Question from J - English in the Tudor era

I've always been interested - how exactly did language work in the Tudor era? I know a few - "prithee" meant "pray thee", people used thou, spelled "queen" as "quene" and "king" as "kyng", but I don't know much more than that. Thanks for any help on old(...er) English spellings!

I'd like to use this information for a story I'm writing, to have the language somewhat accurate as the characters speak.

Question from Marilyn R - 1509 portrait of Henry VIII

I am fascinated by the painting in the collection of the Denver Museum said to be of Henry VIII at the time of his coronation in 1509. Can this long-faced, slim and dark-haired youth really be Henry at 18? I seem to remember that David Starkey says it is, but I have always thought the ‘1509’ portrait was probably of Henry VII as a young man.

Compare the painting at Wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_VIII_of_England with the NPG portrait (on this site) of Henry VIII from about 1520 painted by an unknown artist.

They can’t both be of Henry VIII – can they?

Question from Anne - Evidence of Shelton mistress of Henry VIII

Can anyone help answer this question:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Margaret_and_Mary_Shelton

"King's mistress: evidence please" section.

Thankyou

Question from Katie - Dissertation ideas

Hi, I've recently had to decide in a dissertation topic for my third year at university. I've come up with two final ideas.

The first is important aristocratic women, how important were they, did they have any influence in politics etc? But I need to find someone to focus on, someone who isn't too generic or obvious. Any ideas?

My other idea is looking at Elizabeth I being the Virgin queen, why didn't she take a husband, when was the term "Virgin Queen" coined, was it a good choice to not choose a husband etc.

Which idea do you think would be more interesting or easier to do in terms of primary sources?

Katie :)

Question from Mark - Thomas Cromwell's remains

Hi,

Looking for the history on the remains of Lord Thomas Cromwell, (post London Bridge). Was he returned to Launde Abbey? A relation in an Upton family was buried in the Chapel there.

Thanks!

Mark

Question from Kay - 16th century travel times in England

I'm interested in figuring out how long it would travel various distances within England during the late 16th-century. Are there any good sources for this?

Question from DC - Asians in London in 1509

Did people of East Indian, South East Asian or Oriental descent exist in London at the time of the death of Henry VII in 1509?

Just some background to this question. I am no historian or student. I am an Australian male of Asian descent and my partner is English. I am attending a renaissance festival and was hoping to have a believable character. You may now see where my question arises from!

I know by 1506, the Portuguese 7th Armada had returned from South East Asia with the news that Francisco de Alameida was the new made Viceroy of the Indies as well as transporting a baby elephant. Knowing that England and Portugal had an ongoing treaty of cooperation, would it be conceivable that someone of Asian background could have found himself on English soil by 1509? Transporting a person must surely be easier than a baby elephant!

I hope that this question, somewhere out of left field, piques someone who has the resources to answer and stimulates further discussion.

Question from Aoife - Signature of an heir apparent

Hello, how would an heir apparent sign his signature in a letter, like for Henry VIII, his signature would have been "Henry R", and for his son Henry FitzRoy as the duke of Richmond, he wrote his signature as "H Richmond". Would Arthur have written his signature as "A Wales" or would it have been "Arthur W" or would he and Edward VI have written their signatures another way as their father's heir apparents?

Question from GregP - Guests at St Thomas' Day banquet

Been puzzling over the guests at the St Thomas’ Day banquet for the Emperor’s Ambassadors at Greenwich.

To the King’s left, between M. Daucye and the Knt of Toyson, is a “Lady Eliz Stafford”. Obviously a lady of note, to be seated so close, and between 2 of the guests of honour.

The Countess of Surrey is seated opposite, and would not have been called Lady Stafford. The Countess’ aunt was already Lady FitzWalter by then (not yet Countess of Sussex), but that Elizabeth Stafford, I think, was in disgrace from the court at that time.

Am guessing by how she is notated that she is either in the Queen’s or the Duchess of Suffolk’s household.

Pardons if this is a question that has been addressed.

Question from D.J. Loftis - Cranmer's recantation and execution

I'm writing a screenplay about Mary I, and in my research there is something I haven't been able to figure out.

When Thomas Cranmer recanted his Protestantism, under Papal Law, Mary was supposed to spare him, but didn't.

Had Cranmer not taken it back, what would the papal repercussions for this have been for Mary? Would she have been risking excommunication?

Question from Kay - Penshurst Place parks hunting lodge

Do you know how likely it would be that Penshurst Place would have a hunting lodge or some other kind of summer house in its parks around 1600? I've been looking into it, but so far I haven't found a lot about what was in the parks surrounding the estate itself during that time (as opposed to what's in the estate now), or what such buildngs would look like. Thanks for any help you can give me!