Letters and Papers 1537. On Wednesday [01 Nov 1537], the vigil of All Saints, the great chamber and galleries leading to the chapel, and the chapel, were hung with black cloth and garnished with rich images. In the chapel was prepared a hearse, garnished with 8 banner-rolls of descents i.e. of the King, Queen, Prince, York, Normandy, Guienne, Ireland and Cornwall with "rachments and majestye." The same afternoon the corpse was conveyed to the chapel, the King's officers and servants standing in double rank from the chamber to the chapel with torches, not lighted, whilst the Bishop of Carlisle, her almoner, assisted by the Bishop of Chichester, dean of the Chapel and the subdean, entered the chamber and did the ceremonies, as sensing with holy water and De profundis. That done, torches were lighted and the procession formed; first the cross with priests, two and two, then gentlemen, esquires, pursuivants and heralds, then the noblemen, then Garter, then the [her husband] Earl of Rutland (age 45), the Queen's chamberlain, and Duke of Norfolk (age 64), then the corpse, then the chief mourner, the lady Marquis of Exeter "in place of the Lady Mary as then accrased assisted by two noblemen as earls," then nine noble ladies, mourners. The corpse being received in the chapel by the prelates and placed under the hearse, Lancaster Herald said, with a loud voice, "Of your charity pray for the soul" &c. (words quoted). Then Dirige was sung and all departed to the Queen's chamber. Watch was kept every night in the chapel by priests, gentlemen-ushers and officers of arms who, in the morning, early, were relieved by ladies and went to breakfast, which was provided "as two chines of beef with bread ale and wine thereto sufficient." Then began Laudes; and at nine a.m. the Lady Mary (age 21), chief mourner, and the others proceeded to the chapel. Thursday, 1 Nov., was the offering mass (described) at which everyone offered a piece of gold. Then after dinner and consultation with the cofferer and other chief clerks of the Household about the provision to be made, Dirige was solemnly sung by the Bishop of Chichester. On Friday, 2 Nov., the Abbot of St. Albans said mass and conducted the service; Saturday, 3 Nov., the Abbot of Waltham did execute; Sunday, 4 Nov., the Abbot of Reading; Monday, 5 Nov., the Abbot of Stratford. On Tuesday, 6 Nov., were 3 solemn masses, (1) by the Abbot of Tower Hill at which were the chief mourner, the Countess of Rutland (age 42) and other ladies, nine in all, the train borne by Mrs. Bassett: (2) by the Abbot of Westminster (attended by the chief mourner, Countess of Oxford (age 19) and others): (3) by the Bishop of St. Tasse, Abbot of Bramsey (attended by the chief mourner, Lady Marquis of Exeter, Countess of Rutland (age 42) and Sussex and others; the train borne by lady Coffyn).

Letters and Papers 1537. 12 Nov 1537. Monday, 12 Nov [1537], the corpse was removed to a chair drawn by six chariot horses, and four banners were borne by four barons (not named). Banners (described) were also borne by Chester, Windsor, Richmond, and Lancaster heralds, by Sir Thomas Denys, Gregory Crumwell, Sir William Godolphyn, Sir John Sandes, Richard Crumwell and Richard Manners. Assistants about the corpse and chair:—Duke of Suffolk (age 53), Marquis Dorset, and earls of Surrey, Westmorland, Wiltshire and Sussex. To the chief mourner:—lords Montague and Clifford. Gentlemen-ushers:—Henry Webbe and Thomas Dauncy. Henchmen that sat upon the chariot horses:—Thomas Kempe, Robert Turwytt, Bennet Lee, and John Hastynges. Officers of arms in attendance:— Garter and Clarencieux, kings; York, Chester, Windsor, Richmond, Lancaster and Somerset, heralds; Portcullis, Bluemantle, Rougedragon, Guisnes, Hammes, Berwick and Blaunchlyon, pursuivants. Serjeants-at-arms:—William Rowte, John Gwillm, Walt. Chalcote, Thomas Dawtry, William Uxley, George Warrenne, Richard Raynshowe, William Clerke, John Stoner, Ralph Framyngham, John Greefelde, Ralph Saintjohn, John up Richards, Edward Slegge, Nicholas Jacsoune. Everything being in order the procession started, Gregory Lovell and Robert Hawkes leading the way, with black staves, followed by 200 poor men wearing the Queen's badges, who at Colbrooke, Exton (sic, Eton), and Windsor stood on each side of the street with their torches. Then came minstrels and trumpets, strangers and ambassadors' servants, the cross with priests, knights, chaplains, abbots, barons and bishops, councillors and head officers, Viscounts and earls. Lord Cromwell lord Privy Seal with the French ambassador Mons. de Schatelon. The lord Chancellor with the ambassador of the Emperor "last come." The cross of the archbishop of Canterbury borne before him by his chaplain; and he himself with the Emperor's ambassador "longest being here." Then Clarencieux and Garter, the Queen's almoner, the chamberlains to the King and Queen, the Earl of Oxford (age 66), High-Chamberlain, the Duke of Norfolk (age 64), High-Marshal. Then the corpse surrounded by banners borne by Sir William Muschame, lord Hungerford, lord Mordaunt, lord Bray and lord Mountjoy; assisted by the earls of Sussex and Westmorland, marquis Dorset, the earls of Wiltshire and Surrey and Duke of Suffolk (age 53). Then my Lady Mary, chief mourner, her horse trapped in black velvet and assisted by lords Clifford and Montague. Noble ladies following, in the first chair:—Lady Fraunces, the Countesses of Oxford (age 19), Rutland (age 42), Sussex, Bath, and Southampton, and lady Margaret Howard. In the 2nd (described) the Countess of Derby (age 52), widow, and ladies Margaret Gray, Rochford (age 32), and Carowe, followed by ladies Morley, Dawbeney, Dudley, Owtred, Browne, Pawlet, Russell, and Baynton. The 3rd chair containing ladies Cobham, Bray, Kingston (age 61), and Coffyn; followed by ladies Knevet, Wollope, Henage, and Lyster, Mrs. Smith, Mrs. Jernyngham, Mrs. Stoner, and Mrs. Francis Aylmer. The 4th chair containing Mrs. Souche, Mrs. Hollande, Mrs. Asheley, Mrs. Norres, and Mrs. Parre; and followed by Mrs. Darcy, Mrs. Pexsall, Mrs. Clarencieux, Mrs. Carowe, Mrs. Poyntes, Mrs. Cromwell, Mrs. Boynton, and Mrs. Tymeo. The 5th chair containing Mrs. Fitzherbart, Mrs. Bassett, Mrs. Rastall, Mrs. Uxbryge, and Mrs. Joscelyn. (All other gentlewomen rode on before to await the arrival at Windsor, and the start was to be made at 5 a.m.) After the 5th chariot came Sir William Kingston (age 61), the King's vice-chamberlain and captain of the Guard, followed by the Guard—three and three—and all other noblemen's servants. Two almoners were appointed to distribute alms by the way. At Colbroke the corpse was reverently received; and so forth at Eaton, where the Bishop of Lincoln, the Bishop of Carlisle "provost of the said college," and all the priests, clerks, and children received it with caps and tapers in their hands. At Windsor the mayor and brethren met it at the bridge-foot with lighted torches, and so passed to the College. Describes the hangings on the way from the bridge-foot to the west door and in the choir. The dean of Windsor and all the College met the corpse at the utter gate, and accompanied it to the west door, where the chair was taken out and borne by Sir Henry Savyll, Sir Marm. Constable, Sir Arthur Darcy, Sir John St. John, Sir Henry Parker, Sir Thomas Poyninges, and Sir Thomas Darcy, assisted by Sir Humph. Radclyff, Sir John Gage, Sir Richard Weston, and Sir Richard Sandys. A canopy (described) was borne over the corpse by Lord Hastyngs, son and heir to the Earl of Huntingdon, and lords Delaware, Morley, Dacres of the South, Cobham and Bray. In the choir was the archbishop of Canterbury, in pontificalibus, assisted by the bishops of London, Lincoln, Chichester, Worcester, Rochester, St. Taxe (St. Asaph), and Carlisle, and the abbots of Westminster, St. Albans, Reading, Waltham, Tower Hill, and Stratford. The chief mourner followed the corpse, having her train borne by the Viscountess Rochforde (age 32), and assisted by lady Fraunces, the Countesses of Oxford, Derby (age 52) (widow), Rutland (age 42), Bath, and Southampton, and lady Margaret Howard. The corpse being passed under the hearse, a Dirge began in which the lessons were read by the prelates in turn (named) and that finished, the nobility went to the Castle. Describes solemn watch that night and services next day, after which the "offering of the palles began" i.e., ladies Bray, Dawbeney, Morley and Cobham offered one each, ladies Margaret Howard, and Marg. Gray two each, the Countesses of Southampton, Bath, Sussex, Rutland (age 42), Oxford, and Derby (age 52) three each, lady Fraunces four, and the Lady Mary, who was lead between the dukes of Norfolk and Suffolk, seven. That done, the mourners went to the Castle where they were sumptuously provided for, and the corpse was solemnly buried and all finished by 12 o'clock that day.

ii. Liveries given to the officers of arms and payments for diets made to them by Mr. Gostwick.

Pp. 24 in an Elizabethan hand.