Historical Memoranda of John Stowe: The baptism of Prince Arthur, son of Henry VII

The Cristenynge of Prince Arthure, sonne to Kynge Henrie y^e VII. at Sent Swithins in Winchestar.

Fyrst my Lady Cecily (fn. 1) bare my lord prince to churche; my Lord Marques (fn. 2) and my Lorde of Lyncoln ledde my Lady Cecily; my Lady Marques, and afftar Cheyne as chamberlyn, bare the trayne of y^e mantyll; my Lady Anne y^e quens sister bare y^e crysom. The hole chapell met with my lord prynce in y^e qwens great chamber. My Lord Laware, my Lord Widvell, (fn. 3) my Lord John of Arondell, and Master Awdley bare y^e clothe of astate. The torches unlight met hym at the steyre foote of ^e qwenes great chamber, and so went by fore hym unlyght to the chirche. Many ladyes and gentylwomen folowyd hym. Knyston, Geddyng, gentilmen usshers, and Piers Wratton and John Amyas, yomen usshers, had ^erewle of ^e conveyaunce of the torches. The sergeaunt of the pantry was redy with a ryche salt, and my Lord of Essyx bare y^e same salte by fore my lorde prince to the churche. The sergaint of the ewrey was redy with a payre of coverd basons and a fayre towell lyeng ther upon, and my Lord Stranunge bare them to the churche. Syr Rychard Gyldford, Knyght Constable, and Mastar Troblefylde, had the kepynge of the churche dores with his meyne. Fowre gentylmen and yowmen of the crowne had the kepynge of y^e barryers a bowt the fonte, for y^ecomynge in of the preas. Ser Davy Owen, Master Poynes and iij othar knyghts and gentlymen, had y^e Keoynge and charge of the funte. Two gentylmen Usshers had y^e Kepynge of y^etravers by the fonte where my lord prynce was dysaparilyd, and aftar his cristynynge arrayed, and ther fyar and fumygacions and many royall thyngs don. My Lord Marques, my Lord of Lyncolne, and my Lord Strawnge, served Qwene Elisabethe (fn. 4) at wayshyng after y^e cristinynge, and Mastar Weste, my Lorde Laware is brother, and Syr Roger Cotton, servyd the remnaunt of the gossoppes. My Lord Nevyll bare y^e taper byfore my lord prynce after the cristinynge to the hyth awllter. Aftar all y^e observaunces was gyven spicis and wyne to the states. My lord prynce was had frome the hyghe aultar to Sent Swithins shirne and there ofyryd, and ther was songen Te Deum Laudamus. All the torches lyght browght my lord prynce to his chamber. All the harolds went before bothe to the churche and home agayne. And the trompitis blewe afftar his cristenynge byfore hym home to his chamber. Ser William Stonnar, Ser Charles Somerset, and Sir John Wyngfeld bare thes gyfftes that y^e gosyppis gave to his chamber byfore hym. The gyfftes were thes: Qwene Elisabeth gave a cuppe of gold set with stones, my Lorde of Derby a salte of gowlde, my Lorde of Oxenford a payre of basons with a cuppe of assay all gylt, my Lorde Matrevys a cofer of gold set with stones. All the great body of Seynt Swethyns churche to the hygh aultar was hangyd with arras. Ther was made an hyghe stoke for a fonte with grecis round abowght, and the fonte was of sylvar browght from Cawnterbery and a royal canapie over y^esame. The gossyppes ben thes: Quene Elizabethe, godmothar, my Lord of Derby and my Lorde Matravers at y^e fonte, and my Lord of Oxenforde at y^e confirmacion. My Lord of Worcestar cristenyd hym, and his name is Arthure, doughtles a fayre prince and a lorge of bones; owre Lord save hym ! Ther was present v mytars, that is to say: my Lord Sarum, my Lord of Excestre, my Lord of Worcestre, y^e abot of Hyde, and y^e pryowr of Seynt Swythynes.