Today, in the Western Christian Church, is Good Friday, which, of course, commemorates the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. I’m going to mark the dat by sharing how the day was commemorated in Tudor times.
But first, here is the account of Christ’s crucifixion from John’s Gospel. I’ve chosen the 16th century Tyndale Bible:
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This week’s Friday video is hosted by Brigitte Webster and is all about the wonderful feasting and food of Easter. After a period of abstinence during Lent, what did the Tudors actually enjoy eating?
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Maundy Thursday commemorates the Last Supper, that final meal that Jesus Christ had with his disciples before his arrest.
In Tudor times, on Maundy Thursday, the church was prepared for Easter with water and wine being used to wash the altars and it was traditional for people to go to confession. The three holy oils – the chrism oil, the oil of catechumens and the oil of the sick – were also blessed on this day.
In this second part of This Week in Tudor history, which covers 1st to 4th April, historian and author Claire Ridgway talks about Thomas Churchyard, a poet and soldier who kept being imprisoned; Sir Ambrose Cave, a man who joined the Order of St John as early as he possibly could, but survived its dissolution and ended his days serving Elizabeth I; before moving on to the death of Elizabeth Boleyn, Countess of Wiltshire, mother of Queen Anne Boleyn and grandmother of Queen Elizabeth I, and finishing with the knighting of explorer Francis Drake.
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Our April expert speaker is historian Nicola Tallis, author of Crown of Blood and Elizabeth’s Rival. Her latest book, Uncrowned Queen, is on Lady Margaret Beaufort, the matriarch of the Tudor dynasty, and Margaret is the subject of Nicola’s talk for us.
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What an informative chat we had with Phil Downing. The subject of priest holes, or hides, is such an alien one for us living today, yet for a period of time, they were literally a matter of life and death for some people.
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In this first part of This Week in Tudor History for week beginning 29th March, I talk about William Wager, a playwright and clergyman who picked wonderful titles for his works; the interesting life and career of Sir Ralph Sadler, who started out working for Thomas Cromwell and who went on to serve Henry VIII, Edward VI, Queen Jane (Lady Jane Grey) and Elizabeth I – oh, and I will tell you about his bigamous marriage! Then, finally, I will leave you with the dying King Henry VIII making his last will and testament.
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Today, Palm Sunday, is the first day of Holy Week, a day which commemorates the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem on the back of a donkey, as told in the Gospels:
“On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem, took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, ‘Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.’ And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written, ‘Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass’s colt’.”
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As we’re very nearly at the end of March, I though I’d test your knowledge of Tudor people who were either born or died in March. These are all people who have been mentioned in posts and videos on the Tudor Society website, but how much can you remember about them?
Test yourself with this fun puzzle.
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This month we’re looking into the sin of greed and it has led to this fascinating magazine.
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In this week’s Friday video, I wanted to consider the question “what did Tudor people sound like?” and to share some resources on this topic with you. I’d love to travel back in time to hear them speak!
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I know many of you enjoy historical fiction, so I just wanted to alert you to the fact that there are some special offers on the kindle versions of the Seb Foxley medieval mystery series from today until 29th March 2021. The series is written by our very own Toni Mount, who contributes to Tudor Life Magazine every month.
To celebrate the release of her latest Seb Foxley book, The Colour of Evil, Toni’s first novel The Colour of Poison is free on kindle, and the others in the series are 99c/99p kindle countdown deals. You don’t even need a kindle because you can download the kindle app for your PC, tablet or mobile device.
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In part two of this week in Tudor history, I talk about Walter Raleigh (Ralegh) being given permission to colonise foreign lands in 1584; a disagreement over the wearing of vestments in 1566 which led to a pamphlet war, protests and ministers losing their parishes; a Tudor earl who saved the day for Henry VIII during the 1536 Pilgrimage of Grace rebellion, and the burnings of three Protestant martyrs in Essex in 1555.
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Margaret Ward was born in Congleton, Cheshire, in around 1550; however, this is an estimated guess as we know very little information regarding her early life.
What we do know is that Margaret was living in London, working in the service of a lady, when she found out about the suffering of Richard Watson, a Catholic priest who was imprisoned at Bridewell Prison. She eventually obtained permission to visit him, and over the course of her visits, the guards became less cautious. This lack of caution enabled Margaret to formulate an escape plan for Watson. Margaret’s plan involved commissioning a boatman to take him to safety after he had escaped using some rope that she would provide.
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In this first part of This Week in Tudor History, I talk about Henry Howard, Earl of Surrey’s loss of royal favour after the English defeat in France, but his children’s joy at the news of him returning home; ambassador Sir Henry Unton (or Umpton) who was killed in France by the “purple fever”, and Sir James Dyer, a Chief Justice who has gone down in history as the first law reporter.
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A big thank you to historian and historical novelist Toni Mount for joining us here on the Tudor Society today on her blog/book tour for her latest novel, The Colour of Evil.
An interview with Seb Foxley, artist, scrivener and amateur sleuth of Paternoster Row in the City of London; hero of The Colour of … series of medieval murder mysteries.
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During Lent, the time leading up to Easter, animal products such as meat, eggs, butter and cheese, were forbidden, so more fish was eaten, just as it was eaten on Fridays and other religious days.
But what kinds of fish were enjoyed in medieval and Tudor times, and how did those clever Tudors get round some of the rules and enjoy some meat?
Here’s a word search puzzle to test your knowledge of medieval and Tudor “fish”.
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Enjoy this week’s Friday video hosted by Brigitte Webster which is all about Tudor food during the period of Lent.
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In this second part of This Week in Tudor History, historian Claire Ridgway introduces Sir Christopher Blount, a secret agent and rebel who married his master’s widow and whose stepson, the Earl of Essex was his undoing; Edmund Harman, the man who trimmed and washed King Henry VIII’s hair and beard, and who was rewarded for it; Mary Bassett, Sir Thomas More’s granddaughter, who was a highly educated Tudor woman and gifted translator; and Sir John Leveson (pronounced Looson), a Puritan and soldier whose later life was marred by a falling out over money.
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Thank you to Emilie and Nathaniel the dog for asking these excellent questions on Wolf Hall, and the relationship of Cardinal Thomas Wolsey and his servant, Thomas Cromwell.
Were the two men as close as they were shown in Wolf Hall?
How did Cromwell feel about Wolsey’s fall?
I answer these questions and also explain the history behind a scene in Hilary Mantel’s second novel in the series, Bring Up the Bodies, in which Cromwell vows revenge on those involved in Wolsey’s fall and in mocking him.
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Benedictine monk Edward (religious name: Ambrose) Barlow was born at Barlow Hall in Manchester in 1585, the fourth son of Sir Alexander Barlow and his wife, Mary.
The Barlow family had converted to Protestantism, but this conversion had been somewhat reluctant. Ambrose’s grandfather had died in 1584 while imprisoned for his Catholic leanings, and his father had a large portion of his estate confiscated as a result of his initial refusal to conform to the new religion. On 30th November 1585, Ambrose was baptised, and following this, he adhered to the Anglican faith until 1607, after which he converted to Roman Catholicism.
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In this interview journalism students, Merel and Emma, ask historian Claire Ridgway about the Tudor Society, including questions such as: “why did you (Claire) start the Tudor Society?”, “Do you (Claire) have any dreams for the Tudor Society?” and a quickfire round in which you can find out who Claire’s favourite Tudor Monarch is and with which Tudor she would have a cup of tea!
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Those of you who are in the UK or planning on visiting the UK this summer (fingers crossed!) many be interested in knowing that I will be speaking with my dear friend, Hever Castle Supervisor Dr Owen Emmerson, at Hever Castle on Sunday 1st August 2021.
The talk is on our very favourite subject, the Boleyns, and it will take place at the Two Sisters Theatre in the grounds of Hever Castle at 8pm.
Anne Boleyn’s parents weren’t the only Boleyns linked to the castle, it was connected to the Boleyn family for 77 years before it was taken by the Crown, and we’ll tell you all about its Boleyn owners.
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In this first part of This Week in Tudor History for the week beginning 15th March, I look at the life and career of a bishop who started out as a monk but whose conversion to the reformed faith saw him dying an awful death in the reign of Queen Mary I, before moving on to the death of a soldier, translator and diplomat in Henry VIII’s reign, and the death of a Tudor earl and brother-in-law of a queen who was once known as Black Will Herbert.
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