Bess Throckmorton and the Bag of Horrors

[@FunnyClementine]

Honestly, I think she probably enjoyed implying that she had the head in the bag. There's only so many times people can ask you when you're getting married again, before you start having to get creative about how you say "none of your business."

[@BevMargaret]

Like this theroy....especially since she would have possibly had money!

[@FunnyClementine]

@@BevMargaret I imagine that you can scare a lot of fortune hunters with a well-placed stroke of a suspiciously heavy-looking bag.

[@AmberTheIrishPersian]

Yes that’s a very good reason for her party trick! I like it!

[@jasonmack2569]

@@FunnyClementine "Would you like to come up and see my etchings?" "First let me show you my bag."

[@fridayhunt7075]

😂😂😂😂😂😂

[@survivedandthriving]

I am a woman in STEM who is first generation Canadian, so I have never really had a particular interest in this type of history. But, I started just clicking on the most randoms things (for me) that the algorithm sent my way during the lockdowns. I am THRILLED that the computer-math gods sent Reading the Past my way. I enjoy every moment of these videos. I find them interesting, I always learn something, I enjoy Dr. Kat's 'take a second-look' (and somewhat feminist) interpretations of the stories of these times, and I find Dr. Kat very pleasant to listen to. What a joy it must be for the people who take Dr. Kat's classes and attend her lectures. What a joy it is that Dr. Kat posts these videos for us to watch. I will forever be grateful to the algorithm that suggested this channel to me.

[@OhDeerGirl]

My first thought about Bess collecting her husbands head was that she had it buried somewhere more private, somewhere close where she could visit the grave more freely.

[@BeerElf66]

Sometimes bereaved spouses used to keep their loved ones' hearts to be buried with them when they died. Is it possible that it's something like that?

[@angstymedusa]

Someone should create a bingo card "Things that get you thrown in the tower" and we can tick them off when we watch your videos.

[@lspthrattan]

Grief makes a person do strange things, sometimes. I can believe she kept her husband's head in a lovely velvet bag. Like you, I'm not so sure she showed it off at parties at whatnot. That part must be embellishment, in the absence of any written accounts of that at the time. But long ago I had an acquaintance who worked at a mortuary. Once he was sent to pick up a body, and a family member begged him to at least let them keep a hand. I mean, I was happy to keep my dad's old tape measure as a memento, but okay...like I said, grief can be weird sometimes.

[@wendymoyer782]

I have my Mom's wooden rolling pin, and a carpenters measuring tool ( the name escapes me right now...darn head cold!), and my Grandma's porcelain mare and foal. Monetarily, they are nothing. Sentimentality, they are beyond worth! But, I agree...no hands, no heads, please!

[@joyphinney3729]

Right? This is nothing compared to Juana the Mad.

[@grievousangelic]

When my mom passed, the funeral home offered us the opportunity of having my mom's fingerprint taken, in case we wanted to do a little pendant with the imprint of her fingerprint on there. I said go ahead and take the fingerprint, thinking I might change my mind at some point in the future. But I thought it was utterly morbid, even though no actual body parts were involved. (The idea still creeps me out, FWIW.) I doubt Bess carried the head to parties, too. Kept it? Maybe. As you said, grief can cause strange behaviors.

[@DeniseSkidmore]

I didn't even want to take the tie clip the funeral director offered. I bought a replacement, it's a common antique, they were salesman freebies in dad's profession 50 years ago. I guess some people want their loved one shown wearing the family jewelry and then take it home after.

[@itsacarolbthing5221]

I love my tyre pressure gauge, purely because my dad bought me it when I got my first car! It's strange, the things we attribute emotions to.

[@JanetCowan]

Has this red bag been tested for blood/DNA residue? I agree that it’s probably NOT “The Bag”, but it would be interesting to check.

[@Cindy-by3ho]

Good idea!

[@gafls3151]

That was my thought. Should still be blood residue.

[@jennierayner2152]

Even if the head was embalmed? I have no idea how preservation techniques at the time would have worked, but there probably wouldn't have been any blood/soft tissue left..?

[@JanetCowan]

@@jennierayner2152 I’m no forensic expert, but maybe? Traces of the embalming chemicals used at the time, or epithelial cells?

[@marisapaola9010]

@@JanetCowan 🤮

[@Chemist_mama]

“Surely, they would have stopped hanging out with her if she had done that” 😂😂😂 you’re the best, Dr. Kat!

[@KatherineHugs]

I love these biographies of lesser known women!

[@HouseHooligan]

Shades of Mary Shelley keeping Percy’s heart in her desk drawer. 😂 What an icon!

[@rosevale3218]

Even though there were many strange customs in that era I can't see her carrying it with her everywhere. Maybe preserved in a box that was buried with her. Your delivery is so down to earth that it's like talking with a knowledgeable friend.

[@oneminuteofmyday]

I am descended from some Throckmortons around her time period, though I am not sure which ones. I wonder if this mysterious bag of horrors was in our family’s past. lol

[@starlightshimmery]

Apparently our family is somehow related to Sir Walter so I think this will be interesting too 😳.

[@TeresaE116]

I hate I missed the live chat 💬 AGAIN! By the way, I have some Throckmorton’s in my ancestry. The first one that appears in the USA 🇺🇸 seems to not have gotten along with the Puritans in The Massachusetts Bay Colony ( 😣 I wonder why?? Ugh… I wouldn’t be able to stand them either!!) They sent this Throckmorton to Rhode Island I think when they decreed him out of their “Perfect Church”.

[@cherylprickett6999]

:O

[@oneminuteofmyday]

I found my family genealogy and tried to follow it back. It looks like Bess’ father had a brother named George and I am one of his descendants. So Bess was that one weird niece/cousin whom you never asked if she had a handkerchief in her bag that you could borrow.

[@marksadler4104]

I'm descended from the Gilbert family, the stepfather of Sir Walter Raleigh is my 15th great uncle and also his maternal line (Champernowne)

[@_pawter]

Thanks Dr Kat. For the past 20 years I've been operating under the idea that Raleigh commanded at the attack and abandoned his dying son. But your contextualisation/interpretation of that whole sad affair has considerably rehabilitated him for me. I did so love to read of swashbucklers when I was young.

[@gwynwellliver4489]

The "head in the bag rumor" was new to me. Bess was a strong woman to survive all that happened to her family.

[@SyntaxError83]

I think Caitlin Doughty needs to do an Iconic Corpse video on Sir Walter...😄

[@patpierce4854]

Yes indeed, fellow deathlings! It’s worthy of “Bentham’s Head” part 2!

[@Sister_Christa]

An @askamortician / @readingthepast crossover episode would be spectacular. 🙌

[@angstymedusa]

I was thinking the exact same thing.

[@Rebornproductions17]

Dr Kat, once again, puts it beautifully, Bess's character peaks out at us through time, find her fascinating and if we ever uncovered some sort of diary or journal of her life in her own words, that would be a real el dorado for me, well done Dr kat as always

[@annalisette5897]

If Bess retrieved Walter's head in a bag, I can imagine the story morphing into more macabre developments. Prior to this we have the story of Meg Roper collecting her father Sir Thomas Moore's head in her apron. I think if Bess had anything in her bag it might have been a lock of her husband's hair or something like that. When I was a young teen I somehow acquired a book about Bess. I think it was called "Lady in Waiting". At that time, owning a book was a very special thing. I don't remember how I got it but it was a very good book that I kept for a long time. So, I have always been interested to know more about Bess. I leave lots of long comments all over YT and the rest of the internet. I do not know if YT grades by number of comments or by length or both. I hope they also judge by length! LOL! I have no idea why YT would judge by comments. If the subject matter of a video stirs controversy all sorts of people will leave comments, many of which have little to say. And there are trolls who leave peculiar comments or advertise "Girls" at whatever phone number or a website. I watch a lot of history and science on YT and I do not leave comments on a lot of them because I am just learning the material presented and have no opinions or ideas worth sharing. Some very brilliant and knowledgeable people -- like you Dr. Kat -- share their knowledge on KZbin and I feel privileged to learn from them. As I once treasured a battered book containing the biography of Bess Throckmorton, I can now indulge in a whole world of knowledge presented by experts.

[@1234cheerful]

@Anna Lisette Comments show that viewers are engaging with the channel. if there are lots of comments, there tend to be lots of views (lots of people, like you, leave no comment, and don't click the Like icon either). Apparently this puts the channel in a better position with the KZbin algorithm which is what decides wich that this video will show up on home pages and in the list at the side for more subscribers. "If lots of people like it, more people will like it if they see it, so we will show it in their feed or list." Then KZbin can put ads on the video and reap some profit. The creator gets a part of the ad revenue. It all comes down to the money, as usual.

[@bilindalaw-morley161]

I make novella length comments but sometimes will make 3 or so short comments if their topics or focus are quite different. I had to come back to substantially edit my original comment because "1234cheerful"had already very accurately responded. Also, "Dislike" and making negative comments are all still "activity". YT doesn't care if you like it, just that you watch it.

[@NinjaGrrrl7734]

I like you. We would be friends.

[@emilypresleysee]

@@bilindalaw-morley161 I find it so irritating that "dislike" only serves to forget the recommendation of a video. It's a huge issue. Not to mention that now we can't see the dislike amount.

[@jennaolbermann7663]

This time period is fascinating to me but I can’t imagine what it was like to live during this time, it seems so sad and tumultuous at times.

[@robyn_roamz]

Women of Bess' time had to be so strong to keep their families together and safe. You have to admire her spirit. I do.

[@susanellis6402]

Bess sounds like a amazing person and must have kept you on your toes living with her. I agree with those who think she kept the husbands head as a memento, she seems too savvy to have randomly show it around. I love how you present historical events like this like they just happened today.

[@OdeInWessex]

Don't understand why History Hit doesn't hire you directly, I prefer you to some of their presenters by far.

[@jillmoorhouse8888]

At the thought of never seeing him again i can believe she kept his head but can't see her carrying it around.I do hope the bag found was hers, whatever she kept in it. If only we could go back and meet such strong women like Bess.

[@dhoward8816]

About Bess carrying her husband's head around in a sack - I know Juana, Queen of Castile and sister of Catherine of Aragon, was supposed to have traveled a long time with her husband's body before he was finally buried.

[@hogwashmcturnip8930]

Apparently that was exaggerated to help with the idea that she was mad. She had vowed to bury him in the Royal burial site of Granada Cathedral, and they were hundreds of miles away at the time of his death. if you have ever travelled Spain, you will know how tortuous it can be to get from A to B even now, so then it would have taken weeks I would assume. She was not wandering around the country like a lost Banshee, with her husband's corpse in tow, she was trying to get him to Granada for a full Royal Burial. At least that is how most modern historians view it. It is highly unlikely that she 'mad' but the victim of her father and son's machinations over her throne. She may well have been after being incarcerated by them for decades. Juana's story is one to rival any Tudor tragedy and of course it was contemporary. As you say she was K of A's sister. I would like to see Kat cover more foreign monarchs, because while we all hear about the Tudors ad nauseum, there was some pretty peculiar stuff going down on the Mainland too. Katherine' s sister's had interesting lives, if short in some cases. 2 of them were married off to the same Portuguese king, Manuel the Fortunate, who had a life worthy of coverage himself. It was a sort of Replacement Deal, after the first sister died in childbirth. The 2nd followed her into his bed, and her own grave, also trying to deliver his sprog. As the Catholic Monarchs were clean out of available daughters by then, he had to look to Austria for wife number 3. And who can resist Pedro the Cruel and Dona Ines? If Kat thinks a head in a bag is weird, how about a King who exhumes his murdered wife so that she can be crowned and those who were complicit in her murder can kiss what is left of her hand? Again, unlikely, but it is one Hell of a Story!

[@brontewcat]

@@hogwashmcturnip8930 That story makes more sense than keeping the corpse with her.

[@dhoward8816]

@@hogwashmcturnip8930 I listened to a book on Audible about Juana and Catherine that described her life like you have. You explained her situation very well. From that book there's a lot reasons to think she wasn't mad

[@bettinapartridge3434]

​@Hogwash McTurnip never ever thought Juana was 'mad'. Highly strung, possibly but not 'mad'. Like you, I also feel that her husband & father had a lot to answer for. If I remember correctly, even her nephew Charles V, Imperial Emperor, put his two bobs worth in to stir her pot. She was treated appallingly by her male relatives.

[@hogwashmcturnip8930]

​@@bettinapartridge3434 Well, this is kind of 3rd hand, as it was in a book by a non Spanish speaking American, but she claimed that even now the people in the village where Juana was imprisoned respect her and assert that she was Not mad. Decent book. 'Spanish Recognitions, by an American with 3 names. At 82 she took herself off to Spain to follow the lives of Juana, Teresa of Avila and Lorca. It is the only book I have ever found in English with a whole chapter devoted to Extremadura, and as I lived there for 13 years and most people have never heard of it, she won brownie points just for that. She gets some things glaringly wrong. (Did you know the White Tower in the Tower of London was built by the Romans? No, neither did I, but she was a Yank, bless her, so make allowances.) Overall it is an interesting book and her description of Lorca's death was very moving. Mary Lee Settle! Knew it would come to me!

[@Beldamsansmerci]

I read an article last night about the Darnley marriage and was really surprised to learn how ambitious Mary Queen of Scots was when she became Queen of Scotland, especially in advancing her position as successor to the English throne, which was recognized as a threat far before Mary’s eventual imprisonment. Upon Mary’s assumption of the Scottish throne, it appears Elizabeth tried to sustain a connection with her on the vague promise of succession (before this all broke down’), which is why ultimately Mary made the choice to marry Darnley. I was surprised to learn they had even floated the idea of Mary’s marriage to Leicester!

[@serendpity3478]

What a nest of vipers.

[@Myke_OBrien]

She sounds like a fascinating woman. Perhaps her brother summed up her character best by calling her “Morgan le Fay. Thomas Moore’s daughter kept his head, so maybe Bess did. 🤷‍♂️

[@cindysaroya1251]

Morgan Le Fey was a tough, smart, and seductive character who outsmarted the men around her - her half-brother Arthur and the wizard Merlin - as revenge for her father's murder. An interesting metaphor for Bess's brother to make.

[@annegoodreau4925]

First, I think Throckmorton is one fantastic last name (which I doubt is not what you wished I would get out of the video). While I don't have any ideas about Walter's head, except for knowing that grieving people do strange things, I feel very sad for Walter and Bess' love story, plagued by separation and the loss of children. They had found true love, and I wish they'd been able to enjoy it.

[@freedpeeb]

Bess of Throckmorton has always intrigued me. She seemed such a strong person and so committed to her husband and family.

[@elizabethsands4470]

Poor lady... I can't help you nut have immense love and admiration for her. I am sure she she didn't carry the head around but I am certain that it would have been kept somewhere safe and secure

[@maryloumawson6006]

It may have been that she was described as "carrying the head about in a bag" but that doesn't necessarily mean she showed it around at parties, or had it with her while visiting the milliners. My guess is that as she moved between her homes, the head was transported with her, possibly encased in a red bag. If she viewed it as a kind of relic of her late husband, she may have felt it too precious to leave behind when going on extended visits etc. Margaret Roper is said to have "kept" her father, Thomas More's head until her death. I believe More's head was never buried, but was handed down in the family. But Throckmorton may have wanted Raleigh's head buried with her, and kept it to be sure it would be.

[@taborahsummerscooper3632]

Thank you Dr Kat, a welcome diversion on a grey day, it is not beyond possibility that she indeed kept her husband's head,as heads had been popular relics, even allowing for the religious reformation keeping it may have been viewed have been more acceptable, understandable given the mindset of the time.

[@mikalbell8125]

I personally don't think she kept his head in a bag, unless it was the bare skull. Otherwise, it would have smelled eventually. I can believe she kept it in a glass case or a chest of some kind. It could have been a personal relic.

[@spiralpython1989]

Thank you for this reading of Mistress Throckmorton’s life. I had only come across her as a Queen’s companion, who then ‘disappeared’ in disgrace after her marriage. I knew there was more to her story.

[@ausomeaspie]

Dr Kat is quickly becoming one of my favourite historians.

[@debraoleary3864]

Would love to watch a video about Marie De Guise- especially about her death which I’ve read was caused by Walsingham &/or Cecil and others who say that is bunk. Her death certainly seemed to come at a convenient time for England

[@westernnut8407]

Thank you for telling us about this strong woman. Bess is one of my distant ancestors and a fascinating character. If you'd like to learn more of her story read "My Just Desire: The Life of Bess Raleigh, Wife to Sir Walter Raleigh," (author: Beer).

[@moirathurgood9206]

I need to spend some time working my way back from Frances Hackman of Godalming Surrey. As NOT done Ancestry for a few months. But will make a note and try to keep in touch.

[@Sister_Christa]

Excellent video, Dr. Kat! If the "head in the bag" stories don't come from contemporary sources, I wonder when they started appearing. Humans are capable of all sorts of messy behavior. But the longer the period between her death and the earliest reference to the head in the bag, the more I would question the motive behind the telling. But it certainly makes for a memorable story!

[@MSK-jd5fi]

Anyone who was that close to the seat of power in those days and survived into old age should get an award. Good for Bess.

[@BevMargaret]

Love the "stopped hanging out" comment....actually laughed out loud....thanks for the giggle

[@NoxCattus]

I can't see where she would have had the head in her bag (such an odd sentence that lol). A few reasons come to mind immediately: Weight- would have been an uncomfortably heavy bag to carry day in and day out in that manner Smell-I know there are ways around it, but I still can't see how she could have kept it from smelling Religion-her husband supported Mary (a Catholic). Assuming Bess was also Catholic, it would go counter to how Catholics view the body after death Lastly, the fact that it could either fall on the ground by accident or that a cutpurse could steal it are also other reasons I see for her to not carry it...

[@dilihopa]

What an enthusiastic explanation of this woman! I enjoy your presentations very much. ❤️ from 🇨🇦

[@lauracassie9842]

Most people bring a bottle to a party…husband’s head in a bag is a new one on me 😅. Seriously though thanks for this Dr Kat, I’m always fascinated by how many continuous family connections there are at court, it’s like a giant spiders web. I’d love for you to do a video on Walsingham, I don’t know how much info there is about his life, but would’ve interesting to know how he got to be a spymaster and some of the plots he discovered or masterminded.

[@ardiffley-zipkin9539]

Fascinating view of another strong woman in history. I doubt that she carried her husband’s head around. She was devoted but seems to have been practical as she tried to care for him in prison and the family too. Great video Dr Kat.

[@annfisher3316]

Isn't the Bette Davis, Joan Collins movie, Virgin Queen about the Raleigh matter?

[@soso4169]

It is! I watched this film so many years ago. Dr Kat's retelling of the story brought it all back.

[@accidentalaerialist371]

Thank you so much, Dr. Kat! Your warmth and humor really shine through during your 'lessons'. Can you imagine baptizing your baby right above the bones of Anne Boleyn? Wonder if that crossed Bess' mind during the service? Kind of hope she did keep Sir R's head in a bag - just all creepy romantic!

[@Syphrianna]

Human heads are actually pretty heavy. Carrying one around all the time would be really inconvenient.

[@glorialange6446]

Dr Kat I am such a fan of this channel. There used to be another but you have come out far ahead because of your monthly history news, commentary and questions, along with some of your unusual yet well researched videos and speculations and conclusions. Thank you.

[@mildlycornfield]

I couldn't remember her name, but I had heard that Walter Raleigh's wife kept his head after his execution. A Horrible Histories sketch alleged that she displayed it at dinner parties, but I have no idea what their source was for that

[@divadaedalus]

If only to help with your algorithm I have a question. Sir Thomas More’s daughter Margaret kept his head and it was buried with her ten years later (apparently ). Was it fairly common for the families of the nobility executed by beheading to retrieve their heads and/ or their bodies?

[@kendralynn897]

Whether she did or didn’t……it’s just always nice to hear stories from that time where people actually loved their spouse.

[@johnday6097]

reminds me of the story of Juana la Loca carting the coffin of her husband Philip The Handsome around with her for years after he died. Grief can be entirely deranging.

[@emilysigmund1255]

Walter senior seemed shockingly bad at sensing danger, or at least ridiculously over-confident in his abilities

[@starrywizdom]

Sir Walter was lucky to have the love of an amazing woman like Bess Throckmorton.

[@jo-anbryson466]

Bess was obviously devoted to her husband and close to her children. Admirable lady.

[@ISayFinn]

Finest weaver of tales and tapestries of history past. Kat, you are winning and likeable in every way. Perfection!

[@saxonmediaprofessionalsinp8505]

Wow, to have someone with such love and loyalty as Bess displayed would be a wonderful thing indeed! Has the bag ever had any forensic analysis carried out on it?

[@hillerymcdonald2303]

Honestly, if History Hit signed YOU as a host, I would subscribe for sure. You're the best Dr. Kat, thank you for your work and for hours of amazing entertainment!!! I would LOVE to see a series on BBC or History Hit hosted by you!!!!! Bet I'm not alone on that either.

[@MitjaC]

Such an interesting topic, I love stories from the Tudor era!

[@misskitty2710]

It was difficult, and dangerous, to be a strong minded woman in Tudor times. The story of the head in the bag brings to mind Juana the Mad of Castile, Catherine of Aragon’s sister, who notoriously carried her dead husband’s remains about in a coffin. But the two women couldn’t be more different in terms of their determination, skill and tenacity!

[@mariadange06]

I never knew this about Sir Walter Raleigh, thanks for the history lesson and love story.

[@moirathurgood9206]

I just turned on and see this lady is my ancestor. I read all about her so now will sit back and listen. She is a direct descendant

[@neko-chan6145]

I didn’t know any of this. Thank you for sharing the oddities of history.

[@mrsluxe2200]

Considering a head weighs about 7kg/14lbs she would have had to be a strong lady to carry that around to an evening at court, not to mention that embalming or not, it would not have had the most pleasant smell about it. I agree with Isabella Greenan that it must have been an excellent way to escape the marriage questions and proposals, similarly to Juana the (not so) mad of Spain that Dr Kat spoke so eloquently about in a video well worth watching!

[@margaretschembridalli5218]

Sometimes I find myself amazed at the morbid habits of our ancestors Horror movies stuff.

[@eshim3961]

Another interesting story that most of us have never heard of otherwise. I have no idea why I stopped getting notifications of your videos, but I'm taking her advice and commenting in the hopes of this will work.

[@Fleuro128]

I'd LOVE to see the contents of your bookshelves, such diversity! I truly admire you.

[@KyMysticMoon]

A rainy morning off of work, a nice cup of coffee and some bess information. Loved the video

[@jessicalau7193]

The house she resided in and where the bag was found is used in the BBC show Ghosts if anyone is interested in seeing it.

[@moirathurgood9206]

I have been doing Ancestry a fairly long time. The reason I have sat listening to you narrating this fascinating tale is because the name Throckmorton struck me. Last year I discovered Bess as being an Ancestor of mine. So now I must retrace my footsteps and remind myself of how I discovered her. I know she led up to Godalming Surrey and then on to my Father and his side of my family . I will be sharing your u-tube with my brothers and my immediate family and also showing them how she has fitted into our line. Thank you for an extremely interesting story.

[@dawnwittenhagen9055]

if you discover a Martha Imogene throckmorton (1922-1997) come back here and comment cause that would make us related!! Im trying to do my tree (still have to do the dna yet tho) as i feel its important for our future generations!

[@moirathurgood9206]

@@dawnwittenhagen9055 I have gone back on my family tree and found my Throckmorton is Rose not Bess. Her parents are obviously up in the aristocracy as Sheriff of London and grandparents are Lord and Lady So will investigate further.

[@ileanaacacostaacosta1813]

Those Throckmortons were not loyal to anyone specially Sir Nicholas and his daughter were not better than him , she knew that Walter Raleigh was queen Elizabeth s favorite maybe her lover ,but she was as sneaky and as disloyal like her father and she took Sir Walter Raleigh for herself and Elizabth ruthlessly threw her out of her court for the rest of her life

[@StMeadMary]

I could imagine Bess keeping SWR’s head to say a last private goodbye and bury it near her son’s graves…? Poor lady. All that grief and worry 😢

[@chantalringstrom5019]

Love the way You explain Tudor history. Learned a lot about Bess Throckmorton & the Man she loved so dearly. Thanks ‼️

[@elizabethmcglothlin5406]

Given the way folks buried, dug up, and buried people, it's not that farfetched.

[@cathiematthews1359]

Didn't they used to put the heads on London Bridge for all to see, and birds to pick at?. If my husband was beheaded, and I thought his head was going to receive such bad treatment, I too would put it in a bag and carry it home for a private burial. That poor woman. Thanks Dr Kat for another wonderful Video! ❤

[@klarapetelei702]

Hi dr. Cat, thanks for another great story. I am Hungarian, still love English history and your materials. In my opinion, if she preserved her husband's head she would have been buried altogether with the head.

[@veesimmons2464]

Fascinating! I thoroughly enjoy the crazy yet plausible info we learn about historical figures.

[@JoRiver11]

Button House! A place that housed a grieving woman with a head in a bag is the perfect set for Ghosts.

[@monican5047]

Thank you for another great video Dr. Kat🙂

[@joshuafess4295]

I think a video on the details of accommodations provided for prisoners of the Tower of London depending on their status would be very interesting like what would they be fed, their daily living conditions, privileges. And how and who provided such provisions would be really cool. Too bad people back in Tudor times didn’t keep personal journals working for or guarding The Tower.

[@Riot_Bird]

Interesting thing I am related to them according to my great aunt who did our family tree

[@terryolsson4145]

Another facinating account of "British History Mystery"....Thank you

[@realitycheck4842]

Love your videos. I wish you would do one on trials for treason. They don’t appear as being fair, with verdicts predetermined.

[@memesnow3788]

I love the “ present “ of finding your videos in my feed .

[@nancycampbell8671]

Thank you! The people who form the court also have fascinating stories.

[@rhaenyralikesyoutube6289]

I doubt Bess carried her husband's head in her purse, but still, it brings up a macabre image of her keeping it preserved in her house somewhere.

[@kellieweaver3503]

I can believe that Bess retrieved her husbands' head directly after the execution, but if she had kept it with her she would have been denying her husband a proper Christian burial. I don't think a loving Tudor widow would have wanted that. If anything, I can see Bess nabbing Walter's head in order to personally assure that he DID get a proper burial. I don't know what the protocol for disposing of executed bodies was at the time, but I am sure it could get pretty dodgy.

[@jenniferlehman3342]

The number of lost heads in history is fascinating

[@angebaker5687]

Your face is priceless!

[@susannecoolkidsgerman7989]

Very interesting information and presentation about famous people in an era I have always been interested in. I love to read about historical facts and conclusions but I do enjoy a story being told like this. People's names and relationships etc. seem less confusing and somehow more interesting. Thank you!

[@debbierichards8182]

Bess is extremely likeable. Even with all the tragedy her spirit took to the wind & soared.

[@TheShmoo123]

Thank you, I really enjoyed being educated on these goings on! Wishing you a smashing day also.

[@LauraSweeney]

I really enjoy all your content, you have such a great delivery style and balanced informative views. Thanks for sharing!

[@ginadelfina5887]

I think Elizabeth I gave Bess such a good court position because she wanted to keep an eye on her. I think Bess probably did have the head embalmed and kept it somewhere, and that's how the rumors got started. Whether she actually carried it around in a bag, I don't know. You said that no contemporary sources mention the head in the bag, but what is the earliest source for that rumor, just wondering?

[@CFinch360]

What a fascinating story. A formidable woman indeed!

[@janetmorley6681]

On a practical level, human heads are rather heavy. I simply can't see it being carried in that bag. Too cumbersome.

[@sueblankenship9441]

Thank you for your excellent presentation of a fascinating woman. I look forward to seeing more.

[@JohnP538]

Well done as always. History should always be taught with passion.

[@carole6779]

Lol ~ the Good Ship Reading the Past. Now I am picturing a river cruise led by Dr. Kat. 😄 This is yet another video that I will have to watch a few times, to keep better track of the cast of characters. Thanks so much for providing these fascinating glimpses into the many quirks passed down as "historical record", which may or may not have some truth to them but certainly depend on the perspectives, emotions and agendas of the people involved.

[@dawnwittenhagen9055]

I just happened to run into ur channel and this video. I IMEDIATLY clicked on it as I am a throckmorton on my dads maternal side!! my grandmothers maidian name was throckmorton! I am currently trying to find info about my genealogy tree. So I am watching this video right now!

[@cathymc8365]

I love these glimpses into the past. Beheading people was favoured for so long and for shaky reasons most of the time. Thanks for sharing with us another fascinating character from long ago!