The Secret Diary of Edward VI (and other monarchs)

Yes, Edward VI and other monarchs wrote diaries. Here are some extracts : Edward VI, early 1547: “After the death of King Henry th’eight his son Edward prince of Wales was come to at Hartford by th’erle of Hartford and S[ir] Anthony Brown Master of t’horse for whom befor was made great preparation that he…

Digging up our monarchs; no, not Richard III this time….!

I’m told that even now, if you purchase a plot of ground in which to put your loved ones to rest, the chances are they’ll only lie in peace for eighty years, at which time they are removed and new occupants move in. Well, for centuries our dead haven’t always been left to enjoy their…

An Honest Bed: The Scene of Life and Death in Late Medieval England.

Death bed of Richard Whittington…London 1442-1443. A link to an interesting article covering all things about the medieval bed including childbed, deathbed and much, much  more …    

It’s a wonder anyone survived medieval battles….!

  The title above says it all. Go to this article and see what I mean. With such weapons being wielded on all sides, how on earth did anything—man or horse—emerge still standing? I don’t think we should be in any doubt at all that by going to battle, all men knew they were putting their…

THE DEATH OF HENRY VII

UPDATED POST ON sparkypus.com A Medieval Potpourri https://sparkypus.com/2020/05/14/the-death-of-henry-vii/ Henry VII on his deathbed : Wriothesley’s Heraldic Collection Vol 1 Book of Funerals. c Unknown artist’s impression of Tudor being crowned in the aftermath of Bosworth.. It must have seemed surreal to him as he wandered through the dead kings apartments at Westminster that had now,…

THE DEATH OF HENRY VIII

UPDATED POST AT sparkypus.com A Medieval Potpourri https://sparkypus.com/2020/05/14/henry-viiis-death/ Henry VIII, known as the Hamilton Portrait and once owned by the Duke of Hamilton, this portrait used to be at  Holyroodhouse.  Philip Mould. The deaths of all three Tudor kings were protracted and wretched.  Whether this was down to Karma, bad luck (or good luck depending…

William the B … er, Conqueror

This piece, by Marc Morris in History Extra, describes the events that followed the previous usurpation from France. A lot more violent, indeed, than the early reign of the first “Tudor”, although his son and grandchildren changed that …

Malmsey Wine – A Poem

  Don’t cry my son, it’s just a graze I know what can bring you cheer You’ll love the taste, so sweet, so fine Better than beer – Malmsey wine Chorus: Malmsey wine, fine and sweet Malmsey wine, you I seek Malmsey wine, heal the pain Malmsey wine: oblivion I know you’re sad, your wife…

Signs of the Times (2)

As a follow-up from my previous post about Richard’s handwriting, I thought I might consider the writing of a few others of his time period. Please bear in mind again, that this is just for fun and I am not a professional handwriting analyst. Also, there are only a few examples of the handwriting of…

More Cairo antics

Another example: Someone wrote to suggest that Richard’s final charge at “Tudor”, in which he killed Mr. William Brandon (“Tudor”‘s standard bearer) and unhorsed Sir John Cheney, was a sign of cowardice. Never mind that thosee paid by the first two “Tudors” to lie about him admitted that the King died “fighting manfully” ….. “in…