Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales
Henry Frederick, Prince of Wales, KG (19 February 1594 – 6 November 1612), was the eldest son and heir apparent of James VI and I, King of England and Scotland; and his wife Anne of Denmark. His name derives from his grandfathers: Henry Stuart, Lord Darnley; and Frederick II of Denmark. Prince Henry was widely seen as a bright and promising heir to his father's thrones. However, at the age of 18, he predeceased his father, dying of typhoid fever. His younger brother Charles succeeded him as heir apparent to the English, Irish, and Scottish thrones.
For other people known as Henry, Prince of Wales, see Henry, Prince of Wales.Henry Frederick
19 February 1594
Stirling Castle, Stirling, Scotland
6 November 1612 (aged 18)
St James's Palace, London, England
8 December 1612
London[edit]
James became King of England in 1603 at the Union of the Crowns and his family moved south. Anne of Denmark came to Stirling to collect her son, and after an argument with the Prince's keepers, Marie Stewart, Countess of Mar and the Master of Mar, was allowed to take Henry to Edinburgh on 28 May.[24] On the following Sunday Anne took him to St Giles Kirk in her silver coach.[25] Anne and Henry arrived in England, at the fortified town of Berwick-upon-Tweed, on 1 June.[26]
Henry's tutor Adam Newton continued to serve the Prince, and several Scottish servants from the Stirling household were retained, including the poet David Murray. The prince was lodged at Oatlands and Nonsuch Palace, and was relocated to Winchester during an outbreak of plague. At Winchester, in September 1603, Anne of Denmark produced a masque to welcome her son, which was controversial.[27] In November 1603 he was staying at Wilton House, and King James joked that a letter presented to Henry by the Venetian diplomats was bigger than he was.[28] Henry rode with the Earl of Nottingham and his governor Sir Thomas Chaloner to Salisbury to dine with the Venetian ambassador Nicolò Molin and other diplomats. This was the first time he had made an appearance and dined outside the royal household, and his father joked that Henry was the ambassador's prisoner.[29]
On 15 March 1604, Henry rode on horseback behind his father through the streets of London during the delayed Royal Entry.[30] From 1604 onwards, Henry often stayed at St James's Palace. The gardens were improved for him by Alphonsus Fowle.[31] The daily expenses of the Prince in England were managed by the Cofferer of the Household, Henry Cocke and after 1610 David Foulis.[32] David Murray of Gorthy was keeper of the Prince's privy purse and his accounts reveal some details of Henry's interests.[33]
Two Scottish tailors, Alexander Wilson and Patrick Black, moved to London and made the prince's clothes.[34] Wilson made him doublets and hose from cloth supplied by Robert Grigge, and a hunting coat of green chamlet lined with velvet. The prince was supplied with perfumed gloves made of stag's leather, perfumed gloves from Córdoba, and embroidered waistcoats "wrought very curiously in colour silks".[35]
Literature in the schoolroom[edit]
In England, his writing masters included Peter Bales, who practiced "small writing" and made a miniature copy of the king's book of advice, the Basilicon Doron for him to wear as a tablet book.[58] Bales encouraged Henry to copy improving Latin phrases, known as sententiae.[59] Henry translated works by Guy Du Faur, Seigneur de Pibrac and sent them to his mother, Anne of Denmark. He was a patron of Joshua Sylvester, who translated the poems of Guillaume de Salluste Du Bartas. Henry started to translate Sylvester's version into Latin to present to his father.[60] He paid £100 to George Heriot for a diamond ring sent to his friend the essayist John Harington of Kelston,[61] who sent him a translation of the sixth book of the Aeneid with notes referring to his father's Basilicon Doron. Henry seems not to have studied ancient Greek authors, but told the Venetian ambassador he would learn modern Italian.[62] Esther Inglis presented him with miniature manuscript books, including A Book of the Armes of England, as a New Year's Day gift for which he rewarded her £5.[63] The Venetian ambassador, Nicolò Molin, judged that Henry learnt under the impetus of his father's spur, rather than his own inclination, and his brother, Charles, Duke of York, was more earnest in his studies.[64]