Following the Battle of Bosworth in 1485, the Tudors did everything possible to bolster their somewhat tenuous claim to the throne. Henry married Elizabeth of York on 18 January 1486 nearly six months after his victory at Bosworth and two months after he was crowned king. Edward IV’s daughter would have to wait until November 1487, the year of Stoke Field, for her own coronation.  It was not in the new regime’s interest to remind the populace that Elizabeth had a better claim to the throne than Henry VII.  

The queen was either already pregnant, or conceived during the marriage celebrations given that Henry’s longed for heir arrived exactly eight months after the wedding.  As soon as it became apparent that Elizabeth was expecting, Margaret Beaufort began to plan for her daughter-in-law’s laying in.  She created a set of ordinances drawn up from her experiences as part of Elizabeth Woodville’s household during the 1470s and from the procedures set out in Edward IV’s own book of household regulations.

The result was a treatise on royal ceremonials ensuring that the birth, baptism and care of Tudor princes and princesses was conducted according to customs established by the earlier Medieval kings of England. Modern understanding of the rules relies upon Leland’s Collectanea  which gleans the material from a manuscript in the Harleian Library (No 6079).

The book identified what the queen’s chamber should contain before she withdrew to it in the month preceding the birth as well as how it should be furnished and decorated. The walls were to be hung with Arras tapestries and heavy fabrics. Only one window should be available to allow in some light and fresh air should it be required. There were two beds – a state bed with cloth of gold and satin sheets and a more practical pallet bed on which the child might be delivered. There were to be two cradles – one a state cradle in which the infant was to be placed when it was being viewed and the other, again a more practical affair for when the child slept. All the males in the household were to be replaced with females for the duration of the pregnancy and the forty days afterwards.

There were instructions for the baptism and the number of staff required to care for the new arrival. The royal wet nurse’s food was to be tested for poison and her health monitored by physicians. Nothing would be left to chance – no one would say that the Tudors were less royal than their predecessors. Whatever else you might think, you’ve got to admire Margaret’s organisational skills! And her powers of observation – she had been a part of Edward IV’s court since her marriage to Lord Stanley.

If you’d like to read the instructions for caring for a Tudor prince or princess follow the link.

https://archive.org/details/joannislelandia01heargoog/page/n238/mode/2up?q=arras