Pendant to Portrait of Sir Peter Rede

Sir Peter Reade (d. 1568) was a wealthy mercer, a Lord Mayor of prosperous Tudor Norwich and a benefactor to the city. The choice to depict him with his falcon in this fine civic portrait would have been a deliberate gesture to emphasize his wealth and high position. Although not a nobleman by birth, Reade had been knighted by the Holy Roman Emperor, Charles V, for military service. The hood on the bird's head makes it difficult to identify positively, but it most closely resembles a peregrine falcon, a perennially important and prestigious bird for the sport of hawking. By the Tudor period, the earlier medieval hierarchies which considered a peregrine a suitable bird for an earl rather than a mere knight would have been less current. However, to his contemporaries, Reade's possession of a peregrine would have indicated a high rank in society

The inscription on the painting reads: Anno 1646 / In memoriem [?]renouarom Generosis. / [?]Simi Petre Reade Johannes / Reade ei consanguineus hanc / Tabulem posuit. / Peter Reade Gentlemen did Give Certayne Houses in Nor-/wich, to the ende that the Great Bell in the Parrishe of / Saint peter of Mancrofte, should for ever be Runge at / fower of the Clocke in the Morninge, and at Eight of the / clocke at night for the helpe and benefit of Traveillers / He did also give a faire Salt double Guilte of the va-/lewe of Twentie powndes, to be used in the Maiors / houses in Norwich in time of there Mairoltie, and he / did further Give to the poore with in this Cittie / one Hundred Thirtie three powndes Six Shill-/inges and Eight pence, to be yearelie distributed / Six poundes 13s. 4d untill the whole Somme / were Runne out. He departed this present life / anno. Dom. 1568