Biography of Richard Grey 3rd Earl Kent 1481-1524

Collectanea by John Leland. [11th May 1509] First there came Twoe Herauds in their Cotearmours unto the Duke of Buckingham (age 31), beinge Chiefe Mourner, kneelinge at the West End of the Herse, goinge before him, frome the Herse unto the Place where the Archeb. stoode to take the Offeringe; where he, representinge the Kyngs Person, offered a Testiament of Golde: Which done the said Herauds conveyed him againe to the Place he came frome. Then the said Herauds came in like Manner unto the Earle of Arondell (age 59) and unto the Earle of Northumberland (age 31), and conveyed them unto a Knight which stoode before the Herse, holdinge the Kyngs Cotearmoure. Of whom the said Herauds received the said Cotearmour, and delivered it to the said Twoe Earles; which solempnly bearinge the said Cotearmour betwene them offered it up unto the said Archeb. with great Reverence; the which he received and delivered unto a Bisshop, which delivered it over unto an Heraude standinge even by them on the South Side of the Church; which done the said Herauds conveyed the Twoe Earles againe unto theire Places. Then the said Herauds came in likewise unto the Earle of Shrewssberie (age 41) and unto the Earle of Surrey (age 66), and conveyed them unto a Knight which stoode before the said Herse, holdinge the Kyngs Sheild crowned; of whome the said Herauds received the said Shielde, and delivered it unto the said Earles; which solempnly bearinge it betwene them offered it in lyke Manner unto the ArcheBisshop; the which he received and delivered it to a Bisshop, by whome it was delivered unto an Heraude, there standinge on the South Syde beneath the other Herauds which helde the Cotearmour: And then the said Herauds conveyed the said Earles againe unto their Places. After this they went unto the [his half-brother] Earle of Essex and to the Earle of Kent (age 28), and conveyed them unto a Knight holdinge a goodlie riche Sworde before the Herse, which the said Herauds received of the said Knyght and delivered unto the said Earles: And soe they holdinge the said Sworde betwene them, offered it up unto the ArcheBisshop in like Manner; which was also delivered unto an other Heraude standinge in Order beneath the other Twoe Herauds which helde the Cotearmour and the Shielde. Which, done the said Herauds convey’d the said Twoe Earles into theire owne Places. And then the said Twoe Herauds came unto the Earle of Derbie (age 24) and unto the Earle of Arran (age 34), otherwise called the Scottishe Lorde, which in like Manner conveyed them unto a Knight holdinge the Kings Helmett crowned, to whome was made like deliverie; which they offered in like Manner, and was delivered to another Heraude, and they conveyed unto theire owne Places againe. After this there came ryding the Second Son of th Earle of Surrey, called Sir Edward Howarde (age 33), armed in complete Harnes (his Helmet except) upon a goodlie Courser, trapped in Black Velvet, with the Armes of England embrothered upon the same, which rode unto the Railes of the said Herse, where he did alight; whome the said Herauds incontinent received; whose Horse was ymediatly delivered unto a Servant of the Abbotts of Westminfter. And the said Knight going betwene the Earle of Essex and the Earle of Kent was presented unto the Archebisshop: Which done, the said Knight was conveyed by Twoe Monkes of the said Abbey into the Revestrie, where he was unarmed, and the said Two Earles again conveyed into theire owne Places. And afrer the said Knight came in a Black Gowne, and offered amonge the other Knights. This done the said Two Herauds came againe unto the Duke of Buck. goinge before him to the Archebishop, where he offered againe for himselfe. After whome the other Earles offered in theire Order. Then came the Bisshops and Abbotts, and offered in theire Order; the Bisshops goinge unto the Alter, and there makinge theire Offeringe, and the Abbotts goinge unto the Archeb. kissinge his Hande, and takinge his Blessinge. After whome came the Lords and Barrons, makinge their Offeringe everie Man in Degree. And in the meane while Twoe Herauds came againe unto the said Duke of Buck. and to the Earles, and conveyed them into the Revestrie, where they did receive certen Palles, which everie of them did bringe solempnly betwene theire Hands, and comminge in Order one before another, as they were in Degree, unto the said Herse, they kissed theire said Palles, and delivered them unto the said Heraudes, which lalde them uppon the Kyngs Corps, in this Manner: The Palle which was first offered by the Duke of Buck. was laid on length on the said Corps, and the Residewe were laid acrosse, as thick as they might lie. Which Palles were offered in the Manner aforesaid, in Token of their Homage which they of Dutie ought to doe unto the Kinge. And after the saide Lords and Barrons had made theire Offeringe, then foliowed the Chapleins of Dignitie and the Grey Amezes of the Kinges Chappell, whome foliowed Knights and Gentlemen, everie Man in his Degree. After the which Offeringe and the said Masse ended, a Knight called Edmond Carewe (age 43) came unto the Second Stepp of the Highe Alter, bearinge in his Hand the Kings great Banner, which he offered up unto the Archebisshop, and Sir Edward Darrece (age 43) his Standerd. Which done, the Bisshop of London inade a noble Sermon. And after the said Sermon ended, incontinente the Archebisshopps, Bisshopps, and Abbotts went unto the Herse. At whose Coomminge the Palles and the iiij Banners of the Kings Avowries were carried away by Twoe Monks. Which done, the Picture was taken from the Herse, and borne unto Sr. Edwards Shrine, the Kyngs Chappell, singinge this Anthem, Circum dederunt me genitus mortis [The sorrows of death have compassed me, Psalm 17, 5-6]. And then the said Corps was incensed, and ali the Royal Ornaments taken fome the said Corps, soe that everie Man might see the said Corps cofferd in a Coffin of Bordes, which was covered over with Black Velvett, havinge a Crosse of Whyte Satten from the one End of the said Coffyn unto the other; within the which Coffiyn the verie Corps of the Kynge lay enclosed in Lead. Upon the which Lead was written, in great Lettres chafed, Hic jacet Rex Henricns Septimus [Here lies King Henry VII]. And soe the said Corps was laid into the Vaught with great reverence by the noble Queen Elizabeth his Wyfe; whome incontinent ali the Archebishops, Bisshops, and Abbotts settinge theire Crosses upon the said Corps assoiled, in most solempn Manner sayinge this Collett (Absolvimus). Which done the said Archebishop did cast Earth uppon the said Corps. And then my Lord Treasorer and my Loyd Steward did breake theire Staves, and did cast them into the Vaught; and the other Hed Officers did cast theire Staves in, all whole. Which done the Vaught was closed, and a goodlie riche Pall of Clothe of Golde laide upon the saide Herse. And incontinent ali the Herauds did of theire Cotearmour, and did hange them uppon the Rayles of the Herse; cryinge lamentably in French, The noble King Henry the Seaventh is deade. And as soone as they had so done, everie Heraud putt on his Cotearmour againe, and cryed with a loude Voyce, Vive le noble Roy Henry le VIIIth; which is to say in Englishe Tonge, God send the noble Kynge Henry the Eight longe Lyfe. Amen.