Oh captain my captain

I said previously that Henry Carey seem to have become captain of the gentleman pensioner in 1564, should you look into the dictionary of national biography it will tell you so. However a few thing came to make me think that perhaps he was appointed several years earlier. Should you look at wikipedia it tell you that appointement came straight ahead in 1558.

Should you wonder what exactly that entail for Henry Carey, it essentially made him bodyguard to the queen among a group of other gentleman with that duty. The website of the yeoman of the guard does seem to confirm this (I half expect that its the source of the one of wikipedia), but I'M still not sure of the reability. 

Two  book that does seem to mention him being captain in 1558 is Beatson's Political index modernised. The book of dignities; containing rolls of the official personages of the British empire, together with the sovereigns of Europe, the peerage of England and of Great Britain; and numerous other lists at page210 and Some Accounts of the Ancient Corps of Gentlemen-at-Arms at page 260

As for why people seem to think have took place in 6 years or so after this date I'm not sure. I suspect it might come from the source that say that Hunsdon was captain of the pensionner when the Queen visited Cambridge (he got his MA there the same year remember), look at the page 60 of the previous book for the source and that he was never really refer to as captain previously in most source , but even there its just me speculating.

Elizabeth seem to have appreciate his service has bodyguard, if you consider she put him in charge of her personal safety during the invicible armada episode.

Look at the calendar

(sorry for bring this somewhat late, though to be fair it is still two days even we are about one hour before midnight :P )

So let us look at the mention of Henry Carey in the State Papers, Foreign; Calendar and comment a bit upon it. (it is only the very first volume of it, we sorta have a lot on our plate for theses volume)

Volume 1: entry 1330

I believe I've mention it before, but Henry Carey was in the attendance at Henri II funeral as "Mourner" apparently with a group of other member of the noblity and you can also see how much their black cloth and helmet and everything further down.  You can see more of it in the merchant-taylor at around 209-210 )  If there one thing I'm not too sure if those funeral apparently took place in London, which I would find odd considering its a french king.

I will also mention this, it much more easier to find the baron in here in record now, since there is no alternate spelling for Hunsdon and damn it feel good to be able to find info so simply.¸

Volume 2 : 472

The duke of Northfolk here would Thomas Howard, who had some family relation to his future son-law. I guess it only further confirm that Henry had growing experience into the matter of Scotland which further justify is future appointment. 

Volume 2 Footnote (twice even)

Again Greenwhich tournament. (Geez that must have been something seeing how people keep refering it)

Volume 3:  443

Apparently, Henry is graceful for the Garter though pleased the queen is well (sweet of him I guess)

Volume 3: 224.7

Not quite sure I understand the entry properly, though it seem that Henry having trouble getting a harness to the queen.

Volume 3. 263.6

If I get this properly Lord Hunsdon, sending silk to the queen (not sure again, it could be that Lord Hunsdon is sastified by the information given by the treasurer)

Volume 3. Footnote

Hey look apparently one letter actually written by our subject (Is it this the first time? I can't recall) and I think the first entry a letter from the queen to our dear Lord Hunsdon giving him instruction on what to do with the Swedish King.

Volume 3. 539

Don't really know what the instruction are here.

Volume 3. 627.3

You know me I always welcome reference to the wife of Henry Carey. the brought-a-bed would mean she's in the late state of pregnancy. Hard to say which child she giving birth here. Though a likely guest could be Robert Carey as his estimate birthdate given at around 1560

Volume 5.499

Off Dear hunting, no word if he killed anything himself though.

Volume 6. 1027

Volume 6. 1122

Sorta putting this in the same cause they are for the same event Katherine Carey, marriage to Charles Howard.

Governor

So like I mention in the Cecil paper you will find this reference dating from november 1561. At entry 840.

Has appointed Lord Hunsdon, Governor of Berwick. He is to proceed to take charge and government of Newcastle and the county of Northumberland under the Earl. Directs the Earl of Sussex to write to Sir John Foster, Warden of the Middle Marches towards Scotland, giving him instructions to join Lord Hunsdon. Hartlepool is to be safely kept. Has given order for a supply of munitions of war to be sent to him.

While eye brow raising is that most source will tell you that Henry Carey did indeed assume governorship of Berwick-upon-Tweed but he did so in 1568(I'm almost incline to think its a mistake, but really what are the odd that it is). What make it more difficult is that they don't quite seem to a proper list of the governor of Berwick-Upon-Tweed (or at least the one on wikipedia is pretty full of holes). So far the most convicing one seem to be from history of parliament and has you can see it doesn't mention him being governor in 1561. It goes from William 13th Lord Grey of Wilton to the 2nd Earl of Bedford (Francis, Russel, amusingly he is the son of John Russel, the man who apparently took Henry under his wings at some point).

Wiki mention that Lord Grey had retired of active command by 1561 (apparently from failling health , page 159 ) so I'm incline to think that he (like is son much later) were essentially place holder at Berwick until more official appointment came around.

Letter of recommendation

First I will make a small addition about a previous topic, namely the Greenwich tournament. Would you like to know what our dear Baron Hunsdon wore that day? Well you actually can thank to The diary of Henry Machyn, a merchant tailor of the time.  They are severals mention of Carey in it, but its a bit hard to read since its all written phonetically and can be somewhat difficult to read, but at page 216-217 there is mention of tournament.  Oddly enough apparently both Robert Dudley and Henry Carey were considered the winning challengers and the good tailor mention they were wearing Black and white (Maybe there was a tie or they are competing together, I can't say) and the winning defender was Ambrose Dudley  was wearing Red and Yellow. I couldn't help but notice the colour the same as his personal armory, though Robert Dudley apparently was wearing the same.

Another minor note, but as Master of the Hawkes, the cecil paper indicated that on 5 march 1561 Hunsdon received a present of a Hawkes from the duke of Prussia meant for the queen  (source) and was paid 60 crowns for it.

(You may notice that there is a mention of Henry being appointed governor on Berwick on the same page, most source will tell you he won't get the post until a full 7 years later, I'll approach this sometime later)

Anyway onto something that was suppose to be our main topic today, namely that apparently the queen fell gravely sick in October of 1562 and Henry got recommend to the privy council because in case she died (source). What exactly does this mean?

The privy council was meant to be some sort advisory board for the queen, but also had administrative duty (I can't quite say what would happen to it had the queen bite the dust) and while Henry would eventually siege on it would be many years later around 1577. 

The source of the comment actually not quite from British source, but actually spanish one locate in england, though it is logged in the Calendar of state paper for spain at entry 190. So knowing what was actually going on the ground a bit tougher. From the look of it, the queen was grivieously sick from smallpox and seem to be trying to make provision in the event of her death. The most important being Robert Dudley has lord protector of the kingdom. Her recommending Henry was part of those contingency, but didn't manage to make it pass through. (amusingly if the entry is to be believe a groom working for Robert Dudley seem to be paid more on a yearly basis than what Elizabeth gave Henry on the same yearly basis)

Frustrating enough the acts of the privy council of that time seem to have holes in it and have no mention of Lord Hunsdon and himself only appear in the correspondence in 1564. Cecil note on the period mostly refer to millitary matters.

They are a few other reference to Lord Hunsdon in spanish calendar of state paper. Here those that precede our current state.

29 may 1559 entry 34 Henry was sent to meet an ambassador of the holy german empire, though no more words seem to be mention how it went down.

5 may 1561 128 Reference to Henry been given the order of the Garder, apparently it pisses people off as well.

March 1562 entry 153 apparently there is a meeting in Lancaster of protestant of importance for the purpose of brewing some sort of anti-catholic plot under the pretend. (Considering this is very second hand what went seem to be unknown) though funnily enough apparently Bishop Quadra think that everyone in that meeting but the duke of Northfolk an idiot.

1560's

Hum well a new queen and a new decade to work onto, the info on what exactly did Henry do between Elizabeth crowning and his governorship of Berwick were a bit sparser than I first expected. Its not really all that eventful, but they are a few highlight I might work on more.

-Elizabeth near death in 1562, led him to be recommend to the privy council

-His appointement to the position of captain of the gentleman pensionner.

-His M.A in art at Cambridge.

-His trip to France to give the Knight of Gardner to the king.

While in the same decade is appointement as governor, will be fairly eventful and almost an episode onto itself. I may write more onto his children when I feel like it.