Biography of Bishop John Longland 1473-1547

Calais in the Hands of the English. [11th October 1532]. The xj. day of Octobar Henry the Eighth kynge of England landyd at Caleis, with the duke of Richemond his bastard sonne, the duke of Norfolke lord tresorar of England, the duke of Suffolke, the bysshope of Wynchestar [aged 49], the bysshope of London [aged 57], the bysshope of Lyncolne [aged 59], the bysshope of Bathe, the marques of Exceter [aged 36], the erle of Derbye [aged 23], the erle of Arundell [aged 56], the erle of Oxenforde [aged 61], the erle of Surrey [aged 16], the erle of Rutland [aged 40], the vicount Lisle [aged 68] kynge Edward the Fowrthes bastard sone, the lorde Matrevers, the lord Sands lord chambarlen of the kyng's howse, the lord William Howard, the lorde Braye, the lorde Montague, the lord Cobham, the lord Mordante, the lord Dawbney, the lorde Greye, the lorde Clinton, the lorde Vauxe, the lorde Mountegle, the lorde Rocheforde, with dyvars other lords, ser William Fitzwilliam tresurar of the kyng's howse, ser William Pallett comptrowlar of the kyng's howse, ser William Kyngston capitayne of the garde, ser John Page, ser James Boleyne, ser Anthony Browne, ser Edward Nevell knight herberjur, ser Thomas Cheny, ser John Russell, ser Richard Page, ser Raffe Eldercare, ser Edward Baynton, ser Edward Santener, ser Griffethe Doon, ser John Dudley, ser John Semer, ser Henry Longe, ser Anthony Hungarford, ser John Bruges, ser Arthur Hopton, ser Anthony Wyngfilde, ser William Paston, ser Edmond Bedingfeld, ser Thomas Strange, ser William Hawte, ser Edward Wotton, ser William Askughe, ser John Markam, ser William Baryngton, ser William Essex, ser Gyles Strangweis, ser Edward Chamberleyne, ser Giles Caple, ser John Seint John, ser Waltar Hungarford, ser William Gascoyne, ser Lionell Norreis, ser Edward Boleyne, ser Thomas Lisle, ser John Assheton, ser Thomas Palmar, ser William Boleyne, ser William Finche, ser William Pellam, ser Thomas Rotherham, ser John Norton, ser Richard Sands, ser John Nevell, and xxx. esquyers de quyrry and many gentlemen; every duke had x1. men, every marques XXXv. men, every erle xxiiij., every vicount xx., every bysshope xxiiij., every baron and lorde xij., every knight x., the treswrar of the kyng's hows, xx., the comptrowlar of the kyng's howse hathe xx. men, every counselar x. men, the clarke of the citchen x. men, every doctor viij. men, every esquier for the body viij. men, every sewar to the kynge vj. men, every gentleman usshar iiij. men, the clerke of the grene clothe xij. men, the clerke comptrowlar hathe vj. men, the cofferer viij. men, the clerke of the citchen j--the clerke of the spicery vj., the clerke of the ewrye iiij., the second clerke iij., every sargiant at armes on man, and every sargiant of cvery office in the kyng's howse one man, the yeman of the comptinghows hath one grome, and every one of the iiij. officers of the bake howse iiij. men, the officers of the pantrye, buttrye, and sellar have xxxiij. men, the officers of the pitcherhowse hathe xij. men, the officers of the waffers and condutis v. men, the officers of the chandry x. men, officer of the confectionary have vij. men, the officers of the lawndrye have viij. men, the officers of the kechen have xx. men and xv. servants, the officers of the lardar have Xvj. men, officers of the boylinge hows have v. men, officers of the pultrye have xiij. men, officers of the sqwllerye have xx. men, officers of the scaldynghows viij. men, officers of the pasterye are xiiij., the officers of the woodyarde are xx. men, officers of the halle are ix. men, the officers of the herbengers are x. men, besyds othar officers.

Letters and Papers. Vienna Archives. 284. Death and Burial of Katharine of Arragon.

The good Queen [deceased] died in a few days, of God knows what illness, on Friday, 7 Jan. 1536. Next day her body was taken into the Privy Chamber and placed under the canopy of State (sous le dhoussier et drapt destat), where it rested seven days, without any other solemnity than four flambeaux continually burning. During this time a leaden coffin was prepared, in which the body was enclosed on Saturday, the 15th, and borne to the chapel. The vigils of the dead were said the same day, and next day one mass and no more, without any other light than six torches of rosin. On Sunday, the 16th, the body was removed again into the Privy Chamber, where it remained till Saturday following. Meanwhile an "estalage," which we call a chapelle ardente, was arranged, with 56 wax candles in all, and the house hung with two breadths of the lesser frieze of the country. On Saturday, the 22nd, it was again brought to the chapel, and remained until the masses of Thursday following, during which time solemn masses were said in the manner of the country, at which there assisted by turns as principals the Duchess of Suffolk [aged 16], the Countess of Worcester [aged 34], the young Countess of Oxford [aged 39], the Countess of Surrey [aged 19], and Baronesses Howard [aged 21], Willoughby [aged 24], Bray, and Gascon (sic).

25th January 1536. On Tuesday¹ following, as they were beginning mass, four banners of crimson taffeta were brought, two of which bore the arms of the Queen, one those of England, with three "lambeaulx blancs," which they say are of Prince Arthur; the fourth had the two, viz., of Spain and England, together. There were also four great golden [standards]. On one was painted the Trinity, on the second Our Lady, on the third St. Katharine, and on the fourth St. George; and by the side of these representations the said arms were depicted in the above order; and in like manner the said arms were simply, and without gilding (? dourance), painted and set over all the house, and above them a simple crown, distinguished from that of the kingdom which is closed. On Wednesday after the robes of the Queen's 10 ladies were completed, who had not till then made any mourning, except with kerchiefs on their heads and old robes. This day, at dinner, the countess of Surrey held state, who at the vigils after dinner was chief mourner. On Thursday, after mass, which was no less solemn than the vigils of the day before, the body was carried from the chapel and put on a waggon, to be conveyed not to one of the convents of the Observant Friars, as the Queen had desired before her death, but at the pleasure of the King, her husband, to the Benedictine Abbey of Peterborough, and they departed in the following order:—First, 16 priests or clergymen in surplices went on horseback, without saying a word, having a gilded laten cross borne before them; after them several gentlemen, of whom there were only two of the house, "et le demeurant estoient tous emprouvez," and after them followed the maître d'hotel and chamberlain, with their rods of office in their hands; and, to keep them in order, went by their sides 9 or 10 heralds, with mourning hoods and wearing their coats of arms; after them followed 50 servants of the aforesaid gentlemen, bearing torches and "bâtons allumés," which lasted but a short time, and in the middle of them was drawn a waggon, upon which the body was drawn by six horses all covered with black cloth to the ground. The said waggon was covered with black velvet, in the midst of which was a great silver cross; and within, as one looked upon the corpse, was stretched a cloth of gold frieze with a cross of crimson velvet, and before and behind the said waggon stood two gentlemen ushers with mourning hoods looking into the waggon, round which the said four banners were carried by four heralds and the standards with the representations by four gentlemen. Then followed seven ladies, as chief mourners, upon hackneys, that of the first being harnessed with black velvet and the others with black cloth. After which ladies followed the waggon of the Queen's gentlemen; and after them, on hackneys, came nine ladies, wives of knights. Then followed the waggon of the Queen's chambermaids; then her maids to the number of 36, and in their wake followed certain servants on horseback.

In this order the royal corpse was conducted for nine miles of the country, i.e., three French leagues, as far as the abbey of Sautry [Map], where the abbot and his monks received it and placed it under a canopy in the choir of the church, under an "estalage" prepared for it, which contained 408 candles, which burned during the vigils that day and next day at mass. Next day a solemn mass was chanted in the said abbey of Sautry [Map], by the Bishop of Ely, during which in the middle of the church 48 torches of rosin were carried by as many poor men, with mourning hoods and garments. After mass the body was borne in the same order to the abbey of Peterborough, where at the door of the church it was honourably received by the bishops of Lincoln, Ely, and Rochester, the Abbot of the place, and the abbots of Ramsey, Crolain (Crowland), Tournan (Thorney), Walden and Thaem (Tame), who, wearing their mitres and hoods, accompanied it in procession till it was placed under the chapelle ardente which was prepared for it there, upon eight pillars of beautiful fashion and roundness, upon which were placed about 1,000 candles, both little and middle-sized, and round about the said chapel 18 banners waved, of which one bore the arms of the Emperor, a second those of England, with those of the King's mother, prince Arthur, the Queen of Portugal, sister of the deceased, Spain, Arragon, and Sicily, and those of Spain and England with three "lambeaulx," those of John of Gaunt, duke of Lancaster, who married the daughter of Peter the Cruel, viz., "le joux des beufz," the bundle of Abbot of arrows, the pomegranate (granade), the lion and the greyhound. Likewise there were a great number of little pennons, in which were portrayed the devices of king Ferdinand, father of the deceased, and of herself; and round about the said chapel, in great gold letters was written, as the device of the said good lady, "Humble et loyale." Solemn vigils were said that day, and on the morrow the three masses by three bishops: the first by the Bishop of Rochester, with the Abbot of Thame as deacon, and the Abbot of Walden as sub-deacon; the second by the Bishop of Ely, with the Abbot of Tournay (Thorney) as deacon, and the Abbot of Peterborough as sub-deacon; the third by the Bishop of Lincoln [aged 63], with the Bishop of Llandaff as deacon, and that of Ely as sub-deacon; the other bishops and abbots aforesaid assisting at the said masses in their pontificals, so the ceremony was very sumptuous. The chief mourner was lady Eleanor [aged 17], daughter of the Duke of Suffolk [aged 52] and the French Queen, and niece of King Henry, widower now of the said good Queen. She was conducted to the offering by the Comptroller and Mr. Gust (Gostwick), new receiver of the moneys the King takes from the Church. Immediately after the offering was completed the Bishop of Rochester preached the same as all the preachers of England for two years have not ceased to preach, viz., against the power of the Pope, whom they call Bishop of Rome, and against the marriage of the said good Queen and the King, alleging against all truth that in the hour of death she acknowledged she had not been Queen of England. I say against all truth, because at that hour she ordered a writing to be made in her name addressed to the King as her husband, and to the ambassador of the Emperor, her nephew, which she signed with these words—Katharine, Queen of England—commending her ladies and servants to the favour of the said ambassador. At the end of the mass all the mourning ladies offered in the hands of the heralds each three ells in three pieces of cloth of gold which were upon the body, and of this "accoutrements" will be made for the chapel where the annual service will be performed for her. After the mass the body was buried in a grave at the lowest step of the high altar, over which they put a simple black cloth. In this manner was celebrated the funeral of her who for 27 years has been true Queen of England, whose holy soul, as every one must believe, is in eternal rest, after worldly misery borne by her with such patience that there is little need to pray God for her; to whom, nevertheless, we ought incessantly to address prayers for the weal (salut) of her living image whom she has left to us, the most virtuous Princess her daughter, that He may comfort her in her great and infinite adversities, and give her a husband to his pleasure, &c. Fr., from a modern copy, pp. 6.

Note 1. This would be Tuesday, 1 Feb., if the chronology were strict; but the latest Tuesday that can be intended is 25 Jan.