Biography of Bishop Thomas Ruthall 1472-1523

1514 Marriage of Mary Tudor and Louis XII of France

1520 Field of the Cloth of Gold

Before 1472 Bishop Thomas Ruthall was born at Cirencester, Gloucestershire [Map]. The date being based on his being ordained Deacon at age eighteen or over.

On 10 Apr 1490 Bishop Thomas Ruthall (age 18)

In 1495 Bishop Thomas Ruthall (age 23) was appointed Rector of Bocking, Essex [Map].

In Jun 1499 Bishop Thomas Ruthall (age 27) is described as Prothonary and went on an embassy to Louis XII King France (age 36) after which he became the King's Secretary.

In 1502 Bishop Thomas Ruthall (age 30) was appointed Prebendary of Wells Cathedral.

In 1503 Bishop Thomas Ruthall (age 31) was appointed Archdeacon of Gloucester Cathedral, Dean of Salisbury and Chancellor of Cambridge.

In 1505 Bishop Thomas Ruthall (age 33) was appointed Prebendary of Lincoln Cathedral.

In 1509 Bishop Thomas Ruthall (age 37) was appointed Bishop of Durham by King Henry VIII of England and Ireland (age 17).

Marriage of Mary Tudor and Louis XII of France

On 09 Oct 1514 Louis XII King France (age 52) and Mary Tudor Queen Consort France (age 18) were married at Abbeville, Somme. She by marriage Queen Consort France. Thomas Grey 2nd Marquess Dorset (age 37), Thomas West 8th Baron De La Warr 5th Baron West (age 57), Thomas Brooke 8th Baron Cobham (age 44) and his son George Brooke 9th Baron Cobham (age 17), Bishop Thomas Ruthall (age 42) and Margaret Wotton Marchioness Dorset (age 27) attended. The difference in their ages was 33 years. She the daughter of King Henry VII of England and Ireland and Elizabeth York Queen Consort England. He the son of Charles Valois Duke Orléans and Mary La Marck Duchess Orléans. They were second cousin twice removed.

In 1516 Bishop Thomas Ruthall (age 44) was appointed Lord Privy Seal.

Wriothesley's Chronicle 1510-1519. 29 Jul 1518. aThis yeare, on a Thursday, the 29th day of Julie, a legat (age 43)b came from the Pope, and was receaved into London at after-noone. And there receaved him at the Black Heath [Map] the Bishop of Dunham (age 46), Bishop of Ely, the Duke of Northfolke (age 45),c with divers other great lordes and knightes, and all the orders of friers, channons, moncks of Stratforde and Tower Hill, with all parsons and priestes of all the parishe churches in London, stoode all in coopes with crosses, candlestickes, and sensors, from St. Georges barre in Southwark to Leaden Hall comer. And ever as the legatt passed by them they sensed him; and so was he receaved thorowe the Cittie; he havinge borne before him 2 pillers of sylver and guylt, and he himselfe ridinge in redd chamlett,d with his cardinalls hatt on his heade, and the Major and Aldermen, with all the crafts of the Cittie, standinge in Cheepe-syde in their best liveries. And when he came before the Major and Aldermen yonge Mr. More (age 40) made there to him a proposition for the Cittie,e and so he rode thorowe Paules Churche yeard. And when he came at the west dore of Powles the Bishop of London,f with all Powles quier, receaved him with procession in copes of cloth of golde, and a riche canopie of cloth of golde borne over his heade, and so brought him to the highe alter, where he saide his devotions and offered; and that done, he rode to the Bishopp of Bathes place at Temple barre, which was prepared for him, and so there remayned.

Note a. This is the first instance in which onr Chronicler gires a nrach fuller account of the proceedings than is to be found in Arnold's Chronicle, which ends in the jear following.

Note b. Cardinal Campeggio (age 43), called also Laurence Campeins.

Note c. Thomas Howard (age 45), Earl of Surrey, had the title of Duke of Norfolk restored to him for the great victory gained by him at Flodden, 1513, Sept 9.

Note d. Whilst delaying at Calais for the return of the papal bull Wolsey (age 45)s had snpplied him with red cloth to clothe his servants, who, at their first coming, were but meanly apparelled. Hall, ed. 1809, p. 692.

Note e. Sir Thomas More (age 40) made a brief oration to him in the name of the City. — Hall's Chronicle, cd. 1809, p. 693.

Note f. Richard Fitz-James.

Field of the Cloth of Gold

In Jun 1520 Henry VIII (age 28) hosted Field of the Cloth of Gold at Balinghem [Map].

Thomas Grey 2nd Marquess Dorset (age 42) carried the Sword of State.

Bishop John Stokesley (age 45) attended as Henry VIII's chaplain.

Edmund Braye 1st Baron Braye (age 36), Gruffydd ap Rhys ap Thomas Deheubarth (age 42), Anthony Poyntz (age 40), William Coffin (age 25), William "Great" Courtenay (age 43), Robert Radclyffe 1st Earl of Sussex (age 37), William Paston (age 41), William Denys (age 50), Richard Cecil (age 25), William Parr 1st Baron Parr of Horton (age 37), Ralph Neville 4th Earl of Westmoreland (age 22), John Mordaunt 1st Baron Mordaunt (age 40), Henry Guildford (age 31), Marmaduke Constable (age 40), William Compton (age 38), William Blount 4th Baron Mountjoy (age 42), Thomas Cheney (age 35), Henry Willoughby (age 69), John Rodney (age 59), John Marney 2nd Baron Marney (age 36), William Sidney (age 38), John de Vere 14th Earl of Oxford (age 20), John de Vere 15th Earl of Oxford (age 49), Edmund Walsingham (age 40), William Skeffington (age 55) and Thomas West 8th Baron De La Warr 5th Baron West (age 63) attended.

William Carey (age 20) jousted.

William Sandys 1st Baron Sandys Vyne (age 50) organised.

Jane Parker Viscountess Rochford (age 15) attended.

Thomas Brooke 8th Baron Cobham (age 50), Robert Willoughby 2nd Baron Willoughby 10th Baron Latimer (age 48), Anthony Wingfield (age 33), William Scott (age 61), Thomas Wriothesley (age 32), Bishop Thomas Ruthall (age 48), Margaret Dymoke (age 20) and Edward Chamberlayne (age 36) were present.

On 04 Feb 1523 Bishop Thomas Ruthall (age 51) died. He was buried in the Chapel of St John the Baptist, Westminster Abbey [Map].