A Typical Time in a Tudor Court
Mane post
Breakfast was standard, the King would be awoken by a gentlemen of the privvy chamber with a beverage he enjoyed and then would wash, dress and eat in a room big enough for fifty, alone. This morning Edward was slowly on awaking, his courtiers informed the Lord Protector who was quick to wake the boy from his sleep and confirm that he indeed was not ill nor dying just tired and lazy before roughly dressing him in fire attire and sending him on his way for an overly luxurious breakfast. All the while the young king thought of his walk the night before. Sir Thomas Seymour approached, Edward looked up allowing his young uncle closer. 'Sir Thomas.'
'Your grace, I have been meaning to ask, were you okay alone last night?'
'Why would I not have been? I was in my bed chamber sleeping of course.'
'Your meeting with the Lady-' The man was quiet as Edward stood and looked around ordering all but Sir Thomas to leave his presence before stepping around the table pushing his uncle onto it, his hand clenching the mans dublet.
'Sir Thomas thou are more foolish than I did think! These walls are not deaf you foolish man and they will betray you and not I, unless you wish my Lord Protector to try you with treason then I would say your words with caution. Am I clear Sir Thomas?'
'Your grace.' The man's voice was weak and filled with fear. Once Edward had realised him and reseated himself Sir Thomas, now composed bowed deeply and left in a hurry. Edward's servants returned to their positions and stood silently as though nothing had happened.
................................................................................................
The day saw that Edward should deal with some important issues of state, the signening of some documents that finalised his fathers property, that saw the Lady Mary's estate secured at the other side of the country, that ensured her mass was not to be tolerated before the King, that she should not be allowed to practise her religion at court. Edward had willingly put his signature to the document, more reluctantly so when he had heard that her daily prayers were not to be forcibly replaced by a protestant prayer. She was banned from the chapel at the palace. His fury had been hard to contain, although Edward did not try to reason with his sister, nor try to accept her pathetic rules and ways he was not about to ban anyone, a Tudor at the least from speaking with God. He had prayed for her when signing such a document. Then he had seen the French ambassador once more, this time bothering to mutter a few French words:
'Quand vous partez, je serai en paix.' (when you leave I will be in peace)
The ambassador had not liked it anymore than the Duke of Somerset, Edward had recieved a sturn warning and a sharp nudge for such words. Yet had continued on to say 'Le plus tôt je suis en paix, plus tôt en Angleterre peut être heureux' (the sooner I am in peace the sooner England can be happy) for which his uncle had openly slapped him. Edward had warned he would ensure that the Duke was reasonably punished later.
Then there had been the meeting with the Arch Bishop of Canterbury, he had come to bless Edward and to basically check up on him, such was the life for a child king. Sir Thomas and the Duke of Somerset had tried to convince him that thsi was just the life o0f a king, but Edward recalled no time when his father had recieved weekly visits from the Arch Bishop, he had no problem with meeting the man, he was a man of God and so welcome in the court but when matters far more personal were on his mind he could not focus on God, nor the wants or needs or requests of any other man.
Now, many important nobles sat at a big table talking to each other and occasionally looking up, flattering Edward and pretending to involve him. As he was not running the state at the present, and felt it would not be so until he were old or his uncles dead he sat, his mind engaged in other areas concerning his so far singu8larly boring social life. All he had to look forward to by means of socialising was his sisters. He looked up. 'My Duke Somerset.'
'Your Majesty?'
'I wish to see the Lady Elizabeth, inform her of an audience with me tonight then continue your work.'
'But sire this is most important.'
'I get that, of course I do. You're doing a fine job so inform her of an audience and return to it.' The Lord protector looked to his brokther, Sir Thomas with expectation, Sir Thomas stood. 'Sir Thomas, you are not your brother, I wish the Lord Protector to see her.' The Duke stood and left, dismissing himself. 'Now Sir Thomas, approach.' His younger uncle bowed and approached slowly, within an ears distance. 'Request the Lady Jane to meet me again tonight.'
'Same place and time sire?'
'They were convienent.'
'Very well sire.'
'Tell her I request that she wear something warm.'
'Yes your grace.' Sir Thomas left the room and Edward stood, all stood too and Edward with a silent dismissal left the large room walking passed his uncle the Lord Protector, who looked angry and stunned at the young kings behaviour before bowing at Edwards demand and closing the door behind the king, the anger not compeltely leaving his eyes.
'Your grace, I have been meaning to ask, were you okay alone last night?'
'Why would I not have been? I was in my bed chamber sleeping of course.'
'Your meeting with the Lady-' The man was quiet as Edward stood and looked around ordering all but Sir Thomas to leave his presence before stepping around the table pushing his uncle onto it, his hand clenching the mans dublet.
'Sir Thomas thou are more foolish than I did think! These walls are not deaf you foolish man and they will betray you and not I, unless you wish my Lord Protector to try you with treason then I would say your words with caution. Am I clear Sir Thomas?'
'Your grace.' The man's voice was weak and filled with fear. Once Edward had realised him and reseated himself Sir Thomas, now composed bowed deeply and left in a hurry. Edward's servants returned to their positions and stood silently as though nothing had happened.
................................................................................................
The day saw that Edward should deal with some important issues of state, the signening of some documents that finalised his fathers property, that saw the Lady Mary's estate secured at the other side of the country, that ensured her mass was not to be tolerated before the King, that she should not be allowed to practise her religion at court. Edward had willingly put his signature to the document, more reluctantly so when he had heard that her daily prayers were not to be forcibly replaced by a protestant prayer. She was banned from the chapel at the palace. His fury had been hard to contain, although Edward did not try to reason with his sister, nor try to accept her pathetic rules and ways he was not about to ban anyone, a Tudor at the least from speaking with God. He had prayed for her when signing such a document. Then he had seen the French ambassador once more, this time bothering to mutter a few French words:
'Quand vous partez, je serai en paix.' (when you leave I will be in peace)
The ambassador had not liked it anymore than the Duke of Somerset, Edward had recieved a sturn warning and a sharp nudge for such words. Yet had continued on to say 'Le plus tôt je suis en paix, plus tôt en Angleterre peut être heureux' (the sooner I am in peace the sooner England can be happy) for which his uncle had openly slapped him. Edward had warned he would ensure that the Duke was reasonably punished later.
Then there had been the meeting with the Arch Bishop of Canterbury, he had come to bless Edward and to basically check up on him, such was the life for a child king. Sir Thomas and the Duke of Somerset had tried to convince him that thsi was just the life o0f a king, but Edward recalled no time when his father had recieved weekly visits from the Arch Bishop, he had no problem with meeting the man, he was a man of God and so welcome in the court but when matters far more personal were on his mind he could not focus on God, nor the wants or needs or requests of any other man.
Now, many important nobles sat at a big table talking to each other and occasionally looking up, flattering Edward and pretending to involve him. As he was not running the state at the present, and felt it would not be so until he were old or his uncles dead he sat, his mind engaged in other areas concerning his so far singu8larly boring social life. All he had to look forward to by means of socialising was his sisters. He looked up. 'My Duke Somerset.'
'Your Majesty?'
'I wish to see the Lady Elizabeth, inform her of an audience with me tonight then continue your work.'
'But sire this is most important.'
'I get that, of course I do. You're doing a fine job so inform her of an audience and return to it.' The Lord protector looked to his brokther, Sir Thomas with expectation, Sir Thomas stood. 'Sir Thomas, you are not your brother, I wish the Lord Protector to see her.' The Duke stood and left, dismissing himself. 'Now Sir Thomas, approach.' His younger uncle bowed and approached slowly, within an ears distance. 'Request the Lady Jane to meet me again tonight.'
'Same place and time sire?'
'They were convienent.'
'Very well sire.'
'Tell her I request that she wear something warm.'
'Yes your grace.' Sir Thomas left the room and Edward stood, all stood too and Edward with a silent dismissal left the large room walking passed his uncle the Lord Protector, who looked angry and stunned at the young kings behaviour before bowing at Edwards demand and closing the door behind the king, the anger not compeltely leaving his eyes.