On this Day in History ... 29 May

Froissart. 1328. King Charles of France (age 33), son to the fair king Philip, was three times married, and yet died without issue male. The Blanche of Burgundy Queen Consort France was one of the most fairest ladies in all the world, and she was daughter to the earl of Artois. Howbeit she kept but evil the sacrament of matrimony, but brake her wedlock; wherefore she was kept a long space in prison in the castle Gaillard [Map], before that her husband was made king. And when the realm of France was fallen to him, he was crowned by the assent of the twelve douze-peers¹ of France, and then because they would not that the realm of France should be long without an heir male, they advised by their counsel that the king should be remarried again; and so he was, to the Marie Luxemburg Queen Consort France of the emperor Henry of Luxembourg, sister to the gentle king of Bohemia (age 31); whereby the first marriage of the king was fordone, between him and his Blanche of Burgundy Queen Consort France that was in prison, by the licence and declaration of the pope that was then. And by his second wife, who was right humble, and a noble wise lady, the king had a Louis Capet, who died in his young age, and the queen also at Issoudun [Map] in Berry. And they both died suspiciously, wherefore divers persons were put to blame after privily. And after this, the same king Charles was married again the third time to the Joan Évreux Queen Consort France (age 18) of his uncle, the lord Louis earl of Evreux, and she was sister to the king of Navarre (age 21), and was named queen Joan. And so in time and space this lady was with child, and in the mean-time the king Charles her husband fell sick and lay down on his death-bed. And when he saw there was no way with him but death, he devised that if it fortuned the queen to be delivered of a son, then he would that the lord Philip of Valois should be his governour, and regent of all his realm, till his son come to such age as he might be crowned king; and if it fortuned the queen to have a daughter, then he would that all the twelve peers of France should take advice and counsel for the further ordering of the realm, and that they should give the realm and regaly to him that had most right thereto. And so within a while after the king Charles died, about Easter in the year of our Lord Mcccxxviii., and within a short space after the queen was delivered of a Blanche Capet.

Note 1. Froissart says simply 'les douze pers.'

Then all the peers of France assembled a council together at Paris, as shortly as they might conveniently, and there they gave the realm by common accord to sir Philip of Valois (age 34), and put clean out the queen Isabel (age 33) of England and king Edward (age 15) her son. For she was sister-german to king Charles last dead, but the opinion of the nobles of France was, and said and maintained that the realm of France was of so great nobless, that it ought not by succession to fall into a woman's hand. And so thus they crowned king of France Philip Valois at Rheims [Map] on Trinity Sunday next after.

The Noble Triumphant Coronacyon of Quene Anne. 29 May 1532. First the twenty-ninth daye of Maye beynge thursday all the worshypfull craftes¹ and occupacyons in their best araye goodly besene toke theyr bargs which were splayed² with goodly baners fresshe and newe with the cognysaunce and armes of theyr faculty to the nombre of fifty great barges comly besene and euery barge hauynge mynstrels makynge greate and sweete armony. Also there was the bachelers barge comly besene decked with innumerable baners and all about hangyd with ryche cloth of golde foystes ³waytynge her upon decked with a great shotte of ordynaunce whiche descended the ryuer afore all the barges and the bachelers barge formestt and so folowynge in good araye and ordre euery crafte in theyr degree and ordre tyll they came to Greenwyche and there taryed abydynge the quenes grace which was a wonderfull goodly syght to beholde. Than at thre of the clocke the quenes grace cam to her barge and incontynent⁴ all the cytezins with that goodly company set forth towards London in good arraye as before is sayd. And to wryte what nombre of gon shot what with chambres and great peces of ordynaunce were shotte as she passed by in dyuers places it passeth my memory to wryte or to tell the nombre of them and specially at Ratly and at lyme house out of certeyne shyppes. And so the quenes grace in her ryche barge amonge her nobles the cytezyns accompanyed her to London unto the toure wharfe. Also or she came nere the toure there was shot innumerable peces of ordynaunce as euer was there by any mennes remembraunces where the Kyng receyued her grace with a noble louyng countenaunce and so gaue great thankes and prayse to all the cytezyns for theyr great kyndnesse and louynge labour and paynes in that behalfe taken to the greate ioye and comforte of all the citezyns. Also to beholde the wonderfull nombre of people that euer was seen that stode on the shore on bothe sydes of the ryuer was neuer in one syght out of the cyte of London sene what in goodly lodgynges and houses that be on the ryuer syde bytwene Grenwyche and London it passeth al mennes iudgementes to csteme the infinyte nombre of them. Wherein her grace with al her ladyes reioysed moche.

Note 1. City companies.

Note 2. Displayed.

Note 3. Swift ships.

Note 4. immediately.

Wriothesley's Chronicle. 29 May 1533. Memorandum, Thursdaie, the 29th daie of Maie, 1533, Ladie Anne, Marques of Pembroke (age 32), was receayed as Queene of Englande by all the Lordes of Englande.^c And the Major^d and Aldermen, with all the craftes of the Cittie of London, went to Greenewych in their barges after the best fashion, with a barge also of Batchlers of the Majors crafte rytchlie behanged with cloath of golde and a foyst^e to wayte on her. And so all the Lordes, the Major, with all the craftes of London, brought her by water from Greenewych [Map] to the Tower of London [Map], and ther the Kinges grace (age 41) receaved her at her landinge; and then were shott at the Towre above a thousand gunnes, besides other shotts that were shott at Lymehowse, and in other shipps lying in the Thammes. And the morrowe after being Fridaie^f their were made divers Knightes of the Bath.

Note c. Anne Boleyn (age 32) was descended through both parents from the royal stock of King Edward I; paternally, from Elizabeth, daughter of that monarch, and, maternally, from Thomas de Brotherton, Earl of Norfolk, son of the same King.

Note d. Sir Stephen Pecocke

Note e. A light and fast-sailing ship.

Note f. May 30.

Letters and Papers 1533. 29 May 1533. 556. The Duke left two hours after I had returned, so that neither he nor his company, among which is the brother (age 30) of the Lady (age 32), have delayed one day to see the triumph in which the Lady (age 32) has today come from Greenwich to the Tower. She was accompanied by several bishops and lords, and innumerable people, in the form that other queens have been accustomed to be received; and, whatever regret the King may have shown at the taking of the Queen's barge, the Lady has made use of it in this triumph, and appropriated it to herself. God grant she may content herself with the said barge and the jewels and husband of the Queen, without attempting anything, as I have heretofore written, against the persons of the Queen and Princess. The said triumph consisted entirely in the multitude of those who took part in it, but all the people showed themselves as sorry as though it had been a funeral. I am told their indignation increases daily, and that they live in hope your Majesty will interfere. On Saturday the Lady will pass all through London and go to the King's lodging, and on Sunday to Westminster, where the ceremony of the coronation will take place. London, 29 May 1533.

Fr., pp. 9. From a modern copy.

Letters and Papers 1533. 31 May 1533. MS. L. f. 1. Coll. of Arms. 563. Anne Boleyn (age 32).

On Thursday, 29 May 1533, 25 Hen. VIII., the lady Anne marchioness of Pembroke (age 32) was received at Greenwich, and conveyed to the Tower of London, and thence to Westminster, where she was crowned queen of England.

Order was taken by the King and his Council for all the Lords spiritual and temporal to be in the barge before Greenwich at 3 p.m., and give their attendance till the Queen took her barge. The mayor of London, Stephen Pecocke, haberdasher, had 48 barges in attendance richly decked with arras, hung with banners and with pennons of the arms of the crafts in fine gold, and having in them trumpets, shallands, and minstrels; also every barge decked with ordnance of guns, "the won to heill the other troumfettly as the tyme dyd require." Also there was the bachelor's barge sumptuously decked, and divers foists with great shot of ordnance, which went before all the barges. Order given that when her Grace's barge came "anontes" Wapping mills, knowledge should be given to the Tower to begin to shoot their ordnance. Commandment given to Sir Will. Vinstonne (Kingston), constable of the Tower, and Sir Edw. Wallsyngham, lieutenant of the Tower, to keep a space free for her landing. It was marvellous sight how the barges kept such good order and space between them that every man could see the decking and garnishing of each, "and how the banars and penanntes of armis of their craftes, the which were beaten of fyne gould, yllastring so goodly agaynste the sonne, and allso the standardes, stremares of the conisaunsys and devisis ventylyng with the wynd, allso the trompettes blowyng, shallmes and mistrielles playng, the which war a ryght symtivis and a tryhumfantt syght to se and to heare all the way as they paste upon the water, to her the sayd marvelles swett armone of the sayd ynstermentes, the which soundes to be a thinge of a nother world. This and this order hir Grace pasyng till she came a nontt Rattlyffe."

The Queen was "hallsyd with gones forth of the shippes" on every side, which could not well be numbered, especially at Ratcliffe. When she came over against Wapping mills the Tower "lousyd their ordinaunce" most triumphantly, shooting four guns at once.

At her landing, a long lane was made among the people to the King's bridge at the entrance of the Tower. She was received on coming out of her barge by Sir Edw. Walsingham, lieutenant of the Tower, and Sir Will. Kinston, constable of the Tower. The officers of arms gave their attendance; viz., Sir Thos. Writhe, Garter king-of-arms, Clarencieux and Norroy kings-of-arms, Carlisle, Richmond, Windsor, Lancaster, York, and Chester heralds; the old duchess of Norfolk bearing her train; the lord Borworth (sic), chamberlain to her Grace, supporting it, &c. A little further on she was received by lord Sandes, the King's chamberlain, lord Hause (Hussey), chamberlain with the Princess, the lord Windsor, the lord Nordunt (Mordaunt?), and others; afterwards by the bishops of Winchester and London, the earl of Oxford, chamberlain of England, lord Will. Haworth, marshal of England, as deputy to his brother Thos. duke of Norfolk, the earl of Essex, &c.

Somewhat within the Tower she was received by the King, who laid his hands on both her sides, kissing her with great reverence and a joyful countenance, and led her to her chamber, the officers of arms going before. After which every man went to his lodging, except certain noblemen and officers in waiting. The King and Queen went to supper, and "after super ther was sumptuus void."

Letters and Papers 1541. 29 May 1541. 868. Marillac to Francis I.

What has here happened since he wrote last, on the 22nd, gives matter to write. To begin with, a case more worthy of compassion than of long letters, the countess of Saalberi (deceased), mother of Cardinal Pol (age 41) and the late lord Montaigue, was yesterday morning, about 7 o'clock, beheaded in a corner of the Tower [Map], in presence of so few people that until evening the truth was still doubted. It was the more difficult to believe as she had been long prisoner, was of noble lineage, above 80 years old, and had been punished by the loss of one son and banishment of the other, and the total ruin of her house. Further reflections upon this. The manner of proceeding in her case and that of a lord who was executed at the same time (who is not yet named, but is presumed to be lord Leonard de Clidas (age 62), formerly the King's lieutenant in Ireland) seems to argue that those here are afraid to put to death publicly those whom they execute in secret. It may be added that yesterday all the heads which were fixed upon the bridge of the river which passes by this town were taken down; in order that the people may forget those whose heads kept their memory fresh, if it were not that this will people the place with new, for Marillac hears from a good place that, before St. John's tide, they reckon to empty the Tower of the prisoners now there for treason.

The talk of going to the North continues, and provisions are already being sent; which are the greater as the company will be 4,000 or 5,000 horse, as well because the King (age 49) wishes to go with more magnificence (as he has not yet been there) as to be secure against any seditious designs. They will be gentlemen of these quarters of King (Kent), whom he trusts most. The 50 gentlemen of the house will each have tent and war equipment, as also will several other young lords; so that it will be rather like following a camp than going to the chase.

As instructed in last packet of the 20th, will write to no one of affairs here. Would not have done it in the past had he known Francis's pleasure, but was only written to to address all he wrote to Francis, not that he should not write to others. Will write affairs concerning war or peace to Mons. de Vendosme, as long as he is in Picardy, and in his absence a word to M. du Bies, to prevent them thinking better or worse in the absence of news. Is not spoken to about the Cauchoide nor about the conversation he wrote last in cipher.