Ricardian Bulletin

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Ricardian Bulletin

Contents Spring 2007

2 From the Chairman 3 Strategy for the Future 4 Society News and Notices 6 Media Retrospective 8 Reputation Management by Richard Van Allen 9 New Members 10 A Death Warrant for the Princes? by Wendy Moorhen 13 News and Reviews 19 Changes in the Perception of King Richard by Wendy Moorhen 21 Celebrating 50 Years: York Minster and a Service of Thanksgiving 21 Adopt a Stone 23 Ricardian Heroes: The Australian Connection by John Saunders 26 The Man Himself by Keith Dockray 28 Incest and Richard III, Bigamy and Edward IV by H.A. Kelly 31 A Little Known Portuguese Source for the Murder of the Princes by António S. Marques 33 Lord Olivier - A Closet Ricardian? Part 2 by Geoffrey Wheeler 35 Logge Notes and Queries: Service and Return by Lesley Boatwright 37 Obituaries and Recently Deceased Members 38 Correspondence 42 The Barton Library 44 Report on Society Events 47 Future Society Events 49 Branch and Group Contacts 51 Branches and Groups 56 Calendar

Contributions Contributions are welcomed from all members. All contributions should be sent to the Technical Editor, Lynda Pidgeon. Bulletin Press Dates 15 January for spring issue; 15 April for summer issue; 15 July for autumn issue; 15 October for winter issue. Articles should be sent well in advance. Bulletin & Ricardian Back Numbers Back issues of the The Ricardian and Bulletin are available from Judith Ridley. If you are interested in obtaining any back numbers, please contact Mrs Ridley to establish whether she holds the issue(s) in which you are interested. For contact details see back inside cover of the Bulletin

The Ricardian Bulletin is produced by the Bulletin Editorial Committee, Printed by St Edmundsbury Press. © Richard III Society, 2007

From the Chairman

t last we can look back on our year of anniversary celebrations and see what a successful A year 2006 was. However, whilst the many events and the four bumper issues of the Bulletin tell me that the Society is in good shape, I also know that there is no room for complacency. There is still much to do to ensure that our successes continue. At the AGM, I said that we would be reviewing our plans and strategy for the future, and our first thoughts on the subject are outlined on page 3. We will keep you fully informed as matters progress, of course. Naturally, a part of the strategy will be our approach to public relations and I would urge you all to read Richard Van Allen’s article on page 8. Just from looking at the contents page of this Bulletin, you can see that we have yet another informative and highly entertaining magazine. Keith Dockray concludes his comparison of Richard III and Henry V, and finds some ‘unexpected’ similarities. There is a report on an edition of the television programme Castle in the Country, in which, it was claimed, a letter written by King Richard had been discovered, a letter that suggested his complicity in the ‘murder’ of the princes! As you will read, this was a classic case of the danger of jumping to conclusions. Also, Geoffrey Wheeler concludes his series on Lord Olivier, and it’s reassuring to learn that, under the greasepaint, the greatest portrayer in living memory of Shakespeare’s Richard III had a more realistic and enlightened opinion of the king. In another article, we celebrate the contributions to the Society of Philip Lindsay and Pat Bailey and their links with Australia. Like me, many members will have fond memories of Pat, while many will know about Philip through his books. Mention of Australia reminds me to wish Australasian Ricardians every success for their convention. This year, the meeting, which is held every two years, is taking place in New Zealand on 13 – 15 April and I know we all look forward to hearing about it in the summer Bulletin. Actually, 15 April looks like being a pretty busy day for many Ricardians, with not only the closing day of the convention but the final day of the Study Weekend in York and the day of the Scottish Branch’s Annual Lecture at Edinburgh Castle. The Society is sorry to learn of the death of Dorothy Mitchell in York. With her ‘Friends of King Richard’ she may not have seen eye to eye with us, but she was a staunch Ricardian and her passing is one less defender of Richard’s reputation. This year, I will complete my first five years as your chairman. It’s been an exciting and challenging time which has seen many changes and improvements to the way the Society operates. With your support, I look forward to continuing in the post for some time yet. As I’ve said before, there is still much to do. It’s been a very odd winter here in Britain. In fact, it may well have given us a miss this year. As I write this in early February, it feels as though spring has arrived well ahead of itself. Indeed, there have been clumps of daffodils visible on my way to work since early January. All down to global warming, no doubt. I wonder what Richard would have made of it? Whatever, we must not allow the vagaries of the weather to stop us from making sure that 2007 is another successful year for the Society and for the promotion of the cause of good King Richard. Phil Stone

Future Steps: The Next Five Years

n 2002, we embarked on a major review of the Society under the title Towards the Next Fifty I Years. This focused on the years up to our fiftieth anniversary which we so successfully celebrated last year. Now it’s time to make sure that we have another fifty years to look forward to. Richard III was, of course, an innovative and effective manager, both as duke of Gloucester and king of England. It has been said of him that ‘to an extent that is wholly exceptional amongst his contemporaries, Richard shaped his own estate and his own career. Richard is unique in this period for taking a strategic view … and for developing and implementing a plan. It makes him strangely modern.’ It should not be surprising, therefore, that the Society that bears his name and exists to promote his positive qualities should be equally serious in having a strategy and plan for the future. Few, if any, organisations in today’s world can afford to stand still, and we are no exception. To survive in a rapidly changing world, we need always to be seeking ways to improve the way we do things, how to retain and attract members and to be financially sound enough to enable us to achieve our objectives. We have made a number of significant and necessary changes over the past five years which have increased our efficiency and saved us money: bringing our sales and membership functions in-house, finding better means to distribute our publications and making realistic decisions about membership rates. The Bulletin has been redesigned and expanded, The Ricardian has become an annual publication, through a more focused public relations approach we have made a positive impact on the media, and we have taken the AGM out of London to York and Bristol. We now need to consolidate and build on these achievements. So, we are looking ahead to the next five years and beyond to identify what we want to do and to ensure that we have the resources and structures to achieve them. We are evaluating a broad range of areas and activities that cover the remit of our Society. And in doing so we will seek to consolidate improvements already made to the Society’s internal governance, finances, membership services and communication. This will enable us to build on our impressive research achievements and increase our capacity to do more, which will give us the gravitas, respect and confidence to develop a more effective publicity strategy to enable us to be even more proactive in promoting the positive case for King Richard and to challenge more effectively the negative representations of the king. We have made a number of significant and necessary changes over the past five years: A more detailed report will be published in the summer issue of the Bulletin and, in the autumn, the Annual Report will be accompanied by the first draft of our strategy. This will be open to comment and suggestions by the membership and will be debated at the Annual General Meeting. The Executive Committee

Society News and Notices

Executive Committee – the Low Down As the new Secretary, I am keen to enhance my role as a link between the Executive Committee (EC) and you, the members. With this in mind, I would like to give you a regular overview of what the EC are up to, current concerns and issues being discussed – so here is the inaugural EC ‘low down’ from meetings held in October and December 2006. EC meetings are usually lively and topics covered range from the more mundane but vital ‘business’ to the exciting ideas for new developments and offerings/services to members. During autumn 2006 the accounts kept us occupied. As you know, we needed a new auditor to overview and authorise them before the AGM. Paul was keen also to introduce some procedures which would make the accounts far more accurate. In October he requested that all expenditure have a detailed explanation for accuracy and to make it easier to locate recoverable expenses. Individual credits too should be itemised, especially if lump sums were being paid in. Membership is a regular item – after all, what is the Society without its members? Membership is buoyant at present, with 50 new members joining between June and October and a further 46 between October and December (excluding the American Branch). The bulk of new members joined via the website. Branches and groups are regularly discussed and in December changes in the EC of the American Branch were noted. At the October meeting we held a ‘post mortem’ on the Members’ Weekend and the year’s celebratory events. All the events in 2006 had proved hugely successful in content and attendance. It was also noted that there had been a good spread of ages and many new faces which was encouraging. However, we discussed lessons learned from the experience and how things could be improved and developed. We are currently looking at ways to continue enhancing the AGM to make it more exciting and rewarding for members. Any Other Business can bring all sorts of items to the table. At the last two meetings they ranged from reporting on the Library move up north to the challenge for the Society of producing some fresh academic work on Richard III, and to a new publicity stand. Publicity and PR took up much of December’s AOB but I’ll not dwell on it here as it appears elsewhere in the Bulletin in far more detail. Suffice it to say, however, that the website has been very successful in promoting the Society in media circles as the first port of call for information and advice on Richard – which of course is where the Society should be. If you have any questions on any of the above, please do not hesitate to contact me – it is your Society! Jane Trump

Important - Please Send ALL Bulletin Items to Lynda Pidgeon There has been some confusion recently over where items should be sent to now that there is no longer a single Bulletin Editor. There are so many addresses on the back page it is unclear who you actually need, so to make things simple we ask that ALL items should be sent to me as Co- ordinator. I will then record receipt of your letter, article, report, etc., and forward it to the relevant member of the Bulletin team for editing, proofing, etc. Team members will then pass the items back to me as Technical Editor to be prepared for the printer. If you wish to include a photograph, will you please note that the original photograph will be required, unless you have the technology to download it from your camera on to your computer as a j-peg, which you can then e-mail to me. Unfortunately scanned photos do not reproduce sufficiently well. If you want your photo returned please enclose a stamped addressed envelope.

Anyone tentatively thinking of writing articles can consult Peter Hammond first with their ideas. His details are on the back cover. Lynda Pidgeon, Bulletin Co-ordinator and Technical Editor

Articles and Arrangements for The Ricardian As already reported, The Ricardian will be distributed in early June. It will be sent separately from the summer Bulletin to UK members but the two publications will be packaged together for overseas members. In the meantime herewith is a list of the articles that will be appearing in Volume 17:

 Richard III, Tydeus of Calydon and their boars in the Latin oration of Archibald Whitlaw, Archdeacon of St Andrews, at Nottingham on 12 September 1484 - Livia Visser-Fuchs  Richard III and the court of requests - Hannes Kleineke  Slain dogs, the dead man and editorial constructs - Alison Hanham and B.M. Cron  ‘al ful of fresshe floures whyte and reede’: the jewellery of Margaret of York and its meaning - John Ashdown-Hill  Marcellus Mures alias Selis, of Utrecht and London, a goldsmith of the Yorkist kings - Anne F. Sutton  Diriment impediments, dispensations and divorce: Richard III and matrimony - Marie Barnfield

There will be thirty reviews as well as the usual notes on the latest books and articles published recently and the volume will be indexed. Anne F. Sutton

Membership Matters Thank you to all members who responded to the letters regarding payment of their subscriptions. Unfortunately a number of members received letters although they had paid their subscriptions by standing order. This was due to the bank failing to provide the necessary documentation to enable us to do the transaction. We have taken the matter up with the bank but we have also reviewed our processes so that next year we will cross reference everything against the bank statements and so avoid troubling members unnecessarily. There was also a computer glitch which affected new members who joined in September last year and again a new process has been put in place to ensure that this is not replicated this year. To err is human and we did find that we had made a very small number of errors ourselves, for which we have apologised to the members affected. Nevertheless, despite these problems we hope that we are providing an efficient and friendly service to members. Finally a big thank you to all members for their kind comments, best wishes and thanks to the committee and for the self-imposed fines for late payment in the form of donations. Wendy and Brian Moorhen

Commemorating the men of Colchester who fought at Bosworth On Saturday 25 August (the weekend following the Society’s Bosworth commemoration at Sutton Cheney) the Mid Anglia Group plans to commemorate those men of Colchester and the surrounding area who fought (and in some cases died) at the battle of Bosworth ─ the most famous of them being John Howard, Duke of Norfolk. We plan a service at St John’s Abbey (the first, we believe, since the Dissolution), and tea at John Howard’s house in Colchester. Please join us if you can. Full details will be published in the summer Bulletin. John Ashdown-Hill 5

Media Retrospective

From Bill Featherstone and Richard van will present alternate theories about the site of Allen: the battle’. Bill Featherstone: The Week magazine has a [They mean ‘alternative’ – or will Michael section ‘Best Books’, and a recent one was by Jones and Peter Foss stand there and take it in Martin Stephen (author, historian and head- turns to put their case? Also see page 16 for master of St Paul’s Boys’ School). One of his news at Bosworth. Ed.] choices was The Daughter of Time, and he said: ‘The mother, father, nuclear and extend- From Dr Anne-Marie Liethen: ed family of all historical crime thrillers, a I am afraid that in the German magazine Ge- brilliant piece of historical research in its oEpoche no 18/2006, dedicated to the history own right (and probably truer than many ver- of the city of London, has again occurred sions of the life of Richard III by official his- some Richard-bashing. [Anne-Marie trans- torians).’ Not bad, eh! lates the German for us:] On page 33: ‘But Richard was a monster, a tyrant and the mur- Richard van Allen also sent in the same ex- derer of his brother – so his own troops be- tract, commenting, ‘this will probably bring trayed him. The king was slain on the battle- back memories for many members. You just field, his crown dragged from under his can’t get a better recommendation than this’. corpse and it was placed on Henry Tudor’s head.’ On page 46: ‘... the triumph of the From Richard van Allen: sinister Richard ...’ On page 173: ‘The last Listed by the Sunday Times in its News Re- sovereign of the house of York, Richard III, view under ‘The best big ideas of 2006’. His- had crowned himself without having a claim tory – ‘As the world grew more dangerous to the title and likely murdered the sons of his and the babyboomer generation found them- elder brother to prevent their accession to the selves blinded by the spectacle of their own throne.’ Anne-Marie adds, ‘Besides that, they mortality, heritage became an urgent matter. have confused the ways of death of Edward II Boomer thinkers began to realise that their with Richard II. So much for the historical repudiation of the past in the 1960s meant correctness of an otherwise interesting maga- that their children couldn’t remember any- zine. I already wrote a letter to their editor. If thing at all. They did not know what the anyone wants to join me, here is their e-mail boomers knew but had tried to forget – that address: [email protected] health, wealth and civilisation hang by a thread and that the 20th century has seen a From Geoffrey Wheeler: series of savage attempts to cut that thread. BBC Radio 4: Quote, Unquote – Suddenly we want the young to know the true 6 November 2006 cost of their peace and plenty. History is the Nigel Rees: Now for some exclamatory re- new black, eureka!’ marks: Where is this from: ‘So much for Buckingham!’? From Anne Painter: A: Is Buckingham a person? The Duke of Leisure Opportunities Magazine, no. 437, has Buckingham? It sounds very unlikely to be a paragraph headlined ‘£2m revamp for Bos- anybody like Pepys. worth’. It says that ‘the existing exhibition in Nigel Rees: Any offers? the visitor centre will be revitalised with new A: Shakespeare? displays on medieval life and warfare ... A Nigel Rees: Yes but Shakespeare didn’t actu- new battle room will feature graphics really write this line. It was put into his Rich- telling the events of the War of the Roses. It ard III by a man called Colley Cibber who 6

was an ‘improver’ of plays and in Richard III ter, explores 1450-1499: ‘1483 Richard grabs Shakespeare has ‘Off with his head!’ and the throne’. Cibber added ‘So much for Buckingham!’ Professor Carpenter opens with the diffi- and Laurence Olivier included that phrase in culties of accepting 1485 as the watershed in his film version of Richard III. Now about British history that has been the tradition for three exclamation marks in this little lot: ‘A so many years but sadly fails to carry forward Horse! A Horse! My kingdom for a horse!’… any revisionist thinking with regard to King Suzy? Richard himself and we are presented with a Suzy: Well, it’s Shakespeare again, isn’t it? piece that will fail to engage Ricardians be- Richard III? Yes, it is, of course! cause it is one of omission with regard to Nigel Rees: It’s his twice repeated cry … Richard’s ‘usurpation’. Professor Carpenter Suzy: That’s because he couldn’t stand up or believes that Richard, who before the death of walk very well, wasn’t it? So, it’s a tragic his brother King Edward had shown no moment, with the hunchback … ‘uncontrollable ambition’, was probably moti- Nigel Rees: I think so, yes, but the actual vated by panic ‘because he feared the Wood- Richard III’s last words were not ‘A horse! villes would take apart his vast estate … and etc’, they were ‘I will die King of England! I then, once he had attacked them, fearing a will not budge a foot! Treason! Treason!’ Woodville revanche when Edward came of age’. There is no mention that Richard himself might have felt his own position, as pro- From Julia Redlich, the secretary of the tector, was being usurped by the Woodvilles NSW Branch, who says, ‘Richard makes an and, more importantly, no mention of the pre- appearance in a murder mystery (no, nothing contract of Edward and Eleanor Butler (née to do with the Princes, or the Tower). In In Talbot) which justified Richard’s accession. the Woods, by Tana French (published in Professor Carpenter’s recounting of the April in Australia by Hodder & Stoughton), October rebellion also gives cause for con- Detective O’Kelly reports to his team on an cern with Richard resorting to having to bribe interview with a possible suspect: “He was his supporters, in particular Buckingham, having tea and watching telly with his wife all where he failed to provide sufficient incen- Monday night until he went to bed at eleven. tives. Surely not. The grants made to Buck- Bloody documentaries they watched ... one ingham, in May 1483, made Buckingham all- about meerkats and one about Richard III. He powerful in Wales. It was perhaps either told us every detail whether we wanted it or Buckingham’s desire to be on the winning not ...”’ Julia adds, ‘Members of the NSW side in the rebellion and making a bad judge- Branch wish they could have been with ment on the success of the rebellion or the O’Kelly – we can never have too many de- possible effect of Edward of Middleham’s tails about Richard!’ investiture as Prince of Wales in July 1483 in

York that turned the duke into ‘the most un- From Wendy Moorhen: true creature living’. BBC History Magazine Finally the situation at Bosworth is over- A well-known publisher has been known to simplified with the ‘late betrayal of Richard’s say that he could sell a book about Richard supposed allies’ without any mention of the every year and it now appears that Richard III fact that two of those allies, the Stanley broth- also sells magazines. The January issue of ers, had some interesting axes to grind vis-à- BBC History once again features an article vis their relationship to the invader, Henry about the king under the banner of ‘Turning Tudor. Points’, a 20-part series looking at decisive Nevertheless this an interesting article, moments of the last 1,000 years in British accompanied by well-illustrated sections on history. In part 10 Cambridge professor of ‘1483 in Context’ and ‘Key Years’ as well as medieval English history, Christine Carpen- a useful further reading list.

Reputation Management

RICHARD VAN ALLEN

ne of the most important assets that any cause embarrassment at the very least, or at O organisation possesses is its reputation, worst, actual harm to an organisation’s hard- in other words its public image. Organisa- earned public reputation. tions, whether they be government, industry, It is therefore important that any media charities or societies, spend a tremendous contacts with the Society be managed profes- amount of their time and resources not only in sionally, and that is why the Society has an promoting their images publicly but, just as appointed Public and Press Relations Officer. importantly, managing them too. When media contact is made it is important to How is reputation management undertak- be able to deduce whether the enquiry is as en? Most obviously via the media in all their straightforward as it appears or whether there various forms. However, dealing with the is a hidden agenda. A good example of this media can be a minefield and has to be care- can often be seen in television news inter- fully managed. Contrary to the perception of views where the interviewer, at the instigation many people, and aided, it has to be said, by of the news editor, is interviewing someone the media’s own hype, the media are not a who is introduced as an independent expert public information service and therefore it is on a particular subject with the objective of important to understand their aims and objec- getting the ‘expert’ to agree with the pre- tives. determined view of the news editor. The Quite simply the media are a business and, problem is that many of these so-termed like all businesses, dedicated to making a ‘experts’ do not have any media experience profit. In order to do this they often manipu- and are often left floundering. One of the late information or stories in order to heighten problems is that being questioned by a report- the drama, which in turn raises viewing fig- er or interviewed on television can be both a ures (which translates into advertising for flattering and seductive experience for the commercial television), or sell newspapers or inexperienced. The media are well aware of magazines. Remember the old press adage, this and know that they can often get inter- ‘bad news is good news’. On the other hand, viewees to say much more than they should. one can’t paint a completely cynical picture A prime example of seeing a media- of the media, as they are very aware that most experienced person being interviewed is to organisations set out to take advantage of see an interviewer trying to get an experi- them by manipulating stories for their own enced politician to agree with his, the inter- benefit (known as ‘spin doctoring’), of which viewer’s, point of view and getting nowhere. government is the most obvious example. For the Society, when responding to major The Society, like all of these organisa- media queries, it is important that this be done tions, needs to promote its public image in through the Public and Press Relations Of- order to help it achieve its aims and, also like ficer and not by members on an ad hoc basis. these organisations, the main avenue it must For example, often an article will appear in use is the media. As already mentioned, deal- the press relating to Richard and many mem- ing with the media is a skilled business which bers will have an urge to fire off a stinging has to be managed professionally. Therefore reply. Responses to such articles need to be (almost) all organisations have a press or pub- considered and not done in the heat of the lic relations officer or department to handle moment or there is a danger that the Society this. Failure to channel all media contacts will be viewed as either being eccentric or through a public/press relations office can very biased. This in turn can devalue the rep-

utation of the Society and possibly at a later Officer to discuss the matter. Firstly we need date when we want to issue, say, a press re- to judge if a response is merited, and if so lease, or make a particular point, our views should it be as representing the Society or as may well by ignored by editors. There is the from an individual. This does not of course other point, too, that the Society needs to mean to say that the Society will handle every have an agreed line on particular subjects, and media enquiry. Quite the contrary! If a local members in isolation may not necessarily be response is required then this can be done at fully aware of this. that level. All we ask is that the Public and Finally we would request all members, if Press Relations Officer be consulted so that approached by the media, please advise the assistance and advice can be given. In our Public and Press Relations Officer, so that approach to reputation management we are together we can judge whether the response not seeking to be overly prescriptive or dicta- should come from the centre or could be han- torial. Our purpose is to manage professional- dled locally at branch, group, or individual ly both the reputation of the Society and, level. So please do not fire off irate letters to more importantly, that of Richard III. Which the press in the name of the Society without is, after all, our raison d’être. first contacting the Public and Press Relations

New Members

UK 1 Oct – 31 Dec 2006 Patricia Alison, Hertfordshire Robert Lincoln, Milton Ernest, Bedford Francis Armstrong, Braintree, Essex Martina Maguire, Paston, Norfolk Audrey Blair, Wisbech, Cambridgeshire Victoria Mather, Bristol Andrew Bosworth, Taunton, Somerset Derick McCulloch, Willenhall, West Mids Lily Catterick, York, North Yorkshire Caroline Michel, Jersey, Channel Islands Mary Cook, Bristol Dorothy Middleton, Swaffham, Norfolk Joann Daly, Romford, Essex Heather Park, Wigton, Cumbria Janette Davidson, Holt, Norfolk Kevin Pearce, Hounslow, Middlesex Ann Durn, Plymouth, Devon Lynne Pummell, Market Deeping, Lincolnshire Annie Garfield, Burton-upon-Trent, Staffs Anne Riordan, Hinckley, Leicestershire Geoffrey Green, Leominster, Herefordshire Jasmine Skelton, Hailsham, East Sussex Lesley Haycock, Burnley, Lancashire Clare Turner, Quarndon, Derbyshire Patricia Hitchin, York, North Yorkshire Eileen Tutill, York, North Yorkshire John Horgan, Halstead, Essex Audrey Twigg, Sheffield, Yorkshire Valerie Kerr, Hertfordshire Judith Winskill, Crewe, Cheshire

Overseas 1 Oct 2006 – 31 Dec 2006 Susan Appleyard, Ontario, Canada David Leckie, Winnipeg, Canada Wayne Archer, Queensland, Australia Library Buyers, Toronto, Canada Norma Bassett, Toronto, Canada Shayne McIntyre, Stokes Valley, New Zealand Jane Bayley, Christchurch, New Zealand Angela Stevens, Seelze, Germany Deborah Chenery, Ab, Canada Leslie Tomlinson, Ontario, Canada Peter Duchesne, Ottawa, Canada Jacqueline Turner, New South Wales, Australia John Grylls, Ontario, Canada Melissa Vargas, Ontario, Canada Corey Keeble, Toronto, Canada Johanna Visser, New South Wales, Australia Yuki Kusano, Gifu, Japan Continued on page 22 9

A Death Warrant for the Princes?

WENDY MOORHEN

n Thursday 30 November 2006, BBC2 aired another episode in their Castle in the Country O series featuring Mount Stuart on the Isle of Bute, seat of the Marquess of Bute. Presenter John Craven interviewed the Marquess’s archivist Andrew McLean, who produced a letter allegedly written by King Richard III, entrusted to Sir James Tyrell for delivery to a ‘worthie governour’. In the document the ‘governour’ is told that the king is ‘transferring our confidence as hee shall speak and doe signe’, in other words Tyrell will tell all to the ‘Governour’, who will act accordingly. The inference is, of course, that the governor in question has responsibility for the Tower of London, and as Tyrell had allegedly confessed to the murder of the Princes, the matter to be discussed is their disposal. Significantly the letter is dated 29 June 1483, just three days after Rich- ard was proclaimed king. Mr McLean commented that ‘this may well be a crucial piece of evidence in solving the mystery of this most controversial episode in English history’. He continued ‘we don’t know if it maybe means something produced afterwards to discredit Richard or not but it may well be the original’. John Craven’s closing comment was that ‘with the help of this letter, who knows – it might even change history as we know it’. If genuine this would indeed be a document of great importance but is it genuine? Two days before the programme was transmitted a journalist from The Times, having found us on the website, contacted the Society to seek our assistance in establishing whether it was authentic, and a photograph of the letter was made available. This was circulated to several members of the Re- search Committee who examined it and came to the conclusion that it was a fake (see below for their comments). The photograph was also sent to Christopher Whittick, senior archivist at the East Sussex Record Office, whose immediate reaction was, ‘It has fake written through it like Brighton through a stick of rock, in fact it’s a pathetic fake’. The findings of our research committee and Mr Whittick were duly passed on to The Times reporter, who said that this tallied with independent enquiries that he had made, and in the circumstances he would recommend to the editor that the story be dropped. It is good to know that the opinions of our research team do stand for something, particularly with a major newspaper like The Times. However, as the programme’s presenter had suggested ‘the letter could change history’, the Society felt that a public response had to be made. A press release was issued on 2 December, but the story was not taken up by the other newspapers. Their attention was now focused on the rather more pressing discovery of the body of an Ipswich prostitute at Hintlesham in Suffolk rather than a five-hundred-year- old ‘murder’ mystery. However, although we are satisfied that the document is a fake, there is left the intriguing question of who wrote it, when and why? The Society contacted Mr McLean at Mount Stuart and he has told us that the letter was found in ‘a cardboard box otherwise full of old junk – more specifically old elastic bands, unused envelopes and the adhesive papers used to stick stamps into albums. All these dated from around the 1920s, a time when the 4th Marquess was building up a significant collection of stamps’. The letter was contained in an envelope on which was written, ‘Sir James Tyrell was Richard’s Master of the Horse. Richard III proclaimed himself king June 26, 1483.’ The 4th Marquess of Bute was also a collector of manuscripts but there is no documentation to suggest that he bought the letter. It is perhaps significant that it was not stored with other manuscripts. 10

There are several possibilities as to why the letter was written. Christopher Whittick has suggested that it may have been ‘intended to amuse rather than to deceive’. Mr McLean believes the letter came into the possession of the Bute family in or around the 1920s but feels that it is older ‘and that the faker has deliberately made it to look as though it has been written in a hurry ... Richard would have had little time for official titles, dates and the formality of other Royal letters ... with the blotted words, the use of Arabic numerals to suggest that Richard had no time to write the Roman version’. Peter Hammond has suggested that a tradionalist may have had his or her sensibilities upset by one of the newly-published, pro-Richard works such as Walpole’s Historic Doubts or Halstead’s biography of Richard, or perhaps somebody, who knew of the Marquess’s interest in manuscripts, forged the letter and offered it to him for sale. This is, of course, just speculation but with scientific dating of the letter it may be possible to progress one of these theories. This is a possibility and Mr McLean has said he will keep us updated.

Transcript of the Letter

Crossbei House June 29 1483

In ye trustie handes of a valorousse knight James Tyrill

Worthie Governour

Especiallie deserving of our goode grace in all speechlessnesse and reservatione and so to be carryed in minde [blotted word possibly doing] no battell to our Royall waies. Yis [This] commeth transferring our confidence as hee shall speak and doe signe. In no whit dishonouring thee goode Governour but for chiefe dispatche.

Richard Rex

Summary of Conclusions The date and address at the top of the letter are in a modern style, especially with the use of Ara- bic numbers. Although it was not unheard of to use Arabic numbers at this time, it was unusual in England. The extensive number of published wills that have been examined as part of the Socie- ty’s wills projects confirms this view. Dating in fifteenth-century usage was complex. Dates could be linked to a saint’s festival, numbers shown as Roman numerals and the year again in Roman numerals or in regnal years (these years begin with a monarch’s succession or an anniversary of it). A less anachronistic style would have been ‘the xxix day of Juyn in the first year of our reign’. The layout of the letter is not medieval. The introductory sentence in particular is a poor imi- tation of the usual format. The language of the text is not medieval and some of the words used, such as ‘speechlessness’ and ‘reservatione’, seem to have been chosen to be unnatural in their context and so give a flavour of ‘antiquity’ – as if the forger thought that was how they spoke ‘in the olden days’. The handwriting is wrong for the fifteenth century, not only in the extensive capitalisation, but generally in the form of almost every letter. A tentative dating of the document would be eighteenth to nineteenth century when literary forgery was not unknown, although it could be as late as the twentieth century.

The signature is unlike any known one of Richard’s. The form of the ‘R’ is not consistent with fifteenth-century handwriting and it is more likely that he would have signed himself as ‘Ricardus Rex’ than as ‘Richard Rex’. Another inconsistency that has been investigated is the title of ‘governour’ when the appella- tion in the fifteenth century would be ‘constable’. Dr Sally Dixon-Smith, the curator of the col- lections at the Tower of London, has commented that ‘since the nineteenth century, constables have not lived full-time at the Tower, and their places have been taken by resident governors’. This perhaps gives us the best indicator of when the letter was written so far. Thanks must go to Lesley Boatwright, Moira Habberjam, Peter Hammond, Anne Sutton, Richard Van Allen, Livia Visser-Fuchs and Christopher Whittick for their timely help and comments in this matter.

The Letter from Mount Stuart Reproduced by kind permission of the Marquess of Bute

News and Reviews

Road Danger to Northampton killed and, having eliminated the ‘evil’ royal Battleground councillors, he treated the king with respect, A member, Mrs Folwell, has very kindly swore loyalty to him and escorted him to the nearby abbey and then to London. alerted the Executive Committee to the pro- posed plans to put an access road right across the site of the Battle of Northampton. If the road goes ahead it would destroy not only the setting of the historic twelfth-century abbey building (dedicated to St Mary but now known as Delapré Abbey) on that site, but also the burial site of the soldiers who fell at the battle. These plans were originally sub- mitted back in 2005 but were overthrown due to local protest, so campaigners were rather surprised to see these plans re-emerging, and aim to obtain a preservation order to keep the site safe from all future adverse development. Richard Van Allen will liaise with History Matters and with The Battlefields Trust to ensure that local campaigners receive as much support as possible. The battle of Northampton was the fourth military action of the Wars of the Roses and followed the disastrous Rout of Ludford (October 1459) which saw the dispersal of the leading Yorkists to Ireland and Calais and the capture of the duchess of York with her younger children including Richard. The Cal- ais contingent returned to England in May 1461. Warwick was determined to force the king to reform his government and to get rid of his ‘evil’ councillors and it was to this end he marched north to Northampton. The battle was fought on 10 July 1460 between the royalist army of King Henry VI Detail of the Eleanor Cross which stands supported by the duke of Buckingham, the near the site of the Battle of Northampton. earl of Shrewsbury and Lord Grey of Ruthyn. Photo courtesy of Geoff Wheeler. The Yorkist army was led by the earls of Warwick and March (the future Edward IV) Flog It Visits Bosworth and Lord Fauconberg. Warwick sent emissar- The popular BBC2 daytime programme Flog ies to present the Yorkist grievances to the It recently visited the auction rooms at Market king but they did not get past Buckingham. In Harborough to film for the current series. The exasperation Warwick launched his attack on programme invites members of the public to the hopelessly outnumbered royal army, bring along items to a valuation day where whose artillery was rendered useless by heavy presenter Paul Martin and his team of experts rain. The victorious earl ordered the common offer advice and follow the progress of items soldiers to be spared but the nobles to be that make it through to the auction. An ele- 13

ment of the programme is to show a short Right Royal Bastards: The Fruits of film during the programme that features Passion by Peter Beauclerk-Dewar something of local interest, and because of Market Harborough’s proximity to Bosworth and Roger Powell. Published by the BBC contacted the Society’s PR officer Burke’s Peerage & Gentry LLC, Richard Van Allen with a view to a contribu- 2006. Paperback, £19.99 tion from the Society. No, this is not a book about the early Tudor kings (although they get a mention), but a comprehensive survey of forty-four royal bastards that have either been acknowledged by their kingly fathers or who were without doubt royal offspring. The book continues, albeit with some overlaps, the 1984 book by Chris Given-Wilson and Alice Curteis The Royal Bastards of Medieval England, which concluded with the illegitimate children of the House of York. This perhaps explains the title of the opening section of the present book, ‘Tudor Bastards (1485-1603)’, which will rattle Ricardian sensibilities, as only one falls

into this category – Henry Fitzroy. The re- Flog It Presenter Paul Martin at Bosworth maining three are Arthur Plantagenet (son of Edward IV), John of Gloucester and Kathe- On a cold and windy day a week before rine Plantagenet (children of Richard III). Christmas, Research Officer Wendy Moorhen It appears that of the majority of the re- met with the crew on Ambion Hill for an in- maining forty, split between sections on the terview with Paul Martin, who wanted to Stuart and Hanoverian by-blows, a total of know such things as why Richard had ac- thirty-one are the progeny of just three kings, quired an evil reputation, was he deformed, Charles II (14), James II (6) and William IV were the princes murdered, what kind of king (11), leaving just three kings and two princes was he and what happened at Bosworth? to own up to having played away. This leads Wendy takes up the story. ‘The Society has to a substantial final section, ‘Royal Loose been consulted for several programmes about Ends’, which is perhaps the most interesting Richard and it is usually an uphill struggle. as it includes those suspected of being the Flog It however was a delight. Director Chloe illegitimate off-spring of kings and princes of Rawlings was knowledgeable and open- Wales, and also, for the sake of completeness, minded on the subject and there was little I those who, although believed to have been could find fault with in the script for Paul and royal bastards, have been shown not to be so the narration. The crew began the day in by recent research; for example, Richard Rex, Leicester, filming by the Society’s statue in whose alleged father was George III. The Leicester Castle Gardens, before moving on authors note that since the accession of Queen to Bosworth, which was freezing. Adrenaline Victoria, no monarch or prince has acknowl- however cuts in and then it was just time to edged any bastards, so speculation on the think about what to say, but with a friendly possible love-children of more recent royals, and professional crew and presenter it wasn’t such as Kings Edward VII and VIII, is rife. difficult. The interview developed beyond the Included in ‘loose ends’, and closer to our script and Paul was interested to learn there period, are Richard III’s possible son, Richard was more than one possible site for the bat- of Eastwell* as well as four potential daugh- tle.’ ters of Edward IV, the children of Mary Bo- The programme was transmitted on Mon- leyn, another alleged bastard of Henry VIII, day 12 February 2007. Sir John Perrott, and the longest mini-

biography in the whole book. This is devoted of the illegitimate children of Richard III and to Sir Roland Velville, who until quite recent- Edward IV. Peter Hammond’s articles in ly had been considered without question to be Crown and People and volume 13 of The the baseborn son of Henry VII. For this biog- Ricardian do full justice to the meagre facts. raphy the authors draw heavily on Society Wendy Moorhen member W.R.B. Robinson’s excellent 1991 * see below for more about Richard of East- article in Welsh History Review (given incor- well rectly as Welsh Historical Review) on Vel- ville’s career. Right Royal Bastards works well as a ref- Mary at Bolton erence book or as a continuous read. The bi- Teesside University’s Centre of Regional and ographies are usually extended to later de- Local History, in association with the York- scendants, including present day representa- shire Archaeological Society and the Marie tives, and the authors are occasionally side- Stuart Society, is holding a day conference at tracked into interesting trivia. The early biog- Bolton Castle in North Yorkshire on 2 June raphies reveal the dangers of being closely 2007, focussing on the time Mary Queen of related to the royal family and two, John of Scots resided in the castle at the end of 1568. Gloucester and the duke of Monmouth, paid Papers will cover Mary’s flight to England, the ultimate price. For the most part, though, her life at the castle, the social, religious and the sons were elevated to the peerage and the political context in which she found herself in daughters married into the nobility of Eng- northern Yorkshire, the consequences of her land, and they all took their place in the privi- stay, and the castle and its setting at the time. leged life of the upper echelons of society. So Speakers include John Guy, author of the successful was their own procreating that Whitbread prize-winning biography of Queen many members of the present royal family are Mary, Krista Kesselring, Steve Moorhouse, also descended from the ‘natural’ progeny of Peter Brears, Lord Bolton and Emma Watson. their legitimate ancestors, including our own For details of the programme and a book- Patron, the Duke of Gloucester, who writes ing form please send your name and address, the foreword to the book. with s.a.e., to Mrs Emma Shaw, School of The book concludes with three appendices Arts and Media, University of Teesside, Mid- that provide a list of suspected mistresses of dlesbrough, TS1 3BA, or email e.shaw@tees. kings of England and their heirs apparent ac.uk since 1485 and two articles by well-known Tony Pollard genealogist Cecil Humphery-Smith on Bas- tardy and the Arms of Royal Bastards. The authors appear to be up-to-date with recent The Fotheringhay Oaks research on the putative love-children and Several years ago, a number of you were kind where appropriate they have approached and enough to give money towards the cost of interviewed those who may be ‘in the know’. replacing three trees in the churchyard at There are, however, a couple of niggles. I was Fotheringhay, and you may be wondering a little concerned to read in the biography of what has happened since. Arthur Plantagenet that Sir Francis Bryan was I have spoken with Juliet (Wilson) and she one of the alleged lovers of Anne Boleyn; tells me that the chestnut trees that blew down surely that was Sir Francis Weston! Also I were weakened by canker, and they have found the bibliography a little disconcerting. been advised to leave the ground clear of new Rather than using the more conventional sys- trees, of whatever species, for a few years. tem of a listing by authors’ names, the works (Incidentally, I have since read that chestnut consulted are listed alphabetically by title. canker has become very common in some As a romp through the seamier side of parts of the British Isles and is having a simi- royalty, the book is fascinating, but Ricardi- lar effect to that suffered by elms with Dutch ans need not rush out to buy it to learn more elm disease.)

The remaining chestnut tree in the church- tre. yard is in poor health, but the tree surgeon The Society has invited Richard Knox to will not give an estimate as to how long it provide us with an update on the project and may last. If this tree falls or breaks, it will this is scheduled to appear in the autumn Bul- either take the wall of the churchyard with it letin. In the meantime those members who or it will fall across the site of the new plant- would like to learn more of the alternative ing. If it takes the wall, the cost of rebuilding sites should read The Field of Redemere: the will be horrendous, especially if English Her- battle of Bosworth 1485 by Peter J. Foss itage have their way. which explores the theory that the battle took So, we are waiting for the ground to steri- place at Dadlington and Mike Jones’ Bos- lise itself and for someone to give a positive worth 1485: psychology of a battle whose opinion on the remaining tree. After that, Juli- theory moves the action to the west around et will get together with a local farmer who the Fenny Drayton, Witherley and Merevale has offered to help with digging the holes for area. Both books are available from the Bar- the new trees and with selecting the oak sap- ton Library. lings. Thereafter, we must hope that the chest- Wendy Moorhen nut, if it falls, does the decent thing ... and, as Juliet says, that it does it while she is away Towton Battlefield Society and the from the village. Phil Stone Company of Palm Sunday 1461 There will be a guided battlefield anniversary walk and authentic fifteenth-century living Update on the Archaeology Project history camp on Palm Sunday, 1 April 2007, at Bosworth l0 am - 4 pm Towton Hall, near Tadcaster In the Spring 2005 issue of the Bulletin we As England entered the 1460s with the reported on the success of Leicestershire country in the grip of the Wars of the Roses, County Council’s Lottery Fund bid for £1.3 the North was to witness events that culmi- million. The money was to be spent in devel- nated at Towton on Palm Sunday 1461 with oping the Visitors’ Centre and in carrying out the biggest, longest and bloodiest battle ever an archaeological study of the battlefield area. fought on English soil. Up to 90,000 soldiers In October last year, the Leicester Mercury of the rival houses of Lancaster and York ran a story entitled ‘Bosworth: Doubt over engaged in close-quarter combat for ten long where Richard III had last stand – is this real- hours on what, for 28,000 of them, would ly the site of the 1485 battle?’ It appears the mark their last day on earth. archaeologists have found very little, other Towton Battlefield Society, affiliated re- than some horse harness, in the traditional enactment group Company of Palm Sun- battlefield site and chief archaeologist, Rich- day1461 and guest re-enactors invite you to ard Knox, has commented that ‘personally, I remember this day, with their guided memo- think it is unlikely’ the battle took place on or rial walk over one of England’s most un- around Ambion Hill. As a consequence the spoilt battlefields, and enjoy the living histo- latest thinking is that the battle was fought on ry commemoration in the grounds of Towton the flat ground within the greater battle area Hall. which includes Stoke Golding, Dadlington, Guided walks (approximately 4 miles, Sutton Cheney, Fenny Drayton, Witherley, stout footwear recommended) will start from Upton, Merevale and Mancetter. Towton Hall Barn at l0 am. Walks will be Guides at the Battlefield Centre are now followed by a short service behind the Hall, apparently advising tourists it is unknown close to where the famous skeletons featured where the battle really took place and Leices- in the TV programme Blood Red Roses were tershire Council are certainly ‘taking it on the found. Medieval displays, traders, infor- chin’ and appear determined to find the real mation and refreshment stalls will be availa- location despite their investment at the Cen- ble throughout the day in the Barn, along 16

with an authentic fifteenth-century encamp- A New Hypothesis ment to the rear of Towton Hall. Outdoor Historian and Society member David Baldwin entertainments include a falconry show, ar- has written a new book entitled The Lost chery and fire power displays, and a demon- Prince: The Survival of Richard of York. stration of sword fighting by the European Baldwin argues that Richard Plantagenet of Historical Combat Guild. The event will con- Eastwell, sometimes said to have been an clude with a pole arm drill and mêlée of mass illegitimate son of Richard III, who died in re-enactors. 1550, was Richard, Duke of York, the young- Provisional programme: guided walks; er of the missing ‘Princes in the Tower’. falconry displays and living history camp; The fate of the Princes in the Tower is the memorial service with prayers and wreath most intriguing and enduring of all historical laying in the Hall grounds; arming the knight; mysteries and it is often claimed that they sword combat; bill-drill; mêlée in the main were killed by their uncle, King Richard, arena. probably in the autumn of 1483; but David Admission £1 per adult; children under l2 argues that such an awful betrayal of the con- free (admission includes car parking, pro- fidence the boys’ father, Edward IV, had gramme, guided walk, and access to all shows placed in him is not supported by the availa- and displays within the grounds) ble evidence. David believes that Edward V, For further information contact: Mark the elder prince, died from natural causes (he Taylor 01302-882488 or Graham Darbyshire was receiving regular visits from his doctor), 01977-683825. Also see our websites www. but suggests that Richard, his younger broth- towton.org.uk and www.palmsunday1461.co. er, was eventually reunited with his mother, uk Queen Elizabeth Woodville, and allowed to Helen Cox live with her under the watchful eye of two

trusted courtiers, John Nesfield and James Tyrell. He was subsequently moved to Lutter- ‘In Deadly Hate – Richard III and worth in Leicestershire where the rector, John The Wars of the Roses’ at TNA Varnam, owed his appointment to Elizabeth’s The National Archives put on lunchtime talks Grey family, and was taken to meet his uncle, on medieval and early modern research top- King Richard, the night before the battle of ics. They take place from 1 pm to 2 pm in the Bosworth. The now widowed and childless Conference Suite at the National Archives, monarch was anxious to win over more of his Kew, and are free. No booking is required, late brother’s former adherents, and may have but places are limited, so it’s first come, first thought that naming his nephew his heir after served. On Tuesday 20 March Sean Cunning- he had destroyed Henry Tudor would seal his ham and James Ross will present ‘In Deadly success. Hate? – Richard III and the Wars of the Ros- But King Richard was slain at Bosworth es’. The blurb in the MEMRIS (Medieval and and the Prince found himself a fugitive. His Early Modern Record Information Service) uncle had instructed Francis, Viscount Lovel, newsletter says ‘The conflict for the crown in to take him to St John’s Abbey at Colchester the fifteenth century has created many of – a popular refuge for Yorkist dissidents – in English history’s most vivid characters; and the event of a disaster, and after discussions thanks to Shakespeare we have one of our with the new government it was decided to greatest villains in the shape of Richard III. apprentice him to the Abbey’s master brick- This talk looks at the key sources for this pe- layer. A prince would, arguably, have stuck riod of civil war, and investigates whether out like a sore thumb on a building site; but Richard III really did resemble Shakespeare’s Henry VII would only agree to spare his life destructive monster.’ if he was given an entirely new identity, and Lesley Boatwright Richard soon realised – or was made to real- Richard of Eastwell: ise – that he must adapt to his new role. The evidence suggests that the King kept a watch- 17

ful eye on Colchester, and alarm bells would on 22 December 1550 at the then great age of have rung all over Westminster when, in 77. Most commentators assume that no-one 1490, it was learned that the now 17-year-old knew what had become of the Princes, but former prince had formed a relationship with David argues that many people – kings, royal a young widow named Eleanor Kitchen. Elea- confidants, the boy’s sisters and former nor’s ‘offence’ could not be stated openly, of household officers – did know but chose to course, and her ‘punishment’ was to be say nothing about it. ‘Dead princes were a placed in the custody of her kinsfolk for the potential embarrassment, but a live prince . . . rest of her life. would have been a real danger and a closely Richard took the precaution of obtaining a guarded secret’. Richard survived when oth- pardon shortly after Henry VIII succeeded his ers with a Yorkist claim to the throne per- father, but the threat he posed to the govern- ished because he was out of sight and per- ment diminished as the years passed. He was haps, eventually, out of mind also. Eastwell, allowed to work at Creake Abbey and proba- where he died, is only 12 miles from Canter- bly at other sites in East Anglia when the ab- bury Cathedral where his portrait still adorns bot had nothing for him to do at Colchester, the ‘royal’ window of the Martyrdom Chapel. and no more would have been heard of him Did an elderly bricklayer, David wonders, had it not been for the disaster which over- ever pause to look into the face of his own took the monasteries in the late 1530s. King image – an image from another life – on the Henry’s suppression of the religious houses occasions when he visited the greater church? forced Richard and others like him to earn The book is due to be published by Sut- their keep where they could in the wider tons in March. However, this is only a provi- world, and his search for work brought him to sional date and due to a change in ownership Eastwell, in Kent, where Sir Thomas Moyle of the publishing house, it may be delayed was building a fine new mansion, in 1542 or slightly. 1543. Richard had always enjoyed reading – BBC Radio 4’s Today producers have it was perhaps the only part of his former life been in touch with the Society about David’s he had never abandoned – and Sir Thomas book and have asked for a representative to wanted to know how a humble bricklayer (as comment on his hypothesis. However, this is he supposed) had acquired an education. The currently on hold until the book is published. now elderly former prince told him his story – Another book about Richard of Eastwell but with the difference that he was an illegiti- has been privately published by Mark Griffin. mate son of Richard III rather than a true son This is a novel but Mark also believes that of Edward IV. Perhaps some deeply ingrained Richard of Eastwell was the duke of York. instinct for self-preservation asserted itself, even then. Sir Thomas allowed Richard to live in his own small dwelling on the estate until he died

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Changes in the Perception of King Richard: Old News but still Good News!

WENDY MOORHEN

ue to the generous gift of a series of dolls from a fellow Ricardian recently, their characters D being drawn from the Wars of the Roses period, my childhood and young adult interest in the dolls made by Peggy Nisbet was revived. Mrs Nisbet began her doll-making career in 1953, inspired by the coronation of the present queen, when she produced her first doll. She formed a company and for over thirty years she produced an extraordinary range of dolls, many of the characters being of historical significance. What is perhaps remarkable is the size of these dolls, just 7½ inches tall which requires great skill by the makers in reproducing the costumes in mina- ture. My own collection began in the late 1950s with gifts from my parents, and took off in a big way around 1970, a period which was probably the zenith of Peggy Nisbet’s doll-making art. The company was sold in 1992 and at that time I thought I had a closed collection. Recently, this has been proved to be far from the case with the gift of the two Wars of the Roses limited edition series, produced between 1968 and 1969, and the discovery of e-Bay. ‘If it isn’t offered on e- Bay, it doesn’t exist!’ When I carefully examined the identification tags on my new acquisitions, I found that two of the dolls in the series, those of King Edward V and his younger brother, Richard, Duke of York, recorded that they died in 1483 – not encouraging to a Ricardian! The certificate of authenticity however gave a qualified description of the Princes ‘Historical fiction says that the Princes Ed- ward and Richard were murdered in August 1483 whilst imprisoned in the Tower of London. It is widely thought that the murders were instigated by their uncle, Richard III who had much to gain from their deaths’. Mrs Nisbet was clearly sitting on the fence. My research insticts were now aroused and my renewed interest led me to review the literature I had accumulated over the years of my ‘hobby’ (like Morse, I loathe that word) and I found an interesting statement made by Mrs Nisbet, when she produced a new portrait doll of King Richard. In her October 1977 newsletter to members of her Collectors’ Club, she wrote:

Also included will be King Richard III, a very favourite character of mine because I subscribe to the theory, now widely acknowledged by modern historians, that poor Richard was not a villain who murdered his two nephews, the little Princes in the Tower, but rather a scholarly, courageous King: the most ill-used and glorious monarch of the period. What a change from the wicked monster about whom I learned at school!

Over the intervening years Mrs Nisbet had obviously ‘come out of the closet’ about the mystery of the princes’ disappearance and their ‘supposed death’ in 1483 – could this be due to some activities or statements by the Society that she had learned about? She repeated her enthusiasm for King Richard in her Reference Book for Collectors published in 1977 and this prompted a response from a USA Branch member who wrote:

It was a thrill to read the caption for King Richard III in the book. As a member of the Richard III Society, I am used to defending his name but you cannot believe my pleasure in reading your description of him. We are not used to hearing him referred to as a glorious monarch and the admittance that there was Tudor propaganda. This is unusual and we love it!

Mrs Nisbet’s enthusiasm for Richard continued, and in 1985 her company’s penultimate limited edition series was devoted to ‘The Princes in the Tower’, a set of three dolls, Richard III and the Princes. The certificate reads:

King Richard III reigned from 1483 to 1485. Controversy and mystery has continued throughout history as to whether he was the cruel, wicked character responsible for the murder of the two little Princes in the Tower, aged 12 and 9 years. The popular belief today is that Richard III was a glorious monarch much vilified by ugly propaganda that had no foundation of truth.

One of these special sets found its way into a raffle prize at a Society AGM. There is an interesting expression, ‘what goes around comes around’ and this is very much the case with this rather personal story. The American branch member who was so pleased to learn about Mrs Nisbet’s view of King Richard was Miss Elizabeth Argall of Illinois. She is now Mrs Beth Stone, wife of our Chairman, and the kind Ricardian who gave me the Wars of the Ros- es dolls in the first place. Thank you, Beth.

Warwick the Kingmaker, King Richard III, Queen Elizabeth Woodville and the Princes

Celebrating 50 Years:

YORK MINSTER AND A SERVICE OF THANKSGIVING

hen we began preparing the Mem- very apologetic and promised a mention dur- W bers’ weekend in York, I wrote to the ing evensong, at which he would also be Very Reverend Dr Keith Jones, Dean of preaching. York, to ask if it would be possible to have a So it was that, at 4 pm, a smaller number service of thanksgiving in the Minster on 1 of members gathered yet again in the choir, October. In his reply, he explained that, as it and this time we were rewarded with a wel- would be the first Sunday of the month, there come in the opening remarks, while King really was no way to fit an extra service into Richard himself was named later in the pray- an already very full programme. However, if ers. I say rewarded, but, really, it was no it would suit us, he would ensure that the So- hardship to attend the two services, the choirs ciety was mentioned in the prayers during the of York Minster at the moment being last service of the morning. amongst the finest in the land, and they ex- So it was that, at 11.30 am, about thirty celled themselves during evensong. (Their members of the Society were gathered, to- performance of the Mozart Ave verum together with a large number of the general wards the end of one of the morning services public, in the choir of York Minster for the was something to tug on the heartstrings, too.) service. And so it was, too, that, at the end of Before we left the Minster, I again sought that service, there were about thirty disap- out the Dean and this time, thanked him for pointed members who had heard no mention his kindness. As I did so, I wondered, to my- of the Society. self, whether there had been warm words in Quickly finding the vestry, I approached the vestry earlier in the day. We will never the Dean, and when I mentioned the Society, know. Some things are best left to God. he said, ‘Oh dear, is it today? Nobody re- minded me’. Clearly, Dr Jones does not main- Phil Stone tain his own diary. He then proceeded to be

Adopt a Stone No, this is not a request from the chairman for aim being to raise money for the repair of the someone who might be willing to give him a east end of the church, the stones of which are home and take him into their family, though crumbling. Instead of just asking for money, he is asking for your help. About a year ago, the appeal is asking people or organisations to the present Duke of York, HRH Prince An- sponsor, or adopt, a stone, the money to be drew, launched an appeal at York Minster, the given in monthly instalments over the next

five or ten years. The total for each stone is Society’s name to send us their cheques, £600. made out to the ‘Richard III Society’ and en- In the past, the Society has given gifts to dorsed ‘RCRF – York Minster’. A standing the Minster, and the RCRF has given money, order to pay the Minster monthly will then be most notably when funds were being raised to set up. This way, we can keep administration replace the great west window, sometimes costs to a minimum, while at the same time, known as the ‘Heart of Yorkshire’. It will interest will be earned on your contributions. come as no surprise to members, therefore, to (For those who aren’t sure, money in the learn that we would like to give something RCRF is kept in the Society account, where it towards the present appeal. accrues interest, while being ‘ring-fenced’, to Although we can sponsor one stone with be used only as directed by the fund’s trus- funds already available, we would like to be tees.) able to sponsor two or three more in the name Please be as generous as you can. What- of the Society. However, we feel that it will ever you send will be gratefully received and not be very practical to ask members to send on behalf of the Minster and the RCRF, we their donations to us in monthly instalments – thank you in advance for your help. the paperwork and costs could be prohibitive. Elizabeth Nokes and Phil Stone, Therefore, we are asking those of you who RCRF trustees would like to donate towards this cause in the

New Members continued from page 9

US Branch 1 Oct 2006 – 31 Dec 2006 Victoria Boehm, Washington, DC Diane Long Jester, Florida Neil Baldock, Washington State Kae and Dominic Oliver, California Donna Barker, Idaho Paul O’Neill, New York Tom Duffy, Texas Janice Pike, Arizona Al Franco, New York Lynda Tanner, Arizona

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Ricardian Heroes: The Australian Connection

JOHN SAUNDERS

n April the Australian and New Zealand Early in his life Philip developed a deep I branches will be holding their bi-annual interest in literature and history, much en- convention in Auckland. It seems appropriate couraged by his father, who lent him many therefore that the Ricardian Heroes series books. Kathleen Lindsay and her children should in this issue have an Australasian fo- returned to Sydney in 1920, living at Darling- cus. So we will be looking at the contribu- hurst and Bondi. Philip attended the Sydney tions of the writer Philip Lindsay and the Art School for a short while, but soon decided founder of the original Australian Branch, Pat that he would rather be a writer than an artist. Bailey. He had some modest literary success in Syd- Many members down-under will be famil- ney, but it was to England that he looked to iar with the classic Australian children’s story make his reputation. He duly arrived in the The Magic Pudding, which was illustrated country in 1929 with high hopes of becoming and written by Norman Lindsay, one of the a published author. A contemporary at the Australia’s most famous artists. This story time described him as ‘fair-haired, jolly, ea- has a similar place in Australian children’s ger and cordial, with typical Lindsay merry literature as perhaps Alice in Wonderland has blue eyes and ready barking with laughter, in ours. One of the early members of the Fel- careless with money, and a mighty almost lowship of the White Boar was Norman’s son dissolute Bohemian.’ Philip. In 1930 Philip experienced his first Eng- The Lindsays were a family of prolific lish success when his monograph Morgan of writers and artists, who had their origins in Jamaica was published, followed in 1932 by Londonderry, from where Norman’s father a novel Panama is Burning. His biography of emigrated to Australia in 1864. Norman was Richard III came out in 1933, being preceded one of ten children, four of whom achieved by many months of research in the British prominence in the arts. He married his first Library and Hampstead Reference Library. It wife Kathleen Parkinson in 1900. Their third was during this period that he came into con- son, Philip, was born in Sydney in 1906. tact with the Fellowship and became a friend Three years later, with his marriage at break- of Saxon Barton. In his autobiography enti- ing point, Norman Lindsay left for London. tled I’d Live the Same Life Over, Lindsay His wife and their children moved to Bris- records a meeting with two publishing col- bane, where Philip received his early educa- leagues ‘On this first day together we dis- tion at the Church of England Grammar cussed many ideas and the one that seemed School. Norman eventually returned to Aus- most strongly to appeal to them was a biog- tralia and established a sort of artists’ colony raphy of Richard III. Continually angered by at his home Springwood in the Blue Moun- the vile caricature which, for centuries, the tains, where he lived for over fifty years until Tudors have foisted as a portrait of the last his death in 1969 at the age of ninety. The and noblest of England’s kings, I was only bohemian life of Springwood was immortal- too eager to fling down my glove in the arena ised in the 1994 film Sirens, which starred of embattled historians … But the Richard Hugh Grant. squabble would take a volume of itself to be

White Boar and was present, with Saxon Bar- ton and Aymer Vallance, at the Antiquaries meeting on 30 November 1933 for the unveiling of their report. The following year, on 21 April, he was amongst the guests at Middle- ham for the unveiling by Marjorie Bowen of the Fellowship’s Memorial Window in St Alkelda’s Church. In 1934 he travelled to York to hear Saxon Barton lecture to the Yorkshire Archaeological Society, and dedicated his 1936 novel The Duke is Served, set in 1470/71, to Barton. Philip Lindsay lived for many years in a village near to the Sussex Cinque port town of Rye, where he was very much admired by the locals, earning a reputation as a ‘Johnsonian’ figure, particularly in his often frequented local pub, The Rose and Crown. He died in Hastings on 4 January 1958, following a serious respiratory illness. Shortly after learning of his son’s death Norman Lindsay wrote ‘Phil had fulfilled his life well. He did a prodigious amount of work, had cultivated his faculty as a writer, stored his mind with the best creations in all the arts … he had the art of easy friendship and inspired genuine affection wherever he went.’ For a Ricardian epitaph we need look no further Philip Lindsay at his home in Sussex than his novel The Duke is Served, where he Photograph courtesy of Cressida Lindsay wrote ‘This is a period I love more intensely explained, and I shall not speak further of it than any other, and I only hope that in time I here. Suffice to say that I hurried back to shall lead my readers – if they remain staunch Hampstead with a non-fiction contract in my enough – to feel an equal love.’ pocket and a hearty cheque with which to Philip Lindsay was an Australian Ricardi- hold at bay butchers, bakers, grocers, milk- an who contributed most whilst living in Eng- men…’ His passion for the past soon led land. An English Ricardian, Pat Bailey, was him to write many more historical novels, a to make her most significant contribution number set in Yorkist England. A reviewer when living in Australia. of one of these noted that Lindsay wrote with Pat Bailey had joined the re-founded Fel- ‘exuberance and violent colour’. He also lowship in 1958, shortly before it became scripted films, including Sir Alexander Kor- officially the Richard III Society. As with da’s The Private Life of Henry VIII, for which many members at that time, her interest had he was also artistic director. been stimulated by reading The Daughter of A further non-fiction Ricardian book Time. She worked at that time for the Historic came out in 1934 On Some Bones in West- Monuments Record for England, and had a minster Abbey, which was a direct riposte to genuine passion for the past. the published report of the Society of Anti- In 1959 she left for Australia with her quaries investigation into the Abbey’s alleged husband, the actor Robin Bailey, who was bones of the two princes in the Tower, which touring with a production of My Fair Lady, had been made public the previous year. By playing the lead role of Professor Higgins. Pat now Lindsay had joined the Fellowship of the took her Ricardian enthusiasm with her and

lost no opportunity to promote the cause of Pat Bailey made further visits to Australia Richard III and the Society whilst travelling during the 1960s and remained in close con- around Australia. She kept up a lengthy corre- tact with the branch that she had helped to spondence with our then secretary Isolde found. On her return to live in England she Wigram, and was able to report to her later in continued to be an active and enthusiastic 1959, ‘I have been very busy talking about member of the Society, regularly attending Richard since I came to Australia … and the events and participating in trips. Towards the interest here has been very encouraging.’ This end of her life ill health restricted her mobili- interest culminated in the formation of the ty, although she continued to regularly attend Australian Branch at a meeting in Melbourne the Annual General Meeting in London. Her on 2 October that year. From a very small last service to the Society came in 1991 when beginning membership grew steadily through- she organised and staged-managed an evening out the following decades and it was this Mel- of readings from Horace Walpole at his old bourne-based branch that was to remain the home, Strawberry Hill, with her husband focal point for Australian Ricardians, held Robin amongst the readers. The event was a together for many years by its long-serving great success and raised a lot of money for the secretary Stuart Soul. The quincentenary Fotheringhay Cope appeal. events of the 1980s which proved a stimulus In recognition of her contribution to the to membership levels prompted the other Society, and especially the Australian Branch, Australian states to form their own branches, Pat Bailey was made a Vice-President. She and together with the New Zealand Ricardi- died on 2 October 1993, the day of the Socie- ans to form a solid and enthusiastic Ricardian ty’s AGM for that year and of course the presence in Australasia, which the forthcom- birthday of King Richard III. ing convention in Auckland will celebrate.

Rosemary Hawley Jarman, Pat Bailey, Mrs Smith (Rosemary’s Mother) Photograph courtesy of Geoff Wheeler

The Man Himself

THE HERO AND THE VILLAIN? HENRY V AND RICHARD III (Part 2)

KEITH DOCKRAY

n the last Bulletin, I pointed out that a little throne and disinherited his nephews in 1483; I probing beneath the surface of traditional and, as for his brother George, Duke of Clar- portrayals of Henry V and Richard III soon ence, he probably never forgave him for his reveals unexpected similarities. role in the readeption of Henry VI in 1470 Neither was born the son of a king; both and almost certainly concurred in his trial and enjoyed conventional aristocratic upbring- execution in 1478. Yet his loyalty to Edward ings; and, while Henry V spent many of his IV never seriously wavered during the king’s formative years in Wales, Richard III’s expe- lifetime, even when he disapproved of his rience of northern England and its society in brother’s behaviour. the later 1460s and 1470s was probably even On a more personal level, Henry V may more significant. Political turmoil and inter- well have led a largely, perhaps entirely, mittent warfare provided an important back- chaste bachelor life for many years and, as far drop to their early lives as well. Henry V’s as we know, he had no illegitimate offspring; father deposed Richard II and seized the his relatively late marriage to Catherine of throne for himself in 1399; Richard of York Valois in 1420 was very much a political developed ever stronger royal aspirations in match and, even if there was real affection the 1450s; and, in 1461, these were turned between the two early on, it rapidly cooled; into reality when his eldest son toppled Henry and the king never seems to have shown VI and took the crown as Edward IV. much paternal interest in his infant son. Rich- The families of both Lancaster and York, ard III, while only too willing to castigate the moreover, endured much internal strife during morals of his opponents if it served to ad- the fifteenth century. Henry V’s relations with vance his political objectives, sired at least his father, for instance, seem to have been un- one bastard; his marriage of convenience to easy at best, downright hostile at worst; in Anne Neville turned out well enough; and, 1419 he had his stepmother Joan of Navarre when his only legitimate son died in 1484, he arrested (almost certainly on false charges), appears to have been genuinely distressed. only ordering her release as his own death ap- Tradition has it that, once he inherited his proached in 1422; and, although he seems to father’s crown, Henry V ostentatiously re- have bonded well enough with his brothers nounced his hitherto wild and irresponsible John, Duke of Bedford, and Humphrey, Duke lifestyle and, over the new few years, proved of Gloucester, his relationship with Thomas, himself a veritable medieval English hero- Duke of Clarence, is altogether more prob- king. Richard III, by contrast, has not infre- lematic. Richard III was just a child at the quently been portrayed as the consistently time of his father’s death in 1460 but, in loyal supporter and servant of Edward IV 1476, he played a major role in the reburial of who, in 1483, nevertheless became a villain- Richard of York’s body at Fotheringhay; his ous usurper of his brother’s throne, callously relationship with his mother seems to have murdered his own nephews and soon estab- been irreparably damaged when he seized the lished a royal tyranny in England. This is the

stuff of caricature, not history. Maybe Prince successful a ruler he might have been in the Henry of Monmouth did, occasionally, in- longer term. dulge in boisterous and unruly behaviour Henry V’s enduring reputation rests prin- when released from the rigours of campaign- cipally on his spectacular victory at Agincourt ing. Far more notable, however, is his role in in 1415, the conquest of Normandy and the the reconquest of Wales following Owen establishment of a dual monarchy in France Glyndwr’s rebellion when he both established and England. As a military commander he his military reputation and built up a strong was exceptionally gifted; he was meticulous and durable affinity. Before 1483 Richard of in planning, inspiring in the field and a master Gloucester certainly created a powerful he- of the art of siege craft; and he obviously en- gemony in northern England, brought a de- joyed campaigning, felt most at ease in the gree of stability to the region not seen for company of comrades-in-arms and revelled in years and surrounded himself with an even his renown as a chivalric warrior king. Yet, more impressive array of lords and gentry. since he had both the strengths and failings of Yet this surely reflected personal ambition a medieval warlord, his military record is far and self-interest no less than devotion to the from unblemished. The great victory at Agin- well-being of the Yorkist monarchy. In the court owed more to French folly than Henry’s political sphere during his father’s illness in generalship, his slaughtering of prisoners dur- 1410 and 1411 Henry of Monmouth proved ing the action was criticised even at the time, himself an energetic and responsible ruler, and the battle brought no territorial gains. His demonstrating real commitment to the resto- treatment of the inhabitants of Harfleur in ration of good governance. As king he dealt 1415, Caen in 1417 and Rouen in 1418 re- ruthlessly with any perceived threat to the flected an exceptionally severe interpretation Lancastrian dynasty (such as the Southamp- of contemporary laws of war. And the king’s ton plot in 1415), while at the same time con- military reputation might well have become sistently striving to create and maintain politi- tarnished had he not died prematurely. Like cal unity at home; he made real progress in Henry V, Richard III saw military action as a restoring financial solvency and curtailing the teenager (Henry fought at Shrewsbury, and extent of lawlessness; and, even when cam- was wounded in the action, at the age of six- paigning in France, Henry maintained a close teen in 1403, while Richard was not much scrutiny over all aspects of government in older at Barnet and Tewkesbury in 1471); he England. Yet there were clear limits to his proved himself a capable military commander achievements on the home front since, while (for instance, during the 1482 Scottish cam- demonstrating that the machinery of the me- paign); he was personally courageous (as his dieval English state could be made to work behaviour at Bosworth, the only battle where well enough, he had nothing new to offer and, he ever commanded in person, shows); and, in his last years, signs of impending crisis no doubt, his reputed dissatisfaction at the were becoming increasingly evident. As lord outcome of Edward IV’s 1475 expedition to of the north in the 1470s and early 1480s France would have been fully shared by his Richard of Gloucester provided sound gov- Lancastrian forebear. Maybe he shared Henry ernment and, as king, established the Council V’s chivalric aspirations as well: hence this of the North in 1484, built on his brother’s may be why, as constable of England in the efforts to improve royal financial administra- 1470s, he revelled in military ceremonial and tion, sought to promote impartial justice and took such pride in his own family’s martial showed genuine concern for the well-being of reputation. ordinary folk. When confronted by rebellion Henry V was exceptionally well educated in southern England in the autumn of 1483, for a medieval English king, able to read and moreover, he responded as vigorously and write English (his first language), French and effectively to internal sedition as had Henry Latin, and his reputation as a cultured, even V. Unfortunately, since he reigned for so learned, layman is not without justification: in short a time, it is impossible to judge just how particular, he had a genuine enthusiasm for

theology and literature; his chapel became a Middleham in the 1470s, where he also focus for innovation in sacred music; and he founded a religious college). Yet, arguably, played a pivotal role in promoting the English there was more than a touch of the puritan language. Richard III, too, was literate in both about Richard and, as for Henry, so intense English and French, and probably Latin as was his religiosity and so extreme his devo- well, and had a considerable interest in liturgy tion that he cannot easily escape the charge of and religious music. Henry V was a deeply out-and-out bigotry. pious man who became actively involved in Henry V and Richard III, it is clear, were all manner of ecclesiastical affairs, presenting energetic and hard-working; they enjoyed the himself as a stalwart defender of Christian confidence, even inspired the devotion, of orthodoxy and protector of the established those closest to them; and their record in pro- church (especially against the proto- moting justice and providing sound govern- Protestant Lollards), promoting new liturgies, ment is well documented. Yet both could also encouraging religious reform and founding be autocratic, inflexible and blatantly oppor- notably austere religious houses. Again, obvi- tunistic, even vindictive, in pursuit of their ous comparisons can be made with Richard personal and political objectives, as well as III’s strong streak of orthodox piety, encour- ruthless in the removal of those standing in agement of learned clergy and promotion of their way. In short, they were medieval kings, regular worship (for instance, in his chapel at root and branch, warts and all.

Incest and Richard III, Bigamy and Edward IV

H. A. KELLY

have made various points about Richard pediment is a common mistake, one com- I III in my writings over the years, as a long- mitted by Georges Duby in his Medieval Mar- time member of the Richard III Society, but I riage (1978) and later writings.4 The law of find that I periodically have to revive them affinity only prohibited one brother from for the benefit of new generations of Ricardi- successively marrying two sisters or two ans. cousins. I would like to comment on Michael Barnfield is undoubtedly correct in her Hicks’s allegations of possible incest in con- suggestion that the two necessary dispensa- nection with Richard III,1 and on Marie Barn- tions from the consanguinity that existed field’s response in her two-part article in the between Richard of Gloucester and Anne Ricardian Bulletin,2 as well as on the contri- Neville must have been obtained in due bution of Wendy Moorhen in the Autumn course, as they were for George of Clarence 2006 issue.3 Marie Barnfield is absolutely and Anne’s sister, even though the record of right that there was no prohibition against them has not been found in the Vatican ar- double marriages, two brothers marrying chives. It would have been unthinkable to two sisters (namely, in our case, Clarence proceed to the marriage without securing and Gloucester marrying the two Neville sis- these essential and easily granted permis- ters). The notion that there was such an im- sions. 28

As for Richard’s reported idea that he had Dr Lavender (to go with my identification) grounds for annulling his marriage to Anne to may well have realised the truth about the pave his way to marrying Elizabeth of York, uncle-niece relationship, that it was not in- Barnfield may be on to something when she cluded in Leviticus. Furthermore, or alterna- brings up the idea of ‘force’; but it would tively, he may have known that there had have to have been Anne whose consent was been occasional dispensations even from the forced, not her guardian Clarence. Marrying Levitical degrees. In fact the first recorded against the wishes of a parent or guardian authentic dispensation of this kind had been was never an invalidating impediment. given earlier in the fifteenth century to an- Another faulty judgment of Hicks, but one other Duke of Clarence, namely Thomas, son which Barnfield goes along with, is that the of Henry IV. It occurred in 1411, when this Croyland Chronicler expressed shock and Clarence was allowed to marry the widow of horror at Richard’s plan to marry his niece. his uncle, John Beaufort (Henry IV’s brother), Such disapproval was indeed expressed by a union explicitly forbidden in Leviticus. Polydore Vergil, who was trained as a canon Memory of this dispensation may have sur- lawyer, and, of course, also by Edward Hall in vived in England, and King Richard himself his long-winded plagiarising of Vergil. But the may have known about it, since his own doctor of canon law who wrote this part of grandmother, Joan Beaufort, was the sister the Croyland Chronicle, whom I have identi- of John Beaufort (and Henry IV).8 fied as Richard Lavender (Chancellor of John According to Lavender, King Richard was Russell, Bishop of Lincoln, and his Commis- talked out of his scheme of trying to marry sary-General),5 did not express outrage at all. Elizabeth – now made easier, since Queen He shows himself to have been clearly aware Anne had since died – by Catesby and that a papal dispensation for such a marriage Ratcliffe. They were afraid that if Elizabeth of uncle and niece was possible. In fact, one were to become queen she would take had been granted not long before to an Ital- vengeance on them for causing the deaths of ian count, a fact noted approvingly by Cardi- her uncle Anthony and her brother Richard nal John Torquemada in his commentary on (no, not that Richard; her other brother Rich- Gratian’s Decretum. I discuss this case in my ard!). So they brought in more than a dozen essay, ‘Canonical Implications of Richard III's doctors of theology to convince Richard that Plan to Marry His Niece’.6 Hicks draws upon the pope could not dispense that degree of my essay at length, but he mistakenly cites consanguinity. It was altogether probable me as saying that Torquemada held that the that these theologians actually believed what pope could not dispense for uncle-niece mar- they were saying. riages.7 Wendy Moorhen in her article indicates What Torquemada did oppose was dis- that Richard’s negotiation of a Portuguese pensations in the Levitical degrees, but he marriage for himself just after Anne’s death realised that uncle-niece was not one of proves that he was not entertaining the idea them. It was, however, a common mistake to of marrying Elizabeth. But this does not nec- think the contrary. In the usual summary of essarily follow, since it was common to have the forbidden degrees, the relationships more than one marital iron in the fire in such were expressed only by single words, desig- cases. And the Croyland author (Lavender) nating the prohibited female. One of these does seem to know what he's talking about. words was neptis, which means either Let us move on now to the marriage of ‘granddaughter’ or ‘niece.’ The original list- Edward IV and the reasons it was considered maker meant ‘granddaughter’, since that’s invalid, thus allowing Richard of Gloucester what Leviticus refers to. But it was often mis- to become king. interpreted to mean ‘niece’. The Titulus regius that was presented to

Richard in 1483 and ratified by Parliament in criminating circumstance, since one common 1484 gives two reasons for the invalidity of reason for clandestinity was to prevent inval- Edward IV’s marriage to Elizabeth Woodville: idating impediments from coming to light. 1. forced consent (Elizabeth and her mother forced Edward’s consent by means of witch- craft). Notes 2. precontract, i.e., bigamy (Edward had pre- 1. Michael Hicks, Anne Neville, Queen to viously married another wife, who was still Richard III (Stroud 2006), pp. 195-210. living at the time, namely, Eleanor Butler).9 2. Marie Barnfield, ‘Richard’s “Incestuous” Hicks, in contrast, assumes that Edward Marriage’, Part 1: ‘Beyond the Papal Pale or was not thought to be actually married to Simply the Wrong Sort of Affinity?’ Bulletin, Eleanor, but only ‘pledged’ to her (that is, Summer 2006, pp. 55-57; Part 2: ‘Only if it engaged to marry her in the future). In so May Stand with the Law of the Church’, Bul- saying, he makes the common mistake of letin, Autumn 2006, pp. 55-57. taking the term ‘precontract’ to mean some- 3. Wendy Moorhen, ‘BBC History Magazine: thing like ‘preliminary contract of marriage’. The Incestuous King? By Michael Hicks’, Bul- In fact, a precontract was a ‘previous mar- letin, Autumn 2006, pp. 12-13. riage to someone else’. Being already mar- 4. I deal with Duby's mistakes about affinity ried obviously precluded another marriage. in ‘The Varieties of Love in Medieval Litera- In contrast, a future-tense agreement to ture According to Gaston Paris’, Romance marry in no way invalidated a subsequent Philology 40 (1986-87) 301-327, at pp. 322- present-tense marriage to someone else. 24. I originally took Moorhen to agree with 5. H.A. Kelly, ‘The Last Chroniclers of Croy- Hicks’s misunderstanding of precontract, land’, The Ricardian vol. 7 no. 91 (December since she cites his definition and does not 1985) pp. 142-177; and ‘The Croyland Chroni- correct it. But it becomes clear that she cle Tragedies’, The Ricardian vol.7 no.99 acknowledges that actual marriage and not (December 1987) pp. 498-515; see my con- betrothal was at issue, since she speaks of clusion on pp. 510-511. In this same issue of ‘Edward’s clandestine second marriage’ The Ricardian (vol.7 no. 99), pp. 516-19, my (meaning that he did have a first marriage). identification is challenged by Alison Han- However, her suggestion that the clandestini- ham, ‘Richard Lavender, Continuator?’ I re- ty of his second marriage added to its invalid- ply to her objections in ‘Croyland Observa- ity cannot be sustained. True, secret mar- tions’, The Ricardian vol.8 no.108 (March riage was forbidden by the Church, and a 1990) pp. 334-341. man and woman who married secretly com- 6. H.A. Kelly, ‘Canonical Implications of Rich- mitted a sin and could be sentenced to do ard III’s Plan to Marry His Niece’, Traditio 23 penance. But nevertheless they would be (1967) pp.269-311, at pp. 304-07. My find- considered to be genuinely married, unless ings in this article are summarised in The some real impediment stood in the way. Matrimonial Trials of Henry VIII (Stanford The Titulus considers the secrecy of Ed- 1976; repr. with new preface, Eugene: Wipf ward’s marriage to be a black mark against it, and Stock, 2004), pp. 9-13. but the secrecy itself would not have affect- 7. Hicks, p. 208. ed validity. Perhaps it was stressed as an in- 8. Joan Beaufort was the mother of Cecily

A Little Known Portuguese Source for the Murder of the Princes

ANTÓNIO S. MARQUES

n my letter, (published in the December the king to satisfy that faction and thus does I Bulletin) about the possible marriage of he reign peacefully in IIIJcLXXbiij of the Richard III and Joanna of Portugal I referred present era, going on three years.’ to some notes by Álvaro Lopes de Chaves, a Although not a lot is known about Lopes secretary to kings Afonso V and John II of it is clear that he was in the confidence of Portugal. In these notes he has a comment both Afonso V and John II and therefore, as about the fate of the sons of Edward IV someone close to the king himself, he would which I have never seen mentioned before presumably be aware of top-level rumours and it seems to me to deserve attention. the court might be getting directly from Eng- Not much is known about Álvaro Lopes. lish sources rather than second-hand conti- In fact, I believe he would be news to many nental speculations. He attributes the initia- non-medievalist Portuguese historians. This tive of the murders to Richard III as might is because his only known writings, in spite have been expected after all the rumours had of not being very voluminous, were left in an settled down and Richard himself had been unfinished and disorganised form and are defeated and gone. However, he doesn’t fol- known as a sixteenth-century copy. We low the traditional Tudor account of the mur- know they are by Lopes because he refers to ders. Instead, he squarely points to Bucking- himself in certain contexts and his name is ham as the actual perpetrator, though under mentioned by other chroniclers in the same Richard’s orders. This could as well be an contexts, such as missions to Navarre and indication of Buckingham’s guilt, either on Castille. His notes don’t read at all like the his sole initiative or as an agent of Henry chronological narratives of the major chroni- Tudor or, even more likely, Henry’s mother. clers and have only recently attracted some Other chroniclers, of course, mention attention. They look more like a mix of dis- Buckingham as the possible perpetrator of organised working notes covering a long the murders. For example, Commynes points period and were probably kept for some un- to Richard in one passage, to Buckingham in fulfilled project such as the writing of his another. Molinet says ambiguously that ‘on memoirs. It is quite difficult to order them by the day that Edward’s sons were assassinat- sequence of events or to know exactly when ed, there came to the Tower of London the each part was written, but this is irrelevant to Duke of Buckingham, who was believed, the reference to the fate of the princes, since mistakenly, to have murdered the children in that particular entry is clearly dated: he spe- order to forward his pretensions to the cifically says he is writing it three years into crown’. An awkward ‘explanation’ seems to the reign of Henry VII, in 1488. In fact the have developed here, implying second date in the notes reads as ‘IIIJcLXXbiij’ thoughts on very suspicious events, Molinet (that is actually 1478: ‘b’ was a cursive way going as far as actually stating that people of showing the Roman figure 5), but it is had been inclined to believe that Bucking- clear that an X has been inadvertently left ham had done the ugly deed on his own in out, given the context: ‘... the Earl of Rich- order to usurp the crown. Nothing of this is mond rose to kingship, the kingdom not be- new, but note that the apparently independ- longing to him, and he married a daughter of ent Portuguese reference seems to be more

categorical as to Buckingham’s implication Buckingham, under whose custody than other, better known, ones. the said Princes were starved to death. It is noticeable that his reference to the And the said Gloucester, author of princes looks rather similar to the one in the this murder out of his desire to be Dutch Divisie Chronicle, in the sense that king, wishing to clear himself of so both mention murder by starvation (an im- ugly an event, beheaded the Duke of probable notion, of course, but not necessarily Buckingham and rose to kingship … reflecting on the rest of the story) and at the Of course, contrary to the explanation hands of Buckingham (the interesting part contrived by Álvaro Lopes in order to give even when Richard is also reputed guilty, some logic to the mysterious succession of since it puts the Tudor version in doubt). The events he is reporting, Buckingham's rebel- Divisie Chronicle has been dated to about lion was an initiative of his own that took 1500 but, of course, both could be using the Richard by surprise, rather than the response same source. Anyway, it’s one more mention to any machiavellian plot on Richard's part to of Buckingham’s name in connection with the pass the blame over to the presumed accom- possible murders, underlining the weakness plice that directly ordered the deed, as Álvaro of the Tudor myth and helping to open the Lopes implies. But what I find particularly door to more doubts. striking in his account is the unqualified men- Here is the passage in question: tion of Buckingham as the actual perpetrator E depois do falecimento del Rej Du- of the murders. arte que foj no anno de 83 outro seu Note: the only complete edition of the jrmão o Duque de Grosetia ouue a seu little known notes is Álvaro Lopes de Chaves, poder o Princepe de Gales e o Duque Livro de Apontamentos (1438-1489), (Códice d Eorca que erão moços filhos do dito 443 da Colecção Pombalina da B.N.L.), Im- Rej seu jrmão e os entregou ao Duque prensa Nacional - Casa da Moeda, Lisboa, de Boquincom que os tiuesse em cujo 1983 (there is no ISBN). The Dutch Divisie poder os ditos Princepes forão mortos Chronicle was described in The Ricardian, a fame, e os ditos de Grosetra que vol. 3, no.46, pp. 12-13, 1974. desta morte era autor por se alcar por Rej querendo sse de tam feo caso al- impar degolou o Duque de Boquin- [Members may be interested to have refer- com e alçou sse por Rej … ences to previous articles on the possible Por- tuguese marriage from The Ricardian. These In translation: are Barrie Williams, ‘The Portuguese Con- And after the passing away of king nection and the Significance of the ‘Holy Edward in the year of 83, another one Princess’’, The Ricardian, vol. 6, pp. 138- of his brothers, the Duke of Glouces- 145, Doreen Court, ‘The Portuguese Connec- ter, had in his power the Prince of tion: A Communication’, The Ricardian, vol. Wales and the Duke of York, the 6, pp.190-193 and Barrie Williams, ‘The Por- young sons of the said king his broth- tuguese Marriage Negotiations: A Reply’, er, and turned them to the Duke of The Ricardian, vol. 6, pp. 235-236.]

Lord Olivier – A Closet Ricardian? (Part 2)

GEOFFREY WHEELER

n the UK the activities of ‘The Friends of announces Richard III is coming!, opening to I Richard III Inc.’ (see Bulletin, Autumn reveal his successive victims: Lady Anne, 2006) had also not gone unnoticed, with sev- Clarence, Hastings, the princes and Bucking- eral column inches devoted to their publicity ham, captioned: One man – twisted in mind efforts throughout the 1950s, though a certain and body – brought DEATH to all who stood amount of news coverage had also been gen- in his way! However, tucked away in the se- erated in the press by a 1952 dramatisation of lection of news stories on the cast and the The Princes in the Tower (based on The filming, offered for publication, we find a Daughter of Time), the production of Dickon piece on Was Richard III a villain or a saint? as already noted, and the Middleham memori- again only featuring ‘The Friends’ but con- al, which resulted in the predictable exchange cluding ‘in this country, as well, a young man of letters in the pages of local and daily news- who has been seen on TV holds this belief. papers. His name is Plantagenet Somerset Fry. Plan- Few of the actual reviews of the film, tagenet has been his nickname for several however, include any references to the histor- years – mainly because of his interest in vin- ical Richard, or the controversy, despite mate- dicating Richard III’.1 Ideas for schools pro- rial included in the Exhibitor’s Campaign motions include the organisation of essays Book. In contrast to the American brochure, based on the film, discussions prior to their this is a rather more ‘sensationalist’ produc- visits on ‘the historical and prestige value of tion, though it ought to be remembered that, Richard III’, whilst the list of books then cur- despite the success of Olivier’s Henry V and rently available, besides Shakespeare texts, Hamlet films, as well as earlier releases such recommends Paul Murray Kendall, Carola as the 1953 Julius Caesar, Shakespeare was Oman’s Crouchback, V.H.H. Green’s The still regarded very much as ‘box-office poi- Later Plantagenets, and Hugh Ross William- son’, and so with Richard III popular empha- son’s Historical Whodunnits. sis was placed very much on the ‘horror- Finally, a couple of other observations on story’ angle, albeit with a definite ‘cartoon’ how certain details in the film may be used to element to the posters and advertising materi- support Olivier’s possible favourable attitude al. A cut-out, blood-spattered weapon domi- towards Richard. One notable departure from nates the gold cover, labelled Richard III – the Shakespeare text is, of course, his staging the hunchback king!, with newspaper ad- of the climax to the battle of Bosworth. After blocks continuing the theme: He used an axe a perfunctory clash of swords with Stanley to gain the crown! (though of course, as the Baker’s Richmond, he reverts to a more his- deaths of Rivers, Vaughan and Grey are not torically-based conclusion, with the unhorsed shown, and that of Buckingham, though king surrounded and killed by the Stanley filmed, was apparently cut from the released forces, with a death-scene that usually evokes film, Hastings is the only victim seen to die sympathy from even the most hardened audi- this way), and a flyer, dominated by the ence. Then, as the contemporary accounts looming shadow of the king (in coronation relate, we see the body slung over a horse, robes, again, not an image seen in the film) and its departure for Leicester. In connection 33

with this scene, the Society’s late President, have viewed the film over the years. It con- Patrick Bacon, always used to make a great cerns the Latin chant sung by the two monks, point of drawing attention to one shot – the seemingly a permanent fixture of Edward close-up of the Garter on Richard’s leg, with IV’s throne room. In the scene where Rich- its motto Honi soit qui mal y pense, (variously ard whispers in the king’s ear about Clar- translated as shame be to him (or dishonoured ence’s plotting, they are heard singing lines be he) who thinks evil of it, or more simply from Psalm 51:5, before closing their huge Evil to him who evil thinks, which Patrick book, looking at each other resignedly, and maintained was a special ‘coded’ reference folding their arms. The particular lines are: for the Society, adding in his typical stage- ‘Behold, I was brought forth from iniquity, whisper, ‘He’s really one of us!’. Unfortu- and in sin did my mother conceive me’, thus nately, he never revealed any definite source giving an ironic comment on the action for this, and I thought it was destined to re- played out before them, but one that would main an apocryphal tale until a recent inter- only have been recognised by the small pro- view with Frances Tannehill (Alexander portion of Latin scholars or high-church Cath- Clark’s widow) in the USA Ricardian Regis- olics watching the film.4 ter2 confirmed that prior to the broadcast Despite the subsequent films of Ian Olivier had dined with the couple. When she McKellen and Al Pacino, and numerous stage was asked about his views on Richard she interpretations, it is Olivier whose name is was adamant that, at heart, he was a revision- still synonymous with the role. Whether the ist. ‘He told us so at dinner,’ she maintains. new interpretation centre at Bosworth, when ‘In fact, he talked about that scene at the end, it reopens, will continue to screen the battle where they’re bringing Richard’s body back scene remains to be seen, but in the meantime from Bosworth and the camera focuses on the visitors to the Tower, as we discovered re- Garter. ‘Did you see that?’ he asked me. ‘I cently, are now shown a continuous loop of put that in especially for you people.’ Howev- the relevant scenes, projected on to the wall er, at least one film critic saw a more prosaic of a room in the ‘Bloody Tower’, devoted to a explanation: ‘Unlike the film Hamlet display on the controversy concerning ‘the (notorious for the over-simplification in its murder of the princes’, doubtless to assist prologue as the ‘story of a man who could not them in making up their minds when register- make up his mind’), this epitaph is to tell us ing their votes on the electronic score indica- Richard was a man who made up a nasty tor provided. one.’3 Although at first sight this may seem a rather obscure and esoteric reference to be made, and over the years many analyses of Notes and References his films (particularly by American academ- 1. Fry made his name on the quiz Double ics) have drawn inferences and read symbol- your Money, and of course was later the au- ism into the scenes that were doubtless unin- thor of several books, on royalty and British tended originally, in this instance it is not the castles only example in the film of a ‘hidden’ sub- 2. Laura Blanchard, ‘Richard’s First Ameri- text. Olivier always professed that he was can Friends’, Ricardian Register, vol. XVIII, ‘not a great intellectual’, but certainly some- no. 4, Winter, 1993, pp. 4-7 one connected with the film script, either his 3. Roy Walker ‘Bottled Spider’, Twentieth text adviser, Alan Dent, or more probably the Century Magazine, January 1956, p. 65 composer, William Walton, suggested some- 4. As noted by Constance A. Brown thing to him, which has gone unnoticed or ‘Olivier’s Richard III – a re-evaluation’, Film unappreciated by the millions of people who Quarterly, Summer 1967, pp. 23-32

Logge Notes and Queries: Service and Return

LESLEY BOATWRIGHT

f the 378 Logge testators, 138 left lega- each servant was to receive half a year’s wag- O cies to their servants. These range from es (32). Sir Roger Lewkenor (9) said that his a few pence to large sums of money and valu- household was to be kept together till the fol- able goods. It is, perhaps, even less helpful lowing Michaelmas, which was probably the than usual to produce statistics on this point, local hiring day. because many of the people receiving lega- Generally speaking, the servants are de- cies of a few shillings in these wills may well scribed as such, rather than given specific be servants even if the testator doesn’t say so. designations, but we have a riding man and a However, a few figures may be in order. shepherd (155), a bailiff (188), a waterbearer The percentage of women (all but two of (265), counting-house clerks (17), another them widows) and clergymen remembering shepherd (237), grooms, a receiver and a but- their servants was considerably higher than ler (260) and ‘Edmund of the Stable’ who is that of men (57% of the 37 clergymen, 53% given £20 in ready money and a further 6 of the 40 women, but only 32% of the 301 marks a year for life by William Stepham men). Of course, many men simply entrusted (177) (a mark was worth 13s 4d so he re- their wives with the job of distributing the ceived £4). residue ‘for the good of my soul’, which may One group of servants did receive a num- well include rewards to servants. Again, the ber of special mentions: the kitchen staff. Sir households of widows and clergymen were Ralph Verney left John his cook 20s., and more likely to be broken up after the testa- 10s. each to ‘John Jakke child of my kichen’ tor’s death, and the servants faced with the and ‘John Burdigan of my kychen’ (7). Cooks necessity of finding new employment. Most are also mentioned by seven other testators, ordinary servants must have been very nerv- and ‘my child in my kitchen’ by four more. ous about their own prospects when their Five leave legacies to men described as ‘of master or mistress died, and the household the kitchen’, and there are two bakers and a was broken up; heirs may well have had their slaughter-man. These kitchen servants were own households; widows would down-size. all male. John Roger, esquire of Freefolk, Hants Dame Jane Barre (196), whose will is one (will 322) was well aware of this: ‘I will that of the longest in the Register, left individual my houshold be kept hole from the tyme of legacies to 16 named servants with, and to 7 my deth forthward till my moneth mynde be named servants without, specific job- passid and than I will that everich of my man- descriptions, as well as to two women de- yall servantes have of my goodes biside his scribed as ‘my gentlewomen’, and her chantry gown his half yere wages to pray for my soule priest (see below). Her cook got two marks; and also that he may the better provide hym 20s. each went to her yeoman of the silf a new maister.’ Richard Beauchamp, ‘brewarn’, her yeoman of the stable, two bishop of Salisbury, instructed that his house- clerks, her baker, her butler and her panterer, hold was to be kept together for one term, and and the last two also got silver spoons. Her 35

laundress, her servant of the chamber, and her heir was his brother Roger, aged 25. I can’t slaughterman each got one mark. These sums help wondering how his laundress in London may indicate ranking within the household, figured in his life. but we cannot really be sure; Dame Jane may Another man who seems to have left an also have taken length of service into consid- inordinate amount of money and goods to a eration. servant was Charles Bulkeley (65). He left his Really well-to-do people employed their son William £20, his son Roger 20 marks, own private clergymen, and generally provid- and his son Thomas £10. A fourth son, Rob- ed well for them in their wills. Dame Jane ert, was the eldest at 25, as the inquisition Barre left Sir Philip Beynham, her chantry post mortem (C141/5/8) shows. Robert was priest, ‘my fayre litle portues of Salisbery use the residuary legatee. There are a few other the which is now covered with grene cloth of legacies, notably £10 to Sir William Berke- bawdekyn and lyeth for the most parte in my ley, obviously Bulkeley’s good lord, but the parlour wyndowe in a bagge ... my litle clok legacy that takes up a good third of the text of that hongith in my parlour in the wyndowe’, a the will is to his servant Agnes Cristismasse. book called Pupilla Oculi, which seems to She got 40 marks (which is more than Wil- have been a manual for priests, a calendar, liam got), ‘alle my parchase land in Salis- £10 in money and ‘a grete flatt rose pece of bury’ (an inn called the White Horse), and silver with a cover to the same of silver’ other land, which is to revert to his heirs (196). Sir John Scott (188) employed two when Agnes dies. ‘Also I will that the said clergymen. There was Sir John Bonbassall, Agnes have iiij beddis, that is to say ij his priest, whom his wife was to pay 5 marks fethirbeddes and ij matrasses with all the cov- a year, with his meat and drink, to sing for his erlytes, blankettes and shetes ... and the soul in Brabourn church for ten years. Moreo- hangyng of one chambre of worstede grene or ver, Scott wished to leave a copy of a book red’, 12 cattle, his flat pieces, 12 silver ‘callid Legendis’ to two churches and the spoons, and 2 silver salt-cellars ‘of the fas- chapel of the Mote in Sussex; he says, ‘And I shion of the iij leved grasse’. will that the seid sir John shalhave to write, Some testators are concerned for old serv- make and to complete my bokis callid Legen- ants, and leave them pensions. Sometimes dis bequethyn as is aforseid’ 40s. a year for this takes the form of money, sometimes se- three years. Later in the will, Scott tells his curity of tenure in the houses they occupied chaplain, Sir William, to travel to Rome and (47, 164, 374). Sir John Scott (188), who say prayers there for him, ‘for the which la- seems to have been laudably concerned for bour the seid Sir William shall have to do yt his dependants, left 10 marks each to five old with of my seid wiff x li’. When Sir William servants; also his old servant Henry Turner got back from Rome, provided that the testa- got 40s. a year for life, and two other serv- tor’s son agreed, he was to be at the Mote, ants, Thomas Belling and John Adam were ‘byding on the chauntry there’ and paid 40s. a each to get a pension of 20s. a year when they year for his singing, ‘for so long season as ‘[fell] from labour into age’. John Shelley, a unto the tyme yt shall happ the seid Sir Wil- mercer and ex-sheriff of London (374), pro- liam to be better beneficed’. vided for his servant Margaret Clare, instruct- There are a few indications that some ing his son to pay her 20s. a year in four in- servants were indeed special. John Neuburgh stalments ‘toward the relevying of hyr pouere (165), whose property was in Dorset, left his degre’. And she was to get a rent-free house wife all her own goods, and five marks’ worth in Houndesden (except that she had to pay of his goods. His servants were to have a full 10d. a year quit-rent) and two loads of wood a year’s wages and go where they wished. year from his wood at Houndesden. We have ‘Also I will that my laundress [lotrix] in Lon- one testator at least, the rich cloth-merchant don shall receive ten marks ... to pray for me.’ Thomas Spring of Lavenham, who took We see from his inquisition post mortem thought for his industrial work-force, whom (C142/1/43) that he had no children, as his he obviously valued highly. He left the large 36

sum of 100 marks to be shared among his ingly rendered, he should be preferred to all spinsters, fullers and weavers at the discretion others as chaplain for his chantry. Ralph Shaa of his executors, though there is no mention (96), who preached That Sermon at St Paul’s in his very short will of his household serv- Cross in 1483, left his servants Thomas Coke ants. and Robert Lovett 26s.8d. each above their There is another legacy, less tangible but wages for their good service. Other testators very pleasing, that testators could leave their who praised their servants were Philip Colyar servants, and that is their commendation and (123), Robert Ryngeborn (164), Margery thanks. Not many trouble to do so. I have Counsell (182), Sir John Scott (188), John found eight. Richard Beauchamp, bishop of Knyvett (330) and Sir Richard Harcourt Salisbury (32) said that as Sir Robert Hunt (367). gave him good and faithful service, painstak-

Obituaries

Dorothy Mitchell We are sorry to report that Dorothy Mitchell has died at the age of 80. Her funeral was held at York Minster on 13 February. Dorothy Mitchell was born in York in 1926. She became a model, and catering manageress at Betty’s Tea Rooms in St Helen’s Square, York. Thirty years ago, she established the Society of the Friends of Richard III. Through her Society, she helped to raise funds towards the renovations of the stonework of York Minster, and she also helped to organise a pageant to raise funds for the rebuilding of Sheriff Hutton village hall. In 1997, the Press reported how her society donated a window to York Minster to mark the 545th anniversary of Richard III’s birthday. ‘Richard was a great benefactor to York Minster, and the people of York thought a lot of him,’ Dorothy said at the time. ‘The window is a very simple and beautiful gift.’ Our condolences go to Dorothy’s family and friends, and to the Society of the Friends of Richard III, who have lost their founder and a tireless campaigner for Richard III.

Mrs C Wheeler It is with regret that the Society has heard of the death of Mrs Wheeler of Peterborough. Her son Simon said that she had been a passionate member over the years, and took tremendous pleasure from the Society, attending several trips and events over the years. Simon thanked us for fuelling that interest and wishes members well for the future as he knew his mother would have done. Our sympathies go to Simon and Mrs Wheeler’s family.

Recently Deceased Members

Mrs D. Ellis, Derby, Derbyshire. Joined 1989 Mr M.G. Harrison, Wickford, Essex. Joined 1988 Mrs Mary Humphris, Gillingham, Kent. Joined 1985 Mrs G. C. Power, Chichester,West Sussex. Joined 2001 Mrs F. Radok, Harrold, Bedfordshire. Joined 2001 37

Correspondence

Will contributors please note the letters may be edited or reduced to conform to the standards of the Bulletin.

Sir Thomas More’s Opinions – ous one was to erupt between More and a and Disputes French poet, Germanus Brixius, the details of From Marilyn Garabet, Ledaig by Oban which need not concern us, save to say that it I was interested to read Peter Fellgett’s letter culminated in Brixius penning a long, bitter – which has, I believe, appeared in the last poem called Antimorus, in which he accused two editions of the Bulletin!* However, I sus- More of being a poor poet in his recently pub- pect that he has misinterpreted More’s use of lished Epigrams, and, more seriusly than this, ‘men say’ statements in his History of King of slandering Henry VII in the Latin poems Richard III. Many historians would go along congratulating Henry VIII on his accession, with Alison Hanham, who, in her 1975 book written years before but only now published. Richard III and his Early Historians 1483- This was dangerous stuff, and both More and 1535, draws attention to the fact that More Erasmus were alarmed. Brixius declared that was famous as an intellectual joker and that, flattering Henry VIII and hailing his new when he uses phrases along the lines of ‘some reign as a blessed relief from the miserable wise men think’ or ‘they that thus deem’ he old miser who had gone before was a base is, in fact, having a dig at Polydore Vergil. attack, and that the new king should exile Charles Ross, in his Richard III, points out such a poet – or worse. More replied with his that More was writing his History of King famous Letter Against Brixius, repudiating all Richard III at the same time as Vergil was the insults that had been flung at him as a penning his Historia, and that the two works poor versemaster. As to the false feet in his would have circulated in manuscript, both verses, More declared, well, if his feet were men sharing the same sources of information not sound, neither was his opponent’s head! and moving in similar circles. However, at Richard Marius, in his Thomas More, thinks some point or other, More and Vergil had a that ‘the most interesting thing in the long serious disagreement, the details of which are, epistle is his careful dance around the accusa- unfortunately, lost. It seems more than likely tion that he had slandered Henry VII’. More that More got his revenge by making fun of suggested that Henry VII was misled by bad Vergil in his own account of Richard’s reign councillors, and, as Marius remarks, ‘It was – members of More’s fashionable set, who standard practice to condemn royal council- were reading both manuscripts, would have lors when a king did badly; the rhetoric of the known instantly who was More’s unfortunate rebellions of the time hardly ever condemned target, and it doubtless caused much amuse- kings; rebels habitually declared that they ment at Vergil’s expense. In despair, Vergil took up arms against those who imprisoned wrote a letter to Erasmus (a friend of both kings with bad advice.’ More and himself) which is, unfortunately, Erasmus worked hard to calm both men, lost to us, but in which he appears to have de- in his habitual role as peacemaker, and peace tailed all his grievances on the More front. between the two of them was eventually won. Erasmus’s reply has, fortunately, survived the In an interesting echo of the earlier letter to centuries, and in it he attempts to soothe Ver- Polydore Vergil, Erasmus wrote to the French gil by saying things along the lines of, ‘What scholar, William Budaeus, who had also you write about More is all nonsense; why, he helped to calm the hostilities, saying that does not remember even grave injuries ...’ More planned no further attacks and did not This was not the only literary dispute even remember the little conflict. More became embroiled in. A far more seri-

* [Oops! Still, it was an interesting point, and deed, this Queen Elizabeth deserves several has generated an interesting reply.] new biographies, since various authors provide differing perspectives about their sub- Joanna of Portugal ject’s life. From Pamela Hill, Radlett I am deep into researching and writing a I was delighted and interested to read the Por- biography of Elizabeth of York, whose life is tuguese assessment of the real Joanna’s iden- much more interesting and important than the tity. My source, the Clarendon series of Euro- neglect of her in recent histories would indi- pean genealogical trees, does not mention un- cate. The problem is that my research fre- married women without descent, so although quently leads me off into side-traps that have the first Joanna, second queen of Henry IV of little to do with my topic, but everything to do Castile, was included, the younger and cer- with my love of medieval history. One tan- tainly more probable one was not. I was glad gent, for instance, led to a dead end when I to learn about her, as I had concluded that the could discover almost nothing about the etiol- sister of the famous Maximilian’s mother ogy and nature of the ‘sweating sickness’, alt- must be the one coeval with Richard III, hough I encountered various and curious which in a way she was. Her dates are not ways of treating it. Then I spent weeks read- given in Clarendon. However, the point both ing medieval cookbooks, even though I hard- António Marques and I have made is that ly ever open modern one! Richard III made it clear he had no intention Bev Palmer’s observation will help keep of marrying his niece Elizabeth. Also, in the me on target and at my computer. Elizabeth case of either Joanna there would be descent of York is long overdue for more attention. from John of Gaunt, not always beneficial as [Arlene comments: ‘I read every word of the regards intermarriage of descendants. Ricardian Bulletin, even though it arrives in Regarding La Beltraneja – or La Excelen- California months after publication. Thank te Señora – it may be earlier Tudor propagan- you for keeping those of us in the hinterlands da that has made us in this country regard her informed of the latest news about Richard as an impostor. Her rival Isabella was the III.’] much-desired mother-in-law of Henry VII’s (Arlene is the author of Elizabeth Wydeville son Arthur. Isabella’s father, by a second The Slandered Queen Published by Tempus marriage, was the able king quoted by 2005 and now available in paperback. Ed.) António Marques, but his son Henry IV, by his first, seems to have been inept, and having From Carrie Sharlow, USA had no descendants by his first queen, I received my quarterly Richard III Society Blanche of Navarre, gave Isabella’s support- package in the post yesterday and upon readers a handle to use against any official de- ing the Bulletin, I was thrilled to note Bev scendant of his second to Joanna. If La Bel- Palmer’s letter ‘crying out for a biography’ traneja had the right to Castile, a great deal of for Elizabeth of York. I wrote my Master’s harm would have been averted had her acces- Dissertation on historical and literary portray- sion been secured rather than Isabella’s on als of Elizabeth of York and I certainly agree Henry IV’s death in 1474. The more one with Ms Palmer that new biography on this thinks of it, the broader the spectrum be- historical character is needed. comes. While we wait, she may want to look for I greatly look forward to reading António the three titles below, which I found useful Marques’ article. and interesting. The third isn’t specifically about Elizabeth of York, but it does give Crying Out for a Biography some insight into the Tudor household and From Arlene Okerlund, American Branch mentions her frequently in her adulthood. Bev Palmer [December Bulletin] is correct Joanna L. Chamberlayne, ‘English that Elizabeth of York is ‘surely the one per- Queenship 1445-1503’ (unpublished disserta- son who is crying out for a biography’. In- tion, University of York, 1999)

Nicholas Harris Nicolas, Privy Purse Ex- Australia in 1914-15 lecturing on Shake- penses of Elizabeth of York: Wardrobe Ac- speare. counts of Edward the Fourth with a Memoir The house at Fallows Green, Harpenden, of Elizabeth of York, and Notes (London, where Ellen Terry lived with Edward Godwin Frederick Muller Ltd, 1972) (who was actually never her husband) was Maria Perry, The Sisters of Henry VIII: designed and built by Godwin, a gifted man The Tumultuous Lives of Margaret of Scot- who combined the talents of architect and the- land and Mary of France (Colorado, Da Capo atrical costume and furniture designer, rather Press, 2000) in the manner of William Morris; one of his Unfortunately, most of the historians I’ve surviving buildings is, I believe, the town hall read seemed to feel that once Elizabeth mar- at Northampton. Oscar Wilde called Godwin, ried Henry VII, her life became uninteresting. who died in 1886, ‘one of the most astute For three years her life was material perfect spirits of this century in England’. for the romance novel, which is exactly where I’m sorry I can’t supply any information you can find her most of the time nowadays. about the golden boar weather vane. Once she became a wife, a mother, and a queen, she vanished from the pages of histo- What’s in a Name? ry. I find it odd that a queen is consigned to From Doug Weeks, Kent the shadows. Back in 1974, Arthur Mee wrote of Ashford I have been collecting a variety of books in Kent, ‘large-scale expansion of the town in several genres on the subject of Elizabeth seems inevitable’. Unfortunately, his words of York, if Ms Palmer is interested in borrow- were prophetic. Amongst this expansion, a ing them. Most are fiction, but there are some new housing development has had an ap- biographies. proach named ‘Sir John Fogge Avenue’ (at I’m looking forward to a modern biog- least it’s spelt correctly) – no evidence of raphy of this little known queen. Perhaps trees, this being a double carriageway, plus a someone will undertake it soon. Elizabeth, railway track away from a predominantly ex- too, needs to be rescued form an unfortunate, Council housing estate named Repton Manor, false reputation. the Fogge country seat. The much-altered fi-

nal building of this name still stands near by Ellen Terry and her houses uninhabited and inaccessible, although there From Angela Moreton, Yorkshire Branch may be plans to convert it into a I hope you will permit a letter not on a strictly pub/restaurant when it is finally surrounded Ricardian (or even medieval) theme, with ref- by houses. erence to Diana Powell’s interesting report in So, the lack of trees apart, without think- the last Bulletin (pp. 77-8) on the visit to ing about it one could say that the street-name Romney Marsh and in particular to Small- made sense. Sir John is well known (as well hythe Place. This beautiful early sixteenth- known as any fifteenth-century person is to century house was originally the home of the the general public) as the benefactor of the harbour-master at Tenterden, but of course local parish church, wherein he is buried in a the sea has long since receded. By the time much mutilated tomb, plus as the builder of Dame Ellen Terry bought the property it was the College of Priests, the half-timbered trun- being referred to as ‘The Farm’. cated remaining part of which still faces the I must protest at the description of Dame churchyard. Ellen as in ‘her advancing years’ when she But – ‘wait!’, I hear you all say, and some first saw Smallhythe; she eventually pur- shout. ‘This is the man who thrice, probably chased it in 1900 when she was still ‘only’ because of his Haute relatives, was guilty of 53, and she died there in 1928 at the age of treason towards Richard III. It was only 81. Even after 1900 she was evidently not yet through coming out on the winning side that so decrepit that she couldn’t tour the US and he was able to finance his community-

spending spree.’ of this series is both out of place and unworthy. Approaching Ashford Borough Council, I Mr Bennett is, if you like, a ‘modern’ Ri- was surprised to learn that one person was cardian Hero – but since the 50th Anniversary responsible for allocating new street names. series is examining the role and contribution My attempts to contact her by phone were not of those people involved in the crucial early successful, so I eventually wrote, being diplo- years of the Society it hardly seems relevant matic, as always, making no mention of King to make such a sour remark. Maybe Mr Richard, merely the serial traitorous character Weeks’ priorities are the ones that have got of Fogge. Hands up all who are surprised that mixed up in this instance. I never received a reply. At least I tried. Good old Ashford Borough Council, commemorat- King Richard III College – in Majorca ing the local villain. From Jean Rossiter, Windsor Some friends of mine, knowing my interest in Completing the Set: Henry VIII’s Other Richard III, told me of the ‘King Richard III Wives College’ in Portals Nous near Palma, Major- From Howard Choppin ca, which they had discovered on holiday. It I read with interest Stephen Lark’s short arti- is a private British school founded in 1969 cle in the Winter 2006 Bulletin, on the Plan- which provides a complete education from tagenet descent of Catherine Parr and Anne of Reception to Year 13. My friends chatted to Cleves. If Edward I is not a common ances- some pupils who did not seem to know who tor to all six wives, then Stephen Lark needs Richard III was, but when told that he was the to take this up with the publishers of Antonia last Plantagent King said that they had a Fraser’s Six Wives of Henry VIII. Various House called Plantagenet. I enclose a photo- editions of this book contain a genealogical graph showing the badge. table showing how each wife descends from Edward I. In Anne of Cleves’ case a descent [We are investigating further – Ed.] is claimed for her via Edward’s daughter Margaret, who married a duke of Brabant; the descendants of this couple included the dukes of Burgundy and, through a later marriage, the dukes of Cleves. Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon did not both descend from Blanche of Lancaster, only Catherine did. However, together they did descend from John of Gaunt through all three of his wives – with Catherine descend- ing from Blanche of Lancaster and Constance of Castile, and Henry able to claim Catherine Swynford as an ancestor through both his parents.

Michael S Bennett – Ricardian Hero? From Veronica Chambers I cannot help feeling that your correspondent Mr Weeks has missed the whole point of the ‘Ricardian Heroes’ series. Yes, what Michael Bennett is doing is an amazing feat, showing real dedication as a Society member, and is to be applauded and supported. However, to use him to introduce and dismiss with such un- The Richard III College, necessarily disparaging remarks the subjects Majorca 41

The Barton Library

The Non-Fiction Books Have Arrived in their New Home The Library arrived on a cold, blustery and generally wet late November afternoon. Fortunately the rain held off while the books were off-loaded from the lorry, which was a relief. The books remained downstairs and the shelving was taken upstairs. The room had been redecorated for the occasion, so what was my son’s bedroom for close on twenty years has now become the Barton Library. The shelving went up rather well and then it was time to bring up the books - this was a somewhat corpse inducing exercise, because they were heavy. Jane and Neil Trump had put the books in alphabetical order, so once the crates were sorted it was quite straightforward to place the books on the shelves, and we made good progress, slowed somewhat at times by stopping to read various passages in the books. There is such a variety of subjects in the Barton Library, medieval cookery, gardening and stained glass to name but three. It is also interesting to note that there are books which cover the anti-Richard viewpoint as well as the positive view. I have already had one donation of three books, thanks to Tracy Upex. I have loaned out Lynda Pidgeon's dissertation which was mentioned in the last issue of the Bulletin, and had a request for a description of the Duke of Buckingham’s character for an actor who has to play him. I am not planning to have an open day, since where I live is not conducive to parking, but anyone is welcome to come and see the Barton Library so long as you give my wife and me a bit of notice, in order to tidy up and make sure we are not away. I will be happy to pick up anyone from Preston station, if you do not have a car. Two things I should like to add: firstly Carolyn and Jane had something like thirty-five years experience with the Barton Library. I have not yet had two months, so please bear with me while I try and get up to speed, and secondly I should like to record my thanks to my wife Lisa, without her enthusiastic help I would never have been able to manage. It was she who put the wall paper up and put the carpet down to make a new home for the Library, and helped with all the lifting and carrying. I look forward to hearing from you with your requests. Keith Horry

Non-Fiction Papers: What Are You All Reading? As Keith has pointed out above the Society’s Non-Fiction Library covers a very wide range of subjects and there are books and papers on topics to interest every member. Becky looked at last year’s requests for papers to see which subjects were the most popular and it was no surprise to find that biographical material won hands down, with 68 requests for articles about Richard III himself, with Richard Duke of York, Edward IV, Francis Lovell and the Princes in the Tower as the runners up. The most popular women were Anne Neville and Cecily Neville. The other subject areas represented in the Library are shown on the graph below – if we had included the 200 biographical papers borrowed their column would have been off the top of the page

Latest Additions to the Library Listed below are a selection of books and articles that have been added to the Library. All the books are hard back unless otherwise described.

Papers ASHDOWN-HILL, John ‘The Death of Edward V: New Evidence from Colchester’ (from Es- sex Archaeology and History, Vol 35, 2004) This article explores the death of Edward V through the use of the Colchester Oath Book – one entry in the Book appears to be the earliest surviving 42

Non-Fiction Papers Library Loans 2nd October 2005 - 2nd October 2006

BATTLES DRAMA TOPOGRAPHICAL BALLADS AND GOVERNMENT & SOCIAL HISTORY RICARDIAN BACK

POETRY POLITICS ISSUES substantial record implying that Edward may have been dead by the autumn of 1483. ASHDOWN-HILL, John ‘Suffolk Connections of the House of York’ (from Proceedings of the Suffolk Institute of Archaeology and History, 2006) A fascinating look at visits made to the county of Suffolk by Edward IV, Richard III and Cecily Neville.

Fiction Books BENNETT, Vanora Portrait of an Unknown Woman (hardback, 2006) Based on Jack Leslau’s controversial theory of the survival of the two sons of Edward IV in the household of Sir Thomas More (see the review on p. 15 of the Winter 2006 edition of the Bulletin). CLAYTON, Elaine The Yeoman’s Daring Daughter and the Princes in the Tower (hardback, undated) A story for younger children featuring Jane, the daughter of a yeoman warder at the Tower, and how she helps the Princes to escape. FRAZER, Margaret The Boy’s Tale (paperback, 1995) A Sister Frevisse medieval murder mystery: the two young half-brothers of Henry VI are offered sanctuary at St Frideswide’s Ab- bey. GRAEME-EVANS, Posie The Exiled (paperback, 2005) The second book in the trilogy about Anne de Bohun, illegitimate daughter of Henry VI, the king who was usurped by the man she loves. Exiled in Bruges she struggles to find peace in a dangerous world of treachery and suspi- cion where someone very powerful wants her dead. HUME, Robert Perkin Warbeck, the Boy who would be King (paperback, 2005) A children’s book, linked to the history curriculum for Key Stage 3. Perkin Warbeck is awaiting his trial in 1499 and looks back over what has happened in his life since he left Flanders. WORTH, Sandra Love and War (paperback, first published in 2003, 2nd edition 2006 in stock) The first book in the Rose of York trilogy recounts Richard’s early life and his love affair with Anne Neville. WORTH, Sandra Crown of Destiny (paperback, 2006) The second book in the Rose of York trilogy covers the period from 1476 to 1483, leading up to the death of Edward IV and Richard’s acceptance of the throne.

If you would like to borrow books or papers from the Library you will find the contact details for all the Librarians at the back of the Bulletin

Report on Society Events

Fotheringhay

Saturday 16 December 2006 The Society’s annual commemorative events are not always reported regularly in the Bulletin but in our fiftieth anniversary year it is perhaps appropriate to review the final event of 2006 and to share it with new and far- flung members of the Society. The 16th December was a cold but clear day with a bright blue sky that set off to perfection the charming village of Fotheringhay. My compan- ions and I came by car and arrived in good time. After a week of rain we decided it would be too muddy to venture to the site of the castle so we decided to bag a table in the village hall for lunch and then have a pre- lunch drink in the Falcon. At the hall, however, we were advised to visit the church before the service as there was a rather special sale of some fragments of fifteenth-century stained glass that had been found in a secret room under the porch.* Churchward- en Juliet Wilson had been very enter- prising and arranged for some of the Dr Phil Stone thousands of fragments found to have their edges encased in a silver-type metal, topped with a loop and ribbon and sold with a certificate of authenticity. We were all keen to acquire our very own piece of Fothers! At 12.30, with the arrival of the coach and other Ricardians who had made their own way to Fotheringhay, we assembled in the village hall, said ‘hello’ to old friends and as the tables filled up no doubt new acquaintances were made. About sixty of us sat down for lunch prepared by Jo Cooper. As Jo was trained by Alan Stewart, the former landlord of the aforesaid Falcon, the meal was in his legendary style. Warming soup followed by a cold turkey and ham buffet with a great selection of salads, then a choice of desserts, mince pies and coffee was soon consumed. The noise level rose as the conviviality increased and all too soon it was time to walk down to the church for the carol service. The light was just beginning to fade as we approached the church and its outline against the sky was spectacular. Once inside, we settled in our pew for the service. We were joined by another twenty or so members as well as local residents so the entire congregation and choir probably amounted to almost a hundred souls. The St Peter’s Singers were in fine voice, as ever, and the opening hymn was O Come, O Come Emmanuel. The lessons were read by parishioners and members of the Society – this year Ros Cummings, Bill Featherstone, Carolyn West and Phil Stone. The service concluded with a gusty rendition of Adeste Fideles and all that remained of a delightful day was to chat to fellow Ricardians before making our journey home. As we left the 44

church, night had fallen but the floodlights were switched on and I was pleased not to be driving so I could turn around and look back on the church in all its evening glory. Thanks to Phil Stone for organising the event, which went off very smoothly, and to the vicar and churchwardens of Fotheringhay for making us so welcome. This was a fitting end to our fiftieth anniversary celebrations but the nice thing is that we will be doing it all over again in 2007. Come and join us. Judith Ridley

* The windows of Fotheringhay church have clear glass which replaced the ancient stained glass. The old stained glass was discovered about ten years ago in pieces. Some of it was installed in the windows of the room over the porch while some of the rest is being used to raise funds for the church. If you would like to buy a piece of Fotheringhay glass please contact Phil Stone.

Gawsworth Hall Gawsworth Hall, near Macclesfield, was visited by the Society last July during the Cheshire weekend. It is a delightful black and white gem and, because it is still lived in by the family, it has a cosy, homely feel, and is full of winding corridors and fascinating artefacts picked up from here and there. It also has a lovely rose garden and open-air theatre, and is a popular wedding venue. The original Norman house was rebuilt in 1480 and extensively re-modelling in 1701 and altogether has had its fair share of changes and renovations, including a fire which burnt down one wing which was never rebuilt. There is a Ricardian connection in the shape of Sir Thomas Fitton who fought at the Battle of Blore Heath on 23 September 1459. He obviously carried himself well during the battle as he was knighted when all the fighting was over. Of the 66 Gawsworth men he took with him into battle, 31 were killed. Gawsworth Hall has a splendid collection of ancient fireplaces and timber framed walls, oak beams and wainscoting and also some William Morris windows in its private chapel. The drawing room is almost unaltered since the mid sixteenth century and has been the principal living room of the hall for five centuries – much of the glass is original and the timber is unrestored. The Duke of Monmouth slept in the Hall Room as possibly did his father, King Charles II.

The Norfolk Branch Study Day: The House of Lancaster This is an event which is a credit to the local branch and one that has become eagerly anticipated, not only by East Anglian members but by those farther afield. Each year there is an excellent line-up of speakers, mainly from the academic community, and this year was no exception. The programme for the day made reference to the subject matter – ‘to devote a day to the House of Lancaster may seem odd for a pro-Yorkist society. However, we feel there is much to be gained from focusing on the Lancastrian dynasty, from its remarkable military achievements in France through the divisive Wars of the Roses to perhaps the less than remarkable credentials of Henry Tudor’. An accurate observation – we cannot study Richard in isolation. The welcome was given by the branch chairman, David Austin, and before we knew it Dr Mike Jones was on his feet talking about the battles of Agincourt and Verneuil in his own inimi- table style, relaxed yet full of excitement and enthusiasm for his subject. Mike is a regular at these events, having addressed six of the eight study days. Agincourt has received much attention recently with several books on the subject (including one by Mike) so it was interesting to learn of the lesser known battle fought by Henry V’s younger brother, John, Duke of Bedford. The next speaker was Dr John Watts of Corpus Christi College, Oxford, whose paper ‘Henry VI and the Wars of the Roses’ was based on his 1996 book Henry VI and the Politics of Kingship (Cambridge). This was a well structured talk, full of fascinating information and John also specu- lated about the reasons why Richard ‘usurped’ the throne in 1483. 45

Dr John Watts

The notoriously difficult slot after lunch featured Dr Rosemary Horrox of Fitzwilliam Col- lege, Cambridge, but there was no danger of anyone not paying full attention to her talk on the assimilation of the Lancastrians after 1461. Rosemary’s exhaustive knowledge of the gentry and nobility of the period, which culminated in her book Richard III: A Study of Service published in 1989 (Cambridge), was evident, and led her to the conclusion that in general those who did settle down and became loyal to the Yorkist regime generally stayed loyal through the vicissitudes of Edward IV’s reign until 1483. The final speaker was Professor Tony Pollard, who talked about the ultimate heir of the house of Lancaster – Henry Tudor. Tony also made the rather interesting point that John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster, frequently used the red rose as a device, thus supporting the justification for the name that was later applied to the civil wars. The event closed with a question-and-answer session chaired by Mike Jones. The debate was lively and interesting, particularly around the panel’s thoughts about the motivation of the duke of Buckingham in turning against King Richard in the autumn of 1483. All in all it was a great day and well worth the long drive. The venue, the Assembly House in Norwich, is delightful, and has been beautifully restored after a fire a few years ago. There is a good restaurant and in the foyer there were two stalls selling attractive silver jewellery, which allowed some members to indulge in a little retail therapy during the breaks. The branch deserve a vote of thanks for putting on the event and in particular Anne-Marie Hayek for her faultless organisation. Wendy Moorhen

Future Society Events

Reminders and Late Bookings

Study Weekend, 15 – 17 April 2007 Please note there are still places available on the study weekend which will be held in York on 15 – 17 April. Full details and booking form were published in the Winter Bulletin. Unfortunately Graham Turner is now unable to join us but Lynda Pidgeon will be examining that exciting chivalric aspect of warfare, tournaments. Booking form in the centre pages. Wendy Moorhen

Brixworth and Grafton Regis, Saturday 28 April 2007 At the time of going to press, there were still spaces on the coach. If you think you would like to join the trip please contact me as soon as possible. We leave from Embankment station at 9 am sharp and aim to arrive at Brixworth by 11 am. We will have lunch in Stoke Bruerne (which is a canal centre) and then on to Grafton Regis for our tour of the village at 2.30 pm. Booking form in the centre pages. Tel: 01376 501984; or email: [email protected] Marian Mitchell

Bookable Events

Scottish Branch - Spring Lecture, Sunday 15 April 2007 The ‘Christmas Lecture’ unfortunately had to be postponed due to difficulties with the venue which is being provided by the army at Edinburgh Castle. It will now be taking place as the ‘Spring Lecture’. The day of talks will cover the 1482 Invasion, with Dr Norman Macdougal as the keynote speaker. Other speakers will include a logistics expert from the army, and a member of the Ber- wick History Society. On the Saturday evening there will be a dinner in the Royal Mile. All are most welcome to attend. For further details and booking please contact Philippa Langley. Tel 0131 3364669 e-mail: [email protected]

A New Richard III Society Commemorative Plaque in Cromer, Saturday 2 June 2007 On Saturday 2 June the Norfolk Branch plans to inaugurate a new Richard III Society plaque at Cromer, on the north Norfolk coast. The plaque will commemorate the arrival of Edward IV and his brother, Richard Duke of Gloucester, at Cromer on 12 June 1471, on their return from exile in the Low Countries. All members of the Society are warmly invited to attend this event. Cromer was a well-known port in the fifteenth century, and we know the names of a number of Cromer merchants and ship-owners (and their vessels) which had dealings with Sir John How- ard in the 1460s. When Edward IV and his brother Richard were returning from exile in the Low Countries at the beginning of March 1471, they made straight for the coast of loyal, Yorkist Nor- folk, hoping to land at Cromer. The royal party arrived off Cromer on the evening of Tuesday 12 March. Whether the king and his brother actually landed, we do not know, but they had set sail from Flushing ten days earlier, so they may have been glad to come on shore and stretch their legs, and the most likely area for such a landing would have been the vicinity of Cromer’s ancient shipway, above which the Society’s new commemorative plaque will be erected. What is 47

certain is that the king sent two of his knights, Sir Gilbert Debenham and Sir Robert Chamber- layne, ashore to reconnoitre. Both men were members of the Mowbray, affinity, servants of John Mowbray Duke of Norfolk, and friends of his cousin, Sir John Howard. They were hoping to make contact either with the duke himself, or with John Howard, but they were to be disappoint- ed, for John Mowbray had been detained in London by the earl of Warwick, and John Howard had taken sanctuary at St John’s Abbey in Colchester. Debenham and Chamberlayne had to report to Edward IV that the Lancastrian earl of Oxford, backed by a strong force, was lying in wait for them, and Edward IV set sail again to try his luck elsewhere. The new plaque will be unveiled in the early afternoon of Saturday 2 June 2007, thus giving members of the Society from other parts of the country, plenty of time to reach Cromer. Trains to Cromer run regularly from Norwich station, and if visitors need help with planning their journey, the Norfolk Branch will be glad to provide this. In addition to inaugurating the new plaque, we plan also to visit parts of old Cromer, including the parish church, completed in 1437 – a land- mark which Edward IV and his brother must have seen in 1471, whether or not they landed. There will also, of course, be time for tea! If you would like to join members of the Norfolk Branch in Cromer for this important occasion, please complete and return the form in the centre pages. John Ashdown-Hill

Battle Abbey and Rye, Saturday 9 June 2007 As the English Heritage Handbook says ‘everyone knows at least one date in English history – 1066’. The Battle of Hastings has parallels with the Battle of Bosworth in that each marked a turning point in English history and in both cases a great English king died in defence of his realm against a foreign invader in a totally unthinkable defeat. Our morning will be spent at Battle Abbey, which has a new visitor centre, opened in October 2006, with a ‘state-of-the-art interactive presentation’ bringing to life the famous battle. En- trance is free to English Heritage members; otherwise £6.30 per adult; £4.70 concessions. It will be cheaper if we have 11 or more paying adults (i.e. not EH members). Please note: entrance fee is not included in the cost of the trip. We will spend the afternoon in the historic Cinque Port of Rye. This is a charming town of antique shops, art galleries, bookshops and potteries, with half-timbered houses and cobbled streets unchanged for hundreds of years. Rye has a twelfth-century church, and the Ypres Tower, now housing a museum, still has cannon aimed out to sea to repel the French once again. The coach (Kings of Colchester) will leave as usual from Embankment station at 9 am sharp. The cost is £20 per person on the coach. Booking forms which can be found in the centre pages, (together with cheque and sae) should be returned to Marian Mitchell, 20 Constance Close, With- am, Essex CM8 1XL. (Tel: 01376 501984; or email: [email protected].) by 9 May 2007.

Future Events

The Norfolk Branch Study Day, Saturday 10 November 2007 This year the theme is Crown and Sword and features Dr Michael K. Jones, Professor Tony Pol- lard, Matthew Bennett and Dr David Grummitt. The event will be held at The Assembly House, Norwich. Booking form will be in the summer Bulletin or ring Annmarie Hayek 01603 664021 e-mail [email protected]

Branches and Groups Contacts

Branches

America David M. Luitweiler, 1268 Wellington Drive, Victor, New York, 14564 United States of America. Tel:585-924-5022 [email protected] Canada Mrs Tracy Bryce, 5238 Woodhaven Drive, Burlington, Ontario, L7L 3T4, Canada. [email protected] Devon & Cornwall Mrs Anne E Painter, Yoredale, Trewithick Road, Breage, Helston, Cornwall, TR13 9PZ. Tel. 01326-562023. [email protected] Gloucester Angela Iliff, 18 Friezewood Road, Ashton, Bristol, BS3 2AB Tel: 0117-378-9237. [email protected] Greater Manchester Mrs Helen Ashburn, 36 Clumber Road, Gorton, Manchester, M18 7LZ. Tel: 0161-320-6157. [email protected] Hull & District Terence O’Brien, 2 Hutton Close, Hull, HU4 4LD. Tel: 01482- 445312 Lincolnshire Mrs J T Townsend, Lindum House, Dry Doddington Road, Stubton, Newark, Notts. NG23 5BX. Tel: 01636-626374. [email protected] London & Home Counties Miss E M Nokes, 4 Oakley Street, Chelsea, London SW3 5NN. Tel: 01689-823569. [email protected] Midlands-East Mrs Sally Henshaw, 28 Lyncroft Leys, Scraptoft, Leicester, LE7 9UW. Tel: 0116-2433785. [email protected] New South Wales Julia Redlich, 53 Cammeray Towers, 55 Carter Street, New South Wales, 2062, Australia. [email protected] New Zealand Robert Smith, ‘Wattle Downs’, Udy Street, Greytown, New Zealand. [email protected] Norfolk Mrs Annmarie Hayek, 20 Rowington Road, Norwich, NR1 3RR. Tel: [email protected] Queensland Jo Stewart, c/o PO Box 117, Paddington, Queensland, 4064, Australia. [email protected] Scotland Philippa Stirling-Langley, 85 Barnton Park Avenue, Edinburgh, EH4 6HD. Tel: 0131 336 4669. [email protected] South Australia Mrs Sue Walladge, 5 Spencer Street, Cowandilla, South Australia, 5033, Australia. [email protected] Thames Valley Sally Empson, 42 Pewsey Vale, Forest Park, Bracknell, Berkshire ` RG12 9YA. [email protected] Victoria Hazel Hajdu, 4 Byron Street, Wattle Park, Victoria, 3128, Australia. [email protected] Western Australia Helen Hardegen, 16 Paramatta Road, Doubleview, Western Australia 6018, Australia. [email protected] Worcestershire Ms Val Sibley, Fieldgate House, 32 Grove Road, Dorridge, Solihull, B93 0PJ. Tel: 01564 777329. [email protected] Yorkshire Mrs Habberjam, 10 Otley Old Road, Leeds LS16 6HD. Tel: 0113- 2675069. [email protected]

Groups

Airedale Mrs Christine Symonds, 2 Whitaker Avenue, Bradford, BD2 3HL. Tel: 01274 774680. [email protected] Bedfordshire/ Mrs D Paterson, 84 Kings Hedges, Hitchin, Herts, SG5 2QE. Buckinghamshire Tel: 01462-649082. [email protected] Bristol Keith Stenner, 96 Allerton Crescent, Whitchurch, Bristol, Tel: 01275-541512 (in affiliation with Gloucestershire Branch) [email protected] Croydon Miss Denise Price, 190 Roundwood Rd, LondonNW10. Tel. 0181- 451-7689 (in affiliation with London & Home Counties Branch) Cumbria John & Marjorie Smith, 26 Clifford Road, Penrith, Cumbria, CA11 8PP Dorset Mrs Judy Ford, 10 Hengeld Place, Dorset Street, Blandford Forum, Dorset, DT11 7RG. Tel: 01258-450403. [email protected] Durham Mrs E Watson, Oakcliffe House, 4 North Terrace, Aycliffe Village, County Durham, DL5 6LG. Tel: 01325310361. [email protected] Mid Anglia John Ashdown-Hill, 8 Thurlston Close, Colchester, Essex, CO4 3HF. Tel/fax: 01206-523267. [email protected] Midlands-West Mrs Brenda Cox, 42 Whitemoor Drive, Shirley, Solihull, West Mid lands, B90 4UL. [email protected] North East Mrs J McLaren, 11 Sefton Avenue, Heaton, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE6 5QR Tel: 0191-265-3665). [email protected] Nottinghamshire Mrs Anne Ayres, 7 Boots Yard, Huthwaite, Sutton-in-Ashfield, & Derbyshire Notts, NG17 2QW. [email protected] Sussex Miss Josie Williams, 6 Goldstone Court, Windsor Close, Hove, East Sussex, BN3 6WS. [email protected] West Surrey Rollo Crookshank, Old Willows, 41a Badshot Park, Farnham, Sur rey, GU9 9JU. [email protected]

Branches and Groups

Devon and Cornwall Branch Report 2006 has been a successful year for the Devon and Cornwall Branch. All meetings have been very well attended. The year started in January with a buffet lunch provided by members of the Branch committee, and a Ricardian quiz. March saw the Vice-Chairman stepping in at the last moment due to illness, and she gave a talk on Plymouth during the Civil War, not quite our period but very interesting. We had another buffet lunch at the May meeting which was followed by a very interesting talk on ‘The Miracles of Henry VI’ by Lesley Boatwright. In July John Saunders (Branch Chair- man) gave the talk cancelled in March on ‘The History of the Richard III Society’. This was illustrated with slides and we spent a happy time recognising various members of the Society over several decades. We hold our annual Robert Hamblin Memorial Lecture in September and this year it was given by Wendy Moorhen who spoke on William Hastings. This year we arranged our Branch Trip to coincide with the Society’s Annual General Meeting in York. Several of us stayed at York University, where we all had very nice modern en-suite rooms, but it became an adventure when we had to walk about ½ mile to breakfast (at least we had a good appetite when we arrived). We all enjoyed the pleasure of holding the AGM in such beautiful surroundings and the dinner in the evening was delightful. We hold our Branch AGM in November and this year the committee all agreed to serve for another year. A short talk was given after the AGM by Branch member Jennie Powys-Lybbe on writing a Ricardian novel. The last event of the year was the Christmas Lunch which was held in Plymouth this year (we like to move it around the region and 2007 will see us in Exeter), all who attended had an enjoyable time. As it is now January we are looking forward to another interesting year. The Branch is so lucky that we are able to hold our meetings at ‘The Prysten House’ a medieval hall in central Plymouth. Should any members wish to join us at any of our meetings they will be made very welcome. We usually meet on the second Saturday of alternate months commencing in January; all meetings start at noon. Anne Painter

Gloucester Branch Firstly, thanks to all the members who supported the Christmas Gathering at Beckford in Decem- ber. This popular, and now regular, event featured an impressive range of medieval food and drink to welcome in the festive season. Special thanks to Douglas and Dinah Coyne for their gen- erosity in hosting the occasion. The Bristol Group made the ‘supplementary’ visit to the Castle Inn at Castle Combe for a second pre-Christmas meal – purely, of course, to ensure the membership were fully prepared to face the excesses of Christmas itself. Brian and Gwen Waters hosted and presented our first meeting of the New Year when we discussed ‘Medieval Imagery in Churches’. Brian and Gwen have an extensive knowledge of the subject and an impressive collection of slides illustrating this extremely interesting and wide ranging topic. Time constraints limited the scope of the presentation but there is clearly plenty of additional material and interest to return to the subject in the future. In the meantime thank you, Brian and Gwen, for such a great start to our programme. We plan to include the usual ‘incidental’ events into our formal Branch Programme. This year sees the five-yearly Pageant of the Golden Tree being staged in Bruges. The Branch has sent a contingent to the last two productions and we plan to book again for this year. If you are interested in joining the party [25/26 August] please contact a Committee member as soon as possible. Shakespeare in the Park! The Bristol Group will be attending A Midsummer Night’s Dream

staged in the grounds of Hazelbury Manor near Box in Wiltshire on the evening of Friday 13 Ju- ly. Please contact a Committee member for full details. As always we extend a very warm invitation for any Ricardians living in the area to attend one of our meetings/events. You are welcome to come without having to make any commitment to participate on a regular basis so why not come and meet us?

Forthcoming Branch/Group Events: Saturday 3 March ‘The Medieval Bowman’ talk by Mike Jones [Bowmen of the Rose] [Branch] Friday 16 March Short Papers [Bristol Group] Saturday 14 April ‘Art and Ritual In The Yorkist Court’ talk by Stephen David [Branch] Saturday 12 May ‘Finding the DNA of Richard III’ talk by John Ashdown-Hill [Branch] Saturday 19 May Medieval Tiverton. Leisurely day visiting medieval sites in the Tiverton area [Bristol Group] Saturday 2 June Short Papers by members on a subject of their choice [Branch] Saturday 7 July Fairford Church: a field trip with conducted tour of this exceptional building

Venues for the above are as stated in the Branch Programmes. Committee Contacts: Keith Stenner 01275 541512 Angela Iliff 0117 3789237 Peter Brookes 01242 514469 Suzanne Doolan 01685 385818 Mike and Monica Donnelly 01242 238790 Keith Stenner

Lincolnshire Branch It has been a very special year for the Lincolnshire Branch – a ‘Pearl of a Branch’ celebrating thirty years. A celebration of special friendship, many delights, sumptuous feasts and memorable journeys, both around Britain and abroad. This year we have listened to some superb lectures, particularly those by Dr Ann Wroe and John Ashdown-Hill, where we were all on the edge of our seats and, because there were so many questions, nearly got thrown out of our meeting place. Not to be recommended. Our thirty years were celebrated in time honoured fashion by the popping of champagne corks when members and friends visited the Champagne Region of France. The arrival home of this particular party has gone down in Branch annals under the title of ‘The Contraband Comes Home’ – due to the amount of duty free unloaded from the coach luggage compartment. Say no more! Other memorable trips this year were the Dumfries weekend, the one-day trip to Sheriff Hutton and the visit to Cambridge and Hemingford Grey. Our Zarosh Mugaseth Memorial Lecture was also notable this year. This lecture is fast becoming a popular event in Grantham and attendance has been steadily increasing each year. This year we were once more privileged to have as our guest speaker Dr Jonathan Foyle, assistant curator at Hampton Court, art historian and a member of Time Team. Two of our special visitors on this occasion were Dr Nick Barratt, the senior researcher for the BBC 2 series Who Do You Think You Are?, and Guy de la Bedoyère, the expert on Roman history from Time Team. Dr Foyle spoke on ‘Henry III’s Westminster Abbey’, and delivered a lively, well illustrated, fascinating lecture.

The other special event in July was Jean Townsend’s birthday, a milestone for her, but that’s 52

all I’m saying. Jean wanted to celebrate it with the Branch and some of her friends she had got to know through becoming interested in Richard III. So ninety invitations were issued and fifty-five people sat down to ‘Jean’s Birthday Bash’, at the King’s Hotel, Grantham. It was quite an emo- tional occasion. Enough said! The October meeting ended the celebrations with a lavish Medieval Banquet at the Angel and Royal Hotel in Grantham. There was a special bed-and-breakfast offer with the Banquet, so we filled the Hotel and provided some extra entertainments for the other guests. Most of the guests at the Banquet were in medieval costume so it proved to be a very colourful occasion. The enter- tainment was by Hautbois, very fitting, because Ric and Helen provided the music at our first medieval banquet. ‘Peter the Fool’ was the jester and Master of Ceremonies. His final act was to don a pair of stilts in the King’s Room, the main dining room of the hotel and walk down the main staircase of the hotel, much to the amazement of the other hotel guests. He then walked out to the courtyard and performed numerous fire-eating acts. We were also honoured by the attendance of Rosemary Hawley Jarman, whose novel We Speak No Treason has just been republished after thirty-five years. Rosemary has been a special friend of the Branch for a number of years, so it was wonderful that she could be with us on such a special occasion. We ended 2006 by Jean giving a talk on ‘Ricardian Myths’ for the November meeting and then our Christmas Dinner at the King’s Hotel in Grantham, brought the year to a close. There is a full programme of events up to September 2007, with outings, talks and charity events, so watch this space. Marian Moulton

Worcestershire Branch Report On 11 November Richard Thompson, one of our newer members, bravely gave a lecture to a well-attended meeting at Belbroughton Village Hall. His talk was entitled ‘Richard III and his Inheritance’ and it was clear from the beginning that he had carried out a great deal of research in preparation for his maiden lecture. He explored many aspects of the inheritance of the throne by Richard III including the lineage of the Plantagenets, the wealth and power that kingship gave in comparison to regency, comparing values with modern times. He also discussed the probability and validity of their influence on Richard’s claim. The talk concluded with some thoughts on the reasons for Richard’s failure to win the battle of Bosworth, despite his youthful generalship and administrative acumen. Our speaker felt it was beyond one man without family or loyal support to solve his problems. Following the lecture members were very keen to continue the discussion and question time went on for over thirty minutes, a lively and interesting afternoon. In December we enjoyed a seasonal bring-and-share tea at Upton Snodsbury Village Hall preceded by a really difficult quiz, thanks to Pam Benstead. There was great rivalry and hilarity as we worked in teams of four delving deep into our collective knowledge. We all earned a respect- able number of points and as no one had remembered to bring a prize we all won! As usual we refrained from sending each other Christmas cards this year and donated the money instead towards the restoration fund at St Giles Church in Packwood, Warwickshire. After the meeting a small group of us discussed a programme heard on BBC 2 at 3 pm on 30 November called Castle in the Country. This programme came from the Isle of Bute and whilst looking at local archives a letter was mentioned that purported to be written by Richard III to James Tyrell giving him free access to the Tower of London for one night on 29 June. We wondered if the Society were aware of this document? We decided to investigate further. [* See p.10] January’s meeting saw us at a new venue in Hagley, St Saviour’s Church Hall, where we enjoyed an illustrated talk by Trevor Antill about ‘The Monarch’s Way’, a footpath that follows the route Charles II is believed to have been taken when he escaped from the Battle of Worcester in 1651. It was not really of our period but it was historical, local and very interesting nonetheless. Forthcoming Events

10 March Our speaker will be Eric Greenwood whose subject will be ‘Medieval Mon- asteries’. 14 April AGM at Claines Church Institute, Worcester. We will also have an opportunity to have a guided tour of this beautiful little medieval church. 12 May Outdoor meetings with a visit to the Lost Medieval Village of Wormleigh- ton and its church at Ashby St Ledger in Warwickshire. 9 June Local outing to Greyfriars in Worcester city. This is a restored medieval property with a fascinating history. Jane Tinkling will lead this outing, which will also include a local church. 7 – 8 July During this weekend we will be very busy manning our own promotional stall in the main marquee at the Tewkesbury Festival re-enactment of the Battle of Tewkesbury. 4 August Saturday evening, meeting at 6 pm a guided walk around the historic village of Wolverley with Joan Ryder. The evening will conclude in a pub. 8 September Trip to Boscobel House in Shropshire. Pat Parminter will lead this.

Our indoor meetings all begin at 2 pm unless otherwise stated. There is a charge of £2 including refreshments. Outdoor events are arranged individually. Details on our branch website www.richardiiiworcs.co.uk or contact our Secretary Val Sibley on 01564 777329. We are always pleased to welcome friends and prospective members at any of the above meetings. Pat Parminter

Yorkshire Branch Report On 30 December 2006 several Branch members and friends were at Sandal Castle to commemorate the battle of Wakefield. The event was organised by the Towton Battlefield Society, who usually hold a day of re-enactments and living history at Sandal on the nearest Saturday to the anniversary of the battle: this year, day and date coincided. Members of the TBS marched from the castle to the Duke of York’s statue, where a wreath made by Pauline Pogmore was laid on behalf of Yorkshire Branch. Afterwards various activities took place at the castle, but the ground was so muddy and waterlogged that some had to be omitted. The Branch did good business, and one of our newer members, Boris, attracted considerable attention. We feel sure he will be an as- set to Yorkshire. Photos of this good-looking Russian are available from Pauline Pogmore, or come and meet him at Towton. As advised in the last Bulletin, our annual Spring Lecture is having to be postponed. The re- furbishment of Leeds City Art Gallery, our usual venue, will probably not be completed until May, so the Palm Sunday weekend will be marked locally only by a Branch presence at Towton Hall on 1 April. More details about our lecture in due course. Castle Bolton in Wensleydale, former home of a branch of the Scrope family, will be host to a YAS Day School on Mary, Queen of Scots on Saturday 4 June. Further details from our Re- search Officer, Janet C Senior, at the YAS on 0113 245-7910. Our local programme of meetings continues. Our Branch trip this year will be made in association with the Yorkshire Archaeological Society; the date is Saturday 22 September - so you can’t say you didn’t have good notice! - and the destination Hornby castle. Currently in private hands, in the fifteenth century the castle was the home of Sir John Conyers whose large family (he had 23 siblings) had considerable influence in Richmondshire, holding the stewardship of the Lordship of Middleham and having a long record of service to the Nevilles. Sir John was almost certainly on Richard III’s ducal council before 1483, and was created a Knight of the Body to the King. In St Mary’s church at Hornby (which we shall also visit) may be seen the memorial brass of Thomas Mountford, Esquire, who was related to both the Conyers and Strangways families, as well as some medieval alabasters. The cost of the day will be £25 to members of the Richard III

Society or the YAS, and £30 to the general public; this includes an introductory talk on Hornby and also a ‘proper’ lunch at a local hostelry. May I remind subscribers to our magazine Blanc Sanglier that subs are now due and should be paid to our Treasurer Christine Symonds as usual. Angela Moreton

West Surrey Group I recently visited my son and his family in Perth, Western Australia, so took the opportunity to contact Carole Carson of the Western Australian Branch. Soon after arriving in Perth, I joined her and some of our other Western Australian members for breakfast at the ‘Witches’ Cauldron’, a popular restaurant in Subiaco, a short walk from my son’s home. I arrived, brandishing my most recent copy of the Bulletin as a means of identification, and seven Ricardians sat down to enjoy a rather sumptuous breakfast. This is a very popular idea in Australia, and a lot of social and business meetings take place over various forms of bacon and eggs, etc. The Western Australian branch meet monthly and do much the same as we do here, with discussions, lectures, investigations and medieval interests. One lady, Yvonne Mulder, is a weaver, and not only makes beautiful fabrics but also creates the costumes that members wear for Ricard- ian occasions. There is no lack of enthusiasm ‘down under’. It was a very enjoyable morning and we parted as good friends, with hopefully an opportunity for me to return their hospitality if and when any of them visit England. Carole is hoping to do so in 2007, and I know that the West Surrey group will be as delighted to make her welcome as the Western Australian branch made me. I was unable to meet the branch’s valued ‘honorary’ member John Saunders, but hopefully he will be coming to talk to the West Surrey group in the not-too-distant future. Below is a photo taken in the ‘Witches’ Cauldron’. Renée Barlow

From left: Helen Hardegen, Louise Carson, Yvonne Mulder, Carole Carson, yours truly, Pat Masters (president) and Pat Garlick.

Calendar

We run a calendar of all forthcoming events: if you are aware of any events of Ricardian interest, whether organised by the Society - Committee, Visits Committee, Research Committee, Branches/Groups - or by others, please let Lynda Pidgeon have full details, in sufficient time for entry. The calendar will also be run on the website.

Date Events Originator

2007 17 March Requiem Mass for King Richard and Queen Anne, J Ashdown-Hill at St. Etheldreda’s church, Ely Place and wreath- laying at the queen’s tomb in Westminster Abbey

13 - 15 April Australasian Convention, Wellington area, New Zealand e-mail: [email protected]

13 –15 April Study Weekend in York Research Officer

15 April Scottish Branch Spring Lecture: The 1482 Invasion Scottish Branch

28 April Brixworth and Grafton Regis Visits Committee

2 June Cromer Commemorative Plaque Norfolk Branch

9 June Visit to Battle Abbey and Rye or Hastings Visits Committee

6-9 July Norfolk Weekend Visit based at King’s Lynn Visits Committee

19 August Bosworth Commemoration Visits Committee

25 August Commemoration of Bosworth at St John’s Abbey J Ashdown-Hill Colchester (see page 5)

8 September Follow up visit to Romney Marsh Trust Visits Committee churches: Lydd and New Romney.

29 September Society AGM Secretary

10 November Norfolk Branch Study Day: Crown and Sword Norfolk Branch

15 or 16 December Fotheringhay: Lunch followed by Nine Lessons Fotheringhay and Carols. Date to be confirmed Co-ordinator 2008 17 March Annual Requiem Mass, Clare Priory, Suffolk J Ashdown-Hill

April Triennial Conference Research Officer

Early May Visit to Provence Visits Committee