Abbot John Whethamstede’s Chronicle of the Abbey of St Albans
Abbot John Whethamstede's Register aka Chronicle of his second term at the Abbey of St Albans, 1451-1461, is a remarkable text that describes his first-hand experience of the beginning of the Wars of the Roses including the First and Second Battles of St Albans, 1455 and 1461, respectively, their cause, and their consequences, not least on the Abbey itself. His text also includes Loveday, Blore Heath, Northampton, the Act of Accord, Wakefield, and Towton, and ends with the Coronation of King Edward IV. In addition to the events of the Wars of the Roses, Abbot John, or his scribes who wrote the Chronicle, include details in the life of the Abbey such as charters, letters, land exchanges, visits by legates, and disputes, which provide a rich insight into the day-to-day life of the Abbey, and the challenges faced by its Abbot.
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Around 1520 Bishop Edmund Scambler was born at Gressingham. He was educated at Peterhouse College, Cambridge University [Map] and Jesus College, Cambridge University.
Henry Machyn's Diary. 17th December 1560. The xvij day of Desember after mydnyth wher sene in the element open, and as red and flames of fyre over London, and odur plases in reme [realm], and sene of M [1000] men.... Elesabeth in the mydes .... and armes, and the over hend [end] was ...., and he had a standard and a pennon of armes, elmett, targett, and sword, mantylles and crest, and a vj [dozen scocheons] and alffe a dosen of bokeram; and ther was iij haroldes in ther cottes armurs, master Clarenshus [aged 50], master Somersett .... and mony mornars in blake, a iiijxx, and master Skambler [aged 40] the byshope electyd of Peterborow mad the serm[on, and so] in-to the abbey ys plase to dener.
In 1561 Bishop Edmund Scambler [aged 41] was elected Bishop of Peterborough.
Henry Machyn's Diary. 16th February 1561. The sam day at Lambeth [Map] was consecratyd nuwe byshopes, master Horne [aged 51] of Wynchastur, and master Skamler byshope [aged 41] of Peterborowe.
Henry Machyn's Diary. 21st February 1561. The xxj day of Feybruary dyd pryche a-for the quen [aged 27] and the consell master Skamler [aged 41], the new bishop of Peterborow in ys chymner and ys whyt rochet.
Henry Machyn's Diary. 26th March 1561. The sam day of Marche at after-none at Westmynster [was brought] from the quen('s) armere [almondry] my lade Jane Semer, with [all the quire] of the abbay, with ijC. of (the) quen('s) cowrt, the wyche she was [one] of the quen('s) mayd(s) and in grett faver, and a iiijxx morners of [men and] women, of lordes and lades, and gentylmen and gentyllwomen, all in blake, be-syd odur [other] of the quen('s) preve chambur, and she [had] a grett baner of armes bornne, and master Clarenshux [aged 51] was the harold, and master Skameler [aged 41] the nuw byshope of Peterborow dyd pryche. [She was] bered in the sam chapell [Map] wher my lade of Suffoke was.
Note. P. 254. Funeral of lady Jane Seymour. Daughter of Edward duke of Somerset, and supposed to have been destined by him to become the consort of his nephew king Edward. A Latin letter written by her (of course under the dictation of her tutor) to the Reformers Bucer and Fagius, dated at Syon, June 12, 1549, is published in the Third Series of Zurich Letters, printed for the Parker Society. She was one of queen Elizabeth's maids of honour, and shortly before her death she had taken an active part in promoting the clandestine marriage of her brother the earl of Hertford with her companion the lady Katharine Grey, a line of conduct which would certainly have brought upon her the anger of her royal mistress, had she lived until it was discovered. (See Ellis's Orig. Letters, Second Series, vol. ii. p. 272.) Her age was only nineteen. See an engraving of her monumental tablet, with the inscription, erected by "her deare brother" the earl, in Dart's Westminster Abbey, vol. i. pl. 12. In the accounts of St. Margaret's parish, Westminster, is an entry of 10s. received at her funeral.
Henry Machyn's Diary. 14th May 1561. The xiiij day of May, was Assensyon evyn, was bered in sant Pulkers parryche my lade Esley [aged 51] the wyfg of ser Henre Hesley knyght, of Kentt, the wyche he cam in with sir Thomas Wyett knyght by quen Mare('s) days, and he was hangyd and drane and quartered, and ys hed sent unto Maydston [Map], and set a-pone (blank) and she had nothyng done for here, butt master Skammeler [aged 41] mad a sermon for here - the byshope of Peterborow,
In 1585 Bishop Edmund Scambler [aged 65] was translated to Bishop of Norwich.
On 7th May 1594 Bishop Edmund Scambler [aged 74] died.