Everyone in the Ricardian community is waiting for the results of the tests on the human remains found during the dig in Leicester.  And nobody is probably waiting more impatiently than the person, whose research made the whole project possible:  Dr John Ashdown-Hill.

This research was published in his 2010 book The Last Days of Richard III.  This book not only investigates the last 100 days of this king’s life, but also argues that Richard III’s remains could still be found in the place, where they were buried in the Greyfriars church in 1485.  In addition to this he traced Richard’s mtDNA in an all female line descent from Anne of York, Richard’s eldest sister, to a Canadian family.

A member of this family, Michael Ibsen, lives in the UK and has given his DNA to be compared with DNA the scientists are hoping to find in the remains.  Mr Ibsen attended the dig at Leicester and given his possible relationship to the remains described the experience of looking at the grave as “fascinating and spine tingling”.

That human remains were found at the spot where Dr Ashdown-Hill describes they would be, has obviously given him” a great sense of personal triumph, because without [his] prior research, it might never have happened”.

We all share his hope that the tests will confirm what we all see as pretty strong circumstantial evidence that these remains are indeed Richard’s:  “male; right age group and social class; died a violent death; had a twisted spine; found in the right place.”   How many people, who fit all these criteria, would have been buried in a small friary church?

Dr Ashdown-Hill is also planning a new edition of his book including evidence from the dig and more details on the descent of the Ibsen family from Richard’s sister.

The full article from the University of Leicester can be found here.

Tags: Archaeology, Books, Leicester, Leicester Greyfriars Dig, Richard III

We started our recent trip to Europe in the UK and the first item on my agenda was visiting an exhibition at Lambeth Palace Library:  ‘Royal Devotion: Monarchy and the Book of Common Prayer’.   Not being Anglican, rather than the Book of Common Prayer the drawcard for me was a book which predates the Reformation (and hence the Book of Common Prayer) – Richard III’s Book of Hours.

I had pre-booked my ticket for the first slot in the morning after the day of our arrival.  After a pleasant walk along the river, I arrived early and had enough time for a quick look at the beautiful front garden and the shop of the Garden Museum in the old St Mary’s church next door.

Lambeth Palace Gatehouse (© Dorothea Preis)

Then I joined a growing number of hopefuls waiting outside the main entrance of a brick gatehouse – which I found out later was built by John Morton.  However, it turned out these were members of an arts’ fund and waiting for a tour of the Palace, whereas the entrance to the exhibition was at the side of the complex.  Here a much smaller group of maybe 8 or 9 people was waiting and punctually at 11 the small door opened and we were admitted.

We were each handed a beautifully illustrated exhibition brochure and then our group was lead into the library (I was able to take some photos outside, but photography was not permitted in the exhibition itself) with some explanations on the building and its history.  Though the building itself is neo-Gothic, it creates the right atmosphere for viewing medieval books.

Lambeth Palace Library (© Dorothea Preis)

We were left to view the exhibits at our own pace and it was nice to be able to do so without being crowded.  The exhibition is displayed in 10 cases, the first of which was the most interesting to me, covering “Public & Private Devotion before the Reformation”.

The first book exhibited is the Chichele Breviary (MS 69), which belonged to Archbishop Henry Chichele (c.1362–1443).  It is one of only two books of his which are known to have survived to this day.

The second was the book I really wanted to see:  Richard III’s Book of Hours (MS 474).  A book of hours “was the private book of devotions of the layman in the later Middle Ages and the Renaissance”.  [Sutton and Visser-Fuchs, p.2]

It was open on the calendar page and I could read the entry for 2 October (or rather what the explanation card next to it said, as the original entry was somewhat cut when the book was rebound in the 16th century):

hac die natus erat Ricardus Rex Anglie III apud ffoderingay anno domini Mcc [cc lij]
on this day was born Richard III King of England AD 1452 near Fotheringhay (own translation)

This was added by Richard himself, obviously after 6 July 1483, as he refers to himself as king.  His handwriting is large, though tidy and even.

The manuscript was not made for Richard, but was produced c.1420 for an unknown owner.  As Sutton and Visser-Fuchs state it is “a very useful, solid, unflamboyant and English manuscript for his daily use”. [Sutton and Visser-Fuchs, p.2]

It is believed that he had the book with him at Bosworth and that it was found there after the battle.  In his speech at the opening of the exhibition, the Archbishop of Canterbury remarked:

There’s a personal book of ours belonging to Richard III in this library which does not seem to have brought him a great deal of good fortune, though he carried it at the Battle of Bosworth.

Henry Tudor gave the manuscript to his mother Margaret Beaufort, who seems to have made some half-hearted attempt to scratch out his name at various places, though fortunately not this one.

Standing next to a book, which Richard held in his hands, and seeing his handwriting was certainly a special and moving moment for me.  It was probably the closest I would ever get to the king I have been studying for some time.

The rest of the of the exhibition contained various other beautiful and interesting books, most having some royal connection, from the centuries up to an order of service from the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton in Case 8.  Coming from the Cologne area, I was pleased to meet Hermann von Wied, Archbishop of Cologne from 1515 to 1547, in Case 2.

However, before leaving the library I returned to Case 1 for a last glimpse of King Richard III, represented by his book.

Afterwards I made my way to the Goldsmiths’ Hall to visit another exhibition:  ‘Gold:  Power and Allure’, featuring more than 400 gold items from 2500 BC to the present day.  One of the exhibits was the Middleham Jewel, which is normally on display in York.

The gold lozenge-shaped jewel was found in September 1985 near Middleham Castle. It is beautifully engraved and a large sapphire is mounted on the front.  It is estimated that it was made between 1450 and 1475, certainly for a wealthy person.  Whether there is any connection to Richard III is not known, though it has been speculated that it might have belonged to Richard’s mother, Cecily Nevill.  It was beautifully displayed with both the front and back being visible.

Due to time pressure, I didn’t pay the exhibition the attention it deserved, though I spotted an Angel from the time of Richard’s reign.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank the Facebook page of the Richard III Society for alerting me to both these fascinating exhibitions.

Bibliography:

Duffy, Eamon, Marking the Hours: English People and Their Prayers, 1240-1570.  Yale University Press (2006).  ISBN 9780300117141, p.33

Sutton, Anne F. & Visser Fuchs, Livia, The Hours of Richard III.  Alan Sutton Publishing Ltd (1996).  ISBN 0750911840

‘HRH Prince Charles opens exhibition at Lambeth Palace Library’, The Archbishop of Canterbury (1 May 2012).  URL:  http://www.archbishopofcanterbury.org/articles.php/2469/hrh-prince-charles-opens-exhibition-at-lambeth-palace-library Date accessed:  14 June 2012

‘The Middleham Jewel ‘, The Richard III Society.  URL:  http://www.richardiii.net/2001_archive.htm Date accessed:  3 Nov. 2010

Karl, Werner, ‘Ananizapta and the Middleham Jewel’, Sammelblatt des Historischen Vereins Ingolstadt, 110. Jahrgang (2001), S.57 ff.  Available at URL:  http://www.ingolstadt.de/stadtmuseum/scheuerer/ing/ananiz05.htm Date accessed:  20 March 2010

Tags: Books, Church, Richard III

The June branch meeting of the NSW Richard III Society was held on Saturday, 9 June 2012, at the Sydney Mechanics’ Institute. Chair Judith Hughes welcomed all attendees and began by summarising the wonderful Ricardian mini-conference that was held recently in Mittagong, with her special thanks to all of those who had worked so hard to make it the success it was.

Judith then reported on the official book launch for University of Melbourne Professor Stephanie Trigg’s Shame and Honor: A Vulgar History of the Order of the Garter, which several branch members had been able to attend the evening before, hosted by the Sydney branch of the Australian Heraldry Society. The distinguished guest speakers had been fascinating and the amply illustrated book appears very worthwhile reading.

The Treasurer’s report presented by Judy was brief but reassuring, as she reported the branch to be solvent, helped along by proceeds from the recent sale of the last remnants of the branch library at the mini-conference.

Dorothea presented the Webmaster’s report, saying that Annette Carson’s article about Edward V was a recent highlight.  She thanked those members who do contribute to the website on a regular basis, but once again reminded members that more items were needed that would be of interest to the many visitors to our popular website.

Julia presented the Secretary’s report, which included the exciting news that the committee may have found a new affordable, attractive and convenient venue in The Rocks for our branch meetings; details are yet to be finalised and will be widely reported when arrangements have been confirmed.

Julia then displayed the lovely table runner with Ricardian colours and insignia, which was a gift to our branch from the Victoria branch at the Mittagong mini-conference.

Julia introduced Yvette Debergue, who is the course leader along with member Isolde Martin, for the University of Sydney Centre for Continuing Education classes focusing on the Plantagenets. She has been able to negotiate with the university administration to offer a 10% discount for Society members who register for the courses. The next all day program is on 30 June 2012 and includes lunch. For more information go to the following link: http://cce.usyd.edu.au/course/TPLG

Kevin sent his apologies for missing the meeting due to illness. But had he been present he would have reminded us that the Winterfest Medieval Fair is coming up on the weekend of 30 June/1 July in Parramatta. Some members may once again brave the cold weather to make their way there this year, though nothing has been organized yet as a group.

As our scheduled guest speaker unfortunately had to cancel, our branch chair, Judith, came to the rescue with a very interesting presentation about the life and times of Sudeley Castle, the Gloucestershire Castle that was once the home of Katherine Parr, the last wife of King Henry VIII.

The Gatehouse of Sudeley Castle (Photograph taken by Jennifer Luther Thomas; obtained through Wikimedia Commons.)

Dorothea and Lynne also reviewed books they had read recently.  Dorothea spoke about Sumerford’s Autumn by branch member Barbara Gaskell Denvil and Lynne shared her thoughts of the classic The Betrayal of Richard III by V B Lamb with us.

The next meeting will be on Saturday, 11 August 2012, featuring this year’s ‘Scrabble Speakers’, who will be speaking on various medieval topics.

Tags: Books, NSW Branch, Richard III

No, this is not what you think, simply a phrase in the title of Professor Stephanie Trigg’s latest book that was launched in the Mitchell Theatre of the Sydney Mechanics School of Arts on Friday, 8 June 2012.

Several New South Wales Ricardians attended and enjoyed an erudite and enjoyable evening. Opening the proceedings Dr Paul Giles, Challis Professor of English at Sydney University, introduced Shame and Honour: A Vulgar History of the Order of the Garter, and  had the honour and pleasure of launching the book. The author, Professor Trigg FAHA, of the University of Melbourne, followed with an explanation of the long research that resulted in this book accompanied by a continuous presentation of illustrations of Garter history from the legendary beginning through to the Duke of Cambridge looking rather sheepish in his robes and watched by his amused brother.

The book follows the cultural history of the Order from its founding in the mid-14th century through the variety of politics and fashion, and the attitudes regarding its importance. There has always been a lot of pride as well as embarrassment over the alleged story of its founding – the whole business of a lady’s dropped garter – as well as all the gloriously robed  rituals that go with it. However to quote the Order’s motto honi soit  qui mal y pense, as a so-called vulgar history, the book reflects on a wish to consider the sexual background of such an august Order and  introduces the idea that this could be one of the reasons for the Order’s long life as one of today’s  most select and covetable honours that still retains its connection to its medieval past.

Cleverly conceived and written with a pleasing dash of humour, it will hold the attention of history lovers whatever period in time is their special  interest.

Shame and Honour: A Vulgar History of the Order of the Garter, by Professor Stephanie Triff, FAHA. Published by the University of Pennsylvania Press, rrp AU$49.

The cover of the book, designed by John Hubbard, is Rex Whistler’s “His Royal Highness the Prince Regent Awakening the Spirit of Brighton”. © The Royal Pavilion, Libraries & Museums, Brighton and Hove, United Kingdom.

Tags: Books, Order of the Garter

Book Review:  Sumerford’s Autumn

Barbara Gaskell Denvil, Sumerford’s Autumn. Simon & Schuster Australia, June 2013.  ISBN 9781922052582 (620 pages)

The following review was presented to the NSW Branch of the Richard III Society at the general meeting on 9 June 2012.

After reading Barbara Gaskell Denvil’s previous “Ricardian” novel, Satin Cinnabar, I could not resist getting her new Sumerford’s Autumn as soon as it became available for Amazon Kindle in late April 2012.

While Satin Cinnabar was set in the immediate aftermath of the Battle of Bosworth, this novel starts a few years later, in 1497. It tells the story of the Sumerford family, the Earl of Sumerford and his wife and their four very different sons.  The Sumerfords were supporters of Richard III, but now have come to uneasy terms with Henry VII, especially the Earl is most unwilling to upset this peace.   The question whether Perkin Warbeck really was Richard of York, the younger of Edward IV’s sons, is one of its central themes.  It follows the fate of this young man through the last years of his life.  Although he does appear in the narrative, he remains fairly nondescript.  Barbara rather tells us how this enigma affects those around him.

The oldest Sumerford son, Humphrey, the heir of title and estate, is somewhat simple and tends to be underestimated for most of the story.  Ludovic, the youngest, is the main character of the novel.  He has not much to expect in the way of inheritance and we find out later where his funds come from, though his brother Brice seems to be much more affluent.  The other brother, Gerald, is the political one of the lot and believes that the young man officially known as Perkin Warbeck really is Richard Plantagenet and is prepared to risk his life to have him recognized as the rightful king.  However, eventually the whole family finds itself caught up in this controversy, one way or the other.  Four sons, four secrets and agendas, and four very different personalities combine to create an atmosphere of brooding and aggravated unease at Sumerford Castle.

Thrown into the mix are two main female characters:  Humphrey’s rather mysterious bride Jennine, who does not at all behave in the way a lady with her apparent background should behave; and Alyssson, who displays much more strength of character than might be expected from her humble background.

In the course of the novel we get to know and respect the Earl of Sumerford better and understand his relationship with his countess as well as his son and heir, Humphrey.

From the beginning with the tragic death of a boy, the reader is hooked till the end when everything will be revealed.  Like Satin Cinnabar, Sumerford’s Autumn is a tale of adventure, a bit of crime mixed with romance and lots of danger.

The characters are well-developed and show individuality.  Her male lead is not superman, but a real person; and her female lead is not a swooning damsel in distress.  The love story in this novel, as is the one in Satin Cinnabar, is not the rather cloying kind we sometimes find in historical fiction, but is refreshing and honest.

I understand from the author that the theme of Perkin Warbeck has haunted her for some time (hence her Lambert Simnel article which she offered for our branch website some time ago).

As you will know I have been interested in the Perkin Warbeck question for some time, since choosing him several years ago as a topic for a Scrabble talk*.  Barbara has treated the topic with sensitivity and her careful research is apparent.

I can only recommend this book to anyone interested in the period.  The adventure will keep you hooked from the first to the last “page”.  You will enjoy the love story and the variety of well developed characters.

I just heard this morning from Barbara that her next novel is set to start in 1482 and promises to be another treat for the Ricardian.

Don’t forget to have a look at the trailer of Sumerford’s Autumn on YouTube.

* Once a year members draw Scrabble tiles out of a bag and then prepare a short talk on a topic starting with their letter.

Tags: Books, Perkin Warbeck

Trying to clear out a few books I found a novel by Angela Thirkell. She loved Anthony Trollope’s set of novels about Barsetshire and wrote about 20 of them updating the county and its inhabitants bringing them into the 20th century. I once read they were the best record of middle class England ever written. Now I realise there is another reason why I loved her books.

I picked up her last one – and one which I can’t discard obviously – and towards the end found this:

I felt just like a leper, like the wicked uncle in The Black Arrow who goes about ringing a bell and saying Unclean, Unclean … and why Stevenson thought so poorly of that book I shall never understand. All my boys loved it. They liked it much better than Treasure Island and Kidnapped except for Alan Breck, of course. And it was the only thing that made me really interested in Richard Crookback, until I read the book by that clever woman with three names*, who proved that Richard didn’t murder the little Princes in the Tower, and was a hero all the time and not a villain.

* “that clever woman with three names” is Elizabeth MacKintosh  (1896–1952), a novelist and playwright who wrote under the pseudonyms Josephine Tey and  Gordon Daviot.  The novel referred to in this passage is A Daughter of Time, which she published as Josephine Tey.

Tags: Books, Richard III

Book Review:  Margaret of York:  the Diabolical Duchess

Christine Weightman, Margaret of York:  The Diabolical Duchess.  Amberley Publishing, 2009.  ISBN 978 1 84868 099 9 (paperback)

This review was first presented at the 2012 NSW Convention in Mittagong.

The book deals with the life and times of Margaret of York, from her childhood to her death in 1503.

The aim of the book as stated by the author, is the examination of Margaret’s political activity, motivation and lifestyle. It is also a study of how a woman living in the second half of the fifteenth century could ensure her personal survival and prosperity.

The survival of many accounts of Margaret’s marriage to Charles, Duke of Burgundy, shows that it was a dazzling affair, dubbed “the marriage of the century.”  John Paston reported that he had seen nothing like it; there had not been such splendour since the court of King Arthur.  On her marriage to Charles the Bold she became the wife of one of the wealthiest rulers of Europe and lived among the riches and pageantry of the Burgundian court.

Margaret was a bibliophile, a more discerning collector than anyone else in her family, and gave books as presents to family and friends.  She had access to the ducal library – Charles himself, had a strong interest in the Classics, but twenty-five books have been identified as being Margaret’s. She was also a patron of William Caxton.

While the primary reason for marriage to Charles was to provide an heir for Burgundy, none eventuated. Charles assured Margaret of his affection, and unlike someone else I could name, he did not try to divorce her, let alone chop off her head. However, Margaret formed a mutually affectionate bond with her step-daughter Mary. After the latter’s untimely death, Margaret worked closely with Mary’s widower, Archduke Maximilian, and was quite involved in the lives of her step-grandchildren.

Margaret lived in tumultuous times. Within a decade of her marriage, she was widowed, when Duke Charles was killed in 1477 during the siege of Nancy. Thrown on her own resources, Margaret was to survive riots, rebellions, plots and counter-plots and political wheeling and dealing – and she was also a key player in politics. This aspect of the book could be a complex and confusing subject but the author makes it intelligible and interesting.

In terms of personality, Margaret is revealed as intelligent, resourceful, persuasive and a good businesswoman. The failure of her brother King Edward to pay the balance of her dowry was the play on her mind all her life and she was unstinting in her attempts to protect, and regain her dower lands. The usurpation of the throne by Henry Tudor saw her lose her profitable trading privileges.

That Tudor had taken the throne with French help, set off alarm bells in Burgundy, particularly when Henry failed to renew the Anglo-Burgundian alliance.  Maximilian would have preferred a Yorkist heir on the throne, indebted to Burgundy, and Weightman contends that Margaret would have given the Archduke her wholehearted support in any attempt to overthrow Henry. Nevertheless Margaret’s motivation for supporting first Lambert Simnel and then Perkin Warbeck are obscure.  Family feeling, politics, or both?  Weightman mentions that the Archduke and his son had a better claim to the throne than Henry, being directly descended from John of Gaunt and his first wife, Blanche.

Margaret was vilified by Tudor historians, who claim that her attempts to overthrow Henry as part of her “malicious and obsessive vendetta against him.” Polydore Vergil for example, claims that Margaret pursued Henry with insatiable hatred and with “fiery wrath.”  Edward Hall referred to her as a spider. Weightman states that the source of these opinions was Henry himself, who wrote to Gilbert Talbot in 1494 of the “great malice the Lady Margaret of Burgundy beareth continually against us…”

In conclusion, I can recommend this book because it brings Margaret to life in her own right, rather than her being brief mentions in other people’s stories.  It shows her participation as a player in the politics of late fifteenth-century Burgundy and England, and her resilience in surviving all the upheavals that came her way. This book is readable and an example of what good biographical writing can achieve in bringing to light a medieval life.

Tags: Books, Margaret of Burgundy

As a law maker Richard clearly showed that his view on education was not only a religious duty, but went much further than that.  While trying to limit the activities of foreign merchants in England the statutes of his only parliament included a Proviso, exempting all merchants and craftsmen concerned in the book trade from the scope of the Act.  This was clearly intended to encourage a good supply of books. [Armstrong, p.276]  Books were in his day the most up to date means of spreading ideas and learning.  If he encouraged books, he must have supported the circulation of ideas.

Abbey Gateway, St Albans (© D Preis)

The context between books and education becomes clear in the following example:  Only a few years after William Caxton introduced the printing press to England in the mid 1470s, there was a printing press  in St Albans as well, located in the Abbey Gateway.  This was the third one in England, after Caxton’s in London and one in Oxford.  We don’t know the identity of the St Albans printer, but he was referred to as “sometyme scole master of Saynt Albans”.  [‘Printing in England’]  The press in St Albans produced books between 1479 and 1486, eight of which have survived.  The first six, printed between 1479 and 1483, were Latin university texts.  It has been suggested that they were aimed at purchasers from Cambridge, where at that time no press had been established. [Orme, p.181]

We should not forget, however, that Richard’s appreciation for books was also a personal one.  There are eighteen surviving texts, of which we know for sure that they are connected to him.  In some he signed his name, two are dedicated to him and one has an indirect dedication.  It seems likely that these are just a part of a far more extensive library, though without an inventory it is impossible to draw too many conclusions. [Sutton & Visser-Fuchs, ‘Richard III’s Books’, p.374]  With these surviving books we can be sure that they belonged to him, because he put his name in the text itself.  With others his name might have been on the flyleaf, which has got lost since then, or they might have been marked with his arms, which have since been changed to someone else’s. [Sutton & Visser-Fuchs, ‘Richard III’s Books’, p.381]

From his books, Sutton and Visser-Fuchs conclude that he was “an industrious and committed reader”, who showed a high level of education and literacy.  This lead them to speculate that he could possibly in his early youth , as the youngest son, have been destined for the church, though this would have changed when his father and brother were killed and his brother  Edward became king.  [Sutton & Visser-Fuchs, ‘Richard III’s Books’, pp.384-385]  Considering that many of the learned (church-) men among his close connections had humanist interests, it is surprising that among the books we know he owned there are no works of theology or humanist interest.  All of us who like reading and books, can glimpse a kindred spirit when Sutton and Visser-Fuchs conclude that “He did not collect them [books] as objects but used them for what they could give him and others in the way of instruction, consolation and entertainment”. [Sutton & Visser-Fuchs, ‘Richard III’s Books’, p.385]

I think that all these examples of Richard’s relationships with learning, be it with learned men,  the centres of learning, books ,as well as his activity as law maker shows clearly that learning was something close to his heart.  I would like to close my talk with the words of the anonymous chronicler of Magdalen College in Oxford:  “Vivat rex in eternum!”

Bibliography

Books:

Virginia Davis, William Waynflete, Bishop and Educationalist.  Studies in the History of Medieval Religion.  Boydell Press, Woodbridge, 1993. ISBN 9780851153490
Rhoda Edwards, The Itinerary of King Richard III 1483-1485.  Richard III Society, 1983. ISBN 090489309X
Peter Hammond, Richard III and the Bosworth Campaign.  Pen & Sword Military, 2010.  ISBN 9781844152599
Maurice Keen, English Society in the Later Middle Ages, 1348-1500.  Penguin Books, 1990.  ISBN 9780140124927
A. H. Lloyd, The Early History of Christ’s College, Cambridge, Derived from Contemporary Documents.  Cambridge Library Collection, 2010.  ISBN 9781108008976 (First published in 1934)
J.M. Melhuish, The College of King Richard III Middleham.  Richard III Society, London (undated)
Nicholas Orme, Medieval Schools: From Roman Britain to Renaissance England.  Yale University Press, 2006.  ISBN 9780300111026
Jeremy Potter, Good King Richard?  An Account of Richard III and his Reputation.  Constable Books, 1996.  ISBN 9780094688407
Charles Ross, Richard III.  Yale English Monarchs, Yale University Press, 1999, Reprinted 2005.  ISBN 9780300079791
John Stow, A Survey of London, witten in the year 1598 by John Stow.  Whittaker, London, 1842.
Anne F. Sutton & Livia Visser-Fuchs, The Hours of Richard III.  Alan Sutton Publishing Pty Ltd, 1996.  ISBN 9780750911849

Articles:

P.S. Allen, ‘Bishop Shirwood of Durham and His Library’, The English Historical Review, Vol. 25, No. 99 (July 1910), pp 445-456.
Elizabeth Armstrong, ‘English Purchases of Printed Books from the Continent 1465-1526′, The English Historical Review, Vol. 94, No. 371 (April 1979), pp. 268-290.
W. H. G. Armytage, ‘William Byngham: A Medieval Protagonist of the Training of Teachers’, History of Education Journal, Vol. 2, No. 4 (Summer 1951), pp. 107-110
Michael J. Bennett, ‘Education and Advancement’, in:  Fifteenth-Century Attitudes:  Perceptions of society in late medieval England, ed. Rosemary Horrox.  Cambridge University Press, 2008, pp.79-96.  ISBN 9780521589864
Christopher Brooke, ‘Urban church and university church:  Great St Mary’s from its origins to 1523’, in:  Great St Mary’s, Cambridge University’s Church, ed. John Binns & Peter Meadows.  Cambridge, 2000, pp.7-24.  ISBN 0521775027
R.B. Dobson, ‘Richard III and the Church of York’, in:  Kings and Nobles in the Later Middle Age, ed. Ralph A. Griffiths & James Sherborne.  1986, pp.130-154
Rena Gardiner, ‘The Story of Magdalen’, Magdalen College (2003).  URL:  http://www.magd.ox.ac.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0010/4303/Illustrated_Magdalen_College_History.pdf Date accessed: 13 July 2010
Robert C Hairsine, ’Oxford University and the Life and Legend of Richard III’, in:  Richard III:  Crown and People, ed. J Petre.  Richard III Society, 1985, pp. 307-332.  ISBN 9780904893113
Rosemary Horrox, ‘Richard III and Allhallows Barking by the Tower’, The Ricardian, Vol.VI, No.77 (June 1982), pp.38-40
Rosemary Masek, ‘The Humanistic Interests of the Early Tudor Episcopate’, Church History, Vol. 39, No. 1 (March 1970), pp. 5-17.
Anne F. Sutton, ‘’A Curious Searcher for our Weal Public’:  Richard III, Piety, Chivalry and the Concept of ‘The Good Prince’’, in:  Richard III: Loyalty, Lordship and Law, ed. P.W. Hammond.  Richard III and Yorkist History Trust, 2000, pp.69-105.  ISBN 9781900289375
Anne F. Sutton, ‘Richard of Gloucester’s Lands in East Anglia’, in:  Richard III and East Anglia:  Magnates, Gilds and Learned Men, ed. Livia Visser-Fuchs.   Richard III Society, 2010, pp.1-30.  ISBN 9780904893199
Anne F. Sutton & Livia Visser-Fuchs, ‘Richard III’s Books Observed’, The Ricardian, Vol.IX, No.120 (March 1993), pp.374-388
Anne F Sutton and Livia Visser-Fuchs, ‘Richard III, the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge, and Two Turbulent Priests’, The Ricardian, Vol. XIX, 2009, pp.95-109
Anne F. Sutton & Livia Visser-Fuchs, ‘’As dear to him as the Trojans were to Hector:’ Richard III and the University of Cambridge’, in:  Richard III and East Anglia:  Magnates, Gilds and Learned Men, ed. Livia Visser-Fuchs.  Richard III Society, 2010, pp.105-142.  ISBN 9780904893199
Barrie Williams, ‘Richard III’s Other Palatinate:  John Shirwood, Bishop of Durham’, The Ricardian, Vol.IX, No.115 (December 1991), pp.166-169
B.P. Wolffe, ‘The Management of English Royal Estates under the Yorkist Kings’, The English Historical Review, Vol. 71, No. 278, Jan. 1956, pp. 1-27.

British History Online:

‘Colleges: Barnard Castle’, A History of the County of Durham: Volume 2 (1907), pp. 129-130. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=39906 Date accessed:  5 November 2010
‘The history of All Hallows Church: To c.1548’, Survey of London: volume 12: The parish of All Hallows Barking, part I: The Church of All Hallows (1929), pp. 1-20. URL: http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=100058 Date accessed:  8 April 2012

‘The colleges and halls: Queens’’, A History of the County of Cambridge and the Isle of Ely: Volume 3: The City and University of Cambridge, 1959, pp. 408-415. Online URL: https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/cambs/vol3/pp408-415 [last accessed 22 May 2020]

Oxford Dictionary of National Biography:
Cecil H. Clough, ‘Gunthorpe, John (d. 1498)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, May 2009.  URL:  http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/11752  Date accessed:  10 March 2011
Virginia Davis, ‘Waynflete , William (c.1400–1486)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004.  URL:  http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/28907  Date accessed:  20 Jan.  2011
Michael Hicks, ‘Neville, George (1432–1476)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Jan 2008.  URL:  http://0-www.oxforddnb.com.library.sl.nsw.gov.au/view/article/19934  Date accessed:  14 April 2011
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John A. F. Thomson, ‘Russell, John (c.1430–1494)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004; online edn, Jan 2008.  URL:  http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/24318  Date accessed:  10 March 2011
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Internet sites:

‘Middleham Collegiate Church’, URL:   http://www.britannia.com/tours/yorksmon/middleham.html Date accessed:  27 March 2010
‘St Mary’s Barnard Castle’, URL:   http://www.stmarysbarnardcastle.org.uk/ourparish/43-st-marysbarnardcastle Date accessed: 17 March 2010
‘Church on mission to revamp building’, Teesdale Mercury (2 March 2010).  URL:   http://www.teesdalemercury.co.uk/teesdale-news/story,2513.html Date accessed:  17 March 2010

‘History of the Chapel’, King’s College Cambridge.  URL:   http://www.kings.cam.ac.uk/chapel/history.html [last accessed 22 May 2020]

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Part 1 – Richard III and Learned Men

Part 2 – Richard III as the Founder of Collegiate Churches

Part 3 – Richard III and the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge

Tags: Books, Cambridge, Church, Learning, Oxford, Richard III

Richard III and the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge

For someone supporting learning and ambitious to provide a more learned clergy in parishes, it would only be natural to have close relations to the two universities at Oxford and Cambridge.

1. Oxford

After his coronation Richard left on a Royal Progress on 21 July 1483.  One of his first stops was Oxford, where he arrived on 24 July and stayed at Magdalen College [Hairsine, p.308] on the invitation of its founder, Bishop Willaim Waynflete.  Though geography certainly played a role, the fact that he visited Oxford so early in his reign, must mean that there was a keen interest as well.

He was not the first royal visitor to Magdalen though.  In September 1481 Edward IV had been staying at Woodstock, where Waynflete visited him and talked him into having a look at his College, which Edward did on 22 September.  He and his entourage arrived after sunset and were welcomed in style.  They spent the night and much of the next day at the College, where Edward listened to a brief speech congratulating him on his arrival and petitioning his support [Magdalen College Register ‘A’, ff.7b, 8, quoted in Hairsine, pp. 325-326].  A statue of Edward on the gate commemorates his visit.

Gate of Magdalen College, Oxford – Mary Magdalen in the middle, William Waynflete on the left and Edward IV on the right. (© D Preis)

Richard’s reception was a grander affair.  He was “honourably received, firstly outside the University by the Chancellor of the University and by the Regents and non-Regents; then he was received honourably and in procession at the College of the Blessed Mary Magdalene by a speech by the lord Founder” (i.e. Waynflete). [Magdalen College Register ‘A’ f.27b, quoted in Hairsine, p.309]

The day after his reception, we see Richard following his own cultural taste. Unlike the short speech, which was given to Edward, he listened to two debates, one on moral philosophy and one on theology.  I think Hairsine is right when he remarks:

There was certainly no need for a medieval autocrat to sit through not one but two learned debates if he did not find a genuine interest there.  One is lead to believe that Richard’s visits to Oxford and Cambridge were welcome interludes from the cares of government [Hairsine, p.309].

Richard seems to have been impressed with the debates as well as his welcome and rewarded the participants and Magdalen College handsomely with venison and cash.  The whole event was in detail recorded in the Register of Magdalen College, which the anonymous Chronicler ended with the words Vivat rex in eternum, which can be translated as a “may the King live forever!” [Hairsine, p.309].

Magdalen College, Oxford (© D Preis)

In the end of October 1483, Richard came for a second visit to Oxford, again staying at Magdalen College, though not much is known about this visit [Hairsine, p.311].  The last documented connection between Oxford University and Richard is in March 1485, when Richard recruited an Oxford graduate into his service [Hairsine, p.317].

2. Cambridge

Richard’s connection to Cambridge lasted over a much longer period compared to the one to Oxford, starting in the mid 1470, when he gave 20 marks to the university in 1475-76.   It seems to have been a very close and cordial relationship from both sides.  On 7 April 1481, the congregation of the university wrote a remarkable letter to the then Duke of Gloucester.  In it they announce that in gratitude for the many favours he had shown them, they would “ask every Cambridge doctor or bachelor of theology who preached at [two places in London famous for their Easter celebrations] to mention Richard by name, to commend him to their listeners, and ask for prayers for his well being,” an honour which had never been granted to anyone before.  In early 1480 or 1481 two representatives of the University travelled to London to see Richard – a six day journey in bad weather.  In 1482 the University staged a procession to celebrate his victory against the Scots. [Sutton & Visser Fuchs, ‘Cambridge’, pp.112-114]

The good relationship continued when Richard became king.  Probably in late June 1483, the University wrote to Richard to ask for his mercy towards one of their graduates, Thomas Rotherham, the Archbishop of York, who was Chancellor at that time.  He had been arrested on 13 June 1483 in connection with the Hastings affair.  Rotherham was released in due course. [Sutton, Visser-Fuchs, ‘Universities’, pp.95-99] Richard visited the University in early March 1484 and was welcomed with a procession and masses.  They also decided to say a special mass every year on 2 May for Richard and Anne.  They promised that as soon as they would hear of his death they would perform a special funeral mass, a promise they kept, as the accounts for 1485 show the expense for candles used at the ‘exequies of King Richard”. [Sutton & Visser Fuchs, ‘Cambridge’, pp.114-115]

There are especially three institutions in Cambridge, which benefitted from Richard’s generosity and which we can admire today.

2.1 King’s College

On a visit to the King’s College Chapel in Cambridge more than 20 years ago, I bought a postcard showing “The Kings who built the Chapel”.  Though Henry VIII is depicted as the crowning glory, it was the inclusion of Richard which made me buy the card and eventually investigate this subject.

King’s College Chapel, Cambridge (© D Preis)

King’s College was founded by Henry VI in 1441, building work started in July 1446.  When Edward came to power in 1461, the workmen packed up their tools and very little was done to continue during his reign.  This changed dramatically, when Richard became King.  He gave instructions that “the building should go on with all possible despatch” and to “press workmen and all possible hands, provide materials and imprison anyone who opposed or delayed”.  He also sent his own master plumber and glazier to help with the building. This result was that by the end of his reign the first six bays had reached full height, of this the first five were roofed with oak and lead and were in use. The University thanked him for funding and “erecting the buildings of King’s College, the unparalleled ornament of England.”  Drawings of a planned tower still exist, which can be dated to 1484. [‘History of the Chapel’; Sutton & Visser-Fuchs, ‘Cambridge’, pp.116-117]

Henry Tudor was in no rush to continue the project, even though the college complained that the building “begun by royal munificence now stands shamefully abandoned”.  Only later Henry realised that the association with the “royal saint” Henry VI might help with legitimising his reign and decided to finish the chapel with work starting in earnest in 1508. [‘History of the Chapel’]

2.2 Queens’ College

While Richard left his mark on the King’s College Chapel during his reign, his relationship with Queens’ College predates his reign.

Queens’ was originally founded by Andrew Doket as the college of St Bernard in 1446, one year later Henry VI confirmed this, but as his foundation.  In 1448 a further charter declared it to be the foundation of Margaret of Anjou.  From 1465 onwards, Elizabeth Woodville came to be regarded as a co-founder, which explains the name (Queens’), though there is no evidence that either Margaret or Elizabeth ever gave the college any endowments. During Richard’s reign, when he made further grants to the College, Queen Anne was also considered a founder, but that was “conveniently forgotten when political circumstances changed in 1485”.  Andrew Doket remained as president until his death in 1484 and worked tirelessly for the benefit of the college.  [Sutton & Visser-Fuchs, ‘Cambridge’, pp.121-129; Ross, p. 135]

Queens’ College, Cambridge (© D Preis)

Richard relationship with Queens’ began on 1 April 1477 when he gave the property of Fowlmere, Cambridgeshire, to the college, with the aim to fund 4 priests, fellows of the college, to say prayers for a number of Richard’s living relatives and for the souls of departed.  Among the people to be commemorated in the prayers were – apart from his family – also friends, who had fallen in the battles of Barnet and Tewkesbury.  There were also to be prayers for John de Vere, the 12th Earl of Oxford, executed in 1462 by Edward IV, and his widow, to whom the manor of Fowlmere had belonged.  [Sutton & Visser-Fuchs, ‘Cambridge’, pp.120-124; Ross, p.135]

Richard’s endowment to Queens’ has to be seen in connection with the foundation of his colleges at Middleham and Barnard Castle.  The statutes of his college at Middleham require that, should it not be possible to find a dean from among the 6 chaplains there, this position should be filled by one of the 4 men at Queens’.  This would ensure that Middleham and Barnard Castle had the best religious instruction, liturgy and music available. [Sutton & Visser-Fuchs, ‘Cambridge’, p.120]

Queens’ benefitted greatly from Richard and Anne during his reign.  Anne intended to give estates from her Neville and Beauchamp inheritance to the college, but it had to give all this up when Henry Tudor came to the throne.   Richard also gave the college a silver seal including a boar device, which might have been part of new arms, which survives to today as one of several arms.  [Sutton & Visser-Fuchs, ‘Cambridge’, pp. 126-129]

Queens’ is almost completely constructed of red brick, probably imported from Holland.  The oldest part, which Richard would have known is the Old Court.  Because of the durability of the bricks this court still is almost as it was built [BHO, ‘Queens’].

2.3 Great St Mary’s

In 1478-79, Richard gave £20 for the rebuilding of the university church, Great St Mary.  Even after his death his support for the church continued to have an effect.  On 21 January 1495, Thomas Barowe, a close associate of Richard and master of the rolls and keeper of the great seal, gave the extravagant amount of £240 to the rebuilding of the church and for “masses, prayers and ceremonies in honour of King Richard III and Dr Thomas Barowe – who were to be enrolled in the list of the university’s benefactors”.  Richard was for a while politely forgotten, but has more recently been restored.

Great St Mary, Cambridge (© D Preis)

The rebuilding of the nave was begun in the late 1470s, at the time of Richard’s gift.  Barowe, who had intended the church as a monument to Richard, would with his gift have secured its completion.  Possibly he was continuing a process initiated by Richard’s gift of £20, as there are records stating that he acted as a messenger to bring gifts from Richard to Cambridge. [Brooke, pp.18-21; Sutton & Visser Fuchs, ‘Cambridge’, p.113]

Part 1 – Richard III and Learned Men

Part 2 – Richard III as the Founder of Collegiate Churches

Part 4 – Richard III as Law Maker (incl. bibliography)

Tags: Books, Cambridge, Church, Learning, Oxford, Richard III