Sir Thomas Wyatt the Poet

 

 

Sir Henry Wyatt, Knight

 

These blogs are previews of my book as a work in progress.  This is painstaking stuff, so please honor my copyright – mickisuzanne©

Henry Wyatt was born in Yorkshire, England in 1460. His parents were Richard Wyatt and Margaret, the daughter and heir of William Bailiff.

Both Henrys were born during the War of the Roses – a series of battles between two rival branches of the Royal House of Plantagenet. The houses of Lancaster were later signified by a red rose, the houses of York were later signified by a white rose.

Henry Tudor’s Mother

Lady Margaret Beaufort was 12 years old when she was married to Edmund Tudor – aged 27. She was only thirteen when Henry Tudor was born and the delivery was so difficult she was told she probably couldn’t have more children. Then she was widowed before her son was born. Edmund was captured by Yorkists and imprisoned at Caermarthen. Plague broke out and he died two months later.

Lady Margaret became an intelligent, ambitious woman. Despite other marriages, Henry remained her only child. She would exert a powerful influence on him and his all of her life.

Henry Tudor’s Father

Henry Tudor’s father Edmund and his Uncle Jasper were borne of a scandalous affair between Queen Katherine of Valois and Owen Tudor, her Welsh Clerk of the Wardrobe. It is said that the dowager queen had married him in secret.  Whatever – Henry VI, legitimate heir to the throne, made his half-brothers earls.  Edmund became Earl of Richmond and Jasper became Earl of Pembroke. Both were dedicated to the Lancastrian side of the War of the Roses.

Henry Tudor spent years in exile. Henry’s grandfather, Owen Tudor, was executed by Yorkists. Other Beaufort relations died in bloody battles against the House of York. In 1471 his half-uncle, King Henry VI was captured and murdered after the Battle of Barnet. The next closest heir in the Beaufort line was Henry’s mother Margaret; since a female heir was unacceptable under those circumstances, her son Henry was in grave danger.

The Beaufort Issue

Lady Margaret Beaufort was the great granddaughter of John of Gaunt. (We share this ancestry through Lady Elizabeth Brooke.) John of Gaunt was a member of the House of Plantagenet, the third surviving son of King Edward III of England and Philippa of Hainault. He was called “John of Gaunt” because he was born in Ghent (in today’s Belgium), then called “Gaunt”.

In terms of ascendancy, there was a big problem with the Beaufort line. It started with a young girl Katherine who was made third wife to Hugh Swynford, a Lincolnshire knight. After his death she a widow for many years. During that time she became the mistress of John of Gaunt. Their four children were surnamed Beaufort. After they finally married in January 1396, their children were retroactively legitimized by the Pope and Richard II. HOWEVER: Henry IV had added a provisio that no Beaufort should ever succeed to the throne.

When Edward IV died in 1483, he left his throne to his twelve-year-old son, Edward V. Edward ruled for two months, with the “help” of his Uncle Richard, who was named “Lord Protector”.

The Tyranny of Richard III

Richard would come to be known as one of England’s most irredeemably evil kings.  Shakespeare, Thomas More and others described him as deformed – but that was a time when deformity and evil were thought to be one in the same.

Shortly after Edward IV’s death in April, a propaganda campaign insinuated that Edward’s marriage had been invalid and his sons were therefore bastards, ineligible for the throne.

In June the claims were endorsed by an assembly of lords and commoners. On June 26 – the day after the assembly – Richard began to rule. In July he was crowned Richard III.

In August, both of Edward’s sons disappeared.

If you vaguely remember a story about the two princes who “mysteriously disappeared” from the tower, this is that. The boys were 12 year old Edward V and his nine year old brother Richard, Duke of York. They disappeared in August of 1483, two months after Richard was crowned. It was widely assumed that if Richard didn’t kill them himself, he had it done. Their bodies have never been found.

That same year, Jasper won support for an invasion scheme. The timing seemed right, but the weather was against them. Around this time Henry Wyatt stepped up by taking part in the Duke of Buckingham’s failed revolt against Richard III.

In “A Sketch of the Life of Sir Henry Wiat” (written in 1963 by Eric Norman Simons) the author wrote that Henry was “…remarkable because, though Yorkshire born, he supported the cause of Henry Tudor, the Lancastrian who claimed the throne of England. For this he had been jailed in Scotland in ‘stocks and irons’ for two years by Richard III, who is said to have watched him undergo torture.”

Tortures were designed to allow the prisoner to live long enough to confess pretty much anything they wanted confessed before the individual died. The medieval arsenal for infliction of agony was beyond imagination; in coming years it would play a starring role in the Spanish Inquisition.

Henry was racked; that involved being tied across a board and bound by the ankles and wrists. Rollers would pull the body from opposite directions, resulting in stretching and extreme pain. The severity of the torture depended on the “crime” and social status of the victim.  In prolonged use, limbs would be dislocated or torn from their sockets.  Henry was also tortured with “barnacles”. The victim’s upper lip was pulled through a noose, tightened and twisted until the prisoner was in absolute agony. In some cases, it resulted in mutilation.

Judging from this painting of Sir Henry years later, it appears that may have been the case.

Henry was steadfast through all of it. According to tradition, Richard lamented that his own servants “had not such fidelity.”

Sir Henry’s “Caterer”

During his imprisonment Henry was on the verge of starvation, sleeping in tattered clothing on a thin straw mat in a cold room. Simons shares one account of a family legend. “Among other things, he was forced to swallow mustard and vinegar, and was on the verge of death from starvation. Then, so the story went, he made a pet of and fondled a stray cat, whom he ‘laid … on his bosom to warm him’. Puss grew so attached to him that each morning she deposited at his feet a pigeon pilfered from a neighbouring dovecote, which was later cooked for him by his compassionate jailer.

The family of Wyatt cherished for many years a half-length portrait of Henry in his cell. There in the picture, sure enough, is the cat, dragging through the grating of the cell a pigeon, which she is about to deliver to the prisoner. The painting is, however, not contemporary, having been produced long afterwards. It is, nevertheless, recorded that thereafter Henry Wiat ‘would ever reck much of cats’.

In fact, as a token of gratitude, he introduced to the dovecotes of Allington castle a strain of brown pigeons from Venice, which are as numerous there today as in his own time.”

Henry Tudor had not forgotten his friend.

In August of 1485 Henry Tudor and his forces landed in South Wales and headed east to do battle with Richard. Henry was sorely outnumbered at Bosworth, but Richard suffered a personal defeat – several of his most important lieutenants defected.

One account states: ”When the Standard of the fugitive Earl floated on the field of Bosworth, Wyatt found means to join it. When the Usurper had fallen on Bosworth field, one of the first acts of Henry VII was to liberate Henry and raise him from the private gentleman to the highest honours at Court.”

Agnes Conway describes what happened afterwards in “Henry VII’s relations with Scotland and Ireland”:

“The Earl of Richmond anon after he was crowned King entertained (Henry Wyatt) then coming out of imprisonment and affliction in Scotland first with most gracious words unto himself and then with this speech unto the Lords. Both I and you must bid this Gentleman heartily welcome, had not he above human strength or example also shewed himself our constant friend, neither had I enjoyed now the Crowne, nor you that Peace and prosperitie, and honour which you now possess.”

It is said that the king told Henry “Study to serve me and I will study to enrich you.” And that’s exactly what happened.

Success

In 1492 he was appointed Esquire-of-the-Body, King’s select Bodyguard. He sold “Hall in the Village Solhange” (South Haigh or Upper Haigh) that he had acquired through his first marriage to Margaret, daughter and heiress of Richard Bailiff of Barnsley.

Henry purchased and restored Allington Castle; Henry VIII and Cardinal Wolsey visited him there.

In 1502 Henry married his second wife, Anne Skinner, daughter of John Skinner of Reigate in Surrey. (One record suggests she was a sister of the Earl of Surrey, but we have no proof.)  At the time of their marriage Henry would have been 43 – that was OLD in medieval times.

His famous son, Sir Thomas Wyatt the Poet was born the following year.

There’s a lot more to it than this. Over the course of his life Sir Henry received titles and honors from Henry VII and Henry VIII. That information will be in the book.

Sir Henry Wyatt’s tomb in Boxley reads (in part):

To the Memory of Sr HENRY WIAT of ALINGTON CASTLE

Knight Bannert descended of that Ancient family who was imprisoned and tortured in the Tower in the reign of KING RICHARD the third kept in the Dungeon where fed and preserved by a Cat. He married ANN daughter of  THOMAS SKINNER of SURREY Esqe was of the Privy Council to KING HENRY the Seventh and KING HENRY the Eighth and left one Son Sr THOMAS WIAT of ALINGTON CASTLE who was Esquire of the body to KING HENRY the Eighth and married ELIZABETH Daughter of THOMAS BROOKE Lord COBHAM and well known for Learning and Embasys in the reign of that KING Sr THOMAS WIAT of ALINGTON CASTLE his only Son married JANE younger Daughter of Sr WILLIAM HAWT of this COUNTY and was beheaded in the reign of QUEEN MARY Leaving GEORGE WIAT his only Son that Lived to Age who married JANE Daughter of Sr THOMAS FINCH of EASTWELL and KATHERINE his wife Restored in blood by act of Parliament of the 13th of QUEEN ELIZABETH

 

 

 

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Posted in Sir Henry Wyatt Knight | Tagged Battle of the Roses, Bosworth, Edmund Tudor, Henry Tudor, Henry VII, Henry Wyatt and the cat, inscription on the tomb of Henry Wiat, Jasper Tudor, Katherine Beaufort, Lady Elizabeth Wyatt, medieval torture, Missing Twins, Sir Henry Wiat, Sir Thomas Wyatt, the caterer cat, the tower, Wyatt | 16 Comments

16 Responses

1. on December 2, 2010 at 4:50 pm Lois Wyatt

   My husband is direct decendent of Sir Henry Wyatt. We would love to read your book. please let us know of any publ. you have on the Wyatt family. Also we would like to see any art by Wyatt and any books and or

   articles written.

   
   
   • on December 2, 2010 at 5:34 pm mickisuzanne

     Hi Lois

     I’ve been pretty lax about the blog but I’m hard at work behind the scenes. It turns out Sir Thomas had many close friends in the Tudor court, so I’ve been reading up on them as well. (Cromwell adored Thomas.)

     I have about six books going right now, I’ll post my favorites. I’ve been posting some favorite paintings here on the blog as well. I recently discovered a haunting painting of Anne Boleyn. Nobody is positive the painting is of her, but when you compare it side-by-side with a painting of her daughter Elizabeth at a similar age, the resemblance is clear.

     I expect to take the Wyatts from the Battle of Hastings through the Tudor Court and Wyatt’s Rebellion to Jamestown; at this rate, it’s going to take me about a year to finish the book.

     Micki

     
     
2. on February 15, 2011 at 11:11 pm Lois Wyatt

   We are so excited for you. Don’t give up.

   
   
   • on February 16, 2011 at 11:22 am mickisuzanne

     You would be surprised to learn how much that means to me. There have been a few times when I’ve felt completely overwhelmed.

     
     
3. on March 24, 2011 at 2:53 pm Nikki

   I’ve been researching Wyatt’s for 19 years myself and know what a process this is, especially pre home computers. You are doing great work!

   I did notice you attribute Sir Henry to being 53 years old upon his marriage to Anne Skinner. If he was born in 1460 as all records I’ve found indicate, he was 42 at the time of that marriage.

   Nikki

   
   
   • on March 24, 2011 at 4:06 pm mickisuzanne

     Nikki – Nice catch, thank you!! I don’t know if that was a typo or something I found along the way. I read that Skinner was someone you didn’t mess with. Doing this from memory so don’t hold me to it – she caught her priest fooling around with one of her maids and had him put in stocks:-) Always good to know we come from strong women!

     Micki

     
     
4. on March 1, 2012 at 11:45 pm David l Hickas

   These are my roots thank you for your good works

   
   
5. on June 2, 2012 at 8:30 pm Dave Ebert

   In the book “Wolf House”, they make much of Thomas W.’s love for Lady Anne Boleyn, and that she was a professional virgin who manipulated men for financial gain. According to the book he was so enamored of her that when she started after Henry, he left the country for several years in anguish. Anne does not come off well in this novel. One almost roots for the headsman.

   
   
   • on June 2, 2012 at 8:42 pm mickisuzanne

     Honestly, the more I read, the less I like Anne Boleyn. She learned to be a seductress at the French courts. I actually downloaded a book from that time … Brancetor I think it was … wow. They were wiiiiild.

     For general info I read books from the 1800s when writers first gained access to the Tudor libraries. I don’t like modern spins on things, it’s all rehash. But worst of all, Anne was a cousin of Sir Thomas’ estranged wife and probably best friend of his sister Margaret – who was there on/at the scaffold with her when she was beheaded. Legend has it Anne gave Margaret her prayer book. But another author implies that Margaret (a.k.a. Lady Lee) had a bastard by Henry VIII – and darned if Sir Thomas didn’t help raise him … and Elizabeth I honored him. It’s all wonderfully convoluted.

     My respect for my ancestors goes like this … high respect for Sir Henry … moderate respect for Sir Thomas the Poet/Elder … little respect for Sir Thomas the Younger, a.k.a. leader of Wyatt’s Rebellion. It is a twisted tale of high scruples, compromised scruples and … probably few to no scruples. Maybe my opinion of the Younger will increase with more research. But at this point I doubt it.

     
     
     • on June 2, 2012 at 8:44 pm mickisuzanne

       Forgot to say, Henry started sending Sir Thomas out as ambassador. As soon as Sir Thomas realized “Caesar” had his eye on Anne, he went and got himself another girlfriend:-) But do remember the Boleyns and Wyatts were childhood friends, they grew up at “neighboring” castles. When Anne and George fell, Tom had to be beside himself. They say it changed him. Hew grew up.

       
       
6. on June 18, 2012 at 11:18 am Kristin

   I’m very excited about your book, and I’m enjoying reading your comments on this blog as well. I hope you don’t leave anything out! 😉 Can’t wait to see the finished product, and in the meantime, I’m excited to have your blog to read.

   My interest in the subject is in being a potential descendant of Sir Henry, however that is only if the rumors that one of my relatives is descended from a Penobscot woman, and not his father’s wife of American-English descent (Sir Henry’s descendant). Only DNA testing would be able to tell me for sure I suppose. Still, whether we are related to my documented ggg-grandmother or to her Penobscot neighbor, its interesting to know her family’s past, since she’s the mother thats “on the books.”

   Anyways, thanks for all your research and effort!

   
   
   • on June 18, 2012 at 11:29 am mickisuzanne

     Thanks so much Kristin. When the blog is being ignored it means I’m hard at work. Henry has a special place in my heart. The biggest issue is I can’t just write “Henry Wyatt did this and that” – I have to explain what was happening in that place at that time or it’s cold and clinical. The “setup” is taking more time and space than Wyatt-specific substance but it’s so much more fascinating within the whole. I hope everyone will be ok with that.

     
     
     • on June 18, 2012 at 11:42 am Kristin

       I do know just what you mean! You can’t tell a good story without context, and I doubt anyone would fault you for that! I’m sure I speak for many when I say people will be happy just to have another volume in the family collection, and another take on the story based on all your research and hard work.

       
       
7. on June 18, 2012 at 11:58 am mickisuzanne

   The context is so fascinating I’m afraid I go off on tangents. I fall in love with some of these people – I fall out of love with others. I am annoyed that the women got so little “ancient press.”

   Also I have the problem that others say they want to read it, so I’m not just writing to descendants. Early in the book I write about a Wyatt’s connection to a prince who is an ancestor through our Brooke side. It’s very tricky, I’m not sure how to make everyone happy. I don’t know if it’s possible.

   I will be 62 years old and I live with the consequences of Lyme Disease. (Fortunately it doesn’t affect me so much in Florida.) My worst fear is dying before the book is finished and having hundreds of pages of work and hundreds more of research come to nothing. (I’m hoping my 13 year old granddaughter will eventually follow in my flip flops. Like me, she lives to write:-)

   
   
8. on April 22, 2015 at 1:44 pm Jeannie Hilton McWilliams

   Mickisuzanne:

   I thoroughly enjoyed reading all of this information. My husband is a Wyatt descendant. I have an ancestry tree on Ancestry.com and would love to add this information to my tree with your permission. If not, I certainly understand. Thanks, Jeannie Hilton McWilliams

   
   
   • on May 2, 2015 at 11:45 am mickisuzanne

     Hi Jeannie – no problem, please just state the source. (Thanks for asking!) Micki

     
     

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