Two books closely related to
the history of Blackmore have recently been purchased for the Library of the
Essex Society for Archaeology and History. ‘Bessie Blount, Mistress of Henry
VIII’ (told in the title of the book by Elizabeth Norton), a lady in the
retinue of Catherine of Aragon, was sent in confinement to Blackmore Priory in
1519 where in the neighbouring house she bore his child, Henry Fitzroy (told in
‘Bastard Prince. Henry VIII’s Lost Son’ by Beverley A. Murphy).
This note
unravels the research and establishes whether Henry VIII may have really “gone
to Jericho”.
According to
Beverley Murphy, the King’s affair with Elizabeth may have been brief and began
following the pregnancy of Catherine in April 1518. “It is a sad irony that
Katherine’s happy condition was probably the impetus for her husband to seek
solace in the arms of Elizabeth Blount” (Murphy, 27). Elizabeth Norton disagrees, because as early
as autumn 1514 Bessie had met the King: “without the birth of Henry Fitzroy,
Bessie’s own affair would have probably gone unrecorded” (Norton, 119). The birth date of Henry Fitzroy is unclear
other than he was six years of age in June 1525. About the time that Bessie was to become
visibly pregnant Thomas Wolsey discreetly dispatched her to Jericho House in Blackmore,
the home of the prior Thomas Goodwyn (Murphy, 30). “Bessie made her final appearance at court
early in October 1518” (Norton, 131).
Wolsey was
charged with taking an active interest in Henry’s illegitimate child: Blackmore
was “sufficiently quiet not to rouse unwelcome gossip” (Norton, 133). Henry
VIII is alleged to have been a frequent visitor to Jericho House and is said to
have given orders not to be disturbed hence the expression used in Court, “He
has gone to Jericho”. This has entered into local folklore fuelled by Philip
Morant who used these words in his ‘History of Essex’ (1768) adding that the
Priory was one of the King’s “Houses of Pleasure”. Subsequently historians have suggested that
Blackmore Priory was dissolved in 1527 because of its immoral goings-on. From
“the records of the dissolution … it does appear that the prior was somewhat
more worldly than he should have been” (Norton, 134): its debts ran to one
third of the annual income. But then if
a future King lived there perhaps the debts were with some justification?
Henry VIII
may have visited Elizabeth at Blackmore, contrary to the view expressed by
Murphy. Bessie certainly did not resume her duties following the birth of
Fitzroy (Murphy, 31) and there is no record of the King staying overnight
(Norton, 134). But this should not suggest the King had nothing further to do
with Bessie. Blackmore is relatively
close to Newhall, Chelmsford, which was renamed Beaulieu in 1523, from where
the King “set out to visit her. This is once again evidence that Bessie’s
departure from court was not the end of the affair between her and the King”
(Norton, 134). It is possible that she later had a daughter by the King around
1520 (Norton, 139) perhaps conceived in Blackmore (Norton, 151). Fitzroy’s
biographer disagrees (Murphy, 32).
The King was
delighted with the news of the birth of a son and whilst in Essex that summer
might have held a formal celebration at the manor of Havering-atte-Bower
(Murphy, 31). Cardinal Wolsey was named
the child’s godparent, as he had been for his half-sister Mary, the only
surviving child born of Queen Catherine, some three and a half years earlier. Although
no christening records survive Wolsey’s absence from Court from 19 June to 29
June 1519 may have been due to his attendance at Fitzroy’s baptism probably at
Blackmore. Could the font have been the
place where the ceremony quietly took place?
Bessie
Blount was married off to Gilbert Tailbois (or Tailboys), who hailed from a
rich Lincolnshire family. This may not
have happened as quickly as historians have suggested: the first record of
marriage is recorded in June 1522 (Murphy, 33; Norton, 139). They may have
married in April 1522 because “the king began to be conspicuously generous to
Gilbert Tailboys” (Norton, 141).
Historians are again divided
as to whether Bessie had any involvement in Fitzroy’s upbringing. Her
biographer suggests “it seems probable that she would have retained custody of
her son … perhaps playing a part in raising both Henry Fitzroy and Elizabeth
Tailboys until her marriage in 1522” (Norton, 151).
Much admired and spoilt by
Henry VIII, Henry Fitzroy was, by the age of six, created Duke of Richmond with
the titles Earl of Nottingham and Duke of Somerset. This placed Henry Fitzroy
in an honoured position because the title held precedence over all other Dukes
except potential legitimate sons of the King. By doing so, Henry VIII had
elevated his son’s position in society such that he would be a more eligible
bachelor. By the age of eight Henry Fitzroy was Admiral of England, Ireland and
Normandy but died in 1536, aged seventeen of tuberculosis. He was buried at
Thetford Priory. Had he survived the
course of English history could have changed and Fitzroy crowned Henry IX.
Andrew Smith
Principal Sources:
Murphy, Beverley. A.. Bastard
Prince. Henry VIII’s Lost Son (Sutton Publishing, 2001)
Norton, Elizabeth. Bessie
Blount. Mistress to Henry VIII (Amberley, 2011)
