Hall's Chronicle 1532
Hall's Chronicle 1532 is in Hall's Chronicle.
In the beginning of this, 24th year, the Lady Anne Boleyn (age 31) was so much in the Kings favour, that the common people which knew not the Kings true intent, said and thought that the absence of the Queen was only for her sake, which was not true: for the king was openly rebuked of Preachers for keeping company with his brother's wife, Saint Solemnity which was the occasion that he eschewed her company, till the truth were tried.
01 Sep 1535. The King being in progress this summer, was advertised that the Pope and the French King, had appointed to meet at Marseilles in Provence, in the beginning of the next spring, wherefore the King like a wise and politic prince, thought it convenient to speak with the French King in his own person, before the Pope and he should come together, and to declare to him both the determination, of the Universities and Doctors concerning his matrimony, and also the general counsels, which ordained such causes, to be tried in the provinces and countries, where the doubt should rise, trusting that the French King should cause the Pope to incline to God’s law, and to leave his own traditions and avoid dispensations, whereupon both the princes concluded, to meet in October following, between Calais and Boulogne. Wherefore the King of England sent out his letters, to his nobility, prelates, and servants, commanding them to be ready at Canterbury, the 26th day of September, to passe the Seas with him, for the accomplishing of the interview, between him and his brother the Frenche King. Many men were sorry to hear, that the King should pass the sea in winter, and especially in October, when the seas be rough, but their sayings letted not his purpose: for he marched forward from Ampthill to Windsor, where on Sunday being the first day of September, he created the lady Anne Boleyn (age 34), Marchioness of Pembroke, and gave to her one thousand pound land by the year, and that solemnity finished, he rode to the College to Masse, and when the Masse was ended, a new league was concluded and sworn, between the King and the French King, Monsieur Pomoray the French Ambassador then being present. After which oath taken, Doctor Fox the King’s almoner, made an eloquent oration in Latin, in praise of peace, love, and amity. Which done the trumpets blew, and the King returned to the Castle, where was kept a solemn feast. From thence the King removed to Greenwich, and so forward to Canterbury, where at the day appointed, he found ready furnished, all such as were commanded to pass the sea with him, well and richly adorned, both they and their servants.
[10 Oct 1532]. The 10th day of October, the King came to Dover, and on the 11th day in the morning being Friday, at three of the clock, he took ship in Dover Road, and before ten of the clock the same day, he with the lady Marchioness of Pembroke (age 31), landed at Calais, where he was honourably received with procession, and brought to Saint Nicholas church, where he heard Mass, and so to his place called The Exchequer, where he lodged. And on the Sunday after came to Calais, the Lorde Roche Baron, and Monsieur de Mountpesat, messengers from the French King, advertising the King of England, that the French King would repair to Abuile the same night marching towards Boulogne, of which tidings the King was very glad, but suddenly came a messenger, and reported that the great Master of France, and the Archbishop of Rouen, with diverse noble men of France, were come to Sandifeld, intending to come to Calais, to salute the King, from the King their Master. He being thereof advertised, sent in great haste the fifteenth day of October, the Duke of Norfolk, the Marques of Exeter, the Earles of Oxford, Derby, and Rutland, the Lord Sandys, and the Lord Fitzwater, with three hundred gentlemen, which honourably received the French Lords, at the English pale, and so brought them to the King’s presence in Calais, which stood under a rich clothe of estate of such value that they much mused of the riches. The King (as he that knew all honour and nurture) received the French Lords, very lovingly and amiably, and with them took a day and place of meeting: these Lords were highly feasted, and after diner departed to Boulogne.
While the King lay thus in Calais, he viewed the walls, towers, and bulwarks, and devised certain new fortifications, for the maintenance and defence of the town. The town of Calais had at this season, twenty-four hundred beds, and stabling for two thousand horses, beside the villages adjacent.
The 20th day of this month, the King being advertised, that the French King was come to a village called Marguison, nigh to the English pale, marched out of Calais the next day after, accompanied with the Dukes of Norfolk and Suffolk, and with the Marquesses of Dorset and Exeter, the Earls of Arundel, Oxford, Surrey, Essex, Derby, Rutland, Huntingdon, and Sussex, and diverse Viscounts, Barons, Knights of the Garter, and Gentlemen, freshly apparelled, and richly trimmed, and so passed toward the place, appointed for the interview, leaving behind them the greatest part of the yeomen in Calais, because that Boulogne was too little for both the trains. For the Frenchmen said their train was two thousand horse, which caused the Englishmen to cast many perils, and especially because it was bruted abroad, that the Frenche King should say, the King of England was once his enemy, and maintained the Emperor and the Duke of Bourbon against him, and now he was become his most friend. The rehearsing of these old grudges many Englishmen suspected, and very loath that the King should go to Boulogne, but the King continued still in his journey, and came to Sandingfield, and a little from that place in a valley, was the Frenche King nobly accompanied, with three hundred horse, and not much more. The King’s train waved on the left hand, to give the Frenche King and his own the right hand: likewise did the French part, to give the Englishmen the light hand: so the two Kings with all lovely honour met with bare heads, and embraced other in such fashion, that all that beheld them rejoiced. The King of England was apparelled, in a coat of great riches, in braids of gold laid loose on russet velvet, and set with Trefoils, full of pearl and stone. The Frenche King was in a coat of crimson velvet, all to cut, lined with slender cloth of gold plucked out through the cuts. The noble men on both parties, were richly apparelled, and as was reported, the Frenche King said openly, to the King of England: sir you be the same person, that I am most bound to in the world, and sith it hath pleased you, in person to visit me, I am bound in person to seek you, and for the very friendship, that I have found in you, I am yours and will be, and so I require you to take me, and with that put of his bonnet: the King of England soberly answered, if ever I did thing to your liking I am glad, and as touching the pain to come hither to see you, I assure you it is my great comfort, yea, and I had come farther to have visited you. Then the Kings embraced the Lords and estates, as the French King the Lords of England, and the King of England the Lords of France, and that done they set forward toward Boulogne, and in riding they cast of hawks called Sakers, to the Kites, which made to them great sport. And in a valley beyond Sandingfield, the King of Naverre met the Kings, and there they a lighted and drank, and after that they mounted on horseback, and with hawking and other princely pastime, they came near to Boulogne, where on a hill stood ranged in a fair band, the number of five hundred men on horseback, of whom the chief were, the Frenche King’s three sons, the Dauphin, the Duke of Orleans, and the Duke of Angouleme, and on them gave attendance, the Admiral of France, and three Cardinals with diverse other nobles of France: these three Princes marched forward, and welcomed the King of England, which them well beheld and lovingly them received, as he that could as much nurture, as any Prince that ever was. Then the Frenche King said to his children openly: My children, I am your father, but to this Prince here you are as much bound, as to me your natural father, for he redeemed me and you from captivity: wherefore on my blessing I charge you to be to him loving always. The King of England ceased the French Kings tale, and embraced the young Princes, each after other: all their three apparell were black velvet, embroidered with silver of Damask. Then all these noble company came to Boulogne where was a great shot of artillery, for on the one side they shot great pellets, which made a great noise: then these two Princes offered at our Lady of Boulogne, and the French King brought the King of England to his lodging in the Abbey directly against his own lodging, where the King of England had diverse chambers, the outer chamber was hanged with fair Arras, and another chamber was hanged with green velvet, embroidered with vignettes of gold, and fret with flowers of silver, and small twigs of woven work, and in the middle of every pane or piece, was a table of Ovid in Metamorphoses embroidered, and a cloth of estate of the same work, valanced with frets, knotted and langettes tasselled with Venice gold and silver: and in this chamber was hanged a great branch of silver percell gilt, to bear lights. Then was there an inner chamber, hanged with riche clothe of gold of tissue, and the roof siled with the same. The fourth chamber was with velvet, and hachements of arms, and devises of needle work very cunningly wrought. Every man was appointed to his lodging (which there was very straight) according to his degree, and great cheer was made to all the Englishmen: the Poulterers, Larders, Spiceries, and Sellars of Wine were all open, and likewise Hay and Litter, and all other things, ask and have, and no man durst take any money, for the Frenche King paid for all.
The Frenche King caused two gowns to be made of white velvet pricked with gold of damask, and the capes and ventes, were of frets of whipped gold of damask very rich, which two gowns he sent to the King of England, praying him to choose the one and to wear it for his sake, which gladly took it, and so that Tuesday, the two kings were both in one suite: the same night the Freeh King, made to the king of England a supper in his chamber, which was hanged with Arras, and siled over with rich silk, and two clothes of estate were set up, one at the one end, and the other at the other end, the one cloth was embroidered with the image of an old man, and a woman with a naked child in her arm, and the woman gave the old man suck of her breast, and about was written in French: Better it is children wantonly to weep, than old men for need to perish. On the other cloth of estate, was embroidered the sun going down of fine gold, and a beast thereon, the head covered with a helmet, and a coronal of a dukes estate, the beasts body was all pearl, and the cloth was crimson satin. A riche cupboard was set up of plate, with a great number of pieces of the new fashion, four great branches hung in the chamber all of silver and gilt, which bare torches of white wax, all the gentlemen of France made the Englishmen great cheer, and served them of delicate viandes.
In the Church of Boulogne was a Traverse set up for the Frenche King, open on every side, saving it was siled with blue velvet, embroidered with flower Delices gold, the pillars were hanged with the same work: On the Frenche Kings right hand, was another traverse siled, and curtained all of white satin, embroidered with cables cast, of cut clothe of gold, embroidered and gilded after the fashion that mariners cast their ropes: this traverse was valenced of like work, and fringed with fine gold. Daily the Kings heard their Masses in these traverses and commonly they went together to Masse. Diverse times the Kings communed together in counsel, and sometime in the morning, or the princes were stirring, their counsels met, and sat together a great while.
[25 Oct 1532]. While the King of England, lay thus at Boulogne, the Frenche King to show himself loving to the noble men of England, the twenty-fifth day of October, called a Chapter of the companions of his Order, called Saint Michael, of whom the King of England was one, and so there elected Thomas Duke of Norfolk, and Charles Duke of Suffolk, to be companions of the said Order, which were brought into the Chapter, and had their Collars delivered to them, and were sworn to the Statutes of the Order, their obeisance to their sovereign Lord, always reserved: which Dukes thanked the French King, and gave to the Officers of Arms two hundred Crowns apiece. All this season the French King and his court were fresh, and his guard were apparelled, in frocks of blue crimson, and yellow velvet. With the French King, was the King of Navarre, the Dauphin of Vien, the Dukes of Orleans, Angouleme, Vendome, Guise, Longueville, the Earles of Saint Panic, Nevers, Etampes, Laval, and many other Earles and Barons and the Prince of Melsse, four Cardinals, and eleven bishops with their trains and escort, which surely was a great company: so continued these two Kings at Boulogne, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and on Friday the twenty-fifth day of October, they departed out of Boulogne to Calais: the French King’s train was twelve hundred persons, and so many horse or more, and without Calais two mile, met with them the Duke of Richmond, the Kings bastard son of England, a goodly young Prince, and full of favour and beauty, with a great company of noble men, which were not at Boulogne, so the Duke with his company, embraced the Frenche King, and so did other noble men, then the Lords of England set forward, as the Dukes of Richmond, Norfolk and Suffolk, the Marques of Exeter, the Earls of Arundel, Oxford, Surrey, Derby, Worcester; Rutland, Sussex, and Huntingdon, the Viscounts of Lisle, and Rochford (age 55), the Bishops of London, Winchester, Lincoln, and Bath, the Lorde William Howard, the Lord Maltravers, the Lord Montacute, the Lord Cobham, the Lord Sandys, the Lord Bray, the Lorde Mordant, the Lord Leonard Grey (age 53), the Lord Clinton, and Sir William Fitzwilliam knight, treasurer of the King’s house, and Sir William Paulet, Comptroller of the same with a great number of knights, beside the lusty Esquires and young gentlemen. These noble, personages and gentlemen of England, accompanied the French Lords to Newnam Bridge, where as Thomas Palmer, captain of the fortress, with a fair company of soldiers saluted the Kings and so they passed towards Calais: where at their coming, that what out of the Town and the Castle, and what out of Rysbank [Map], and the Ships in the Haven, the French men said they never heard such a shot: And when they were entered the Mill Gate, all the Soldiers of the Town, stood on the one side, apparelled in Red and Blue, and on the other side of the streets, stood all the serving men of England, in coats of Frenche tawney, with their Lords and Masters devises embroidered, and every man a scarlet cap and a white feather, which made a goodly show: there were lodged in Calais that night, beside the town dwellers, eight thousand persons at the least. The King of England brought the French King to his lodging, to the Staple Inn, where his chamber was hanged with so rich verdure, as hath not been seen, the ground of it was gold and damask, and all over the tufts and flowers, were of satin silk and silver, so curiously wrought that they seemed to grow, every chamber was richer, and other: the second chamber all of tissue, with a cloth of estate of needle work, set with great roses of large pearl. The third was hanged with velvet, upon velvet pearled green and crimson, and embroidered over with branches, of flowers of gold bullion, and garnished with arms and beasts of the same gold, set with pearl and stone. If the Frenche King made good cheer to the King of England, and his train at Boulogne, I assure you he and his train, were requited at Calais, for the plenty of wild fowl, venison, fish, and all other things which were there, it was marvel to see, for the Kings Officers of England, had made preparation in every place, so that the Frenchmen were served, with such multitude of diverse fishes, this Friday and Saturday, that the masters of the French King’s household, much wondered at the provision. In likewise on the Sunday, they had all manner of flesh, foul, spice, venison, both of fallow deer and red deer, and as for wine they lacked none, so that well was the English man that might well entertain the Frenchman: the Lords of France never fetched their viandes, but they were sent to them, and often time their proportion of victual was so abundant, that they refused a great part thereof.
While the Kings were thus in Calais, they rode every day to Saint Marie Church, where were set two traverses, the one for the French King, which was Crimson velvet, replenished with great roses of massy bullion of fine gold, and the seed of the said roses were great orient pearls, and about every Rose, was a wreath all of pearl and stone which traverse was much wondered at by the Frenchmen: the other traverse of blue velvet and clothe of tissue, raised with flowers of silver paned, all the blue velvet was embroidered with knots, and subtle draughts, of leaves and branches, that few men could judge the cunning of the workmanship. The Sunday at night, the French King supped with the King of England, in a chamber hanged with tissue, raised with silver, paned with cloth of silver, raised with gold, and the seams of the same were covered with broad wreaths, of goldsmiths work, full of stone and pearl. In this chamber was a cupboard of seven stages high all of plate of gold, and no gilt plate, beside that there hung in the said chamber ten branches of silver and gilt, ten branches all white silver, every branch hanging by a long chain of the same suit, bearing five lights of wax. To tell the riches of the clothes of estates, the basins and other vessels which was there occupied, I assure you my wit is insufficient, for there was nothing occupied that night, but all of gold. The French King was served three courses, and his meat dressed after the French fashion, and the King of England had like courses after the English fashion, the first course of every King was forty dishes, the second sixty, the third seventy which were costly and pleasant.
After supper came in the Marchioness of Pembroke (age 30), with seven ladies in masking apparel, of strange fashion, made of clothe of gold, compassed with crimson tinsel satin, owned with cloth of silver, lying loose and knit with laces of gold: these ladies were brought into the chamber, with four damsels apparelled in crimson satin, with tabards of fine cypress: the lady Marques took the French King, and the Countess of Derby (age 20), took the King of Navarre, and every Lady took a Lord, and in dancing the King of England, took away the lady’s visors, so that there the ladies beauties were shewed, and after they had danced a while they ceased, and the French King talked with the Marchioness of Pembroke a space, and then he took his leave of the ladies, and the King conveyed him to his lodging: the same night the Duke of Norfolk feasted all the nobles of France, being there in the castle of Calais, with many goodly sports and pastimes.
On the Monday being Simon and Jude’s day, there dined with the King of England, the King of Navarre, and the Cardinal of Lorraine, and the great Master, and Admiral of France, on which day the King of England, called a Chapter of the Knights of the Garter, at which Chapter the French King wore the Blue Mantel of the Order, because he was of the same order, and there were elected Anne Montmorency Earl of Beaumont (age 38), great Master of the Frenche King’s house, and Philip de Chabot Earl of Newblanke (age 39), great Admiral of France, which had to them their Collars and Garters delivered, for the which they rendered to the King great thanks.
The morrow after being the thirtieth day of October, the two Kings departed out of Calais, and came near to Sandingfield, and there alighted in a fair green place, where was a table set, and there the Englishmen served the Frenchmen of wine, hippocras, fruit, and spice abundantly. When the two Kings had communed a little, they mounted on their horses, and at the very entering of the French ground, they took hands, and with Princely countenance, loving behaviour, and hearty words, each embraced other and so there departed.
While the King of England was in the Frenche King’s dominion, he had the upper hand, and likewise had the French King, in his dominion, and as the French King paid all the Englishmen’s charges at Boulogne, so did the King of England at Calais, so that every thing was recompensed : saying that the King of England, gave to the French King, diverse precious jewels and great horses, and to his nobles great plenty of plate, for the which I could never hear, that he gave the King of England any other thing, but the white gown, as you have heard, but to the Lordes of the King’s counsel, he gave certain plate and chains.
When the King was returned to Calais, many gentlemen took ship to sail into England, but the wynd was so contrariant, that diverse of them were driven back again into Calais, and diverse into Flanders, and in November rose such a wind, of the North and North West, that al the ship in Calais haven, were in great jeopardy, and in especial the Hoyes, at which season was such a spring tide, that it brake the walls of Holland and Zeeland, and drowned diverse towns in Flanders, in so much that the water rose three foot above the wharf, where the quay stood in Antwerp: this storm continued till the fourth day of November, but for all that the wind changed not. The eight day rose such a wind tempest and thunder, that no man could conveniently stir in the streets of Calais: much lamentation was made for them that had taken ship into England, for no man knew what was become of them. On Sunday the weather was fair, the King caused his bed and other things to be shipped, and intended to depart, but suddenly rose such a mist, that no Master could guide a ship, and so he tarried that day. On Tuesday at midnight he took ship, and landed at Dover the morrow after, being the fourteenth day of November, at five of the clock in the morning, wherefore the Saturday after, was song Te Deum in the Cathedral Church of Saint Paule in London: the Lorde Keeper of the Great Seal, the Major of London, (and diverse other noble and sad persons, which made their abode in London, for the governance of the realm in the King’s absence, being present).
[14 Nov 1532]. The King after his return, married privately the lady Anne Boleyn (age 31), on Saint Erkenwaldes day, which marriage was kept so secrete, that very few knew it, til she was great with child, at Easter after.
[20 Oct 1532]. When the King should pass over the sea, he considered that the Scots had robbed his subjects, both by sea and land, and that no redress was made for the same, imagined that in his absence, they would attempt some outrageous enterprise against his people, wherefore like a prudent prince to be in a surety, he sent sir Arthur Darcy knight, with three hundred tall men to Berwick, to defend the invasions of the Scots. The Scots hearing of his coming, came into Northumberland, by the middle Marches, and came to a place called Fowbery, and in their journey fired certain villages and returned. Sir Arthur Darcy (age 37) hearing of this adventure, was nothing content. Now at this season there lay at Berwick, Archibald Douglas Earl of Angus, which had married the Queen of Scots, the King’s sister, and was banished Scotland and she was from him divorced, and married to another. The Scots bragged of their enterprise, and said that Sir Arthur had brought them good luck, and said, that he and the Earl of Angus, slept well in Berwick: they hearing of this brag, made a road with four hundred men into Scotland, and set a village on fire : then shortly assembled together, eight hundred Scots. When the Englishmen perceived the Scots, they caused their trumpet to blow a retreat, and the Earl and twenty with him, showed himself on a hill, even in the face of the Scots, and the trumpet blew at their backs, so that the Scots thought that there had been two companies, which caused the Scottes to fly, and the Englishmen followed, and slew a great number, and took many prisoners, and brought them to Berwick, the twentieth day of October.
The Kyng this year kept his Christmas at Greenwich, and after Christmas sir Thomas Audley, Lord Keeper of the Great Seale, was made Chancellor of England, and when the Parliament began, because the office of the Speaker was void, Humphrey Wingfeld of Gray’s Inn, was elected Speaker of the Parliament, which was presented according as you have heard, of the other Speaker before. In the which Parliament was made an Act, that no person should appeal for any cause, out of this realm, to the Court of Rome, but from Commissary to the Bishop, and from Bishop to the Archbishop, and from Archbishop to the King, and all causes of the King, to be tried in the upper house of the Convocation. And in the same Parliament was enacted, that Queen Katheryn should from thence forth, be no more called Queen, but Princess Dowager, of Prince Arthur.
In this Sommer season last past, died William Warham (age 81) Archbishop of Canterbury, and to that Bishopric was named, Doctor Thomas Cranmer (age 42), the King’s Chaplain, a man of good learning, and of a virtuous life, which also not long before was the King’s Ambassador to the Bishop of Rome, which was consecrate in Lent.
