A. F. Pollard (1869–1948)

Tudor Tracts - A F Pollard
These are original documents/histories/news items printed originally between 1532 -1538. They have been gathered together with an introduction by A F Pollard and and published as Tudor Tracts around 1890. The spelling has been modernised, but apart from that they have been printed as they were originally published complete with front covers.

Pollard in an excellent introduction, stresses that these documents come straight from the horses mouth: we are able to read exactly what was written by theses Tudor authors. Their thoughts and descriptions come down to us untarnished leaving it for us to interpret as we wish. We cannot however take everything as gospel, much like the news items of today much of the writing has an element of propaganda. The Tudors were the winning side in the all important battle to be rulers of England and so it is their views that are expressed in theses largely official documents. The press was largely under their control and so there were few dissenting voices finding their way down the ages. However the modern reader can make inferences from what is in front of him and sometimes it is what is not said that is just as revealing as what is said. There are 21 of these mostly fascinating documents, along with the dates of the event described, date of composition and date of publication:

1 The Manner of the Triumph at Calais 1532
Describes the meeting between Henry VIII and Francis I of France, where peace treaties were signed as Henry sought to become a major player on the European scene and to shore up his relationship with Anne Boleyn.

2 The Coronation of Anne Boleyn - The Noble Triumphant Coronation of Queen Anne unto the most Noble King Henry VIII. 1533
The elaborate pageantry with the theme of Anne as a white Falcon is described. At various conduits (water systems) around London a stage was erected for amateur players to welcome the procession. Many of the speaking parts were by children in a mixture of Latin and English. What is not described is the reaction of the crowds to Anne and her reactions to them, which is in stark contrast to a similar description of Elizabeth I procession described in 1559.

3 How the Lord Cromwell helped Archbishop Cranmer’s Secretary 1539. This is an extract from John Fox the Martyrologists publication Acts and Monuments from 1570.
Not a contemporaneous story but an astonishing one nevertheless. It describes how a book written on the orders of Henry VIII against Parliaments objections to the Six Articles was lost in the River thames, when a bear bating got out of control. The Royal barge was indulging in bear bating in the river Thames when the bear managed to climb aboard one of the supporting boats causing mayhem for the occupants and the loss of the book. it was picked up by the bear keeper whose attempts to use it for his own profit was thwarted by the iron hand of Lord Cromwell. The bear baiting incident is picturesquely described as is the power politics and negotiations that came afterwards.

4 The late expedition to Scotland 1544 - burning of Leith and Edinburgh.
A journalistic account of the expedition that does not spare the reader the horrors of being caught up in the looting and devastation by the expedition. List of Noblemen who took part.

5 Expedition into Scotland by William Patten 1547.
A long rambling introduction giving praise to God and the grace of Duke of Somerset who led the expedition. When it eventually gets underway it takes the form of a diary and provides an almost blow by blow account of the battles with maps and diagrams. Again the horrors of war are described along with incidents such as the building of gallows to hang disruptive soldiers.

6) John Bon and Master Parson by Luke Sheppard 1548
Something a little different. A sketch or one act play involving two protagonists. John Bon is an honest ploughman who comes across a catholic procession and he asks the priest what he is carrying. The priest replies it is the body of Christ, but Jon replies that it looks like a piece of cake to him. A satire on the catholic sacrements, but without vitriol on either side and they part on friendly terms.

7 Underhill’s narrative describing events of 1553/4 but written in 1562.
This is a first person account of a member of the Gentlemen Pensioners (body guards to the king) who found himself under suspicion being a protestant in the reign of catholic Queen Mary. He is put in prison, becomes sick, eventually released and manages to get back his position in the Gentlemen pensioners. The narrative ends with a description of the gentlemen Pensioners marching up and down within the sight of the Queen Mary during Wyatt’s rebellion.

8 The History of Wyatt’s rebellion by John Proctor.
A very good narrative history of the rebellion against Queen Mary. Proctor talks of the vile rebellion and how rebels against the crown should be harshly dealt with. He stresses that Wyatt’s so called proclamation against the Spanish immigrants (the armed strangers) concealed his real intent for an insurrection against the catholic Queen. An attempt at rabble rousing against foreigners that bears comparison with contemporary politics.

9 Thomas Brice’s register of Martyrs.
Written as a poem it details the day, month and year when the protestant Martyrs died. Most are named.
“When raging reign of tyrants stout,
Causeless, did cruelly conspire
To rend and root the Simple out,
With furious force of sword and fire;
When man and wife were put to death:
We wished for our Queen Elizabeth.”

10 The winning of Calais by the French 1558
A narrative published in 1569. It blames Queen Mary and her government as well as traitors for the loss of Calais.

11 The siege of Guisnes 1558
Published in 1559 by the poet Thomas Churchyard who claims to have been an eyewitness of the events. Quite possibly so as he was one of a number of soldier poets.

12 The death of Queen Mary by John Fox the Martyrologist
One would expect a damming account of the reign of Queen Mary by this arch protestant writer.

13 The imprisonment of Princess Elizabeth by John Fox the Martyrologist
A detailed account of the future Queen Elizabeth’s imprisonment in the Tower of London and then at Woodstock, where she was accused of conspiracy in the Wyatt rebellion. Much is made of Elizabeths fortitude even when she was in fear of her life. There are plenty of quotes from those involved.

14 The passage of our most dread sovereign Queen Elizabeth through the city of London to Westminster the day before her coronation 1558
She is hailed by the people “so that on either side, there was nothing but gladness! nothing but prayer! nothing but comfort.”

15 Elizabeth arms England 1559
Not published until 1588 and another piece of propaganda against the inefficient reign of Queen Mary.
16 The Burning of St Pauls in London 1561
A vivid description of the steeple of St Paul’s struck by lightning and catching fire. The disorganisation in attempting to put it out and the pulling down of wooden buildings close by to arrest the fire.

17 A False fearful imagination of fire at Oxford University (from Acts and Monuments) by John Fox the Martyrologist.
Describes the panic inside a church when the shout of Fire causes the congregation to trample on each other to get out. Some humour (must have ben a catholic congregation).

18 The Spoil of Antwerp 1576 faithfully reported by a true Englishman who was present at the same.
The true Englishman has been identified as the poet George Gascoigne, however there is no way that he could have been an eye witness. Antwerp was a rich town and was sacked by Spanish soldiers who held the rich to ransom and killed and raped the poor. Gascoigne of course condemns the Spanish nobility for losing control of the soldiers and for allowing the ransoms, however he admires the Spanish soldiery in their ability to take the town while heavily outnumbered.

19 A very true report of the apprehension and taking of the arch papist EDMUND CAMPION, the pope his right hand; with three other lewd Jesuit priests, and divers other lay people, most seditious persons of like sort, by George Elliot. 1581
This is a detailed account of the arrest of Campion by the man responsible for making the arrest. It is interesting because Eliot says the reason for going into print were the accusations made against him. It shows that even in Elizabeth’s reign the old catholic religion was still flourishing even if underground. It is obvious that George Eliot was a spy.
Campion and two followers were eventually hung drawn and quartered.

20 The Scottish Queen’s burial 1587
A report of the pageantry and those in attendance at the funeral of Mary Queen of Scots.

21 Three ballads of the Armada fight by Thomas Deloney
first ballad describes the taking of a Spanish galleon near Calais
2nd ballad describes the Queen inspection of troops at Tilbury
3rd ballad details the atrocities that the Spanish would rent on the English population. According to the ballad they had devised special knotted whips to make the English people spill their blood.

Tudor Tracts is free on the internet and for those people wanting to read first hand accounts of life during those times it can hardly be beaten. A five star read

These are original documents/histories/news items printed originally between 1532 -1538. They have been gathered together with an introduction by A F Pollard and and published as Tudor Tracts around 1890. The spelling has been modernised, but apart from that they have been printed as they were originally published complete with front covers.

Pollard in an excellent introduction, stresses that these documents come straight from the horses mouth: we are able to read exactly what was written by theses Tudor authors. Their thoughts and descriptions come down to us untarnished leaving it for us to interpret as we wish. We cannot however take everything as gospel, much like the news items of today much of the writing has an element of propaganda. The Tudors were the winning side in the all important battle to be rulers of England and so it is their views that are expressed in theses largely official documents. The press was largely under their control and so there were few dissenting voices finding their way down the ages. However the modern reader can make inferences from what is in front of him and sometimes it is what is not said that is just as revealing as what is said. There are 21 of these mostly fascinating documents, along with the dates of the event described, date of composition and date of publication:

1 The Manner of the Triumph at Calais 1532
Describes the meeting between Henry VIII and Francis I of France, where peace treaties were signed as Henry sought to become a major player on the European scene and to shore up his relationship with Anne Boleyn.

2 The Coronation of Anne Boleyn - The Noble Triumphant Coronation of Queen Anne unto the most Noble King Henry VIII. 1533
The elaborate pageantry with the theme of Anne as a white Falcon is described. At various conduits (water systems) around London a stage was erected for amateur players to welcome the procession. Many of the speaking parts were by children in a mixture of Latin and English. What is not described is the reaction of the crowds to Anne and her reactions to them, which is in stark contrast to a similar description of Elizabeth I procession described in 1559.

3 How the Lord Cromwell helped Archbishop Cranmer’s Secretary 1539. This is an extract from John Fox the Martyrologists publication Acts and Monuments from 1570.
Not a contemporaneous story but an astonishing one nevertheless. It describes how a book written on the orders of Henry VIII against Parliaments objections to the Six Articles was lost in the River thames, when a bear bating got out of control. The Royal barge was indulging in bear bating in the river Thames when the bear managed to climb aboard one of the supporting boats causing mayhem for the occupants and the loss of the book. it was picked up by the bear keeper whose attempts to use it for his own profit was thwarted by the iron hand of Lord Cromwell. The bear baiting incident is picturesquely described as is the power politics and negotiations that came afterwards.

4 The late expedition to Scotland 1544 - burning of Leith and Edinburgh.
A journalistic account of the expedition that does not spare the reader the horrors of being caught up in the looting and devastation by the expedition. List of Noblemen who took part.

5 Expedition into Scotland by William Patten 1547.
A long rambling introduction giving praise to God and the grace of Duke of Somerset who led the expedition. When it eventually gets underway it takes the form of a diary and provides an almost blow by blow account of the battles with maps and diagrams. Again the horrors of war are described along with incidents such as the building of gallows to hang disruptive soldiers.

6) John Bon and Master Parson by Luke Sheppard 1548
Something a little different. A sketch or one act play involving two protagonists. John Bon is an honest ploughman who comes across a catholic procession and he asks the priest what he is carrying. The priest replies it is the body of Christ, but Jon replies that it looks like a piece of cake to him. A satire on the catholic sacrements, but without vitriol on either side and they part on friendly terms.

7 Underhill’s narrative describing events of 1553/4 but written in 1562.
This is a first person account of a member of the Gentlemen Pensioners (body guards to the king) who found himself under suspicion being a protestant in the reign of catholic Queen Mary. He is put in prison, becomes sick, eventually released and manages to get back his position in the Gentlemen pensioners. The narrative ends with a description of the gentlemen Pensioners marching up and down within the sight of the Queen Mary during Wyatt’s rebellion.

8 The History of Wyatt’s rebellion by John Proctor.
A very good narrative history of the rebellion against Queen Mary. Proctor talks of the vile rebellion and how rebels against the crown should be harshly dealt with. He stresses that Wyatt’s so called proclamation against the Spanish immigrants (the armed strangers) concealed his real intent for an insurrection against the catholic Queen. An attempt at rabble rousing against foreigners that bears comparison with contemporary politics.

9 Thomas Brice’s register of Martyrs.
Written as a poem it details the day, month and year when the protestant Martyrs died. Most are named.
“When raging reign of tyrants stout,
Causeless, did cruelly conspire
To rend and root the Simple out,
With furious force of sword and fire;
When man and wife were put to death:
We wished for our Queen Elizabeth.”

10 The winning of Calais by the French 1558
A narrative published in 1569. It blames Queen Mary and her government as well as traitors for the loss of Calais.

11 The siege of Guisnes 1558
Published in 1559 by the poet Thomas Churchyard who claims to have been an eyewitness of the events. Quite possibly so as he was one of a number of soldier poets.

12 The death of Queen Mary by John Fox the Martyrologist
One would expect a damming account of the reign of Queen Mary by this arch protestant writer.

13 The imprisonment of Princess Elizabeth by John Fox the Martyrologist
A detailed account of the future Queen Elizabeth’s imprisonment in the Tower of London and then at Woodstock, where she was accused of conspiracy in the Wyatt rebellion. Much is made of Elizabeths fortitude even when she was in fear of her life. There are plenty of quotes from those involved.

14 The passage of our most dread sovereign Queen Elizabeth through the city of London to Westminster the day before her coronation 1558
She is hailed by the people “so that on either side, there was nothing but gladness! nothing but prayer! nothing but comfort.”

15 Elizabeth arms England 1559
Not published until 1588 and another piece of propaganda against the inefficient reign of Queen Mary.
16 The Burning of St Pauls in London 1561
A vivid description of the steeple of St Paul’s struck by lightning and catching fire. The disorganisation in attempting to put it out and the pulling down of wooden buildings close by to arrest the fire.

17 A False fearful imagination of fire at Oxford University (from Acts and Monuments) by John Fox the Martyrologist.
Describes the panic inside a church when the shout of Fire causes the congregation to trample on each other to get out. Some humour (must have ben a catholic congregation).

18 The Spoil of Antwerp 1576 faithfully reported by a true Englishman who was present at the same.
The true Englishman has been identified as the poet George Gascoigne, however there is no way that he could have been an eye witness. Antwerp was a rich town and was sacked by Spanish soldiers who held the rich to ransom and killed and raped the poor. Gascoigne of course condemns the Spanish nobility for losing control of the soldiers and for allowing the ransoms, however he admires the Spanish soldiery in their ability to take the town while heavily outnumbered.

19 A very true report of the apprehension and taking of the arch papist EDMUND CAMPION, the pope his right hand; with three other lewd Jesuit priests, and divers other lay people, most seditious persons of like sort, by George Elliot. 1581
This is a detailed account of the arrest of Campion by the man responsible for making the arrest. It is interesting because Eliot says the reason for going into print were the accusations made against him. It shows that even in Elizabeth’s reign the old catholic religion was still flourishing even if underground. It is obvious that George Eliot was a spy.
Campion and two followers were eventually hung drawn and quartered.

20 The Scottish Queen’s burial 1587
A report of the pageantry and those in attendance at the funeral of Mary Queen of Scots.

21 Three ballads of the Armada fight by Thomas Deloney
first ballad describes the taking of a Spanish galleon near Calais
2nd ballad describes the Queen inspection of troops at Tilbury
3rd ballad details the atrocities that the Spanish would rent on the English population. According to the ballad they had devised special knotted whips to make the English people spill their blood.

Tudor Tracts is free on the internet and for those people wanting to read first hand accounts of life during those times it can hardly be beaten. A five star read

These are original documents/histories/news items printed originally between 1532 -1538. They have been gathered together with an introduction by A F Pollard and and published as Tudor Tracts around 1890. The spelling has been modernised, but apart from that they have been printed as they were originally published complete with front covers.

Pollard in an excellent introduction, stresses that these documents come straight from the horses mouth: we are able to read exactly what was written by theses Tudor authors. Their thoughts and descriptions come down to us untarnished leaving it for us to interpret as we wish. We cannot however take everything as gospel, much like the news items of today much of the writing has an element of propaganda. The Tudors were the winning side in the all important battle to be rulers of England and so it is their views that are expressed in theses largely official documents. The press was largely under their control and so there were few dissenting voices finding their way down the ages. However the modern reader can make inferences from what is in front of him and sometimes it is what is not said that is just as revealing as what is said. There are 21 of these mostly fascinating documents, along with the dates of the event described, date of composition and date of publication:

1 The Manner of the Triumph at Calais 1532
Describes the meeting between Henry VIII and Francis I of France, where peace treaties were signed as Henry sought to become a major player on the European scene and to shore up his relationship with Anne Boleyn.

2 The Coronation of Anne Boleyn - The Noble Triumphant Coronation of Queen Anne unto the most Noble King Henry VIII. 1533
The elaborate pageantry with the theme of Anne as a white Falcon is described. At various conduits (water systems) around London a stage was erected for amateur players to welcome the procession. Many of the speaking parts were by children in a mixture of Latin and English. What is not described is the reaction of the crowds to Anne and her reactions to them, which is in stark contrast to a similar description of Elizabeth I procession described in 1559.

3 How the Lord Cromwell helped Archbishop Cranmer’s Secretary 1539. This is an extract from John Fox the Martyrologists publication Acts and Monuments from 1570.
Not a contemporaneous story but an astonishing one nevertheless. It describes how a book written on the orders of Henry VIII against Parliaments objections to the Six Articles was lost in the River thames, when a bear bating got out of control. The Royal barge was indulging in bear bating in the river Thames when the bear managed to climb aboard one of the supporting boats causing mayhem for the occupants and the loss of the book. it was picked up by the bear keeper whose attempts to use it for his own profit was thwarted by the iron hand of Lord Cromwell. The bear baiting incident is picturesquely described as is the power politics and negotiations that came afterwards.

4 The late expedition to Scotland 1544 - burning of Leith and Edinburgh.
A journalistic account of the expedition that does not spare the reader the horrors of being caught up in the looting and devastation by the expedition. List of Noblemen who took part.

5 Expedition into Scotland by William Patten 1547.
A long rambling introduction giving praise to God and the grace of Duke of Somerset who led the expedition. When it eventually gets underway it takes the form of a diary and provides an almost blow by blow account of the battles with maps and diagrams. Again the horrors of war are described along with incidents such as the building of gallows to hang disruptive soldiers.

6) John Bon and Master Parson by Luke Sheppard 1548
Something a little different. A sketch or one act play involving two protagonists. John Bon is an honest ploughman who comes across a catholic procession and he asks the priest what he is carrying. The priest replies it is the body of Christ, but Jon replies that it looks like a piece of cake to him. A satire on the catholic sacrements, but without vitriol on either side and they part on friendly terms.

7 Underhill’s narrative describing events of 1553/4 but written in 1562.
This is a first person account of a member of the Gentlemen Pensioners (body guards to the king) who found himself under suspicion being a protestant in the reign of catholic Queen Mary. He is put in prison, becomes sick, eventually released and manages to get back his position in the Gentlemen pensioners. The narrative ends with a description of the gentlemen Pensioners marching up and down within the sight of the Queen Mary during Wyatt’s rebellion.

8 The History of Wyatt’s rebellion by John Proctor.
A very good narrative history of the rebellion against Queen Mary. Proctor talks of the vile rebellion and how rebels against the crown should be harshly dealt with. He stresses that Wyatt’s so called proclamation against the Spanish immigrants (the armed strangers) concealed his real intent for an insurrection against the catholic Queen. An attempt at rabble rousing against foreigners that bears comparison with contemporary politics.

9 Thomas Brice’s register of Martyrs.
Written as a poem it details the day, month and year when the protestant Martyrs died. Most are named.
“When raging reign of tyrants stout,
Causeless, did cruelly conspire
To rend and root the Simple out,
With furious force of sword and fire;
When man and wife were put to death:
We wished for our Queen Elizabeth.”

10 The winning of Calais by the French 1558
A narrative published in 1569. It blames Queen Mary and her government as well as traitors for the loss of Calais.

11 The siege of Guisnes 1558
Published in 1559 by the poet Thomas Churchyard who claims to have been an eyewitness of the events. Quite possibly so as he was one of a number of soldier poets.

12 The death of Queen Mary by John Fox the Martyrologist
One would expect a damming account of the reign of Queen Mary by this arch protestant writer.

13 The imprisonment of Princess Elizabeth by John Fox the Martyrologist
A detailed account of the future Queen Elizabeth’s imprisonment in the Tower of London and then at Woodstock, where she was accused of conspiracy in the Wyatt rebellion. Much is made of Elizabeths fortitude even when she was in fear of her life. There are plenty of quotes from those involved.

14 The passage of our most dread sovereign Queen Elizabeth through the city of London to Westminster the day before her coronation 1558
She is hailed by the people “so that on either side, there was nothing but gladness! nothing but prayer! nothing but comfort.”

15 Elizabeth arms England 1559
Not published until 1588 and another piece of propaganda against the inefficient reign of Queen Mary.
16 The Burning of St Pauls in London 1561
A vivid description of the steeple of St Paul’s struck by lightning and catching fire. The disorganisation in attempting to put it out and the pulling down of wooden buildings close by to arrest the fire.

17 A False fearful imagination of fire at Oxford University (from Acts and Monuments) by John Fox the Martyrologist.
Describes the panic inside a church when the shout of Fire causes the congregation to trample on each other to get out. Some humour (must have ben a catholic congregation).

18 The Spoil of Antwerp 1576 faithfully reported by a true Englishman who was present at the same.
The true Englishman has been identified as the poet George Gascoigne, however there is no way that he could have been an eye witness. Antwerp was a rich town and was sacked by Spanish soldiers who held the rich to ransom and killed and raped the poor. Gascoigne of course condemns the Spanish nobility for losing control of the soldiers and for allowing the ransoms, however he admires the Spanish soldiery in their ability to take the town while heavily outnumbered.

19 A very true report of the apprehension and taking of the arch papist EDMUND CAMPION, the pope his right hand; with three other lewd Jesuit priests, and divers other lay people, most seditious persons of like sort, by George Elliot. 1581
This is a detailed account of the arrest of Campion by the man responsible for making the arrest. It is interesting because Eliot says the reason for going into print were the accusations made against him. It shows that even in Elizabeth’s reign the old catholic religion was still flourishing even if underground. It is obvious that George Eliot was a spy.
Campion and two followers were eventually hung drawn and quartered.

20 The Scottish Queen’s burial 1587
A report of the pageantry and those in attendance at the funeral of Mary Queen of Scots.

21 Three ballads of the Armada fight by Thomas Deloney
first ballad describes the taking of a Spanish galleon near Calais
2nd ballad describes the Queen inspection of troops at Tilbury
3rd ballad details the atrocities that the Spanish would rent on the English population. According to the ballad they had devised special knotted whips to make the English people spill their blood.

Tudor Tracts is free on the internet and for those people wanting to read first hand accounts of life during those times it can hardly be beaten. A five star read… (lisätietoja)