Henry at Court: Court Officials Quiz

Answer: Butler

The butler has a lot of responsibility in the royal household and has the highest status of all of the servants. On some smaller estates the butler is the person in charge of the buttery, where the wine, ale, and beer are stored; the King's household, however, is so complicated that the butler has several people of which he must take charge.

As you can image, during the King's Christmas Court the role of the butler is vitally important, as eating and, especially drinking, play a central role in the festivities.

The rumor is that the King has called for Reginald, the butler, to procure "20 tuns of good and new ordinary wine, both French and Gascon, and 4 tuns of the best stuff that Reginald could lay his hands on (2 of red, 2 of white) for the king's table". Because these is such a hierarchy of servants, it is necessary to keep who is in charge of what straight; I for one do not want to be embarrassed as I am running errands and delivering messages!

Answer: Constable

The office of the constable is a very ancient one in England; some say it dates all the way back to Alfred the Great. There are many levels of constables; for example, the Lord High Constable was in charge of the command of the army. Ordinarily it is the responsibility of the constable to be the "eyes and ears" of the court, and keep track of evidence needed to arrest lawbreakers who are brought to his attention and bring them to the King (or Lord) for judgement.

It may seem unbelievable, but sometimes even the people who are invited to the King's Christmas Court need a bit of policing!

Answer: Gentleman of the Bedchamber

This is an office that is usually held by a courtier who is a close companion to the King, one who is an important peer in the kingdom. He knows much about the private comings and goings of the King; he attends the King when he eats in private, helps him dress, and is a trusted confident, so he learns much about all kinds of the King's business.

The Gentleman of the Bedchamber stands guard over the bedchamber and water closet. Like the Groom of the Stool, the Gentleman of the Bedchamber knows many of the King's secrets and habits; this information is held in the strictest confidence, giving the position very high status.

Answer: King of Arms

The King of Arms is the only person who has the power to grant a coat of arms to a nobleman, although his recommendation must be approved by a higher authority. A coat of arms is very important in our time, because it instantly identifies an individual or family.

The symbol is passed down from father to son and all the components of a coat of arms - the color, emblems, and motto, cannot be changed without permission. Not only is the coat of arms emblazoned on a shield, but it is also part of the decoration on clothing, such as a surcoat or tabard. We pages spend a lot of time memorizing the important coat of arms symbols; someday the information may be vital to the safety of our Earl and his estate.

Answer: Royal Fool

The Royal Fool who does his job well is no fool - if you know what I mean! He may dress in strange clothing, but our King loves his entertainment! At Christmas Court the Royal Fool will be in charge of putting on a show that guests will discuss for years to come - including storytelling, jokes, acrobatics, and just general entertainment.

It is said that one year the King - excuse me for saying this - hosted a farting contest that was organized by Roland the Farter! The Royal Fool must be very careful, however, to keep his jokes in good taste.

Many times peers and even the King himself find themselves among the people being ridiculed; many a Royal Fool has lost his job by making fun of the wrong person at the wrong time!

Answer: Lady-in-Waiting

All of the high-ranking nobles have ladies-in-waiting; in fact, my Countess is bringing hers to court! Usually the Lady-in-Waiting is also a noblewoman, but isn't as high ranking as the one she serves. Her duties are prescribed by her mistress, however, the lady-in-waiting can complete secretarial tasks, help plan dances and musical performances, take charge of her lady's wardrobe, and help her pass the time with activities such as sewing and embroidery.

At the Christmas Court, the ladies-in-waiting will accept messages and send them; I think it important for the pages to know who these ladies are, stay in their good grace, and make ourselves useful.

After all, they are our teachers and it is our position to serve them!

Answer: Lord Steward

While the Earl of Warwick has a steward on his estate that helps with the general running of the place and takes care of it when he is away, the King's steward, called the Lord's High Steward has an even more important position. If, for some reason the King cannot govern England, the Lord High Steward has the power to do so in his place.

He is considered to be the highest dignitary of the King's Court, a position which carries a lot of power and responsibility; many times this job is hereditary, passed from father to son in the same family.

Answer: Earl Marshal

Another hereditary office holder, the Earl Marshal takes control of ceremonial occasions, such as the King's coronation or funeral. In the event that such a ceremony is not needed, the Earl Marshal will be in charge of protecting the King. He might even serve as the King's regent in the event that he is too young to take office on his own.

Therefore, it is very important for the Earl Marshal to have knowledge of the complicated affairs of war and peace; he is in charge of ransoms that may be necessary, collecting the spoils of war, and paying the soldiers.

He also makes sure that those entitled correctly use their coats of arms.

Answer: Master of the Horse

The Master of the Horse is a very high-ranking official at the King's Court, and I especially enjoy running errands to the mews, kennels, and stables! My Lord, the Earl of Warwick, also employs a Master of the Horse. It is his responsibility to make sure that the carriages, coaches, and wagons necessary to take us all to court are in good working order, and that we all arrive safely.

He is also in charge of the Earl's gifts to the King: a fine hound from our kennels, and the best young falcon from our mews. Bringing a worthy gift to the King's Christmas Court is very important, and since he is mad about hunting, these gifts are sure to please.

Answer: Lord Chamberlain

The Lord Chamberlain gets his title name from the fact that he is in charge of the King's chambers - the rooms that are above the lower level, that are reserved for the King's family and very privileged guests! He is a well-trusted peer, and along with the Master of the Horse and Lord Steward is one of the most important officials in the King's household.

Some say that he is the most important person to know if a private meeting with the King is needed; there are times when the very most important matters are discussed in the King's bedchamber.

The King gives orders concerning how he wants his household run, and the Lord Chamberlain is responsible for seeing that his wishes are granted.