Biography of Edward Dymoke 1508-1566

Henry Machyn's Diary. 30th September 1553. The xxx day of September the Qwuyen('s) (age 37) grace cam from the Towre thrugh London, rydyng in a charett gorgusly be-sene unto Westmynster; by the way at Fanche-chyrche a goodly pagant, with iiij grett gyants, and with goodly speches, the geneways mad yt; at Grache-chyrche a-nodur goodly pajant of esterlyngs makyng; and at Ledyne-hall was nodur pagant hangyd with cloth of gold, and the goodlyst playng with all maner of musyssoners, and ther was on blohyng of a trumpet all the day longe; at the conduyt in Cornhyll a-nodur of the sete; and (at) the grett condutt a-nodur goodly on, and the standard pentyd and gyldyd, and the crosse pentyd; and (at) the lytyll conduyt a goodly pagant; in Powlles chyrche-yerde ij pagants; and ij scaffolds on Powlles stepull with stremars; andt Ludgat pentyd; at the conduyd in Flett-stret a goodly pajant and pentyd .... holy] water-stokes and sensers and copes ... Westmynster chyrche, and ther her grace hard masse, and was crounyd a-pon a he stage, and after [she was] a-nontyd Qwene, the forst day of October. [When all] was don, her grace cam to Westmynster hall .... yt was iiij of the cloke or she whent to dener [or pa]st; and ther the duke of Norffoke rod up and done the hall, my lord the yerle of Darbe (age 44) he constabull, the yerle of Arundell (age 41) he boteler, and my lord of Borgane cheyff larderer, master Dymmoke (age 45) the qwyen('s) champyon; and ther was [great me]lode; and the erle of Devonshyre (age 26) bare the sword, and the yerle of Westmorland (age 28) bare the cape of mantenans, and the erle of Shrowsbery (age 53) bare the crowne, and the duke of Norffoke (age 80) [was earl] marshall, and the yerle of Arundell lord stuard, and the erle of Surray (age 17) was doer under the duke ys grandshyr, and the erle of Woseter (age 27) was her grace('s) carver that day at dener, my lord Wyndsore (age 54) was (blank); and at the end of the tabull dynyd my lade Elisabeth (age 20) and my lade Anne of Cleyff (age 38); and so yt was candyll-lyght or her grace or she had dynyd, and so [anon] her grace toke barge.

A Chronicle of the Coronations of the Queens Regnand of England. [1st October 1553] Then at time convenient came in the second course in this manner.

Then at the end of the same came in, riding in complete harness, armed at all points, with harness, and of the Queen's charge, Sir Lionel^e Dymoke (age 45), her Highness's champion, upon a courser richly trapped with cloth of gold, holding in his hand a mace, and on the either side of him, a page, one holding his spear, another his target, with a herald before him, and brought him to the upper end of the hall.

Then after he had made obeisance to the Queen's Highness, in bowing his head, he turned him a little aside, and with a loud voice, declared these words hereafter following, viz.

If there be any manner of man, of what estate, degree, or condition soever he be, that will say and maintidn that our Sovereign Lady, Queen Mary the First, this day here present, is not the rightful and undoubted inheritrix to the imperial crown of this realm of England, and that of right she ought not to be crowned Queen, 1 say he lieth like a false traitor, and that I am ready the same to maintain with him whilst I have breath in my body, either now at the time or at any other time, whensoever it shall please the Queen's Highness to appoint, and thereupon the same I cast him my gage."

And then he cast his gauntlet from him, the which no man would take up, till that a herald took it up, and gave it to him again.

Then he proceeded to another place, and did in this manner in three several places of the said hall.

Then he came up to the upper end, and the Queen's Majesty drank to him, and after sent him the cup, which he had for hb fee, and likewise the harness and trappers, and all the harness which he did wear.

Then he returned to the place from whence he came, and after that he was gone.

Note e. By the following entry, which I discovered in the vol. marked W. T. College of Arms, it appears that the Champion's name was Edward, and not Lionel: "These words were delivered by Chester, ' Haroald of Armes, att the coming in of Sir Edward Dimoke, K^t. the daie of the Coronation of Q. Mary, after the second course was served in to her Highness." [Here follows the challenge.] "The which Chester Karould had in reward of y^e said Sir Edward Dymoke, iiij angells and a doublette of sattyn, according to the ancyent presidents for the same."