Biography of Giles Capell of Rayne Hall 1480-1556

Testamenta Vetusta Volume 2. [his mother] Margaret Lady Capell.

Dame Margaret Capells, widow of Sir [his father] William Capell.

To my son Sir Giles Capell [aged 42] King Edward the Fifth chain, with remainder to Henry: and Edward Capell respectively, remainder to my daughter [his sister] Elizabeth Paulet and her heirs. Proved 18th April 1522.

Transactions of the Essex Archaeological Society 1852. William was a younger son, who came, we must suppose, to London, and there made a fortune, leaving his elder brother John to inherit the obscurity of the Suffolk manor, which soon passes into utter darkness; for it is through William alone that the family survives in history. A member of the Drapers' Guild, he was certainly a successful man, and invested the results of that success in land — almost the only possible security of those days. He was Lord Mayor of London in 1503, and his widow Margaret's will suggests that he may have been in touch with the wider world of politics and Court life, for she bequeaths to their eldest son, Gyles, not only "a bed of crimson satin embroidered with his father's helmet and his arms and mine and with the anchors and his word in the valance, with three curtaines of red sarcenet belonging," but also "his father's chain which was young King Edward the fifth's."

On 3rd December 2024 Channel Five broadcast "Princes in the Tower: A Damning Discovery" in which historian Tracey Borman and actor Jason Watkins presented Professor Tim Thornton's discovery of the will of [his mother] Margaret Arudell, sister of the Anne, wife of James Tyrrell [who Thomas More and others describe as arranging the murder of the Princes], which includes "Also, I bequeath to my son, Sir Giles, his father's chain which was young King Edward the V's".

Curiously the "Discovery" the programme reveals i.e. the Will of Margaret Capell, was previously shared in Testamenta Vetusta in 1826 and the Transactions of the Essex Archaeological Society in 1852.

Further, the programme, unfortunately, doesn't cite the sources that it refers to. The following list attempts to address that short-coming, with times at which the refences were used:

19:13. Describing James Tyrrell as "was a man of right goodly personage .... an high hart" from Grafton's Chronicle.

22:02. Describing the Richard, Duke of Gloucester's role in the death of King Henry VI: "A number of authorities".

Memoirs of Philip de Commines Book 3 Chapter VII.

Warkworth's Chronicle.

Chronicle of Robert Fabyan.

24:10. Describing how the Princes were declared illegitimate author Nathen Amin quotes Mancini's "The Usurpation of King Richard III".

30:34. Report from John Argentine as to King Edward V's state of mind "as if a victim prepared for sacrifice" being The Usurpation of Richard III by Mancini [originally in Latin].

31:28. Describing how Edward and his brother "being withdrawn into the inner apartments of the Tower proper"; the programme assumes the Tower proper is the White Tower i.e. Keep . Also The Usurpation of Richard III by Mancini [originally in Latin]. Mancini makes no mention of a "24 hour guard" being placed over them. However, the Croyland Chronicle has: "In the meantime, and while these things were going on, the two sons of king Edward before-named remained in the Tower of London, in the custody of certain persons appointed for that purpose."

36:00. Discovery of bones in the White Tower: "Witnesses reported there was velvet in the chest". Alison Weir states "the bones were discovered with pieces of rag and velvet about them" but doesn't quote a source. The programme then refers to an entry for the 17th of August 1481 in the The Wardrobe Accounts of King Edward IV in which "velvet" is provided for the Princes.

37:00. Bones analysis. No sources found. Analysis based on 'average', 'typical'. Programme refers to the Prince's father King Edward IV being "very tall". See Chronicle of Jean Molinet Chapter 94: "a very elegant figure, tall and upright". But then his brother King Richard III wasn't?

43:55. The History of King Richard the Third by Thomas More: "that within a while, smothered and stifled, their breath failing, they gave up to God their innocent souls into the joys of heaven".

50:31. Tyrrell's Confession. The History of King Richard the Third by Thomas More: "both Dighton and he were examined and confessed the murder in manner above written, but to where the bodies were removed, they could nothing tell".

51:12. King Henry VII's and Queen Elizabeth's movements in 1502. "at the Tower 27th April to 2nd May". Chamber Books:

Item the 29 day of May to Lewes Waltier for conveyeng the Queen in her Barge with 21 Rowers from Greenwich to the Tower the 27 day of April

Item the 2 day of May conveyeng the Queen from the Tower to Greenwich with 21 Rowers.

52:30. Queen Elizabeth visits her sister. Chamber Books¹: "Item the 3rd day of May to the Queen's purse by the hands of Henry Pole at Greenwich 10s. Item to John Williams, Thomas Nelmes, Hugh Dolbyn, Edward Davy and John Fitzwilliams to every of them 3s 4d in Reward for geuyng attendance at the house of the duchess of Suffolk at Stebenhith [Stepney] 16s 8d Elysabeth". [Note. Queen Elizabeth's aunt Elizabeth, Duchess Suffolk, 1444-1503, sister of Kings Edward IV and Richard III.]

55:39. Professor Tim Thornton. Letter from Thomas More. See The English Correspondence of Sir Thomas More:

13. Knight, More, Wilsher, Sampson, Hannibal, Hewsten to Wolsey. Bruges, 1 October 1515: "sent unto your Grace by M. Forest,"

77. To Wolsey. Woking, 5 July [1519] To My Lord Legate's Grace: "that yesternight the King's Grace commanded me to deliver unto your servant Forest".

57.32. Will of Margaret Capell nee Arundel, sister of James Tyrrell's wife Anne Arundel: "also I bequeath to son Sir Giles his father's chain which was young King Edward V's".

Note 1. The Chamber Books also contain numerous references to Sir William Capell including "Item to Sir William Capell knight for money by him lent to the Queen's grace £100".