Peake - Stiles - Person Sheet
Peake - Stiles - Person Sheet
Misc. Notes
John the son of James Russell is introduced to the court of Henry VII 1506 At the sieges of Therouenne and Tournay his exploits there Battle of the Spurs 1513 Made deputy of Tournay 1514 Scheme for the seizure of the White Rose 1517 Receives the King's letters for the restoration of the city 1519 At the interview of the Field of Cloth of Gold 1520 At the sack of Morlaix where he is knighted by the Earl of Surrey 1523 Treaty of Bruges Bourbon's injuries and overtures Sir John Russell sent to him June 1523 Negotiates his adhesion to the interests of England Bourbon escapes from France Battle of Bray Retreat of the Lance knights Francis endeavours to entrap the Duke But he avoids the snare and reaches the camp of the Irnperialists in Italy.
Mr Russell on his part as we learn from Lloyd had a moving beauty that waited on his whole body a comportment unaffected and such a comeliness in his mien as exacted a liking if not a love from all that saw him the whole set off with a person of a middle stature neither tall to a formidableness nor short to a contempt straight and proportioned vigorous and active with pure blood and spirits flowing in his youthful veins His prepossessmg appearance strengthened Henry's favourable impressions he appointed him a gentleman of his privy chamber and uniformly distinguished him by a more than ordinary degree of kind. The Archduke before leaving England sought to requite Sir Thomas Trenchard for his hospitality by some splendid presents but that gentleman fully satisfied with the honour of entertaining such a guest declined accepting either from him or his own sovereign any other recompense than the prince and his consort's portraits painted by Mabuse and a china bowl of singular rarity both of which are still preserved as heirlooms in the family. This painting which represents the royal pair in the full bloom of youthful beauty amply vindicates the prince's right to his surname of the Handsome and cannot be contemplated without emotion when we reflect that Philip died prematurely in the following September after but three months enjoyment of his kingdom of Castile and that from the shock which she thereby received the mind of Joanna became a total wreck.
On the accession of Henry the Eighth June 24th 1509 continued in his first appointment and being but little older than his youthful sovereign engaged his favourable notice by participating in all those magnificent frolics of his fancy the dance the masque l the pageant and the tourney with which the first years of his reign were so romantically coloured In dancing indeed says his quaint commentator he was not too exquisite for that is vanity but his dancing was a graceful exercise wherein he was carelessly easy as if it were rather natural motion than curious and artificial practice which endeared his severer virtues But the favour that proceeds from personal grace and comeliness although it seem to be doubly strengthened is the soonest dissolved and dissipated there being nothing so inconstant as men's humours which vary not alone through change of years but frequently by accident and small occasions Though Mr Russell therefore brought himself into court by what did humour he kept himself in there by what obliged standing not so much upon his prince's pleasure as his interest and adding to his more airy courtships the solidity of serviceable actions 1 From the softer court therefore in the words of the same writer we must attend him to the camp In the hostilities commenced against France in 1513 when Henry now at the age of twenty one resolved in person to support his troops who had begun the campaign by the siege of Therouenne in Picardy Mr Russell volunteered his service In the march to Therouenne he probably ranked with the rest of the king's household under the banner of the Trinity preceded by the standards of the Red Dragon and the Virgin and followed by that borne by Sir Henry Guildford emblazoned with the arms of England under which was the king himself and others to the number of three thousand Twelve cannons were with the king of unusual size which were strangely enough named the Twelve Apostles Their weight was such that one of them being overturned in a lagoon a hundred workmen were next day employed to draw it out Whilst thus engaged they were surprised by a party of the enemy who compelled them to abandon it intrepid exploit Mr Russell had the boldness to attempt Impatient to signalise himself by some its recovery in the face of ten thousand French under the Count St Pol and what is yet more remarkable with but two hundred and fifty adventurers under him as resolute as himself he succeeded in the effort 2 Arrived before the city six weeks were consumed in unavailing operations and the resistance was found so salutary in averting his great danger that Louis sent express orders that it should be revictualled at all hazards.
Mr Russell on his part as we learn from Lloyd had a moving beauty that waited on his whole body a comportment unaffected and such a comeliness in his mien as exacted a liking if not a love from all that saw him the whole set off with a person of a middle stature neither tall to a formidableness nor short to a contempt straight and proportioned vigorous and active with pure blood and spirits flowing in his youthful veins His prepossessmg appearance strengthened Henry's favourable impressions he appointed him a gentleman of his privy chamber and uniformly distinguished him by a more than ordinary degree of kind. The Archduke before leaving England sought to requite Sir Thomas Trenchard for his hospitality by some splendid presents but that gentleman fully satisfied with the honour of entertaining such a guest declined accepting either from him or his own sovereign any other recompense than the prince and his consort's portraits painted by Mabuse and a china bowl of singular rarity both of which are still preserved as heirlooms in the family. This painting which represents the royal pair in the full bloom of youthful beauty amply vindicates the prince's right to his surname of the Handsome and cannot be contemplated without emotion when we reflect that Philip died prematurely in the following September after but three months enjoyment of his kingdom of Castile and that from the shock which she thereby received the mind of Joanna became a total wreck.
On the accession of Henry the Eighth June 24th 1509 continued in his first appointment and being but little older than his youthful sovereign engaged his favourable notice by participating in all those magnificent frolics of his fancy the dance the masque l the pageant and the tourney with which the first years of his reign were so romantically coloured In dancing indeed says his quaint commentator he was not too exquisite for that is vanity but his dancing was a graceful exercise wherein he was carelessly easy as if it were rather natural motion than curious and artificial practice which endeared his severer virtues But the favour that proceeds from personal grace and comeliness although it seem to be doubly strengthened is the soonest dissolved and dissipated there being nothing so inconstant as men's humours which vary not alone through change of years but frequently by accident and small occasions Though Mr Russell therefore brought himself into court by what did humour he kept himself in there by what obliged standing not so much upon his prince's pleasure as his interest and adding to his more airy courtships the solidity of serviceable actions 1 From the softer court therefore in the words of the same writer we must attend him to the camp In the hostilities commenced against France in 1513 when Henry now at the age of twenty one resolved in person to support his troops who had begun the campaign by the siege of Therouenne in Picardy Mr Russell volunteered his service In the march to Therouenne he probably ranked with the rest of the king's household under the banner of the Trinity preceded by the standards of the Red Dragon and the Virgin and followed by that borne by Sir Henry Guildford emblazoned with the arms of England under which was the king himself and others to the number of three thousand Twelve cannons were with the king of unusual size which were strangely enough named the Twelve Apostles Their weight was such that one of them being overturned in a lagoon a hundred workmen were next day employed to draw it out Whilst thus engaged they were surprised by a party of the enemy who compelled them to abandon it intrepid exploit Mr Russell had the boldness to attempt Impatient to signalise himself by some its recovery in the face of ten thousand French under the Count St Pol and what is yet more remarkable with but two hundred and fifty adventurers under him as resolute as himself he succeeded in the effort 2 Arrived before the city six weeks were consumed in unavailing operations and the resistance was found so salutary in averting his great danger that Louis sent express orders that it should be revictualled at all hazards.