Grave Matters

While checking something for my author's note for The Queen of Last Hopes, I stumbled across a reference to this entry in Materials for a History of the Reign of Henry VII, dated December 15, 1488, showing the expenditures for pall cloths to be laid upon the hearses of Edmund, Duke of Somerset, his brother John, and Edward of Lancaster, Prince of Wales:

The king to the treasurer and chamberlains of the Exchequer. Whereas we be endetted vnto Lewys Bouvys marchaunt of Luke in the somme of xxxvii £. x. s. ix. d. for xxii. yerdes and di. of blak veluet, price the yerde xi. s. vi. d.; summe xii. £. xviii. s. ix. d. Item for xxii. yerdes and di. of blak veluet, price the yerde x. s. iiii. d.; somme xi. £. xii. s. vi. d. Item for xxii. yerdes and di. of blak damaske, price the yerde vii. s. viii. d. ; summe viii. £. xii. s. vi. d. Item for fower yerdes of white damaske at viii. s. the yerde ; summe xxxii. s. Item for v. peeces of blak bokeram, price the pece v. s.; summe xxv. s., by hym deluered vnto oure warderobe of the robes for paleclothes whiche we haue doon to be made and set vppon the herses of prince Edward in hys lyf son vnto our good vncle of blissed memorie king Henry the Sext, our cousinges Edmund late due of Somerset and lord John of Somerset, and xxx. s. for making of the same paleclothes, which amounteth in al to the said somme of xxxvii. £. x. s. ix. d.:—Mandate to the said treasurer and chamberlains to pay the said total sum forthwith to the said Lewys Bouvys, without prest or other charge. Given at the palaice of Westminster. P. S.

Incidentally, in 1502, Henry VII's queen, Elizabeth of York, gave her chaplain 5 shillings to be offered at Prince Edward's tomb, a sum larger than that he was given to offer at Henry VI's tomb (2 shillings and sixpence). N.J. Rogers, in an article entitled, "The Cult of Prince Edward at Tewkesbury," notes that in 1513, a Richard Kokkes willed that his wife should undertake several pilgrimages for him, including one to "Prince Edward at Tewkesbury." Rogers also notes that an antiquary, Thomas Dingley, sketched what he identified as Edward of Lancaster's tomb, which has long since disappeared. You can find the sketch here (page cccxlvii) in History from Marble, complete with a description of "Richard Crookback" stabbing the prince with a dagger, but be prepared for eyestrain. You'll also find some sketches of Despenser tombs.

Speaking of Despensers (how's that for a transition), a couple of years ago, I did a short story for Amazon Shorts about Aline le Despenser, grandmother to Hugh the younger, entitled "The Justiciar's Wife." Now that Amazon has discontinued the Shorts, I have the entire story available on my website. Take a look!