Richard Page (courtier)
In 1522, Richard Page took his seat as a Justice of the Peace for Surrey. This local appointment marked his transition from private service to public authority. Before this moment, he had climbed the ranks within Cardinal Thomas Wolsey's household. By 1516, Page held the title of knight and served as a Gentleman of Henry VIII's Privy Chamber. His early career began under Wolsey, where he eventually became the Cardinal's chamberlain. The year 1524 saw him appointed as a Justice of the Peace for Middlesex as well. These roles established his reputation in southern England before national politics consumed his life.
On the 8th of May 1536, Page was arrested for treason and adultery with Queen Anne. This charge followed years of close association between the courtier and the future queen. In 1527, Page publicly took Anne's side against Cardinal Wolsey, then the King's chief minister. He was subsequently appointed to the Privy Chamber that same year. A letter from Thomas Cromwell to Wolsey described how Page delivered correspondence to Lady Ann Boleyn. She gave him kind words but refused to promise speaking to the King on behalf of the sender. From 1527 to 1533, Page also served as Recorder of York. On the 3rd of November 1529, he received knighthood at the Palace of Whitehall. Thomas Benolt granted him a gift of crest and arms quarterly on the 1st of February 1530.
Seven men were arrested and taken to the Tower of London on the 8th of May 1536. Richard Page stood among them alongside Thomas Wyatt, Henry Norris, William Brereton, Francis Weston, Mark Smeaton, and George Boleyn. All except Page and Wyatt were found guilty and executed. John Hussey, 1st Baron Hussey of Sleaford wrote to Lord Lisle on the 12th of May 1536 about the situation. He stated that Mr. Payge and Mr. W[y]at were in the tower without danger of life. Yet Mr. Payge was banished from the King's court forever. Both Page and Wyatt were released from the Tower in June 1536 on the advice of Cromwell. The Lisle Letters recorded these events in volumes three, pages 684 and 694.
Though Page had been banished from court in disgrace, the King summoned him back. In 1537, he was made High Sheriff of Surrey. During the same year, the King bestowed upon Page the office of Chamberlain to his son, Prince Edward. This restoration marked a significant shift after the treason accusations of the previous year. Page returned to royal service despite the public scandal surrounding Anne Boleyn's fall. His appointment as High Sheriff demonstrated the Crown's willingness to forgive past errors when political utility demanded it. The year 1537 thus became a turning point in his career trajectory.
In 1525, Page served in Yorkshire as vice-chamberlain within the household of Henry FitzRoy. He received wages of £20 for this position while serving as a member of the Council of the North. Henry FitzRoy was the illegitimate son of King Henry VIII. While in Henry Fitzroy's service, Page devised armorial bearings for the boy. This administrative role required both loyalty and creative skill. The arrangement placed Page directly under the King's bastard son during a period of intense political maneuvering. His duties extended beyond mere administration into symbolic representation of the household's status.
In 1512, Richard Page married Elizabeth Bourchier, daughter of Fulk Bourchier, 10th Baron FitzWarin. They had one daughter named Elizabeth Page who lived from 1516 to 1573. She later married Sir William Skipwith on the 17th of October 1586. Before her marriage to Richard Page, Elizabeth Bourchier had been wife to Henry Beaumont and then to a husband surnamed Verney. Her third marriage was to Sir Edward Stanhope who died on the 6th of June 1511. Anne Stanhope, daughter of that union, married Edward Seymour, 1st Duke of Somerset. Elizabeth Bourchier died on the 8th of August 1557 and was buried at Clerkenwell as noted in Machyn's diary. After Page's death she married Nicholas Pigot for the fifth time.
Common questions
When was Richard Page arrested for treason and adultery with Queen Anne?
Richard Page was arrested on the 8th of May 1536. This arrest occurred alongside seven other men including Thomas Wyatt and George Boleyn.
What positions did Richard Page hold under Cardinal Wolsey and Henry VIII?
Richard Page served as chamberlain to Cardinal Thomas Wolsey before becoming a Gentleman of Henry VIII's Privy Chamber by 1516. He later held roles such as Justice of the Peace for Surrey in 1522 and Recorder of York from 1527 to 1533.
Why were Richard Page and Thomas Wyatt released from the Tower of London in June 1536?
Richard Page and Thomas Wyatt were released from the Tower of London in June 1536 on the advice of Thomas Cromwell. They were the only two among the seven arrested men not found guilty or executed.
How did Richard Page recover his career after being banished from court in 1536?
King Henry VIII summoned Richard Page back to royal service in 1537 despite his prior disgrace. The King appointed him High Sheriff of Surrey and Chamberlain to Prince Edward that same year.
Who was Richard Page married to and what children did he have?
Richard Page married Elizabeth Bourchier in 1512 and they had one daughter named Elizabeth Page who lived from 1516 to 1573. Elizabeth Bourchier died on the 8th of August 1557 and was buried at Clerkenwell.
All sources
9 references cited across the entry
- 1harvnbDavies (2004)Davies — 2004
- 2harvnbNichols (1857) p. xxxNichols — 1857
- 4webSir Richard Page and Sir Francis Bryan5 May 2010
- 6harvnbRichardson IV (2011) p. 35Richardson IV — 2011
- 7harvnbMarshall (1871) p. 7Marshall — 1871
- 8harvnbNichols (1857) p. xxxiNichols — 1857