Question from Candace - Importance of virginity before marriage for noblewomen

How important was virginity before marriage for noblewomen? If a nobleman discovered on his wedding night that his wife was not a virgin, how would he react? Would he try to seek an annulment, or if he could not get one, view her as unchaste and of 'loose' morals?

What happened to women who were raped before marriage? Would they still be able to make a good marriage? Would being sent to a convent or a nunnery be a mercy or a sign of disgrace? Were there any possibilities that a woman would be raped but not blamed for 'enticing' the man?

Question from Candace - Form of address for royal governesses

In several Tudor historical fiction books I have read, I have seen the governesses of Henry VIII's children, Margaret Bryan and Margaret Pole, Countess of Salisbury, addressed as simply 'Bryan' and 'Salisbury', rather than with 'Lady' affixed to the front, which strikes me as rude. I know that historical fiction is a poor source for actual facts, but that I have seen it in several stories leads me to wonder if it was an accepted custom, or simply an invention on the parts of the authors that was replicated from story to story.

Question from KG - Burning for heresy in Henry VIII's reign

Were people being burned for heresy in the first half of Henry VIII's reign (until 1527/8)? If so, what heresies were they being executed for?

Question from Peter - Training as lawyer or vicar

In the 1400s at what age would someone begin training to become a Lawyer at Lincoln's Inn and how long would the training take.

Likewise for someone joining the church as a Vicar?

Would you have to attend Oxford or Cambridge first?

Many thanks

Peter

Question from Den - Seymour's claim of being bewitched by Elizabeth

Is it true that when Catherine Parr caught her husband embracing Elizabeth, he said that she had bewitched him and that Elizabeth is the same as her mother Anne Boleyn? Thanks for any answer.

Question from KG - "Assertion septem sacramentorum" translator

I am studying Henry VIII's book, "Assertion septem sacramentorum". It was translated by an American named Rev. Louis ODonovan. Does anyone know if he is considered a non-biased translator? I'm guessing from his title (Rev.) that he is Protestant?

Question from KG - Henry VIII's "Litterarum quibus respondit ad quondam epistolam"

Does anyone know anything about a book Henry VIII is said to have written, "Litterarum quibus respondit ad quondam epistolam"? Has it been translated?

Question from James - Another Elizabeth Tilney

I'm looking for information on the apparent Elizabeth Tilney that was in the tower of London with Jane and apparently a niece of Agnes Howard, nee Tilney, Duchess of Norfolk.

I cannot find any evidence, at all, of her existence. None. Nadda. Zilch.

All I can find is that Agnes Howard (nee Tilney), Duchess of Norfolk's brother, Philip Tilney (b. 1463 - d. 1534) married Margaret Brewse (b.? - d.?) and they had two sons: Thomas (b. approx. 1501?) and Philip (b. 1503).

Thomas married Malena (surname unknown) and they had a son, Edmund (b. approx. 1530). Philip married Margaret Barrett and they had a son, Emery (b. approx. 1530)

This is all I can find for Agnes's brother's descendants. According to someone on this site, there is a Brandon Relative - a granddaughter of Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk's aunt, Eleanor - called Elizabeth Jeffrey. This physically cannot be true as none of William Brandon's sisters have Jeffrey descendants.

William Brandon's sisters are thus, with marriages included - issue, included too from my own research:
*Mary Brandon, who married John Redying (or Reading): NO ISSUE.

*Anne Brandon, who married Nicholas Sydney, Esq: William Sidney (husband of Anne Packenham), father of Henry Sidney, grandfather of Robert Sidney, 1st Earl of Leicester.

*Elizabeth Brandon, who married firstly Augustine Caundishe (or Candishe, Cavendish), and secondly John Leventhorpe: ISSUE FROM CAVENDISH ARE: Richard, Elizabeth, Edward, Anne, Catherine - Richard has 3 daughters who marry into the Sands, Thorne and Goulde families but have no issue.
ISSUE FROM LEVENTHORPE: Margaret and Catherine who married Richard Brograve.

*Margaret Brandon "The Elder", who married Gregory Lovell, Knt: ISSUE: Thomas, Margaret, Francis and Catherine

*Margaret Brandon "The Younger" who Married Hugo / Hugh Manning de Cary: ISSUE: John, Robert, Richard

*Katherine Brandon, who married John Gurney: ISSUE: Christian (marries James Darnell) and Elizabeth (marries Walter Ayscough)

*Eleanor Brandon (c.1462 30 June 1480), who married, after 5 March 1466, as his second wife, John Glemham[8][26] (c.14601499): ISSUE: Anne, who marries Henry Pagrave.

So, you see, there's no actual "Jeffrey" relative related to Brandon... so is Elizabeth Tilney made up as well as Philip Tilney's (apparent) second and third wives?

The only other Elizabeth Tilney I can find is a daughter of Hugh Tilney and a half-sister of Philip and Agnes who died in 1497.
And, of course, Agnes's cousin, Elizabeth, Countess of Surrey.

I've seen about a book by de Lisle... but she doesn't give any evidence as to WHERE she got the information from, so apart from the name there, I've got nothing.

So, I'd like some help in filling it in.

Anything?

Question from KG - Knowledge and views of the Eastern Orthodox Church

Did people in Henry VIII's reign know about the Eastern Orthodox Church? Did any of them write about it, were they considered heretics?

Question from Andrew - Ideas for dissertation on everyday life in the reign of Henry VIII

Hi guys,

I am currently a second year university student who is trying to narrow down their dissertation topic. I want to focus my dissertation on everyday life in during the reign of Henry VIII. Any ideas on how I could narrow this down? Also any books that relate to this specific topic?

Many thanks.