#OTD in Tudor history – 4 March

On this day in Tudor history, 4th March, Anne Boleyn made her court debut at the Château Vert pageant, Mary Boleyn gave birth to a son, and spelling reformer and grammarian William Bullokar was born...

• 1522 - On the evening of Shrove Tuesday, Anne Boleyn played the part of Perseverance at the pageant of “The Château Vert”, her first recorded public appearance at court since her return from France. See video below.
• 1526 - Birth of Henry Carey, 1st Baron Hunsdon, courtier and administrator, was born. He was the only son of William Carey, courtier and favourite of Henry VIII, and his wife, Mary (née Boleyn). There is controversy over his paternity due to Mary Boleyn having a sexual relationship with Henry VIII at some point. Click here to read more about him.
• 1584 – Death of Bernard Gilpin, reformer, theologian, Church of England clergyman and preacher. He was known as the "Apostle of the North" due to him carrying out preaching tours in Northern England. Some say he died in 1583.
• 1590 – Execution of Christopher Bales, Catholic Priest, in Fleet Street, London. He was found guilty of treason under the “Acts against Jesuits and Seminarists” (1585).

• 1606 – Death of Sir Edward Fitton, member of Parliament and administrator, in London. He was buried in Gawsworth Church in Cheshire. Fitton served Elizabeth I as Receiver-General for Ireland, and was involved in the plantation of Ireland.
• 1607 – Death of George Coryate, clergyman and Latin poet, at Odcombe in Somerset. He was Rector there and died in his parsonage. He was buried in the chancel of his church. His son, Thomas, published some of George's work, Posthuma fragmenta poematum Georgii Coryati Sarisburiensis, in his own book, “Crudities”.
• 1609 - Death of William Bullokar at Chichester. Bullokar was a spelling reformer and grammarian. His works included the 1580 book "A Short Introduction or Guiding to Print, Write, and Reade Inglish Speech", "The Booke at Large", a translation of Aesop's Fables and the "Pamphlet for Grammar". He also reformed the alphabet. See video below.