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(p.2) From the earliest periods of history wrestling has been a popular recreation, a sport in which the English had the reputation of being particularly skilful. Whoever has read The Canterbury Tales will not forget the two references to wrestling: Gamelyn in the Cook’s Tale (a pre-Chaucerian poem often printed in Chaucer’s works), and the […]
The Meeting of Kings Henry VIII and King Francis I (Tapestry), c. 1520. Private Collection. Artist : West European Applied Art. (Photo by Fine Art Images/Heritage Images/Getty Images). Shown here under the terms of common use (Common uses include: Newspapers, magazines and books (except for covers), editorial broadcasts, documentaries, non-commercial websites, blogs and social media […]
29th July 1534: “On Sunday next the peace between England and Scotland will be proclaimed at Guildford, with such a wrestling as has never before been seen; for which purpose some have come out of Cornwall and Devonshire to show their cunning. Sent two caps and a purse.” ‘Henry VIII: July 1534, 26-31’, in Letters […]
4th October 1532: “To Parker, yeoman of the Robes, for doublets for the guard to wrestle in before the King and French king at Calais, 44s.” Henry VIII: Privy Purse Expences’, in Letters and Papers, Foreign and Domestic, Henry VIII, Volume 5, 1531-1532, ed. James Gairdner (London, 1880), pp. 747-762. British History Online http://www.british-history.ac.uk/letters-papers-hen8/vol5/pp747-762 [accessed […]
Today, the 13th, it blows a terrible gale, and as the Kings were unable to joust, they went to the lists to see some Bretons and Englishmen wrestle. ‘Venice: June 1520, 11-20’, in Calendar of State Papers Relating To English Affairs in the Archives of Venice, Volume 3, 1520-1526, ed. Rawdon Brown (London, 1869), pp. […]
Modernisation of the ‘August Tale’: An Englishman named Burrel, born in Cornwall, served as a guard to King Henry VIII. In his bold youth, he was known for great strength— so much so that the King himself wanted to test him. But Burrel held back out of respect. He wouldn’t throw or hurt the King […]