Servais de Condé facts for kids
Servais de Condé was a French servant who worked for Mary Queen of Scots from 1561 to 1574. He was in charge of her clothes and costumes for special performances called masques at the Scottish royal court.
Wardrobe Manager
Servais was often called "Servie" in Scottish records. He was known as a "varlet of the wardrobe." A varlet was a servant who helped manage the queen's belongings. Servais looked after Mary's valuable silks and fabrics. These were used for making clothes and decorating rooms. Other varlets working with him were Toussaint Courcelles and John Balfour.
Soon after Mary arrived in Scotland in 1561, Servais de Condé helped decorate a small private room for her at Holyrood Palace. He lined this room, called a cabinet, with a green fabric. The queen used this cabinet to write letters and for privacy. Servais also made furnishings for her bedroom, including black cushions and a black velvet set of chairs.
In 1561, Servais helped make lists of Mary's clothes and her mother's belongings. He also made a list of the altar cloths and special robes from the Chapel Royal at Stirling Castle. These items were moved to Holyrood Palace and kept by Servais.
In 1565, Servais became the keeper of Holyroodhouse. This meant he was responsible for the palace. He took over from Giovanni Francisco de Busso, who had managed royal buildings.
Servais also helped decorate Stirling Castle for the baptism of Prince James. He kept a special notebook in French. It listed all the silk fabrics and other materials Mary used or gave as gifts. He also oversaw the taking apart and remaking of beds from Huntly Castle.
In 1567, Servais wrote down what was destroyed in an explosion at the Kirk o'Field. These items had been sent there for Lord Darnley. They included tapestries from Huntly Castle. Another servant, "French Paris," helped Servais at Kirk o'Field. The day after Darnley's death, he helped hang black mourning fabric in the queen's room at Holyrood.
Queen Mary's Challenges
In July 1567, Mary's opponents, called the Confederate lords, ordered Servais to hand over royal silverware. This silver was to be melted down to make coins. It included a silver ship-shaped container, called a nef, used on the queen's table. Later that month, Servais was asked to bring the crown, sceptre, and sword. These items, known as the Honours of Scotland, were needed for the coronation of James VI. This happened after Mary gave up her crown.
After Mary was imprisoned at Lochleven Castle, Servais sent her clothes and sewing supplies. Mary wrote to ask for silk thread, gold and silver thread, and sheets for embroidery. She also asked for needles and a cushion for making special net-work. Servais, described as "the Queen's grace chamber child," made or oversaw the making of clothes for Mary. This included linen shirts and velvet items.
In November 1567, Servais moved two beds from Linlithgow Palace to James VI at Stirling Castle. When English soldiers came to Scotland in 1570, Servais was ordered to move tapestries and furnishings from Holyroodhouse to Edinburgh Castle. This was done to keep them safe.
In 1574, Mary wrote from Sheffield Castle to recommend Servais. She said he was a loyal servant who had not been paid. She wanted him to go to Scotland to list her furniture and find out who had it.
Masque Costumes and Performances
In 1569, Servais gave Mary Queen of Scots' library, chapel cloths, and masque costumes to the new rulers. Masques were performances with music and dancing. People wore special, fancy costumes. They were often performed at important weddings.
For example, at a wedding in 1563, courtiers and musicians dressed as shepherds in white silk. At another wedding in 1562, young men came in procession in "mumchance" costumes. This was a Scottish type of costumed performance. They escorted the bride back to Holyroodhouse. The queen's tailor, Jacques de Soulis, made red and white taffeta costumes for the ladies of the court.
Another tailor, Jehan de Compiegne, made costumes from orange taffeta for a masque in 1564. He also made a smaller costume for a young girl. The English ambassador said these parties were as grand as royal weddings. At one party, the queen's ladies wore white and black. Gentlemen in black and white brought in the food.
In 1566, Mary Queen of Scots and Lord Darnley entertained the French ambassador. They performed in "maskrie and mumschance." The queen and her ladies dressed in men's clothes. Their costumes were decorated with flames made from old gold fabric. During the masque, the ladies gave Scottish daggers with embroidered velvet covers to the French guests.
Some people, like John Knox, did not approve of these fun performances. A poem mentions "The masked mumchance of mischief." Mary and her ladies also sometimes wore costumes as disguises. They dressed as ordinary women of Edinburgh or as men.
Servais kept a list of masque clothes. It included many "play coats," which were light costumes. One was blue satin with tinsel stars. Others were crimson satin, green velvet, or white taffeta. There were also yellow satin coats lined with silver. Servais's wife even took two coats, one red and one black, perhaps as gifts. This list shows costumes for pairs of dancers and larger groups. Servais's records also mention costumes for two French servants, Michelet and Mernard.
The masques at the baptism of James VI in 1566 included fireworks and pretend battles. Costumes were made for soldiers, four Highland men in goat skins, four German soldiers, four Africans, and three devils. A tailor in Stirling adjusted the costumes to fit the performers.
James VI continued the masque tradition. In 1579, his musicians wore red and yellow taffeta with silver trim. They also had play swords and daggers. James VI and Anne of Denmark performed in masques at weddings in the 1590s. They wore light taffeta costumes with gold and silver.
Servais's Family
Servais's family also worked with textiles for the royal wardrobe. In 1570, his nephew, Benneth Garrust, finished a canopy for James VI of Scotland. Benneth, known as the "French passementier" (trimming maker), later became the keeper of the Scottish Royal tapestry collection at Edinburgh Castle.
Servais's wife's name is not known, but she worked at Holyroodhouse. Mary gave her an old black velvet cloak and a black damask gown in 1565. In 1573, it was noted that Servais's wife and Benoist had furnished a room with tapestries and a bed for someone at Holyrood Palace.
Servais and his family eventually returned to France, as Mary's letter from 1574 suggests. Even in 1579, a chest belonging to Mary was found. It contained clothes and textiles that Servais had left with Lord Seton.
