers, Thomas Seymour, 1st Baron Seymour of Sudeley and Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset.

The seymours came from ancient and respectable linage, being traceable to Norman origins. Through janes mother, Margery Wentworth, Jane and her siblings were descendants of Edward III and his son, Lionel, 1st Duke of Clarence. This made Jane and Henry VIII fifth cousins.

Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset, breifly ruled England as lord protecter of janes son Edward VI, but was beheaded on the 22 of January 1552.

Edwards brother, Thomas Seymour, suffered a similar fate of decapitation. The reason for Thomas’ beheading is rather unsettling, Thomas Seymour was arrested at Hampton court place, 16th of January 1549, for he attempted to kidnap his nephew, Edward VI. Thomas’ plan was set for failure. As Thomas entered the kings chambers, the kings spaniel awoke and found an intruder, Thomas went to kill the dog, for fear of being bitten. When the king woke, the guards were already there, arresting Thomas and sending him off to the Tower of London.

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click here for more tudor history

[maximumphilosopheranchor]

“The death of Henry VIII was apparently the signal for Allen to return to England, though he never returned to his college. He had already been commissioned by Queen Katherine Parr as one of the team of godly divines to translate Erasmus’s Paraphrases, and ultimately he contributed the last section of this work with his translation of Leo Juda’s paraphrase of Revelation, produced in 1549. On his return he was brought to the attention of Princess Elizabeth, to whom he became chaplain quite early in Edward VI’s reign. He was one of the group of preachers licensed to preach throughout the realm in 1547-8, and in February 1548 he acquired the benefice of Welford in Berkshire from Thomas Seymour, Lord Sudeley. Elizabeth had asked Seymour for this favour, a request that caused her problems at the time of his arrest the following year. Allen’s importance in this period lay first in his proximity to the princess: he was active in her household for much of the reign, and his influence on her was recognized by Martin Bucer, who in 1549 asked him to persuade her to take a young German reformer into her establishment. Second he played a significant part in promoting protestant catechizing by publishing in 1548 A cathecisme, that is to saie, a familiar introduction and trainyng of the simple in the commaundements of God, which was augmented and reprinted in 1551. He also published A Shorte Cathecisme in 1550, a volume that went through two printings in its first year. (..)

His eucharistic doctrine conforms better to the circumstances of 1548-9 than of 1551: the rite is memorialist, but faithful men are inwardly partakers of Christ’s body and blood; real presence, in the spiritual sense of that term, is upheld. This view is intriguingly close to that which Elizabeth seems to have espoused in her adulthood, and it has been suggested that Allen’s instruction was a key element in fixing her ideological views at an impressionable age. (..)

Nothing is known about his second exile, but on Mary’s death he must have returned very promptly to England, because he was sent abroad on embassy in June 1559. Elizabeth had remained loyal to her household chaplain and by the time of his embassy he had already been offered the bishopric of Rochester.”

Heal, Felicity. "Allen, Edmund (1510s–1559), protestant reformer." Oxford Dictionary of National Biography.

[ahappychinchilla]

Primary Sources: Mostly come from Seymour's arrest. While that has implicit bias, that bias is against Seymour and not the late Queen who, as sad as it sounds, was old news politically. Meaning there was absolutely nothing to gain from trying to dirty her image. It is also more than possible to use context and see when the same details pop up in separate accounts. The two key sources are:

Deposition of Katherine Ashley, taken in 1549

Deposition of Sir Thomas Parry, also taken in 1549

Sir Robert Tyrwhitt's interrogations and subsequent letters to the council also back up Parr's involvement.

You can find all of these in the Hayne's Collection of State Papers.

There are other less important sources who report on hearing gossip etc which is historically relevant since it seemed to be independently cropping up. but the three above are more than enough to provide evidence against Parr.

Secondary Sources: If think I'm misrepresenting the source material and you want to read historians take on it.

Susan Bassnett's Elizabeth I, 1988

Caroline Levin's Heart and Stomach of a King, 2013

Antonia Fraiser's The Wives of Henry VIII, 1994

Diane Dunkley's thesis Thomas, Lord Seymour of Sudeley: Power and Treason in the Tudor Court

David Starkey's book on Elizabeth's rise also talks about Parr's involvement but Starkey is a gross person so like. Don't buy the book.

elizabeth i loved katherine parr. there can be no doubt that a girl who conveyed that she was ‘not only bound to serve but also revere you [katherine parr] with daughterly love’ loved her step-mother. and, for all we know, katherine loved elizabeth just the same –– with elizabeth also writing ‘I know that I have your love’ & ‘if your grace had not a good opinion of me you would not have offered friendship’. the accusation that katherine was responsible or at all complicit in a crime we have only fragmentary information on, perpetuated by a man to whom all katherine’s rights and properties were consigned to as her husband, is gross and misleading. it is very clear elizabeth regarded katherine as a quasi-mother and for katherine herself, her step-children were held in very dear regard. stop villanising katherine parr. 

[tudorsweekly]

Between Two Brothers: Edward and Thomas Seymour

Between Two Brothers: Edward and Thomas Seymour

Unless you are an only child you are familiar with the love that siblings bear one another. The events of life, along with the meddling of others caused a rift between these two men and ultimately cost both of them their lives. The Seymour brothers, Edward and Thomas. Before we get started I’d like to thank all of those who have made donations – because of people like you I wouldn’t be able to…