Calendar of State Papers Spain Volume 5 Part 2 1531-1533. 01 Apr 1536. Wien, Rep. P. C., Fasc. 230, 1–4. Eustace Chapuys (age 46) to the Emperor (age 36).

Just at this moment I receive a message from the marchioness [of Dorset] (age 18)¹, confirming the information I once had from Master Geliot (age 46), namely, that some days ago, the King being here in London, and, the young [her sister-in-law] Miss Seymour (age 27), to whom he is paying court at Greenwich, he sent her a purse full of sovereigns, together with a letter, and that the young damsel, to whom he is paying court, after respectfully kissing the letter, returned it to the messenger without opening it, and then falling on her knees, begged the royal messenger to entreat the King in her name to consider that she was a well-born damsel, the daughter of good and honourable parents without blame or reproach of any kind; there was no treasure in this world that she valued as much as her honour, and on no account would she lose it, even if she were to die a thousand deaths. That if the King wished to make her a present of money, she requested him to reserve it for such a time as God would be pleased to send her some advantageous marriage. (fn. n13)

The marchioness also sent me word that in consequence of this refusal the King's love for the said damsel had marvelously increased, and that he had said to her that not only did he praise and commend her virtuous behaviour on the occasion, but that in order to prove the sincerity of his love, and the honesty of his views towards her, he had resolved not to converse with her in future, except in the presence of one of her relatives, and that for this reason the King had taken away from Master Cromwell's apartments in the palace a room, to which he can, when he likes, have access through certain galleries without being seen, of which room the young lady's elder [her husband] brother (age 36) and his wife (age 39) have already taken possession for the express purpose of her repairing thither. But I hear that the young lady has been well tutored and warned by those among this King's courtiers who hate the concubine, telling her not in any wise to give in to the King's fancy unless he makes her his Queen, upon which the damsel is quite resolved. She has likewise been advised to tell the King frankly, and without reserve, how much his subjects abominate the marriage contracted with the concubine, and that not one considers it legitimate, and that this declaration ought to be made in the presence of witnesses of the titled nobility of this kingdom, who are to attest the truth of her statements should the King request them on their oath and fealty to do so. The marchioness wishes that I or some one else, on Your Majesty's part, would take this affair in hand, and certainly, if my opinion on such a point is needed, I do not hesitate to say that whoever could help in its execution would do a meritorious work, as it would prove a further security for the person of the Princess, a remedy for the heretical doctrines and practices of the concubine—the principal cause of the spread of Lutheranism in this country—as well as be the means of clearing the King from the taint of a most abominable and adulterous marriage. The Princess herself would be glad of this, even if she were eventually deprived of her rights to the English crown by the birth of male children. I shall again inform her to-day of what is going on, and, with her advice, will act in such a manner that if we cannot gain, at least we shall lose nothing by the event—London, 1 Apr. 1536.

Signed: "Eustace Chapuys."

Addressed: "To the Emperor."

French. Original. pp. Almost entirely in cipher.

Note 1. "Just now, the marquise has sent to tell me what Maître Gelyot had already affirmed to me."

Eliot? the original reads thus: "Tout a cest instaat la marquise ma envoye dire ce que desia mavoit affirme maistre gelyot."

Note 2. Namely, that in these past days, while the king was in this town and the young lady Mistress Seymour, whom he serves, was in Greenwich, he sent her a purse full of sovereigns along with a letter. And that the said young lady, after kissing the letter, returned it to the messenger without wanting to open it, and, throwing herself to her knees, she begged the said messenger to beseech the king on her behalf to consider, in his wisdom, that she was a gentlewoman descended from good and honourable parents without any reproach, and that she had no greater wealth in this world than her honour, which she would not wound for a thousand deaths, and that if he wished to give her some present of money, she begged him to do so when God would send her a good match in marriage.

"A sçavoir que ces iours passez estant ce roy en ceste ville et la demoiselle maistresse Semel, la quelle il sert, a Grynuchuitz, il lui envoya une boursse plaine de souverains ensemble une lectre, et quc la dicte demoiselle ayant baise la lectre, la retourna au messegier sans la vouloir ouvrir, et se gectant a genoulx elle supplia au diet messaigier vouloir supplier au roy de sa part vouloir considerer par su prudence quelle estoit gentil femme yssue de bons et honourables pareus sans nul reproache, et quelle navoit plus grande richesse en ce monde que son honneur, le quel pour mille mort elle ne vouldroit blesser, et que sil luy vouloit faire quelque present dargent elle luy supplioit que ce fut quant dieu lui envoyeroit quelque bon party de mariage."

Letters 1536. Jun 1536. June. Grants.

4. Sir [her husband] Edward Sainctmayr (age 36) (Seymour). Patent of creation as Viscount Beauchamp, with 20 marks a year. —S.B. Del. Terling, 5 June 28 Henry VIII. Pat. p. 3, m. 26.

5. Sir Edward Seymour, Viscount Beauchamp. Grant of the manors of Brodeton, Sherston, and Ambresburye, Wilts, and the hundreds of Ambresburye, Wynterbourne, and Alleworthbury, Wilts, and all lands, &c. in those places belonging to the said manors and hundreds; to hold to the said Edward and the heirs male of his body by dame Anne his wife, with remainder. Westm., 6 June 28 Henry VIII. Del. 7 June. —P.S. Pat. p. 3, m. 9.

6. Sir Edward Seymer, Viscount Beauchamp. Grant in tail male of the site, ground, &c. of the late priory of Holy Trinity, Eston, Wilts, dissolved by parliament; and all messuages, &c., within the circuit; the manors of Eston, Froxfeld, and Grafton, Wilts, the rectories of the parish churches of Estonne, Froxfeld, Stapleford, and Tydcombe, and the advowsons of the churches and vicarages thereof, the manors, messuages, &c. in the vills, parishes, and hamlets of Eston, Froxfelde, Stapleford, Tydcombe, and Grafton, Milton, Wyke, and Puttale, and elsewhere in said co., lately belonging to the said priory, as enjoyed by Henry Bryan, late prior, in right of the said priory on the 4 Feb. last, which came into the King's hands by virtue of the Act 27 Henry VIII. Also the manor of Corseley, Wilts, parcel of the lands of the late priory of Studley, Oxon, dissolved by parliament; and all messuages, &c. thereto belonging in Corseley; in the same manner as Mary Baynbrig, the late prioress, held the same. Also the manor of Monketon, Wilts, parcel of the lands of the late priory of Farleygh, Wilts, dissolved by parliament; and all messuages, lands, &c. of the said late priory in Monketon, in the same manner as Lewis Breknok alias Millen, prior, held the same on the 4 Feb. last. Also all messuages, lands, &c. in Tudworth, Wilts, parcel of the lands of the late priory of Mayden Bardley, Wilts, now dissolved by the said Act, in the same manner as Richard Jenyns the prior held the same on the 4 Feb. last; with all court leets, views of frankpledge, &c. in the above possessions.

2. Also grant in tail male to the said Edward and dame Anne his wife, of the manors of Barwyk, Basset, Richardston, Langden, Mydgehall, Studley, and Costowe, Wilts; parcel of the lands late of the abbey of Stanley, Wilts; and all messuages, lands, &c. in those places, as fully as Th. Calne alias Morley the abbot held the same on the 4 Feb. last; the site, ground, &c. of the late priory of Farlegh, Wilts; the church, bell tower, and churchyard of the same priory; all messuages, &c. within and without the enclosure and circuit of the said late priory; and the manors of Farlegh, Chippenham, Thornehill, and Brome, Wilts; and the advowson of the parish church of Farlegh, and all messuages, lands, &c. of the said late priory in Farlegh, Chippenham Thornehill, and Brome, as fully as the said Lewis Breknok enjoyed the same on the 4 Feb. last. Also the manors of Erchefounte and Alcanings, Wilts; parcel of the lands of the late abbey of St. Mary, Winchester, likewise dissolved; the rectory of the parish church of Erchefounte and the advowson of the parish church of Alcanings, and the advowsons of the churches of Erchefount and Alcanings, and all messuages, lands, &c., in those places, parcel of the said late abbey, as fully as Eliz. Shelley the abbess held the same on the 4 Feb. last; with all views of frankpledge, court leets, &c. in the above possessions.

To hold the possessions in the 1st paragraph to the said Edward and the heirs male of his body by the said dame Anne (age 39); with remainder to the heirs male of his body by future wife, at the rent of £7 16s. 2d.; and those in the second paragraph to the said Edward and Anne and heirs male of the body of the said Edward by the said Anne; with remainder in default of such issue to the heirs male of the body of the said Edward by any future wife; with remainder in default of such issue to the heirs female of the said Edward, at rent £34 16d. Westm., 6 June 28 Henry VIII. Del. 7 June.—P.S. Pat. p. 3, m. 5.

Letters 1536. 08 Jun 1536. Statute Roll. 1087. Parliament.

Begun at Westminster 8 June 28 Henry VIII., Acts concerning:—

1. The attainder of Thomas Fitzgerald and his five uncles [c. 18].

2. Assurance of the manor of Southwark to the King [c. 19].

3. Jointure of Dame Grace, wife of Sir Henry Parker, son and heir to Henry lord Morley [c. 20].

4. Exchange between the King and the prior of St. Johns [c. 21].

5. Lands belonging to the earldom of Warwick [c. 22].

6. Pension to Robert Shurborn late Bishop of Chichester [c. 23].

7. Attainder of lord Thomas Howard [c. 24].

8. Assurance of lands to [her husband] Viscount Beauchamp (age 36) [c. 25].

9. Assurance of lands in Kew to Viscount Beauchamp and lady Anne (age 39) his wife [c. 26].

10. Church of Elsingspittle to be the parish church of St. Alphes, Cripplegate [c. 27].

11. Moiety of Ricard's Castle assured to John Onley [c. 28].

12. Exchange with the Abbot of Westminster for Covent Garden [c. 29].

13. Purchase of Stanton Barry from Thomas Pope [c. 30].

14. Enlargement of St. Margaret's churchyard, Southwark [c. 31].

15. Lands at Westminster conveyed to the King by the churchwardens of St. Martin's and St. Margaret's [c. 32].

16. Durham Place conveyed to the King by exchange [c. 33].

17. Baynard's Castle assured to the Duke of Richmond (age 16) [c. 34].

18. Exchange with lord Sandes [c. 35].

19. Award between Sir Adrian Fortescue and Sir Walter Stoner [c. 36].

20. Jointure of Dorothy, daughter to the Earl of Huntingdon, to be married to Richard Devereux, son of lord Ferrers [c. 37].

20a. Assurance of Paris Garden, &c. to the Queen [c. 38].

21. Earldom of March [c. 39].

22. Lands assured to Edward North [c. 40].

23. Manor of Birmingham assured to the King [c. 41].

24. Exchange with the Abbot of Abingdon [c. 42].

25. Lands assured to Thomas Jermyn [c. 43].

26. Manor of Haselyngfeld assured to the Charter House [c. 44].

27. The [her sister-in-law] Queen's (age 27) jointure [c. 45].

28. Lands assured to Thomas Hatclyff, clerk of the Green Cloth [c. 46].

29. Lands assured to John Gostwyke [c. 47].

30. Concerning a marriage to be had between Lord Bulbeke (age 20), son and heir apparent to the Earl of Oxford (age 65), and Dorothy, eldest daughter of the Earl of Westmoreland (age 38) [c. 48].

31. Exchange of Covent Garden with the abbot and convent of Westmoreland [c. 49].

32. Exchange between the King, the archbishop of Canterbury, and Cromwell (Wimbledon, Mortlake, &c.) [c. 50].

33. Jointure of Catharine Duchess of Suffolk (age 17) [c. 51].

34. Lands of Lord Rochford (deceased), Norris (deceased), and others [c. 52].

35. Benefit of clergy restricted [c. 1].

36. Against servants embezzling [c. 2].

37. Power to allot townships in Wales [c. 3].

38. Repeal of statute for dowlas and lokerams [c. 4].

39. For prentices [c. 5].

40. For continuing the Statute of Beggars and other Acts [c. 6].

41. The Succession [c. 7].

42. For continuing statutes against exportation of copper, &c. [c. 8].

43. For continuing statutes against perjury and others [c. 9].

44. For extinguishing the authority of the Bishop of Rome [c. 10].

45. For restitution of first-fruits during vacancies to next incumbent [c. 11].

46. Declaring the limits of the King's palace of Westminster [c. 12].

47. Against non-residence of spiritual persons [c. 13].

48. Prices of wines [c. 14].

49. Punishment of pirates [c. 15].

50. Dispensations from Rome [c. 16].

51. The King's successors when 24 years of age to have power to annul Acts of Parliament made during their minority [c. 51].