Introduction

In the sixteenth century, certain individuals were tasked with helping kings and queens in intimate and unpleasant ways. When a king had to use the bathroom, he relied on his groom of the stool to assist him. A lady of the bedchamber would also act as a confidant and a personal stant. King henry the seventh even created a special room known as the privy chamber for when he had to go only grooms were allowed to go in there with him.