Berwick Pursuivant facts for kids

Imagine a special messenger for the King or Queen, someone who delivered important letters and messages, especially near the border between England and Scotland. That's what a Berwick Pursuivant of Arms in Ordinary was! This job was created around 1460 in England. These officials were based in a town called Berwick-upon-Tweed, right on the border. There was also a similar messenger, called a Herald or Pursuivant, based in Carlisle on the western border during the 1500s.

These special messenger jobs became less important after 1603. That's when the kings of England and Scotland became the same person (the Union of the Crowns). So, there wasn't as much need for messengers to go back and forth between two different monarchs.

Famous Berwick Pursuivants

Let's meet some of the people who held this interesting job!

Charles Wriothesley: The Young Writer

Charles Wriothesley was appointed Berwick Pursuivant when he was just 16 years old in 1524. He later became famous for writing a book called A Chronicle of England, 1485–1559. It was like a history book of his time.

Leonard Warcup: The Border Messenger

Another important messenger was Leonard Warcup. He was a Berwick Pursuivant and met with James V of Scotland in 1529. Before this, he had been a Carlisle Pursuivant, which was a similar job on the western border. In 1534, he was even called the Carlisle Herald, a higher rank. Leonard Warcup was the last person to hold the Carlisle Herald title.

Henry Ray: The Secret Agent Messenger

Henry Ray was a very busy Berwick Pursuivant! He had many important missions.

Meeting the Queen

In 1537, Henry Ray secretly met with Margaret Tudor. She was the widow of the Scottish King, James IV of Scotland. These meetings happened at Holyroodhouse in Scotland. When he was acting as a messenger in Scotland, Henry Ray wore the English King's special coat of arms. But Margaret Tudor told him to change his clothes to look more Scottish. She wanted him to wear a Scottish cloak and hat for their secret meetings.

Witnessing Royal Arrivals

Henry Ray was there when James V of Scotland and his French bride, Madeleine of Valois, arrived in Leith in May 1537. He also helped another important English official, Ralph Sadler, find places to stay in Scotland.

Solving Lodging Problems

In 1540, Henry Ray had a disagreement about where he was staying in Edinburgh. A servant of Margaret Tudor heard about it and told her. Margaret Tudor then told the King, who ordered a bishop to move out so the English group could have a place to stay!

Delivering Royal Letters

In May 1541, Ray went to Stirling Castle to deliver letters from King Henry VIII of England to King James V of Scotland. He also sent messages to Margaret Tudor, who gave him a gift of a fancy black velvet jacket.

Sad News and Discoveries

In June 1541, King James V was very sad because he had lost his two young sons. Henry Ray also reported that workers at Edinburgh Castle were busy making cannons and gunpowder.

In November 1541, Henry Ray went to Methven Castle to find out what happened after Margaret Tudor died. He heard she died suddenly and hadn't made a will. She had asked her son, James V, to come see her, but he arrived too late. She also asked James V to be kind to her former husband, the Archibald Douglas, 6th Earl of Angus, and her daughter, Margaret Douglas. When James V arrived, he had her belongings locked up for himself. Henry Ray noted she had about 2,500 merks (a type of money), which he thought was not a lot.

Spying on Military Preparations

In March 1539, Henry Ray was in Edinburgh with another English messenger. He heard a public announcement that all Scottish men should get ready for war. A "secret friend" told him that 16 large cannons and 60 smaller guns had been fixed or newly made at Edinburgh Castle. All the guns would be ready soon. Ray also attended a church service given to Mary of Guise (James V's second wife). His Scottish friends told him that if England made peace with France, all three countries would be at peace.

Dangerous Journeys

King James V gave Henry Ray some money in June 1542. Later that year, in November, Henry Ray left Edinburgh with another English messenger. But two miles from Dunbar, the other messenger was sadly killed. Henry Ray and a Scottish messenger escaped and found safety at Innerwick Castle.

War and Capture

In September 1543, Henry Ray delivered messages during the Coronation of Mary, Queen of Scots at Stirling Castle. A war called the Rough Wooing started between England and Scotland. Henry Ray officially announced the start of this war in Edinburgh in December 1543. He was captured before a battle in 1544 but was later released.

Later Missions and Rewards

Henry Ray continued his work, receiving money for delivering letters in Edinburgh in 1551, 1553, and 1554. In 1560, he was held by French soldiers when he was delivering letters about a siege. He was sometimes called Harry Berwick. Even in 1565, another official wrote to him asking him to buy salmon for a special feast!

Richard St George: The Last Berwick Pursuivant

Sir Richard St George began his career as a herald (a higher rank than pursuivant) in 1602. He was one of the last people to hold the Berwick Pursuivant title before the job ended.