William Coffin (courtier)
Encyclopedia
Sir William Coffin was a courtier
at the court of Henry VIII of England
.
Born at Portledge
about 1495 into an ancient Devon family, he was the younger brother of Sir Richard Coffin, who was Lord of the Manor
of Alwington and High Sheriff of Devon
in the late 15th century.
Sir William lived during the reign of Henry VIII, and was often seen at his court. He joined Henry VIII's household about 1515 as courtier
and gentleman of the Privy chamber
, a post of great confidence and trust. There were 40 of these, and their duty was to wait on the king in public and private; they were all knights or esquires of distinction, and the attendance of two was required at each meal, to help and serve the king; they had also to sleep within call of the king at night.
In 1519, Sir William Coffin joined King Henry in the tournament of Guesnes, Field of the Cloth of Gold
, as one of His Majesty's eighteen favourites. After Anne Boleyn's beheading, Sir William continued to serve in the king's Privy chamber
and attendant to His Majesty; serving the King's third wife, Jane Seymour, just as he had served Queen Anne.
In 1529 he became a MP for Derbyshire
, having acquired a connection with that county through his marriage to Margaret Dymoke, the daughter of the Hereditary Royal Champion, Sir Robert Dymoke of Scrivelsby, Lincolnshire; sister of Sir Edward Dymoke; and the widow since 1517 of Sir Richard Vernon of Haddon Hall. In 1531 he was appointed High Sheriff of Derbyshire
He was Master of the Horse at the coronation of Anne Boleyn
in 1533, when the king knighted him.
Eric Ives
described Coffin as a professional household administrator, actively concerned with the staffing of his department, and later to serve Jane Seymour in the same capacity.
of Scrivelsby was left a wealthy widow by the death of her first husband, Henry VIII urged her to marry Sir William Coffin. Margaret had attended Catalina of Aragon at the Field of the Cloth of Gold
in 1519 and was at court with Sir William, her second husband. Margaret was one of the gentlewomen sent to wait (and spy) upon Anne Boleyn in the Tower. Some accounts give the name as "Mistress Cosyns" but this is a mistake for Coffin (presumably the confusion was caused by the use of the long "S"). In Jane Seymour’s household, Margaret was a lady of the bedchamber. Shortly after Sir William Coffin's death in December, 1538, she married Sir Richard Manners of Garendon, Leicestershire.
In 1536, five women were appointed to serve Queen Anne in the Tower of London
, reporting back to William Kingston
, Lieutenant of the Tower, and through him to Thomas Cromwell, all that the Queen said. Margaret Coffin was one of them. The others included Anne Shelton
, the sister of Thomas Boleyn. Lady Shelton had been entrusted with the care of Princess Mary
and Princess Elizabeth
, but perhaps fell out with Anne during Henry VIII's affair with Anne's first cousin and Lady Shelton's daughter, Mary Shelton
. The other women to attend Anne were Lady Kingston, wife of the Lieutenant of the Tower and Elizabeth Stoner
, wife of the King's sergeant-at arms, Anne's aunt, Elizabeth Boleyn, Lady Boleyn
and 'Mother of the Maids', the woman with responsibility for the young female attendants.
Kingston described the five as honest and good women but Anne said that it was a great unkindness in the King to set such about me as I have never loved.
Courtier
A courtier is a person who is often in attendance at the court of a king or other royal personage. Historically the court was the centre of government as well as the residence of the monarch, and social and political life were often completely mixed together...
at the court of Henry VIII of England
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...
.
Born at Portledge
Portledge Manor
Portledge Manor is an English manor house in Devon, England, southwest of Bideford. It and the land surrounding it belonged to the Coffin family, a noble family of Norman origin, for almost 1000 years.-History:...
about 1495 into an ancient Devon family, he was the younger brother of Sir Richard Coffin, who was Lord of the Manor
Lord of the Manor
The Lordship of a Manor is recognised today in England and Wales as a form of property and one of three elements of a manor that may exist separately or be combined and may be held in moieties...
of Alwington and High Sheriff of Devon
High Sheriff of Devon
The High Sheriff of Devon is the Queen's representative for the County of Devon, a territory known as his bailiwick. Selected from three nominated people, he holds his office over the duration of a year. He has judicial, ceremonial and administrative functions and executes High Court...
in the late 15th century.
Sir William lived during the reign of Henry VIII, and was often seen at his court. He joined Henry VIII's household about 1515 as courtier
Courtier
A courtier is a person who is often in attendance at the court of a king or other royal personage. Historically the court was the centre of government as well as the residence of the monarch, and social and political life were often completely mixed together...
and gentleman of the Privy chamber
Privy chamber
A Privy chamber was the private apartment of a royal residence in England. The gentlemen of the Privy chamber were servants to the Crown who would wait and attend on the King and Queen at court during their various activities, functions and entertainments....
, a post of great confidence and trust. There were 40 of these, and their duty was to wait on the king in public and private; they were all knights or esquires of distinction, and the attendance of two was required at each meal, to help and serve the king; they had also to sleep within call of the king at night.
In 1519, Sir William Coffin joined King Henry in the tournament of Guesnes, Field of the Cloth of Gold
Field of the Cloth of Gold
The Field of Cloth of Gold is the name given to a place in Balinghem, between Guînes and Ardres, in France, near Calais. It was the site of a meeting that took place from 7 June to 24 June 1520, between King Henry VIII of England and King Francis I of France. The meeting was arranged to increase...
, as one of His Majesty's eighteen favourites. After Anne Boleyn's beheading, Sir William continued to serve in the king's Privy chamber
Privy chamber
A Privy chamber was the private apartment of a royal residence in England. The gentlemen of the Privy chamber were servants to the Crown who would wait and attend on the King and Queen at court during their various activities, functions and entertainments....
and attendant to His Majesty; serving the King's third wife, Jane Seymour, just as he had served Queen Anne.
In 1529 he became a MP for Derbyshire
Derbyshire (UK Parliament constituency)
Derbyshire is a former United Kingdom Parliamentary constituency. It was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of England then of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1707 to 1800 and of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1801 to 1832...
, having acquired a connection with that county through his marriage to Margaret Dymoke, the daughter of the Hereditary Royal Champion, Sir Robert Dymoke of Scrivelsby, Lincolnshire; sister of Sir Edward Dymoke; and the widow since 1517 of Sir Richard Vernon of Haddon Hall. In 1531 he was appointed High Sheriff of Derbyshire
High Sheriff of Derbyshire
This is a list of High Sheriffs of Derbyshire from 1568.The High Sheriff is the oldest secular office under the Crown. Formerly the High Sheriff was the principal law enforcement officer in the county but over the centuries most of the responsibilities associated with the post have been...
He was Master of the Horse at the coronation of Anne Boleyn
Anne Boleyn
Anne Boleyn ;c.1501/1507 – 19 May 1536) was Queen of England from 1533 to 1536 as the second wife of Henry VIII of England and Marquess of Pembroke in her own right. Henry's marriage to Anne, and her subsequent execution, made her a key figure in the political and religious upheaval that was the...
in 1533, when the king knighted him.
Eric Ives
Eric Ives
Eric William Ives, OBE is a British historian and an expert on the Tudor period. He is Emeritus Professor of English History at the University of Birmingham...
described Coffin as a professional household administrator, actively concerned with the staffing of his department, and later to serve Jane Seymour in the same capacity.
His wife Margaret
When Lady Margaret DymokeMargaret Dymoke
Margaret Dymoke was a lady-in-waiting at the court of Henry VIII of England. Her married names were Vernon, Coffin and Manners. She was born around 1500 in Scrivelsby, Lincolnshire, the daughter of Sir Robert Dymoke of Scrivelsby and Anne Sparrow....
of Scrivelsby was left a wealthy widow by the death of her first husband, Henry VIII urged her to marry Sir William Coffin. Margaret had attended Catalina of Aragon at the Field of the Cloth of Gold
Field of the Cloth of Gold
The Field of Cloth of Gold is the name given to a place in Balinghem, between Guînes and Ardres, in France, near Calais. It was the site of a meeting that took place from 7 June to 24 June 1520, between King Henry VIII of England and King Francis I of France. The meeting was arranged to increase...
in 1519 and was at court with Sir William, her second husband. Margaret was one of the gentlewomen sent to wait (and spy) upon Anne Boleyn in the Tower. Some accounts give the name as "Mistress Cosyns" but this is a mistake for Coffin (presumably the confusion was caused by the use of the long "S"). In Jane Seymour’s household, Margaret was a lady of the bedchamber. Shortly after Sir William Coffin's death in December, 1538, she married Sir Richard Manners of Garendon, Leicestershire.
In 1536, five women were appointed to serve Queen Anne in 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...
, reporting back to William Kingston
William Kingston
Sir William Kingston was an English courtier, soldier and administrator. He was the Constable of the Tower of London during much of the reign of Henry VIII. Among the notable prisoners he was responsible for were Queen Anne Boleyn, and the men accused of adultery with her.-Life:He was of a...
, Lieutenant of the Tower, and through him to Thomas Cromwell, all that the Queen said. Margaret Coffin was one of them. The others included Anne Shelton
Anne Shelton (courtier)
Anne Shelton née Boleyn was the elder sister of Thomas Boleyn, 1st Earl of Wiltshire, and an aunt of his daughter, Queen Anne Boleyn, the second wife of King Henry VIII.-Life:...
, the sister of Thomas Boleyn. Lady Shelton had been entrusted with the care of Princess Mary
Mary 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...
and Princess Elizabeth
Elizabeth I of England
Elizabeth I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death. Sometimes called The Virgin Queen, Gloriana, or Good Queen Bess, Elizabeth was the fifth and last monarch of the Tudor dynasty...
, but perhaps fell out with Anne during Henry VIII's affair with Anne's first cousin and Lady Shelton's daughter, Mary Shelton
Mary Shelton
Margaret Shelton and Mary Shelton were two sisters in Tudor England, one of whom may have been a mistress of King Henry VIII....
. The other women to attend Anne were Lady Kingston, wife of the Lieutenant of the Tower and Elizabeth Stoner
Elizabeth Stoner
Elizabeth Stoner was a lady-in-waiting to each of Henry VIII of England's six wives, and was the 'Mother of the Maids', with responsibility for the conduct of the young maids-of-honour. She was the wife of the King's Sergeant-at-Arms, William Stoner...
, wife of the King's sergeant-at arms, Anne's aunt, Elizabeth Boleyn, Lady Boleyn
Elizabeth Boleyn, Lady Boleyn
Elizabeth Boleyn, Lady Boleyn was a lady-in-waiting at the court of Henry VIII of England. Through her marriage to Sir James Boleyn, she was the aunt of Henry VIII's second wife, Anne Boleyn...
and 'Mother of the Maids', the woman with responsibility for the young female attendants.
Kingston described the five as honest and good women but Anne said that it was a great unkindness in the King to set such about me as I have never loved.