Jean de Compiègne or Jehan de Conpiegne (died 1581) was a French tailor who served Mary, Queen of Scots, in Scotland and England. He is frequently mentioned in her accounts and in her letters. His name appears in various spellings in Scottish records, including "Jean Decumpanze".David Caldwell & Rosalind Marshall, The Queen's World: A Celebration of Mary, Queen of Scots (Edinburgh, 1987), p. 7. He was also known as "Jehan Poulliet",Jean Baptiste Alexandre Teulet, 'Maison de Marie-Stuart', Relations Politiques, vol. 2 (Paris, 1862), p. 273Andrew Laing, 'The Household of Mary Queen of Scots in 1573', Scottish Historical Review, 2:8 (July 1905), p. 353. and signed his name as "Jehan Poullyet".Charles Thorpe McInnes, Accounts of the Treasurer, vol. 12 (Edinburgh, 1970), p. 403.
Scotland In Scotland, Jean de Compiègne was paid a wage for making the queen's clothes and for supplying and preparing her silk thread for embroidery and other textile craft materials, for "facon d'habitz et soye à coudre et crochetz".Teulet, 'Maison de Marie-Stuart', Relations Politiques, vol. 2 (Paris, 1862), pp. 272–3. He worked with Jacques de Senlis or Seulis, another tailor and valet of the royal wardrobe,Charles McKean, "Renaissance in the North", J.M. Fladmark, Heritage and Identity: Shaping the Nations of the North (Routledge, 2015), p. 137 as "Jacques Foulis". to make masque costumes for Mary and her ladies in waiting.Anna J. Mill, Mediaeval Plays in Scotland (St Andrews, 1927), p. 337: Joseph Robertson, Inventaires de la Royne Descosse (Edinburgh, 1863), pp. 27 item 90, 142, 144–5 Senlis, the town, is between Compiègne and Paris.
Work by Jean de Compiègne was recorded in French in Mary's wardrobe account by Servais de Condé, the varlet of the wardrobe. One of the first recorded items, in January 1564, was a length of canvas to wrap a gift (presumably of clothing) to be sent to Madeleine of Savoy, Madame de Montmorency, in France.Robertson, Inventaires (Edinburgh, 1863), p. 146. In February 1564, Jean added plumes or panaches to three of the queen's bonnets:Plus a Jehan de Copiengne iij pannache assavoir deux de jes noyr pour metre sur le chappeaux pour la Royne.More, to Jean de Compiègne, three plumes, that is to say, two panaches of black jay [feathers, or beads] to put on the bonnets of the queen.Robertson, Inventaires (Edinburgh, 1863), p. 146, in French a jay bird is "geai", while "jais" was a name for a counterfeit pearl. In September 1564, Jean de Compiègne made black velvet gowns for the maids of honour, and a gown of black velvet for Mary, embroidered with pearls:Plus a Jehan de Conpiengne xxij aulnes ung quinsiemme de veloux noyr pour fairre une robbe pour la Royne set en treussle de perlles.More, to Jean de Compiègne, 22 ells and a fifth of black velvet to make a gown for the Queen dressed with pearls.Robertson, Inventaires (Edinburgh, 1863), p. 150.
On one occasion, for a masque in February 1566,Sarah Carpenter, 'Performing Diplomacies: The 1560s Court Entertainments of Mary Queen of Scots', The Scottish Historical Review, 82:214, Part 2 (October 2003), pp. 217–218. de Compiègne made costumes decorated with flames recycled from old cloth of gold cushion covers.Michael Pearce, 'Maskerye Claythis for James VI and Anna of Denmark', Medieval English Theatre 43 (Cambridge: D. S. Brewer, 2022), p. 115 & fn.33: Joseph Robertson, Inventaires de la Royne Descosse (Edinburgh, 1863), pp. lxxxvi, 162: Thomas Thomson, Collection of Inventories (Edinburgh, 1815), p. 148 item 128. The outfits were described as "male apparell", and during the performance the gentlewomen presented daggers to the French ambassador, Nicolas d'Angennes, seigneur de Rambouillet.Clare Hunter, Embroidering Her Truth: Mary, Queen of Scots and the Language of Power (London: Sceptre, 2022), p. 156: Clare McManus, Women on the Renaissance stage: Anna of Denmark and Female Masquing in the Stuart Court, 1590-1619 (Manchester, 2002), p. 69.Antonia Fraser, Mary Queen of Scots (Phoenix Press, 2002), p. 305.
In March 1566, Jean de Compiègne made a silver headdress for Mary to wear at the Parliament of Scotland.Joseph Robertson, Inventaires de la Royne Descossse (Edinburgh, 1863), pp. lxvii, 163: Thomas Thomson, Collection of Inventories (Edinburgh, 1815), p. 231. He made clothes for the queen's entertainer or fool Nichola,Joseph Robertson, Inventaires de la Royne Descosse (Edinburgh, 1863), p. 146. and ruffs for Lord Darnley, and was supplied with gold thread for embroidery.David Hay Fleming, Mary Queen of Scots (London, 1897), p. 505. Another tailor, William Hoppringle, made clothes for Darnley.Charles Thorpe McInnes, Accounts of the Treasurer of Scotland, 1566–1574, 12 (Edinburgh: HMSO, 1970), p. 18.
In July 1566 Jean de Compiègne made a gown of grosgrain taffeta banded with black velvet for Helen Littil, the nurse of Prince James,Charles Thorpe McInnes, Accounts of the Treasurer, vol. 12 (Edinburgh: HMSO, 1970), pp. 12, 403. and in August 1566, he made a cover to wrap the Prince at his baptism at Stirling Castle from 10 ells of silver damask. After the ceremony, the fabric was used on a bed.Joseph Robertson, Inventaires de la Royne Descossse (Edinburgh, 1863), pp. 166, 174.
In February 1567, after the murder of Lord Darnley, he was paid under his other name "Johnne Powlet" for making a serge cloak and "devanter" skirt dressed with ribbons as part of Mary's black mourning clothes (possibly a riding outfit, the "devanter" can be identified as a "safeguard").John M. Gilbert, Elite Hunting Culture and Mary, Queen of Scots (Boydell, 2024), pp. 7, 186–187. In March he made mourning clothes for Mary's pages and lackeys.Charles Thorpe McInnes, Accounts of the Treasurer of Scotland, vol. 12 (Edinburgh, 1970), pp. 42, 45-5, 399. The confession of the servant French Paris mentions the presence of a tailor with Bothwell at the Kirk o' Field and at Holyroodhouse on the day after the explosion,Walter Goodall, An Examination of the Letters Said to be Written by Mary, Queen of Scots, 1 (Edinburgh, 1754), p. 143: Samuel Jebb, History of the Life and Reign of Mary Queen of Scots: Robert Pitcairn, Ancient Criminal Trials,1:2 (Edinburgh, 1833), pp. 505-6 who was apparently Bothwell's tailor called Wilson.Teulet, Lettres de Marie Stuart: Supplément (Paris, 1859), p. 91 fn
Clothes and household service In the Scottish royal household, Jean de Compiègne was a valet of the chamber. He was given clothes to wear in February 1566 and January 1567. The first list includes red and yellow items, according to a heading in the account this costume was for his lackey servant. At this time he was making clothes for the queen's pages and lackeys. The clothes in the second list were black and gray and include an "Almain" or German-style cloak. His servant boy was dressed in clothes of English blue woollen cloth.David Hay Fleming, Mary Queen of Scots (Edinburgh, 1897), pp. 505-6: Accounts of the Treasurer, vol. 11 (Edinburgh, 1916), pp. 348, 472. His wife, whose name was not recorded, was a servant in the queen's chamber, and they were both given linen at Easter.Accounts of the treasurer, vol. 12 (Edinburgh, 1978), pp. 45-6, 399, 401. She does not seem to appear in the lists of the household known as the Estats.Andrew Laing, 'The Household of Mary Queen of Scots in 1573', Scottish Historical Review, 2:8 (July 1905), p. 350.
In January 1567, an Italian in the queen's service, Joseph Lutyni, fled to Berwick-upon-Tweed, and he said he was pursued for a debt to the Queen's tailor of 30 crowns, probably meaning Jean de Compiègne, who is identified as the tailor in the Estat. A letter related to this affair mentions Lorenzo and Timothy Cagnioli, two Italian brothers and financiers who supplied fabrics to Mary.Patrick Fraser Tytler, History of Scotland, 7 (Edinburgh: Tait, 1840), pp. 441-446.
England Jacques de Seulis or Senlis was listed as a tailor and groom of the wardrobe in Mary's household at Tutbury Castle in October 1569, and at Sheffield Castle in 1571.Susan Frye, "Bess of Hardwick's gynocracy in textiles", Lisa Hopkins, Bess of Hardwick: New Pespectives (Manchester, 2019), p. 167: Joseph Bain, Calendar State Papers Scotland, vol. 2 (Edinburgh, 1900), p. 696 no. 1194: Edmund Lodge, Illustrations of British History, 2 (London, 1791), p. 52.Joseph Hunter, Hallamshire (Sheffield, 1819), p. 66: John Daniel Leader, Mary Queen of Scots in Captivity (Sheffield, 1880), p. 185. Jean de Compiègne intermittently served Mary in England. He was with Mary at Sheffield Manor Lodge in 1572, and drew up a shopping list of fabrics to be sourced in France by the diplomat Bertrand de Salignac de la Mothe-Fénelon.William Boyd, Calendar State Papers Scotland, vol. 4 (Edinburgh, 1905), pp. 304-5 nos 324-5: TNA SP 53/8 ff. 95-8: Labanoff, Lettres de Marie Stuart, vol. 4 (London, 1844), p. 70
In July 1574, hopeful of an audience at the English court, Mary asked her ally in France, the Archbishop of Glasgow, to send her coifs embroidered with gold and silver and the latest fashion in Italian ribbons and veils for her hair.John Daniel Leader, Mary Queen of Scots in Captivity (Sheffield, 1880), pp. 339–340. She hoped that Jean de Compiègne would be able to come to her at Sheffield, and bring patterns and fabric samples, "patrons d'habits et eschantillons", as worn at the French court.Thomas Finlayson Henderson, Mary Queen of Scots: Her Environment and Tragedy, 2 (London: Hutchinson, 1905), pp. 546–547: John Daniel Leader, Mary Queen of Scots in Captivity (Sheffield, 1880), pp. 339–340. Some of the fabrics were to be gifts for Elizabeth I.John Guy, My Heart is My Own: The Life of Mary Queen of Scots (London: Fourth Estate, 2009), pp. 449-50: Correspondance Diplomatique De Bertrand De Salignac De La Mothe Fenelon, vol. 6 (Paris, 1840), p. 420 (April 1575): Letters of Mary, Queen of Scots, vol. 1 (London, 1842), pp. 198-199: Agnes Strickland, Life of Mary Stuart, 2 (London, 1873), pp. 315-6: Labanoff, Lettres de Marie Stuart, vol. 4 (London, 1852), p. 187
In July 1579, items sent to Mary from Paris were addressed to Jacques de Senlis as her valet. The consignment included estate accounts and ledgers, two watches, lace, ruffs, bands, and two pounds of laundry starch.John Daniel Leader, Mary Queen of Scots in Captivity (Sheffield, 1880), p. 422.