Alexandra Buckle, an expert in medieval music who is also a liturgical adviser to the committee planning the reburial of Richard III has reconstructed how an authentic medieval reburial service would have been conducted. Dr Buckle said that a reburial was a major event in the fifteenth century and she was quite surprised to find 'how widespread it was.' The work Dr Buckle has done shows that a reburial was not an ordinary affair but a separate service. She goes on to say
'This service provides an evocative picture of the medieval world, full of pomp and piety, with prayers that the dry bones being re-interred would be spared the wrathful judgement of God.'
Richard III would have been respectfully reburied this way if there was anyone left to recover him following his death at Bosworth. But his family were all gone and anyone left who respected him would, quite rightly, be frightened for their own lives under the new Tudor regime to attempt anything, and as we now know Richard's body was tossed into a hastily dug grave, covered and forgotten.
We can see what to expect from a medieval reburial ceremony from the reburial of Richard's own father, Richard of York, who died in the Battle at Wakefield in 1460. York was buried at Pontefract and his head placed on a spike over Micklegate Bar in York with his remains later taken for reburial at Fotheringhay. This reburial would have involved many people, three masses were known to have been sung for his soul and prayers were read, York's body would have been sprinkled with holy water before he was laid to rest, followed by a banquet were meats of capon, heron and swan were served.
The mortal remains of King Richard III lie with the University of Leicester until Sunday 22nd March when his last journey for reburial begins.
http://kingrichardinleicester.com/topics/reburial/timetable/
'This service provides an evocative picture of the medieval world, full of pomp and piety, with prayers that the dry bones being re-interred would be spared the wrathful judgement of God.'
Richard III would have been respectfully reburied this way if there was anyone left to recover him following his death at Bosworth. But his family were all gone and anyone left who respected him would, quite rightly, be frightened for their own lives under the new Tudor regime to attempt anything, and as we now know Richard's body was tossed into a hastily dug grave, covered and forgotten.
We can see what to expect from a medieval reburial ceremony from the reburial of Richard's own father, Richard of York, who died in the Battle at Wakefield in 1460. York was buried at Pontefract and his head placed on a spike over Micklegate Bar in York with his remains later taken for reburial at Fotheringhay. This reburial would have involved many people, three masses were known to have been sung for his soul and prayers were read, York's body would have been sprinkled with holy water before he was laid to rest, followed by a banquet were meats of capon, heron and swan were served.
The mortal remains of King Richard III lie with the University of Leicester until Sunday 22nd March when his last journey for reburial begins.
http://kingrichardinleicester.com/topics/reburial/timetable/
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