Sumptuary laws are legal acts that mark a person’s social status by legally specifying what they could wear, what they could eat, and even what kind of furniture they could have in their homes. Henry VIII’s opulent court called for such laws, but these were also applicable to those lower in rank, and even to monks and laypersons. A difference between the Tudor sumptuary laws and sumptuary laws practiced by other countries was that in England, the laws originated in Parliament, whereas in most other countries, these laws were local, and applicable only within the towns.
On 19th May, 1540, Viscount Lisle was arrested on charges of treason. Soon after this, his wife, Honor Lisle was also arrested, along with their daughters. He was not convicted and was slated to be released after two years, but the time in the Tower had taken its toll and he died on 3rd March 1542, a couple of days after he was pardoned.
In a few conversations with a couple of friends, we got a little obsessed with beards. Out of some little interest, I just looked up beards and Henry and found some interesting things. So here is a synopsis of all things beardy in relation to Henry VIII.
The Eltham Ordinances are a set of rules drawn up to regulate the functioning of the King’s privy chamber. It was implemented in January 1526, but plans for it had been in the offing for quite a few years.
Articles devised by the King’s highness, with the advice of his council, for the establishment of good order and reformation of sundry errors and misuses in his most honorable household and chamber.