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Books, Prehistory, Archaeologia Volume 1 Section 55

Archaeologia Volume 1 Section 55 is in Archaeologia Volume 1.

Burial of Mary Queen of Scots

LX. A Remembrance of the Order and Manner of the Burial of Mary Queen of Scotts.

On Sunday, being the 30th of July, 1587, in the 29th year of the reign of Elizabeth, the queens majestie of England, there went from Peterborough M.... Dethick (age 45), alias Garter principal king of armes, and five heralds, accompanied with forty horse and men, to conduct the body of Mary, late queen of Scots, from Fotheringham Castle [Map] in Northamptonshire to Peterborough aforesaid, which queen had remained prisoner in England .... years; having for that purpose brought a royal coach, drawn by four horses, and covered with black velvet richly set forth with escotcheons of the armes of Scotland, and little penons, round about it; the body being inclosed in lead, and the same coffined in wood, was brought down and reverently put into the coach, at which time the heralds put on their coats of arms, and bare-headed, with torches light, brought the same forth of the castle, about ten of the clock at night, and so conveyed it to Peterborough .... miles distant from Fotheringham Castle,

[31 Jul 1587] .... whither being come (about two of the clock on the Monday morning) the body was receved most reverently at the minster door of Peterborough, by the bishop, dean and chapter, and Clarenceux king of armes (age 52); and, in the prescnce of the Scots which came with the same, it was laid in a vault prepared for the same, in the quire of the said church, on the South side, opposite to the tomb of Queen Katharine dowager of Spain, the first wife of King Henry the Eighth; the occasion why the body was forthwith laid into the vault, and not borne in the solemnity, was, because it was so extreame heavy by reason of the lead, that the Gentlemen could not endure to have carryed it with leisure in the solenin preceding; and besides, was feared, that the sowder might ripp, and being very hot weather, might be found some annoyance.

On Tuesday, being the first of August [1587], in the morning, about eight of the clock, the chief mourner, being the Countess of Bedford (age 61), was attended upon by all the lords and ladies, and brought into the prefence chambre within the bifhop's palace, which all over was hanged with black cloath; me was by the queens majefties gentlemen uihers placed fomewhat under a cloth of eftate of purple velvet, where, having given to the great officers their ftaves of office, viz. to the lord lleward, lord chamberlayne, the treafurer, and comptroller, me took her way into the great hall, where the corps flood; and the heralds having marmalled the feveral companies, they made their proceedings as followeth.

Two conductors in black, with black staves.

Poor women mourners to the number of 100. 2 and 2.

Two yeomen harvengers.

The standard of Scotland borne by Sir George Savill, knight.

Gentlemen in clokes to the number of 50, being attendants on the lords and ladies.

Six grooms of the chamber, viz. Mr ... Eaton, Mr .... Bykye, Mr .... Ceavaval, Mr Flynr, Mr .... Charlton, Mr .... Lylle.

Three gentlemen sfewers to the queen's majesty, Mr. Horseman, Mr. Fynes, and Mr. Martin.

Gentlemen in gownes, Mr. Worme, Mr. Holland, Mr. Crewste, Mr. Watson, Mr. Allington, Mr. Barrel, and Mr. Fescue.

Scots in clokes, 17 in number.

A Scottish prieft.

Mr. Fortescue, master of the wardrobe to the queens majestie.

The bishop of Peterborough.

The bishop of Lincoln.

The great banner, borne by Sir Andrew Nowell, knight.

The comptroller, Mr. Melvin.

The treasurer, Sir Edward Montague. The lord Chamberlayne, was Lord Dudley.

The lord steward, was Lord St. John of Basing.

Two ushers.

Atchievements of honor born by heralds. The healme and crest borne by Portcullis, target, borne by York, sword, borne by Rouge Dragon. coat, borne by Somerset.

Clarencieux king of arms, with a gentleman usher, Mr. Conyngsbye.

The corps born by esquires in clokes. Mr. Francis Fortescue. Mr. William Fortescue. Mr. Thomas Stafford. Mr. Nicholas Smith. Mr. Nicholas Hyde. Mr .... Howlands, the bishop's brother. Eight bannerolles, borne by esquires:

King Robert impaling Drummond, By Mr. WilliamFittz Williams.

King James the 1st impaling Beaufort, Mr. Griffin of Dingley.

Guelders, Mr. Robert Wingfield.

King James 3d impaling Denmark, Mr. Bevill.

King James 4th impaling the arms of Henry 7th of England, Mr Lynne.

King James £th impaling Guys, Mr John Wingfield

King of France impaling the arms of Mary queen of Scotland, Mr SPencer

Lord Darnley impaling the arms! of Mary queen of Scotland, Mr. John Fortefcue Aywood.

The canopy, being of black velvet fringed with gold, borne by four knights, viz. Sir Thomas Manners, Sir George Hastings, Sir James Harrington, Sir Richard Knightly.

Assistants to the body, Four barons which bore up the corners of the pall of velvet. The Lord Mordant. The Lord Willoughby of Parham. The Lord Compton. Sir Thomas Cecill.

Mr. Garter, with the gentleman umer, Mr. Brakenbnry.

The Countesse of Bedford, supported by the Earls of Rutland (age 36), and Lincolne (age 46), her train borne up by the Lady St. John of Basting, and assisted by Mr. John Manners, vice chamberlain.

The Countesse of Rutland (age 34), Countesse of Lincolne. The Lady Talbot, Lady Mary Savell. The Lady Mordant, the Lady St. John of Bletshoe. The Lady Manners, the Lady Cecill. The Lady Montague, the Lady Nowell. Mrs. AHngton, Mrs. Curle.

Two ushers.

Eight Scottish gentlewomen.

The gentlewomen of Countess's and Baroness's, according to their degrees, all in Black.

Servants in black coates. The Countess of Bedford, 10. Countesse of Rutland, 8. Countesse of Lincoln, 8. Lady St. John of Basing, 5. All lords and ladyes, 5. All knights and their wives 4, All equires, 1.

The body being thus brought into the quire, was set down within the royal herse, which was 20 feet square, and 27 feet in height, covered over with black velvet, and richly set with escotcheons of armes and fringe of gold; upon the body, which was covered with a pall of black velvet, lay a purple velvet cushion, fringed and tasleled with gold, and upon the same a close crown of gold set with stones: after the body was thus placed, and every mourner according to their degree, the sermon was begun by the Bishop of Lincoln, after which certain anthems were sung by the quire, and the offering began very solemnly, as followeth.

The Offering

First, the chief mourner offered for the queen, attended upon by all ladyes. The coat, sword, target, and helme, was severally carried up by the two Earls of Rutland and Lincoln, one after another, and received by the bishop of Peterborough, and Mr. Garter king at arms.

The standard alone.

The great banner alone.

The lady chief mourner alone.

The trayne-bearer alone.

The two earles together.

The lord seward, and The lord chamberlaine,

The bishop of Lincolne alone.

The four lords assistants to the body.

The treasurer, comptroller, and vice chamberlaine..

The four knights that bore the canopy.

In which offeringe every course was led up by a herald, for the more order; after which, the two bishops and the dean of Peterborough came to the vault, and over the body began to read the funeral service; which being said, every officer broke his staff over his head, and threw the same into the vault to the body; and so every one departed, as they came, after their degrees, to the bishop's, palace, where was prepared a most royal feast, and a dole given, unto the poore.