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Sunday, August 29, 2021

The Christening of Prince Arthur

Prince Arthur was born to Henry VII’s Queen, Elizabeth, on September 20, 1486, at the St. Swithun Priory. St. Swithun was the patron saint of the cathedral at Winchester to which the priory was attached. Henry had decided to name his son after the greatest English king, Arthur. It is said that He believed that Winchester was on the original site of Camelot.

We have already seen the lying-in instructions [link] that Margaret Beaufort wrote for her daughter-in-law’s royal servants and visitors. The weeks among lavish hangings and every possible protection, physical and emotional, ended in a successful delivery, mother and son both healthy by all indications. The kingdom had an heir.

The instructions are provided in the great antiquary John Leland’s de rebus Britannicis collectanea, V4, where we also are informed of details around the prince’s christening. All involved were aware that the condition of mother and/or child could suddenly decline. In those days, a royal child was baptized immediately in order to assure salvation should it suddenly die.

ON St. Eustachius’ Day, which was in the Year of our Lord M.CCCC.LXXXVI. the Dominical Letter A, and and the ijde Yere of the Reigne of our saide Souveraigne, the Prince Arture was born at Winchester, whiche was the firste begotten Sone of our said Souveraigne Lorde King Henry the VIIth, and cristened in Manner and Forme as ensueth,…

The John, the 13th Earl of Oxford, was at his seat, at Lavenham, at the time.

Why the Earls of Oxford chose the De Vere House at Lavenham, apparently built by the 13th Earl, as a favorite residence is not clear. Earls 13-16 were not courtiers. They seem to have preferred hunting to court or city activities. Lavenham was equally distant from their castles at Colchester and Hedingham and from a number of Royal forests in all of which they likely had permission to hunt. Mostly, it was a wealthy village that offered much greater distance from London.

The Earls had been on one side and another from the beginning of the War of the Roses, and, by the greatest good fortune, Richard III attainted John just in time for the spurned Earl to throw in his lot with the future Henry VII. He had led his men brilliantly. Without him , Henry had likely failed and he knew it. Leland continues:

…but not untill the Soneday next folowing, bycause th Erle of Oxynforde was at that Tyme at Lanam[1] in Suffolke, whiche shulde have ben on[e] of the Godfaders, at the Font, and also that Season was al[l] rayny.

Christenings were particularly effective occasions to bond personally and politically with essential noble allies. Oxford was to be godfather to the prince — a high honor, indeed. Many more honors would follow.

In the meantime, the court and country celebrated.

Incont[i]nent[2] after the Birth, Te Deum with Procession was songe in the Cathedrall Chirche, and in all the Chyrches of that Citie; great and many Fi[re]s made in the Streets, and Messengers lent to al[l] the [E]stat[e]s and Cities of the Realme with that comfortable and good Tydynge, to whom were geven great Giftes. Over al[l] Te Deum Laudamus songen, with Ringyng of Belles, and in the moest Parties, Fi[re]s made in the Praysing of God, and the Rejoysing of every true Englissman.

The prince had the good grace to be born just nine days before Michaelmas, England’s great feast [link] that marked the end of the harvest and the beginning of the business year. It is not immediately clear whether Henry gave out more in the way of gifts and grants than any other Michaelmas term. Knowing his well-deserved reputation, it seems likely he took advantage of the coincidence to pay two occasions with one reward.

The cathedral made preparations for the time whenever it should come.

al[l] the Cathedral Chyrche of Wynchester was hangede with Clothes of Arras, and in the M[i]dell, beside the Font of the saide Chirche, was ordeyned and prepared a solempne Fonte…

The font was raised on a dais seven steps above the floor. A high cross was draped in red worsted. A rich canopy was raised above the dais and the pure silver basin in the font.

Essex, Westmorland, Derby, Lord Strange, etc.: on Sunday, the great Lords of the realm assembled. To take part in the ceremony was a high honor.

And the Queen Elizabeth was in the Chirche abyding the Comyng of the Prince. At whiche Tyme Tydings came that th Erle of Oxinforde was within a Myle.

 In high dramatic fashion, the great Earl of Oxford arrived just in the nick of time.

After certeyn Ceremony, whan the [Gospel] was [done], Veni Creator Spiritus was began, and solempnely songen by the Kings Chapell with Org[a]ns, and Te Deum also. During whiche Season th Erle of Oxynforde toke the Prince in his right Arme,…

The hulking warrior cradled his prince in his right arm for the bishop of Worcester to speak his part and to sprinkle the princely head with holy water.

The king received christening gifts after his servants eased off the cloth of gold he had been wearing. For him, the coincidence of the christening and Michaelmas meant even more gifts to be received.

Th’ Erle of Oxynforde gave a P[air] of gilte Basonns, with a Sayer[3], whiche were borne by Sir William Stone; th Erle of Derbye gave a riche Sa[ck] of Golde coverede, whiche was borne by Sir Raynolde Bray: And the Lorde Maltravers gave a Cofer of Golde, whiche was borne by Sir Charles of Somersett.

The messengers may already have gone out to negotiate for the hand of the daughter of Isabel of Castile.

 

All quotes are from Joannis Lelandi antiquarii de rebus Britannicis collectanea, V4, 204-207.

 


[1] Lanam] Lavenham.

[2] Incont[i]nent] Unable to hold back their emotions.

[3] Apparently a pair of scales. An “assayer”.


Also at Virtual Grub Street:

  • To Where Did Queen Elizabeth I Disappear in August 1564? July 18, 2021. “Leicestershire was in the opposite direction from London. Nichols could discover no more.”
  • Elizabeth I’s Progress to Cambridge University, 1564: Her Arrival. June 20, 2021. “The Queen would be the only woman riding a charger. It was a statement that she could rule as well as any king, including the rule of a war horse.”
  • Simnel Cake: Lenten Treat of the Ages. March 7, 2021. “Samuel Pegge sees confirmation that saffron was used in the crusts of simnel cakes in Shakespeare's Winter's Tale…”
  • Queen Elizabeth I’s Heart and the French Ambassador.  April 3, 2019.  “…the Queen of England, with the permission of her physicians, has been able to come out of her private chamber, she has permitted me… to see her…”
  • Lady Southwell on the Final Days of Queen Elizabeth I.  March 24, 2019.  “her majesty told [Lady Scrope] (commanding her to conceal the same ) that she saw, one night, in her bed, her body exceeding lean, and fearful in a light of fire.”
  • Check out the English Renaissance Article Index for many more articles and reviews about this fascinating time and about the Shakespeare Authorship Question.
  • Check out the English Renaissance Letter Index for many letters from this fascinating time, some related to the Shakespeare Authorship Question.

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