The Other Tudors by Philippa Jones Page B
Authors: Philippa Jones
Tags: He Restores My Soul
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it was the fashion for the ladies to watch from an upper gallery when observing a game of tennis. However, a young lady could slip downstairs and hide behind the barriers that lined the court. Thus the young man would ‘lose’ his ball and be obliged to go and look for it behind those selfsame barriers.
Henry VIII had chosen well for his son’s mentor. The King had an affection for the young Earl of Surrey who was seen as an ornament to the Court, growing into a soldier and poet. Surrey and Richmond lived together at the palace as closest friends. After Richmond’s death Surrey was arrested for striking a man in Hampton Park who had cast doubts on Surrey’s loyalty. However, the King reduced his sentence to a period of confinement at Windsor during which he wrote a number of poems including one as a testament to his love for his friend.
In autumn 1532, Henry went over to France to meet with Francis I, accompanied by a vast retinue, including Richmond. The Chronicles of Calais recorded the event: ‘The 11 day of October, Henry the Eighth, king of England, landed at Calais, with the Duke of Richmond, his bastard son …’ 17 Richmond remained there and by 25 October Henry VIII and Francis I were returning from their meeting at Boulogne, when ‘without the town [Calais] about the distance of two miles, the Duke of Richmond, the king’s base son, with a great company of noblemen which had not been at Boulogne, met them, and saluting the French king, embraced him in a most honourable and courteous manner.’ 18
Henry had brought Anne Boleyn with him as his consort on this state visit, not Catherine of Aragon. As a result, neither Francis I’s wife, Eleanore, nor his sister, Marguerite, attended. Francis’s hostess on this occasion was his mistress, Anne de Pisseleu d’Heilly, duchess d’Étampes. It was an odd royal visit for the King of England, to bring his mistress and bastard child, and leave his wife and daughter at home.
When Henry VIII and his retinue returned to England, Richmond and Surrey stayed on in France. The French King was pleased to entertain such a promising youth, and Richmond and his followers were proud and pleased to be feted by the French Court. Richmond enjoyed the company of the dauphin Francois and his brother, Henri d’Orléans, as well as their sisters. They hunted, played tennis, gambled and, if rumour is to be believed, behaved like teenage hooligans, riding the streets at night, beating people up and raising riot.
Everyone seemed keen to praise the Duke. There is, however, one dissenting voice that shows Richmond in a different light. A poem–history of the life of Sir Nicholas Throckmorton (a younger son with no hope of inheritance), included the following description of his life as a page to a temperamental young man, during his time at the French Court:
A brother, fourth, and far from hope of land,
By parents’ hest, I served as a page
To Richmond’s duke, and waited still at hand,
For fear of blows that happen’d in his rage.
In France with him I lived most carelessly,
And learned the tongue, though nothing readily … 19
On 26 November 1533 a papal dispensation was sought in order that Richmond might marry ‘Lady Mary.’ It has been suggested that this dispensation had been requested so that Richmond could marry his half-sister, Princess Mary, daughter of Catherine of Aragon. In fact, it refers to his proposed marriage to Mary Howard, daughter of the Duke of Norfolk. A dispensation was necessary because Henry VIII had married Norfolk’s niece, Anne Boleyn, which meant that Mary Howard and Richmond were now more closely related. 20
Richmond began to participate more in Court life. On 20 January 1534, he attended a Chapter of the Garter to elect James V of Scotland to a vacant place and in May he represented his father at the head of the Garter procession. Between 15 January and 30 March, Richmond attended Parliament on 32 of the 45 days that it was in session. However,
Henry VIII had chosen well for his son’s mentor. The King had an affection for the young Earl of Surrey who was seen as an ornament to the Court, growing into a soldier and poet. Surrey and Richmond lived together at the palace as closest friends. After Richmond’s death Surrey was arrested for striking a man in Hampton Park who had cast doubts on Surrey’s loyalty. However, the King reduced his sentence to a period of confinement at Windsor during which he wrote a number of poems including one as a testament to his love for his friend.
In autumn 1532, Henry went over to France to meet with Francis I, accompanied by a vast retinue, including Richmond. The Chronicles of Calais recorded the event: ‘The 11 day of October, Henry the Eighth, king of England, landed at Calais, with the Duke of Richmond, his bastard son …’ 17 Richmond remained there and by 25 October Henry VIII and Francis I were returning from their meeting at Boulogne, when ‘without the town [Calais] about the distance of two miles, the Duke of Richmond, the king’s base son, with a great company of noblemen which had not been at Boulogne, met them, and saluting the French king, embraced him in a most honourable and courteous manner.’ 18
Henry had brought Anne Boleyn with him as his consort on this state visit, not Catherine of Aragon. As a result, neither Francis I’s wife, Eleanore, nor his sister, Marguerite, attended. Francis’s hostess on this occasion was his mistress, Anne de Pisseleu d’Heilly, duchess d’Étampes. It was an odd royal visit for the King of England, to bring his mistress and bastard child, and leave his wife and daughter at home.
When Henry VIII and his retinue returned to England, Richmond and Surrey stayed on in France. The French King was pleased to entertain such a promising youth, and Richmond and his followers were proud and pleased to be feted by the French Court. Richmond enjoyed the company of the dauphin Francois and his brother, Henri d’Orléans, as well as their sisters. They hunted, played tennis, gambled and, if rumour is to be believed, behaved like teenage hooligans, riding the streets at night, beating people up and raising riot.
Everyone seemed keen to praise the Duke. There is, however, one dissenting voice that shows Richmond in a different light. A poem–history of the life of Sir Nicholas Throckmorton (a younger son with no hope of inheritance), included the following description of his life as a page to a temperamental young man, during his time at the French Court:
A brother, fourth, and far from hope of land,
By parents’ hest, I served as a page
To Richmond’s duke, and waited still at hand,
For fear of blows that happen’d in his rage.
In France with him I lived most carelessly,
And learned the tongue, though nothing readily … 19
On 26 November 1533 a papal dispensation was sought in order that Richmond might marry ‘Lady Mary.’ It has been suggested that this dispensation had been requested so that Richmond could marry his half-sister, Princess Mary, daughter of Catherine of Aragon. In fact, it refers to his proposed marriage to Mary Howard, daughter of the Duke of Norfolk. A dispensation was necessary because Henry VIII had married Norfolk’s niece, Anne Boleyn, which meant that Mary Howard and Richmond were now more closely related. 20
Richmond began to participate more in Court life. On 20 January 1534, he attended a Chapter of the Garter to elect James V of Scotland to a vacant place and in May he represented his father at the head of the Garter procession. Between 15 January and 30 March, Richmond attended Parliament on 32 of the 45 days that it was in session. However,
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