The Middleton Accounts of 1526: #10

The next entry in the Middleton household accounts for Sir Henry Willoughby in 1526 was dated 2nd March. It was described as money paid to Mr Palmer’s servant for his costs, from London and to return to London, when he brought a letter for Sir Henry from King Henry VIII. The amount was 13 shillings 4 pence, which was the equivalent of about £294.18 today. Although many letters from King Henry to Sir Henry have survived, it has not yet been possible to definitely associate a surviving letter to this date.

King Henry VIII (aka John White) and Middleton Hall volunteers on Heritage Day in the Jettied Building at Middleton Hall, 2009.

The Mr Palmer referred to in this entry was Sir Thomas Palmer. Cassandra Willoughby, in her account of the history of the Willoughby family, recorded that several letters concerning news were sent from Sir Thomas Palmer to Sir Henry Willoughby when Sir Thomas More was Chancellor. Thomas More was Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster from 31st December 1525 to 3rd November 1529. He became Lord Chancellor in October 1529 but because Sir Henry Willoughby died in 1528, the time period Cassandra referred to must have been when More was Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.

It is believed that this Sir Thomas Palmer was the third son of Sir John Palmer and Isabel Bitton. There is some confusion with another Sir Thomas Palmer and for many activities it is impossible to tell which one of the two they refer to. However, only one had been knighted during the lifetime of Sir Henry Willoughby and this was the Thomas Palmer who had been overseer of petty customs of London in 1519, surveyor of Henley-in-Arden in 1521, usher in receipt of the Exchequer and custodian of the Star Chamber in 1526, and MP for Guildford in 1529. He was knighted in 1522, whilst the other Thomas Palmer was knighted in 1532. It is believed that the Thomas knighted in 1522 died in 1544.

Next entry: 22nd March.

Further Reading: W. H. Stevenson, Report on the Manuscripts of Lord Middleton, Historical Manuscripts Commission, 1911. p.382, 516.

S.T. Bindoff (ed), “PALMER, Sir Thomas (by 1498-1544), of Pollicott, Bucks. and London”, The History of Parliament: the House of Commons 1509-1558, 1982. https://www.historyofparliamentonline.org/volume/1509-1558/member/palmer-sir-thomas-1498-1544

Author - Debbie Jordan, Middleton Hall Volunteer.

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