Fic: graven with diamonds in letters plain (1a/5) [Tudors, Anne/Henry]
Chapter One: January 1536 - December 1536
ANNE BOLEYN’S DIARY
30 January 1536
Whitehall
My boy is gone. My darling baby, the one who I’d pinned all my hopes on, the one last chance I’d had to keep my husband’s love, is dead, gone before he could even draw his first breath in this world.
Henry blames me. When I lay in my bed, writhing in pain as our dead child slipped from my body, all he could say was, “You’ve lost my boy!” Not a word of comfort, nor a thought for what I might be suffering! That child was every bit as mine as he was his!
It isn’t all my fault! If he hadn’t been wenching with that whore, our son would still be alive and growing in my womb! Their dallying has cost my son his life and England its heir, and Henry sees it as my fault? Cruel, hateful man!
FROM THE PAPERS OF HERBERT LINACRE, HIS MAJESTY’S PERSONAL PHYSICAN
10 February 1536
Whitehall
Her Majesty summoned me and the midwives who had been retained for her delivery. The subsequent examination that she demanded to ascertain her chances for future childbearing was informative. The queen has shown in the past that she has no problem conceiving a child, as the presence of Princess Elizabeth and the two children HM has miscarried indicates. What has been the problem with her second and third child is that she has trouble carrying the prospective child to term. The midwives and I agreed amongst ourselves after the examination that the miscarriage HM suffered in 1534 and most especially HM’s most recent misfortune has wrought permanent damage to HM’s womb and humors.
HM took our diagnosis in a rather composed manner, much different from her behavior since the unfortunate incident that occurred a week before.
THE DIARY OF HENRY VIII
10 February 1536
Whitehall
I am stunned by the swift turn of events that have come about today. These past few days I have been considering methods with which to secure my freedom. Since God has made it clear that I will not have a living male heir from Anne, I have been wondering how I might be able to marry again. I had no desire to go through everything I endured with Katherine, and I was certain that Anne would fight me every bit as hard as Katherine did.
Now everything has changed.
This afternoon, Anne came to see me. I was surprised to see her up and out of her chambers, as she had remained bedridden since she lost my son. I had spent the past two weeks angry at her for allowing her injured pride to poison our son, but when I saw her today, I just couldn’t hold onto that anger. She looked so… small. I could tell that she had lost weight, and she looked exhausted. It’s hard to be angry at someone who was so clearly suffering.
She asked to speak to me alone, as Cromwell was currently present, and I agreed, shooing the man out. Once we were by ourselves, she began to speak. She informed me that she had spoken to Dr. L and the midwives and that this latest miscarriage had caused irreparable damage to her body. Because of that, Anne stated that due to the damage, she would likely never carry another child to term. Elizabeth was to be our only heir.
I admit, my anger did return then. This was not supposed to happen! She had promised to give me a son, to deliver where Katherine had failed! I was ready to berate her, to call her a witch for beguiling me into marriage and imperiling my kingdom, but she kept right on talking, not giving me a chance to say a word.
Because of this great misfortune, Anne told me that she felt it was best she step aside as my wife and Queen. I was stunned. Anne was leading me on a merry dance, much as she had done during our courtship, and just as then, I could only follow.
She expressed her disappointment that she had been unable to provide me with the son we both sought, though she did add that we have a daughter of which we can both be proud, something I don’t disagree with at all. Elizabeth is my greatest treasure and if she had only been born a boy, she would be perfect. Anne expressed her grief at not being able to preserve our son’s life, but still maintained that our marriage was a legitimate one and that, if nothing else, it had provided me with a legitimate daughter with which to use in my negotiations with my fellow rulers. Elizabeth would also do well as an heir presumptive until I could remarry and have a son.
I was shocked, yes, but as she told me these things, I began to actually see what it meant. Anne was agreeing to not stand against a divorce as Katherine had done. For the good of England, she was setting me free. I would not have to wait; I could be remarried within the year, and to my dear, dear Jane. I had been making preparations for these past few days, determined to not have to wait for years to separate from Anne as I had with Katherine. Even now, it still hurts to think that, but for Katherine’s stubbornness, Anne and I might have had a son even before Elizabeth had been born.
But now, Anne was offering me my freedom, presenting it like the ancient Romans would have made offerings to their barbaric gods. It was all so much to take in, but I still managed to speak, agreeing that it was right that we do what was best for the kingdom, and that I would summon Cromwell and Archbishop Cranmer to sort out the legalities of the situation.
That ended our meeting and Anne moved to leave. As she did so, though, I couldn’t help but feel some remorse. Once, I had loved her beyond all reason, had adored her above any other person in the world. I reached out to her, and she looked at me. Anne was still a handsome woman, despite the trials she’d undergone these past years. She had been my sweetheart, and I wanted to offer some word of comfort to her, but I found myself utterly tongue-tied.
Anne didn’t seem to mind my silence, though, and instead she touched me, her fingers brushing over my cheek. I could only watch as tears filled her eyes and saw the very real pain she was feeling. “Henry,” she whispered with such a longing that I have never heard. I think that, had she not fled the room at that moment, I might have taken her in my arms again and never let go of her, the whole world be damned.
Even now, she has such a hold on me…
ANNE BOLEYN’S DIARY
13 February 1536
Whitehall
Well, Cromwell and Cranmer certainly work quickly. I wonder if Henry bribed them to come up with such a quick solution.
I was summoned today to discuss the terms for my and Henry’s separation. My father, my uncle, and George accompanied me, although I’d only told them of my decision this morning. Father was furious, of course, and berated me for actually telling the king that I could no longer bear children and for giving up so easily what he and the others had fought so hard to gain. I longed to remind him yet again that it had been I who had gotten Henry to fall in love with me, but knew that would do nothing to resolve the situation, so I kept my silence.
George was upset as well, but less inclined to wail about it like our father. Uncle Norfolk was rather quiet on the subject, and one can never tell what he is thinking.
The meeting consisted only of myself, my family, Cromwell, Cranmer, and Henry, which was something of a relief. I’d been afraid that Henry would have brought along those vile, wretched Seymours, or Suffolk, to witness the evidence of my admitting defeat.
Cranmer began the meeting by quoting scripture at length, boring at least half the room near to sleep, but then finally got to the point. He said that since God told Men to go forth and multiply, my new inability to bear children could be considered justifiable cause for a divorce. He also stated that since ours had been a legitimate marriage and that both parties were willing to separate, the dissolution could occur with no loss face on either side, and Elizabeth thus would retain her legitimate status as a Princess of England.
I was so relieved to hear that, as Elizabeth’s wellbeing has been my primary concern. As long as Elizabeth remained a princess in eyes of the law and the church, then she retained a legitimate claim to the throne of England, the primary claim unless Henry actually managed to get a son on another bride. Of course, I wasn’t completely unaware that he already had someone lined up to take my place. I just wonder if any milky-eyed, puny brat that Jane Seymour manages to produce could even make it past its first birthday.
Once Cranmer finished explaining how he had managed to twist religious doctrine to allow Henry and I to divorce without incurring any negative consequences, Cromwell stepped in with the practicalities of our separation. Including the estates I hold already as the Marquess of Pembroke, Henry will settle on me several new estates, former monasteries, and their assets.
“In addition,” Cromwell added, “His Majesty has decreed that you will be granted the title Duchess of Pembroke, as well as continue hold the courtesy title of Queen, because of your holy anointment.”
Her Highness, Queen Anne, Duchess of Pembroke. It sounds well enough, though certainly not as glorious as Queen of England. Still, I was in no position to quibble. In fact, I was shocked that Henry was being so generous. He could have just as easily left me with nothing, bastardized our child, and I would have no way of stopping him.
The rest of what Henry will give me is also pleasing enough: I’ll continue to be considered a member of the royal family, due to my status as Elizabeth’s mother, and I will continue to be remembered in the prayers said for the royal family’s health and wellbeing throughout England. My letters patent will also be changed to include the heirs female, allowing my title, goods, and estates to be passed onto Elizabeth when I die.
Once everything had been laid out, Henry and I signed the documents that Cranmer and Cromwell required. As we all moved to leave, I watched Henry. There was no indication of his feelings as there had been when we met on the tenth. Back then, I saw something of the love he had once felt, and I knew then that there was still some part of him that felt something toward me.
He just does not love me enough to keep me, to be content with our precious, precocious daughter being the sole legitimate heir to the throne. I loved him with my whole heart, I still love him, despite all, and it tears at me that his love does not match my own.
I returned to my chambers, unable to bear the sight of him any longer, and ordered my maids and ladies to begin packing. I would have to send servants to Windsor, Greenwich, and Hampton Court to gather the rest of my possessions there and prepare them for transport to my new residence, of which I have yet to select.
My family had followed me back to my apartments. Father again started to complain of my decision to inform the king of my barrenness. After letting him fume for a few minutes, George interrupted him, telling him that it was for the best that I had been honest with Henry. What had happened to me could not be kept secret, and if I had tried to keep it from him, Henry probably would have tried us all for treason. George believed that I was coming off rather well, keeping the Pembroke estates along with a Duchy and continued inclusion in the royal family. He admitted that the family might lose some of its stewardships and offices, but he didn’t think Henry would strip them of everything, since the entire situation was being presented as no one was to suffer any loss of face.
“Though,” he added more darkly, “it will grate to see what we lose go to the Seymours.”
I agreed with him on that score. Jane Seymour had played the game of enticing Henry well, something she had learned from me. Well, she probably had been coached by her ambitious brothers and their sanctimonious father. By withholding sexual favors from Henry, Jane might as well have incited a bull. I had refused to be Henry’s mistress, refused to be a whore, no matter what the rest of the known world thought of me. Jane had outwardly pretended to do the same, and was now reaping the rewards. No matter that she killed a prince of England to get what she wanted.
Uncle Norfolk also agreed with George. We had not achieved all of our ambitions, but we were hardly going away penniless. Elizabeth is a princess of England, and could very well one day be Queen if Henry never manages to have a son. George also added that even if a boy is born, there is nothing to stop Henry from marrying Elizabeth off to a foreign prince, making her a future queen of a foreign country. While it is painful to think that my Elizabeth might one day leave me to go so far away, it is still a warming thought, that my darling girl could be a queen.
Father, however, was not so optimistic. “Not if all of Europe refuses to acknowledge the validity of Anne’s marriage to the king! The Emperor and the Pope won’t allow it!”
Uncle Norfolk told Father to calm down and calmly explained that it was possible that the Emperor and the Pope might be more amenable on the subject of Elizabeth’s legitimacy now that Katherine was dead and I had agreed to stand aside. The Emperor had defended his family’s pride, but now that the heart of his objections was gone, he might prove more lenient. Father, of course, pointed out that the Lady Mary was still present and that the king could always restore her to the succession ahead of Elizabeth.
I didn’t think he would, though. Doing so would mean admitting, however tacitly, that his union with Katherine had some validity to it. I didn’t think Henry would do such a thing, not even to spite me. I admitted that it was possible that Lady Mary could eventually be returned to the succession, but most likely not ahead of Elizabeth, not when it would imply that she had a better claim.
There was little my father could say against our arguments, and thus he and the others soon left me alone. Before Uncle Norfolk left, however, he stopped to say that I was coming out of my marriage rather well, considering that Henry could have just as easily thrown me into a nunnery left untouched by Cromwell especially for me.
It was an unsettling thought, especially when I know that he was right.
EXCERPT OF A LETTER TO ELIZABETH HOLLAND FROM THOMAS HOWARD, DUKE OF NORFOLK
27 February 1536
My Beloved Bess,
Anne has left London, and strangely enough, the people did not come out to cheer her going. I rode with her party through the city as her escort, and all I heard were calls of support, particularly from among the women. “God save Queen Anne!” I heard more than once, and from the people who practically spat in her path when she traveled to her coronation. Now they are supporting her, grumbling about her “being pushed off her throne” and other such phrases. There is even a rather bawdy ballad spreading through the markets and taverns, painting Anne’s departure as the wronged lady being sent away at the behest of her husband’s shameless, unfeeling mistress. Just a few years ago, such a song would have named Anne as the mistress, with Katherine of Aragon as the wronged wife.
Nonetheless, most of the court does little to hide their jubilation at her departure. The Seymours and Suffolk are acting particularly smug - as if they had anything to do with her going - though at the very least the Seymour slut girl has the good manners to be subtle about it. Though, I suppose her low spirits could be attributed to the ballad circulating through all of London.
The king is surprisingly solemn over the whole matter. Plans are already in the making for his marriage to Jane Seymour, yes, but he isn’t salivating all over the woman like he has been in recent weeks. More than once he has been seen staring off in the direction that Anne went in. If I were a sentimental man, I would think that he missed her.
[…]
ORDER FOR RENOVATION OF BUSHEY HALL AT THE BEHEST OF QUEEN ANNE, DUCHESS OF PEMBROKE
19 March 1536
By the hand of Her Highness’ secretary, John Uvedale
By orders of Her Highness, Queen Anne, Duchess of Pembroke, the following renovations are to be made of Bushey Hall, Hertfordshire (soon to be renamed Queen’s Hall):
- nursery to be enlarged into full bedchamber
- main bedchamber to be redesigned to architect’s specifications
- smaller bedrooms of the third floor to be combined into a dormitory for Her Highness’ ladies
- water closets to be scoured, enlarged, or added in areas indicated by architect
- kitchens to be restructured
- entire roof to be replaced
- gardens to be redesigned to architect’s specifications
- other tasks to be assigned
LETTER TO QUEEN ANNE, DUCHESS OF PEMBROKE, FROM GEORGE BOLEYN, VISCOUNT ROCHFORD
22 March 1536
Dear Anne,
I may well never forgive you for reducing your household to the point that you didn’t take Jane with you. Now I have to put up all the time with her incessant complaining without using her duties to you as a ready distraction. Personally, I think she’s just cross that her brother’s wife, Grace Newport, is expecting a child, since should that child survive, it would end any chance of our supposed son inheriting at least part of Baron Morley’s estates. Not that I have any intention of having a child with her.
Speaking of which, that has become Father’s newest bone of contention - you may have heard of it in his letters to you? He is ‘most displeased’ that there are still no Boleyn grandchildren for him to direct to further his dynastic ambitions. He’s made it clear that he wants a grandson - preferably named Thomas, after him - to one day carry on the family titles. I think he’s getting a bit desperate because he’s disowned Mary and any children she might have with Stafford, and he has no way of staking any kind of claim on Elizabeth.
Regardless, he will just have to accustom himself to the disappointment of not having one of his descendants to keep his bloodline going, and be resigned to the fact that one of Uncle James’ children or grandchildren will inherit from me, provided I outlive him. I copulated with that woman on our wedding night, and have no desire to ever do so again. I don’t care if people regard her as pretty, I find her repulsive.
But enough of my complaining. I was glad to hear that you are enjoying your tour of your estates, especially the ones you’d never had a chance to visit before. I hear that you are going to make Bushey Hall your primary residence after it has been renovated, and that you are going to rechristen it Queen’s Hall? Quite a statement, Anne.
Since you asked to be kept abreast of the goings on of the court, I will tell you what I know. The preparations for the king’s remarriage continue. The Seymour woman has already been set up in the Queen’s apartments, and she’s supposedly covered the place with fabrics and the Queen’s jewelry as she prepares her trousseau. She spent the early days maintaining a demure appearance, acting as though she hadn’t just edged you out of the court and your marriage, but that didn’t last when the king started treating her like a favorite pet. It’s nauseating, to be honest.
Father and I have both lost a few offices and stewardships to the Seymour men, but it hasn’t been as bad as we feared it might be. At least, I don’t think it’s been too bad. Father has lost both his seat on the Privy Council and his post as Lord Treasurer. He is positively spitting with fury. I still have my spot on the Privy Council, and the king has even invited me to join him on a few of his hunts, so the Boleyns are not completely out of favor.
The Emperor is falling all over himself to congratulate the king on his upcoming marriage, though he - and Chapuys - hasn’t been bold enough to state that this is his first legitimate marriage since Katherine. Cromwell and the Seymours are also in favor of an Imperial alliance, at least for the moment. Who knows how long it will last? The Emperor is known for playing games with the king, and it’s inevitable that the king will grow offended and then return to the French. Perhaps then there will be another opportunity to negotiate a marriage between Elizabeth and one of King Francis’ sons.
Oh! I can’t believe I almost forgot, but one of the king’s gentlemen of the chamber has disappeared! William Brereton, you know, the quiet one? He abruptly left court without permission and vanished. There was an investigation, under the theory that there might have been a kidnapping or something else nefarious, but no trace of him has been found. It’s as though he never existed.
Well, I hope I have filled your mind with enough gossip, sister. Do take every chance you can to enjoy yourself, and then take a moment to think of those of us who are stuck here at court for the foreseeable future.
Your Loving Brother,
George, Viscount R.
ANNE BOLEYN’S DIARY
2 May 1536
Hatfield House
Hatfield, I’ve found, is something like an oasis. Since I arrived here on the twenty-fifth of April, the weather has been perfect - sunny, the heat not overly stifling - and Elizabeth and I have spent as much time as we can out of doors.
Today was the perfect day to spend outside. Carpets were laid out in the gardens and the servants brought out a light selection of food for my ladies and Elizabeth’s nurses to enjoy with us. Elizabeth sat with me for a time but eventually wandered off, dragging two of her nurses along to play with her. Given that I had a moment alone with Lady Bryan, I asked her how Elizabeth was handling the recent changes in my status. She assured me that my daughter was doing very well, and that she had explained the situation to Elizabeth in a manner that she seemed to understand.
Elizabeth returned to me at that point, so I didn’t have a chance to question Lady Bryan further. I pulled her into my lap, happy to cuddle her close. I hadn’t seen her very much in the past several months, as she had been kept away from court for most of my last pregnancy, so I was immensely grateful to be able to spend time with her now. “Hello, my darling girl,” I said, “Are you happy?”
She said she was, and she smiled too, but even with all the time we’d spent apart, I know my girl. I thought she had something to say, but didn’t want to do so in front of Lady Bryan and all our attendants. I didn’t want her to feel as though she couldn’t talk to me, so I led her away, ordering the others to remain where they were.
We walked together a distance away, finally coming to a halt in the very center of the garden, where there was a bench. I lifted Elizabeth up onto it, and then sat down next to her. I then proceeded to ask her if something was wrong, if something was bothering her. It took her several moments to answer, and she still clearly looked hesitant. I waited, and finally she worked up the courage to speak.
Her question is one I will never forget.
“Does my papa not love me anymore?”
I felt as though someone had just slapped me. For all his faults and his initial disappointment over her sex, Henry adored Elizabeth. Our love for our daughter is possibly all we have left in common now. Hugging her, I reassured her that of course her papa loved her. She was his special girl, his little princess.
My words didn’t reassure her, though, and she demanded to know why he never came to see her anymore, and why he had discarded me. She even stumbled over pronouncing discard. My Elizabeth may be the most brilliant little girl in the world - no one will ever convince me that she isn’t - but she isn’t even three years old yet. She had to have overheard the word discard; it’s hardly a word she’d use on her own. The servants here at Hatfield aren’t immune to gossip, and clearly they aren’t careful about not being heard by the princess they serve.
I kissed her head and assured her that her papa and I both loved her very, very much, and that Henry was busy protecting the kingdom from people who wished to hurt it - hardly a lie, given that the Emperor, the Pope, and even the King of France are already standing against him. I assured her that he missed her terribly, and that he would no doubt come to visit her as soon as he was able.
Elizabeth seemed more at ease now, reassured of her father’s love. I could have avoided her other question, and even knew that she would likely never ask me or anyone else about it again, but I thought it best to be honest with her. I explained to her that her father didn’t discard me, and that she must never believe people who say so. Whatever my feelings about Henry, I don’t want Elizabeth to ever think that her father would be so cruel to her mama. I managed to tell her that my body was injured when her little brother came too early, and because of that, I couldn’t have anymore children. I told her that because her father and I wanted so much for her to have a little brother, we decided it was best that we not be married anymore so Henry could marry again and give her one. A rather simplified explanation, but for someone so young, it will work.
Of course, my daughter never ceases to amaze me. She said, “Lady Mary’s my sister. That means we’d both get a brother.” She seemed pleased enough by the idea, and I thought that enough had been said on the subject. We walked back to Lady Bryan and the others to call them inside. I felt we’d been out in the sun enough, and had no desire for Elizabeth to become overheated.
As we walked, Elizabeth’s nurses took her in hand, I fell back to walk with Lady Bryan and asked her if Lady Mary was well. “Well enough, Your Highness,” she said. “She spends much of her time in her chamber praying when she is not attending to her assigned tasks.”
I asked if she was there now, to which Lady Bryan said that she was, and that she was assigned to help prepare Elizabeth for dinner, even though Mary didn’t dine with the rest of the household. I already knew why that was. I’d received numerous reports in the past of how Mary refused to sit below Elizabeth, doggedly maintaining that it was her right to sit beneath the banner of state as Henry’s legitimate daughter. Not even the latest declaration of Elizabeth’s legitimacy that came directly from the Archbishop of Canterbury and Henry himself was enough to change her obstinacy.
Making a decision, I told Lady Bryan, “I will speak with Lady Mary in private. She may be late for her duties.”
I don’t know if I can change anything for the girl, but I shall try. I am so tired of fighting, and the girl deserves some peace as well, which she will never find while she is here being a servant to her sister.
EXCERPT FROM ANNE BOLEYN, QUEEN OF HEARTS, BY DR. NATALIE OLSEN
“Anne Boleyn’s stay at Hatfield in April and May 1536 is the one of the few concrete facts that we know of what she was doing after she left the court in February, along with the orders for a renovation of Bushey Hall, soon-to-be Queen’s Hall. The Lady Mary, of course, was also in residence at Hatfield, still waiting on Elizabeth. Anne’s diary speaks of her plans to speak to Mary, but Anne never writes of the actual encounter. Given the course of events in Mary’s life over the next few months, however, one wonders if Anne might have imparted a few words of advice to Mary on how to adapt to her ever-changing situation in life.
In any case, Anne left Hatfield some time after the 2 May entry in her diary, and we know that she had taken up residence at Forsythe Manor, her temporary primary residence, by 18 May due to a dated letter from George Boleyn sent to the estate. […]”
LETTER TO QUEEN ANNE, DUCHESS OF PEMBROKE, FROM GEORGE BOLEYN, VISCOUNT ROCHFORD
18 May 1536
Anne,
The king is to marry on the morrow. By the time you receive this, it will indeed likely already have happened. He attempted to keep the matter quiet, but it inevitably got out. The Seymours and their allies are already counting the silver, and Suffolk is being particularly insufferable.
I’m sorry, dearest.
George
ANNE BOLEYN’S DIARY
19 May 1536
Forsythe Manor
He actually did it. I knew that he fancied that whore, and I knew that she was the principle candidate to marry him, but in my heart, I’d hoped he’d never actually do it. A foreign princess I could accept, but her? She killed my son!
How could he? How could he?
EXCERPT OF A LETTER TO SIR ANTHONY KNIVERT FROM CHARLES BRANDON, DUKE OF SUFFOLK
19 May 1536
My Old Friend,
I hope this letter finds you well, and was sorry to hear that you couldn’t return to court. The king has married Jane Seymour, and seems quite happy with himself and his new bride, and she him. They danced and focused on each other so intently that I don’t think they even noticed anyone else around them. Gone is the king’s previous low spirits that came on him when Anne left Whitehall for Hertfordshire.
The entire court has been determined to make the festivities as happy for the king and queen as possible, if only to drown out the sneers and grumblings coming from outside the palace. Ever since the announcement of the divorce was made, the people have been speaking against the king, but mostly against Queen Jane. They keep muttering that Jane caused Anne’s miscarriage, enticing the king when she knew the queen was looking for her husband, and they truly believe the king was cruel enough to cast Anne off and blame her for the baby’s death. It’s rather shocking, when considering at her coronation, the people couldn’t be enticed to cheer the woman, no matter what bribes they were offered. Now they paint her with the same brush they painted Queen Katherine.
Nonetheless, everyone has been resolved to treat this as a fresh start. My dearest wife thinks that Queen Jane will make the king happy, and I say that with God’s help, we’ll all be happy now. Anne is gone, vanished into Hertfordshire to hoard the rewards she wrested from Henry in compensation for agreeing to the divorce. She’s living on enough wealth to feed a family of ten, and even managed to keep the title of princess for her child. Of course, still no thought is made for the Lady Mary, still languishing away at Hatfield as a servant for Elizabeth. Nonetheless, Queen Jane is known to be very fond of Mary, so it’s to be hoped that the young lady’s situation will improve in the near future.
[…]
THE DIARY OF HENRY VIII
4 June 1536
Hampton Court
My dear Jane had her first interview with one of the foreign ambassadors today. She behaved in the sweet, modest way that I so admire about her, and yet I couldn’t help but be a little disappointed. I brought Chapuys to visit her, and then left the two of them to speak alone, since Jane needs to know how to handle diplomats even when I am not present.
Chapuys’ tongue was as warm and golden as ever, complimenting her to the skies, though that I cannot blame him for. Jane is a true jewel of womanhood, everything a man would love to have in a wife. However, he soon moved onto the subject of my eldest daughter, saying that Jane will have gained a devoted daughter without the pain of childbirth, one whom she will find even dearer to her than her own children. Jane promised to continue to show favor to Mary, and do all that she could to further her interests and live up to the title of ‘peacemaker’ that Chapuys and even the Emperor have given her. Jane clearly needs further instruction on how to deal with foreigners, such as not to promise things that will not be in her power to do. Jane has no say in Mary’s condition; Mary herself alone is responsible for it. It speaks well of my wife that she wants to be kind to my illegitimate daughter, but why didn’t she speak up on behalf of my legitimate heir as well?
I also quite dislike the implication that Mary, who behaves as a miserable, disobedient wretch, would be even dearer to Jane than any children we might have. It’s ridiculous, a bastard being held in higher esteem than a legitimate child!
I ended their interview then, calling Chapuys away to talk with me. I asked him to forgive Jane, since this new life is all very strange and different from what she knew before our marriage. The ambassador was not at all perturbed, however, saying that he finds her quite the natural in her new duties. We spoke for several minutes more, and I believe I made it quite clear to him that while Jane was my wife and a perceived ‘peacemaker’, she has no influence on my policies and the decisions I make as both a king and as head of my family. Katherine and Anne both wielded their share of influence when they stood as my queen, but I have no need of any kind of partner in ruling anymore. I need a woman who will give me a son. Katherine failed because of the invalidity of our marriage in God’s eyes and Anne… I don’t want to think of Anne right now. Elizabeth was all she gave me, and while my dear girl is my heir presumptive, I need a son. That is Jane’s primary duty; that is what I need from her the most.
Surely she understands that.
EXCERPT FROM A FULL HOUSE: THE MADNESS OF LADY JANE ROCHFORD, BY DR. ROBERT RIVINGTON
“Jane’s unhappy marriage is thought to have contributed to her strong dislike of Anne, possibly because of the close relationship between Anne and George. She may even have believed that with Anne’s departure, George would bestow more attention on her. This was not the case, as George continued to despise her. Courtiers have written of how George vigorously continued to find his pleasures outside of his wife’s bed, refusing to sleep with her even for the sake of having an heir, much to Wiltshire’s dismay.
So that Jane joined the household of her sister-in-law’s successor should come as no surprise, if she was looking to spite the family for the unhappiness she believed they had caused her. […]”
JANE SEYMOUR’S DIARY
7 June 1536
Whitehall
I welcomed two new ladies to my household today - Lady Ursula Misseldon and Lady Jane Rochford. Lady Misseldon is a pretty young lady, and seemed an open and kind woman. I wonder how long that will last, for the court has a corrupting influence. I asked one of my other ladies to help Lady M settle in while I spoke privately with Lady R.
I admit I was hesitant to accept her into my household. She’s the wife of Wiltshire’s only son, and I suspected her of being W’s attempt to employ a spy among my ladies. When I mentioned this to Edward, however, he said I should accept her anyway. He said it was common knowledge that Lord R despised his wife. He believes she could become a useful ally, if her hatred for the Boleyns is as strong as he thinks it is and will become.
It did not take much to get Lady R to confide in me. She feels utterly abandoned in the wake of the Duchess of Pembroke’s departure from court. Lady R and Her Grace were never close, and she is not on good terms with the rest of her husband’s family. I could see the shame and unhappiness on her face, and could not help but pity her. I don’t know what I’d do if I’d been married off to such a cruel and ruthless family.
I assured her that she was not at fault for the failings of her husband’s family, and told her I had decided to appoint her my principle lady-in-waiting. She was so pathetically grateful that I had offered her a place in my household that I wanted to comfort her as though she was a little child, the poor thing.
ANNE BOLEYN’S DIARY
28 June 1536
Queen’s Hall
The renovations are going well. The architect and the stewards have all assured me they will be finished with everything come October, which will hopefully allow for enough time for my household to be moved in before the weather grows too atrocious. Nan and I have even begun to make tentative plans to host my family at Queen’s Hall for the holidays in December. I should love to have Elizabeth here with me for Christmastide, and my family too. Even Father, who continues to grumble about my letting go of being Queen in his letters to me.
I admit that I have been lonely these past several weeks. Elizabeth remains at Hatfield, George and Father at court. Nan is still with me, of course, but Madge is Lady Norris now and busy being a stepmother to Henry Norris’ children.
I miss my sister. We have not spoken or even exchanged letters since she revealed her marriage to Sir William Stafford and she was banished from court. How foolish was I, to allow my father to bully me into exiling one of my few allies? Mary and I have been together for much of our lives, and even now it’s difficult to not have her with me. Perhaps… perhaps it’s time to see if I have burned that bridge completely, or if there is still hope of preserving it.
LETTER TO EUSTACE CHAPUYS, SPANISH AMBASSADOR, FROM LADY MARY TUDOR
28 June 1536
Your Excellency,
I fear I must request your presence here at Hatfield. I have had a visit from Sir Francis Bryan at the behest of the King, once again commanding that I sign articles recognizing my parents’ marriage as incestuous, my own illegitimacy, my father’s right to be the head of the church, and renouncing His Holiness. I refused, as I always do, but this time I was subjected to veiled threats from Sir Francis upon my person if I did not do as His Majesty commands. He even stated that if I were his daughter, he would bash my head against the wall until it was as soft as a boiled egg! It was horrible, and I feared he might well lay violent hands on me, but then he stepped back and left.
I do not like to think that the King would authorize any of his men to harm me, but I also cannot think that Sir Francis, known for being an intelligent man, would not issue such vile words if he did not have His Majesty’s approval.
Please, come to see me, dear friend. I need your most excellent advice.
Princess Mary
THE DIARY OF HENRY VIII
29 June 1536
Whitehall
My frustration knows no bounds, and I was in such good spirits at first! I had been making plans for Jane’s coronation, a magnificent event that will finally put paid to all of those malicious whispers about Jane and her supposedly hounding Anne off the throne. If I wasn’t having her and her family watched, I would suspect that the Boleyns were stirring the pot, refusing to let the rumors die.
During our evening meal, the first one we had shared with for the day, as I had been busy with other matters at breakfast and dinner, I was telling Jane of my plans for her coronation. She seemed mildly interested, but then changed the subject. Apparently she had heard of my plans to finally bring my eldest daughter to heel, and begged me not to, to leave the girl alone.
I still cannot believe it. Did she truly not understand that to allow Mary to continue to disobey me only ferments rebellion within the realm? As long as she is treated delicately, people will continue to believe that they too can disobey me. I spoke quietly into her ear, as I did not wish for everyone to know of my anger, and ordered her to not speak of such things again.
Anne understood, perhaps even before I did. She knew that allowing Mary’s rebellion set a dangerous precedent, even when I was still hoping that Mary could be prevailed upon to see reason. Only now do I see that Anne was right, that for the sake of the stability of my country, I have to be firm with Mary, to treat her as I would any other person who refuses to yield to their lord and king.
Jane doesn’t understand that at all, too caught up in her sympathy for a child she sees as ill-used. Perhaps that is another reason why I don’t accord her the same latitude as I did with Anne. For all her high-strung behavior when severely stressed and upset, Anne was a warrior in her own way. She knew when a person had to be hard, where Jane doesn’t.
I must stay the course. I can only pray that Mary doesn’t force me to send her down the same path so many others walked. I have no desire to have my daughter’s blood stain a scaffold.
EXCERPT OF A LETTER TO QUEEN ANNE, DUCHESS OF PEMBROKE, FROM GEORGE BOLEYN, VISCOUNT ROCHFORD
5 July 1536
Anne,
Shocking news! It seems that the Lady Mary has finally signed the Oath! Her submission was sent to Cromwell only three days ago, and the king is quite pleased. So pleased, in fact, that he has had escorted from Hatfield to Hunsdon, and even ordered Cromwell to begin setting up a small household for her.
If the king is pleased, the Seymour woman is even more so. According to our uncle’s spies in the household, she has been fretting hugely on what gift to give the girl, acting as though Mary is of higher rank than her.
[…]
JANE SEYMOUR’S DIARY
5 July 1536
Whitehall
Oh, thanks be to God! Lady Mary has signed the Oath! I was so afraid of what might happen to her if she did not, and I knew I could do nothing to protect her. Now there is nothing to worry about, for she is safe! Thank God!
I have been of the mind to send her a gift, to assure her of my love and friendship, but was undecided as to what to actually send her, and shortly before the midday meal, I asked Lady R’s opinion on the subject and mentioned how much I was looking forward to meeting the young pri woman. Lady R then asked me if I wished to get something for Princess Elizabeth as well, or if I would rather wait until a time closer to the little girl’s birthday.
It was a legitimate question, but I admit that I try not to think of the girl too much who, though she hasn’t visited her father in several months, is still the king’s heir until I bear him a son. She is being raised more and more by her mother, who no longer has the duties of a Queen of England to keep them apart. I’m afraid, I think, of what Elizabeth might become, being raised by a woman whose hatred of me is almost legendary. If I don’t have a boy and Elizabeth succeeds her father, I know I will be at Anne’s mercy, which is negligible. If she doesn’t have her daughter execute me on some trumped up charge, I don’t doubt that I’ll be poisoned or gotten rid of in some other subtle manner.
Lady R interrupted my increasingly fearful thoughts, suggesting some kind of jewel for the Lady Mary, since she is only just now being granted funds enough to support a king’s daughter. I agreed with the suggestion, as well as putting off getting any kind of gift for Elizabeth until her birthday. I must focus on the here and now, and try not to worry overly about the future, which is in God’s hands.
No matter how afraid I am.
LETTER TO QUEEN ANNE, DUCHESS OF PEMBROKE, FROM LADY MARY STAFFORD
15 July 1536
Your Most Gracious Highness,
I must say, I was surprised to receive your letter of inquiry, but it was a pleasant one nonetheless. My husband and I do quite well here upon our small estate. It is not a grand thing, nothing I could have had if I had held out for a higher man, but I would not trade it for all the palaces in England. Nor do I think my husband would turn me away to be a king.
We have two children now, a girl, Anne Stafford, who is now two years old, and a son, Edward, who will reach his first birthday at the end of August. Both are bonny and healthy, and I know no people who could possibly be dearer to my husband and me.
We have heard much of the change in your circumstances, Your Highness, and I wish to convey my support to you. It is no easy thing, to give up what you have. I hope you have found solace in your new life, however, and are not overly vexed.
I would indeed like to hear more from you, if that be your desire to write to me.
I remain,
Your Sister,
Lady Mary Stafford
DIARY OF HENRY VIII
1 August 1536
Richmond
Jane and I made the trip to Hunsdon today, to visit Mary. I was awed at how beautiful she looked. She has grown so much, and so much has been missed. My pearl is an adult now. She looked up at me only when I lifted her head to meet my gaze, and I easily saw her apprehension. I wanted then nothing more than to take her into my arms, just like I used to when she was child.
I was very pleased at how quickly Mary and Jane took to one another. Jane’s gentle demeanor is exactly what Mary needs right now. Before we left, I gave her a note for a thousand crowns, so that she might continue to outfit her household and pay her servants their wages.
As Jane and I were born to back Richmond, though, I began to think. Mary is twenty years old now. Twenty years have passed since she was born and I still don’t have a son! I was twenty-five when she was born, and now I am forty-five. How many more years do I have left? If I have a son by the end of next year, I’ll be fortunate to live to see my boy reach the age of ten, and I remember too well the phrase, “Woe betide the nation whose king is a child.” That has been proved true over and over throughout England’s history. Henry III was a boy when his father died, and his mother had to crown him with one of her bracelets. Edward III was a young boy in his teens, and he spent his early years being ruled by his mother and her lover, both of whom had his father murdered. Richard II, Henry VI, Edward V, who was my mother’s brother, all of them began as child-kings who came to violent ends. Henry III and Edward III survived to reign for many years, but they were merely the exception, not the rule. Is that the fate of my son, who hasn’t even been born yet? If just one of my sons with Anne had lived, then at least they would at least already have started on their lives. Instead, I am still left with nothing, and it frightens me more than I can bear.
My mood was soured for the rest of the day, even when I sat down to eat with Jane. She was full of chatter about Mary, but I wasn’t very receptive, only giving her the vaguest of responses. Finally, Jane grew concerned and asked why I wouldn’t speak to her. I was in no mood to obfuscate, and told her that I was disappointed that she was not yet with child. The physicians had examined her numerous times since our marriage and pronounced her perfectly fertile, but there has been not a single sign of a child. Katherine and Anne both didn’t take this long to become pregnant when we began marital relations.
What if I gave Anne up for nothing? What if I’m not intended to have a son? Is Jane’s barrenness a sign of God’s displeasure?
Chapter One-B