Sir William Compton is a Tudor figure that I've recently become pretty interested in. He's surprisingly difficult to find information about, and so far I have been unsuccessful in finding a portrait of him, but nevertheless, I think he is a fascinating man, who was extremely close to King Henry VIII. Showtime's The Tudors did him a bit of an injustice by showing him in a very fictional light - (there is no historical evidence of Compton as a homosexual, and there is also no evidence of him ever knowing Thomas Tallis, the man he was depicted having an affair with on the show).
In reality, William is reported to have been a very handsome man at court - tall, blond-haired, and slender, he was described as elegant and graceful. He was older than Henry VIII, and became a close friend to him at a young age. Naturally, when Henry took the throne, he kept William close - making him a gentleman of the King's privy chamber - an honor reserved for only the closest of the King's companions, as they were granted access to the King's most intimate areas of the palace. Compton's official title was "Groom of the Stole (Stool)" - where he was in charge of the King's personal toilet (ew). He was also a military man, and was always present at court events and festivities. He was entrusted with the responsibility of bringing women to the King's bedchamber, and it is thought that he was the one who brought Bessie Blount and Elizabeth Carew (two of Henry's mistresses) to the King.
Compton was showered with gifts from the king, and became one of the wealthiest men at court. He was given Fulbroke Castle - which later became Compton Wynates, the family home. He was a gentle, soft-spoken man and was well-liked at court. Really, looking at all of Compton's traits, it seems he had it all. Therefore, it's really no surprise that he gained the admiration of a beautiful lady at court, and sister to the traitor, the Duke of Buckingham, Lady Anne Hastings (previously "Stafford" before her marriage to George Hastings). She was roughly the same age as William when they met, but by that point she was already married for the second time to Lord Hastings. Anne was a mistress of King Henry VIII starting around 1510 - a year or so into her marriage. The go-between man, most likely, was Compton, who probably brought Anne to the King's chambers and passed along messages and gifts between them.
Compton was showered with gifts from the king, and became one of the wealthiest men at court. He was given Fulbroke Castle - which later became Compton Wynates, the family home. He was a gentle, soft-spoken man and was well-liked at court. Really, looking at all of Compton's traits, it seems he had it all. Therefore, it's really no surprise that he gained the admiration of a beautiful lady at court, and sister to the traitor, the Duke of Buckingham, Lady Anne Hastings (previously "Stafford" before her marriage to George Hastings). She was roughly the same age as William when they met, but by that point she was already married for the second time to Lord Hastings. Anne was a mistress of King Henry VIII starting around 1510 - a year or so into her marriage. The go-between man, most likely, was Compton, who probably brought Anne to the King's chambers and passed along messages and gifts between them.
Anne's husband was outraged when his wife's affair with the King became public, and he sent her to a convent. However, there is still speculation that her relationship with the King lasted until about 1513, as she was not in the convent long. After that relationship ended, she entered into a relationship with William Compton (some time around 1519) - though the nature of this relationship is somewhat unknown. At this point, the King was involved with Bessie Blount and this was the year she would deliver him a son. Compton himself was married twice during his life - to Werbuga Brereton and Elizabeth Stonor, though there is no record of whether or not these were happy marriages. As was normal in those days, Compton undoubtedly had mistresses, and it is believed that Anne Hastings was one of them. It is possibly that the couple tried to keep their relationship quiet, so as not to upset George Hastings again and have Anne sent away a second time. It is interesting to consider how this relationship may have played out. While they were both at court, it is possible that they could have kept up a quiet and romantic relationship up until Compton's death in 1528, as a result of the sweating sickness. Indeed, it is quite likely that they maintained some sort of relationship until that point, because he included her in his will, leaving her many lands and properties around England.
The relationship between William and Anne is an interesting one to consider, because there is so little known about it. If you're interested in reading a great novel about their relationship, I recommend "At the King's Pleasure" by Kate Emerson - (see my "Favorite Books" tab).
Here is a picture of Compton Wynates, where the Compton family still lives to this day! King Henry VIII's coat of arms are still visible in the stained-glass window of the bedroom he would stay in when visiting.
Here is a picture of Compton Wynates, where the Compton family still lives to this day! King Henry VIII's coat of arms are still visible in the stained-glass window of the bedroom he would stay in when visiting.
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