Henry VIII loved to hunt with his companions, but several of his queens often participated too. Throughout Henry’s courtship of Anne she often accompanied him, also taking pleasure in the sport. Even in a letter written by Henry to Anne in the early days of their affair, he boasted of a stag he had hunted: ‘And to cause you yet oftener to remember me, I send you, by the bearer of this, a buck killed late last night by my own hand, hoping that when you eat of it you may think of the hunter.’ But in Wolf Hall Cromwell observes: ‘You do not know where the chase will end, or when.’
H
AWKING
Hawking or falconry, the hunting of small wild game or birds using highly trained birds of prey, had existed for centuries in Europe and Asia, and was something of a sport as well as an art form. It was one of the most popular sports of the aristocracy, among women and men alike, with Henry VIII rearing flocks of birds such as pheasant specifically for the sport. Unlike jousting or hunting, commoners could own birds of prey, but the strict hierarchy attached to it, namely the type of bird you could own, demonstrated your status. Kings and emperors would use rarer birds such as eagles, gyrfalcons or merlins; dukes could own merlins or goshawks; earls were allowed to own peregrine falcons; and commoners could only use sparrowhawks. Courtiers paid a hefty price if they owned a bird above their station. Hawking was expensive – the birds had to be trained and then housed in mews, but it was all part of the display; even the quality of the equipment used by Henry and his nobles was a testament to their wealth and taste. Henry owned a range of hawking paraphernalia, including hawk’s hoods studded with jewels, gold and silver whistles used to direct the birds, and velvet gauntlets on which they would perch. Throughout the series, Henry is often hawking, and as the books progress, it is Cromwell who joins him, a subtle display of his growing influence and position within the court.
J
OUSTING
Jousting was, without doubt, the most exclusive and prestigious activity throughout England and Europe in the 16th century. It was a favourite of Henry VIII, who had not been allowed to participate in his youth as the only surviving male heir, but with good reason. For all its glamour and spectacle, it was not for show, but rather an intensely physically demanding sport, requiring strength, a high level of fitness, agility and prowess. Participants not only had to stay upright on their horse attired in heavy armour, they also had to balance, aim the lance and charge, bracing for the inevitable contact, which might result in the opponent’s lance splintering into the body, face or worse. Henry and the young men of court often participated, but even the older generation, men like Thomas Boleyn and the Duke of Norfolk, took part.
Jousting became a highly formalized and detailed event, which required a great deal of planning. Two challengers were placed at either end of a rectangular area known as the ‘list’, with a ‘tilt’, a wooden barrier running down the middle of the area that designated their side. This was an opportunity not only to show off one’s athletic skills, but for the monarchs and their court to show their wealth and power. From the specially built stands draped with royal and noble heraldry to the decorations and attire of the court, the theme of chivalry and majesty was projected on a public stage, not just for the commoners to enjoy, but also for foreign dignitaries and ambassadors, who reported to their masters all the splendour they witnessed.
The aim of the joust was to strike one’s opponent on specific parts of their armour or their shield. Failing that, they would also attempt to unseat their opponent. Points were awarded depending on where a blow was struck or if either opponent broke their lance on the other. These lances were not sharpened, but they were still dangerous enough to cause serious damage. In Bring Up the Bodies, Cromwell notes the points awarded did not represent the true cost of the sport:
A touch on the breastplate is recorded, but not fractured ribs. A touch on the helm is recorded, but not a cracked skull.
Henry VIII jousted on countless occasions throughout his reign, from his coronation, at the birth of his son, Henry, who died after only a few months, during the Field of Cloth of Gold in Calais, to celebrate his marriage to Anne Boleyn and to celebrate the death of his first queen, Katherine, in 1536 – the final time Henry would joust.
MEN OF THE PRIVY CHAMBER
The young Henry was a true Renaissance prince. He had a love of art and architecture, could play and compose music (with varying degrees of success) spoke several languages and loved to discuss theology. But he was also fantastically fit and blessed with an athletic build, and he ensured that the men who served him from his Privy Chamber were equally handsome young men with whom he could hunt, joust, gamble, drink, and woo the occasional young woman.
Henry would rather spend a day hunting with his close friends than in a Privy Council meeting, and as a result they wielded enormous influence over the young king. The men, derided as ‘minions’, often ignored protocol and
