Notes on John Tiptoft, Earl of Worcester

*Notes on John Tiptoft, Earl of Worcester*
Henry S. Pancoast
PMLA, Vol. 10, Appendix I and II. Proceedings 1895. (1895), pp. vii-xi.

Note: Had my first foray into JSTOR this evening, and found this
passage on John Tiptoft.

John Tiptoft was representative of the antagonistic tendencies in the
England of his time; the England of the Wars of the Roses and the rise
of the "New Learning;" of Caxton and Richard 111. The study of his
character and career illuminates this complex and interesting epoch.
Tiptoft was born at Everton, Cambridgeshire, probably in 1428. The
Tiptofts had risen through the patronage of the House of Lancaster. On
his mother's side Tiptoft was descended from that Prince of Powys
[Gwenwynn] that Scott introduced into "The Betrothed." He was educated
at Balliol College, Oxford; a College which then held a peculiarly
important relation to the introduction of the "New Learning" into
England. Three men, besides Tiptoft himself, left this College during
the middle years of the century, to study in Italy and bring back books
and MSS.to their University. The fact is significant when we remember
that Grocyn's [William Grocyn was one of the men who debated
philosophical questions before Richard III during the Procession of
1483] visit to Italy was not until about 1485, some thirty years later
than Tiptoft's. Tiptoft mas made Earl of Worcester by Henry VI. in 1449,
but shortly after deserted the King's party for that of York, and in
1452 became Lord High Treasurer apparently by the Duke of York's
influence. He held this post until 1455, when he was dismissed with
other high officials of the Yorkist party, Henry VI having gained a
temporary advantage over the opposite faction. Hard pressed by the Court
party, York took up arms against the King. At this critical time,
Tiptoft appears to have abandoned his patron for a trip to Jerusalem and
Italy, "desiring," says Bale, "before all things, rest." After some time
in Jerusalem, he returned by way of Venice, Padua and Rome, making his
famous Latin oration before the Pope and Cardinals and winning great
distinction." What worship had he in Rome," writes Caxton, "in the
presence of our Holy Father, the Pope." This Pope was Pius Second, known
as Aeneas Sylvius, a noted humanist. Tiptoft then studied about three
years (probably from 1458-9 to 1460-61) under Gwarino at Ferrara.
Gwarino haling been a pupil of Chrysolars, the missionary to Italy of
the "New Learning", we have in this succession the epitome of a great
world-movement.

Tiptoft is found again in England in 1461. Two events probably induced
his return, the death of Gwarino in 1460, and the accession of Edward IV
in 1461. Although he had left the Yorkists at the outbreak of the Civil
War, and only returned in their day of triumph, he was at once
distinguished by the royal favor, and held numerous high posts up to the
time of his death. A great scholar and patron of letters, his career is
blackened with a cruelty which called forth execration even in that
bloody time. Bent to Ireland as Lord Deputy in 1467, within a few months
he brought about the execution of Lord Desmond, his predecessor in
office, on the charge of treason. The Irish authorities claim that he
acted under secret instruction from the Queen, who had a personal grudge
against Desmond. This is not substantiated; but Tiptoft's conduct is
certainly open to suspicion. The matter is made more deplorable by
Desmond's high character, and the singular fact that he too was a
scholar and patron of learning. According to tradition, Tiptoft murdered
Desmond's young sons at the same time. Hall tells the story in his
Chronicle, and refers to it as Tiptoft's worst act of cruelty. It is
also mentioned in the poem on "The Infamous End of the Lord Tiptoft,"
&c., in "The Mirror for Magistrates."

In 1470,during the rising of Warwick in behalf of the Lancastrians,
certain brutal indignities were inflicted by Tiptoft's order upon the
bodies of twenty prisoners (Stow says, "both gentlemen and seamen "),
which he, as Lord High Constable, had sentenced to execution. From the
savagery of this act, Tiptoft was called "the butcher of England".
Warkworth's Chronicle, after relating the occurrence, adds: "For the
which the people of the land were greatly displeased, and ever
afterward; the Earl of Worcester was greatly [be]hated among the people,
for these disordinate deaths that he used contrary to the law of the
land." The wanton ferocity of this action brings to mind the Italian
proverb, quoted by Ascham in proof of the brutalizing effect of Italy
upon the English nature : /Inglese Italiano è un diablo incarnato/.

During the momentary triumph of Warwick, Tiptoft was taken prisoner
while hiding in tile top of a high tree, which expressed, says the
Chronicler, "the precipice of his fortunes." He was tried before the
Earl of Oxford, whose father and brother had, eight years before, been
beheaded by his command, condemned and executed on Tower Hill. Fabyan
declares that was being taken from Westminster to his execution, "the
people pressed so importunately on him " that the Sheriffs were obliged
to borrow jail for him that night in the Fleet. This incident is told
with additions in "The Mirror of the Magistrates": the mob being there
represented as so infuriated against Tiptoft that he feared they would
have eaten him alive.

Caxton's tributes to Tiptoft are numerous and familiar. If the printer
is to be trusted, Tiptoft was the most learned man among the English
nobility of his time. It is generally overlooked that these tributes
cannot be set down to personal friendship. Tiptoft is known as Caxton's
friend and patron, but Caxton did not return to England, after a
continuous absence of some thirty-five years, until about six years
after Tiptoft's execution. Caxton's words are rather evidence of the
high estimation in which Tiptoft's scholarship was held. Tiptoft
reflects his age at its best and worst. He was set at a confluence of
evil influences, when civil strife following the Hundred Years War had
debauched the English nobility. Abroad he came close to that Italy which
Machiavelli called "the corrupter of the world." Yet a new intellectual
life was growing, and Tiptoft's career alternates between scholarship
and political intrigues. He shows us how early the new spirit was
stirring in England, and how it was regarded; he is the "butcher" and
"the first fruits of the Italian Renaissance."
*
Humanism 'New Learning'
*The new emphasis in the Renaissance on human culture, education and
reason, sparked by a revival of interest in classical Greek and Roman
literature, culture, and language. Human nature and the dignity of man
were exalted and emphasis was placed on the present life as a worthy
event in itself (as opposed to the medieval emphasis on the present life
merely as preparation for a future life).
http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&client=firefox-a&channel=s&rls=org.mozilla:en-US:official&sa=X&oi=spell&resnum=0&ct=result&cd=1&q=define:+Humanism+&spell=1

--- In , Bill Barber
<bbarber@...> wrote:
>
> *Notes on John Tiptoft, Earl of Worcester*
> Henry S. Pancoast
> PMLA, Vol. 10, Appendix I and II. Proceedings 1895. (1895), pp. vii-
xi.


Thanks for osting that interesting biographocal info, Bill.

What a strange contradictory man. I often think that every single
person whose name has come down to us from that era should be the
subject of a complete biography, they were such complex individuals and
led such interesting lives.

Katy

Katy,

There is a biography of John Tiptoft by R J Mitchell. Published in 1938 so there are some copies around.
We used it for background to set up our Worcester Household for reenacting John Tiptoft's household in WOR battles.
For further infomation see our website www.worcesterhousehold.co.uk.

Peter

oregonkaty <[email protected]> wrote:
--- In , Bill Barber
<bbarber@...> wrote:
>
> *Notes on John Tiptoft, Earl of Worcester*
> Henry S. Pancoast
> PMLA, Vol. 10, Appendix I and II. Proceedings 1895. (1895), pp. vii-
xi.

Thanks for osting that interesting biographocal info, Bill.

What a strange contradictory man. I often think that every single
person whose name has come down to us from that era should be the
subject of a complete biography, they were such complex individuals and
led such interesting lives.

Katy






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