Claire | December 22, 2022
On this day in Tudor history, 22nd December 1534, in the reign of King Henry VIII, John Fisher, Bishop of Rochester, wrote a letter to Thomas Cromwell. Fisher was imprisoned in the Tower of London at the time, and in his letter, Fisher begged for a shirt, sheet, food and books, as well as asking […]
Claire | May 7, 2022
On 7th May 1536, one of Queen Anne Boleyn’s chaplain, William Latymer, was stopped and searched on his arrival back in England from the Continent. Why was he searched? What had been his business abroad? What was found in his possession? And what happened to him? And a year earlier, on 7th May 1535, after […]
Joel | December 22, 2021
On this day in Tudor history, 22nd December 1557, Protestant martyrs John Rough and Margaret Mearing, were burnt at Smithfield for heresy. John Rough was a Scot who’d encouraged John Knox to be a pastor, but ended in days in England. Interestingly, the woman he died with was a woman he’d excommunicated from his congregation, […]
Claire | December 22, 2017
On this day in history, 22 December 1541, members of the Howard and Tilney family, plus their staff, were tried for misprision of treason for covering up the “unlawful, carnal, voluptuous, and licentious life”. of Queen Catherine Howard while she lived with the Dowager Duchess of Norfolk at Lambeth. Read more… Also on this day […]
Claire | December 22, 2015
On the 22nd December 1534, an imprisoned John Fisher, Bishop of Rochester, wrote to Thomas Cromwell beseeching him to provide him with a shirt and sheet (neither of which he had), some food, some books “to stir his devotion more effectually” and a priest to hear his confession. He also asked Cromwell to intercede with […]
Claire | April 5, 2014
On 5th April 1531, Richard Roose (or Rouse), the cook in the household of John Fisher, Bishop of Rochester, was boiled to death after being attainted of high treason. It was claimed that Roose had poisoned a porridge (or pottage)* served to Fisher and his guests on 18th February 1531. All who ate the porridge […]
Claire | June 22, 2011
On this day in history, the 22nd June 1535, Bishop John Fisher was beheaded on Tower Hill. His crime? Refusing to take the Oath of Succession and refusing to accept Henry VIII as Supreme Head of the Church in England, and also supporting Catherine of Aragon during Henry VIII’s quest for an annulment. You can […]
Claire | June 22, 2010
On this day in history, 22nd June 1535, John Fisher, Bishop of Rochester, was beheaded. He was beatified in 1886 by Pope Leo XIII and then canonised in 1935 by Pope Pius XI, and his feast day is celebrated today, the 22nd June, a feast day which he shares with his friend Thomas More. He […]
