Embalmed by apothecaries and chirurgeons of greatest skill in the art, wrapped in cerecloth of many folds, and in an outer cover of cloth of vairy and velvet, bound with cords of silk, the corpse of the puissant monarch was at first laid out on the couch wherein he had expired, with a scroll sewn on the breast containing his titles and the date of his demise, written in large and small characters. The body was next cased in lead, and deposited in a second coffin of oak, elaborately sculptured, and of enormous size.
Enveloped in a pall of blue velvet, whereon was laid a silver cross, the ponderous coffin was removed to the privy-chamber, and set upon a large frame covered with cloth of gold, where it remained for five days; during which time lights were constantly burning within the chamber, a watch kept night and day by thirty gentlemen of the privy-chamber, and masses and orisons offered for the repose of the soul of the departed monarch by the chaplains.
Meanwhile, all the approaches to the chapel within the palace were hung with black, and garnished with escutcheons of the king’s arms, descents, and marriages; while in the chapel itself the floors and walls were covered with black cloth, the sides and ceilings set with banners and standards of Saint George, and the high altar covered with black velvet, and adorned with magnificent plate and jewels. In the midst of the sacred apartment, surrounded by barriers, clothed with black, with a smaller altar at its foot, adorned like the high altar with plate and jewels, was set a superb catafalque, garnished with pensils and escutcheons, and having at each corner the banner of a saint beaten in fine gold upon damask. A majesty of rich cloth of gold, with a valance of black silk fringed with black silk and gold, canopied this catafalque, which was lighted by fourscore square tapers, each two feet in length, and containing altogether two thousand pounds’ weight of wax.
In regard to some of the accessories here particularized, or which will be subsequently mentioned, it may be remarked, that the “Banner” which could be borne by none of inferior degree to a banneret, was square in form, and displayed the arms of the sovereign all over it. The “Standard” differed in shape from the banner, being much longer, and slit at the extremity. This ensign did not display armorial bearings. The “Pennon” was less than the standard, rounded at the extremity, and charged with arms. “Bannerols” were banners of great width, representing alliances and descents. “Pensils” were small flags shaped like the vanes on pinnacles. Banners of saints and images were still used at the time of Henry’s interment, when, as will be seen, many of the rites of the Church of Rome were observed.
On Wednesday, 2nd of February, 1547, being Candlemas Day, during the night, the coffin having been covered with a rich pall of cloth of tissue, crossed with white tissue, and garnished with escutcheons of the king’s arms, was removed with great ceremony and reverence to the chapel, where it was placed on the catafalque, all the tapers about which had been previously lighted. A rich cloth of gold, adorned with precious stones, was there thrown over the coffin.
On the day after the removal of the royal corpse, the Marquis of Dorset, as chief mourner, with twelve other noblemen, foremost among whom were the Earls of Arundel, Oxford, Shrewsbury, Derby, and Sussex, assembled in the pallet-chamber, arrayed in sable weeds, with hoods over their heads, and thence proceeded in order, two and two, to the chapel—the chief mourner marching first, with his train borne after him. Officers of arms and gentlemen ushers headed the solemn procession, which was closed by the vice-chamberlain and other officials, all in suits of woe. On arriving at the catafalque, the Marquis of Dorset knelt down at its head, and his companions on either side of it.
Then Norroy, king of arms, appearing at the door of the choir, cried with a loud voice, “Of your charity pray for the soul of the high and most mighty prince, our late sovereign, lord and king, Henry the Eighth.”
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