Henry Bedingfeld
Encyclopedia
Sir Henry Bedingfeld of Oxburgh Hall
, King's Lynn
, Norfolk
,
was the eldest son of Edmund Bedingfeld (1479/80-1553) and his wife, Grace (d. in or after 1553), the daughter of Henry, first Baron Marney.
and Ursula Heydon (dau. of Sir Christopher Heydon m. Anne Drury).
; knight of the shire for Norfolk; Constable of the Tower of London
; 1555 lieutenant of the Tower and captain of the guard; 1557 vice-chamberlain of the household of Mary I.
After the death of King Edward VI, in 1553, Sir Henry Bedingfeld, and Sir Henry Jerningham (grandfather of the 1st Baronet Jerningham
) were the two most instrumental supporters with placing Mary Tudor on the throne; arriving at her aid with 140 well-armed men.
After this event, "Bedingfeld proclaimed the queen at Norwich, he was afterwards rewarded for his loyalty with an annual pension of 100 pounds out of the forfeited estates of Sir Thomas Wyatt; made a Privy Councillor by Mary I and Knight Marshal
of her army, and, subsequently Lieutenant of the Tower of London."
While he held the post of Constable of the tower of London, he was employed in the same capacity as his father had been with Katherine of Aragon, and was entrusted with the care of Queen Elizabeth I, at Woodstock Palace
.
Bedingfeld's care of Elizabeth I during this period, has been the subject of controversy.
After Elizabeth's accession to the throne in 1559, she would address Sir Henry Bedingfeld at court as "Her Gaoler", however, the following sheds a flood of light, on the truth of this matter, that suggests that this term was in all probability, applied loosely, and in good spirit. Further to this, The contemporaneous evidence that has been published by the Norfolk and Norwich Archæological Society, suggests that conduct of Elizabeth's 'Jaioler,' was more in alignment with that of a true gentleman.
Moreover:
"Following Wyatts rebellion, Mary I appointed Sir Henry Bedingfeld custodian of Elizabeth, when that princess was confined in the Tower and at Woodstock, on suspicion of being concerned in Wyatt's rebellion; and so little did Elizabeth resent his severity during the time of her imprisonment, that after her accession, she addressed him as her "trusty and well-beloved," employed him in her service, and granted to him the manor of Caldecot in Norfolk, which still forms part of the Oxburgh estate at the present day. "
"He was undoubtedly one of the foremost Englishmen of his day, respected by two sovereigns, and occupying prominent and honourable positions, his loyalty being unimpeachable; yet Foxe, the martyrologist, with his wonted dishonesty, has without the slightest foundation, and so effectually, blackened his fame, that almost every subsequent writer on this period has reproduced the calumnies set forth with malice prepense in the Acts and Monuments. John Strype
was the first unquestioning copyist of Foxe; Burnet was the second; and Sir Reginald Hennell is the most recent."
It will be clear from the above, that Sir Henry Bedingfeld's reputation has suffered from the proliferation of misconceptions, concerning his care of Queen Elizabeth I.
Bedingfeld's dear friend and fellow Privy Council
lor was Sir Henry Jerningham, and together they shared a mutual friendship with another fellow privy counsillor and secretary of State
during the reign of Mary I, Sir John Bourne.
The Bedingfelds were also closely connected to the ancient family of Beaupre
, of Beaupre Hall
Outwell/Upwell, Norfolk.
Oxburgh Hall
Oxburgh Hall is a moated country house in Oxborough, Norfolk, England, today in the hands of the National Trust. Built around 1482 by Sir Edmund Bedingfeld, Oxburgh has always been a family home, not a fortress...
, King's Lynn
King's Lynn
King's Lynn is a sea port and market town in the ceremonial county of Norfolk in the East of England. It is situated north of London and west of Norwich. The population of the town is 42,800....
, Norfolk
Norfolk
Norfolk is a low-lying county in the East of England. It has borders with Lincolnshire to the west, Cambridgeshire to the west and southwest and Suffolk to the south. Its northern and eastern boundaries are the North Sea coast and to the north-west the county is bordered by The Wash. The county...
,
was the eldest son of Edmund Bedingfeld (1479/80-1553) and his wife, Grace (d. in or after 1553), the daughter of Henry, first Baron Marney.
Marriage
Bedingfeld married Katherine (d. 1581), the daughter of Sir Roger Townshend of Raynham, NorfolkRaynham, Norfolk
Raynham is a civil parish in the English county of Norfolk, consisting of the villages of South, East and West Raynham.It covers an area of and had a population of 257 in 113 households as of the 2001 census....
and Ursula Heydon (dau. of Sir Christopher Heydon m. Anne Drury).
Career
Bedingfeld held various posts, including, privy councillor to King Edward VI and Queen Mary IMary I of England
Mary I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from July 1553 until her death.She was the only surviving child born of the ill-fated marriage of Henry VIII and his first wife Catherine of Aragon. Her younger half-brother, Edward VI, succeeded Henry in 1547...
; knight of the shire for Norfolk; Constable of the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
; 1555 lieutenant of the Tower and captain of the guard; 1557 vice-chamberlain of the household of Mary I.
After the death of King Edward VI, in 1553, Sir Henry Bedingfeld, and Sir Henry Jerningham (grandfather of the 1st Baronet Jerningham
Jerningham Baronets
The Jerningham Baronetcy, of Cossey in the County of Norfolk, was a title in the Baronetage of England. It was created on 16 August 1621 for Henry Jerningham. The fifth Baronet married Mary, only daughter of Mary Plowden, sister of John Paul Stafford-Howard, 4th Earl of Stafford and de jure 5th...
) were the two most instrumental supporters with placing Mary Tudor on the throne; arriving at her aid with 140 well-armed men.
After this event, "Bedingfeld proclaimed the queen at Norwich, he was afterwards rewarded for his loyalty with an annual pension of 100 pounds out of the forfeited estates of Sir Thomas Wyatt; made a Privy Councillor by Mary I and Knight Marshal
Knight Marshal
The Knight Marshal is a former office in the British Royal Household established by King Henry III in 1236. The position later became a Deputy to the Earl Marshal from the reign of Henry VIII until the office was abolished in 1846 ....
of her army, and, subsequently Lieutenant of the Tower of London."
While he held the post of Constable of the tower of London, he was employed in the same capacity as his father had been with Katherine of Aragon, and was entrusted with the care of Queen Elizabeth I, at Woodstock Palace
Woodstock Palace
Woodstock Palace was a royal residence in the English town of Woodstock, Oxfordshire.Henry I of England built a hunting lodge here and in 1129 he built seven miles of walls to create the first enclosed park, where lions and leopards were kept. The lodge became a palace under Henry's grandson, Henry...
.
Bedingfeld's care of Elizabeth I during this period, has been the subject of controversy.
After Elizabeth's accession to the throne in 1559, she would address Sir Henry Bedingfeld at court as "Her Gaoler", however, the following sheds a flood of light, on the truth of this matter, that suggests that this term was in all probability, applied loosely, and in good spirit. Further to this, The contemporaneous evidence that has been published by the Norfolk and Norwich Archæological Society, suggests that conduct of Elizabeth's 'Jaioler,' was more in alignment with that of a true gentleman.
Moreover:
"Following Wyatts rebellion, Mary I appointed Sir Henry Bedingfeld custodian of Elizabeth, when that princess was confined in the Tower and at Woodstock, on suspicion of being concerned in Wyatt's rebellion; and so little did Elizabeth resent his severity during the time of her imprisonment, that after her accession, she addressed him as her "trusty and well-beloved," employed him in her service, and granted to him the manor of Caldecot in Norfolk, which still forms part of the Oxburgh estate at the present day. "
"He was undoubtedly one of the foremost Englishmen of his day, respected by two sovereigns, and occupying prominent and honourable positions, his loyalty being unimpeachable; yet Foxe, the martyrologist, with his wonted dishonesty, has without the slightest foundation, and so effectually, blackened his fame, that almost every subsequent writer on this period has reproduced the calumnies set forth with malice prepense in the Acts and Monuments. John Strype
John Strype
John Strype was an English historian and biographer. He was a cousin of Robert Knox, a famous sailor.Born in Houndsditch, London, he was the son of John Strype, or van Stryp, a member of a Huguenot family whom, in order to escape religious persecution within Brabant, had settled in East London...
was the first unquestioning copyist of Foxe; Burnet was the second; and Sir Reginald Hennell is the most recent."
It will be clear from the above, that Sir Henry Bedingfeld's reputation has suffered from the proliferation of misconceptions, concerning his care of Queen Elizabeth I.
Bedingfeld's dear friend and fellow Privy Council
Privy council
A privy council is a body that advises the head of state of a nation, typically, but not always, in the context of a monarchic government. The word "privy" means "private" or "secret"; thus, a privy council was originally a committee of the monarch's closest advisors to give confidential advice on...
lor was Sir Henry Jerningham, and together they shared a mutual friendship with another fellow privy counsillor and secretary of State
Secretary of State
Secretary of State or State Secretary is a commonly used title for a senior or mid-level post in governments around the world. The role varies between countries, and in some cases there are multiple Secretaries of State in the Government....
during the reign of Mary I, Sir John Bourne.
The Bedingfelds were also closely connected to the ancient family of Beaupre
Beaupre
Beaupre is a primarily Catholic family that lives mostly in northern New England and Michigan.The history of the Beaupre family can be accurately traced to about AD 1045 to 1050...
, of Beaupre Hall
Beaupré Hall
Beaupré Hall was a large 16th century house mainly of brick, which was built by the Beaupres in Outwell, Norfolk, England and enlarged by their successors the Bells. - shown on this . like many of Britains's country houses it was demolished in the mid-twentieth century.-History of the Hall:The...
Outwell/Upwell, Norfolk.
Sources
- William Joseph Sheils, ‘Bedingfield family (per. 1476-1760)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004 [accessed 5 June 2005: http://www.oxforddnb.com/view/article/76392]
- Ann Weikel, ‘Bedingfeld , Sir Henry (1509x11-1583)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, Oxford University Press, 2004
- J. M., Stone Studies From Court and Cloister, Essays Historical and Literary, pb. 1908 London and Edinburgh sands and company St Louis, MO.