Tudor Times is the online repository for all things Tudor and Stewart (1485–1625)

On 15th July 1553, the Duke of Northumberland arrived in Cambridge with a body of soldiers, his intention to being to capture the Lady Mary, so that his daughter-in-law, Lady Jane Grey, could accede as queen. But Northumberland and Lady Jane had no support. As soon as he had left London, his colleagues turned on him, and he met with nothing but hostility in the countryside.

On 14th July 1514, Christopher Bainbridge, Cardinal of York, died at Rome. It was rumoured that he had been poisoned by Silvester de Gigli, the Bishop of Winchester. Bainbridge, born in 1460, came from a comfortable, but not wealthy, family in Cumbria, and had a distinguished career as Master of the Rolls, then Bishop of Durham and Archbishop of York in 1508. He was appointed as England’s Ambassador-Extraordinary to Rome, and, in 1511 named as a Cardinal by Julius II. His career was progressing well, when he died of poison. One of his chaplains, Rinaldo de Modena, was accused of murdering him in revenge for a punishment. Rinaldo implicated the Bishop of Winchester, who was Bainbridge’s rival for influence. Rinaldo then retracted his confession, and died, also in mysterious circumstances, in prison. Bainbridge is buried in the English College in Rome.

On 13th July 1568 Mary, Queen of Scots, left Carlisle Castle for Bolton Castle. She had escaped from the disastrous Battle of Langside, over the Solway Firth into England, hoping for succour from her cousin, Elizabeth I, and had remained at Carlisle for nearly two months. It was then decided that she should be moved further from the Border. Mary, arriving as a refugee, had become a prisoner.

Picture of Bolton Castle ©Tudor Times Ltd