This is the Tudor's Dynasty podcast.

And now a brief history.

Hi, I'm historian Christine Morgan, and welcome to A Brief History.

On this episode, we continue the story of Henry VIII from the book London in the Time of Tudors by Sir Walter Besant.

A quick word to listeners about this account.

It was published in 1904 and makes several large

statements which may not be true today. We have nearly 118 more years of history that Sir Walter

was not able to observe. The course of history and the study of the tutors in particular continually

evolves and improves, so take our author at face value considering the time of publication.

All that said, let's continue with our story. A singular story belongs to the arrival of the French embassy, charged with negotiating the marriage of the king's infant daughter and the Delphins.

The ambassadors were escorted by a company of their own king's bodyguard and another of the English king's bodyguard.

They were met at Blackheath by the Earl of Surrey, richly appareled, and a hundred and sixty gentlemen.

Four hundred archers followed.

They were lodged in the merchant's houses, and they banqueted at Taylor's Hall.

And then, says the historian, quote,

The French Harderman opened their wares and made Taylor's Hall,

like to the pound of a mart.

At this doing many an Englishman grudged, but it availed not.

In other words, a lot of French hucksters,

under cover of the embassy,

brought over smuggled goods, and sold them in the Taylor's

Hall, at a lower price than the English makers could afford.

...