Thomas Trahern (officer of arms)
Encyclopedia
Thomas Trahern was Somerset Herald
, an English officer of arms
. His murder was a setback to Anglo-Scottish relations.
, who was implicated in the pro-Catholic rebellion called the Pilgrimage of Grace
. He met Darcy at Templehurst, near Selby
on 14 November 1536 accompanied by Henry Ray, Berwick Pursuivant
. Though this meeting was conciliatory, Darcy was subsequently executed. With the other heralds and pursuivants, Thomas attended the funeral of Jane Seymour
on Monday 12 November 1537. In August 1538 he was at the assize at York that condemned Thomas Millar or Milner, former Lancaster Herald
. Millar's crime was his submission to Robert Aske
leader of the Pilgrimage of Grace at Pontefract
on 13 October 1536.
sent Thomas to James V of Scotland
from Sir Robert Tyrwhitt's house at Kettleby
in Lincolnshire. Thomas was killed near Dunbar
while returning to England from Edinburgh on 25 November 1542. He was accompanied by Henry Ray and the Scottish Dingwall Pursuivant
. Although Ray stated the murderers were three English fugitives, John Prestman, William Leech of Fulletby
, bailiff of Louth
, and his brother Edward, veterans of the Pilgrimage of Grace, Henry VIII
treated his death in Scotland as a diplomatic incident and blamed James V of Scotland. Henry Ray provided a statement;
Traherne was buried in the parish church of Dunbar by Sir James Hamilton of Innerwick
. Prestman and Leech sought sanctuary
, but were imprisoned in Edinburgh Castle
and on 28 February 1543 sent to London for execution. William Leech was hanged at Tyburn
on 8 May 1543, and his two companions suffered on 12 June. A later 16th-century English chronicle suggested that the distress caused by Trahern's murder contributed to the final illness of James V of Scotland.
Thomas Traherne's own coat-of-arms, including a chevron and three sable herons, shows that he was a member of a Glamorgan
family.
Somerset Herald
Somerset Herald of Arms in Ordinary is an officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. In the year 1448 Somerset Herald is known to have served the Duke of Somerset, but by the time of the coronation of King Henry VII in 1485 his successor appears to have been raised to the rank of a royal...
, an English officer of arms
Officer of arms
An officer of arms is a person appointed by a sovereign or state with authority to perform one or more of the following functions:*to control and initiate armorial matters*to arrange and participate in ceremonies of state...
. His murder was a setback to Anglo-Scottish relations.
Prelude
In 1536 Trahern was made Somerset Herald. One of his early missions was to interview Thomas DarcyThomas Darcy, 1st Baron Darcy de Darcy
Thomas Darcy, 1st Baron Darcy de Darcy , was an English statesman and rebel leader, who was executed for his part in an English rebellion known as the Pilgrimage of Grace.-Origins:...
, who was implicated in the pro-Catholic rebellion called the Pilgrimage of Grace
Pilgrimage of Grace
The Pilgrimage of Grace was a popular rising in York, Yorkshire during 1536, in protest against Henry VIII's break with the Roman Catholic Church and the Dissolution of the Monasteries, as well as other specific political, social and economic grievances. It was done in action against Thomas Cromwell...
. He met Darcy at Templehurst, near Selby
Selby
Selby is a town and civil parish in North Yorkshire, England. Situated south of the city of York, along the course of the River Ouse, Selby is the largest and, with a population of 13,012, most populous settlement of the wider Selby local government district.Historically a part of the West Riding...
on 14 November 1536 accompanied by Henry Ray, Berwick Pursuivant
Berwick Pursuivant
Berwick Pursuivant of Arms in Ordinary was a British office of arms created around 1460 for English service on the Scottish Marches based at Berwick-upon-Tweed...
. Though this meeting was conciliatory, Darcy was subsequently executed. With the other heralds and pursuivants, Thomas attended the funeral of Jane Seymour
Jane Seymour
Jane Seymour was Queen of England as the third wife of King Henry VIII. She succeeded Anne Boleyn as queen consort following the latter's execution for trumped up charges of high treason, incest and adultery in May 1536. She died of postnatal complications less than two weeks after the birth of...
on Monday 12 November 1537. In August 1538 he was at the assize at York that condemned Thomas Millar or Milner, former Lancaster Herald
Lancaster Herald
Lancaster Herald of Arms in Ordinary is an English officer of arms at the College of Arms in London. The title of Lancaster Herald first occurs in 1347 at Calais, and to begin with this officer was a servant to the noble house of Lancaster...
. Millar's crime was his submission to Robert Aske
Robert Aske (political leader)
Robert Aske was an English lawyer who became the leader of rebellion in York. He led the Pilgrimage of Grace in 1536 and was executed by Henry VIII for treason in 1537.-Biography:...
leader of the Pilgrimage of Grace at Pontefract
Pontefract
Pontefract is an historic market town in West Yorkshire, England. Traditionally in the West Riding, near the A1 , the M62 motorway and Castleford. It is one of the five towns in the metropolitan borough of the City of Wakefield and has a population of 28,250...
on 13 October 1536.
Sequel
On 12 November 1542, the Earl of HertfordEdward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset
Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset, 1st Earl of Hertford, 1st Viscount Beauchamp of Hache, KG, Earl Marshal was Lord Protector of England in the period between the death of Henry VIII in 1547 and his own indictment in 1549....
sent Thomas to James V of Scotland
James V of Scotland
James V was King of Scots from 9 September 1513 until his death, which followed the Scottish defeat at the Battle of Solway Moss...
from Sir Robert Tyrwhitt's house at Kettleby
Wrawby
Wrawby is a small village in North Lincolnshire east of Brigg and close to Humberside Airport on the A18. It is most notable for Wrawby Postmill....
in Lincolnshire. Thomas was killed near Dunbar
Dunbar
Dunbar is a town in East Lothian on the southeast coast of Scotland, approximately 28 miles east of Edinburgh and 28 miles from the English Border at Berwick-upon-Tweed....
while returning to England from Edinburgh on 25 November 1542. He was accompanied by Henry Ray and the Scottish Dingwall Pursuivant
Dingwall Pursuivant
Dingwall Pursuivant of Arms is a current Scottish pursuivant of arms of the Court of the Lord Lyon.Dingwall Pursuivant was formerly a private officer of arms in the service of the Lord of the Isles, but along with Kintyre Pursuivant, Ross Herald, and Islay Herald became an officer of arms to the...
. Although Ray stated the murderers were three English fugitives, John Prestman, William Leech of Fulletby
Fulletby
Fulletby is a village and a civil parish in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. It lies in the Lincolnshire Wolds, northeast of Horncastle, south of Louth and northwest of Spilsby. The parish covers about .- History :...
, bailiff of Louth
Louth, Lincolnshire
Louth is a market town and civil parish within the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England.-Geography:Known as the "capital of the Lincolnshire Wolds", it is situated where the ancient trackway Barton Street crosses the River Lud, and has a total resident population of 15,930.The Greenwich...
, and his brother Edward, veterans of the Pilgrimage of Grace, Henry VIII
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
treated his death in Scotland as a diplomatic incident and blamed James V of Scotland. Henry Ray provided a statement;
"And then there came riding two men of horsbakk, and oon on fote with them, and overrode me the said Barwik and Scottishe pursivaunte, and ranne to Somersett, withoute speaking anye oon worde unto hyme. And oon of thies strange men ranne the said Somersett thorowe with a launce staffLanceA Lance is a pole weapon or spear designed to be used by a mounted warrior. The lance is longer, stout and heavier than an infantry spear, and unsuited for throwing, or for rapid thrusting. Lances did not have tips designed to intentionally break off or bend, unlike many throwing weapons of the...
by hynd him, and oon other did strike hym to the harte with a dagger, and the thirde stroke the said Somersettis boye on the face with his sword.
Traherne was buried in the parish church of Dunbar by Sir James Hamilton of Innerwick
Innerwick
Innerwick is a coastal civil parish and small village, which lies in the east of East Lothian, from Dunbar and approximately from Edinburgh....
. Prestman and Leech sought sanctuary
Right of asylum
Right of asylum is an ancient juridical notion, under which a person persecuted for political opinions or religious beliefs in his or her own country may be protected by another sovereign authority, a foreign country, or church sanctuaries...
, but were imprisoned in Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle
Edinburgh Castle is a fortress which dominates the skyline of the city of Edinburgh, Scotland, from its position atop the volcanic Castle Rock. Human habitation of the site is dated back as far as the 9th century BC, although the nature of early settlement is unclear...
and on 28 February 1543 sent to London for execution. William Leech was hanged at Tyburn
Tyburn
Tyburn is a former village just outside the then boundaries of London that was best known as a place of public execution.Tyburn may also refer to:* Tyburn , river and historical water source in London...
on 8 May 1543, and his two companions suffered on 12 June. A later 16th-century English chronicle suggested that the distress caused by Trahern's murder contributed to the final illness of James V of Scotland.
Thomas Traherne's own coat-of-arms, including a chevron and three sable herons, shows that he was a member of a Glamorgan
Glamorgan
Glamorgan or Glamorganshire is one of the thirteen historic counties and a former administrative county of Wales. It was originally an early medieval kingdom of varying boundaries known as Glywysing until taken over by the Normans as a lordship. Glamorgan is latterly represented by the three...
family.