Preparations of Queen Mary`s marriage

EXTRACTS FROM THE REGISTER OF THE PRIVY COUNCIL RELATIVE TO THE RECEPTION OF KING FELIPE AND THE SPANIARDS,

AND PREPARATIONS FOR THE QUEEN'S MARRIAGE.

(MS. Harl. 643, f 26.)

At St. James's, 26th May 1554.-- A letter to Mr. Weldon and Mr. John Dodge remaining at Southampton; willinge them to cause the marquess de las Navas, yf he lande thereabouts, [1] to be honorably receaved and entertained, and to signifye his arrival hether with speede.

At Richemond, 3d of Jun. -- A letter to the maiore and his bretheren of Southampton, to putt themselves in redines, and to receive the prince of Spaine, and to cause such boates as they shall thinke meete for the purpose to be trimed barke-like, in the seemelieste and richeste manner they can.

At Richemond, 13th Jun. -- A letter to John Norreys, gentleman usher, signifienge the lord chamberlene hath given order for the hanginges he wrotte for, and that he should cause convenyente and decente stages to be made in the Trinity church [at Winchester] for the marryage, after such form as shalbe declared unto him by Garter kinge at armes, who is sente thither to instruct him therin.

At Richemond, 25th of Jun. -- A letter to the lord Dudleye, willinge him, where he hath determyned to give such liveries as the prince of Spane giveth, to desiste therefrom, forasmuch as the same shoulde be unfitting, the prince's liverye beinge a speciall note whereby his servants may be knowne.

At Richemond, 13th Jun. -- A letter from the queene to the maiore of Salesbureye, willinge him, in consideracion that many Ambassadores shall repaire thether who drinke only wine, to cause foure or more of the saide cittie, of the most honest that hath used to provide and sell wine, to make provisione thereof, and retayle the same at prises reasonable, aswell to the straungers as to all others.

At Farnham, the last day of Jun. -- A letter to Lawrence Bradshawe, surveyor of the workes, signefyinge that the quenes highnes mindeth to dine abroade [2] a the day of her maryage; willinge him therefore to take order that the tables be sett and raised accordingly, and that the wall at the backe side of the table where her highnes shall sitte be brokene, and a place devised for her highnes to withdrawe herselfe.

At Winchester, 27th Jul. -- This daye it was ordered by the boarde that a note of all such matteres of state as should passe from hence should be pute into Latten and Spanyche from henceforth, and the same to be delyvered to such as it should please the kinges highnes to appointe to receave it.

It was also ordered that all matteres of estate passynge in the kinge and quenes names should be signed with both their handes. It was further ordered, that a stampe be made in both theire names for the stampinge of such matters as should be requisite. [3]

At Winchester, the 29th of Jul. -- This daye two treaties of the maryage betweene the kinge and queenes highnes, sealed with the seale of Spaine, exhibited by the lord privie seale and the lord Fitzwalter, late Ambassadores into Spaine, was delivered to the lord treasurore, to be by him kepte in the treasurie.

At Richemond, 13th of Aug. -- A letter to the deputie and counsell of Callaice, willinge him to use honorablye the Duke of Medina Sely, the marquese of Pescara, the marquese las Navas, the earle of Egmonde, and suche other noblemen as presently repaire from hence that waye to the emperour, and to depeache them with haste and favour from thence.

At Richemond, 15th of Aug. -- A letter to the lord stuarde, that whereas the queenes highnes is advertized that certayne disorderes hath risene in lodgeinge of sundrye noblemen and gentlemen of the kinges trayne, and tbat they have ben all entered at the harbengeres bands, that his lordshippe shoulde call the harbengeres before him, and examine the matter; and yf it shall fall out that Englishemen have ben faultye herin, to cause them to be punyshed, or yf the Spanyards shalbe found faultye, then to signefie the same to the kinges magestie, to the end odere maye be given for their punishmente as shall appertayne.

Footnotes:

1. The Marquess of Las Navas eventually disembarked at Plymouth, "where he was honourably received by the Bishop of Lincoln and other noblemen, besides the admiral, who gave him a salute, which lasted a long time". Despatch of Simon Renard to the Emperor, in Tytler, ii. 415.

2.This merely means, in modern phrase, "in public".

3. A stamp, instead of the royal sign-manual, had been used during the infirmities of Henry VIII in his latter days; and was again resorted to in the last illness of George IV. See the Gentleman's Magazine Jun 1830, pp. 548, 549.

to Life Page to Mary I Page to Home Page