Thomas Ruthall
Encyclopedia
Thomas Ruthall (died 4 February 1523) was an English churchman, administrator and diplomat. He was a leading councillor of Henry VIII of England
.
. He was educated at the University of Oxford
, and incorporated D.D. at Cambridge in 1500. Before this date he had entered the service of Henry VII of England
. In June 1499, then described as prothonotary
, he went on an embassy to Louis XII of France
, and on his return occupied the position of king's secretary.
Ruthall had a long series of ecclesiastical preferments. In 1495 he had the rectory of Bocking
, Essex, in 1502 he became a prebendary of Wells
, and in 1503 Archdeacon of Gloucester, Dean of Salisbury
and chancellor of Cambridge. In 1505 he was made prebendary of Lincoln, and was appointed dean there. Henry VII, who had already made him a privy councillor, appointed him Lord Bishop of Durham in 1509, but died before he was consecrated. Henry VIII confirmed his appointment, and continued him in the office of secretary. He was part of the skeleton council that accompanied Henry VIII to the Tower of London
at the beginning of his reign, following the death of Henry VII. In 1510, with Richard Foxe
and the Earl of Surrey
, he negotiated a fragile peace with France.
He went to France with the king in 1513 with a hundred men, but was sent back to England when James IV of Scotland
threatened war. He took a part in the preparations for defence, strengthened Norham Castle
, and wrote to Thomas Wolsey after the Battle of Flodden (1513). He was present at the marriage of Louis XII and the Princess Mary Tudor in 1514, and in 1516 was made keeper of the privy seal.
In 1518 he was present when Wolsey was made a papal legate
, and was one of the commissioners when the Princess Mary
was betrothed to the Dauphin, Francis III, Duke of Brittany. He was at the Field of the Cloth of Gold
in 1520, and was again at Calais
with Wolsey in 1521. When Buckingham was examined by the king, Ruthall was present as secretary. A hardworking official, he did a great deal of the interviewing necessary in diplomatic negotiations. Brewer represents him as Wolsey's drudge, and Giustinian speaks of his "singing treble to the cardinal's bass." He died on 4 February 1523 at Durham Place, London, and was buried in St. John's Chapel, Westminster Abbey
.
As a benefactor he repaired the bridge at Newcastle, and built a great chamber at Bishop Auckland
. He also increased the endowment of the grammar school at Cirencester which had been established by John Chedworth, in 1460. He was a patron of Erasmus. Thomas More
was a colleague in government, and a friend, and dedicated his edition of Lucian
to Ruthall.
Henry VIII of England
Henry VIII was King of England from 21 April 1509 until his death. He was Lord, and later King, of Ireland, as well as continuing the nominal claim by the English monarchs to the Kingdom of France...
.
Life
He was born at CirencesterCirencester
Cirencester is a market town in east Gloucestershire, England, 93 miles west northwest of London. Cirencester lies on the River Churn, a tributary of the River Thames, and is the largest town in the Cotswold District. It is the home of the Royal Agricultural College, the oldest agricultural...
. He was educated at the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
, and incorporated D.D. at Cambridge in 1500. Before this date he had entered the service of Henry VII of England
Henry VII of England
Henry VII was King of England and Lord of Ireland from his seizing the crown on 22 August 1485 until his death on 21 April 1509, as the first monarch of the House of Tudor....
. In June 1499, then described as prothonotary
Prothonotary
The word prothonotary is recorded in English since 1447, as "principal clerk of a court," from L.L. prothonotarius , from Greek protonotarios "first scribe," originally the chief of the college of recorders of the court of the Byzantine Empire, from Greek protos "first" + Latin notarius ; the -h-...
, he went on an embassy to Louis XII of France
Louis XII of France
Louis proved to be a popular king. At the end of his reign the crown deficit was no greater than it had been when he succeeded Charles VIII in 1498, despite several expensive military campaigns in Italy. His fiscal reforms of 1504 and 1508 tightened and improved procedures for the collection of taxes...
, and on his return occupied the position of king's secretary.
Ruthall had a long series of ecclesiastical preferments. In 1495 he had the rectory of Bocking
Bocking
Bocking can refer to:*Bocking, a village near Braintree, Essex*Bocking 14, a cultivated strain of the plant Comfrey*Powerbocking, the use of powered stilts patented by Alexander Böck...
, Essex, in 1502 he became a prebendary of Wells
Wells
Wells is a cathedral city and civil parish in the Mendip district of Somerset, England, on the southern edge of the Mendip Hills. Although the population recorded in the 2001 census is 10,406, it has had city status since 1205...
, and in 1503 Archdeacon of Gloucester, Dean of Salisbury
Dean of Salisbury
The Dean of Salisbury is the Head of the Chapter of Salisbury Cathedral in the Church of England. The current Dean is The Very Revd June Osborne, who was installed in 2004.-Selected office-holders:*Walter 1102*Osbert 1105*Robert 1111*Serlo 1122...
and chancellor of Cambridge. In 1505 he was made prebendary of Lincoln, and was appointed dean there. Henry VII, who had already made him a privy councillor, appointed him Lord Bishop of Durham in 1509, but died before he was consecrated. Henry VIII confirmed his appointment, and continued him in the office of secretary. He was part of the skeleton council that accompanied Henry VIII to the Tower of London
Tower of London
Her Majesty's Royal Palace and Fortress, more commonly known as the Tower of London, is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London, England. It lies within the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, separated from the eastern edge of the City of London by the open space...
at the beginning of his reign, following the death of Henry VII. In 1510, with Richard Foxe
Richard Foxe
Richard Foxe was an English churchman, successively Bishop of Exeter, Bath and Wells, Durham, and Winchester, Lord Privy Seal, and founder of Corpus Christi College, Oxford.-Life:...
and the Earl of Surrey
Thomas Howard, 2nd Duke of Norfolk
Thomas Howard, 2nd Duke of Norfolk, KG, Earl Marshal , styled Earl of Surrey from 1483 to 1514, was the only son of John Howard, 1st Duke of Norfolk by his first wife, Katherine Moleyns...
, he negotiated a fragile peace with France.
He went to France with the king in 1513 with a hundred men, but was sent back to England when James IV of Scotland
James IV of Scotland
James IV was King of Scots from 11 June 1488 to his death. He is generally regarded as the most successful of the Stewart monarchs of Scotland, but his reign ended with the disastrous defeat at the Battle of Flodden Field, where he became the last monarch from not only Scotland, but also from all...
threatened war. He took a part in the preparations for defence, strengthened Norham Castle
Norham Castle
Norham Castle is a partly ruined castle in Northumberland, England, overlooking the River Tweed, on the border between England and Scotland. It is a Grade I listed building and a Scheduled Ancient Monument...
, and wrote to Thomas Wolsey after the Battle of Flodden (1513). He was present at the marriage of Louis XII and the Princess Mary Tudor in 1514, and in 1516 was made keeper of the privy seal.
In 1518 he was present when Wolsey was made a papal legate
Papal legate
A papal legate – from the Latin, authentic Roman title Legatus – is a personal representative of the pope to foreign nations, or to some part of the Catholic Church. He is empowered on matters of Catholic Faith and for the settlement of ecclesiastical matters....
, and was one of the commissioners when the Princess Mary
Mary I of England
Mary I was queen regnant of England and Ireland from July 1553 until her death.She was the only surviving child born of the ill-fated marriage of Henry VIII and his first wife Catherine of Aragon. Her younger half-brother, Edward VI, succeeded Henry in 1547...
was betrothed to the Dauphin, Francis III, Duke of Brittany. He was at the Field of the Cloth of Gold
Field of the Cloth of Gold
The Field of Cloth of Gold is the name given to a place in Balinghem, between Guînes and Ardres, in France, near Calais. It was the site of a meeting that took place from 7 June to 24 June 1520, between King Henry VIII of England and King Francis I of France. The meeting was arranged to increase...
in 1520, and was again at Calais
Calais
Calais is a town in Northern France in the department of Pas-de-Calais, of which it is a sub-prefecture. Although Calais is by far the largest city in Pas-de-Calais, the department's capital is its third-largest city of Arras....
with Wolsey in 1521. When Buckingham was examined by the king, Ruthall was present as secretary. A hardworking official, he did a great deal of the interviewing necessary in diplomatic negotiations. Brewer represents him as Wolsey's drudge, and Giustinian speaks of his "singing treble to the cardinal's bass." He died on 4 February 1523 at Durham Place, London, and was buried in St. John's Chapel, Westminster Abbey
Westminster Abbey
The Collegiate Church of St Peter at Westminster, popularly known as Westminster Abbey, is a large, mainly Gothic church, in the City of Westminster, London, United Kingdom, located just to the west of the Palace of Westminster. It is the traditional place of coronation and burial site for English,...
.
As a benefactor he repaired the bridge at Newcastle, and built a great chamber at Bishop Auckland
Bishop Auckland
Bishop Auckland is a market town and civil parish in County Durham in north east England. It is located about northwest of Darlington and southwest of Durham at the confluence of the River Wear with its tributary the River Gaunless...
. He also increased the endowment of the grammar school at Cirencester which had been established by John Chedworth, in 1460. He was a patron of Erasmus. Thomas More
Thomas More
Sir Thomas More , also known by Catholics as Saint Thomas More, was an English lawyer, social philosopher, author, statesman and noted Renaissance humanist. He was an important councillor to Henry VIII of England and, for three years toward the end of his life, Lord Chancellor...
was a colleague in government, and a friend, and dedicated his edition of Lucian
Lucian
Lucian of Samosata was a rhetorician and satirist who wrote in the Greek language. He is noted for his witty and scoffing nature.His ethnicity is disputed and is attributed as Assyrian according to Frye and Parpola, and Syrian according to Joseph....
to Ruthall.