Petition of Henry Filognley, 1405

On 6 January 1405 a Petition by Henry Filognley, Sergeant of the King’s Scullery was submitted to King Henry IV. It was part of a a series of petitions presented by members of the Royal Household. Sometimes with support of senior nobles, and others seemingly wholly independently, there was a steady stream of requests for improvements to the conditions in which they lived and worked.

Petitions to the King from members of the Royal Household

Petitions by members of the Royal Household were not unheard of. They often formalised things that had been discussed previously. Were a member of the household to be rewarded in any way, it would be discussed, presented to the appropriate nobles, and then presented formally. Petitions were one way in which this process was undertaken. This allowed good service, or simple loyalty, to be rewarded. Similarly, if members of the Royal Household’s staff had reason to seek improvements to their working conditions, it was one way in which issues could be raised.

Promises of Reward for Service?

Examples from this period are varied. Thomas Dalhowe, a valet and William Wordyll and William Swober, pages, petitioned following Parliament. The request here was for beds adjacent to the King’s chamber. This reflected an improvement that could be made for the three men. As men who had access to the Kings person, and who needed to be available at all times, providing them with adequate bedding would make their lives more comfortable and would no doubt have benefits for their quality of work on the King’s behalf. The timing of their petitions was shortly after Parliament had been held in Coventry. Perhaps it was the case that they had been promised rewards for their service to the King whilst attending to him whilst he was at Parliament?

Structure of the Household and Royal Patronage

A further six petitions, including the one dated 6 January 1405, were sent in a short period of time[i]. They illustrate the way in which the Household worked, and that itself is then reflected throughout the whole patronage system.

With rewards and gifts being sent through channels that were well set out, there was a common route by which patronage within the Household would be distributed. Those at the bottom levels of the staff saw their rewards come from the ranks above them, moving through the ranks to those at the highest level of the court: the monarch himself. This was also true of issues relating to justice, changes to working life and to the rewards systems within the household.

Method of Petitioning

For officers of the household, or court, such petitions could be related to pay. In many cases these arrangements were made on the basis that payments would be made at either specific points, or at the end of an event or military campaign. In these cases, the payment requests for lower ranked servants would be collated and presented to their superior. Those requiring royal approval would be presented firstly to the Chamberlain who would then seek approval by the King. Those petitions would come from members of the household of standing, either through connections or as people who had served the monarch well for a long period of time.

Patronage at court worked in a similar manner, with the favour of the King disseminating through the ranks of the nobility and appointed officials. This made some household positions highly sought after as the ones through which patronage passed gave the holder a good deal of influence over who would receive favour.

[i] Dodd, Gwilym, and Douglas Biggs. The Reign of Henry IV: Rebellion and Survival, 1403–1413. Illustrated, York Medieval Press, 2008. Page 125.

Other events of 1405

French Support for Glyn Dwr in 1405

Featured Image

King Henry IV. This portrait is part of a set of sixteen portraits of English kings and queens. The set was previously at Hornby Castle near Bedale, the North Yorkshire seat of the Duke of Leeds, where it was recorded hanging in a corridor gallery in catalogues of 1898 and 1902. Its previous history is unknown but it was possibly acquired for Hornby Castle by the Darcy family. National Portrait Gallery.