On this day in history, 24th October 1537, Henry VIII’s third wife, Jane Seymour, died at Hampton Court Palace. She had given birth to a baby boy, the future King Edward VI, on 12th October 1537 after a long and difficult labour, but had been taken ill shortly after Edward’s christening on 15th October.
In Letters and Papers, there is a record of the arrangements made following Jane Seymour’s death:
“A remembrance of the interment of Queen Jane, mother of Edward VI., who died at Hampton Court, 24 Oct., on Wednesday about 12 p.m., in child-bed, 29 Henry VIII.
Immediately upon this heavy news the King ordained the duke of Norfolk, High Marshal, and Sir Wm. Pawlet, Treasurer of the Household, to see to her burial; and he himself retired to a solitary place to pass his sorrows. The aforesaid councillors then sent for Garter and other of the Office of Arms to show precedents. First the wax-chandler did his office, taking out the entrails “with searing, balming, spicing, and trammeling in cloth,” then the plumber leaded, soldered, and chested; and her entrails were honourably interred in the chapel.” (LP xii. ii. 1260)
So Jane’s heart and entrails were buried in the Chapel Royal at Hampton Court Palace. The record then goes on to give details of the burial of Jane’s corpse in St George’s Chapel, Windsor Castle, on 13th November 1537. Jane’s step-daughter, the Lady Mary, acted as chief mourner.
You can read the primary source accounts of Jane’s illness and death in my article The Death of Queen Jane Seymour and midwife Dayna Goodchild wrote an excellent article on Jane’s labour and death for Tudor Life Magazine back in June and you can click here to read that now.
You can also read more about Jane Seymour in the following articles:
- Did Jane Seymour have a C-section?
- Jane Seymour – Guest Post by Lauren Johnson
- Jane Seymour: The Meek and Mild One?
- Jane Seymour: Redefining the Myth
Here is my 60-second history video on Jane Seymour if you just want to know the basics about Jane:
