Margaret Beaufort: Mother of the Tudor Dynasty (30 page)
56. London Bridge was one of the major landmarks of London during Margaret’s time. Margaret was given a London residence by Henry VII and she spent a large proportion of her time in the capital.
57. Westminster Abbey. Margaret plotted to make her son king and she attended his coronation in the Abbey.
58. The Jewel Tower at Westminster Palace. Very little now remains of the medieval palace in which Henry VI prophesied to Margaret that her son would one day become king of England.
59. The Tower of London. Margaret’s brother-in-law, Henry VI was imprisoned in the Tower following his deposition and he was murdered there soon after the Battle of Tewkesbury.
60. The Tower of London in around 1485, only two years after the mysterious disappearance of the princes in the Tower.
63. Elizabeth I. Margaret’s great-granddaughter drew on her as a model of a powerful and political woman.
MARGARET BEAUFORT IN HER OWN WORDS
In spite of her political prominence, few letters or other documents survive to attest to Margaret’s character. Her surviving letters, which all date to the period after Henry VII came to the throne, are therefore of great interest. Margaret’s surviving letters are printed in full below in order to provide an additional insight into the character of this exceptional woman. Some of the letters are of more interest than others, but each is included in order to provide as full an account as possible. In the course of my research into Margaret, I have come across no further letters written by her. The corpus below is therefore as complete as possible. It may be that, in the future, further documents will come to light to extend our knowledge of Margaret. At the moment, at least, the letters provide the only evidence for Margaret Beaufort in her own words.
Some of the letters are written in the formal style used by members of the royal family and give little indication of Margaret’s character. Margaret’s letters to her son are of great interest, however, as they reveal a depth of emotion not otherwise clearly apparent. Her letters to John Paston, threatening him, demonstrate that Margaret was not a woman to cross. She had been named as one of her kinsman William Paston’s executors and took a personal interest in seeing that his estate was properly distributed. Her letter to the Earl of Ormond, complaining that the gloves he had sent her from Flanders were too big for her hands, contains a subtle dig at the greatest lady in Flanders, Margaret of York, by implying that she was on the large side: Margaret Beaufort herself was renowned for her abstinence in food and drink. Her letters to Oxford University demonstrate the interest in education that would eventually lead to her founding two colleges at Cambridge.
Margaret Beaufort to the Bishop of Exeter, 21 March 1488
Right reuerend Fader in God and oure right welbiloued. In our harty wise, we commaund [commend] vs vnto you, and for asmoche as John Dalkyn, receiuor of oure Lordshippe of Holdernes belonging vnto oure cousin of Bukes hath not commen vp and made his accompt as he ought to doo by raison of his said office, but hath sodenly departed from hous [us] othrewise than according to the trust that was put in hym: We therefore desire and herty pray you to send us by this bringer a pryve seill for the said John after the tenure of this bille whiche we send you herein closed, as our specialle trust is in you and as we may doo for you at your desires hereafter, whereunto we shalbe always redy by Goddes grace who send you right good lif and long.
Yeuen vndre our signet at oure place of Colde Harborowe, the 21st day of Marche. My lord y pray you y may her [hear] of your newes of Flaundyrse.
M. Rychemound
Margaret Beaufort to the University of Oxford
Trust and right welbeloved, we grete you wele; and where oure ful welbeloved master Maurice Westbury hath lately commensed within the Universite there, by reason whereof he, accordyng to the auncient and laudable custumes and status of the same, aught to be resident there duryng oon hole yere next and immediatly folowyng his saide commensement; how be it we desire and hartily pray you – in asmoch as we have ordeined the said master Maurice to applie hym to the erudition & doctrine of certayn yong gentilmen at our findyng for a season – that ye, at this oure instaunte, wille dispense with him in that behalve, any statute or ordinaunce had among you to the contrary notwithstanding. And ye thus doing shal have us youre good lady in any thing reasonable that ye shal desire of us, concernyng the weal of you or the saide Universite hereafter. Yeven undre oure signet at the castel of Windesore, the xii day of January. Margaret.
Margaret Beaufort to the Earl of Ormond, the Queen’s Lord Chamberlain, 25 April 1496
My Lord Chamberlain,
I thank you heartily that ye list so soon remember me with my gloves, the which were right good, save they were too much for my hand. I think the ladies in that parts be great ladies all, and according to their great estate they have great personages. As for news here I am sure ye shall have more surety than I can send you. Blessed be God, the King, the Queen, and all our sweet children be in good health. The Queen hath been a little crased [i.e., ill], but now she is well, God be thanked. Her sickness is [?not] so good as I would but I trust hastily it shall, with God’s grace, whom I pray give you good speed in your great matters, and bring you well and soon home.
Written at Shene the 25th day of April,
M. RYCHEMOND
Margaret Beaufort to the University of Oxford, 1500
By the King’s moder
Right reverende ffader in god, right trusty and welbelovyd, we grete you wele; And this present day have recevyd your right kinde lettres and lovinge tokins by our welbeloved Thomas Pantre, oon of your bedells; for the whiche we thank you in owre harty wise; Wherby we perceyve ye have electe and chosen oon m. Rooper, doctor of divinite, to rede owre lecture there; whereof we be right gladde, and trust with godd’s mercy it shalbe to the greate honour and weal of your said Universite; aswele to thyncrease of vertu as lernyng off Students with in the same, whiche we right specially tender, and shalbe gladde to further at altymes to the best we can. Yeven under owre Signett at the manowre of Bukeden, the first day of Juyn.
Margaret Beaufort to the University of Oxford, 1500
Trusty and welbelovyd, we grete you wele; and understonde the Rowme of gentilmen bedell in divinite within youre universite is now voide by deceasse of your late office in the same; wherunto ye in breve tyme intende to electe soome honest and hable person. We specially tendering thonnoure and thincrease of lernyng in divinite, and be credybly enformed by the right reverent fader in god, the bysschopp of Rochestre, and certain other whiche be verray lovers of the said faculte, that one Rychard Wotton is a right hable and convenient person for the said office, Desire therfore and pray you so to owe youre good favores unto hym as rather for oure sake he may be proferryd to the said Rome [room]. Wherby ye schall not oonly do a thing for the grete honowre and weale of youre said universite but also unto us full Singuler plesur. Yeven under signet at the manour of Buckdoone, the xxiii day of Auguste.
