Question from Brenda - Flower in Mor portrait of Mary I

In a portrait of Mary Tudor painted by Anthonis Mors in the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum in Boston, she is holding a flower. It is not clear if this is the Tudor rose or a carnation. I understand the latter can represent betrothal and this painting was done for her new husband Phillip II of Spain.
Can you shed any light on this? I know the same portrait is also in the Prado.

Question from Laura - Martin Luther's books in England

I assume that Martin Luther's books were banned in England. If so, when did it become legal to read / own them?

Question from Laura - Henry VIII's wives' signatures

Did Henry VIII's wives retain their maiden names to some degree, e.g. in their signatures? If so, was this normal (especially when, I would have thought, they would not have wanted to flaunt their non-royal roots). And if they did this, was it perhaps to distinguish between different "Anne the Queen" and "Katherine the Queen"s?

[See also related thread linked below. - Lara]

http://queryblog.tudorhistory.org/2008/02/question-from-patricia-wives-last-names.html

Question from Emily - Anne of Cleves quote

Is: "She was too much a child to deny herself any sweet thing she wanted" - Anne of Cleves, an actual quote or not?

Question from Kelly - Ideas for graduate-level research on Anne Boleyn and/or Henry VIII

Hello,
I am planning to begin graduate studies in the Fall of this year and I want to write about Anne Boleyn and/or Henry VIII. I am most interested in the circumstances surrounding her downfall and what really happened, but I am also trying to brainstorm more original areas that have not yet been explored. I was thinking about doing something regarding the psychology and psychological downfall of Henry VIII, but I don't know if I will be considered as qualified to do this. Any ideas would be helpful. I am also looking around to see what has already been published. Any direction in researching this and current topics that are of interest would be great. Thank you for your help.

Question from Shae - Chapuys quote

Hello there!

I'm studying Katherine Howard's life, and have frequently come across this quote from Chapuys:

"She is a pretty young creature, with wit enough to do as badly as the others if she were to try"

It's a popular quote - it's cited frequently - but nobody can seem to agree on who 'she' is: based on the majority of studies I've read of Katherine Howard's reign, the most popular view is that 'she' is Lady Elizabeth Wyatt (the wife of Thomas Wyatt.) However she would have been around 40 at the time so this seems to not fit, despite it being the most popular choice. If not her, then people argue that Chapuys meant Elizabeth Brooke, the niece of Elizabeth Wyatt. Which fits more, since she was younger, but why the insistence on it being a Wyatt/Brooke?

It's also been described as being about Katherine Howard, herself, very often.

Where is this quote from, and is there someone to access the full thing online? Can anybody clear up who the quote is referring to? I find it unlikely to be Katherine Howard, but I don't understand why the Brooke/Wyatts crop up so often.

Question from Karen - Thomas Stafford after the Lovell plot

I've been rereading history of the Lovell plot, an early rebellion in the reign of Henry VII that involved the Stafford brothers, Humphrey and Thomas. The Stafford brothers, having been ferreted out of sanctuary, were found guilty of treason. Humphrey was hanged, Thomas was pardoned.

What happened to Thomas afterward? I can't find a single thing

Question from Jessica - Elizabeth I and Empire

Hi, I am 15 and in AP world history. for our Christmas assignment we were given a ruler and I receiver Queen Elizabeth I. Well the assignment is to answer the following questions the teacher gave us in the rulers point of view and I've answered most but I cant seem to find these two. The questions are: "How does your empire establish legitimacy?" and "what are the greatest strengths and weaknesses of your empire?" I am at a loss, can you help? Thank you!

Question from Peter - Goldsmiths and Silversmiths

I have the following reference in

The Story of old Halifax by Thomas William Hanson

"Richard Peck was one of the largest landholders in Halifax town in 1439.................By trade Peck was a Goldsmith and Silversmith"

Unfortunately Mr Hanson does not give his source for this claim.

Could anyone suggest possible sources 'primary' sources please?

Many thanks Peter