In Bed with the Tudors: The Sex Lives of a Dynasty from Elizabeth of York to Elizabeth I by Amy Licence Read Free Book Online Page A

days, as birth was considered to strain the eye-sight and a typical lying-in period might last a month or more. Eventually, she would be washed and dressed, perhaps transferred to a state bed and formally ‘sat up’ to receive visitors. Access to the queen’s body still followed strict protocol; no one lower than the rank of duchess or countess was permitted to help her rise from her bed or receive her at her chamber door when she would finally emerge.
    It seemed that her ordeal was over. However, in the days following the birth, Elizabeth suffered from an ague or fever, so the court remained at Winchester for her recovery and churching. Perhaps from her chamber she was aware of the town’s celebrations of bells ringing in all the churches, Masses, bonfires, revelry and the dispatch of messengers across the country bearing the good news. Elizabeth’s own gratitude for her safe delivery would prompt her to found a chapel in Winchester Cathedral, where Arthur was christened, in her absence, a few days after his birth. It was a grand occasion, again dictated by Margaret Beaufort’s Ordinances, with the walls draped in rich arras and floors spread with carpets. The silver gilt font from Canterbury Cathedral was borrowed, lined with soft Rennes linen, to protect the child at the moment of baptism, while coals scented with perfume burned and wooden barriers kept back the throng of onlookers. The main roles in the ceremony were taken by Elizabeth’s women; her sister Cecily carried Arthur, wrapped in a mantle of crimson cloth-of-gold furred with ermine. After his baptism, with salt, oil and water, the child was passed to his godmother, Elizabeth’s mother, who presented him as an offering at the altar, before he was richly endowed with gifts and the party celebrated with wine and spices. Then, the baby was returned to his mother’s chamber to be blessed by his parents.
    Early in October, Elizabeth had recovered sufficiently to process to the church in the wake of a large burning taper for her churching ceremony: following this, she was restored to her role of queen and wife, appearing seated ceremonially below the Cloth of Estate. By the end of the month, the court had removed to Greenwich and after the New Year, plans were drawn up for the establishment of Arthur’s household at Farnham in Surrey. His household was overseen by a Lady Governess of the nursery, assisted by a dry nurse, wet-nurse and various yeomen, grooms and others who saw to the practical running of the house: 1,000 marks were allocated for its expenses. From that point, Elizabeth’s contact with her young son would be intermittent – queens could not be incapacitated by breast-feeding or maternity: other women would feed and clothe him, comfort him at night, play with him and nurse him through illness, until he was of an age for his father to start preparing him for his important future. As the dynasty’s bodily vessel, Elizabeth’s first pregnancy had been a success. Now she had to begin the process again.

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Elizabeth of York
& the Future Henry VIII
    1487–1503
    The Family Expands
    For first his sweet and lovely Queen
A Joy above the rest
Brought him both Sons and Daughters fair
To make his Kingdom blest.
The Royal Blood that was at Ebb
So increas’d by his Queen,
That England’s heir unto this Day
Do flourish fair and green. 1
    Fourteen months after the birth of her son, Elizabeth was crowned as England’s queen. It was perhaps a more glorious moment for her than her marriage had been, and just as spectacular. This time however, there was no one else to share the limelight; this above all, was her day. In a sense, it was also her reward for the rapid production of a healthy male heir; not all Tudor consorts were crowned and their status lay firmly in the hands of their royal husbands on whose orders the ceremony took place. It was a November day in 1487 when the royal convoy of barges sailed up the Thames from Greenwich, streaming with