On this day in Tudor history, 13th December 1558, civil lawyer and dean of Chester William Clyffe died.
Clyffe was one of the authors of the 1537 “Bishops’ Book”, and he was consulted by convocation during Henry VIII’s Great Matter. He was thrown into prison for a time for refusing to do a favour for one of the king’s servants – oh dear!
Find out more about William Clyffe’s life and career in today’s “on this day” talk.
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How much do you know about the food that was traditional in Tudor times and food that is eaten at Christmas time in the UL today?
Test yourself with this fun quiz. Good luck!
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I do hope you’ve had a wonderful week! We’re halfway through the Tudor Society Advent Calendar now and I do hope you’re enjoying it.
Find out who’s hiding in Coughton Court today waiting to introduce him/herself at the Tudor Society Advent Calendar.
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On this day in Tudor history, 12th December 1595, Protestant Welsh soldier and author, Sir Roger Williams, died from a fever with his patron, Robert Devereux, Earl of Essex, at his side. He was buried at St Paul’s Cathedral.
Williams served as a soldier in the Low Countries and France and was second in command of the cavalry under Essex at Tilbury Fort in 1588. He also wrote the 1590 “A Briefe Discourse of Warre”.
At one point he incurred Queen Elizabeth I’s wrath and had to go into hiding for a time.
Find out all about Sir Roger Williams’ life, career and works in today’s talk.
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Yay! It’s time for another Advent treat from our lovely Tudor Society Advent Calendar!
Find out who’s hiding in Coughton Court today waiting to introduce him/herself…
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On this day in Tudor history, 11th December 1539, Anne of Cleves and her retinue were received at Gravelines, just a few miles outside of Calais, by Lord Lisle, Deputy of Calais.
Anne of Cleves was on her way to England to marry King Henry VIII, but her journey had been rather slow and she was about to be delayed even more.
The reception was rather lavish, with everyone dressed up to the nines. Enjoy a contemporary description from a Tudor chronicler in today’s talk.
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This Friday, Claire shares some beautiful 16th century music. It’s so lovely to have on in the background when you’re working, cooking or relaxing.
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Apologies if you encountered problems using the Tudor Society website yesterday. Some software automatically updated and causes a few knock-on effects which good old Techie Tim had to sort out – bless him! Thank you for your patience.
Good news, though, it’s time for another Tudor Society Advent Calendar treat! Yay!
Find out who’s hiding in Coughton Court today waiting to introduce him/herself at the Tudor Society Advent Calendar
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On this day in Tudor history, 10th December 1591, Roman Catholic priest Edmund Gennings and Catholic were executed on a scaffold set up outside Wells’ house at Holborn.
Gennings had been caught celebrating mass at Wells’ home by the famous Elizabethan priestfinder and torturer, Richard Topcliffe, who punished him by throwing him into the Little Ease.
Find out more about St Edmund Gennings and St Swithin Wells, and their sad ends, in today’s talk.
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On this day in Tudor history, 9th December 1541, sixty-four-year-old Agnes Tilney, the Dowager Duchess of Norfolk and step-grandmother of Queen Catherine Howard, who was being detained at the Lord Chancellor’s home, was questioned regarding the location of her money and jewels.
Why? What was all this about?
Find out about this, why the dowager duchess ended up in the Tower, and what happened when she was indicted for misprision of treason, in today’s talk.
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Happy Tuesday! It’s time for another Advent Calendar Treat!
Find out who’s hiding in Coughton Court today waiting to introduce him/herself at the Tudor Society Advent Calendar.
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On this day in Tudor history, 8th December 1538, courtier and Master of the Horse to Queens Anne Boleyn and Jane Seymour, Sir William Coffin, died at Standon in Hertfordshire.
It is thought that he died of the plague because his wife Margaret wrote to Thomas Cromwell saying that Coffin had “died of the great sickness, full of God’s marks all over his body”.
Who was Sir William Coffin and what did the Master of the Horse do?
Find out in today’s talk.
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It’s time for another Advent Calendar treat!
Who’s hiding in Coughton Court today waiting to introduce him/herself?
Find out…
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On this day in Tudor history, 7th December 1549, rebel leader Robert Kett was hanged from the walls of Norwich Castle after being found guilty of treason. His brother William was hanged the same day, but from the steeple of Wymondham Church.
In 1549, Kett was seen as a rebel and traitor who endangered the city of Norwich, but today Norwich pays tribute to him as “a notable and courageous leader in the long struggle of the common people of England to escape from a servile life into the freedom of just conditions”. Find out all about Robert Kett and Kett’s Rebellion in today’s talk.
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It’s time for another Advent Calendar treat!
Who’s hiding in Coughton Court today waiting to introduce him/herself?
Find out by clicking on the picture below.
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On this day in Tudor history, 6th December 1573, soldier and administrator, Sir Hugh Paulet, died at his home in Hinton St George in Somerset.
He distinguished himself as a soldier in Henry VIII’s reign, served as Governor of Jersey in Edward VI’s reign, was a Protestant but survived Mary I’s reign and served as Vice-President of the Welsh marches, and had a successful career in Elizabeth I’s reign. He was an important man and a servant of the Crown, but still managed to die a natural death at his home.
Find out more about Sir Hugh Paulet, his life and career, in today’s talk.
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In medieval times, December was not just about Advent and the feast days associated with the Twelve Days of Christmas, there were also other feast days.
How much do you know about these other December feast days?
Get those little grey cells working and test yourself with today’s fun puzzle, a crossword puzzle. The answers are all on the Tudor Society website or in our Tudor Feast Days ebook!
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It’s time for another Tudor Society Advent Calendar treat – yay!
All you have to do is click on the picture below to open today’s treat and find out who’s hiding in Coughton Court today. I’m sure the person will introduce themselves.
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On this day in Tudor history, 5th December 1560, King Francis II of France, died at the age of just 15. Francis was King Consort of Scotland, as the husband of Mary, Queen of Scots, and his father had also proclaimed him and Mary as King and Queen of England back in 1558!
He was taken ill in mid-November with what appears to have been an ear infection, and it led to him dying on this day in history. His death led to Mary, Queen of Scots, returning to her homeland of Scotland, a country she hadn’t seen for 13 years.
Find out more about Francis II of France, his marriage to Mary, Queen of Scots, his death and what happened next, in today’s talk.
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Happy Friday! It’s nearly the weekend! And that’s not the only good news. I have more Tudor treats for you – and that’s on top of our weekly Friday video, which is from the lovely Catherine Brooks this week – I have some Advent Calendar treats for you too!
All you have to do is click on the picture below to open today’s Tudor Society Advent Calendar treat and find out who’s hiding in Coughton Court today.
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On this day in Tudor history, 4th December 1514, merchant tailor and leading member of the Lollard community in London, Richard Hunne died while imprisoned in the Lollard’s Tower at St Paul’s.
Hunne, who had been arrested for heresy in October 1514, was discovered hanging from the ceiling of his cell. The Bishop of London and his chancellor claimed that Hunne had used his own silk girdle to commit suicide, but a coroner’s inquest ruled that the hanging was faked and that Hunne was murdered.
But why was Richard Hunne murdered? And why had this merchant tailor been arrested in the first place? Was it just for heresy, or was there more to it?
Find out all about Hunne, his arrest, the charges against him, his death and what happened next, in today’s talk.
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In this week’s Friday video, Tudor Society membership secretary, Catherine Brooks shares some gift ideas and some ways to support historians, craftspeople, and historical locations.
Over to Catherine!
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I do hope you enjoyed 1 and 2 December’s Advent treats. The third treat is ready for you to enjoy right now!
Who is hiding in the very Christmassy Coughton Court today? Find out!
All you have to do is ….
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On this day in Tudor history, 3rd December 1600, sixty-nine-year-old peer and politician Roger North, 2nd Baron North, died at his London home.
North was a good friend of Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester, accompanying him on trips, witnessing his secret marriage and serving with him in the Netherlands. It was even said that he’d converted Leicester to Puritanism! North also served Elizabeth I as Privy Councillor and Treasurer of the Household and was close to the queen.
Find out more about Leicester’s good friend Roger North, his life and career, in today’s talk.
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Just a reminder to enjoy today’s treat on the Tudor Society Advent Calendar!
Who is hiding in the very Christmassy Coughton Court today?
Find out…
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On this day in Tudor history, 2nd December 1586, following a joint petition from the Houses of Lords and Commons, Elizabeth I finally agreed to a public proclamation of sentence against Mary, Queen of Scots: death.
Mary had been found guilty of high treason back in October 1586, but Elizabeth had not wanted to contemplate regicide. However, Parliament believed that if Mary, Queen of Scots, was not executed, that she’d continue to plot against Elizabeth and would utterly “ruinate and overthrow the happy State and Common Weal of this most Noble Realm”. She was too much of a danger and needed dealing with once and for all.
Find out what Parliament said and what happened next in today’s talk.
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This month’s expert is Julian Humphrys and you’ll learn all about the Battle of Stoke Field, the last battle of the Wars of the Roses. How did it relate to Henry Tudor and Lambert Simnel? Find out in this month’s talk.
[Read More...]Yay! It’s time to start the Advent Calendar!
The very best kind of Advent Calendar is the sort that gives you Tudor history-themed daily treats, don’t you think? So much better than chocolate! And that’s exactly what we have here on the Tudor Society, a daily Tudor treat for you!
Hiding behind the windows of our beautiful wintery rendition of Coughton Court, are some Tudor personalities ready to introduce themselves to you. It’s all a bit of fun, and we do hope you enjoy these daily treats.
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On this day in Tudor history, 1st December 1581, twenty-five-year-old Roman Catholic priest Alexander Briant was hanged, drawn and quartered at Tyburn, along with Ralph Sherwin and Edmund Campion.
Briant had been imprisoned, starved, racked and tortured in other awful ways, but he claimed that he felt no pain due to God’s help. He refused to give his interrogators the information he wanted, and he was tried for treason and suffered a full traitor’s death.
In today’s talk, I share Alexander Briant’s story, what led to his arrest, his account of what happened when he was tortured and his fellow prisoner’s account of what was done to him.
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On this day in Tudor history, 30th November 1601, sixty-eight-year-old Queen Elizabeth I delivered her famous Golden Speech to the House of Commons.
In this final speech to Parliament, Elizabeth spoke of her position as Queen and her love and respect for her realm, her people, and for her members of Parliament. It was a speech that brought many of those listening to tears. It was obviously a very heartfelt speech by a queen who truly loved her people.
In today’s talk, I share Elizabeth I’s Golden Speech, along with some beautiful portraits of the queen.
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