Sir Hugh Paulet and the Christening of Prince Edward, Monday 15 October 1537

Abstract

This article explores the moment that Henry VIII’s son, the future Edward VI, was christened at Hampton Court Palace on Monday 15 October 1537. It addresses the event as a moment of magnificent courtly celebration, largely owing to the collective sense of relief at the safe delivery of a healthy, legitimate male heir. As such, we find aspirational families vying for a position at — or an invitation to — court in the name of career progression. Accordingly, the article highlights in particular the presence of one of the guests at the christening, Sir Hugh Paulet (c. 1500–73), and shows how his invitation and attendance symbolised his enhanced status within his native county of Somerset and confirmed his place among the great and good of the kingdom. The subplot to this event, however, was an outbreak of plague across London and the south of England, leading the King to move away from the city and to keep his family and his court in isolation in the healthier environs of his favourite royal palace. The plague itself offers a crucial context to this ceremony, as it suggests that even in the face of such dangers, Paulet and others like him saw the necessity of attending this ceremony. Indeed, the reverse is also true: the King needed to demonstrate his favour for those who were loyal.