Question from Courtney - Tudor business ventures

I'm looking for information and examples on the types of business ventures a Tudor nobleman could try. The main character in my book is the second son of an earl, and I've realized that I need to give him something to do rather than just run around London drinking, gambling and whoring. My story starts in 1558, but before Mary's death. Any ideas would be really helpful - thanks!

Question from Laura - Clothing of a Tudor chaplain

My 10yr old son has to dress as a Tudor Chaplain for a school visit to a Tudor re-enactment day. I have not been able to find many pictures apart from Bishops etc. Please can someone let me know what sort of clothes a Chaplain would have worn. Many thanks.

Question from Kris - Illegitimacy and female inheritance

Hi~
I have a question about illegitimacy and female inheritance among the nobility. I have a story set in 1588 (in Ireland), and I have a barony that passes through the female line.

My question is this: would illegitimacy (out of wedlock birth) be an obstacle to inheriting the title, if the former title holder were a female? In other words, if a baroness (title holder in her own right) had a child out of wedlock, would that child (also a daughter) be able to inherit the title?

To the extent the problem with inheritance & illegitimacy is that you don't know if the title-holding male is the baby's father, that wouldn't be an issue if the title holder were a female, right? If the title holder is the woman, it's pretty certain the child is descended from the title holder, so would it still be an impediment to inheriting the title?

I'm guessing (hoping) it would be an impediment, but realized that's an assumption, and I should find out.

I love your blog--many thanks!

Question from Stuart - Sir John Neville

Sir John Neville, 3rd Baron Latimer

This is a somewhat layered question;

I'm currently researching Henry VIII's 1513 campaign in France, more specifically the contingent of border horse which was part of Henry Percy's retinue which i believe to have have been led by Sir John Neville but I'm not 100%

At that time that would have made him around 20 years of age so a contemporary of Henry's I guess. I've read that he was knighted during the campaign and was one of the kings spears.

Does anyone know who led the border horse and also, a very nice bonus would be an idea of their heraldry.

Sir Rhys / Rees ap Thomas is mentioned quite a bit in connection to skirmishing and reconnaissance with light cavalry but I can't un-thread whether these were the demilancers or scurrers / prickers or both.

Question from Kate - Royal tombs in London

I was wondering if anyone could recommend a recent work regarding the royal tombs. I will be traveling to London and would like to know where everyone is. I have a general knowledge on this topic but have always been more involved in the study of Tudor lives and not so much their resting places

Question from David - Anne of Cleves' German ladies

Are you able please to let me know the names of Anne of Cleves's German ladies in waiting who came over to England with her?

Thank you

Question from Jo Joyce - Henry VIII and painting

Did Henry VIII paint? Was Henry VIII taught to paint? If so, who taught him?

Question from Jan - Ship-to-ship signaling and communication

I'm writing a sequel to my children's novel Harry Bone-Thief, and want my hero, now aboard ship & on his way home from seeking a North West passage, to encounter another vessel on its way out from France, and to speak her and learn the news (Henry VIII is dead). They won't have had flag signals yet, so how did they communicate? How wd Harry, away for many months, know whether or not the approaching French boat was an enemy? Dipping into Hakluyt, I find that ships saluted each other with cannon 'in the manner of the sea' - where can I find something more precise?

Question from Ben - Plastering over timbers on Tudor buildings

I have been told that the timbers of Tudor buildings would have been 'plastered' over. This surprised me as the white buildings with their black timbers are so characteristic. It makes me wonder if this is true. Any ideas?