On October 30, 1485, Henry VII was crowned the first Tudor king of England. I’m on a non-writing-related deadline at the moment, so this will be a brief post, but I thought you might enjoy reading about some of the expenses for his coronation, taken from English Coronation Records by the splendidly named Leopold George Wickham Legg:
Item bought of M Chaderton prest a Furre of Ermyns powdered wt a longe trayne for a mantell
Item bought of Richard Swan Skynner xlij tymbre menever pure for the kinges Surcot of blue clothe
Item xxvij yerdes di purpulle veluet for a Robe of purpulle veluet
Item xlj yerdes crymsm veluet for my lorde of Oxforde Robe
Item bought of william Redy mercer iiij yerdes white clothe of golde for the bordour of the trappour of the Rede Roses
Item iij yerdes clothe of golde for the bastard somerset [This was Charles, the illegitimate son of Henry Beaufort, Duke of Somerset, executed in 1464.]
Item bought of Robert White mercer vi yerdes crymsyn veluet for the Dragons and rede roses of a trappour
Item xj yerdes di blue veluet for my lorde of dudley [This seems to have been the 85-year-old John Sutton, Baron Dudley, grandfather of Edmund Dudley and great-grandfather to John Dudley, Duke of Northumberland]
Item vj yerdes di crymsyw veluet for the crosse of Saint George
Item bought of Cecyly Walcot Silkwoman xxviij vnces frenge of gold and Silke for the canopye
Item xvj yerdes Riban of silk for leding Rayns
Item lxxj vnces of hangyng spangels of siluer and double gilt
Item to Thomas Madynwelle brawderer for enbraudering of a trappour of saint Edwards Armez
Item to hugh Wright brawderer for enbrawdering a trappour wt Fawcons
Item to henry Robert Brawderer for enbrawdring of a trappour of Cadwallader Armez
Item for trasshes in Westminster halle
Item bought of Robert boylet vMI j quarter gilte nailles for the stage at Westminster
Item viij Sadilles coueved in crymsyn veluet and ij saddles coueved in veluet for my lorde of bokingham and his broder [These were the seven-year-old Edward Stafford, Duke of Buckingham, and his younger brother, Henry Stafford. The young duke was made a Knight of the Bath before the coronation.]
Item deliuered to a francheman for to bye ij yerdes di of satyn for a doublet for hymself by the kinges commaundemente
Thank YOU Susan. I read your messages with great interest and this one about Henry VII coronation expenses is fascinating. Can’t wait to hear more from you, including your next publication.
Miriam A. Leiva
Marvellous. One can really feels the world of Memling and van Eyck — all those velvets; and of course I am delighted to meet Lord Dudley that old survivor!
Thanks, ladies!