Elizabeth 1st Livery

[Captain Dungcaster]

I am reading the book Elizabeth, The Struggle for the Throne by David Starkey. In late November 1556 Elizabeth was invited to court for the Christmas revels by Mary. It goes on to read "that when Elizabeth  set out from Hatfield she was escorted by two hundred gentlemen on horseback, all wearing her livery"

The author does not write what color or colors those would be. Anyone know?

[captmarga]

The original Livery of the Tudors was the green and white (as seen on the Scarborough Royal Guards).  This was later changed to the Scarlets, which in turn evolved into the Beefeaters.  This color is still worn today by the Beefeaters. 

It may well be that they were wearing the scarlet and whites.

I'll ask my Captain of the Guard if he has a better input.

Marga, Corp "Dame Den Mother", Scarborough Royal Guard (Ret)

[Gwen aka Punstergal]

I'm saying the scarlets based on a diary entry from the original papers archived for the times.

http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=100600#n5

It's a transcription of the papers in the British archives, and the bit you're looking for is in FOOTNOTE #5, at the bottom.

[captmarga]

This from one of our Corporal of the Guard, who is most studied in Garb.

Without doing some more research, I venture to guess all Yeomen of the Guard would be wearing true Scarlets, ones more elaborate than would have been worn in 1533.  Elizabeth introduced the ruff (real men wear ruffs) and during her reign, likely sometime after 1570, the Sovereign initials were added to the doublet.  This may have been done earlier but according to Julian Paget, there is no record of it.  And Elizabeth replaced the "flop caps" with the more traditional stovepipe adorned with plumes (and real men wear feathers).  Looking at an engraving showing a circa 1575 Yeoman, his uniform is "loaded" with gold trim and even has little "rufflets" around the wrists.  The boots look to be knee height.

Sir Edward Jerningham was Captain of the Guard in 1556.

Wolfgang

Via Marga