Can you describe the duties of a "gentleman usher" in Henry VIII's household? Thanks.
1 comment:
Mary R
said...
I looked into this a bit and the only reference I found was in Ian Mortimer's "The Time Traveler's Guide To Medieval England". He says: "In the case of a yeoman or a merchant, a servant will probably announce your arrival. With important lords, the chamberlain or the marshal of the hall, or one of his ushers, will take you to his lord or his lady".
From what Mortimer (a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and a Ph.D ) writes, I would surmise that in Henry's court, young men of good family (and good manners) would have conducted important visitors to the person they wished to see, whether that person was King or Countess.
Whether or not the gentleman usher had other duties isn't something I can speak of with any authority. I do think, though, that considering the size of Henry's court, the gentleman ushers might have been very busy, indeed:)
1 comment:
I looked into this a bit and the only reference I found was in Ian Mortimer's "The Time Traveler's Guide To Medieval England". He says: "In the case of a yeoman or a merchant, a servant will probably announce your arrival. With important lords, the chamberlain or the marshal of the hall, or one of his ushers, will take you to his lord or his lady".
From what Mortimer (a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society and a Ph.D ) writes, I would surmise that in Henry's court, young men of good family (and good manners) would have conducted important visitors to the person they wished to see, whether that person was King or Countess.
Whether or not the gentleman usher had other duties isn't something I can speak of with any authority. I do think, though, that considering the size of Henry's court, the gentleman ushers might have been very busy, indeed:)
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